The Three Searches! Quest For the Yellow Star Crystal!

Note:This story was continued from The Trio Journey! The Five Ultimate Star Crystals

Training With the Red Star Crystal
Out in the scene that's 100 miles away from Konoha, a huge atomic-like explosion occurs at the night time.

Otonami was panting really hard. He then forms the Tiger Seal, "Release!" The red star crystals returnts to the ground, but when Otonami touches it, it was burning really hot. Wow, I got to know my limits. Otonami thought as he looked the scene in front of him. A huge 25 ft crater was formed on the ground. Well, I was out of Konoha at least.

When Otonami looks at the crystal, he sees that it was much fainter than before. These crystals, they run out of energy so quickly. Otonami thought as he picked it up - without the burning-effect. "Well, I got to rest for tomorrow." Otonami said and he ran off in 600MPH.

Shikamaru's Analysis
"So," Ryuka stated, folding his arms across his chest. "Are you done, Shika?"

"Yes, a long time ago." Shikamaru said as they waited Otonami to be done sleeping as they waited at his house. "Tch, he snores a lot." Shikamaru said as they heard Otonami snore.

Ryuka shrugged, smirking. "Should I wake him up?"

"Do what you want...he'll never wake up though." Shikamaru shrugged and Ryuka stood up and went to Otonami's bed.

As he went, he saw the red star crystal in Otonami's hand. ''Man, did he used the star crystal? I guess that's why he's in deep sleep.'' Ryuka thought. He slapped his forehead. "Jeez! Two of my teammates are fully asleep!" He frowned, turning to Shikamaru. "I bet you're rubbing off on them....jerk."

At the word "jerk", Otonami sleeptalks, "Who are you calling a jerk?!" Then, Otonami moves around.

"Guess not." Ryuka muttered, comically kicking him. "Get up, Oto, Shikamaru's done with the analysis.

"Eh?" Otonami said as he got kicked off his bed. "Hey, a simple slap would be better!" Otonami said as he got up, holding the star crystal in one hand.

"That wouldn't have been fun." Ryuka replied, smirking.

"Tch." Otonami just said as he got up and went to Shikamaru. "Hey, what's up? Don't tell me you broke the door again?" Otonami asked. Shikamaru looks down at the stairs and sees the newly repaired door broken. "Well, we had to get in somehow..." Shikamaru said as he turned to a shocked Otonami. Before he could say anything, Shikamaru interrupts, "Hey, hey, hey, I'm going to repair the door later. Just, the repairment people are going to come when we leave."

"We?" Otonami asked feeling a little excitement. "You're going?"

"Yep, since Indo doesn't look good, I might as well go." Shikamaru said and he pulls out the blue star crystal from his pocket. Then, he pulls out a sheet of paper.

"Heh, at least we have a bit of genius on our side, now." Ryuka thought to himself. "So, where are we headed to next?" He asked patiently.

"Our next destination!" Shikamaru said as he put down the paper. Ryuka and Otonami edged a bit. "Is the Land of Lightning!" He said aloud.

"I've never actually been there." Ryuka commented, folding his arms across his chest. "Aside from a minor mission where we had to retrieve something for the Kage, but I never got a chance to see around."

"Well, here's what the crystal says." Shikamaru then points at the middle of the encryption. "The same old words as the fire crystal: The power of the stars reawakens with five elements of stars. THE WATER STAR." Shikamaru then moves down the line. "Then all that crap as like the same as before. You know? The rekindled power?" He said. "Now then, here's the clue in which the next location is." Pointing at the middle, at the last section of the encryption, he reads: "The second star, the water star. The next star, where lightning strikes at the many places of its origin." Shikamaru said. "I'm suggesting that this is at the Land of Lighting." Shikamaru continued.

"Can these clues be any more obvious?" Ryuka asked, smirking.

"Look, I can't even figure out the clues..." Shikamaru said. "All I know, is that its origin is at a temple. Like, many other star crystals." Shikamaru replies.

