Eroninja

"What's the matter with you?" Temari had said watching Naruto pout as he walked at the point of the formation surrounding the VIP to be protected.

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[/Pakura had felt a small smile tug at her lips as she watched the blond man from her position on the VIP's rights side, although she quickly squashed it when he turned back to look over his shoulder while holding his hands behind his head and replied, "This sucks! This is the third time I've been in this scenario and haven't faced any opposition."

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[/Temari blew out a frustrated breath from her position at the person playing the VIP left side. She shook her head although Pakura could detect an amused smile on her lips which she did nothing to hide as she replied, "Naruto, you're supposed to behave as if this was a real mission. You can't tell me that if it was that you would be wishing for a bandit attack which could put our client in danger."

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[/A mischievous smirk appeared on Naruto's face as he countered, "I don't know about that. I suppose that would depend on the client."

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[/The two male shinobi pulling up the rear of the formation, one Suna and one Konoha, chuckled especially as the man playing the VIP said, "I think I should be offended by that."

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[/Pakura couldn't really believe just how relaxed the atmosphere between the Leaf and Sand always seemed to be when the jinchuriki was involved. She even found herself wanting to participate, however remembering that half of those present had been behind the pain she suffered for fifteen years kept her mouth shut. Yet Naruto had other ideas as he asked, "What do you think Pakura? You think it sucks that we aren't going to encounter any opponents. I mean what's the point of having a training scenario if we don't get to do any training?"

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[/Pakura was tempted to just ignore the question, but something in the young man's sparkling blue eyes compelled her to answer which she did by saying, "I wouldn't be so sure that we will get through this scenario unscathed."

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[/Naruto gave her a dashing smile as he said, "You don't have to say that just to cheer me up. We're less than a mile from where we're supposed to drop our VIP off. With the number of shinobi that are acting as town guards at that location, it would be pretty stupid to spring an ambush so close."

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[/"Perhaps," Pakura said surprising herself by her out of character talkativeness, "unless, they believe they have enough personnel to spring their trap and deal with any opposition they face. That means if they do attack in this last portion of our journey it will likely be with a rather large force."

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[/Her words had a chilling effect on those present as they couldn't fault her logic, except for Naruto who was staring at her with stars in his eyes as he replied, "Really, do you really think so?" His gaze passed to Temari as he asked, "Is that what is waiting up ahead for us?"

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[/"How would I know? I am a part of this exercise too, remember," Temari answered. "It wouldn't do me much good as a commander to know what is ahead, now would it?"

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[/"I suppose not," Naruto conceded before turning forward to eagerly scan the forest ahead of them.

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[/Watching the young man, Pakura found herself hoping that she was right as she didn't want to have raised the man's hopes only to see them dashed. Besides, after all the times they had faced each other during the many training scenarios they had participated in already. She was rather eager to see what it would be like to fight at his side.

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[/Pakura's let the memory fade but recalled that shortly they did indeed end up facing a rather large force just before reaching their destination. She hated to admit, but Temari had proved herself to be an excellent squad leader as she had used Naruto and her abilities to the fullest, while supporting them with her fan. When the shinobi playing the town guards arrived, they has been shocked to see that between Pakura's Kekkei Genkai, and Naruto's Shadow Clones they had completely turned the tide against their attackers.

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[/After seeing the blond in such a good mood after their victory, Pakura was ready to end her night on a good note. Sadly, Temari had to ruin it by trying to speak with her as she showered off the day's grime. Pakura had blown off her attempt to complement her at first by just saying it had not been necessary. Still, Temari had persisted prompting the older Suna kunoichi to just reply with a, "Whatever."

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[/Even Pakura had to admit that to the others present she must have come off as rather bitchy. However, she was long past caring what others thought of her so wrapping a towel around herself stepped out of the shower stall to escape the situation. She pushed past Temari, who caused her to stop cold as she said, "I don't know what I did to offend you. But I'm not my father."

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[/Pakura looked over her shoulder coolly as she replied, "Perhaps not, but you're the next best thing because sadly your father went and got himself killed before I could do it myself."

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[/Pakura could see Temari's anger finally flare as her teal eyes smoldered at her. Yet she bit her tongue and managed to say through ground teeth, "Regardless, you performed quite well today and I'm glad you're one of us."

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[/Pakura had stormed out of the communal shower and after crossing the camp clad in only a towel stepped into her tent. But found that she was now too worked up to sleep. Therefore, instead of changing into her sleep wear, she dressed in her normal clothes and decided to work off her anger at one of the training grounds. Stepping outside her tent, she came face to face with Maki whom she nearly collided with.

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[/"What do you want?" Pakura asked her tone still filled with a barely suppressed anger. "If you're here to tell me I should apologize to the Princess. Then let me tell you now to save your breath."

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[/Maki sighed sadly at the woman she at one time had admired greatly before saying, "No, I think we both know that isn't going to happen."

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[/"Then what do you want?"

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[/Maki seemed not to know herself, but after a prolonged silence finally said, "I thought it prudent to remind you of what a wise woman said to me about living with anger in my heart, especially when it is tainting how she treats those who had nothing to do with the wrongs committed against her." With her piece said, Maki turned and left in order to give Pakura time to digest her words.

Pakura frowned as even she couldn't deny the truth of the younger woman's words. However, she refused to admit that she was wrong, as she told herself that Maki could never understand because she hadn't lived through what Pakura had. Her anger still not cooling down, she had intended to head to the training field. Yet, for some reason she found herself at her current location overlooking the circle were some kunoichi had come experience pleasure at a stranger's hands.

She was just about to head back to camp, but instead ducked deeper into the shadows of her perch as to her surprise Maki approached the drawn symbol. To her astonishment, before stepping inside the Suna jounin stripped completely naked. Pakura lost sight of the kunoichi upon her entering the circle as a cone of blue light appeared obscuring her view. Recognizing it as a privacy barrier, Pakura settled in to wait figuring it would be a handful of minutes at best. To her surprise and titillation, it would be nearly an hour before the privacy barrier would disappear after Maki stepped out of the circle. From her vantage point, the green haired Suna-Nin could see Maki's skin glistening from the moonlight due to the sweat that coated it.

Shocked to say the least, due to how Maki had reacted as the other kunoichi had talked about their own visits to the circle. Pakura was just about to leave as the brown haired woman began to get dressed. However, she stopped upon noticing something leaking from Maki's vagina and realized that unlike the other kunoichi; whoever was behind the circle had decided to give his latest volunteer something he had yet to give any of the others that had gone before. She felt a yearning to enter the circle herself, yet pulled herself away as she felt her pride wouldn't allow it. But, that didn't stop her from noticing the satisfied smile that graced Maki's lips as she continued to get dressed. As she headed back to camp, Pakura couldn't deny that she would like to know what could cause such a smile to appear on her face as well.

