Hey, I'm back after how long? One month? Two? Whatev, I just haven't been able to get around to the story. But here's the newest chapter of Deadly Moon. Enjoy…
They were racing faster towards the borderline. They could feel Konoha nin pursuing them and this made them rush faster. They didn't want to be caught up in simple battles that would risk getting Sasuke away from them. However, it was soon only five minutes later that they could feel them slowly edging closer. Sakon ordered for a halt.
"Listen, we're clearly not going to be able to outrun our pursuers so we need traps and a plan. Not to mention we need to get Sasuke through THAT phase…" Sasuke looked a Sakon questioningly. "Nothing to worry about…All you have to do is take a pill, climb into a barrel, die, and then come back alive stronger than ever." He said it so care-free that it made even Ukon look at him weirdly. "Ok, not that simple, but still, that's the basics and the first step to gaining power." Sasuke hesitated a moment.
"What do I have to do? Just eat a pill, climb into a barrel and die?" Sakon nodded, flashing him a grin.
"Yep, that's basically it! We do everything else." Sasuke finally agreed. "Good, its best we do it now then set some traps before continuing. Maybe we can slow them down for a bit." Everyone agreed and Tayuya pulled out a small bottle and dumped out a pill.
"Just swallow it and hurry the fuck up. We don't have all fucking day ya know." Sasuke glared at her before swallowing the pill and then climbing into a barrel Kidomaru pulled out of a scroll. When Sasuke climbed in, Kidomaru put it on his back after making some spider webs and inserting a few paper bombs everywhere. Tayuya added a small genjutsu and Tukiko dropped some stink bombs in order to confuse their sense of smell. She knew there would be some tracker dogs, or maybe the hunter nin would have a keen sense of smell, so those were needed. Sakon nodded before they pulled out, leaving swiftly and silently.
Sakon grinned when he heard explosions in the air and felt the earth tremble beneath him.
"Looks like those idiots fell for it. Maybe next time they should send better ninja." He bragged and his teammates laughed.
"Sakon, it may not be so well to brag right now. I can still feel them coming." Ukon warned. "I think instead of trapping them, they may have fooled us. Those explosions were set off on purpose, they dispelled the genjutsu easily, and they maneuvered around those webs. The stink bombs only stopped them for a few minutes but they got back on track." Sakon snorted.
"And you would know this how exactly?"
"Because instead of bragging, I actually wait for the results and I also PAY ATTENTION!" he yelled the last part because a flurry of shuriken were heading straight for them both. Sakon jumped out of the way and Tukiko easily deflected the rest out of harm's way.
"Looks like they caught up…" she said grimly. They waited for their attackers to come out and they did, revealing Shikamaru Nara, Chouji Akimichi, Neji Hyuuga, Rock Lee, and Kiba Inuzuka. "It's those genin from the Chunin Exams…" she frowned.
"Mere genin? How insulting…" Tayuya smirked while spitting at the ground.
"Wait, Tayuya. They're stronger then their ranks…We should be careful with these…" she lowered her voice so that only her friends could here. "Actually, when I give the signal, you all leave me here…I'll deal with them. I'm not going to kill them, but I'm going to make sure they won't be able to follow you." Sakon protested.
"Hey, Ukon and me are the strongest, we'll stay behind…" Tukiko shook her head.
"No, you're the leader when Kimimaro-sama isn't around. We need you to lead the team away…" Sakon finally nodded, albeit a frown on his face. He didn't like the plan, but it was the only one they had. "All right, when I give the signal…" she stealthily slid her fingers into a seal. "Get ready…1…2…3, Moon Blinding Jutsu!" suddenly, the moon's light all headed towards the spot the genin were in and they all groaned as they impressive light burned their eyes. Sakon, Tayuya, and Kidomaru quickly dashed off and Tayuya created a barrier that made the genin un able to escape.
"All right, your fight is with me…old friends." She sneered and dispelled the jutsu, getting into a taijutsu stance. She knew everyone in that team except for Rock Lee and Neji Hyuuga, but she has heard of them.