"Man, do we have to ask about this crap?!" Otonami shouted out.

"And are we going to be facing anything? Because if there's another army of humanoid freaks waiting for us, I won't be a happy guy." Ryuka added, unfolding his arms.

"Well, Otonami did tell me about the whole thing in your adventure. I know that guy, and he's probably the only person who could do it." Shikamru said. "Anyways, I didn't need to translate the back since you guys already know the hand seals, right?" They both nodded. "Okay, whenever you guys are ready, I'm ready." With that, Shikamaru sets off.

"Heh, more fun!" Otonami said as he packed up his stuff.

"Hn." Ryuka, his supply backpack already on his back, followed Shikamaru out the door, knowing Otonami would follow after him.

Ryuka then walks and walks and then sees the front entrance, but only sees Shikamaru. Hey, shouldn't Otonami be-- Before he could finish, Otonami comes up with a blue blur and stands next to Shikamaru in a matter of seconds with nothing on his back. "Sorry, I only brought the house-container, and the star crystasl container. That's all I brought. Other than that, I got a 10 minute rest." Otonami said.

Ryuka rolled his eyes. "Excited, aren't we?" He drawled.

"Anyways, ready?" Otonami held up his glinted chakra hand as they got out of the entrance of Konoha. "Now, my ideal is for you two to train with each other. Shikamaru here might train you some things." He motioned to Shikamaru as he touched the house-container.

Ryuka raised an eyebrow. "This should be interesting...." "Ready if you are, Shika." Ryuka stated.

"Tch." As Shikamaru closed his eyes. Otonami then touches the two for ten seconds and they both shrink to the size of beans. Otonami then shoves them in the house container (with the bag), and runs off immediately.

Ryuka fell to his knees, glaring at the door. "I hate it when he shoves me in like that...." He muttered, getting on his two feet and dusting himself. He glanced at Shikamaru.

Without warning, Shikamaru immediately uses his Shadow Possession Jutsu and tries to get Ryuka. He immediately gets back and the shadow stops. "Good, you're really wary." Shikamaru said as the shadow went back.

Ryuka smirked. "Not wary, genius....Prepared!" He settled himself into a defensive stance.

Those two are already having fun... Otonami thought as he ran and ran.

Conversations
"NO! How did you!?" Ryuka said as he got trapped under Shikamaru's shadow. "Heh, Shadow Possession success!" Shikamaru said as he moved his arms and Ryuka moved at the same motion and at the same time.

"So, you diverted me here from other diversions?! How many diversions did you do?!" Ryuka said as he lost count of it. "Eh, I don't know, about 35 times. Man, you're pretty hard to get." Shikamaru said as he released the shadow. "You're a pretty impressive opponent, Ryuka." Shikamaru said as Ryuka moves again.

Ryuka smiled, raising his hands in the air in a mild shrug. "What can I say? I learn from the best."

"By the way, who's your sensei?" Shikamaru asked as he went upstairs to rest.

"....." Ryuka shuddered before answering. "Anko Mitarashi..."

Shikamaru stops in the steps of the stairs. "...Ryuka..." Shikamaru mouthed. Pssh, the only lucky person to be formal in Konoha. Shikamaru thought and he continued up the stairs. "I've heard many stories about you." as he layed down on his bed. "But, they're really dangerous...but, you're still not strong enough." Shikamaru said as he pulled out the blue star crystal from his pocket and gazed at it..

"Huh? Not strong enough?" Ryuka asked, confused, following Shikamaru up the stairs and looking at him from the doorway. "What do you mean?"

"...Kyashi already grew strong..." Shikamaru quietly said. "And I don't think you can beat her." Shikamaru looks at the water star crystal at the back and gazes at it.

"...." Ryuka slightly looked down. "I'm assuming you say this because of when you encountered her?" He asked quietly, referring to the fight he and the Niju Shotai team had against Hidan, Kakuzu, and Kyashi.