*****

Mabui entered the Raikage's office while holding several reports as she wore a concerned frown. Stepping before her village leader's desk she was about to speak, but A beat her to the punch by asking, "Has there been any word from Darui's team yet on our missing shinobi?"

The Raikage's assistant gave a curt nod as she replied, "I'm afraid so, sir. At least, Darui found most of those who were missing." The Raikage arched an eyebrow at her so she clarified by saying, "The only member of the team they have yet to find is Toroi."

A stood from his chair, and then move to his window to stare out on the village with his arms folded behind his back as he asked, "Do we suspect he has sought employment elsewhere?"

Mabui frowned at the question, as well as how the Raikage phrased it. But she knew it was always a painful matter for the village leader whenever one of his shinobi decided to pursue the path of the Missing-Nin. Although she knew that the Raikage already suspected the answer was no, she put his mind at ease by saying, "There is no reason to believe that at this time." Mabui had another reason to believe that in thanks to information she was privy to as a member of Naruto's harem of lovers. However, she was hesitant to bring it up due in part to the fact that Kumogakure's own intelligence network had yet to hear even a whisper of a recent abduction that Iwa had experienced with one of their shinobi. However, the intelligence department had reported that a team of shinobi from the Hidden Mist had gone missing and while unlike Kumo's own Toroi or Gari of Iwa none of the members on the missing team from Kirigakure seemed to possess a Kekkei Genkai. One of the members, a shinobi by the name of Chukichi was a renowned sensor whose abilities were so specialized it could be considered one. Believing that all three occurrences were linked she said, "Sir, by chance do you remember a report of a shinobi squad from the Hidden Mist Village that went missing earlier this month?"

Aware that his assistant wouldn't have brought up the matter without reason, turned from the window to ask, "Are you suggesting that these two cases are linked? That's quite a leap of logic."

Mabui could see why her leader would think that, but with her knowledge of the third case in Iwa knew a case could be made that it was. However, instead of trying to convince him that they were, she decided to try a different tact by suggesting, "I know, however perhaps it would be prudent to inform the other villages there may be a group out there like Akatsuki, who are targeting our shinobi with specialized abilities."

The Raikage looked at her as if she had grown a second head and with a snort said, "For what possible reason would I do that?"

Mabui fought back a sigh at her village leader's question since it highlighted how unless a threat was of grave enough to demand it, working together with another shinobi village was the last thing a Kage often considered. But, she had already expected such a response to her suggestion so replied, "I feel it may be a wise idea as it would allow you to repair your reputation to a certain extent. I don't think I need to remind you about how wary some of the other countries and villages have been of Kumo lately now that your involvement in the Hyuuga incident has become public knowledge. Also, if a group is targeting the personnel of the major shinobi villages, by providing the other villages with some warning we may be able to put a stop to their scheme before it reaches fruition and may also let us learn of Toroi's fate."

The Raikage crossed his arms over his broad chest and began to rub his chin in thought. Mabui waited patiently as he thought over the matter while looking at all the angles. Since she was confident that she had presented the idea in the best possible light she was in no way surprised when A finally said, "Your idea has merit. I trust I can leave it to you to see that the other Kage are informed of the situation."

Mabui bowed slightly, before turning and leaving the office. Pulling several envelopes from within one of the reports she had brought into the office, she smiled as she was happy that she could send them out through official channels. Especially since, the one that had been destined for the Hokage would have been sent with or without the Raikage's consent.

*****

In another clearing closer to Konoha, another late night hookup was about to happen. At least that's what the young man from Suna hoped would be the result so that he could report back to his peers at the main camp with the details of his exploits. As was natural for shinobi stationed in new and exciting places, quite a few of the Suna men would hit Konoha and the surrounding villages like a hurricane on their time off. As was often the case, these men would go in pursuit of the three ninja vices which were women, gambling, and alcohol. To the Suna-nin's amazement, on one such trip he had managed to muster up enough game to score a perfect ten hottie and although he had already experienced all she had to offer. He had not been able to say no when she had told him that she would be visiting Konoha later in the week and was interested in having a little more fun with him.

Standing alone with only his memories of the night in Tanzaku Town keeping him warm, Abiru held his hand up to his mouth blowing in it and confident it passed the smell test gave the clearing another look. Hoping he wasn't about to be stood up, but was already crafting a story in his head that he would tell the others if he was blown off so he felt a sigh of relief as he heard a twig snap signaling the arrival of the hot civilian waitress he had met at one of the gambling halls in Tanzaku Town on his last weekend leave.

She appeared from behind one of the trees wearing a red violet bodysuit that exposed much of her body to his roving eyes. She gave him a smoldering look, which caused Abiru's mouth to go dry as it was paired with a seductive smile. Raising her hands above her head she posed for him as she asked throatily, "You like what you see baby?" She punctuated her sentence by turning slowly giving him a chance to drink in her luscious figure.

"Fuck yeah," the shinobi of Suna said as he adjusted his hardening member as he began to relive some of their previous encounter.

The brown-haired woman completed her turn and using her finger waved him forward saying, "Then what are you waiting for? Show me how much you want it."

Abiru was on her in a moment, cupping her face and stroked the two square tattoos under her left eye with his thumb before sealing his lips to hers in a forceful and demanding kiss. Meeting her tongue with his as he closed his eyes to delight in the sensations from her talented mouth, he reached into the gaps of her suit at her hips in order to squeeze her ass. Abiru couldn't wait to bury his cock in the woman before him, however couldn't pull himself away from her lips as it felt like she was almost completely engulfing him in warmth. Yet, upon opening his eyes was horrified to see that the reason for the warm feeling was because the woman had turned to a silvery-blue liquid that was swallowing him up.

He tried to pull back in revulsion but couldn't, which prompted the woman to say, "Naughty boy, you peeked."

He tried to scream, but the woman no longer taking it slow began to push her liquid form into his mouth and nose. Abiru gagged until she completely disappeared within, and then sunk to his knees as he coughed roughly. He was about to try and run back to camp, but found his body no longer followed his command before a piercing pain jammed itself into his brain and then thought no more.

A moment later a darkly amused smile appeared on his face as he wiped at his mouth before saying, "Was that as good for you baby as it was for me?"

"Are you quite done, Ni? I was beginning to think that you had begun to enjoy your time with that man."

Ni turned towards the man that had appeared from the same direction she had and replied while wearing an amused smirk on her new features, "He had his moments. But as I told you, considering his lack of stamina, I would have burnt out this body before I could complete the mission."