"Tukiko? Tukiko is that you?" asked Kiba. Tukiko didn't give an answer but instead raised her hand towards the moon. Moonlight shimmered around it, creating a beautiful effect. However, the light returned to normal as her scythe appeared from the moonlight. It was a cool trick she learned from one of her previous teachers. "Tukiko, what are you doing? Are you just gonna let them go? They have Sasuke in there!" Kiba wasn't really being bright was he? Tukiko stared at him, her eyes were like red ice and emotionless, which was just like her voice when she replied.
"I know, Kiba. I know." With that, she rushed forward and swung a fake blow towards Kiba but then kicked Neji in the ribs. He was flew and crashed into a tree. She made ice gather onto the end of her blades and leaped back before swinging the weapon at the leaf genin. Ice spikes flew towards them and they could only dodge as she repeatedly attacked them with the shards. She felt someone behind her suddenly and dodged a blow to the neck. She turned around and saw Neji standing behind where she previously was, glaring at her.
"So you are a traitor then?" he asked and she smirked.
"Traitor? Why am I considered a traitor when Orochimaru-sama saved me from a Konoha mob that was out for my blood? I wasn't but seven years old and not even apart of the Academy when it happened. Why am I considered the traitor?" she spoke with that emotionless voice that still somehow seemed questioning. She then swung her blade again, taking advantage of their shocked silence. "Never let don't your guard, not even for a supposed friend!" she scolded before disappearing and reappearing behind Chouji. She swung the scythe at him, but he was able to barely dodge; only getting a medium sized cut on his left shoulder. He swore out loud but didn't let the pain take over. She respected him for that. "Hmm, I see you've improved…Unlike my friends, I know you have power and that is why I stayed behind…You can not be underestimated and you must be eliminated…" she once again teleported only this time to the middle of the battle. She quickly jumped up, dodging Shikamaru's Shadow Possession and she smirked. Ya wanna fight with shadows, Nara? Fine, let us see who is better. She thought before gathering a ball of light in her right hand and a ball of darkness in the other. She then, with much concentration, merged them together. "Chaos Jutsu!" she shouted and then pumped more chakra into it, creating a bigger ball. She raised it to the sky before letting it go. The entire battle area suddenly grew bright and no one but Tukiko could see. Then, as quickly as the light, darkness reigned over the area and she put away her scythe and went around at light speed, attacking five as much as she could before the jutsu ended. When the five were able to see again, everyone but Tukiko had visibly a lot of injuries and bruises. However, it seemed that the attack took a lot of her energy. The said kunoichi swore. She had hoped that that move would have at LEAST knocked out three or even two of them. They were a lot stronger than she thought. She breathed heavily and blew out a puff of annoyance.
"You definitely ARE stronger than I thought. This will prove to be most irksome." Shikamaru smirked.
"I couldn't have said it better myself…Neji! Lee! Go NOW!" she whipped around only to see a flying kick and a jab before crashing into her barrier. There was a sickening crunch and she gritted her teeth from the pain. Her right shoulder had smashed into the wall and it broke from the intensity of the crash. And her left wrist seemed to be broken also. She smirked. They caught her by surprise there. She went to get up, ignoring the intense pain, but a rather sharp pain in her left calf made her stop. She looked at her leg and saw Akamaru growling and biting down harder. She screamed as his teeth got to the bone.
"Kit, let me take over…" NO! I can handle it! She thought to Kyuubi and she heard him whine in worry.
"Akamaru, hold her down. We need to get her to take down the barrier." Tukiko chuckled.
"No matter how much pain you put me through…I've always suffered worse…Nothing can get me to take down this barrier. Nothing. You have failed your mission…" she shut her eyes against the pain as Akamaru moved his teeth over and under the bone. Neji walked up to her and looked down at her coldly.
"You will not be to hold much longer. Let down the barrier and we will let you live." She watched as the four behind Neji shivered. Her eyes widened.