"She's now at whole new level..." Shikamaru said as he put the star crystal at his pocket and faces Ryuka. "Don't even think of trying to beat her." Shikamaru said. "After I killed Asuma's killer, I saw her running by in escape. But, as I tried to stop her, she used a jutsu that stopped my shadow and deactivated the jutsu. Suddenly, she runs like the speed Otonami runs." Shikamaru said as he went down.

Ryuka put on a neutral look. "Then, I'll just have to get stronger, won't I? At least, until this whole Star Crystal thing is over." He sat himself down on the stairs, sighing. "I'll bring her back....even if I have to use force to do it." He declared, although not loud.

Arrival to Kumogakure
Idiot...he needs to be at least accompanied by someone... Otonami thought as he reached through clear field and huge mountains.

"Sir! Someone has passed through here with incredible speed!" A Kumo ninja said.

"Let him pass through if he has a blue blur past through him. He has an official meeting with the Raikage from the Hokage." The captain of the watchguards said.

"Huh?" Ryuka heard two foreign voices as Otonami passed by. "I guess we just passed by the gates." He muttered.

Before Shikamaru or Ryuka knew it after two minutes, they were thrown out of the door as it was unlocked. Ryuka and Shikamaru were then held by a green hand and after 10 seconds, they were back to their original size. "So, welcome to Kumogakure." Otonami quietly said as Ryuka was dusting off.

Ryuka smiled, breathing in. "Aaaah, this place takes me back." He turned to Shikamaru and Otonami. "So, after we visit the Raikage, what's the plan?" He asked, a little bit excited.

"We go to the temple...Simple!" Otonami said and the trio begins to walk. The whole area was filled with people and citizens.

Eh? Shikamaru thought as the trio passed a temple. ...maybe we should wait until we visit the Raikage. He thought. Otonami looked at his right side and saw a huge temple. Wow...that's even bigger than the one at Kiriagakure. He thought. Ryuka looked at the left side and saw a long temple. Jeez, is it that temple really that long in length?

The trio walks and sees the Riakage Mansion ahead of them. Huge! Otonami thought.

"Holy crap, that's huge." Ryuka blurted, and upon realizing it, he slapped a hand to his mouth. "....I gotta stop doing that."

"So, um...enter?" Otonami said. Shikamaru and Ryuka went in first and then Otonami.

Otonami first knocked the Raikage's office door. "Enter." The gruffly voice said. Otonami, Ryuka, and Shikamaru all enter in at once. "Ah, so you must be the three who the Hokage notified me." The Raikage said with his glaring eyes and his white mustache and goatee. "Now then, what do you want here!?" The Raikage said in a mean voice. Otonami wanted to say something, but the Raikage interrupted. "First, names." He said.

"What a grouch...." Ryuka thought. Bowing to the Raikage, he proclaimed, "My name is Ryuka Uchiha."

"Shikamaru Nara." Shikamaru said

"And Otonami Sokudo..." Otonami said. Idiot, just let me talk. "Anyways, we came here--"

"SHUT UP! I'm not finished! State your business here from the orders of the Hokage." The Raikage said.

Idiot... Otonami thought. "We came here to look for a special temple." Shikamaru said. "It's that we have to come here to find some kind of crystal." Shikamaru said.

"It has your village's element." Ryuka added. "....Like that'll help...."

"Feh, we have many temples here that resembles our lighting element!" The Raikage said. "We have at least 200 temples! That resembles our lightning element!!!" The Raikage shouted at them.

"Not the temples, sir, the crystal." Ryuka replied, scratching his ear.

"Hmph, all of our temples have many crystals and half of them are abandoned and half of them are opened!" The Raikage shouted out. "Come on! If you're here for no apparent reason, then get out of the way 'cause you have a lot of temple-searching to do!" He shouted.

"....He's really starting to get on my nerves...." Ryuka turned to Otonami and Shikamaru. "How about you guys explain?" He asked patiently, although a small bit of vehemence could be heard in his voice. "Before I do something I'll regret...."

