A/N: Technology…really... sucks. I worked two hours typing this chapter yesterday, and my computer got infected with a virus and deleted the whole thing... (twitch). Now I have to redo it….

Someone has asked me about Mikazuki's Sharingan. They won't appear for a while…XD

Chapter 9 – Emerald: Healing Scars

"Is this it?" Minato asked, pointing to a pile of greenery.

Jiraiya nodded. "Pick as much as you can."

His two students set to work pulling at the green herbs. After the attack, some villagers had been falling sick due to the bacteria manifesting in dead bodies.

Hoshibiki had volunteered to stay behind, stating bluntly how he would only get in the way.

Jiraiya had sent a frog summon back to Konoha to request for a medical team. The Hokage had been reluctant at first, for this was not covered by the original mission request. He gave in, however, when Kazuki offered to put in a bigger sum of money than needed for the original C-rank mission.

Minato rubbed his bare arms, feeling goosebumps. The climate in Grass was windy, often stirring up dust clouds.

Whenever Minato leaned over, his bangs got in his eyes.

"Sensei," he grumbled. "Why did we have to leave our forehead protectors behind?"

"I thought I have told you already. We have made a big commotion when we dealt with the bandits," Jiraiya answered him without looking up. "We don't want to attract attention from Hidden Grass."

Mikazuki looked at Minato, raising an eyebrow. "Why are you complaining so much these days?"

"You are lucky," Minato groaned as another gust of wind blew his bangs into his eyes. "You have a headband to hold your hair back."

She touched her brother's headband. "So? What is your point?" she taunted.

"Hurry," Jiraiya interrupted the bickering. "It is getting dark, and we have come further away from the village than usual."

Among the shadows, a lone Sharingan flashed dangerously through the hole of an orange mask.

The man's spiky black hair rippled in the wind as he stopped repressing his chakra.

Jiraiya stiffened.

They were being watched.

He stood up slowly, eyeing their surroundings.

"What is wrong, sensei?" Minato asked.

Jiraiya put a finger to his lips.

"Stay here," he whispered.

The students nodded, and Jiraiya rushed off to locate the strange chakra he had sensed.

The man smiled behind his mask.

"Yes," he whispered. "Leave your students alone."

The three tomoe around the centre pupil swirled.

"Leave them unprotected, weak and vulnerable."

He moved, leading Jiraiya further away from his students.

Slowly, Mikazuki walked over to where Minato was kneeling.

She still had a slight limp.

Squatting down, she placed the leafy stems into the basket in front of him.

"Minato?" she inquired softly.

"Hmm?" he answered distractedly as he squinted at the grass.

They all look the same! he groaned.

"About the other day…" she began, but was interrupted by a sudden gust of wind, bringing with it the scent of rotting meat.

Both of them raised an arm against it to shield their eyes from flying debris. The ground vibrated.

"I SMELL BLOOD," a voice rumbled, sending chills down their spines. "SWEET UCHIHA BLOOD."

On hearing the word 'Uchiha,' Minato instantly stepped in front of Mikazuki, but she pushed him out of the way.

"Idiot," she told him coldly. "A smart person would run, especially if the danger is not directed at them."

"No," Minato replied flatly. "I told you. We each have our own shinobi ways, and mine is to never abandon my comrades."

She snapped.

"Why are you so stubborn?" she yelled at him. "You think I would feel any better if someone died because of me?"

Her voice then turned icy cold.

"You are an idiot, Minato," she hissed. "You allow emotions to overcome reason. Your will to protect others before yourself will be your death."

"WELL SAID!" a voice boomed, and their mouths fell open at the beast sauntering towards them.

"Stop right there," Jiraiya commanded as he jumped down in front of the man in black. "Who are you?"

The man chuckled. "You are a fool to fall for such a simple trick and leave your students just like that, little Sanin."

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes dangerously. "How did you-" he began.

A wave of evil chakra swept from the clearing his students were in, and realization dawned on his face.

Shit.

The beast was huge, about the size of a small house. As they watched, it steadily grew, becoming as big as the mountains beside it.

Seeing the looks on the two humans' faces, it grinned. Its eyes glowed a luminescent green. Then, waves of chakra were released from its body as it began to shrink back to its original size.

"A WASTE OF CHAKRA," its voice sounded disappointed. "A STAIN UPON MY HONOUR AS A TAILED BEAST TO USE MY BIGGEST SIZE TO FIGHT YOU TWO INSIGNIFICANT HUMANS."

As it spoke, its five tails fanned out, trailing feathers at their tips.

"The five-tailed demon dog," Minato breathed in awe.

Yellow-green eyes turned on him.

"YOU HAVE HEARD OF ME?" the beast asked, pleased.