"Ah, you guys are all just Rookie…I bet none of you have killed one person in your entire ninja career. Well, here's your first. I'm even willing so that should help with the after blow. The first kill is never easy." She smiled at them, taunting them. Neji gritted his teeth and quickly slashed her arm. She only smiled wider. "You missed the artery by about several inches." She informed. Neji gritted his teeth and slashed her other arm. "Come one, its just one blow to the heart. One simple blow. Kill me." She leaned forward as she breathed this message. She smirked as she saw that Neji had thrown his kunai to the ground. "Weak…" she muttered before gritting her teeth in pain. If only she could get away from them, she could escape…But how? She leaned her head against the pink glowing wall behind her. She thought of a couple of songs and badly wanted to sing. The moon was calling out to her, desperately wanting to hear the beautiful sound of her soul. She felt a fear tears wanting to creep down but wouldn't let them.
"Kit, please…Let me take over…" Kyuubi begged but Tukiko ignored him. "If I did, you would kill them and I don't want that…" she cursed herself for getting into this sticky situation and she frowned as she felt her blood from the cuts spill out more. She grimaced and closed her eyes.
"Really, its even more cruel to let your victim die of blood loss…You should just make it quick. It won't hurt, I promise." It kind of sounded like they were they ones about to be killed.
"We're not killing you, so you would you shut that troublesome mouth of yours?" Shikamaru complained and she had to smirk.
"Always the complainer, weren't you, Shika? Kiba was always the one who was bragging about being the best and getting into fights, while you, Chouji, were always quiet and defended Shikamaru whenever need be…ah, simple times they were…Of course, no one ever thought to be friends with me…the dope, deadlast, the idiot. In a way, I guess I am for getting into this mess." She said with a bittersweet smile. For a moment she was back in Konoha, at the age of six and the only one playing by herself on the swings. She didn't notice the flinching of the others for her eyes were closed. Suddenly she felt a drop of water on her skin and she opened her eyes and she smiled. "I will let the barrier down now…For they are already past the border…" the barrier disappeared suddenly and Tukiko fell back. She breathed in sharply as the pain from her shoulder intensified even more from simply falling back.
"If you want to go catch them, good luck getting past the border patrol." She chuckled to herself, as if finding something funny. Her old friends only looked on in sympathy and Neji lifted her off the ground.
"I guess we should bring her back for interrogation. She would be able to tell us everything about the Sound." Said Shikamaru. Tukiko struggled against Neji's hold.
"What! NO! I'm NOT going back! YOU CAN'T TAKE ME BACK TO THAT HELL! No! Don't take me back there, please, don't!! I can't, that place holds my deepest nightmares! If you take me back, I'll kill myself!" she screamed and she bit Neji in his right arm. He yelped and almost dropped her, but caught her just in time. Her old three friends and Rock Lee were staring at her, eyes wide.
"Tukiko, that's not an option. We have to get you healed up and-" she laughed bitterly.
"And what? Wait for my execution? Thanks, but no." she struggled more against Neji's grip. Shikamaru stared at her, eyes softening.
"They haven't passed the border yet, have they?" Tukiko's eyes widened. "No, they haven't. Neji, tie her up and keep her here. Make sure she can't do any jutsu, and that her legs are tied together. In fact, let's be safe. Tie her up to a tree." Shikamaru ordered. Neji did as he said despite Tukiko struggling the whole way.
"Damn it all, you won't catch them! Even if they haven't passed the border, they're too far ahead!" she grinned at them, but her eyes were cold and taunting. Shikamaru stared back, his eyes emotionless yet full of sympathy.
"Tukiko, I had the feeling you could've killed us all, but you didn't…why?" Tukiko stayed silent, but the answer was clear enough. I gave you a favor, and that was all. Just because we knew each other once…It doesn't seem that way now, though, does it? Shikamaru shook his head, answering her unasked question. "No, we don't know each other at all…" he whispered before the five jumped and dashed away. Tukiko smirked once before pumping a little bit of chakra into her nails and making them longer. She sawed her way through the ropes that tied her to the tree, and she then cut the rope for her hands, and finally her feet.
