Disclaimer; Nope, I do not own the Naruto characters involved. Sorry to disappoint.

Chapter 2;

A/N: Thank you everyone that left a review. My sincerest thanks to you as I can't put into words how great it is to hear back from people and know they're enjoying this. It really does mean the world to me.

I would have died for love, died a hundred times over.

But it was hate that kept me living, hate and a promise sworn to imagined graves.

That's how it was, how I was, every time.

Tenten-

"The rain's letting up, like seriously letting up. Should I be worried about that?" I guess I was, I didn't usually babble and I was definitely babbling now. My companion helpfully belted my shoulder with a pair of goggles and offered a glare.

"Doesn't matter, less rain is better for us." seethed the redhead returning to her machine as it spluttered and spat out a cloud of smoke, she went back to adjusting it with a few sharp words another cloud blackening her pretty features.

I took a moment to survey the machine that still boggled my mind a little, several of the parts hummed with different magical energies. The Wind God, Squell Torrnos, was the most prominent; it's light airy magic layered throughout almost the entirety of the machine. Storm magic was equally easy to feel, and Light and Fire glowed up at the head of the machine. There were plenty of other Gods though, sewn into different parts along side a few Chaos magicks I'd procured myself. They all worked together to create the wonderful machine, or at least they would once the strange Alchemist finished her adjustments.

"If you say so Karin, just a little worried about what happens if the rain run's out before we're ready to go." I offered as the redhead tossed away one wretch and shouted for another one, it took three tries before I managed to find the one she actually needed.

"Doesn't matter, Lord Orochimaru's only changing the protection spell." she assuaged scampering to another part of the machine, that looked so much like a giant bird, cooing and fussing over it as another part didn't quite run right at the moment an shook. So far our partnership had been very general; I de-fang the giant snake, she builds a flying machine. Escape Naru. Profit?

We really hadn't had a chance to share information yet.

"Changing it to what exactly?" I asked stepping back as a stray spark jumped from one wing to another with an unnatural crackle. If it bothered the redhead she didn't show it, though I was starting to suspect she may have taken a few too many shocks already.

"Improving it really, Lord Orochimaru is a genius after all. He's binding the holy rain to the outer castle walls. Instead of just pouring down wastefully it will circle on the walls, self contained, no waste." explained the Mystic woman continuing her work diligently. Though it was hard to miss the note of pride in the woman's voice.

"I'm guessing you helped out Lord Orochimaru with that?" I asked pulling at the obvious tread, the woman's chin was quick to turn skyward and she practically radiated a sense of smugness as she smiled back condescendingly.

"My design of course. That's my Gift, I see how to best combine magicks to create something new. Lord Orochimaru said I was an Architect Mystic, something outside the standard classing. Not that the other brain dead Mystic heads could recognise my genius." answered the Mystic brimming with her own ego. I fought back the urge to mouth off in return, best to wait until we were out of Naru and on solid ground before I did that.

"Yeah I've heard of those. There was a girl who could see into people's souls as well, Akame wheeled her out to test people they used to say." Though the girl only really became well known after a certain Raider arranged her escape of the citadel.

"Yeah that one. Some thought the Uchiha was one for a while, well idiots thought so anyway." muttered the woman pulling awkwardly at her robes as she climbed about the machine doing a final check.

"What's left to do on your end now anyway?" I asked after a moment when Karin had detached herself from the machine and stalked over to me and the tool bench in desperate search of first a clean rag and then what I thought was tea or coffee after. I was disappointed when I wasn't offered either.

"Just to add those weapons you're so insistent we need. Not that any Daemon's ever been known that's capable of flight outside of Wyverns." complained the redhead trying vainly to get some of the grim off her face unsuccessfully. I had to offer her a slightly unbelieving look at that though.

"And you don't think that there being Wyverns out there constitutes a good enough reason to have weapons." I tried, the girl had definitely seen too many minor shocks today.

Hinata Hyuuga-

It felt like home tonight. It hadn't the last few days when I'd strolled along the darkened peer to the quiet boat on the black ocean, but tonight it was different, completely different and all it had taken was one thing. One very small thing.