Otonami sighs briefly and then goes up the Raikage desk, and stomped his hands on the desk. "Look! We're here to look for something! So, call of your people to tell that a trio of Leaf Ninjas that one of them is speedy came to look for an item! You got it!?" The guards edged a bit, while the Raikage glares at him.

"All right then, I'll tell them. But, if you do something to our village. Trust me, you'll never see the ends of white." The Raikage then sits back down and says "Go, take your time of searching." He says and with that, the three leaves without a bow.

"Jeez...." Ryuka muttered, as they exited out the doors. "Who shoved a kunai up his holster?"

"Oh come on, you know the Raikage." OTonami said. As he looked all around the village. Up above, he sees a tall hill. "Hey, we can view the whole village from up there!" Otonami said as he pointed at the hill that was far away.

"He's usually not that mean...." Ryuka replied, turning his attention towards the hill. He rolled his eyes. "And what do you expect to see up there? Temples that most likely look alike? And unless the crystal has a really bright glow, I don't think we'll be able to see it from there."

Before anyone knew it, Otonami ran off with a blue blur to the hill.

"....You freakin' moron." Ryuka snapped, following the dusty trail Otonami left behind with ninja speed, accompanied by Shikamaru.

"Eh, you know him. Always like to run. He pretty much has no emotional feelings." Shikamaru said as he followed Ryuka.

Temple-Searching on Kumogakure
"Ok, Soundwave, what do you see?" Ryuka asked, folding his arms and smirking to himself about the nickname he had just given Otonami. The three of them were now standing on the said hill.

"Sonic or my real name is better." Otonami said as he viewed out the view and was shocked to see how many temples there were.

"Maybe, but I think "Soundwave Sokudo" fits you better." He retorted. "Ugh....it still sounds lame, though. Oh, well..."

"Just call me "Sonic" or Otonami" He briefly said. "Okay, the first things first, let's check the larger temples." Otonami then sees a huge temple in sight. "Here, I brought some radio devices." As he pulled them out as he looked at another huge temple.

Ryuka rolled his eyes and took one, fixing it accordingly to himself. "If you're planning to search every temple...." He started.

"I'm afraid we have to...we have no other choice. Especailly that this village has 200 temples." Before Shikamaru motions to Otonami, he ran off. At both of the raido devices, they hear Otonami's voice. "Sorry, I think a little head start is good."

"Oh, no, don't wait on us. After all, we're too slow!" Ryuka spoke into the radio sarcastically, as he once again followed Otonami, followed closely behind by Shikamaru.

Shikamaru then nods to Ryuka, who nods back and he disappears and runs atop the roof. "Okay guys, we're going to split up and find the largest temples! Got it?" They all replied and they went searching.

To no surprise, Ryuka found himself at a large temple immediately. "Maybe this won't be so hard after all...." He thought, smiling. Activating his radio, he stated, "I think I've found one. Any luck on your sides?"

"Hey, I'm already searching inside a huge temple." Otonami said through the radio device. "Hey, I"m already inside this really gigantic temple." Shikamaru said. So, then, they went searching.

"So, I wonder what they're searching." An Akatsuki said from above the village. The person then takes off the hat and reveals a "she". "So, Ryuka, what are you doing?"

Ryuka slowly went inside, checking his surroundings. Indeed, the temple looked very abandoned. Pillars were covered in dust, moss was glowing out on the floor....apparently, it hadn't been used in a long time. "Whoever placed it in here probably thought that no one would look in something that hasn't been used in a while." Ryuka muttered, walking through the temple.

Unsurprised, all three found onthing in side the temples. "Found anything?" Shikamaru asked. They all replied no. "All right, next temple we search."

For the next hour, they all found nothing.

Man, I've already searched 20 temples and I found nothing! Otonami thought.

Kyashi observed the three down below. Upon seeing Ryuka, she stared at him with calm eyes. "Are they looking for something?" She thought.

What a drag...why did I have to go with them? Shikamaru thought as he complained and entered in another big temple with visitors inside. "Hey, attendant, do you have any..." Shikamaru's voice then trails on as the attnedant then shows Shikamaru inside a gallery room.

Ryuka, who saw Shikamaru go in, followed right behind him. Seeing the look Shikamaru gave him, he shrugged. "Just thought I'd keep ya company."

"Well, the attendant doesn't want anyone in, so just wait outside." Shikamaru said as he closed the door. Ryuka then goes outside and sees Otonami's blue blur on his right.

"Crap! Come on! 50 huge temples already searched through! I can't find it!" Otonami said as he stopped at the temple that Shikamaru was in. He doesn't notice that Ryuka was behind him sitting on the stairs.

"If it helps, we didn't have much luck either." Ryuka commented coolly, glancing up at Otonami.

"Hey! I didin't see you!" Otonami said. Such an attitude, since when did he suddenly changed? Otonami thought. "Sigh, if Shikamaru doesn't come out with the star crstal. I'm going to get real mad!" Otonami said. Dark clouds then drift from the sky to the village.

"What the....?" Ryuka looked up at the sky. "It looks like another storm is going to come soon....maybe if we're lucky, the crystal will react to it." He stated. "After all, it's element is lightning."

"Oh please, it's not like a huge lightning is going to come." Otonami said. Just as he said it, the dark clouds then starts to gather at one spot. Something's not right. Otonami thought as he saw Shikamaru coming out.

"Hey, guys. No luck for me." Shikamaru tops as he sees the two looking at the dark clouds. Looking at their direction, he sees the dark clouds gather even more to one spot and starts to spread around the village.

Ryuka, watching the odd cloud formation, realized what was happening. "Guys...." He pointed towards the spot of concentrated clouds. "I believe we know where it is." He said, grinning.

Suddenly, a big struck of lightning strikes a temple and electrolutes the whole temple. There was no eventual fire and the dark clouds then drift away. The citizens all around them then starts to bow down after seeing the lightning.

"Hunh...?" Ryuka was confused at seeing the bowing. "I haven't saw the villager's act like that before." He stared at Otonami and Shikamaru for an explanation.

"What? Don't look at us, we don't know anything." Otonami said. He sees Shikamaru go up to a citizen, "Hey, what's going on? Why are you bowing to this lightning?" Shikamaru asked to the citizen.

Ryuka merely sat back down on the steps, staring at the temple that was struck down. He frowned at the villagers. "I'm glad I don't bow down to lightning storms. If it was me, I would be indoors...."

"This lightning happens at least once of every year. The Raikage has seen this and has believed that the God of our village seems to give us a present." The villager said as she continued to bow. "But, the temple that was struck is a god-like church inside. It is said that if you go in after a week of the lightning, the God will curse you." She said.

"We have to get to that church." Ryuka whispered to Otonami. "It could be where the crystal is!"

"It's actually a temple still." Otonami said. Shikamaru then thanks the woman and the three go to the temple. But, they were blocked by a numerous number of Kumo Ninjas.

Ryuka was getting annoyed. "We're on ninja business here." He stated. "Get out of the way."

"NO!" The Kumo ninja all said. "We have orders from the Raikage that nobody shall past here!" The ninjas said.

Ryuka frowned. "And we have orders to retrieve a crystal. To do that, we're gonna have to enter that temple."

"GO TO THE RAIKAGE YOURSELF THEN!" They all shouted. "Then, how about they ask me now!" Someone shouted at the ninjas and they all got scared.

Ryuka winced. "O-oh crap..."

The Raikage was right behind the trio and they were all wide-eyed and shocked. The Raikage then whispers int othe trio, close enough for them to hear. "Now then, any excuses for going into the temple?" The Raikage asked quietly.

The three were all still shocked and didn't say anything. Then, Shikamaru said. "Look, we have to get in the temple for a specific reason. We'll die anyways, if we can. So, yeah, we're okay, and God won't curse us." Shikamaru sttutered.

