A/N: A full fledged, multi-chaptered fic. And it looks like it'll be a long one folks, so stick around. It is Neji/Sakura, partly because it's an underrated couple with a lot of potential and partly because Sasuke is ticking me off right now. But what's more important is the story. I give my disclaimer only once: I do not own Naruto or its characters. Cookies to the people who can guess who is who (and why) for this chapter and I heart reviews. Enjoy the ride.
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chapter one
.alias moira
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"There are three snipers positioned on the roofs of the east wing, the west wing and the north wing. They'll cover us."
"What about the south wing?"
"There is no south wing. The museum is built on the edge of a large ravine. It's a cliff drop from there and the river below is treacherously rocky and narrow. That way lies suicide. And although they're annoying as hell, we're not dealing with a couple of idiots."
"Hn.I see."
"So, are you clear?"
The man paused before nodding his head. He adjusted his earpiece and spoke, "Testing. One. Two. Three. One. Two."
Feedback crackled on the radio inside the darkened van and a static imitation of his voice came through. A woman, who had sat silent except for the rapid tapping of her fingers flying over computer keys and whose name he hadn't been told gave him a curt nod.
He turned his eyes to his partner. He didn't know his name either.
"We're good."
His gaze was met with intense onyx black eyes that held a fatal gleam he found disconcerting.
"Ready to prove yourself?"
The van door was noiselessly opened and the two men, like phantoms, disappeared into the night.
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A guard walked down the hall of the Renaissance exhibits. He swung his flashlight about noncommittally; the erratic beams illuminating paintings centuries old and highlighting a face here or shining off the stone of a statue there. He sighed. The night seemed to yawn before him, and his shift didn't end until 6 am. He gave one last look around before continuing on his way. He didn't see the shadow from above drop down behind him. He did feel an acute pain though, before he didn't see anything at all.
The shadow looked up and made a motion. A rope dropped down and a large bag with it. Then another dark figure fell from above, this one larger than the first but landing with only a light thud. It spoke and it had the decidedly low voice of a male.
"It's down the hall, past the Egyptian exhibition and through the door. It's in the corner to the left. Our window is ten minutes."
"Five is all I need. Do you have the gloves?" The smaller figure had a distinctly female voice, although her face was covered with a mask.
The man tossed her a pair of white gloves and pulled out a small electronic chip with which he snapped onto an oddly shaped silver disc.
"Let's move."
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"We'll see them before they see us. After the next turn in these vents we'll pop the third grate. We'll be in the left alcove above the room, right over the display they're after. We need to get to that rock before they do. It's no good if it falls in the wrong hands."
Despite the droning hum of the air vents that almost drowned out his voice, his partner spoke in low clipped tones. The two shuffled along, making good time but their confinement to such a small area was uncomfortable.
His partner went on for a bit but then paused and looked back at him.
"I wonder if they're already there?"
Confused for a second, he frowned before realization hit him. There was a reason he had been accepted quicker than any of the other applicants. He had certain…unique talents.
He nodded to show he understood before adjusting the bandana that covered his mouth and nose which had ridden up uncomfortably. He closed his eyes and focused.
"Byakugan!"
His partner waited patiently as his enhanced vision took in everything below.
"They're here."
A quick work with the screwdrivers and a grate popped open.
"So are we."
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The lasers which had criss-crossed the room had been a joke. So had the security system which had been mounted around the display case and fenced off with velvet rope.
"Hm. Archaeologists believe this strange rock, found on an archaeological dig forty years ago in the Fire Country at the site of the Hanashi ruins, heralds from a time period of one hundred thousand years ago or earlier. They have yet to distinguish whether the strange markings on this rock are man-made or the result of geological and geographical influences. It is curious to note that this rock is burning to the touch, and required careful handling during study. Scientists have yet to explain this phenomenon." The woman read from the placard on the stand in front of the display.
"I love a good history lesson."
The man beside her snorted. "So do I, but I wouldn't mind a little help here." He gently snapped the silver disc to the glass case and proceeded to lift the case off after an electronic 'beep' gave him the all clear.
The girl giggled and with a clap of her gloved hands, approached the stone. Her partner looked at her warily when she leaned over it and asked.
"Well, troublesome woman. Is it the one?"
"You bet your Shogi board it's the right one. This baby is practically pulsing with energy. She'll be pleased."
"Good. Then let's grab it and go."
He tossed her a metal sphere, roughly the same size of the stone and she caught it deftly.
She gently placed the metal sphere beside the stone and with an odd set of motions with her fingers, placed her gloved hands on both. The stone disappeared and the metal sphere appeared in its place. She smiled behind her mask.
