Author's note: Ben baby is coming back! Yes I'm happy ^_^ crap, I'm a fan girl of my own OC… sue me.

Oh and this is stupid, so skip if ya wanna, but what do you think Akina would look like if say she was a real person? I don't know why this idea popped into my head, but now I can't get it out and I'm too stubborn to stop looking for an actress/singer/model whatever that would hold a resemblance. We need a girl with pale skin, jet black wavy hair, and brilliant emerald eyes that you can't find on anyone unless their wearing contacts. If you guys find anyone you think Akina would look like, you get a virtual cookie and a shout out in my author's note. (Not a very good reward, but do it for the sake of stupid fun… Or the sake of your rights to brag… whatever floats your boat.)

Chapter's song: "Walking disaster" by SUM 41 (One of my favorites, love the beat to it. Never get sick of this song, known to keep it on replay) :D


Chapter 4
Missing link

Outpost town
Akina alight from her horse, to then enter the bar that Botan had told her to meet at. She enter to yet see no Botan. "Well, this is the place… can at least get a drink."

The woman maturely approached the bartender. "Umeshu… and keep them coming?" With that said Akina sat down at the barstool. To then glance back at the door, of the sound of the bell when it opened. And there he was— Botan and, "Benjiro?" Akina breathed. She could barely recognize him— he looked like his dad, but of course of a much younger version. He would now be in his mid-twenties, but it had been about six years since Akina had seen him— he must have not recognized her at all. Since he went and sat down with Botan at the other end of the bar. Botan eyed Akina as he thought, And there she is… huh, and she's early. Botan broke from his thoughts when Benjiro complained in a mutter, "What we doing here again?"

"Just relax."

Akina watched Benjiro from her seat— he wore a white, loose dress shirts, and brown pants, boots and then a cowboy hat that shadowed his face, a face that had grown a five o'clock shadow like his father's. But her attention was broke to have the bartender bring her drink, "Here you go, miss." Akina took a sip, looking away from Benjiro, to have him start gazing over at her because she was staring.

Botan smiled when he caught his son. "You know her?" He played dumb.

"No… I don't think so?"

Botan would have fun with these two, being cousins would make this joke funnier. "Well, go meet her."

Benjiro smirked to his old-devil of a father, to then approach the woman with long ebony locks. She glanced quickly to Benjiro sitting down next to her— having her reclose her eyes, to see if he could recognize her without the emerald eyes giving it away.

"Could I buy your drinks?"

Akina puked in her mind— her cousin was hitting on her, but she calmly replied, "It's your money?"

Benjiro smirked; her personality was different then most women in this bar. "You don't seem like you're from around here?"

"Maybe because I'm not."

"Where you from?"

"The Leaf."

"No way… me too. I'm Benjiro… and you've heard of the Mochizuki clan haven't you?" With that said, Benjiro had a red rose bloom in his hand as he held it out to Akina. She opened her eyes to look at this rose, look at Benjiro with her emerald eyes as he stared back dumbfounded. Her reply to his last question confirmed it though. "I have… in fact, I am the heir to that clan."

Benjiro's red rose then wilted intently in his hand, to drop it and breath, "Akina… green eyed girl… is that really you?"

Akina nodded with a smile. "Yeah… it's been a long time… I'm so sorry, Ben—"

Benjiro then stood from his seat and pulled Akina in a hug, she let him hug her as he scoffed, "Oh I've missed you…" he then pushed her back to hold her shoulders. "Wait, you're under age, why are you drinking?"

Akina stretched her hand up toslap over his mouth. "Shush… what they don't know won't hurt 'em."

She removed her hand when Benjiro scolded her with his eyes. "Why you out here… you should be with the clan."

Akina re-sat with Botan when he came over, Benjiro then sighed, "I was afraid this would happen… tell me what went down."

The Mochizuki princess sipped her drink, to then lick her lips. "After you left… I went into Anbu with Itachi, which I thank you for… telling him to protect me."

Benjiro was utterly confused. "You're welcome… but what you saying?"

Akina didn't answer; she didn't have to, to make Benjiro shriek, "You two were… uhhh!" He shook his head, his little cousin with that rebel of an Uchiha. "…But I heard he—" Benjiro then stopped his sentence.

"Killed his clan?" Benjiro lowered his head. "After he left… so did I. I've been traveling around for the last three years." Akina then took another sip, polishing off her drink. "But beside me, there has been other incidents… such as Akanah's death… she died on her Chunin mission."