"Yes, you clearly don't know me, Shikamaru…You simply forgot to put a chakra seal on me. Even then, though, I could still escape…I am, after all, an expect at escaping different ways." She chuckled darkly, closing her eyes. When she opened them, they were a darker red, showing the signs that Kyuubi's chakra was slightly influencing her. However, she knew she had complete control and urged a bit more chakra out, in order to heal her wounds. In just a few seconds, she was once again flawless except for the scar on her leg, and not as sore as before. She grinned before flexing her hand. Her nails were still more like claws and she didn't put them back to their normal size when she jumped after the Konoha genin. She hid her chakra and stayed downwind so Kiba couldn't smell her. She stayed silent as she stalked her prey, slowly edging closer to the retrieval team. She saw Neji tense and she back off a little bit, making him relax a bit. However, he was still suspicious. She grinned.
"Just all the more fun, isn't it Kyuu?" she heard Kyuubi growl in agreement and she stifled a giggle that almost escaped her lips. Definitely more fun. She stayed at the same distance behind the team, not even showing herself when they, miraculously, reached her friends. She stayed hidden in the shadows, blending in them completely and only appeared just as Neji was about to knock Tayuya unconscious. The said girl smirked.
"I was wondering when you'd get your ass away from the shadows." She said. Tukiko rolled her eyes.
"I had to wait. Anyway, it's four against five, well four against six if you count Akamaru…" she smirked, eyes glinting dangerously.
"How did you get out of all that binding?" asked Neji, a bit of anger showing in his eyes. Sakon smirked.
"Tukiko is known among the Sound as being able to get out of anything and anywhere. It was quite useful when getting away from trouble." Sakon informed, pride showing in his voice.
"Whatever, let's just get to fighting. We have a mission to complete." Lee got down into position and as did the Sound 4.
"As do we…" Kidomaru replied, smile dancing on his lips. Silence came as they stared each other down, and by some unknown signal, everyone sprang into action. Lee went after Tayuya, Neji went after Sakon and Ukon, Chouji went after Kidomaru, and both Kiba and Shikamaru went after Tukiko.
"Ooh, I get two opponents, how…exciting." She grinned fully before dashing at them both. Her claws lashed at them and she swiftly attacked both of the genin and they were forced to go into defense immediately. Their attempts to block were feeble and they ended up getting scratched so many times, they looked almost like a cat's scratching post. She smirked before leaping back and twirling around gracefully, circling around them both. Kiba rushed at her, and Akamaru went behind her. She leaped up, and stayed in the air as if time stood still and leapt down behind the trio. She gathered shadows and sent them after Kiba, engulfing him until only his head remained. She smirked. "I should kill you now, but I won't, only because I used to respect you guys." She said. Kiba tried to struggle and break free, but the shadows clung to him even harder. He breathed deeply and the shadows went back to their previous state. Tukiko laughed. "The shadows know not to let you go until after the fight…You're now a spectator, Kiba." She turned and looked Shikamaru dead in the eye. "You and me now, Shikamaru." Her voice was more serious and Shikamaru nodded.
"Get ready, just because I don't like doing stuff doesn't mean I can't get serious, Tukiko…" with that, they ran towards each other, kunai drawn.
With Tayuya, she was starting to get tired of the taijutsu fight. She was on the defensive and was blocking so far every attack that he threw at her. She leapt back and brought out her flute.
"How bout a little music, shithead? I'm thinking…Funeral of Death." She grinned and put the flute to her lips quickly and played a sweet and haunting melody. Lee went to stop whatever she was planning but couldn't as he soon found himself bound by vines. He struggled but the vines just wouldn't let go. He looked up when he heard laughing but couldn't find the girl he was fighting. "Tayuya, my name is Tayuya, shithead." Lee frowned.
"A girl should not use such improper language, Tayuya-san. And please call me Lee." He said politely before breaking free of the vines and rushing at her. He went to punch the flute away from her but was repelled by a shield suddenly. He flung back and crashed into a tree.
"Lee, you all right?" he heard Neji call and nodded.