The man with three purple tattoos on his forehead and thus whose creator had simply named him San said, "Remember, we must secure the target quickly as the night of the eclipse soon approaches."

Ni was already walking away as she replied, "Relax, we've been preparing for this for a long time. With the right push, she'll do most of the work for us. Besides, she's the last one as Master says that Kakashi will deliver himself to us." With that said, Ni took off running for the Training Force's camp in order to fulfill her creator's desire of a perfect body and immortality.

*****

Yoruichi sighed as she stared out the window of the third floor library within Kiyomi's mansion. She made sure to put the right pitch of disapproval in it and fought back a smile as her sister shut the book she was reading in annoyance and said, "Stop that this instant."

"Hmmm, did you say something?"

Kiyomi narrowed her eyes at the dark skinned woman as she said, "I know perfectly well why you are trying to annoy me. But, it isn't going to work. As I told you, the matter is closed."

As Kiyomi spoke her mind, Yoruichi had turned to look back out the window. When her sister had finished she looked back in order to say in a board tone, "I'm sorry, were you saying something." She got the results she was hoping for, as Kiyomi's face turned red in anger. Before the redhead could tear into her with a verbal barrage, she said calmly, "It must really suck to realize somebody doesn't want to hear what you have to say, doesn't it?"

Kiyomi composed herself, but Yoruichi could still hear the anger in her voice as she countered, "Oh how very cute sister. But what pray tell should I have been so keen to hear from Chomei, hmmm, her chorus of lies and deceit about how she never intended to betray me again?"

Yoruichi let a little heat enter her own voice as she stood to face her fellow Bijuu while she replied, "We don't know that she has. From everything Komachi has learned it doesn't appear that Danzou is any the wiser about us being on to him."

"Which only tells me that she had yet to make up her mind on whether or not to go through with it," Kiyomi replied turning her back on her sister as she prepared to storm out of the room.

"So what," Yoruichi said her voice lowering as some of the sadness she also felt at the situation entered it, "do you intend to drive her right into the enemy's arms so you can say see I told you so?"

Kiyomi paused with her hand resting on the doorknob. In a small voice she replied, "She is the one at fault here, not me."

"I know," Yoruichi conceded, "but it looks like to me that Chomei was just hedging her bets. Considering that you didn't hide how little you trusted her and our history as prisoners always looking for a means of escape. Can you blame her for trying to take control the situation? Isn't that what you were doing when you first created that chakra being filled with Naruto's dark memories?"

Kiyomi let her hand fall away from the door handle and turning back towards Yoruichi said, "That's fighting dirty, but you've made your point. I'll speak with her, but I'm going to let her stew for a few days."

Yoruichi nodded as she was aware that Kiyomi needed the time to cool down as much as she wanted to let Chomei think about her actions. Confident that once her two sisters talked they would work out their differences. She decided to leave the room as she felt that Kiyomi probably wanted some distance from her as well at the moment. Reaching the door, she looked back to see Kiyomi had returned to her book and could see that on one of the pages was a drawing that she believed depicted how their father had defeated the Ten-Tailed beast in order to become the first jinchuriki. Not quite sure what it was her sister was looking for, as they had all heard the tale from the man himself, she decided not to ask as she was sure that Kiyomi would let her know what she was looking for when the time came.

*****

Pakura felt nervous in a way she found it difficult to describe as she stood a few inches from entering the intricately drawn circle that was said to summon the spirit of a perverted shinobi. Pakura believed it was poppycock, since she could recognize some of the various advanced formulas that made up the seal and could see nothing which would help a man escape from the cold sting of death. However, whether it was true or just an elaborate con to allow some pervert a chance explore the bodies of a few kunoichi that would allow it. She couldn't deny one thing and that was to those who had experienced the pleasure inside the circle many claimed it was life altering.

Wanting to experience it for herself, she took a deep breath and stepped inside. Almost immediately, the circle flared to life as it threw up a privacy barrier, which as she looked through it cast the outside world in a spooky light almost making her believe that she had stepped into one of the realms of the afterlife. A few seconds later her acute senses told her that she was no longer alone, but as she slowly looked over her shoulder could see no sign of who had joined her.

The Suna kunoichi was beginning to understand why so many of her fellow ladies of shadow would make use of the circle, as just from the theatrics she had to admit she felt a tingle of excitement course through her. That tingle only grew more pronounced as she felt the first featherlike touches of the back of the hand from the person who had joined her begin against her butt. Understanding that the light touches were asking for her permission to continue, she nodded and was immediately rewarded with a firm squeeze of her ass.

Pakura attempted to keep her composure, but she found it difficult as the persons other hand began to snake around her waist. It paused for a moment over her stomach where it rubbed in a small circular motion. She sighed from the sensations, even though it was through her clothes, and leaned back into a strong chest confirming to her that whatever it was touching her, it was definitely male. She felt her body begin to respond to the mystery man's efforts especially as the hand on her stomach began to move up to her aching breasts. She moaned loudly when the hand passed over her nipple causing the fabric to rub against it deliciously.

The hand fondling her ass ended its actions, and she could feel as it traveled over her body to join the other in exploring her chest. She began to get into it more and more as she moaned while the man's hands squeezed and fondled her breasts and teased her nipples. She felt something begin to poke her from behind and upon realizing what it was, pressed her rear against it firmly. She felt her pussy quiver when the mystery man groaned as she began to grind her hips against his manhood. She was just letting herself go when the mystery man stopped his fondling of her breasts in order to grab the portion of her dress covering her chest, and pushed the material into the valley of her breasts exposing them to the world

Like a switch being flipped, all the pleasure she had been feeling disappeared as she recalled a similar instance some fifteen years prior. The forest disappeared from her view only to be replaced by an opulent bedroom. "No...stop," she said both in her memory and in the present. Causing both the mystery man, and the noble who had been laying on top her in her memory to stop what they were doing and step away.

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[/Now fully immersed in the memory, Pakura sat up in the bed as her hands moved to cover her exposed breasts. The noble, who she had been assigned to guard, smiled gently at her as she said, "My dear you have nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I-I know," she said hating the way her voice hitched in nervousness, "but my assignment is to protect you. I shouldn't be letting my emotions get the better of me; there is a reason that men are listed as one of the three vices of kunoichi."

The noble smiled at her in the way she had found both charming and insufferable as he moved to sit next to her on the side of the bed. Reaching for a decanter which was filled with an expensive liquor that rested on his end table. He filled a crystal glass and passed it to her as he said, "What a silly thing to consider a vice."

Having adjusted her dress to once more cover her breasts, Pakura tempted to wave off the drink as she said, "Well we can't all be aristocrats who spend their days chasing beautiful women, and not having to worry about money."

