A/N: Yaaaaaaaay!!! A new chapter!!! I'm really looking forward to this one. It is my first try at a fight scene!! I really like reading those on other peoples' stories, so now I get to try!! Now remember, this is my first story and fight scene so be nice, if and when you review. ON WITH THE STORY!!

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Mitsune's POV

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"Hey, I think I see a fence!" Mitsune and Emiko looked forwards through the trees to see a fifteen foot tall chain link fence. "Quick! We need to get over the fence before those boneheads catch up to us!" Mitsune poured on a little more juice and leaped onto the fence.

"Don't you mean metal heads?" Riku added as she jumped on as well. She started to climb hand over hand passing Mitsune up in under 5 seconds.

"Whatever, I just don't want them to land on me. Those things looked heavy!" Emiko stopped under the other two girls before jumping straight up.

Since leaving the Konoha shinobi the girls had run into some strange enemies. Faceless metal puppets had shown up out of nowhere and started to attack them. It was all they could do to out run them without getting hit. Whenever they thought they had finally outrun the monsters they sprang up out of the ground and trees to start chasing them all over again.

Almost to the top! You know, now that I think about it, if we're running from metal puppets, why are we on a metal fence?.......Oh shit!

"Hurry! Everyone, let go of the fence!" Mitsune pushed off of the fence and landed on the ground, her knees buckling underneath her to land on her butt.

"Why?" Mitsune looked up to find Riku looking back at her while Emiko continued to climb up. She had just reached the top of the fence and was about to drop down to the other side.

"GET OFF THE FENCE!!!" Riku immediately let go of the fence to fall beside Mitsune. But Riku's sudden movement unbalanced Emiko who fell on her head on the other side of the fence. Mitsune and Riku stared at Emiko. She had just fallen fifteen feet on her head to solid ground.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. My heads as hard as diamonds. See?" Emiko picked herself off the ground and knocked on her head a few times. Mitsune shook her head in annoyance/relief.

"Why'd you want us to get off the fence?" Mitsune looked up at the fence with apprehension. What was going on? All through the forest the creatures had come out of everything and anything to try and chase them. But, they never actually went in front of them. Were they actually forcing them to go this way? But then they would appear on the fence just like before, except they would be trapped. And yet they hadn't. Ugh, this is so confusing!!!

Emiko waved frantically trying to get their attention. Riku noticed first and spun around. Standing behind them were even more metal men, but this time they had wickedly pointed spears.

"This isn't good." Riku muttered. Mitsune rolled her eyes. Ya think? Out of the corner of her eyes she could see that Emiko had backed away from the fence. When she had gotten far enough away she ran until Mitsune couldn't see her if she wanted to keep her eye on the slowly approaching metal puppets.

Did she just do what I think she did?!

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Riku's POV

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Not good Not good Not good Not good!! Aww, man! What are we gonna do! We don't have anywhere to run, Emiko just ran away (traitor) and we don't have any weapons. If I just had some kind of sword I could kick their butts!!

Riku looked over at Mitsune, even though she was shaking in fear, Mitsune looked calm and relaxed.

How can she do that? Wait, I wonder, DOES SHE HAVE A PLAN!!?

Looking hopefully at Mitsune, Riku hurriedly tried to steady herself. If Mitsune had a plan, it probably included her; and she needed to be prepared if she had to do any quick thinking. Riku targeted the metal puppets as they crept closer, trying to keep Mitsune in the corner of her eyes to catch any kind of signal that she might send.

After a whole minute Mitsune still hadn't moved and the metal puppets had come within striking range. The puppet closest to them raised his spear to strike. She was about to shout when she saw the signal.

Mitsune's eyes quickly flicked to Riku, blinked twice then looked over her shoulder. Then she clenched her fists and whipped out three senbon needles. With a flick of her wrist Mitsune sent the needles flying into the puppets face. Unfortunately, her aim was off and one of the needles missed it's mark. Mitsune clenched her fists and nodded once before jumping onto the puppet.

Way to go Mitsune! Now it's my turn.

