Here is the next chapter. Enjoy

Chapter Cover: Soya standing there with both hands in her pockets

CHAPTER FOURTY-FIVE

YOUKAI AWAKENING

A silence followed as the three starred at each other. Jack was wondering why Jiraiya of all people was here and how does he know Konan?

"All this time I though you were dead, and you were just a bunch of paper scattered into the wind," Jiraiya said as he continued to look at her, "and also, the one and only Jack Haruno who until recently I heard was part of the Akatsuki. Seems you two had been busy."

Konan didn't say anything.

"What are you doing here Jiraiya-san?" Jack asked.

"I'm after the leader of the Akatsuki," Jiraiya said as he turned toward Jack, "and since you two are here you will lead me right to him."

The Rain ninja was starting to wake up and when he noticed Konan he said, "God's angel. You must kill him quickly, he is the intruder."

"Leave now," Konan said coldly.

"Hai," the ninja said as he jumped to a direction.

Silence followed again as Jiraiya seemingly examine both Konan and Jack who stood across him and he was formulating a plan into his head.

"Who or what is Pein?"

"You don't need to know sensei," Konan said as paper started to appear on her back, forming two giant wings.

"You really think you're an angel eh Konan," Jiraiya scoffed.

"Jack, get ready," Konan said as the wings went high in the air…

And batted down, sending paper shapped knives, hurling toward Jiraiya who flew sideway, dodging the attack and enflated his mouth for a technique.

"Toad Oil Blast,"

The jet of oil blasted against Konan, wetting her completely and Jack advanced forward drawing his blade with speed, but Jiraiya dodged the strike and his hand filled with chakra charged toward him but Jack dodged the attack by sidestepping to the left and a chirping sound was ringing in the toad Sannin's hears.

Chidori eh, Jiraiya though and he created a handseal

"Lion mane Technique,"

His hair grew and lashed on Jack's arm so fast that Jack hardly seen it and he was send hurdling toward a wall, making a large dent in it, and the other strand of hair wrapped around Konan's body, keeping her here.

"Now that he is out of the way," Jiraiya said as he looked at Konan, "You did always love your Origami Konan, I remember when you were the kindest of hearts."

Konan just starred at him and she glanced to the side where Jack layed unconscious from the hit in against the wall.

"So what happened to the other two? The rumors that they were dead are false isn't it?" When he received no answer Jiraiya continued, "I knew it, Pein is one of them isnt' it."

"What do you hope to accomplish by reveling yourself to us?" Konan asked.

"Not what you think, now that you're part of Akatsuki," Jiraiya answered, shaking his head, "I though you were all dead, but to think this is what really happened."

"You're probably thinking 'If I had listened to Orochimaru' isn't it," Konan asked, "but you didn't, you choose to save us instead, but now it's too late, we made a pact to make his plans realities."

A though just went through Jiraiya's head as he remember a young boy yelling about making the word feel pain.

"Then Pein must be him," Jiraiya said.

Konan once again didn't say anything.

"A few years after I left, I keep hearing your names coming up occasionnaly and anyone who opposed you three wound up dead," Jiraiya said.

"You have no idea what happened to us when you left us sensei," Konan said with a bid of anger in her voice.

"You're right I don't," Jiraiya said, "but in my mind whatever Akatsuki is doing is wrong."

A new voice said, "That's your opinion isn't it Jiraya-sensei?"

Jiraiya looked up and on top of the pipes, crouching there as he had just landed was Pein with long orange hair and piercing across his jawlines and one going throught his nose horizontally as he starred at the Toad Sannin with cold eyes.

"Jack-san," Pein said, "Why don't you stop playing and come out."

Jack appeared right beside Pein as he smirked down.

"If you're here, then who…?"

He glanced at where he had throw the boy and he still could see the unconscious boy right there but there were no chakra coming from him.

This is like a normal human, except it look like a dead body. Is this a new type of jutsu?

"Don't worry Jiraiya," Jack said, "I'm the only person alive that can do this jutsu, I just send the human clone forward to test your strength, and as it was three years ago, it haven't changed since last time I have seen you in action."

Jiraiya just narrowed his eyes at Pein.

"You may look different, but your eyes are the same isn't that right Nagato. I guess you didn't grow up like I hoped you would? What happened to you three?"

"You don't need to know, you're an outsider," Pein answered.

At that he made his hand into a seal and a large summoning sign appeared behind him.

