Title: The Difference Two People Can Make

Chapter 1: First Encounter

Summary: Two strangers enter the foreign lands. With the help of some of the locals they might just prevent history from going down its horrible but destined path.

A man sat comfortably underneath a tree. The tree was at the edge of a moderate sized forest. Ahead of it was nothing but rocky terrain. The man placed his arms behind his head, taking time to relax and watch the clouds go by. It was quite relaxing until his assigned mission partner jumps down from the tree he was using as shade.

"Shikamaru." The man standing up called out his dark eyes showing he didn't like the lazy attitude of his partner. The one relaxing sat up and sighed knowing the short break was over.

"So you located one of these warriors, Sasuke." Shikamaru asked sounding disappointed even though there mission was to find someone. But that is exactly what made him disappointed. If Sasuke really found one of them the lazy ninja would have to start moving again.

"Not just one but five." Sasuke almost lets out a chuckle at the surprise on Shikamaru's face. "Yes the warriors of this land usually move solo but apparently that isn't always the case." He turned and got ready for some chakra enhanced running. Shikamaru groaned as he stood up and stretched.

'I was just getting comfortable and he happens to locate one of them' He dragged his feet as he walked over to Sasuke. "Alright let's get this over with already." Sasuke nodded taking the lead, running across the rocky area, leaving the shades of the trees.

Two women clashed their blade again and again. One trying to decapitate the "monster" in front of her while the other just wanted to leave and have a peaceful life with her surrogate daughter. One young, brash, and full of emotion that confused her and made her weak in battle while the other old, clam, and kept her emotions in check. One named Priscilla the other named Teresa. The, older woman, Teresa has long wavy pale blonde hair that blew in the wind, giving her a majestic look. However her face showed nothing but annoyance. A sigh escaped her as she thought about how pointless this fight was. Still she couldn't just let someone kill her.

The wavy haired woman raised her sword to block a strike that would have decapitated her. Next was a swipe that would've removed Teresa's legs but the older woman merely parried the blow. Wanting to end this game she decided to go on the offence and lands a shallow cut on Priscilla right leg. The cut only makes the younger female angrier and even more reckless in combat. Teresa managed to land another shallow cut on Priscilla's left leg. As much as Teresa disliked the other girl she didn't want to end her life merely prevent her from fighting.

With some encouragement from her allies, the younger female noticed she is getting beaten and forced herself to calm down. Teresa goes back to a defensive style of fighting as the openings in Priscilla's fighting disappear. Priscilla attempted to get through Teresa's defense but in the end she just gets another cut on her body. Teresa hoped the girl realized she could never win this fight. The older blonde disarmed Priscilla in a flash, resulting in gasps from the spectators and the weaponless woman herself. The younger blonde eye widen with fear, knowing the past few minutes had been nothing but a game to the older one. Teresa's large blade rested on the Priscilla's shoulder ready to cut off her head at a moment's notice.

Teresa pressed the blade closer, drawing some blood. "I suggest you leave. This is the second time I have spared you. There won't be a third." Teresa sheathed her weapon and walked over to her surrogate daughter, Clare, who was worried Teresa might kill someone or die herself.

Meanwhile the defeated blonde was reliving memories from her past. Priscilla had intially followed Teresa to the rocky land because of her hate for Teresa, which stemed from her mysterious past. Her past made her mind think that anyone who killed a human was a monster, be it another human, a half-breeds, or a yoma. Priscilla couldn't, wouldn't live with the knowledge that she lost to someone who killed a human.

The first time she was beaten she used her anger to get over the fear Teresa had put in her heart but it was all in vain. Here she was sword less and spared again. The hopelessness of the situation began to put doubts in her. Maybe she wasn't cut out to be a warrior. She swore to protect any human she could and avenge those she couldn't. Priscilla shook her head, dispelling the negative thoughts. As long as she was alive she would stop at nothing to kill all the monsters in the world. Unfortunately for Teresa a warrior of the Organization didn't die by becoming too old, can regenerate from wounds that would kill normal humans, and Priscilla considered her a monster.

Priscilla walked over and picked up her claymore. She looked at Teresa with fierce hatred in her eyes. "I can't lose against a monster. You killed humans and must suffer the consequences. I WON'T DIE UNTIL I KILL YOU." Priscilla shouted as she instantly release 50% of her yoki, a form of energy that allowed Claymore to detect and take out yoma. The young warrior continued to release more.

