Hiya everybody! So any guesses on Kagero's murderer? It's actually not who you think it is. If you're thinking about the person I think your thinking about. /sweat drop/ Never mind. Anyway, a warning: some swearing in Kitla's thoughts, but nothing major.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own Yami, the OC's, and the plot.

Chapter Nine: Thunder Clap

The group of shinobi was approaching what appeared to be a normal stone pyre. But in fact, it was Illusia, the portal to Yami. Tsunade had healed and bandaged Kitla's hands. She was now inspecting the amount of damage she had inflicted, or lack of. Not a single scar. She noticed that Tsunade had also healed an old scar from a different mission. Kitla nearly shivered from the memory of how many kunai she had to pluck out of herself. Zeon and her sensei, Akumo, had teased her of being the, "human pin-cushion". She was still sore in some places. No thanks to those half-ass job doctors. As they walked up to the stone, a strange looking shinobi flickered in front of them. She had short, curly red hair that just passed her ears. It was almost black it was so dark. Her eyes were narrow and slitted like a snake's. They were green and looking at the band of mis-fits quite accusingly. She was only about an inch taller then Kitla, but looked to be about the same age. She had on a pleated short, dark red skirt and a tight dark red sports bra on. Underneath was black, almost metallic material (1) that covered her neck, arms, legs, and torso. Her shoes were black high heeled boots and seemed to be part of the metal fabric. It also covered her hands, and on each fingertip was a sharp, red talon. There was also a tattoo on her right cheek bone that resembled scales. Her headband was across her forehead and was a dark red material.

Gai stared at the tattoo, trying to decide if it was real or not, while Kakashi and Tsunade wondered if Yami's shinobi had any dress code at all. Zeon and Nadi had hidden behind Kitla and gulped loudly. She stuck out her hand. "Long time no see, Rouge." Rouge quirked an eye-brow at the hand, reached for it, and slapped it away. "Same for you, Kitla." Everyone from Konoha looked at her. When she had said 'same' she had sounded like a snake. The girls smirked and nodded to each other. Rouge looked over Kitla's shoulder and Zeon and Nadi meeped and hid behind a rock. "Hey, pip-sssqueak, platonic idiot." Zeon stuck his head out from the side of the rock, and Nadi did so on the other. They each went "Nyaah!" and stuck out their tongue. Rouge ignored them and turned to Tsunade. "And you are?" Tsunade motioned for Kakashi and Gai to come over from inspecting the rock pyre. "This is Kakashi Hatake, and Gai Might, Jounin from the Village Hidden in the Leaves." Rouge bowed to them, and they returned the gesture. "I am Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage." Rouge's eyes widened and she turned to Kitla. "What's the meaning of this?! She was not to arrive till tomorrow!" Kitla glanced at her. "We got here early. What's the big deal?"

"Hisss majesty is not prepared for her arrival." Kitla glared at her so hard, Gaara would have flinched. "Don't you dare call him 'majesty'." Rouge sighed. "Fine. Sano is not ready for her arrival." Kitla turned her back on them and rested a hand on the portal. "I don't give a damn what he is or isn't." Nadi made a face as she and Zeon stepped out from behind the boulder. "He won't like it." Zeon nodded. "Don't care." Everyone sweat dropped. Gai took this opportunity to ask Rouge a question. "Um, Rouge was it?" She nodded. "I don't mean to be rude, but do you use any weapons at all? I mean, you don't seem to have any on you…" Rouge chuckled. "I use a sword. It's-"She was cut off, as Kitla placed a hand over her mouth. She had a shadowed look in her eyes. "You three are familiar with a man named Orochimaru, correct?" All of the forest's inhabitants seemed to freeze at his name. Kakashi slowly nodded. "Do you know how he learned all of those nasty little jutsu's he has?" Tsunade cleared her throat. "He created them, didn't he?" Rouge snorted. "So he's still strutting around using my jutsu's saying their his own? Pathetic." (Dun dun dun! X3) The leaf ninja's eyes were so wide, if you bumped into them their eyes would have fallen out. Gai managed to stutter out a much needed question. "W-what?!" Rouge's eyes turned on them and her voice was laced with venom. "You don't honestly believe he came up with them did you?! He came into my home, lied to me, and stole them right out from under my nose! Orochimaru is a murdering, lying, filthy snake!" Kitla sighed. "That's enough. I think they already know what a swell guy he is."

Rouge glared at her from the corner of her eye. Tsunade cleared her throat. "You obviously have lost a great deal, but pardon my suspicion. Could you demonstrate?" Rouge smirked. "Sure." She spread her feet apart a little and breathed in. Then she tilted her head back, and seemed to unhinge her jaw. Slowly, a sword rose from her stomach, its hilt wrapped in her forked tongue. It then slowly sank back down, with a sickening 'schluck!' She lowered her head and wiped her mouth. "Good enough?" Everyone except Kitla and Kakashi had a sick expression. "Y-yeah…" Rouge crossed her arms and looked at Kitla. "Shouldn't you be going now?" Kitla nodded. Rouge turned to Tsunade and bowed. "Excuse me, but I must return to my duties." She then flickered out. Nadi clapped her hands. "Here's how its gonna be! Kit and I will open the portal and all you have to do is stick your foot in the light, and get through it alive! Simple huh?" She had a big smile on her face and everyone sweatdropped. Gai frowned. "Why do only we have to do this?" Nadi held up a finger and began to say something, but stopped. She sweatdropped and said, "Dunno." Zeon sighed. "Allow me to explain. Illusia, that's the portal, will only let you pass if you have a demonic heart. Humans are tested." Kakashi quirked an eyebrow. "Aren't you human?" Zeon pointed at himself. "Who me?" Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Who do you think, dumbass."