"Yes," Minato replied, unfazed by the situation. "And how you were almost killed by the nine-tails and banished from his domain."

The beast growled.

Mikazuki nudged her companion. "You sure it is a wise idea to provoke it?" she asked, exasperated.

Minato shrugged as he grinned sheepishly. "Can't help it. According to my grandfather, the five-tails is one of the weakest of the Bijuu."

"GRRRR...ENOUGH TALK," the beast interrupted.

As they watched, its golden fur began to grow, swirling as if it has a life of its own. The tendrils curled and snapped like snakes as they extended toward the two ten-year-olds.

"I AM HERE FOR THE GIRL," its voice rumbled as its fur twirled around them like a swarm of bees. It looked at Minato, who was standing back-to-back with the girl in defensive position.

"HAND HER OVER," the beast said to him. "AND YOU MAY GO."

"Like hell, furball," he growled. His eyes were determined.

Mikazuki glared at him. "Idiot."

"I would rather be an idiot than a coward who betrays others to save himself," he shot back evenly.

The beast chuckled. "VERY WELL," it said, and masses of fur rushed forward, trying to engulf them.

"LET US SEE HOW LONG YOU CAN LAST."

They cut the slick fur back, only to have it wrap around their arms and yand away their weapons. It was like fighting a living mass of water, as the fur conformed to almost any shape, splitting apart to avoid a slash, and then combining back together to wound around their ankles.

Stumbling, Mikazuki grimaced.

Old habits die hard.

She had put too much pressure on her ankle again.

Taking advantage of the situation, three swarms of fur shot out towards her.

In an instant, Minato was in front of her and pushed her out of the way.

Mikazuki looked on in horror as the fur enveloped around him.

Struggling to stand up, she strained for his hand, but more fur wrapped around him, encasing him in a tightly-woven cocoon.

"WELL, WELL, WELL," the demon grinned.

She stared at the eyes of the demon as the cocoon was lifted off the ground.

"Minato," she growled through gritted teeth. "You idiot!"

Her hands were clenched tight. "You big, big, BIG idiot!!"

"Where do you think you are going?" a bored voice said. Jiraiya swirled around and blocked an oncoming kunai.

The impact shook his arms.

"Your opponent is me," the masked man whispered as he stroke again.

The beast looked at her, amused.

"HE IS NOT DEAD," it smiled. "NOT UNTIL I SUFFOCATE HIM!!"

The cocoon suddenly contracted, and a muffled yell of agony was heard.

"Stop it!" she commanded.

Cocking its head, the demon said: "JUST A LITTLE TORTURE. HE IS STILL ALIVE. WHY ARE YOU CRYING OVER SOMETHING LIKE THAT?"

Crying?

She touched her cheek and was shocked to find it damp. She didn't even cry when her brother died. Why now?

Because this time, it is your fault. A voice whispered in her head. If only you had not come into his life. If only you had severed the bond between you two sooner. If only…

Ignoring the voice, she reached towards her pouch and extracted one kunai. Even so, her heart sank. There is no way that she could save both of them.

If she ran now, she might have a chance.

Something, however, stopped her.

Bonds, she thought bitterly. Bonds are such a pain.

"TELL YOU WHAT," the demon said in a bemused voice. "LET US MAKE A DEAL."

Its eyes looked like a predator about to jump on its prey.

She stared unblinkingly at the cocoon.

"Go on."

"YOU FOR HIM," the demon's eyes bore into her own. "AS SIMPLE AS THAT."

"You are not going to let me go even if I don't agree," she stated frankly.

The give-tails laughed mockingly. "SMART KID. AFTER ALL, YOU ARE MY ORIGINAL TARGET."

She looked down at the kunai in her hand.

Her last kunai.

Her last chance to live.

Is she really going to give it to someone else?

Her own words came back to her.

"Emotions are weak. Many shinobi die because they are unable to get rid of them. I intend to live, even if it means cutting off all my bonds."

Staring at her reflection, she saw her brother's face, black eyes filled with a look that she could not name. Sorrow? For whom? Himself or his friends?

Nii-san, she thought sadly. Is this how you died? When you chose your team-mates' lives over your own?

"I AM WAITING," the demon growled impatiently. Slowly, the cocoon began to squeeze.

Mikazuki looked up, smirked, and threw the kunai at the cocoon. It sheared off a few wisps of fur.

The squeezing motion stopped.

"I WILL TAKE THAT AS AN 'YES' TO OUR DEAL," the demon beamed. The cocoon unravelled, and Minato's limp body fell out.

She rushed over, jumped, and caught him before he hit the ground, wincing as she landed on her right foot.

Examining his wounds, she found angry red welts covering his skin where the ropes of fur had bitten into his flesh.