The noble gave her the same smile he usually did when she teased him about his station in life, that always seem to convey to her that he was in on some inside joke as he replied, "My dear you wound me. Besides, it is only because of those endless days of womanizing that has allowed me to see and appreciate it when someone truly magnificent has come before me." Seeing that Pakura was making no move to take the glass from him, he said, "Let me guess alcohol is another one of those silly vices of yours."

She nodded, but seeing he wasn't putting the glass down took it from him as she figured that a small sip wouldn't hurt her. However instead of sipping it, she downed the contents due to the nervousness that she was still feeling. She felt a warming sensation that caused her to lean back into the plush pillows behind her as she felt an overpowering desire to go to sleep sweep through her. Her eyes snapped open as she fought against it upon realizing that she had been drugged. "What have you d..."

However she trailed off upon noticing that although the smile was the same, it was decidedly less charming, as she realized that the reason he always seemed so amused was because he was, at her for thinking she was anything to him but another potential tally in his book. He stood from the bed and snapped his fingers causing the double doors of his bedroom to be thrown open as several of his guards entered.

Pakura tried to fight the effects of the drug she had ingested, but found she could neither move nor harness her chakra. The noble noticing her struggles said, "Relax my dear, you won't be harmed. If anything I've just decided to collect on the services I paid your village for."

Shocked at the implications of what he was suggesting, Pakura asked, "What the hell do you mean services paid for? I was hired to protect you."

Shaking his head and with an amused smile the Wind noble replied, "Do you really believe that?" Indicating the men that had entered the room he said, "As you can see I'm already quite well protected. No, this was just another one of those silly little games I like to play. It's just so much sweeter when they give themselves to me willingly." Eyeing her with a naked lust that made her shiver for all the wrong reasons he added, "Although it's also fun when they resist. However, that requires a different venue." Walking away as his guards dragged her behind him he said to himself, "Perhaps I should've gone with this method from the very beginning. I must admit I am really looking forward to breaking in my new wooden horse."

Pakura went slack allowing the men to carry her through the mansion without resistance. She took the time to focus her chakra as best she could. Directing the small amount she could harness internally, she raised her core temperature hoping to burn through the drug faster than the noble or his men expected. They passed several servants along the way, and Pakura figured that the progression of the noble and his men along with an unwilling party must have been a common occurrence, as the servants would get out of their path, and as they did so adverted their gazes.

After what felt like forever, to which Pakura was actually grateful for, they arrived at a hall that dead ended with the only piece of furniture being an old grandfather clock. The noble stepped before the clock and adjusted the hands of it to read twelve o'clock. The clock began to chime and he pressed a button on the back of it which caused a panel to open up on the wall to their left. Pakura raised her head to look inside and felt her blood run cold as she saw all the medieval looking devices that although she didn't know how most of them were used. She did know that they were sexual in nature.

The noble stepped in first followed by his guards and her. He walked towards the center of the room and patted a wooden triangle that was suspended in the air and attached is the ceiling by ropes at the ends of it. The noble gave it a pat and said as he looked back at, "You're going to have the honor of being the first to give this beauty a ride. What do you think of that?"

Pakura raised her head weakly as she said with a face dripping of sweat, "I think... I think you should have been spent the money on better security."

Pakura pulled her arms free of the men that gripped them due to the lax hold of the guards, who had figured she would still be hopeless as a result the drugs she had been slipped. Having raised her body temperature through her Kekkei Genkai, she had felt her ability to move return although she still felt sluggish. However, even a sluggish shinobi was still much faster than men paid to protect someone due to the size of their muscles. She showed this by slamming the bottom of her hand up against the man to her rights windpipe, crushing it even as he was just registering she had slipped from his grip. She then grabbed the sword at his waist and pulling it free of it scabbard, and plunged it into the chest of the man to her left as he was reaching for his blade. She let go of the blade just as the man she had killed with it took hold of the handle as he sunk to his knees.

Her feverish gaze next fell onto the noble, whose face had become a mask of fear, and as he opened his mouth to tell her why harming him would be a bad idea. She launched forward kicking him in the side of the head sending him skittering across the floor. Picking himself up off the floor, he crawled towards the entrance of his playroom, but Pakura grabbed him by the back of the head pulling him up to his knees where he said, "You stupid bitch. Do you have any idea who the fuck I am? My father has the ear of the daimyo, and I paid good money to your masters for the right to have my fun with you."

Pakura didn't believe him naturally, as although she knew that sometimes kunoichi were sometimes asked to sleep with powerful men. She couldn't see them doing such to her, especially without asking for her consent as she had just recently been named, "Hero of the Hidden Sand" for her role in thwarting an Iwa plot to take advantage of the recent disappearance of the Third Kazekage. Still, despite her rage Pakura simply threw his head forward and stood to leave the room aware that even if justified killing a noble could have dire consequences.

She leaned up against the frame of the hidden doorway as she felt lightheaded for a moment due to the fever she was sporting still. Sadly, the noble had less concern for the consequences of his killing a shinobi so seeing her moment of weakness, scrambled to his feet pulling the sword from the still kneeling corpse of his guard and charged forward intent on plunging the blade into her back. Pakura sensed the attack and reacting on instinct stepped to the side to avoid the blade and spun slamming a small orb of fire into his chest. The affect was immediate as the noble dropped the blade causing it to clatter on the floor as steam appeared from inside him as he shriveled up as all the water was evaporated from his body.

He collapsed forward partially into the hall that led to his "playroom". Pakura stared down at the corpse, her mind reeling with the potential fallout from her actions. She tried to think rationally, but a scream cut through her attempt as she spun to see that a maid who had been passing by the hall had spotted the dead body. Aware that even more guards would be on their way, she took off running down the hall passing by the woman and leapt through a nearby window to escape towards Suna.

Unfortunately for her, Suna offered no sanctuary. As soon as she stepped through its main gate she found herself arrested and thrown in jail. She languished there for months while only hearing the occasional gossip about not only her fate, but what was going on in the outside world. She had heard that the noble's father had demanded her head, and the truth that the Suna Shinobi Council had sent her to be the man's plaything fully expected for them to turn her over.

However, that was not to be as the recently appointed Fourth Kazekage appeared before her cell. "Open it," he said entering the cell after the guards had complied and stepped before her. She hadn't stood for him, nor offered any greeting as he simply watched her with only his eyes being visible from behind the cloth mask that covered his face as he wore the hat and robes of his new station. Finally he said, "Follow me."