She turned to her partner, but before she could utter another word, they both stiffened. The soft sound of scraping metal reached their keen ears. The smile on her face grew wider.
"Oh look, Hart. Raven's come to play."
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He didn't have time to register much before leaping down at the two figures who stood ready, their stances denoting a fight. His partner jumped with him and with a quick glance commanded, "Sparrow. You take the girl. I'm going after her partner."
He flinched internally at the codename, quickly stamped out the surge of annoyance at his partner's reference to his rookie status and arranged his face to betray nothing as he landed on the cold tile floor. The two figures they were facing wore masks. He assumed the smaller one, with a mask painted like a cats', was the girl and his assessment was true when she spoke.
"Aw, Raven. Are you too scared to fight little ol' me? Your partner doesn't look like much fun."
Startled, Sparrow glanced at his partner. He knew these people?
Raven didn't even glance at the girl. His eyes were trained on the silent man in front of him who, by his stance, if Sparrow hadn't known any better, seemed almost bored.
"Moira. I want the stone."
The girl lazily stretched her arms above her head and said, feigning a yawn.
"You'll have to fight us for it first."
Sparrow had a second to recover himself before she sprang at him, kunai flashing and a volley of throwing stars let loose whose sole purpose was to rip him to shreds.
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He had strange eyes, this Sparrow guy. That was the first thought she had when he landed in front of her, eyes stoic. They were blank, completely white and if she had been any other person, they would have unnerved her. But she held her ground. She had bantered, ignoring the way her heart still twisted at the sight of Sparrow's partner and how he hadn't glanced her way. Hadn't even glanced her way, the cold bastard! Whatever. If he wanted a fight, she'd give him one.
She jumped, she threw. And..and he blocked? Her eyes widened behind her mask as the man she faced quickly spun and each of her shuriken fell to the floor, useless. She ran at him, her kunai stopped short with his own. Her foot snaked out to kick him in the gut, but he twisted around and his punch sent her sprawling. She jumped up and went at him again with a flurry of punches, but it was like trying to hurt a brick wall. His defense was practically flawless.
His hand snaked out and his fingers jabbed a point on her shoulder. She gasped at the pain and stumbled back. She felt something in her give a little. A chakra point! He could block her chakra points?! Close combat was no good then and she quickly flipped backwards out of his reach as he went for her again. Her mind raced as she tried to process a strategy. A genjutsu maybe? She gathered chakra, ignoring the pain and quickly formed a number of hand seals. She saw him look around, his expression still stoic but his eyes confused. She smirked and kunai exploded around him, and she heard a groan. Quickly, she looked over at her partner and saw he was holding his own and out of Raven's reach. She threw three kunai up in the air and a flash of light erupted and cast the room in a stark glow. She saw Hart quickly form hand seals and shadows snaked out and grabbed hold of his opponent and hers.
She ran towards their equipment and was hit from behind. She slammed to the ground and felt a rib crack. Pain flooded her senses. Hart, obviously, hadn't been able to hold two of them with his shadow technique. That was going to hurt in the morning. She rolled away and gathering chakra in her palm, slammed it against the tile. Shockwaves rippled across the room and the ground caved in. She heard a startled cry and with another hand seal, three more of her appeared and they went after the man who had jumped away from the crater that had formed.
Where was Hart? She looked around and saw him just narrowly scorched by a fireball.
"We have to go!" She yelled before ducking a fist that suddenly appeared. Eyes blazing, she wrenched a marble statue from the ground and threw it with surprisingly deadly aim at her opponent before jumping up and aiming a scissor kick to his head. He blocked the statue and the kick but was suddenly startled to see a giant mural falling towards him and then explosions erupted throughout the room. Plaster from the walls, dust and debris from the crater flew in all directions, getting into his mouth and eyes. He coughed and looked around. A kunai was sticking out of his partner's shoulder and the room looked like it had been through an earthquake. The other two were nowhere to be seen.
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"That was just a little too much for comfort, Hart!" The girl yelled as they leapt up the emergency staircase.
"So much for five minutes," he muttered.
They reached the top and the girl bowled herself into the emergency exit door. They were greeted with a sharp burst of cold night air as they ran onto the roof. The girl quickly shouldered the pack she had been lugging.
"I hope Puccha is still there."
"He'll be there."
The two suddenly ducked as two kunai came hissing through the air towards their heads.
They turned and saw two very angry figures who didn't wait a moment to rush at them.
"Oh crap. We'll have to jump."
So they did.
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Sparrow skidded to a halt at the ledge of the roof. His eyes peered into the darkness of the ravine as his partner let loose a string of choice curses. He could hear the water below smashing against the rocks, but that was all. They were gone.