Gently, she set him on the ground as the same fur that had imprisoned him started to slide around her body…

Sudden light made his eyelids fly open. Minato sat up, moaning. Being almost strangled was not a pleasant feeling.

His eyes widened as memories came back to him. Desperate, he looked around.

"Here," a calm voice said, yet he sensed a dash of panic.

Looking up, his breath caught in his throat.

A rope of fur, about the thickness of his arm, was wrapped around Mikazuki from the neck down. As the fur gradually tightened around her throat, she smiled faintly down at the blond boy.

"What I was going to say earlier," she said quietly, referring to when they were still picking the herbs.

she closed her eyes.

"I am sorry. And thank you."

The demon growled, and more of its fur extended and enveloped the girl from behind.

His eyes widened. For what?

Jiraiya was panting hard.

On the other hand, his opponent seemed to have endless energy and recuperates at an abnormal speed.

As they clashed with their kunai again, Jiraiya looked into the hole in the mask and saw a flash of crimson.

It cant be.

The masked man delivered a kick, which Jiraiya tried to dodge.

The foot grazed his face.

Jumping, he risked a glance in his students' direction.

You brats better not die, he thought.

The demon watched, bored, as the blond boy hacked uselessly at the cocoon, still attached to the fur on its neck.

Wisps of yellow fur rained down on him.

"YOUR EFFORST ARE FUTILE," the beast hummed. "AS SOON AS SHE DIES, I WILL LEAVE THE BODY FOR MY MASTER TO DEAL WITH."

Minato slumped to the ground. Large beads of sweat dotted his face.

"Who is your master?" he demanded. "Why do you obey him? Why is he after her?"

A cut suddenly appeared on his cheek.

Minato winced as he felt it gingerly with his hand.

The demon narrowed his eyes at him.

"YOU BETTER REMEMBER YOUR PLACE, LITTLE BOY," its tails swished back and forth. "BESIDES, I BEAR NO ALLIANCE WITH MORTALS."

"You did say that you have a master," Minato said as he glanced sideways at the cocoon.

Maybe he should try shuriken next?

Damn.

If only he knows a few wind jutsu…or fire would be even better…or anything!!

He put his head down.

Why is he so useless? If Hoshibiki was with them, he would not have let the same things happen. The cursed dog would probably be half-drowned by now…

"THE MAN WHO I AM OBEYING IS…PERCULIAR," the demon admitted, licking its front right paw. "HE HAS POWERS BEYOND THAT OF A MERE HUMAN. ONE LOOK IN HIS EYES, AND I FOUND MYSELF DOING WHATEVER HE ASKED."

It looked at the cocoon. "I HAD A SIMILAR FEELING THE LAST TIME AN UCHIHA PASSED HERE. THEY WERE ON AN ASSASINATION MISSION, I THINK."

Minato looked at him steadily. "And?"

"HIS COMPANION WAS A LOT LIKE YOU," the demon answered. "BRASH. SELF-CONFIDENT. WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR OTHERS," the dog said as it cleaned its other paw. "SILVER HAIR, WITH A BLADE THAT GLOWS WITH WHITE CHAKRA. DEALING WITH THOSE TWO WAS MUCH HARDER. I ACUTALLY HAD TO USE CHAKRA, UNLIKE TODAY."

Konoha's White Fang? Minato wondered. He was the Uchiha's companion? Then…

Inside the prison, Mikazuki's eyes flew open. This demon killed her brother? And its master. Why is he after Uchiha members?

"AS GREAT AS HE MIGHT SOUND," the dog continued. "HE WAS THE UCHIHA'S DOWNFALL."

It snickered. "JUST LIKE YOU ARE THIS GIRL'S."

Inside the cocoon, it was becoming unbearably hot. Struggling, she tried to free her right arm.

Why? A voice called in the back of her head. Why do you still want to live after everything that happened?

Bewildered, Mikazuki looked around. There was no one there.

Your mother is dead, the voice continued. Your brother is dead. Your father does not even acknowledge your existence. Your sister won't want to talk to you after the way you have spoken to her. You have had plenty of arguments with the few friends you have…

Shut up. she thought.

Just give up, the voice soothed. Give up and you will be freed from this pain. Forever.

Meanwhile, Minato had had enough.

"Uchiha Mikazuki!" he shouted. "You liar! Traitor! I see you like a sister, yet you are no different from our classmates in Academy. You can't even keep your promise to me!"

Promise? she thought faintly.

Then her eyes widened.

That promise. The promise to stay with him until he dies.

Don't tell me that you have forgotten? The voice mocked. What kind of shinobi are you?

I thought I told you to shut up, she growled.

The voice ignored her. You know that I am right.

Mikazuki closed her eyes once more. Her breathing was becoming shallower and faster.

I guess, she though weakly.