Benjiro eyes filled with shock to have his stomach start to flip. "What… my baby sister is—"

Akina just lowered her head, to then glance to the bartender. "More umeshu, miss?"

"Do you have anything stronger?"

Benjiro stared at Akina, blinking twice."Stronger?" he jokily hissed.

Akina then raised her glass when it was refilled— to the boys, when Botan caught on and toasted, "To family." Benjiro smiled, to grab a glass. CLANK! "To family."

Next Morning (Hotel room)
Akina took her watch out while she'd lay in the bed with a hangover. "To family, hmph… ugh!" Akina leaned up to the edge of her bed, looking at the calendar on the nightstand. "One day left." She'd say to herself, to cross out June 10th on the calendar before making her way down to the lobby.


The princess went down stairs— Botan and Benjiro sitting slumped on the couch, assuming they had a hangover too. "You're an alcoholic?" Benjiro whined when he gazed to her over the back of the couch.

"No I am not."

Botan chuckled, a funny-drunk. "Go easy on her, Benjiro… it's better then using the empathy jutsu."

Akina rolled her neck, sitting down in a chair across from the Mochizuki men. "Whoa, you think I drink to get stuff off my mind?"

They blankly stared at Akina as she continued to defend nonchalantly, "I drink because I want to… besides I could never get drunk enough to get what the hell I've been through off my mind."

Benjiro picked up on this; it was rare for Akina to express her feelings. "What is on your mind?"

"…One more day."

"Huh… your 16th birthday?" Benjiro smiled. "You ready to head back?"

Akina averted her green eyes. "I'll never be ready."

Benjiro smile slowly faded. "Well you gotta go back."

"Correction… I should go back."

Benjiro was becoming annoyed, as his hangover got the better of his peaceful demeanor. "Correction…! You need to go back. We need you…"

Botan looked to his son, he would just watch; this was between the cousins. Akina raised her cold green orbs to Benjiro. "Do you think they honestly want me back? I'm not that same person… to them I've fallen from grace, I'm jaded, I'm not that little girl by my father's side… I'm a black rose now. This is who I am and I'm not changing attitudes and I will not ask my people to swallow their pride either."

"You're not a monster, Akina… you are your fathers daughter, the heir to the clan. You're still that little girl in my eyes. The most prideful woman alive."

"I might have my father's characteristics… but I'm not him and I'm a monster in their eyes. They cut into my skin and into my body… yeah, they really want me back."

"Those were orders from Iva, you know that."

"They didn't have to obey them… they're Mochizuki damn it, rebellions."

"If you shown them who you really are… if you were more caring towards them—"

"If I'm not happy with what I've become, why should I think significantly of the individuals who made me this way and they hate me for what they created!"

Benjiro let out a long breath, to raise his eyes up out of the shadows. "So what's the plan then?"

Akina stood and walked away, starting up the stairs to say, "Have your ear to the ground." Benjiro frowned and turn to his father for him just to shrug his shoulders.

Sometime before dawn the next day
Benjiro slept in his room with a heavy head sunk into his drool soaked pillow. He would sleep soundly, loudly storing until a flytrap grew from his floorboards. Ibara hissed, "Benjiro, Benjiro… Benjiro!" Said man then fell hard out of his bed in shock.

"Ouch… god… grr!" Benjiro rubbed his head as he opened his eyes to the flytrap, "Ahhh! What the hell do you want?"

"Hell." Benjiro sneered to the flytrap, but he then continued, "But it's not about what I want… I'm delivering a message from Lady Akina."

Benjiro ran his hand all around his morning face. "She couldn't just walk down the hall?"

"She's not down the hall." Benjiro opened his eyes wide now, and shot up to run to Akina's hotel door. Opening— to see a made bed with no green-eyed girl to be found. "Where'd she go?" Benjiro breath to have his question answered when Ibara grew from the floorboards again.

"You don't listen very good… she told you to keep your ear to the ground." Dark chocolate eyes looked to the floor, to Ibara. "I'm here to say you better catch up with her… she might need back up when facing the clan."

Benjiro grew with a glow as he smiled to breath, "She's going back?"

Ibara shook his head to prepare to leave. "You're definitely hard of hearing." POOF!

The twenty-six year old then ran to Botan's door. "Father!"

Botan came out of his room, rubbing his face. "What now, Benjiro?"

Said boy jogged in place and kept pointing. "Akina, Akina… she went back to the clan, I've got to go." With that he ran off, waving. "I'll keep in touch."

Botan just watched in wonder to then state to himself, "Lady Chiyome's not going to like this."

Hilltop looking over the Main Leaf Gate
Akina stood facing the gate while the wind blew her hair. She waited for Benjiro to glance back when he arrived behind her. "What took you so long?"

Benjiro was out of breath to only smirk, "Well, just like your demons… you're not very straightforward."

She ignored him to turn back to the village. "You leading?" his low voice would ask.

"You following?" she'd counter, but then seriously asking, "You ready?"

Benjiro nodded. "I asked you first?"


Izumo and Kotesu took guard at the gate's desk, to look when Akina and Benjiro approached the gate. "Whoa… who's that?" Izumo asked his comrade

"I don't know… but she's hot." Kotesu proclaimed to get a disapproved look from Izumo. But then back to Akina when she came closer in view to show her headband pinned to her obi. "She's a leaf ninja." Izumo realized to see the woman now stand in front of the desk, gazing over the boys with her green soft stare.

That couldn't be them? Akina asked herself before stating with a soft smile that could make any man blush, "Long time no see boys."

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Izumo asked, to have Kotesu add, "I know I haven't… trust me, I'd remember you." Izumo sent more daggers to his comrade. "Excuse my friend… but I do agree with him. May I ask your name?"

Akina leaned forward, placing her elbows down to the desk. "Well that's no fun… then you would remember me."

Benjiro shook his head to his cruel cousin. "Don't feel bad boys… I didn't recognize her either. But there is one characteristic that gives it away…"

The boys then widely set their bitty pupils to Akina's chest. "My eyes are up here loves."

Izumo blushed widely and sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, I-I…" Izumo then opened his eyes to focus on Akina's. "It couldn't be?"

Benjiro crossed his arms and nodded. "Oh well… stop playing with them green-eyed girl." Akina leaned off the table and looked to her cousin to have Kotesu exclaim, "Huh…! No way."

Izumo smiled, "Long time no see indeed… you've changed, Akina?"

Said woman shrugged. "Apparently… you two have changed as well."

Kotesu shook his head. "Not as much as you."

"Kotesu." Izumo scolded to then look to Akina with question.

"Heh-heh… if you two would excuse me." With that and waving a light gesture of her hand, she continued into her old home with Benjiro.

Mochizuki clan
Akina took the lead walking through her clan— Mochizuki staring at her from the sidewalks and out their windows. "Who's that?" "She's gorgeous." "Wow…" "Elder will know." Akina kept walking to stop in front of the old man. "Pardon me, miss… but may I ask who you are?"

The Mochizuki princess placed her hands in a prayer pose and opened her eyes sternly. "I am Mochizuki Akina-hime."

Everyone gasps— the elder's eyes going wide, to then smile sincerely, "You've returned."

One man in the crowd ran away, to the Mochizuki Manor no less, bolting in! "Milady… she's returned."

"Who?" Iva asked simply to sip her sake.

"Lady Akina…" SPOOT! Went the sound of Iva spiting her sake out in one gush! "Hack-cough!" Iva then stood and bolted out while she caught her breath.


Iva then stomp a step when she came up behind the elder. "Huh?" he'd breath, but Akina stood like a solider, showing no expression to Iva's arrival.

The elder stepped off to the side, to allow the now two women to face off. "You've returned… coward?" Iva asked in a mew.

"I'm not a coward… since I have returned."

"Why have you come back to me?"

"I haven't come back for you… I've come back for my people and their well being."

"Well we're fine… why don't you go back from where you came."

"Originally… that's here." Iva growl to that statement. "And I'd like my people to speak… not having you stuff words into their mouths."

"Fine… elder."

The elder nodded and raised a hand off his cane, his right to Iva. "All in favor as keeping Lady Iva as leader; cheer!" Everyone went silent. "WHAT?" Iva snapped.

The elder still continued; to raise his left hand now. "All in favor as making Princess Akina leader; cheer!"

Silence.

Having Akina show no care with a batting close of her eyes. Iva chuckle, "Huh… seems you're no better then me?"

"Don't compare me."

Iva bit her lip and then grinned, "Tell you what… we'll make a deal, just like our last… but this time, there'll be a different outcome."

Akina reopened her emerald eyes. "Yes there will." Iva snarl, but then to have Akina confirm, "Deal."