The dim light of a flickering candle drew me like a moth to my flame.

The door creaked open not surprisingly unlocked. Sasuke rarely bothered to ever lock it when he was inside, which could have been a habit from living in barracks for as long as he had or it could have been closer to my own distaste for locked doors.

The smell of tea greeted me first, brewing on our small furnace and I took in the comforting sight of his familiar swords hanging on their sheaths over the back of a chair. There was a familiar scent of the warrior hanging in the air, steel and leather blended with the smallest hidden tone of sweat and blood that seemed to compliment the night's unusual heat.

"I didn't think you'd be out so late." A gruff voice called out before the man I'd been looking emerged from the small bathroom. He was topless with a few beads of water still meandering down his chest slowly; his long hair was pinned back loosely and the towel draped over his shoulders were all clear signs that he'd just finished shaving.

"There's a festival tonight. I took a short walk through some of it, I thought we might take a longer one now." I answered easily, I hadn't actually been through the festival but I did know there was one tonight. I couldn't have really said I'd been with Hanabi after all.

"Sure, I should put on a shirt first though." he remarked, though his first act was to cross the room and reattach his weapons belt. That warranted a small giggle on my part before I slide closer sighing in mock exasperation. He took the hint and hooked a finger beneath my chin pulling me in for a soft kiss.

Hands pressed against a hot chest as he seemed to control me. I felt the magic in my eyes dimming and the whole world, a whole world of magic and noise going absolutely silent. There was only his warm lips pushing hungrily against my own dry chapped pair as strong arms coiled around my shoulders and lower back. The noise was gone but my heart beat and his were deafening as they beat in time. I was still numb on the surface as a fire roared in my stomach and sparks danced in my mind when he pulled away.

"I'm going to have some tea first too." he remarked about the time I managed to break myself out of my reprieve, taking a seat still feeling a little bit dizzy. There wasn't any getting used to being kissed like that. A cup was settled down in front of me after a moment.

"How was your trip?" I asked watching unabashed as the muscles in the former Raider's back flexed powerfully as he searched for a suitable shirt. A black vest was soon pulled over his shoulders and a white shirt followed depriving me of my view, he was starting to look the part of a sailor more and more but I thought it suited him.

"Unchallenging but interesting none the less." he answered dropping into the opposite chair and cupping his own cup of tea carefully. He breathed the steam of the tea deep for a moment before he offered a tight smirk.

"I-interesting how? See some sights?" I asked after a moment swallowing my own concern. We wouldn't be here now if he'd discovered something bad after all.

"Two of my crewmates took...well I guess I made an impression on them. They made me an offer." he explained after a moment and I recognized the earlier smirk as one of arrogance. I giggled a little at the pride he held and wondered for a moment just what work he'd been offered. More mercenary work probably.

"You were never very good at making friends you know, you always made an impression though. What were they after?" I asked smiling back with maybe my own share of pride at him before I tried a sip of my own tea. He was getting much better at brewing it I had to admit, there was hope for him being domesticated yet.

"They need a third man for some tournament, in the Colosseum in a fortnight's time." He answered, scarlet eyes trained carefully on my expression. He needn't have worried about missing anything subtle in my reaction though. I could feel the blood draining from my face and a sudden tremor slow shaking it's way up my spine as every worry I should have hidden erupted in my expression.

"No." I felt it slip out before I could really think about it. Slip out because only a scant few hours before Hanabi had told me of her own intentions to enter the very same tournament, talked into it by her lieutenant Konohamaru and another soldier in her squad Udon. It couldn't happen, I wouldn't allow it.

"Just no?" he asked sipping his tea unconcerned and seemingly unaware of just how much I meant that 'no'. I shook my head after a moment, searching all the reason's he couldn't for one that I could say.

"Magic doesn't work on you. If something happens they won't be able to help you." I answered after a moment, the first reasonable excuse that came to mind. An eyebrow raised though.

"We'll be using blunted weapons, tournament standard." he answered easily, apparently having foresaw the first objection I could have raised. The tea was starting to taste bitter. Domestic life fading.

"Accidents can still happen." I returned as the warrior raised up with a sigh, there was something in his eyes that told me I wasn't going to win this argument. And there was something even further behind that but as ever I couldn't read him.

"We can talk about it tomorrow. I haven't eaten since this morning." he hummed straightening himself to his full height and adjusting his weapon belt in unconscious habit. I picked myself up too trying to shake off the weight hanging in my stomach. I could use the time to plan myself, to think of something the Raider wouldn't argue.

"You're right, I don't want to fight when you've just gotten back. We'll talk about it tomorrow, and you can introduce me to these new friends of yours." I said wondering if maybe Sasuke wouldn't just forget about the tournament, after the night I was planning for us at the festival...and after back on the ship. If not then maybe there was something about the two mercenaries I could use to my benefit.

Hanabi Hyuuga-

A meal with Hinata always left me exhausted. Suspicious and all to aware of the anger I still felt at her. I found myself thinking too long about my hand as a distraction.

It was too slow. There was no denying that, and too weak.

There'd be no changing that either I knew as I tried twisting the small knife in a loop around my grey fingers, it hit the wooden table with a dull thump after a half turn. I'd have to add uncoordinated to my list of downfalls, though at least that one I'd be able to migrate with time.

It was my third prosthetic arm now, not counting the first one I'd used on the trip between continents that was more of a modified puppets hand than a true prosthetic.

The first had been solidly made but required manual adjustments for opening and closing the hand. I hadn't made much use of that though barely wearing the thing outside of when I was on duty. I'd only really worn it as a combat aid attaching a short blade and shield to it. Walking around with only one arm though seemed to bother Gaara at times, likely because of some of the horrors he'd seen, even if he never said anything.

That led to the second arm I'd used. Unlike it's predecessor it had a minor enchantment on it to open and close it's fist and the grip was solid if not rigid. More than that though it was padded and leather coated giving off the illusion of a natural hand clad in a particularly long glove. It hadn't made much of a difference personally but it had seemed to calm the kid a little, at least he stopped glancing awkwardly at my right arm. Blocking an obsidian blade with it had put an end to that though, the strange glass had disrupted and damaged the enchantment.

And then came number three, a step up but no replacement from my real arm. The fingers moved numbly, weak and slow, but it had a magnet embedded in it's palm that allowed it to at least grip a sword loosely. It was good enough for what it was, a replacement.

I was only starting the process of removing the arm when a forceful knocking jolted me from my heavy thoughts. I was at the door in a second, a dagger palmed, to greet my wide eyed lieutenant. Konohamaru wasn't much of a warrior, too much bluster and an unhealthy obsession with rank I thought would one day lead him most likely into government. But he wasn't usually shaken, I wasn't even sure I'd ever seen him panicking but he was now.

"Hana- Um Captain there's big trouble! There's beasts, or demons or something massive tearing through the low town. They seem to be summoned creatures, Mystic's work. We've lost troops already." he was speaking quickly stammering over some of his words as I stepped back into the kitchen strapping my gear on with practised speed.

"Let's go Lieutenant." I ordered striding passed him maybe a little too eager, a giant monster sounded like exactly the kind of thing to take my mind off my sister. And Gaara would be fine at home, he was already asleep and the house was nestled amongst a dozen other of City Guard's family homes.

Hinata Hyuuga-

Blaac Callussen was in many ways the inverse of Naru. Where one citadel was surrounded by the sea on three sides jutting out into the ocean the other had been landlocked in a mountainous region, one was baked by a seemingly inexhaustible sun while the other seemed almost to be drowning in it's rain. Maybe the people were different too but I hadn't spoken to enough of them here or in Naru to say for certain.

The lower streets were where it was obvious though.

The streets of Naru I'd known as a girl and the same ones I walked years later under Sasuke's protection were grim. They were tight dark and damp, crowded with miserable people who struggled to survive. Smiles came tight and never freely as everyone huddled close together in fear speaking in hushed whispers.

Our new home was not like that though. Even when there wasn't a festival the city streets swelled with life, the people moved about with an air of freedom laughing and speaking openly without fear or worry. Bright clothes billowed with the wind and created crowds like rainbows that threatened to erase my memories of stone grey.

Of course walking beside Sasuke hand in hand, free from everything that had held us back before I felt as if I were in paradise.

"You haven't tried these yet, have you?" I asked my companion already knowing his answer as I dragged him along to one of the festival booths. I had a hard time pronouncing the order I wanted in the foreign tongue. Most of the city spoke what I'd started considering the common tongue, the language used in the cities with Divine names, but quite a few places in the low town still held to their roots and used their own native language. This type of stand in particular sold lamb and pork skewers spiced with some of the most unique flavours I'd ever tasted and I'd yet to speak to any of their vendors in the common tongue.

"It's good, t-trust me." I hummed my approval passing him one of the skewers to try before I also ordered a skin of wine. It was important to have wine at a festival.

"I trust you. I just thought you'd prefer to sit down somewhere." he responded biting into his treat none the less. I had to smile as I took in the sight of his eyes widening in distinct pleasure before he all but wolfed down the rest of the food. Laughing I ordered another one. Like everything in low town the skewers and the wine both were cheap.

"Maybe later, I want to walk around first." I answered sipping the heady wine and offering the skin to the Uchiha as we linked arms to continue further through the festival. We passed displays of dancing lights, magic fire swirling purples and greens in a vortex and I was disappointed to see Sasuke glance at the fire uninterested and then back to me. I realized only after a moment how it must all look to him, immune to magic he couldn't see any of the displays.

"Sorry." I apologized after a second, I was dragging him around to sights he couldn't see while he only wanted to find somewhere to eat.

"Sorry for what?" he asked an eyebrow raising as his head tilted to his shoulder lazily.

"You can't see any of this, we should just find somewhere to eat." I explained blushing at the intense expression he wore, thoughtful and so much like the one he used to wear. Like the entire rest of the world means nothing at all to him, like nothing meant a thing to him except me.

"I'd rather look around some more." he commented easily taking the lead this time and pulling me to another crowd. I glanced up at the two women dancing on stage their dresses living liquid that danced around them as they moved around one another.

"B-but why?" I asked after a moment, he wasn't even looking at the stage or the dancers. It was only me he was focused on, completely and only me.

"I can see part of it, whatever's so fascinating. Just by watching you Hinata." he answered after a pause taking a moment to push a lock of hair back behind my ear. He leaned in, planting a soft kiss on my forehead and I wondered if I couldn't freeze this moment in time, seal it away and relive it a thousand times over.

Naturally that was when the screaming began.

Sasuke whipped around releasing me faster than I could even process what was happening. The crowd was parting around us, fleeing and scattering like breaking waves on a rock. Panic filled the suddenly numb air, enough that would have crushed a lesser soul into despair. Neither of us were lesser souls though.

The creatures came into sight as the street emptied. Twin beasts that seemed like swollen men, hunched over to walk on their knuckles as if they were front legs. Ten feet above the ground their monstrous faces leered at the fires around them, three fangs burst from the right ones upper jaw puncturing out through its skin grotesquely and the left had a second mouth hanging grimly broken with chipped teeth protruding here and there.

There was a hum of power and a soft whisper as the Wraith standing between me and the beasts drew both of his blades, the curved blade that was unnaturally empty and the wind blade that somehow held the least strange power.

"Sasuke!" If he'd heard me then he showed no signs of it, in a second he'd darted forward amongst the creatures waiting as the first one lashed out with it's massive meaty paw. It was the kind of strike that would have crushed armoured soldiers; heavy in their gear and packed tight together in their formation, but a Raider had no formation and Sasuke was nothing if not fast. Actually he was faster than he'd been before, inhumanly so. He moved like the Greater Gifted now, like a warrior with a Wind or Wandering Gift that was known to enhance their swiftness.