"I am doing just fine. Worry about your opponent Neji!" he turned back to Tayuya who was grinning wildly. "It is not fair for you to have a shield, do you think not? Only a coward uses such things." He taunted, trying to ruffle up Tayuya's feathers and it worked.
"Why I'll show you a coward!" she leapt off the tree branch she was standing on and played another tune, this time casting a genjutsu on him. Lee quickly fell under the genjutsu and screamed as he 'felt' his skin being pulled off slowly, revealing muscle underneath. A kunai was then stabbed into the muscle and Lee gritted back the scream this time. Neji noticed that his friend was in trouble and quickly released the genjutsu, allowing Lee to forget the pain that was only in his mind. "Fucker!" Tayuya screamed at Neji, who was having a hard time fighting off Sakon and Ukon.
Neji dodged another attack of kunai and shurikan. Whenever he tried to get close to the dangerous duo, they either leapt back or sent a jutsu after him. He was starting waste his chakra from attacking with Gentle Fist and then missing the target. They weren't in range for his 69 Palms and he was started to wear down. He smirked when he suddenly saw an opening and attacked, head on. Ukon gasped as Neji hit him straight below the heart. Ukon went down to his knees, his vision started to become hazy. He could barely hear Sakon's scream of rage before letting the darkness take over him.
"NOOOO! UKON!" Sakon screamed and rushed over to his fallen brother. Tears entered his eyes and he shakily felt for a pulse….He sobbed as he didn't feel one and then slowly got up. He could feel something dark, something…delicious flow through him. He looked at Neji and stared at him, his eyes were now red and showed signs of anger, hate, and blood lust. The members of Sound 4 went to see what was wrong. Tukiko stayed stock still when she saw Ukon, her friend, lying there emotionless. She felt tears creep down her cheeks and then…something snapped. Kyuubi's chakra enveloped her and she saw only red. As she went to go kill the leaf genin, she was suddenly held back by her friends. She struggled as she screamed obscenities but as she suddenly broke free of the grip, sand wrapped around her and she glared at her dared to hold her. She looked around to see three new ninja, Sand ninja, enter the scene. She struggled against the sand but it didn't loosen its hold.
"Dammit, let me go so I can kill that mother fucker!! I was going to let them live, BUT HE KILLED UKON!" the red haired ninja stared calmly at her. After five minutes more of struggling and silence, she calmed down and felt the Kyuubi's chakra go back. "Who are you?" she asked, not demand because clearly she wasn't the one to demand anything. She could feel and hear her friends behind her. Sakon's growling and being held back also by sand, and her other two friends just glaring there. They clearly had lost the fight.
"My name is Gaara of the Sand. This is my sister Temari, and my brother Kankuro…now tell me, who are you?" he asked, his voice sounded a lot like hers in battle: emotionless and uncaring.
"Tukiko Mitarashi…Tayuya is the other girl, Kidomaru has the four arms and Sakon is the…pissed off one…" she couldn't help but glare at Neji, once again.
"You…That chakra…You have the Kyuubi in you, do you not?" he asked and Tukiko nodded, ignoring the leaf genin's gasp.
"Yes, that's correct. And you have the Ichibi…" Gaara nodded silently. Silence elapsed and everything grew still. "Well? Aren't you going to let me go?' Gaara raised an eyebrow at her question and Tukiko rolled her eyes. "Listen, your mission clearly failed since Sasuke is already in Sound by now and we have no reason to fight you. We have lost and in grief." Gaara silently nodded and the sand released Tukiko and Sakon. He went to attack Neji but Tukiko held him back. "It's a lost fight, Sakon…let's just grab his body and go…" Sakon glared at her and she flinched. It was clear he thought she was a traitor and for once she agreed. However, logic overruled feelings and she nodded. He went back to normal and slowly picked his brother's body up. When her friends had gone ahead, she looked back once at the Leaf and Sand ninja.
"Next time we meet…I won't be as forgiving…" with that, she slipped into the shadows, releasing her hold of Kiba, who sighed with relief.