Guessing that her time had come, she stood and followed determined to face her end as the prideful kunoichi that she was. To her great surprise instead of being led a squad of the daimyo's guard or magistrates, she was taken to a simple one bedroom apartment. Without a word the Kazekage was about to leave but she asked, "What's going on? Have I been cleared of the false charges against me? Has my story finally been verified that he drugged and tried to **** me?"

The Kazekage looked back at her and replied, "Your story was never in doubt. However, even if there had been a serious attempt to investigate it, by the time anybody could have searched his mansion for this room you spoke of all the evidence would have been cleared away."

"Why would you send me to serve such a monster?"

The Kazekage turned to face her to say, "I was against accepting this contract as I have a daughter myself, but that in no way excuses your actions. You are a kunoichi of status in the Hidden Sand Village, and your actions have embarrassed us greatly."

"My actions?! What about..."

The rest of her sentence was silenced by a backhand from the Kazekage. "Be silent," he warned dangerously. "Do not think that you are free as a token of mercy. The only reason you have not been turned over to the daimyo's courts and to death, is because due to the disappearance of my predecessor and our rash actions in trying to find him it appears a new Shinobi World War is upon us. I fully expect you to die as atonement for failing in your last mission and killing your client. The sad fact of the matter is that despite it being so much easier to hand you over to appease the daimyo's advisor, I need every available soldier for the coming war."

His piece said he stepped out of the room and much as he told her. He had sent her to her death many times. Yet Pakura refused to die and always returned after leaving a trail of desiccated corpses in her wake. Still, that didn't stop her fellow Suna shinobi from treating her as a person to be shunned. When the war ended, she fully expected to be turned over and executed. However, in the Third Shinobi War's final days Kirigakure staged a brazen attack on the Wind Country capital. In the attack the daimyo and much of his court, including the father of the noble she had killed, have been murdered. As a result the matter had been dropped as the Fourth Kazekage refused to surrender a weapon as lethal as Pakura. But that didn't stop many of the shinobi of the Sand village from believing that the reason the new daimyo kept cutting the funds he supplied to Suna was somehow tied to her killing of the noble. As a result, she was further ostracized from her peers, this in turn only caused her resentment of the fourth Kazekage and those tied to them to grow and fester.

All this passed through Pakura's mind as she clutched her naked chest while standing in the summoning circle. She didn't know how long she had just been standing there but looking over her shoulder she was sure she looked like a pathetic wretch. Feeling exposed like a nerve due to the memories that she would rather forget, she darted through the privacy barrier adjusting her clothes as she made her way back to camp.

She had just managed to get her emotions back under control as she entered it. Looking for an isolated place she could sit by herself around one of the many bonfires, she felt each laugh and bit of merriment she heard as the other shinobi talked among themselves was a painful reminder of how lonely she truly was. Finding a fire with no one around it, she sat down and tried to recapture the warmth she had been feeling while in the mystery man's arms. To her dismay she wasn't alone long as two of her fellow Sand shinobi joined her, not that they paid her any attention.

"Come on, Abiru. Quit holding out on me," one of them said in a hushed whisper. "Was that woman you hooked up with as wild last night as she was in Tanzaku Town?"

"Nah, I'm afraid not. Turns out she was a little cock tease." Abiru's friend was about to comment on how the young man had claimed last time they had hooked up she was a panther in bed, but then Abiru as if noticing Pakura was there for the first time said, "Speaking of cock teases..."

He stood to leave as did his friend, who was obviously quite uncomfortable that Abiru had just insulted such a dangerous person, but Pakura due to her recent reliving of the past just snapped shouting as she shot to her feet, "What did you just call me?"

Abiru appeared unafraid and with a cruel smirk replied, "A cock tease, you know the kind of woman that gets a man all riled up before shutting him down. At least that's how I heard the story of the man you murdered went." As much as Abiru's taunt bothered her, it was his friend's reaction as he tried to pull his friend away as he looked at her with fear like she would murder them both at any moment that irked her the most.

Tired of it, she said, "That's how you heard it, huh? It's always convenient how they leave out the fact that without my knowledge they sent me there to be that bastard's whore in hopes his father would increase the funds being directed to the village."

Abiru seemed to give the matter some thought, but then said, "Well when you put it that way, it seems rather selfish that you turned him down then."

"You son of a bit..." Pakura shouted as she charged the smirking man about to punch him into the middle of next week. But before she could connect, she was grabbed from behind. She looked over her shoulder to see Temari holding her so asked, "Afraid I'd hurt one of your precious shinobi?"

Temari shook her head as she replied, "No, I'm afraid I'd lose one. If you hit him, no matter how much he deserves it. I'd be forced to reprimand you and due to the current ban against fighting, I'd be forced to strip you of your shinobi status."

Pakura recognized that Temari had saved her from committing a serious mistake and losing the only thing she had left that she attributed any value to. But that didn't stop her from pulling herself violently from the blonde woman's grip and storming off. Behind her, she could hear Temari tearing into Abiru but couldn't help the feeling that she would have been better off just giving in and dying in the last great war.

*****

Naruto followed behind the squad of Suna-nin that he was attached to for the day's exercise as they leapt through the forest, although his mind was only partially focused on staying in formation with his fellow shinobi. Something that the squad commander picked up, causing him to turn as the jinchuriki began to fall out of place and say, "Get your head out of the clouds, kid. I know our intelligence says that this area is clear of the enemy, but I don't want to get caught with my pants down. So tighten it up."

"Roger," Naruto replied as he did as he was told, but not without grumbling a little under his breath about how he needed to really think about raising his rank from genin as he was getting tired of taking orders from people he could probably handle with both arms tied behind his back. Naturally though with all that was going on inside his life, he didn't know if he could find the time to hit the two windows of opportunity presented each year to participate in the Chunin Exams.

However, such concerns fell to the wayside as he felt a pang of guilt hit him for worrying about his own career as his actions may have helped contribute to Pakura's almost destroying hers. He had known her story as it had been Temari, who had first recommended he attempt to seduce the green-haired kunoichi in the first place. Once Maki had joined his harem, and learned of his plan to do so, she had quickly agreed with the idea. That was why he had first had Sakura begin spreading the rumor of the perverted ghost that haunted the destroyed Chunin Instructor Examination Building. He felt the best way to get Pakura to open up to the idea of joining him was to get her to come to him. He figured it would be a slow process, which was why he hadn't even been using The Temptation's Touch on her when she had appeared within the summoning circle the night before. He believed something that he did had caused her to reexperience the painful memory from her past and as a result had been unable to keep her anger in check when one of her fellow Suna shinobi had taunted her.

Despite his focus not being at a hundred percent, he did notice that the area that he and the squad just entered had signs of a recent battle, and not the fake ones that had been happening all over the area as a late. "What happened here... my god," the squad commander said in shocked horror upon spotting the mummified remains of a squad made up of Leaf and Sand shinobi.