He'd rolled and risen cutting twin gruesome paths along the beast's outstretched limb dodging again as the second monstrosity swung at him, a flicker of his wrist and the wind blade had cut a gash high on its shoulder before the Uchiha withdrew back near me. Just as I was wondering if there was nothing to worry about we both observed as the wretched creature's wounds sealed up.

They roared and Sasuke brushed me back as one of the creatures ducked its head to charge us. It didn't make it far though as twin attacks hammered both it's forelimbs sending it sprawling and blocking its partner's charge. One attack a long serpentine blue sword and the other a flash of coiling light. Both were magical in nature and tell-tale signs of the Magnus Warrior fighting style. That concerned me but I had yet to see a black blade.

"You know Woman king, we've really just met and you're already becoming a major pain in my ass." a loud swaggering voice called out as one of the men made themselves known, a pale haired skinny man shaking his head in annoyance at Sasuke. The other man that stepped free was his physical opposite however, powerfully muscled and standing almost a full head taller than his companion.

"Womagki Suigetsu." both warriors had stepped up either side of my husband, one with his sword drawn and the other with his plain blade still sheathed. The ginger man's arms were glowing with visible magic though, tribal tattoo's lined with power running from his knuckles to his elbows.

"It's not like I called these things." Remarked Sasuke bringing his blades to the ready as the injured creature healed and straightened itself roaring angrily.

"Speaking of which, Juugo darling you getting any feels for these bitches master?" asked the pale haired swordsman moments before the party scattered avoiding the first of the creature's running charges and landing glancing attacks as it passed. I was already moving though, I'd heard enough.

Once inside I activated my Gift, ignoring the headaches of the massive spiking signatures of the battle just feet away from me. Unimaginable dread filled be as I spotted another familiar signature minutes away but drawing closer, darkness and chaos weaving around and tightly controlled it screamed of Hanabi. Panic had me pinpointing the smallest magic source, cowering in on itself and trying to hide itself.

I had to end this.

I clambered behind the building, a tavern maybe, I'd ducked behind and swiftly found myself a way onto the roof top scaling crates and empty barrels. I could still see the small source two roofs away but was momentarily distracted by the battle filling the streets. They'd siphoned off the two creatures, Suigetsu and Juugo pounding the first massive beast against one of the buildings with their magic while the other was being tangled around itself by the former Raider as he twisted around it hacking and slashing it's legs to ribbons.

Two jumps brought me to the roof I wanted and a wide eyed Sorcerer. A weapon would have been nice but I didn't have the time to be picky, Sasuke was fighting for his life against those regenerating fiends and my sister was fast approaching.

I tackled the man sending us both over the edge and crashing through some coverings. The man was grunting but still alive and so were his Summons. Swearing through the pain of crashing through the debris even if the Mystic took the brunt of it, I wrapped a hand around a handful of the many necklaces and talismans he wore and pulled them taunt.

I was still pulling and growling when strong arms yanked me off the Summoner and I found myself in the Uchiha's arms. Hands were checking me for injuries and I found myself doing the same finding nothing of worry on him.

"She choked him to death with his own prayer beads, I mean damn. Uchiha did you somehow accidentally marry a she wolf cunningly disguised as an...especially beautiful woman?" the white haired man and his friend were both staring more than a little shakily at me. The ice was broken a little by Sasuke shooting Suigetsu an insult that was returned viciously.

"Um would you like to join us for dinner?" I asked my eyes still warning me of the guards on their approach. Before consent was given though I was already shooing the warriors along, ignoring any protests from Suigetsu but patiently obeyed by the giant Juugo.

"Are you alright?" asked a quietly worried Sasuke as we moved along hastily.

"Fine fine, just hungry." I answered forcing a false reassuring smile.

Hanabi Hyuuga-

"Found anyone looking to take credit yet?" I asked as Konohamaru reappeared looking flushed at racing around so much in his armour, or it might have been the sight of the bodies affecting him. One creature had the mangled broken look that most things tended to wear when a Magnus warrior or two unleashed some magic on it but the other two were distinctly stranger.

