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A/N: I am so sorry for the late update. I literaly couldn't think about what to do next. Other stories and Ideas just kept popping into my head an I got so distracted that I forgot about this story . . . I'm really sorry!!! Forgive me!!

Rated: This chaper is rated T+ for Tayuya and mild violence.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Retreating In A Different Direction.

Chapter Four.

By KittyMarks.

He let Tayuya lead him down through a myrid of twisting corridors and through dozens of empty rooms with hidden doorways to reach the training rooms. Kiyomi tried his best to memorize the route but it was so long and changing that he gave up after the first ten minutes. Tayuya was studiously ignoring him and only slowed down every so often when it looked like he was falling behind. Kiyomi irritably tugged out a few stubborn tangles from his hair, Tayuya hadn't allowed him time to brush it properly and it was making him more and more agitated as time went on.

Eventually after around an hour of walking they reached a small, wooden door, the only interesting thing about it was that instead of a handle it had a small circular seal. Tayuya bit her thumb and swiped the blood from the wound onto the seal. It glowed red and the door swung open to reveal a large arena sectioned into fighting rings and weapon ranges. The red head walked proudly through the door and Kiyomi followed with a scowl on his face as he continued to unknott his hair. Inside the rest of the Sound Five were waiting, Jiroubo was sitting on the floo/r with Kidomaru, they seemed to be having an argument about poisons. Sakon was lounging against the wall with Ukons head protruding from his shoulder, Kimimaru was expertly swinging what looked like a sword made of bone in a complex pattern. They all, with the exception of Kimimaru looked up when Kiyomi and Tayuya entered the arena.

Kidomaru grinned and stood up. "Hehe, newbies finally here huh? What took you so long Taya-chan?" he asked with a leer at the red head. Tayuya flipped him the bird and scowled "Don't call me Tayu-chan you fuck-tard! Princess here was putting on her fucking make up!" she growled and Kiyomi looked frowned "Tayuya, ladies shouldn't swear." he chided. "Fuck you fat ass." she retorted. Kiyomi stepped away from Tayuya with an expression of disgust on his face, he'd been thought since birth that good manners were essental for a kunoichi and shinobi alike. The red head paid him no heed and motioned for him to step into one of the smaller fighting rings.

"I've got to test you to make sure that your able to pull your own fucking weight! We don't need any whining motherfucking babies in Sound!" she hissed angrily as though the thought of Kiyomi being weak personally offended her. The blonde elegantly stepped into the ring and flexed his fingers by his sides. "Is this taijutsu only?" he asked and Tayuya nodded. He settled into a relaxed stance as Tayuya gently dropped her flute outside the ring, she shot a glare at the rest of her team. "If any of you bitches so much as fucking touch my flute I'll fucking cut your balls off and shove them so far up your ass you'll be able to see them when you talk! Am I fucking clear!" she yelled and the rest of the sound five, again with the exception of Kimimaru nodded. "Then lets get this fucking show on the road!" she cried and lunged suddenly at Kiyomi.

'Sometimes being small has its advantages' Kiyomi thought as he ducked under Tayuyas lunged and shot out a foot to kick her in the stomach, the red head twisted in mid air to avoid the kick and landed in a crouch on the oposite side of the ring. Kiyomi scowled and slowly slinked backwards so that his back was against the ropes of the ring. Tayuya lunged again and he allowed one of her punches to hit, his face snapped sideways from a powerful punch to the jaw and he was momentarily dazed. Tayuya smirked and drew back the other fist to punch him in the gut but this time Kiyomi grabbed her fist and sidestepped so that the red heads momentum had her reeling into the ropes. He gave the hand in his grasp a sharp twist and Tayuya yelled out as the bones cracked.

"Motherfucking shit head!! I'll fucking kill you, you son of a bitch!!" she screamed and Kiyomis eyes widened as Tayuyas foot hit him squarely in the chest and he went flying accross the ring and banged his head hard of the ropes. He groaned and a small trickle of blood made its way down his chin. That kick had probably broken a rib or two. He grimanced and pulled himself upright, glaring at Tayuya who had a murderous expression on her face. Kiyomi dragged the back of his hand accross his mouth to wipe away the blood and crouched down low with both hands extended on front of him. Tayuya sneered at him and lept across the ring, she lashed out with her foot and it caught Kiyomis shouler, the sharp edge of her boot sliced through the material of his shirt and cut into his skin. The blonde hissed but waited until she started to pull back to catch her ankle with both of his outstretched hands.