"Summoning Jutsu,"

A large crustatious creature grew from the wall behind Pein and it send a large blast of water toward the two of them, which Jiraiya ducked out of the way, and the water as it hit Konan which washed out all the oils from her form.

"Jack if you will be so kind…" Pein said.

"You don't have to ask," Jack said as he made a lot of seals.

"Lightning Style: Static Wave."

He poised his hand toward the water as Konan flew out and a large blast of lightning roared and landed on the water, turning all of it into an electrical feast as lightning flew everywhere.

"You stay back Jack, Konan," Pein said as he put his hand for another summon, "This battle is personal."

Both Jack and Konan retreated and at that Jiraiya knew he would be facing a very though opponent.

&&&

Sava seated in front of her house as she watched the sundown. It had been ethic ever since Payne had left the office and that feeling she had gotten when Payne had left the room had not left her, and she was starting to get really worried about Jack now that his name had been put down for assassination in the Bingo Books.

God, what should I do? Is there anything I can do to help him? Sava though as she watched the team picture.

"You think you can help him," a voice said.

Sava was so surprised she jumped out of her skin in fright, wondering how someone had gotten into her room without her noticing anything. When she looked around herself she saw Hunter seating there beside her window.

"Hunter when did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago," Hunter said as he looked at her, "So you really think you can help him?"

"I wish I could," Sava said as he looked at the picture of Team Fox's Genins.

"No one can help him now," Hunter said, "if he had come with us that day, he might have not get to where he is now but now he is a international criminal."

"How did things get so wrong so fast?" Sava asked.

Hunter just sighed at that.

&&&

Both Konan and Jack were waiting for Pein to return and it wasn't easy as explosions echoed throughout the entire fortress.

"Pein was getting ready to go to after Nine-Tails," Konan said, "He was going to ask you to accompany him."

"He is going to Konoha?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Konan said, "later this week."

"You think he is going to be allright?" Jack asked her, "I mean, he is facing Jiraiya, one of the Sannin."

At that Konan let out a chuckle of amusement, "Pein never loose a battle in all his life."

Jack was amazed on how strong Pein is. If someone could defeat a guy like that…

"I'm going to Konoha with you guys," Jack said, "Well now that Pein's taking care of Jiraiya…"

Another large explosion echoed through the tower.

"I'm going to get myself ready, after all Konoha is a strong village."

"It won't be strong after Pein's done with it," Konan said.

Jack smirked at that and a though occurred him.

"Konan-san, how did you know Jiraiya-san," he asked, "He was your old teacher right?"

Konan gave a slight nod as eyes seemed to glaze over as if lost in memories and Jack had a old memory of Armstrong, the Yodaime Taiyoukage.

Flashback.

"Armstrong-sama, I did it," Jack said as he danced around the training field, "I can finally summon."

"Good job Jack," Armstrong said as he grinned, "I knew you could do it. You even did it faster than me in my prime."

"Soon enough I'll be the best shinobi in the world," Jack said, " and maybe I could become a SOLDIER?"

"Oh really?" Armstrong said, "You still have a long way to go brat."

"Stop calling me a brat," Jack yelled, glaring at the man who only laughed heartily.

Another Flashback.

"There is not a lot of people that can choose to do the right thing Jack," Poison said as she seated with a sixteen year old Jack, "It's maybe as they tried to do what they think is good. They loose themselves in that dream and end up doing the wrong things for the wrong reasons."

"Is that what you think Soya had done?" Jack asked her.

"Soya-sama knew something that we didn't," Poison said, "maybe that's why she wanted you to learn of the Youkai Arts."

"I won't use Youkai Arts unless I faced her in battle," Jack said, "that I swear it."

Poison just smiled at him.

Another flashback.

"The Unstoppable Armstrong had send you to kill Jack had he not?" Madara asked

You can't hide from who you are Jack Haruno, a dark voice echoed through his mind.

Jack reopened his eyes and could see Konan looking at him curiously.

"Are you alright?"

"I…I.."

Kill her, the dark voice said again.

A sudden throbbing pain pounded against his head as he raised both of his hand, trying to appease the pain but it wasn't working.

KILL HER

Get out of my mind.

The dark voice laughed a cruel laugh that reverted through his mind, making him fall on his knees.

TASTER HER BLOOD, KILL HER.

"Jack," Konan's voice said, but for some reason she seemed very far away…

KILL, MURDER, BLOOD, I NEED BLOOD.

"Ngahhh," Jack screamed as his head touched the ground.