They all dropped to the ground and despite it being obvious the man closest to him was dead. The Suna commander dropped to his knee and pressed his hand against the throat of the corpse before he said, "The body's cool to the touch. It means that she did this a few hours ago."

"She?!" Naruto asked his tone confused.

"Pakura obviously," the commander said with a hint of surprise that he needed to explain considering the state of the corpses.

Naruto balked before countering, "There's no proof she had anything to do with this."

"Come on man," a Suna genin even younger than Naruto said, "That's Abiru's corpse over there. I knew it was a bad idea for Temari to put them on the same team. That bitch was crazy. She should've been locked up years ago."

"Fine," Naruto growled forced to admit that despite his earlier statement the evidence didn't look good. "Then let's get after her and see what really went down. Maybe she needed to defend herself from them."

"Forget it," the Suna commander said, his tone telling Naruto all he needed to know about what the man thought the chances of Pakura being innocent were. "We're heading back to base and if they want to chase after her then so be. I'm not tangling with her, unless it's with a full battalion of shinobi at my back."

Hearing the other men disregard their comrade, Naruto felt his anger begin to boil as he remembered seeing her look so vulnerable the night before. Watching the other men prepare to take to the trees, he said, "Sorry, I'm going to have to overrule you on this." He then leapt off in the direction that he believed Pakura had taken, or been taken.

*****

Mikoto entered the cellblock of a group of kunoichi that had banded together in order to create a power structure within the prison's hierarchy. As she moved to the back of it, she could see the surprise on quite a few of the women's faces at her presence since she had refused several invitations to join the group. Coming to the end of the block, she happened upon the leader of the Kunoichi Alliance as well as her two teammates.

"Well what do we have here?" The silver haired woman said sitting back in her chair and putting her foot on the table they were using to play cards. "If it isn't the great and haughty, Triple Zero. Don't tell me that you and that bitch partner of yours are finding the current examinations too much to handle on your lonesome."

Mikoto gave the woman a cool smile as her eyes met each of the women's eyes before her. Looking last at a brown haired kunoichi who bore a scar across her throat and had the number KK – one-one-seven-six and was standing behind the Taki trio she refocused on the leader saying, "Not at all, TK – nine-zero-zero..."

The silver haired leader's eyes narrowed at her as she leaned forward as she said, "We might have to refer to ourselves by those numbers around that pig Akame. But, here you call me by my name."

Sounding disinterested Mikoto said, "Sorry, I never bothered to learn it."

One of the silver-haired woman's Taki teammates cracked her knuckles menacingly, but relaxed as her team leader held her hand up in front of her while saying, "Relax Tifa, let's not rearrange her face just yet. She obviously came down here for a reason. Let's hear what she has to say." The Taki-Nin gestured to a nearby chair before leaning back in hers while introducing herself and her team. "My name is Yuffie Kisaragi and my associates here are Tifa Lockhart and Aeris Gainsborough. Now what brings you down to my little corner of the world?"

Grabbing the chair that had been offered, Mikoto dragged it in front of the three women before taking a seat. Watching them carefully, she collected her thoughts for a moment and thinking of a way to approach the subject said, "I'm here to talk about our futures or lack thereof."

Yuffie smirked at her before asking, "What are you talking about? The only chance we have for a future is to follow through with this plan of Akame's."

"Come now," Mikoto said leaning forward conspiratorially, "I thought you were smarter than that. You have to able to see the writings on the wall, whatever he has planned involves his new freaks."

Yuffie didn't look convinced as she said, "How do you know that, a little inside information from your new buddy?"

"Hardly," Mikoto said, her tone making it sound like she should be insulted by the suggestion, "I'm fully aware that she's reporting on me to her master." Sitting back in her chair, the Uchiha with a scoff added, "You know what, forget it. Perhaps it was foolish of me to think you wanted to get out of here. If you really think Akame has your best interests at heart then keep on following him, right up to the point where he has one of his little pets rip your throats out."

Mikoto could see that at least her words seemed to have some effect on Yuffie's two teammates and the Mist shinobi behind them. However, she didn't see any concern in Yuffie something which told her she may have made a mistake in approaching the woman for an alliance. She didn't let the concern reach her face, and felt some of her worries fade with a small crack of uncertainty appeared on the older woman's face as she looked at her two subordinates. Aware that she cared a great deal for them, Mikoto figured she was just presenting a strong front.

Yuffie appeared to weigh her options before with a nod that conveyed she was of the opinion that the Uchiha wouldn't be wasting her time she said, "Alright, say I'm interested in an early parole. What's to make me believe that you can deliver on it better than the man that is running the place?"

"Theoretically speaking of course, let's say that in another life a woman knew a thing or two about the seals used to control our chakra. Let's also say, that over the course of her stay at the prison she's seen the hand signs that the guards used to turn on and off the seal..."

"Which does us no good," Yuffie interrupted, "because her chakra is off with the rest of ours, and even if it wasn't there would be nothing to stop the guards from simply reactivating the seals after she turned them off."

Mikoto gave a tight smile that suggested she had knowledge that Yuffie didn't, but instead of making the other woman ask shared it by saying, "There is something to prevent that. You see the hand signs can be changed. It wouldn't do as much of a deterrent if some outside shinobi could simply learn the hand signs to switch the seals off. Back before we were asked to join the rebellion they would change the signs during the monthly checkups we would receive at the infirmary. But since coming up here those checkups have stopped, and therefore they have remained the same as it was changed to the current hand-signs during the first check-up every new initiate to Akame's plot receives. This is so that all of our chakra restraint seals react to the same set of hand signs.."

She could see that Yuffie and the others were interested, but the silver haired woman pointed out, "You still haven't told us how you would gain access to your chakra long enough to change the hand signs. Even if you did it during one of our training exercises, the guards would know something was up as soon as the exercise ended."

Mikoto paused as she considered whether or not to tell the Taki kunoichi about Seven's ability to still harness a little of her chakra even with the seal turned on. Yet something held her back causing her to say, "I don't think it's wise to give away all my secrets when you haven't even told me if you'd sign on."

Yuffie shrugged, and looking at if she was about to turn her focus back to the card game that Mikoto's arrival had interrupted said, "Then it appears we are at an impasse, because all's I've heard is a lovely theory. But, how can you ask me to sign on, when you can't even prove you can do the most crucial part?"

Aware that the risk she had taken couldn't be undone at this junction, Mikoto gave a chilly smile as she said, "If its proof you need, then meet me in the kitchen area after lights out." Standing and without waiting for Yuffie's acknowledgment that she would come, Mikoto headed back to her cell to see how the dice she had just cast would turn out.