He shot up into the air, dragging Tayuya behind him and then he spun around in a circle and hurled the red head back into the ring. She gave a cry of alarm as she smacked into the hard ground and the sound of bone breaking reached Kiyomis ears as he landed gracefully. Tayuyas eyes were narrowed in hatred as she stumbled upright, leaning on her right foot. "Shit eating bitch!" she hissed and Kiyomi coughed as pain spiked through his chest and more blood trailed down his chin, if he kept going then he might puncture his lungs. Tayuya bit her lip until it bled to keep from crying out at the pain from her leg, she gave Kiyomi a withering glare and hopped up onto one foot.

"Come on! Fucking princess!! I'm not fucking done yet, whore!!" she shouted and Kiyomi bristled. "I'm five you imbecile! Explain how I'm a whore!! And while I understand that I may be prettier than you, I am male!" Kiyomi spat with a sneer on his lips. The look on Tayuyas and the rest of the Sound Fiveds faces was priceless, Their eyes were wide and their mouths gaped in shock. "Your a guy! No fucking way!" Tayuya muttered and Kidomaru nodded in agreement. "You gotta be a chick!" he stated like it was obvious! "You were wearing a dress yesterday! Is that some kind of sick fetish?!" he yelled and Kiyomi flicked his ponytail back irritably. "Thats rich comming from the guy with six arms!" he retorted and the tan boy scowled. "You wanna start something!" he said menancingly, pushing up the sleeves if his robes and stepping forward. "Maybe I do!" Kiyomi shot back, glaring at Kidomaru.

"Enough." a calm voice broke through the tension and all five ( six if you count ukon) heads whipped around to see Kimimaru standing with one hand on his hip and the other gently grasping the hilt of his sword. "The test was to see if Kiyomi-san could last five minutes against Tayuya. He passed ten minutes ago." the white haired teen stated and Tayuya scowled. "Whats it to you pretty boy!" she asked as she gingerly hopped out of the arena with Sakons help. "It means that you should have followed Orochmaru-samas orders! .wont stand for trash like you going your own way." he all but growled and Tayuya blanched. "I wasn't ignoring Orochimaru-Sama, I just lost track of time." she muttered and Kimimaru narrowed his jade eyes.

Kiyomi slid out under the ropes and grimanced when a sharp pain shot through his chest. He coughed up blood and clutched his side as he sank to the floor. One of the ribs had punctured his left lung. The blonde gave a small gurgling sound as the organ began to fill with blood and his breathing restricted. "Shit! You went too far Tayuya!" Sakon swore as he lifted Kiyomi up off the floor gently and began to run. He was stopped by a pale hand on his shoulder and he slanted his grey eyes to see Kimimaru looking sternly at him. "I will take him to the infirmary and report to Orochimaru-sama." he said in a commanding tone and Sakon gritted his teeth. "As you wish." he spat and he handed a still coughing Kiyomi over to the Kaguya.

Kimimaru spared a short glance to the injured blonde in his arms before shunshining away. Kidomaru scowled and muttered. "Show off! When's Orochimaru-sama going to teach us the shunshin! Playing favourites, feh!". Jiroubo nodded and eyed the blood on the fighting ring, when it was clear that Tayuya was in no shape to clean it up herself he sighed and took a rag and a bucket of water out from under the ring and began to clean the blood off the floor. Orochimaru got angry of they left the arena in any way worse that when they came in. Sakon lifted one of Tayuyas arms over his shoulder and helped her limp to the infirmary. Kidomaru looked around boredly and then up at Jiroubo who had finished cleaning, he had a glint in his eye as he held out all six arms. "Wanna armwrestle?". The orange haired teen just looked at him and deadpanned "Never again."

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A/N: Once again, I'm sorry its so late! Please review and let me know if the waits been worth it.

I know the chapters are short but I can't get much else out right now!

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