Konan was lost at what was wrong with Jack as the young man started to scream and Konan could feel something cold and dark as waves of something started to come from the boy in front of her.

Ripping sound could be heard as Jack's lips started to rip on the side, showing sharp sharklike teeths, letting blood falls and two small horns were growing from his forehead.

&&&

Soya feel a cold ran up her spine.

No, it's not supposed to happen, She though as she suddenly seat up, is startling Poison and Midnight along with Trent.

"No, that can't be happening yet," she murmured as she rushed toward another room.

"What should not be happening yet?" Poison asked.

"Jack's Youkai is awoken," Soya said as she arrived into a room that had statues in the four point of the compass, "and it's thirsty for blood."

Soya slashed her own hand and with her blood, she rapidly drew a strange Rune on the ground.

"Soya that's the Youkai Rune right?" Trent said as he examined it.

"Yes," Soya said, "The Youkai Rune is Youkai Arts. I developed it in a way to constrict my own Youkai's energy and after Bird Country, I put one on Jack just in case his started to fight the human side. The two must live in harmony to be able to function properly, but sadly Youkais hate humans as much as we hate them. Trent do your jutsu."

"I'm on it," Trent said as he joined his palm together and the gem on the glove started to glow, "Sealing Jutsu: Four Point technique."

The Four statues' eyes started to glow as Trent run chakra through them.

"Done," Trent said, his hand still joined together, "Whatever you have to do, you better hurry, I can't do that jutsu for long."

Soya slammed her bloodied hands on the drawn Rune and a blue aura started to glow around her room.

"Youkai Arts: Suppression"

Please let me not be too late, Soya though.

&&&

Konan watched helplessly as Jack continued to transform right in front of her eyes and his skin was becoming more lizard-like as the horn continued to grown with the teeth which changed to those of a monster, and the spike which were growing from his back…

What is wrong with him? Is this still because of the genjutsu that Madara had put on him? Had it awoken something dangerous Konan though as she continued to watch, Pein's battle is far from over and I know that Jack can take on a Bijuu by himself…

A strange symbol glowing bright blue appeared on Jack's backhand and lines of blue chakra started to enveloped him into a cocoon and it started to glow intensely until Konan was forced to look away from the blinding bluish light.

When it dimned, Konan was once again looking at an unconscious Jack who was laying in a puddle of blood. She was so shocked that she simply stood there, her eyes wides as she starred at the young man on the ground.

Just who are you Jack Haruno?

&&&

Soya let out a small sigh of relief as the light dimned around the Sealing room as she seated on the floor, exhausted and out of breath.

"Did you do it?" Trent asked her as he let down his jutsu.

Soya nodded.

Soya-sama is still amazing after all these years, Poison though as she watched the woman breathing heavily, developing a technique with the Youkai Arts is never easy, and she had struggled a lot to master it, and I can say I'm proud to have had such a talented master.

"But," Soya continued, "this is only temporary. If Jack's got a strong will, he might be able to suppress it with little difficultie…Cough, cough, ack…"

She spat blood on the ground and Trent was immediately by her side.

"The side effects are kicking in," Trent said, "You need rest Soya."

Soya just nodded as she continued to cough and spat out more blood on the ground.

"Shit," Trent said as he put his hand on her stomach and healing her.

"Teresa," Soya said looking at Poison with half-closed eye, "Tell Loredia to leave Jack to me…cough…I'll take responsibility for him from now on."

With that she just collapsed in Trent's arms.

"That woman need to know her limits," Trent said, "She is not as young as she used to be…"

He carried her to a room and layed her here.

"What is the Youkai Rune?" Poison asked.

Trent looked at her and said, "Soya invented it herself as a way to suppress the Youkai's bloodthirst. She said she was working with her sister Saki as a way to save their clan from the Youkai's power, and she was never successful. I'm sure you know how it turns out for her clan, destroyed in only one night. I can't even imagine how it must have felt like, to see everything you loved destroyed by the very village you love.

"DC changed everything for her," Trent said as he watched the woman sleep, "It opened the door for her, the door to suppress the Youkai's power but, her clan was wipe out."

"That's maybe why she is helping Jack so much," Midnight said, "maybe she felt like this is a way to redeem herself…"

Trent looked at the sleeping woman.

Maybe, he though, or maybe it is because of her sister?

That was a close one. and next time 'Target Konoha.' Pein with Konan and Jack are heading out to Konoha, stay tuned.

Jacques0 out.

R&R.