Thanks as always to Soprano-in-Waiting for being my ever present editor! Oh, and hopefully I can get the next chapter out next Friday too! But I can't guarantee anything; I'll be going to my first Anime Convention. So please forgive me if I don't get it out on time!

Yukino's senses were going haywire. She could sense all of the chakra that the two surviving Uchiha's were flinging about in their fight. She kept glancing at the blue-grey fish-man; he hadn't moved from his spot. She had to go to the fight, had to see what was happening. She took a step in the direction Sasuke had headed in earlier.

"Unless you want to fight, I'd stay put if I were you," Kisame drawled with mocking smile.

Yukino took two steps back. She was confident in her abilities, but she knew she wouldn't survive in a fight above against an Akatsuki member.

Her concern for Sasuke was thrust in the background by a sudden jolt of fear. A group of shinobi was closing in on their location, and fast. There were three chakras she didn't recognize; that wasn't what was worrying her. It was the fourth that was setting her on edge. It felt like two familiar chakras intertwined together; Kabuto and Orochimaru.

She turned her body, and watched the forest for the incoming group. Her frame shook lightly.

Kisame watched the girl tremble and turned his focus to the patch of forest that held her attention. 'What is she anticipating?'

With an almost inaudible rustle, the group of four finally arrived. There was a large guy who was looking everywhere around him, a woman with red hair and glasses, and a blue-haired guy with a large sword. The final figure shrouded himself in an off-white cloak, hiding his face with the edge of the hood.

"He's on ahead," the woman spoke in a sing-song voice. "Ah…the chakra is amazing!"

"Good job, Karin," a familiar voice rang from under the hood.

Yukino's body shook at the sound. It sprang from the same source of Kabuto's and Orochimaru's chakra signatures – the evil was almost tangible.

The guy with the sword walked a few steps forward from the group. "Ah, Kisame-sempai, I didn't expect to see you in a place like this."

"Hmm?" Kisame questioned him.

"I didn't think I'd get one of the swords this fast," the guy commented back.

Yukino recognized the sword he was now swinging before him effortlessly: Zabuza's old sword. Seeing the old blade started bringing up old memories of the good days. She shook her head in an effort to keep a clear head. She couldn't afford to get sidetracked with the company she had around her.

The guy looked back towards his group, "You did promise me all seven swords."

The familiar voice chuckled, "Sure, Suigetsu."

Suigetsu turned back to Kisame, "Perfect. Get ready, Kisame-Sempai, I'm going to take your sword."

"I remember you now," Kisame grinned. He got into his own fighting stance. "This'll be fun."

The two swordsmen jumped at each other, and started their fight.

'Now's my chance!' Yukino thought to herself. She took a step, only to get noticed before she could get anywhere.

"Good to see you on your own feet, Yukino." Kabuto's voice called to her from under the hood.
Her body froze at his call. She turned slowly to look at the remaining trio. Her body shook violently as she tried to keep calm: it wasn't working.

"Still following Sasuke around like a little lost pup," his voice rang true and clear. "Desperately clinging to him, only to be drive him farther away."

"You're wrong!" her voice shook as she denied him.

"Am I?" Kabuto questioned back. He lowered his hood to reveal the grotesque visage he had been hiding. His skin was paler than before, and one of his eyes resembled a snake's eye, a pattern of snake scales was imprinted on the skin around it.

Her body turned to ice. She had prayed that her senses were wrong, but it was clear that some part of Orochimaru was present in Kabuto. Her arms wrapped around her sides as she looked away, afraid that even looking at the creature before her would make her curse marks reappear.

Yukino was pulled from her thoughts by a loud yell. The unnamed guy in the group seemed to have snapped. He threw his hands up in the air and turned towards Karin and Kabuto. His body grew dark as one of his arms started transforming.

Both Karin and Kabuto got ready for the impeding fight. "Careful with Jugo," Kabuto warned, "Don't kill him. He's still valuable."

Now was her chance. Yukino dashed to the cover of the trees towards the ever growing chakras that belonged to the last surviving Uchihas.