*****

Seven frowned as she stared at the rock beetle that she had created in order to communicate with Mikoto. Unaware of what the errand was that the Uchiha had said that she needed to run which would delay their usual nightly planning session. She began to worry as it was now several hours pass when they usually talked and she couldn't think of anything that would delay her that long. Her worry stemmed from the fact that although it had been frowned upon to attack any of the other inmates outside of training, ever since the Animal Curse Mark had been given to most of the prisoners that rule had seem to fall to the wayside. What was worse was that since Akame had done nothing to the few that had been caught attempting to impose themselves on the men or women that had yet to receive it the attacks had increased.

She cut her chakra to the stone beetle in her hand causing it to crumble and decided to go in search of Mikoto. Making her way through her cellblock, she could hear people snoring contently or making the groans and grunts of those losing themselves to pleasure. Stepping into the hall that connected to several of the other cellblocks she was trying to decide which way to go when she saw a shadow detach itself from the wall. She immediately recognized the Kirigakure kunoichi that had first freed her from her isolation cell after she had joined Akame's plot.

She paid her no mind as outside of the few times where they had been pitted against each other during training there had been no altercations between them. That, plus the woman never struck her as the bloodthirsty type; she just figured the woman was out running errands for the leader of the Kunoichi Alliance. She had just settled on the direction she was going to head when to her surprise the kunoichi bumped into her and muttered, "Sorry my mind was elsewhere."

What stopped Seven from firing a nasty retort was that she felt something being pressed into her hand. The Bijuu watched her go a moment longer and aware that cameras were everywhere in the hall headed back to her cell. Unfolding the piece of paper she had been given she read silently, "Mikoto came to us with a plan to escape. However, Yuffie had already made a deal with Akame and they've taken her down to the punishment level. If you are her friend as I believe then please save her and when you make your escape take me with you. I only wish for my freedom and have no desire to take part in this plot."

Seven sank into her bed as she felt her legs go weak. She was surprised to find that her first concern was for Mikoto; however soon the implications of what she had been given hit her. She had no doubt that the note contained the truth about where her friend had been taken. But what she wasn't sure of was whether or not it was hoping to smoke her out as a traitor. "Shit, what should I do," she thought to herself. She considered calling out to Kiyomi, but doubted she would get a response.

She got up and began pacing her cell trying to come up with something she could do to save Mikoto and herself. However, without access to her chakra she realized there was pathetically little she could. She began to feel queasy and placed her hand over her stomach to settle it. At that moment she was hit with a sense of clarity that although she probably can't save both of them, she could at least save one of them. She pulled open her shirt and channeled the little chakra she possessed into the hidden seal on her stomach. The beetle designed seal appeared and having studied it at great length during her period of isolation, knew that although she would be able to undo the safeguards that Kiyomi placed in the formula to prevent her from accessing her Bijuu chakra. By tampering with it, she would alert her sister that she was trying to. The downside was that her consciousness would be expelled from the body, and without her old one to return to she would quite literally die.

Seven felt a small sad smile tug at the corner of her lips and felt that if that was how her existence ended then she was glad it was for a selfless reason. She also felt that if her father was watching he would be proud.

Pressing her hand to her stomach, she attempted to modify the seal and almost immediately her body collapsed as if she was a puppet whose strings had been cut. Kiyomi's response was immediate as she appeared in the cell and to Seven's surprise what she could see on the redhead's face was concern. "You fool," she said panicked although her lowered voice made Seven aware that she knew shouting would attract attention that neither of them wanted. Helping her fellow Bijuu sit up, Kiyomi continued to berate her as she said, "I told you exactly what would happen if you tried to tamper with the seal."

Seven nodded weakly as she felt her consciousness fading, but smiled softly feeling touched by the concern Kiyomi was showing for her. "It was the only way to get your attention. I know that you somehow learned I wasn't being completely honest about how far I've infiltrated Akame's group." Tears began to gather in her eyes as she continued, "I'm so sorry that I hurt you again. I know I don't deserve it, but please forgive me."

"Don't talk, let me fix this." But Seven tried to speak regardless prompting the Nine-tailed Bijuu to say, "Shhh, quiet," and then proceeded to place her hand on her sister's stomach. She channeled chakra to her fingertips and began drawing over the seal. The seal morphed from a normal beetle into a miniature copy of Seven's original Bijuu body.

For Seven the effects were immediate as one moment everything was going dark and in the next raw power was coursing through her veins. Seven looked down at her stomach and saw that the seal had faded completely now that its task had been completed. She looked up to see her sisters green eyes were watery and surprised couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

Kiyomi cupped her cheek as she answered, "Because you're my sister and I shouldn't have put you in a position where you thought I was as much against you as the people I asked you to keep tabs on."

The seven-tailed Bijuu's eyes began to get watery themselves, but remembering what had prompted her desperate action shot out of Kiyomi's arms as she said, "We... we have to hurry. Those bastards could be turning her into one of their beasts or worse even as we speak."

"Calm down Chomei," Kiyomi said trying to remind her sister of their need for quiet.

"Please call me Seven," the brown haired Bijuu said absentmindedly while taking a few calming breaths. Once she was centered, Seven laid out all that had happened recently before reiterating, "We have to help her...she's my friend and if this note is a trap then it means she hasn't given me up."

"We will I promise," Kiyomi said stepping before her sister and began to button her shirt backup. "However, what this situation calls for his discretion."

"Discretion, even as we speak..."

"Seven, I can understand your concern but if you act rashly than all you may do is doom yourself along with her," Kiyomi warned. "Danzou has kept her alive this long and I foresee no reason for that to change as from everything you told me she was never truly interested in following their plan. I doubt either of them thought that would change so..."

Seeing where Kiyomi was going with her logic, Seven finished, "So, it's likely that for the immediate future no harm will come to her. But, how long will it take for you to be ready to move? Because even if he needs Danzou's permission to do anything to Mikoto, it might not take that long for Akame to get it."

Kiyomi took Seven's hand and began to draw another seal in the palm of it. Her sister looked at her in confusion prompting the redhead to say, "Oh, I think you'll find that we are rather prepared now and I wouldn't be too worried about Akame having any time to oversee Mikoto. I think you'll find that tomorrow, he'll have much more pressing things to deal with." Kiyomi then filled her sister in on what she had planned as well as the Seven-Tailed Bijuu's role in it.

*****

It was dark outside as Pakura began to regain consciousness. She was unsure of her surroundings, not that they were stationary as she was tied to something moving at a great pace. Through the haze, she heard a voice say, "We'd already be back home San if you'd just fly us there."

