Chapter 4: Secrets of the Earth

Mamoru came to, lying on his back. He was staring at what looked like stone; he assumed he must be underground.

Mamoru attempted to get up. He could not; he looked down and saw that he had been tied to some kind of table.

He put his head back and lay on the table, silently cursing who ever had done this to him.

There was the sound of footsteps above his head; he squirmed as best he could, trying to get a better view.

"You're awake I see." Said a feminine voice. A woman stepped into view. She was an average height and of a slim build. She clasped the katana hilt that protruded from the sheath that she wore through her belt.

"What are you doing with me?!" Mamoru demanded. He noticed the woman's headband. "You're not one of those Konoha bastards!" Mamoru spat onto the floor. "We are from the same village. You and I." He continued. "So why are you holding me against my will?!"

"We were just wondering why you were following us?" The woman continued, her voice was calm but you could feel the anger behind her words.

Mamoru struggled to sit up a little better. "Who is "we"?" He said.

"There is me and my companion, our names are not important to you! Just answer the damn questions!" The woman replied.

"OK, OK. Not hostility please. Not from my own village." Mamoru said. Kindness is the way to get out of this. He thought to himself.

"I was not following you, I was following the Konoha ninja that were escorting you. I had reasons to believe that one of them had killed a man that meant a lot to me as a child." Mamoru said.

"And they told you he was dead. Then you went on to kill one of the ANBU members." The woman commented, half to him, half to the air around her.

"I believe we have no arguments, personally." Mamoru said.

"Yes. It would appear that way." The woman said. "I am sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused you, we were just following a missing nin. We were not sure if you were him." The woman stepped over and was about to cut Mamoru's bonds when another woman entered the cave.

"What are you doing?" The newcomer said, a little hesitantly

"We have no quarrel with this one." The shorter of the two said. "I am letting him go."

The katana came out of its sheath before anyone could do anything.

Mamoru had gotten loose.

"How the…" The taller of the two women began.

Mamoru rushed up to the shorter and laid her out flat with rear end of the katana. He disappeared to the view of the taller one.

He reappeared bringing his sword down in a cutting motion, the women dodged.

"I see you have a little skill!" He scoffed at her. "But it will not be enough!"

He brought the blade up and he vanished momentarily again only to reappear behind her. She spun and blocked the deadly blow with her kunai.

"Very good!" He said, sounding almost impressed, "I still have more tricks to unleash!" He yelled." Hidden Shadow Snake Hand!" He screamed

The female ninja turned round.

"Oh shit!" She said

Multiple snakes erupted from Mamoru's sleeve. The last woman stumbled backwards and fell over.

Mamoru stepped up to her, blood dripping from snake bits on her face.

He reached down and pushed a pressure point in her neck. She blacked out.

"Question me would you?" Mamoru laughed out loud to himself. "How do you like to be questioned?" He whispered into the shorter of the two unconscious women's ear.

"It's not very nice. Especially when I question people!" He said maliciously.

He picked her up and put her down on the table, moving aside the log that he had used in his replacement technique.

He tied her to the table. He turned to get the other one, but she was gone. Leaving only a pool of blood.

He cursed loudly, about to pursue.

No I can get her later. She will do for now. He thought looking at his prey.

He moved over to her. He poured some water over her face from her hip flask.

"Wakey, wakey." He said

She began coughing up the water.

"Wha What happened?" She whispered, her words stumbling over one another and a little shaky.

"It's time you answered some questions!" Mamoru answered. "This is gonna hurt you more than it's gonna hurt me." He said chuckling.