Pivoting on her right foot Riku turned around to find what Mitsune had gestured to. Growing next to the fence was a thick patch of bamboo stalks. Grabbing the thickest branch she could Riku tried to rip it from the ground.

Ugh! It's too tough! I can't get it free! Well, if Mitsune can jump into the fray like she did then I can break this stupid twig!

Riku held onto the top part of the branch and broke it with one shot from her other hand. Without thinking about what she had just done Riku spun around to meet the rest of the metal men. At the same moment Mitsune threw two more needles into the arm joint of yet another metal puppet, causing it to drop its spear. Riku rushed over and stood back to back to her.

"So, how many did you kill?" Riku joked looking at the aggravated puppets.

"Oh, you know, just a couple." Looking at the small pile of metal bodies Riku giggled. The pile had at least six puppets stacked on it.

"Well, now it's my turn to have a little fun." Mitsune grabbed her arm for a second and switched her spear for Riku's new staff.

"Sorry, I'd just feel better with a normal staff. I'm not good with spears." Riku smiled maniacally and shook her spear in the air.

"Doesn't bother me. CHARGE!!!!" Riku sprang into the air to dodge Mitsune's staff as she swung it close to the ground to trip close standing puppets to the floor. As she landed Riku shoved the end of her staff into another puppet.

Wow, that was easy. Riku giggled evilly, This could be fun.

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Mitsune's POV

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What the heck is going on!? They just keep coming! Where's Emiko when you need her?

Mitsune took a deep breath and began to twirl her staff. By now the metal puppets had figured out that she was pretty good with her weapon. Patiently, Mitsune spun her staff faster and faster, waiting for one of the braver puppets to come closer. Cautiously, two of the puppets came closer on either side of her.

Bracing for impact, Mitsune used the momentum of the spinning and swung the staff horizontally into the stomach of the first puppet. Without losing a beat she spun in a circle and whacked the second puppet in the head. The head went flying towards the fence.

Well that was cool. I wonder if I can do that again...No, not now. I need to help Riku. There's no way we can beat all these metal men by ourselves. We need to find the gate to this fence.

Glaring menacingly at the puppets Mitsune cast around for Riku. She spotted the top half of a puppet go flying and went toward it.

Wow, she's good. Just look at her go.

Mitsune was amazed at the ferocity with which Riku attacked the monsters. Without stopping she would slash one puppet, then slice three others' legs off with the tip of her spear. Every now and then she would jump in the air and stab another through the head, just to dice another two standing nearby. Though Riku never let up her attack, Mitsune could tell that she was getting tired. She was starting to slow down and her strikes were losing a little of their power. Mitsune rushed over and pressed her back against Riku's.

"Mitsune! I can't keep this up! There's just too many." Riku yelled over the grating of the metal puppets. It seemed as though they had noticed that they were tiring. Stepping forward she skewered one and whipped him off onto another one.

"I know, neither can I! We need to make our way to the gates! Come on, this way!" Mitsune pulled Riku slightly to make her face right. With a mighty swing Mitsune whacked five of the metal puppets away and sprinted through the opening followed closely by Riku.

They hadn't gone far when they ran into a giant gate. Unlike the rest of the fence the gate was made of iron bars. Unfortunately for them, the gates were locked with a thick chain.

"Riku, do you think you can break through that chain?" Mitsune yelled over her shoulder as she took up a defensive position in front of Riku and the gates.

"I'll do my best, but I don't think I can." Mitsune nodded her head without looking back as Riku faced the gates. The metal puppets started to get closer as Riku took a deep breath and released it slowly. The puppets began to charge as Riku took an even deeper breath, closed her eyes and raised her spear. As the puppets gained speed Riku lined up the tip of the spear with the chain.

As the sounds of Mitsune's staff hitting metal met her ears Riku struggled to keep her concentration. Opening her eyes with a snap Riku slashed at the chain as hard and as fast has she could. It was a powerful swing but still the chain held.

"I can't do it! We're trapped!" Riku yelled back to Mitsune who was in the middle of the mob of monsters. Leaping into the fray Riku desperately tried to reach her friend. But for every puppet she cut down four more popped out of nowhere. For every second that passed Mitsune grew farther and farther apart.