Back with Tukiko and her remaining three friends, everything was silent. Sakon was clearly pissed off at Tukiko who was pissed off at herself and both Tayuya and Kidomaru were depressed everything was falling apart on this mission.
"Kit, are you ok?" Kyuubi asked and Tukiko sighed in her mind. "Not really, Kyuu…Death of a friend, or even surrogate brother, is never easy…I'm pretty sure you understand though, with the whole family feud thing." Kyuubi had grown up in a family who hated each other and only was nice to another when they wanted either the throne or so they could betray them easier. Kyuubi had, however, grown up with his older brother and sister's love. They had thought the feud foolish, but soon it destroyed them. They were both killed by their own mother. Kyuubi would have also been killed but his mother was then killed by Kyuubi's private bodyguard and he ascended the throne as King of Bijuu at the age of thirteen. It was a very sad story and had Tukiko crying when Kyuubi told her it. She didn't know if she could handle anymore grief. She feared she would just break. She should have gone all out the first time she fought them…She should have KILLED them, but she was too weak to do it…It was her fault Ukon was dead, she just knew it. She let a few tears drop down for her fallen brother and she could hear Sakon sobbing up ahead. When they reached the village gates, they were quickly let in without hesitation. They headed for the Otokage's building and walked slowly, allowing for all to see Ukon to mourn. As they walked silently to the building Tukiko could feel Sakon's anger towards her and she closed her eyes in shame and sadness. As they walked into the building, they marched into Orochimaru's office without knocking. Sasuke was standing in front of the desk, and Orochimaru glared at them before realizing who Sakon was carrying.
"What happened?" he demanded. Sakon glared at the ceiling, tears threatening to spill if he talked so Tukiko stepped forward.
"We encountered enemy shinobi, sir, and I told the team to go ahead without me while I fought them. Truth be told, I could've killed the team right then and there, but because I had once known them I felt I could do a favor and only fought them halfway. After I had used one of my stronger jutsu, I was weakened. I had thought that I would've knocked out two or three of them, but all five were still standing. I bought some time so our team would have time to get the Uchiha brat back here without trouble. When I could feel Sasuke was gone, I let down my barrier and let them go ahead. Despite knowing Sasuke was not there, the enemy fought anyway and one of them, Neji Hyuuga, was able to get past Sakon and Ukon's guard and attacked him right below the heart." Tukiko finished her report with a bow and closed her eyes shut. She was going to be punished, and she didn't know what to expect. She heard a chuckle and then heard a chair scraping against the floor.
"It's ok, Tukiko-chan. Just think of this as an example. Next time you won't let them get away, will you? Ukon's death was punishment enough, his funeral will be tomorrow…get some rest. Oh, by the way, Tukiko-chan. Kimimaro-kun wanted to see you. He said you would be where you guys usually meet, wherever that is." He waved dismissively and turned his attention back to Sakon. "Here, keep his body here and I will send it to the morgue. Now, leave." The Sound 4 left and Tukiko walked away, but turned to Sakon who was glaring at her back. She bowed to him, deep in courtesy.
"I am sorry for your loss, Sakon. He was like a brother to me too…" she heard his reply as she turned around.
"Yeah, but he wasn't YOUR blood brother…wasn't your twin…" he said the last part so softly, she barely caught it. She simply sighed before going out to her secret hiding place to meet Kimimaro.
I told you something bad would happen in this chapter…and as for what happens with Kimimaro? That's NEXT chapter. This baby is already 10 pages long, what you wanna make me right MORE? Well, I would if not for the inevitable school day tomorrow. In fact, I would make this chapter 20 pages long, but then I thought: What are cliffhangers for?
Is Ukon REALLY dead? What happens with Kimimaro? Will Sound, Leaf and Sand clash again? What the Akatsuki, dammit? Answers are coming up and so are the Akatsuki, don't worry. I'm a huge fan of their work so really, they HAVE to be in my story, DUH! Anyway, I WILL answer this: Orochimaru IS gonna die…I hate his guts…so, yeah. Maybe not Sasuke, but maybe he will die…after all, I hate his guts too.