"No sir, no one even saw them. Busy running the other way except..." he trailed off a bit his eyes going to the second creature. It had died in a way that seemed to confound most of the troops in my squad; no magical wounds and systematically done in such a way that it looked like an execution. I'd seen the style before of course. It was eerily familiar.

"But what lieutenant?" I asked walking around the creatures bodies to the remains of the one that had summoned them. I didn't pity the man, nearest we could guess he'd called the creatures to disrupt the festival he saw as profane, but all the same he hadn't had an easy death. Broken bones, a punctured lung and strangled with his own charms. I wondered if one of the fleeing civilians had seen him conjuring and attacked, in that wild desperate way of someone terrified.

"Well a lot of them say they saw a man standing in the street, not running but looking like he was ready to confront those things." he answered after a minute. I had to wonder who it could have been; there were certainly a few candidates among the Colosseum's champions, Killer B in particular I knew had the skills that he could have killed both creatures, the first with his magic and the second without- maybe just to prove he could. But of all the names that came to mind not one would have left the scene, most would have stuck around demanding payment.

"Did they give a description?" I asked stepping away from the remains unhappily. There had been plenty of guards patrolling tonight to keep anything like this from happening but they hadn't prepared for anything as fearsome as these fiends. Few in the City Watch would have been, filled as it was with the scrapings of those without the skill for the real Citadel Military or the Colosseum and swelled by those looking for an easy wage.

"Tall, long dark hair and if you believe it he had red eyes apparently. I'd say they were spooked but all of them described it the same, demonic red eyes. He carried two swords on him, one straight and one curved...Captain, you okay? Captain Hyuuga!" I could hear him, I just couldn't seem to answer him. The description was conjuring up images in my mind quicker than I could process.

Red eyes and hands wrenching me free from a Daemon's jaws.

A body pushing me away from a Wyvern's vicious jaws.

A warning as the Shadow Goddess was forced out of my body.

Drowning, being pulled down into thick dark water only to be pulled free.

A red eyed man staring down at me after I thought I'd died and seeing me, for the first time really seeing me after so many lies.

Kissing me, he promised...he promised...

"Sasuke. Sasuke!" Konohamaru jumped as I began to shout, my voice raw and wet as I tried to force it louder. He was back, he was back and he was looking for us. He was looking for us and he must have been lost.

Did he even know who he was, trapped so long with that Dragon. Would all there be left now his primitive fighting instinct, he'd taken apart this monster that looked in passing like a Daemon. Was he carrying on trying to find home before the night ended, trying to find somewhere it was raining. He'd fought, he'd won and he'd just kept moving, no one in their right mind did that. But he would if he regressed, thought he was just out on a raid, separated from her squad.

"Find him, have everyone searching for the red eyed man. And whoever was with him, if anyone comes forward to get paid for fighting these things I want them sent to me immediately do you understand Lieutenant?" I sounded half crazy even to my own ears and that might have explained why Konohamaru suddenly looked so frightened. He'd never seen me acting as anything other than the rigid City Guard Captain.

"Right sir. Is this man dangerous?" he asked after a second, eyes glimmering in a way that worried me. Konohamaru could be overzealous, more often than not tempted by what glory a fight may earn him rather than his honest chances at winning.

"He's not to be engaged, find him and report back to me." I didn't like the likely outcome of what would happen if my soldiers took on the fool's task of attacking a Wraith. In this city Magic was the measure of everyone's ability, for most all the troops an enemy that shut down their passive powers with a painful touch and that couldn't be attacked with long range magicks would reduce them to fodder. Brittle fodder as even their armour depended on enchanting.

I'd find him. I didn't care what got in my way, I was going to find Sasuke Uchiha.

You know chapter's for this story are like two almost three times the length of my other recently updated story, the Demon Queen. Just saying they're sort of exhausting...to proof-read, the writing parts actually easy, and super satisfying.

Anyway that's chapter 2, hope you guys like. Honestly a little worried this has only gotten like fifty hits, maybe I should tart up the summary a bit. Or promise readers candy...

Sorry for the ramble, please enjoy.

R&R