Meanwhile, Mitsune was getting weaker. Every jab and swipe of her staff caused her pain as it made contact with the hard metal puppets.

What are these things made of? It can't be steel, it's way too hard for that. Iron? No, too shiny...yet it's not.

Mitsune watched transfixed as a rainbow of colors swirled on the surface of the metal man. She was hypnotized. The enemy that she was staring at took that opportunity to swipe at her midsection.

"AAAHH!" Mitsune clutched at her stomach. She felt detached, as if the pain didn't really belong to her. All she could see was red, lots and lots of red.

Blood. That's what that is. Is it mine? Yes, probably.

Mitsune could faintly hear someone call her name.

Who's that? Do I know them? What are they so worried about? I'm fine, I can still fight.

On shaky feet Mitsune pushed herself up off the ground to face the metal army. Mitsune raised her staff at the puppet in front of her, only to have her vision go fuzzy. Feeling herself tilt to the left, she tried to straighten herself, but she over compensated and flung herself into another puppet. A horrible creaking and grating met her ears in what could only be described as the metal mans laugh. His laughter grew louder as he slapped her across the face flinging her onto the ground once more.

Mitsune's head spun. She just couldn't focus anymore. Everything was spinning, blending all the colors into one. Again she heard someone yell out her name. The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness, was a dark figure sitting among the top branches of the trees.

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Riku's POV

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"Mitsune! Hang on!" Riku jumped onto a metal mans shoulder slammed the butt of the spear into his shoulder causing him to collapse. Before she could fall to the ground she jumped to the next puppet and did the same to him. She continued this routine until she could finally see Mitsune.

She was standing there; just standing there staring at a puppet. What was she doing?

Come on Mitsune, snap out of it! You have to keep moving! Don't give up!

Riku picked up the pace as she saw Mitsune go down. Panicked, Riku lost her footing and fell to the ground as well. Rolling along on the floor, she dodged more than one spear aimed her way. Flicking our her leg she tripped one of the puppets and decapitated him in an instant.

I need to reach Mitsune! Damn it Emiko! Where are you!!

Swinging her spear around her like she had seen Mitsune do, she hacked off the legs of the puppets nearest to her. Standing up again Riku looked desperately around for Mitsune, but she was nowhere to be found. Twirling the spear menacingly, she tried again to find her friend.

This is hopeless! I need help.

All of a sudden, she hear something strange. Not like the sound of the metal men, but something sweeter. Something clear and piercing could be heard over all the sounds in the forest. The sound then changed pitch again and again to form a melody. The melody sent shivers of happiness and purity through Riku. She had never heard anything like it before.

She watched in amazement as some of the metal men stopped and dropped their spears. As the song grew louder and more complex more and more of the puppets stopped and dropped their weapons, then they actually collapsed to the floor.

What's happening? This song is so comforting. Who's playing it?

Mitsune temporarily forgotten, Riku cast about for the source of the beautiful sound. Up on the top of the fence stood a person with what looked like a flute. As she watched the person jumped off of the fence and walked towards Riku, the music never faltering.

Emiko! She's back! Thank god!

Riku rushed towards her but she shook her head. With a trill of her flute Emiko tilted her head towards a cluster of still standing puppets. Among the puppets was Mitsune. Nodding her head, Emiko began to walk forward towards her as Riku dashed ahead shouting her name. When she reached her she bit her tongue. Mitsune's blue dress was stained with her own blood.

"Oh my god, MITSUNE!! Mitsune wake up! Come on speak to me! Please!" Riku slid her hand underneath Mitsune's head and lifted it onto her lap. On her cheek was a bright red hand print from where the puppet had slapped her. Ignoring the blood seeping from her wound, Riku waited until Emiko had come closer.

When Emiko caught sight of the wound, her song came to an abrupt halt. All the color drained from her face as she lowered her flute.

"Is she...all right?" She asked haltingly. Riku nodded her head slowly and looked back up at her with tears in her eyes. They had come so close. So close to losing her.