"Wow, Shika.... Really nice cover....and you're supposed to be a genius." Ryuka muttered, still recovering from his own surprise.

"THAT'S STILL NOT A GOOD REASON!" The Raikage shouted and the three go back to their shocking state. "NOW, THEN, WHAT IS THIS SPECIFIC REASOn!?" The Raikage shouted.

"All right, all right, all right, we'll talk about it!" Otonami said. "Look, we're here to find something that looks like..." Otonami then pulls out the red star crystal from his pocket and shows it to the Raikage. "...this!" Otonami finished.

The Raikage eyes it and takes it away from Otonami. "This looks like the crystal at the temple!" The Raikage said as Otonami groped for the crystal as the Raikage's other hand putted on Otonami's face.

Ryuka's eyes glowered as he simply grabbed the Raikage's wrist. "I am NOT having this today." Applying pressure, he forced the Raikage to let go of the crystal. "I don't care if you are the Raikage. That is one of ours." He said in a low voice, catching the crystal as it dropped to the ground.

"Grr...fine, go to the temple. BUT" The Raikage then held Ryuka by the neck. "If you ever not make it out their alive, you'll be punished by hell..." The Raikage released Ryuka and shifted the Kumo Ninjas and they moved for the three people. "Good luck, is all I can say." The Raikage said as he headed toward the Raikage Mansion.

As the Raikage dropped, Ryuka winced, but didn't say anything. Rubbing his neck slightly, he stared at the Raikage's back. A small smile ran up his face. "You just may be right about that..." He said, but mostly to himself. Turning to Shikamaru and Otonami, he nodded. "You heard him, let's go."

The three then goes inside and the Kumo ninjas slightly shift a bit when they pass them. Jeez, I guess this is really a big deal. Otonami thought as they went into the entrance. "We'll leave the door open, but, don't die and don't get cursed." The Kumo ninja in the front said.

"Heh, we won't!" Otonami said and the three go inside the temple.

"Wow, place is a little bit like a church." Ryuka said. The minute when they went in, there were walls of like a big hall. There were millions of chairs that were deserted and facing to some carved stone people. The star crystal was nowhere in sight of the room.

"Well...." Ryuka muttered, scratching the back of his head. "Let's start lookin'....I guess...?"

"We're forced to split up." Otonami said. He then looks at the two, "Meet back here when we either can't find something or found the star crystal." Otonami said to the two.

"Agreed." Shikamaru said and he went to the right hall. Otonami immediately goes to the central hall and Ryuka goes to the left hall.

Ryuka sighed. "Why am I getting a sense of deja vu here?" He looked outwards toward the rest of the hallway, looking for the crystal. "It shouldn't be that hard to see." He muttered. "It's yellow, and it probably glows." He kept walking down the hall.

''Crap! I forgot to give Ryuka a star crystal!'' Otonami thought. As he went around, he found that he cricled around 15 times. Is something wrong? Otonami thought. "Feh." Hand Seals: Ram, Tiger. "Release!" Otonami said. Nothing happened and he didn't feel any sensation of a release. Something's going on... Otonami thought.

"Nothing. Crap." Ryuka sighed, turning on the radio again. "Guys! I've got zero on my end. Did you find anything?"

He heard no response at all. Ryuka looked to his right and thought that he saw a person running past the hall.

Man, is this radio broken or something? Otonami thought. Looking to his right, he sees a person running past the hall.

What's going on? Shikamaru thought. He looked to his right and saw a person running past the hall.

"Damn thing's busted." Ryuka thought annoyedly, taking to his feet and running after the stranger. "Hey! Get back here!" He shouted.

Shikamaru pursued at the enemy and went to the right of the hall.

Otonami, with his speed, ran to the right of the hall.

Before anyone knew it, the three suddenly bumps to each other and they all fall from the bumping.

"Ow..." Otonami said as he felt his head bump. Looking up above, he sees Itachi and Kisame in front of him. Is this Genjutsu? Otonami thought. Itachi is supposed to be dead!