She had always been protected. Her mother. Her brother. Even her sister tried to shield her from their father.

And Minato. He saved her. Twice.

And now she cant even keep a simple promise.

Minato's words came back to her. "I believe," he had said as a smile lighted up his eyes. "That the will to protect others has the strongest power in the world. Even if my body was town apart, even if I have to walk on fire, that power will help me prevail."

Opening her eyes, she took a deep breath, and managed to wiggle out her right arm.

She can't die yet.

It was her turn to protect, not to be protected.

She pulled at the binding around her neck without much success. The constricted movement of her right arm due to the fur still wrapped around her shoulders was not helping her case at all.

She was about to think of a new tactic when something else caught her attention.

Slowly, she ran her hand over the fur.

It was oily.

She smiled.

Perfect.

Then she struggled again.

Now if only she could free her left hand…

A voice suddenly echoed in the cocoon, making her freeze. This was a deeper voice than the one she had been listening to.

"I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR NONESENSE, LITTLE BOY," it growled.

Mikazuki cursed.

That idiot is still there?! Why didn't he run?!

Deep down, though, she knew why.

She bent over, coughing as the bindings suddenly tightened. Luckily, no new fur wound around her freed right arm and left hand.

Good enough, she thought.

"Oh?" a calm voice came from outside. "What are you going to do?"

A roar shook her prison.

"I AM TERMINATING MY CONTRACT WITH THIS PATHETIC UCHIHA. YOU ARE GOING TO MEET THE SAME FATE S HER!"

Her heart stopped.

No.

She pulled loose some of the fur that had formed the rope around her body. They were still connected to both her and the demon.

Placing the ends into her mouth, she bit down on them, hard.

Shakily, she clasped her hands together, having to strain her right arm in order to reach her left hand.

Serpent…ram…

What are you doing?! Her voice had come back. This is suicide!!

Monkey…boar…

Outside, the sounds of shuriken whizzing was deafening. She heard the demon roar as a shuriken hit its mark.

Horse…

I want…she thought fiercely. To be able to protect someone for once. To keep a promise to my best friend. To create my own shinobi way.

She slammed her hands together.

Tiger!

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes.

Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!

The masked man was about to move toward Jiraiya again when the ground cracked and he had to jump back to avoid the huge crater appearing beneath him.

Jiraiya wiped the dust from his face.

"About bloody time, Tsunade," he grinned.

A bright burst of fire exploded from inside the cocoon.

The demon howled as the flames travelled along its fur, feeding themselves on the oil secreted by his skin.

Blinded by the smoke and flames, it ran, leaving trampled vegetation in its wake.

Minato covered his eyes with his hands as light shot from the cocoon. When it dimmed, he rushed over to the lifeless body lying among the grass.

"Zuki?" he asked tentatively.

No response.

He placed a hand above her mouth.

No breathing.

Panicking, he was about to lift up her head, but then he hesitated. Fire had travelled along her bindings, burning her skin wherever the fur came in contact.

He sat down with his back to her, watching the sky darken.

Now what do I do? he thought. I can't just leave her here while going for help. But she needs immediate medical attention...if she is not dead already.

A drop of water landed on the grass.

Mikazuki coughed, and then opened her eyes. Opening her mouth, she gulped the fresh air. The tightness in her chest lessened.

She tried to sit up. Her body does not hurt at all, yet it won't respond. She looked down, and was shocked to find that bands of burned skin had replaced the twisted bands of fur.

I told you it was suicidal, a voice said. They are going to scar, if you are lucky. If they become infected, you are going to die.

You are still there? she moaned. I thought that I had got rid of you as well.

The voice chuckled. I am part of you after all.

It faded away. Let's chat again sometime.

Great.

"Minato?" her voice was a harsh whisper. It won't get any louder.

He turned around immediately.

"Zuki?" he poked her cheek experimentally.

"What?" she leaned her head back, irritated.

He squeezed her. "I thought you were dead!!"

She coughed. "I would rather not be strangled for the second time in a day, Minato," she said, voice raspy. She looked at her burns. Why aren't they hurting?

Minato laughed as he carefully released her.

She lied back down, deprieved of all her energy. "Remind me to work on your common sense later," she said tiredly. "When facing a monster that big, you are supposed to run, not anger it by stabbing it with shuriken."

Her vision was becoming blurry.

Minato placed his head down near her lips to hear what she had to say next.

"I told you that bonds and emotions will be our downfall," she said sleepily.

Blackness surrounded her once more.

A/N: Next chapter will be used to tie up some loose ends. Chunin exam will be the next arc. The severity of Mikazuki's wounds and why they did not hurt will be explained as well. I did some research on third-degree burns….XD Kushina is going to appear soon…

Next chapter- Turquoise: One Year