Pulling herself together, Riku lifted Mitsune up and supported her with her shoulder. "Come on, we need to get her to the village or she'll bleed to death." Emiko nodded her head and followed behind her to the gate.

"Shit! I forgot, it's still locked!" Riku carefully handed Mitsune over to Emiko who struggled to hold onto her as well as her flute. Grabbing a new spear, Riku repeatedly hacked at the chain. After every blow the chink in the metal grew larger, until she finally broke through. With shaking hands Riku pulled the chain from the gate and let the lock fall to the ground.

Handing Mitsune back to Riku, Emiko began to play her flute again. Unlike the song that she had played before, this new song was filled with sadness and hope. With each note Riku's strength came back to her until she could hold Mitsune up without slouching. Soon even the color came back to Mitsune's face, but she did not wake up. Though the others were getting stronger with each note that she played Emiko's strength ebbed away.

Yet she took the pain with dignity, she had abandoned her friends and this is how things had ended up. She could have stayed, she could have fought. Yet she ran. The only good thing that came out of it was her home made bamboo flute. Though she couldn't understand how it had happened. As soon as she had played the first note she knew that it had some kind of power.

"Well, this sure isn't going to be easy." Emiko remarked. Riku paused and gave a little smirk.

At least I'll have something to put on my resume for English now.

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???? POV

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"Aww, they got away! I was hoping that they would play with us a little more. That one who used the spear was kinda cute." The shinobi smiled as he watched her limp away with her wounded partner. It was very enjoyable to watch them fight. They had done much better than he expected for first timers.

"Hey Rai-tan, don't you think that was fun? Oh! I mean, before they hypnotized your puppets. It's amazing that they could defeat them so easily." He looked over at his older brother. He was scowling as usual, though maybe now he looked a little more out of it than normal.

"Oh shut up you. It's not my fault. I didn't let them hypnotize my puppets. I lost control. Besides, it's not gentleman like to hurt a girl. Especially one as cute as the blonde." The younger brother smiled wider as his older brother smirked for a nanosecond before frowning in the girls' direction again.

"So, you just lost control did you? Not polite to hit a girl is it? Then why, may I ask, did you hit the girl in blue?" A chill went up the brothers' spines. Apparently their eldest brother had been watching them play with the girls. The boy looked to his other brother in fear.

"I...uh...well, you see, when she played that flute of hers I lost control of my puppets, you see." His brother began to stutter as the elder brother's eyes narrowed. "And, well, the other girl, she was, you know, getting on my nerves. She was going to break anyway, so I thought I'd teach her a lesson, like, not to mess with my pu-" He stopped abruptly as their brother stood up and walked towards them. He was still a good ways away, but his presence filled the space between them like a thick fog.

"If you ever touch her again, I will personally see to it that you are never able to walk again. Understood?" Though he was looking at the middle child, the younger one nodded her head as well. It would not do to make the elder sibling upset. Among the three, he was their Lord's favorite. "Now, we have our orders. We need to follow them where ever they go." He paused, stealing a glimpse of the still unconscious girl before she disappeared beyond the gates. "Go."

The other two siblings nodded once before racing off towards the village.

"Mitsune." The last sibling stood there for a while longer before running after his younger brothers. What a beautiful name, even if it is fake.

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A/N: I'M SOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't mean for it to be this long before I updated! I just, you know, got bored? AAARRRGGHH!! WHAT A HORRIBLE EXCUSE! Trust me, I'll update sooner than this time! I promise! Just please say that you'll at least be patient with me? Please?

Laurana Linore: Konichiwa!!! WOOT! Finally, chapter 4 is up! I'm the co-editor of this fanfic, because apparently the original editor wasn't doing too good of a job. *cough* WolfGirl *cough* So yeah! I'm also the third OC!!! XD Bet you can't guess which one I am!! *sees cat licking at Raman* AAAHH!!! NO BAD KITTY! MY RAMAN! *steals the bowl of Raman from the cat*

Cat: Meow?

Laurana: *HISS*

Cat: *runs away frightened*

Laurana: So anyways, *takes a bite of Raman* that's all I wanted to say! *runs into a random pole on her way out*