Before she fully lost her calm Priscilla thought back on the Organization and her orders. The order she was given was to kill Teresa, the former number 1 of the Organization, for taking human life. Normally the warrior in question would be executed for this but Teresa stopped her execution and stopped her death at Priscilla's hands. She was about to do this because she is the strongest of the half breeds. She, like every other warrior, had the flesh and blood of a deceased yoma implanted into her. This gave her the potential to track and kill yoma, while being feared by normal humans for being part yoma. The Organization made a rule to stay within the good graces on the humans. It said that any warrior that killed a human would be killed. Teresa ignored this rule to protect a small child and now Priscilla was tasked with putting an end to her life. It was a task that was hard for a single person to fulfill. So the Organization sent a team of four warriors. However Teresa quickly incapacitated the three seasoned warriors leaving Priscilla by herself.

Teresa told Clare hide behind a rock, not wanting to risk the innocent girl to get hurt. Teresa looked at Priscilla, realizing that the girl probably doesn't know her limit. The yoki, warriors of the Organization could call upon was a double edge sword. It would enhance their fighting capabilities but it could also turn them a yoma, the beings they hunted. Most warriors found out their limit through experience yet they were some that went over their limits without realizing it. "I suggest you stop right releasing your yoki. You should know when we release ten percent of our yoki our eyes color changes from silver to gold. When we release thirty percent our face distorts, fifty percent our body distorts, going past eighty percent takes away your ability to return to normal, and at 100% you fully awaken and become a yoma. You're a new warrior so you probably don't know your limit. However I can tell you are over seventy percent. In a matter of seconds you will go past the point of no return." Priscilla growled at Teresa, her short light blonde hair flowing with all the yoki she was realasing.

'How dare she lecture me! I don't care if I go over my limit as long as she dies.' Priscilla thought to herself as her rage was clouding her rational mind.

"Stop Now." Teresa said in a surprisingly calm voice but it was laced with so much killing intent that Priscilla froze in place. The feeling and hopelessness of death was coming over Priscilla as she looked at Teresa. There wasn't malice in the former number one's gaze but her silver eyes glowed as if disobedience would be met with death. Priscilla was immediately sobered by the stare and began to cut off her yoki. As much as she wanted to kill Teresa she didn't want to become a monster to do it. Priscilla eyes widened as she realizes she couldn't suppress her yoki any further. The young woman's facial feature became normal but would distort a second or two later.

"I-I c-can't." Priscilla said truly scared that she would become one of the monsters she is order to hunt. "N-No." she whispers as depression overcame her.

Teresa sighed as her long wavy hair blows in the wind. 'That's what the Organization gets for sending such a beginner after me. I'm surprised they didn't see this coming. Now they have no chance of killing me. And she had so much potential.' Teresa stepped forward, raising her sword in executioner fashion above Priscilla's head. "The only thing I can do for you now is to end your life while you still have a human heart." Teresa doesn't hear any words from the girl just sobs.

In the blink of an eye Priscilla tries to kill Teresa but her sword is stopped inches away from Teresa's hands. It was so close that Teresa had small cuts on her wrists. She was surprised to see the only thing between her and death was a small thin blade.

While the warriors of the group were shocked over what happened, Clare inspected the man who had just saved Teresa. The man who stopped the Priscilla's blade was a tall man with dark eyes. He had spiky hair with two bangs framing his face. Clare assumed the person wasn't from around here because of his clothes. The still unknown man was dressed in a black cloak with red clouds on it. She couldn't tell what was underneath.

"That isn't nice. She gives you warnings and is even kind enough to put you out of your misery but you decide to use that to catch her off guard." Sasuke looked down on Priscilla with a dark glare that made a chill run through her. 'Is he human?' she mused. "Your actions are really dishonorable."

Then a warm smile appeared on his face as much as he didn't want it to. The clan Sasuke came from was no more but those from the Uchihas have and always will have trouble showing emotions. Some people think it is because of how they are raised while others thing it is genetic. Shikamaru insisted on appearing friendly so that was what he was going to do. "Still I can't hold it against you. I fight and kill in the dead of night." Whoever this person was didn't matter to Priscilla. He protected that monster meaning he must die with Teresa. The younger blonde powers began to surge. The man took a cautious step back, watching her intently. "What's happening to her?"

"She is losing control of her yoma powers." Teresa answered as she was about to take a step and kill her. However Sasuke had other plans and held his hand in front of Teresa before he knelt in front of Priscilla.

"If this "Yoma" power is anything like his I should be able to help." Priscilla growled at the man and her clawed hand tries to disembowel him. Reacting quickly, the man caught her hand and looked into her eyes. Teresa watched calmly from the side but was ready to strike Priscilla down and if need be the man in front of her. The man mumbled something and Teresa is intrigued to see his eyes turn a different color. Priscilla attempted to strike the man with her other hand but fell unconscious. Her features slowly returned to normal.

Teresa was at first relieved that the young warrior was finally unable to fight but the man's abilities didn't settle well with her. The older woman decided to voice her suspicious of Sasuke. Teresa used her yoki to enhance her speed resting her massive sword on Sasuke's shoulder in the time it takes a person to blink. One of the warriors Teresa incapacitated earlier, Irene, used this as a chance to reveal herself.

From the cliffs walked a woman dressed in white dressed lightly in armor, the same armor as the other warriors were earing. 'It must be the uniform here.' The Uchiha said to himself. Her long white austere hair was obvious well kept and it blew gently in the wind. Staring at Sasuke with a elfen face, she unsheathed a blade as large as she was. 'They all use the same weapons.' Sasuke felt two unseen presences behind the cliff. He wondered why they didn't reveal themselves. 'They must think I can't sense them. Well that's an advantage in case I get into a fight with one of these warriors.'

Irene was a part of the group ordered to kill Teresa with Priscilla. However even before the fighting broke up she realized it was an impossible task. And even if it was possible she wouldn't have the heart to go through with it. Out of all the other warriors she encountered only Teresa considered her a friend. She originally had a plan in case things turned sour. The appearance of the stranger gave her the opportunity to put it into action.

"Teresa my orders are to kill you but this man seems like a greater threat." Irene said maintaining the image she built up in the Organization. The elf like warrior studied the man a bit longer trying to determine if he was human or not. Teresa locked eyes with Irene quietly agreeing to a truce until they got rid of the man.

"Who are you?" Teresa asked wanting to get the basics first.

"Sasuke Uchiha." The man answered as he didn't want to cause trouble with the warriors. After all he and Shikamaru needed at least one of them so they could get inside information on the Organization. Both warriors are surprised at his willingness to talk. Information was usually closely guarded in this land. However it was just a name and names were usually harmless to give away. "And who are you two if I might ask." The stranger asked not wanting this to be an interrogation but a conversation.

"Teresa" Sasuke heard from the still resting her sword on his shoulder.

"Irene." The one in front of Sasuke replied.

"What are you?" Teresa questioned not willing to beat around the bush anymore.

"A male." Sasuke said trying to break the tension with a joke. Sasuke noticed Teresa didn't like his joke as the pressure of the sword increased. 'Well humor won't get me out of this one. And after all those books Sai gave me."

"Are you human?" Teresa asked more specifically this time.

"Don't I look like one?" Sasuke countered.

"Looks can be deceiving." Irene added.

"Well I am a human. Before we continue can you move this sword, it's kind of uncomfortable." Sasuke requested. Teresa sheathed her sword hesitantly, still on guard in case this was just a very unusual yoma. If he was telling the truth she didn't want to kill more humans. Especially since this man had saved her although she wouldn't admit it.

"Tell me how you stopped Priscilla." Teresa asked as body language showed she was still on guard. Sasuke turned around, taking a look at both warriors. 'What should I say? He thought before taking a diplomatic route.

"I will tell you on one condition." Sasuke said seriously. "I want to be able to talk without anyone attacking someone else." Teresa and Irene exchanged looks wondering if they should agree. They really wanted to know more about this stranger especially since he took out the Organizations number two warrior, Priscilla. Teresa relaxed her body giving a now while Irene did the same. The elf like warrior picked up Priscilla sending a silent signal to the other two still behind the cliff. Sasuke couldn't see them well because of the position of the sun but he could at least tell they were female. Clare ran to Teresa, thankfully that the hostile tension was gone. Shikamaru came out of his hiding spot and slouched next to Sasuke. Clare giggled as she examined Shikamaru. His hair reminded her of a pineapple but she wouldn't tell him that in case it offended him..

"So this is everyone." Sasuke asks as he looked over the group not liking the fact that he and Shikmaru were severely outnumbered.

Teresa nodded which prompted Shikamaru to ask a question of his own. "Is there a place where we can talk in private with no one interfering?"

"Yes there is follow me." Irene said. The elf like warrior built a secluded cabin in the event she needed to hide. They would be able to rest and relax there but it wouldn't take long for the Organization to realize something was up. The group followed Irene each person thinking over what just happened and what was to come.