A Growing Affection

Chapter 44: Playtime is Over: The Puppets of Nicholas

Hinata stepped defensively in front of Jonouchi, but continued to watch him carefully through her Byakugan. Naruto took up position by Kankuro, who was attempting to determine the extent of the damage to Black Ant without lowering his guard.

"I never expected you two to be such a disappointment," Anzu told her surviving minion, even as she positioned her automatons. Block angled to attack Kankuro, Star faced off against Hinata, while Moon prepared to intercept Naruto.

"But now you will see the full power of Sasori's daughter," her show of elegance was cracking, and she all but cackled her proclaimed lineage. Her fingers twitched around Block's spear, and Star and Moon fired blades at Naruto and Hinata. Hyuga dodged the shuriken, while Naruto knocked them away with Kitsune and a kunai he had drawn in his left hand.

The largest puppet trudged inexorably towards the loyal Sand shinobi. Kankuro caused Crow and Ant to fire needles at the golem, but they bounced off without so much as a scratch. He knew his poison attacks would do nothing to the puppet warrior, leaving him with the dubious option of melee combat. Having caught glimpses of Naruto's fight with Block, he estimated that Crow and Black Ant's constriction powers could similarly slow the large puppet down, he was less sure their blades could inflict enough damage to disable their opponent.

Unlike Kankuro's puppets, Moon made no noise as she raised her exaggerated scimitar to salute Naruto. But the blonde Chunin did not move his staff blade out of position, staring intently at puppet swordswoman. She stepped forward, stabbing directly for his heart. He caught the curved blade with his straight weapon, and used the momentum to launch a spin kick at Moon. The marionette raised her shield, and caught Naruto's foot on the edge. The round guard sliced almost entirely through his open toed sandal, and the teen realized the shield was for more than just defense. He stepped back, thankfully she had only hit his shoe, not his foot. With this new information, he adjusted his style slightly, bringing his kunai up horizontally in front of his chest.

Star danced after Hinata on her right and center legs, while attacking the young woman with her third leg and both arms. Unfortunately, only Star's oversized spearheads were coming close to Hinata, and they contained no mechanisms or chakra streams, so the Hyuga heiress could not use her Gentle Fist to disrupt the puppet. She took a deep gash on the back of her left hand, and fell back a few more steps to think. But Anzu did not give her the chance, pressing the puppet forward.

"Eight Trigrams Empty Palm," Hinata breathed, jabbing her right hand out, palm first. The burst of chakra threw the puppet away, the points of her feet scraping the floor. To keep from falling, Star planted her third foot, and leaned into the attack. In the end, the marionette was forced back only half as far as Hinata had expected, and was still standing.

Kankuro had an idea, one so stupidly inspired, it might have come directly from Naruto.

"When in the Land of Fire," he murmured to himself. Both Crow and Black Ant dove forward, each wrapping their multiple extendable arms around both of Block's legs. The stony puppet continued to try to walk forward, but was held fast. Both of Kankuro's puppets strained against the superior strength of Honda's puppet. Kankuro gestured again, and Salamander barreled forward. It jumped, and instead of simply landing on Block's chest, it jumped again, pushing off with all four feet. With its legs tied, Block could not resist Salamander's weight, and fell backwards. Crow and Ant quickly detached themselves, and the moving statue landed heavily on its back, shaking the whole floor. The clumsy automaton endeavored to stand, but Crow, Ant, and Salamander continued to strike at its limbs, keeping it down.

"Now what?" he asked her tauntingly. While his trio kept Block neutralized, he drew out more kunai, and threw them at his opponent. Anzu snorted, knocking the blades down. She slid her right hand to the middle if the spear. Block vanished, while Moon slashed at Naruto's neck with her sword, and his thighs with her shield. As Uzumaki blocked with his two weapons, she moved her left hand to meet her right. In the process, Block reappeared, one of its feet pinning Salamander. The same move caused Star to put her five limbs together into one large point, and launch at Hinata like a drill.