"We'd also be easier to spot by any pursuit, Ni," was the reply. Not that Pakura was listening as hearing the woman's voice caused her to recall how she ended up tied to the armored looking canine.

After a night of thinking about the person she was becoming, Pakura had been considering thanking Temari for intervening in preventing her from hitting Abiru. However, that nearly went out the window when she learned the following morning that she would be put on the same squad as the bastard. The only saving grace she felt upon learning that, was that her team would then be linking up with another to complete a shared objective and that Naruto was a part of the other team.

/]

[/Yet as her team traveled to where it would meet Naruto's, she was entertaining serious thoughts of ensuring that Abiru didn't see another night fall. This was because as they traveled the man would continuously make snide comments that tested her resolve not to use her bloodline limit to silence the remarks forever.

/]

[/Much to her surprise the squad commander called for a halt after a particularly scathing remark and standing on a tree branch spun to point at Abiru while saying, "Shut the fuck up. Don't think for a moment that I will not be reporting your behavior to Captain Temari. Honestly, if I was her I would have killed you a mile or two back."

/]

[/Abiru smirked at the squad commander before replying, "What makes you think you'll be reporting anything at all."

/]

[/The commander, as did everyone else in the squad instantly went on guard as they knew Abiru's words were not just a threat. Still, before anyone could do anything a snakelike creature appeared from the canopy of leaves above the commander and bit deeply into his neck. It lifted him off the branch that he had been standing on and to everyone's shocked revulsion he began to mummify as the fluids were removed from his body. The snake tossed away the commander's body before retracting back into the canopy of leaves only for a man to drop down next occupying the spot the commander just had been.

/]

[/Pakura as the ranking jounin quickly took charge shouting to the only remaining member outside of Abiru who was obviously working with the enemy, "Get out of here. Report this to Captain Temari or Asuma!"

/]

[/"What about you?" The Leaf genin asked although she could tell all he really wanted to do was follow her order.

/]

[/"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

/]

[/The genin nodded, and took off leaping towards the main camp, but only made it a few meters before another man, who looked like an exact copy of the first to appear except he had three purple rectangle tattoos on his forehead, snatched the genin out of the air by grabbing him around the face. He held the struggling boy easily as he said, "Sorry, but for our plan to work it's imperative that your squad dies here and it looks like you're the killer." With that said, he tossed the Leaf genin to the man with the single purple rectangle tattoo on his forehead whose arm morphed into the snake from before launching forward and snatched the genin out of the air.

/]

[/"No!" Pakura shouted as she attempted to save the youth, however Abiru chose that moment to attack forcing her to leap away. The Suna kunoichi backpedaled on the branch she landed upon as Abiru continued to press his attack swinging his kunai wildly at her. Bending nearly in half when the man tried to bury it in her chest, she kicked up catching him in the chin and after back flipping in order to get to her feet again. She charged forward forming a small ball of fire in her hand, which she buried into his chest. She kicked him from the branch as he began to smoke and shrivel, but to her shock after his face smashed into the trunk of a nearby tree a silvery blue liquid was left behind as the body continued its tumble to the ground.

/]

[/The liquid grew and shifted until a pale but gorgeous woman stood glaring at her as she stood on the tree trunk. "I wasn't done wearing that form," the brown-haired woman said while wearing the same smirk Abiru had been sporting recently. Understanding that this was the true person who had been pushing her buttons lately; Pakura leapt from the tree branch to land on the same trunk as the woman and began to attack her while several of the miniature suns that represented her Kekkei Genkai swirled about around her. Pakura was forced to abandon her attack though, when the twins decided to intervene.

/]

[/Ichi having finished draining the genin, discarded the boy, and then pointed his snake arm at Pakura. The snake head opened its mouth and two more snakeheads shot out which in turn open their mouths. The process repeated several times until there appeared to be hundreds of them. Pakura avoided them as they tried to capture her with many of them missing her to instead bury themselves into the tree trunk. Flipping away, she landed on the ground and threw an exploding kunai which impacted the branch beneath Ichi's feet. The man leapt away, but was still caught up in the explosion which tossed him off into the woods.

/]

[/A snarling attracted her attention, causing Pakura to spin to the sound to reveal that Ni had used the time that Ichi bought her to summon her armored canines. The two creatures tensed as they brought the spear like protrusions from their backs in line with her, which then launched forward. Pakura managed to slip through the projectiles and sent two of her suns at them. The beasts jumped away before her jutsu could connect causing one to hit a tree which withered and died and the other to hit the ground which resulted in the grass to brown as it shriveled up.

/]

[/Pakura was about to send another of her suns after the closest armored summons. But she was forced to jump back to the trees as a whip cracked where she was standing. Landing in a crouch, she directed her ire to the kunoichi wielding the whip who said, "We'll have none of that now. I can't have you hurting mommy's precious puppies."

/]

[/Pakura was about to retort, but something passed by her face just as the sun was blotted out. Looking up she saw a large armored birdlike creature that as it flapped its wing sent more of its feathers towards the earth. These, along with the ones that had already completed the journey suddenly exploded engulfing the area Pakura currently occupied.

That was a last thing Pakura remembered before finding herself in her current situation. "Where are you taking me?" She asked raising her head as best she could as her hands were tied to her feet around the torso of the armored canine she was riding.

The group came to a stop before a large gate which from the surrounding terrain she guessed was at the base of some mountain range. The two men ignored her, but Ni turned to face her as the gate opened to say, "Let's not ruin the surprise. But after we pass through the next two gates you'll be granted the great honor of becoming a part of something special."

"I think I'll pass," Pakura replied. Advertisements

"What a shame, but I'm afraid we're really going to have to insist. Besides what do you have to go back to? There's no one and nothing back there for you. Well except for the life of a missing-nin since I don't think anyone is going to doubt that you were responsible for killing those shinobi that made up your squad. Not after the display you made of yourself last night." Ni lowered her face to just in front of Pakura's as she snidely added, "I doubt anyone is coming after you either. Suna probably figures it is just better to wipe its hands of you."

"Pakura!" A voice shouted and the Suna kunoichi although just as surprised took a measure of satisfaction in seeing the look of shock on Ni's face.

San looked back and only seeing a single shinobi dressed in orange ordered, "Deal with him."

"With pleasure," Ichi responded as his two teammates along with the bound Pakura entered the gate which began to shut behind them.

Pakura kept her eyes glued to the young man as he got closer and closer. Although not sure why, she felt a sensation of happiness that her would be rescuer would be him. The gates closed casting the cave they had entered into darkness, but as the sounds of battle reached them she felt a small light of hope begin to illuminate her path.