"I'm a demon carrier same as Kit and Nadi." Kitla growled at her nickname." My demon's name is Kotetsutaka. He's a hawk." Everyone (minus Nadi and Kitla) looked at him. "You're kidding right?" Zeon shook his head. Kakashi turned to Kitla. "How many demons are there?" Kitla began counting on her fingers. "Well, let's see. There's me, Nadi, Zeon, Rouge, Ginger, Clover, Zach…Oh! And Arcania." Kakashi blinked. "That many?" Zeon nodded. "You should see when Kitla and Arcania go at it." Nadi and Zeon shivered. "There's nothing left of the arena!" Tsunade scratched her head. "Eheh. Wait, Rouge has a demon?" Nadi nodded. "She's the oldest of us. Her demon's name is Inazumhebi, the snake." Zeon shivered. "She's also the cruelest out of all of us." Kitla snorted. "Oh yeah? What about Arcania?" Nadi and Zeon thought for a moment. "I'd say their the same." Everyone sweatdropped. "This is valid information, but we should be leaving." Zeon chuckled. "Don't be in such a hurry to die." He snapped his fingers. "Let's go girls!" Nadi reached into her bag and brought out four scrolls. Two were white and had blue kanji that spelled 'Light' and the other two were black and had red kanji that spelled, 'Shadow'. She handed the black ones to Kitla before opening hers. Before Kitla did, she told Tsunade something. "When we meet the Sixth Kage, I won't act the same. Nadi as well. He wants us to be the perfect shinobi, never feeling anything. So don't be surprised if I do something out of character alright?" Tsunade's eyes were filled with pity as she nodded. Meanwhile, Nadi had fully unwrapped one of her scrolls and had written something in blood on it. The other had been laid before the stone tower. Kitla crouched beside Nadi and unraveled hers and did the same, biting her thumb. They each placed their hands in the sign of the wolf. They focused all of their chakra to flow from their hands to the scrolls.

Both of the girl's hair lifted straight up, almost as if by a strong wind. What was actually making it lift was their chakra. Their own unique energy was encircling them, causing their clothes to move as well. Kitla's sword stuck out at an odd angle and Hiraikotsu very nearly lifted off the ground. Nadi's blinding white chakra circled her giving her an angelic look. Then it settled on her tail-bone and formed two white, almost furry, tails. Her nails lengthened and bit into her skin, stained a brilliant blue. Her ears became pointed and her hair seemed to almost stretch so that it was almost knee-length (had she been standing). Kitla's chakra had made three tails and was a brilliant black. Her nails had lengthened and curved a deep red. Her ears had also pointed and an earring made of silver appeared in her right ear. Her hair had lengthened to the point that three full grown men, standing on each other shoulders, wouldn't touch the ends. Then the most astonishing thing happened. Their clothes changed to that of royal yukata's. Kitla's was a black color with purple flames on all the edges. The sleeves and the robe extended so that it almost touched the others, who were standing a good five meters away. The obi was the same shade of purple and tied tight, with the ribbon in the back. Nadi's was a starch white, with blue cranes flying diagonally on the front and back. Her obi was a light shade of blue and tied in the back as well. It was of normal length, except the sleeves were a bit shorter then Kitla's. The girl's then opened their eyes. Kitla's soft gold eyes had turned a chaotic crimson, and Nadi's a deep understanding blue.

They each touched two fingers to each other's foreheads, and extended the other arm towards the stone. They energy that the scroll had captured went into their extended hands. A black and white pentagram appeared all across the meadow, and shrunk so that it enclosed the stone. Then it slowly faded and the girl's hair fell and the tails evaporated. Kakashi was just about to ask what the point of that was, when the pentagram returned burning the ground beneath it. The sky darkened and a bolt of lightning struck the two girls. Gai cried out and began running towards them, Tsunade and Kakashi hot on his heels. Zeon stepped in front of the, serious for once, with his katana raised. "Don't touch them. If you do, they could die." Then they noticed that the girls weren't in any pain whatsoever. In fact, they were channeling the lightning's energy and sending it into the stone, along with all the chakra. A large crack appeared, and then another, and another. The rock exploded, sending debris everywhere. Where the rock had once stood, a shining white hole seemed to float. The ground beneath it was in flames, seeming to almost fuel the light. Both of the girls stood slowly, and placed themselves on opposite sides of the portal. When they spoke, they were in synch and sounded as if it was echoed by a hundred children. They scared the crap out of everyone except Zeon (surprisingly).

"You must go through the light. Only when your fears are laid before you and you step over them, will Illusia allow you passage." They extended their arms so that it formed an arc, and the other hand in a praying position, head bowed. Zeon walked right up to them, did a mock salute, and stepped right on through. Gai did his freaky thumbs up pose, and then literally dashed through it. Tsunade inhaled deeply, and then calmly walked forward. Kakashi closed his eye and sighed. Here goes nothing. He opened his eye, and with this new determination, stepped into the light. For a moment, nothing happened. He opened his eye and found himself floating in black nothingness. Then a bright light surrounded him, pulling him somewhere. His head felt like it had taken a direct hit from Gai. He squeezed his eye shut, hoping the feeling would end. Suddenly, he stopped moving and felt solid ground beneath him. "Get up ya sack o potatoes! Mission time!" Kakashi opened his eye and nearly choked. Right above him, smiling cheekily, was… "O-obito?!"

Bet you didn't see that coming! HA HA/hides behind random object/ DON"T KILL ME! I realize that some may not know who this guy is. If not, poor you. He was on Kakashi's three man squad. Now I better get writing if I want to live much longer.

Kit-chan