Sorry I've been...absent, I've had so much homework but I'm back, hopefully for good (;D).

Please rate and comment, I will have the next chapter up as soon as possible.


7. Bargain

-Recap-

Our heads perked up, the sound of Ai's bloodcurdling scream shot us back into dreadful reality, the sounds of footsteps could be heard approaching along with a sobbing Ai,

"What's happening, Ai…what-" Kaien's voice was anxious, I stood up immediately arming myself,

"Get up you idiot, we're under attack."


Everything went silent.

Ai's sobbing was the only sound that remained.

I stood as still as I possibly could, Ai, was in danger, right now, her safety was our first priority. I slipped my tekko kagi onto my hands, my fingers twitched as the feeling of cold metal touched my fingers. I waited, I could hear Ai's sobs, Kaien was still sitting down, the shocking truth of Ai's capture too much for him to comprehend. I nudged him with my foot,

"Get up," I said in a deadly whisper, he got up, but he was in no condition to fight,

"What now?" he asked, dazed,

"We wait"

"But Ai-"

"We are in no position to make the first move," I snapped back, "now pull yourself together and get ready to fight."

Kaien nodded, he attempted to compose himself, though he was still shocked. He straightened up, ready for battle. There was a rustle from the trees and a character dressed in black appeared, his head protector was covered by his face mask, making his villages identity unidentifiable, two more followed, one held Ai. I saw one of them move, in a flash he was right next to me. I spun around and got him with my tekko kagi on his upper arm, the slash was light, but I had got him.

I turned to look at Kaien, the same man appeared next to him, he winded him, but hardly a lethal blow, they weren't going for the kill, Kaien toppled over. I bared my teeth in anger, if him and Ai hadn't been involved he wouldn't have been so nervous. I turned to them, Kaien was passed out and Ai was next to him sobbing, three against one, I thought to myself, I looked at the ninja I had cut before, he was clutching his wound tightly, I grinned, or two against one in a moment.

The ninja toppled over, the poison on the tips of my tekko kagi's blades taking him down. While they were momentarily occupied I jumped at them, weapon at the ready, I went for the leader, but he was too fast, He moved aside with amazing speed, he kneed me in the face, blood poured from my nose, he went for another hit but I dodged his blade. I jumped, as he went to kick me, all I could do now was dodge, he had the upper hand, I had to wait for an opening.

He went for a punch to the stomach in an attempt to wind me but I stepped aside, I sliced his side, he yelped in pain, he wouldn't feint from this cut, the blades poison had already been dulled by his companion's blood. I saw him swing around at me, the punch filled with anger, I was thrown meters away, my body landed on the ground with a thud, the other ninja stood on me, immobilising me with his weight, I wrenched in pain, blood dribbled out of my mouth, I felt his negative chakra flow through my body.

I tried to get back up, but the man was just too heavy, I felt my body stiffen, they had injected me with some kind of immobilising chakra. I growled, I was screwed, and so were my teammates, the men spoke

"You have two choices," he said, voice deep, "come quietly and let your friends go free, or I kill you and your friends right here," I was confused, they were giving me a choice?

"What…is…your purpose?" I asked, finding it hard to speak,

"That is none of your business, now make your decision," I clenched my teeth,

"Let them…go," I said hopelessly. I saw them walk away from the pair, Kaien was still passed out, Ai was crying over him, there was no help to be gained from these two. I was released from the jutsu, and allowed to stand. He looked at me, I saw his mask crease as he smiled,

"You're a pretty one aren't you?" he said malevolently, I glared back, he rested his palm against my hand, I felt the chakra pulse through and everything faded into black.

- - - - - - - - - -

I awoke, my mind hazy, everything around me was black, dark, was I dead? Was I locked in a dark room somewhere? I heard footsteps,

"She's awake," I heard someone say,

"About time," grunted the other. My surroundings began to sharpen, I was in a dark room, there were no windows, the only light available filtered through the cracks in the wooden walls. I could feel nothing at my side,

"Where's my bag?" I called to the voices,

"We gave them to your friends," replied the man,

"What happened to my team?"

"We let them go, they should be back in Mokuzai now," I sighed in relief, at least they were safe and the treaty would be delivered safely, I wondered vaguely to myself just what I was here for, why they had taken me and no one else, The questions spun around my head without end.

I heard footsteps approach, I looked up but it was hopeless, I could see nothing in this dark. I felt the person put cloth over my eyes and unbind my legs. I stood up and he pushed me forward,

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, my voice like poison,

"We need you help with something before we can do anything"

"Why should I help you?"

"Because, we have the upper hand"

"And just what difference does that make?" I growled, "who says I fear your consequences?" he didn't reply, I wasn't sure what he was thinking, but my mind was focused on walking up the stairs we had just encountered without mishap.

Light suddenly filtered through the blindfold as we reached flat ground once again, we stopped. The light around me began to dull as I heard curtains close, the man removed my blindfold. I was in a small brick room surrounded by the same ninja's I had seen before with black cloth hiding their forehead protectors. I could see their eyes staring at me through thin slits in their masks,

"What is it you want?"

"Our teammate," they said sternly, "he's dying," I looked at the man on the bed who I had failed to see before, I smiled.

It was the very same man I had defeated earlier with my poison tipped tekko kagi, he was writhing in pain, he no longer wore his uniform except for the mask, he was dressed in a robe,

"And why should I help you?" I spat, crossing my arms, I reached into my pockets, nothing, it was all gone, my tekko kagi, my poison, nothing remained, I suppressed a sigh. Here I was defenceless and constantly under threat and I was asking why I should help them,

"Isn't it obvious?" queried one in a calm voice, "you will die"

"And what use is my life when, as a prisoner, I am only a threat to my village"

"A fine response," I remained emotionless, "If your life isn't a bargaining tool, then what of the life of your favourite Kage?"

"What are you saying?" I growled, there were two possible people they could be speaking of, the Mokuzaikage or-

"Gaara of the Sand," I didn't move a muscle,

"I have met this person only once, he is nothing to me"

"So it wouldn't concern you should our spy within the Kage's should…exterminate him?"

"Of course it would," I said in a monotone, "he is the leader of an allied country"

"But not enough to follow our orders?"

"No," he grinned,

"Very well then," he motioned for a fellow ninja to approach him, "give orders to kills the Kazekage," I twitched, they were bluffing, definitely bluffing. The ninja began to walk towards a door, about to leave, I caught my breath, I couldn't take that chance,

"Fine!" I exclaimed, "it would do me no good to have an ally die for my stubbornness"

"We are aware he is more than an ally," grinned the man who had now clearly established himself as the leader. I sighed,

"Believe whatever you wish," I reached into my shoe, they all looked at me suspiciously and I pulled out a small vial from the inside of my boot. I pulled out a pin and dipped the pin into the clear liquid and stabbed it into the mans vein, I saw his wince. I pulled the pin out and closed the vial and returned it to my shoe,

"Give him an hour," I said without emotion, "He will return to his normal state," I felt them rebind my hands and blindfold me once more, they led me back down the stairs and rebound my feet, and I returned to the silence they had originally given me."

To be continued...


By Chenoan

©All original Naruto characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto