Shoutouts-

Xxyangxx2006: Ah, no guests. Hopefully. Maybe it will go away when I write part 2. Actually, I think part 2 is what is causing the haze somewhat. I just can't wait to get to it and introduce Sophronia Law.

Akatsuki Demon Kiera666: I agree with that. She seems to be constantly getting into trouble doesn't she.

XSweetXSourXSoulX: Don't worry, she'll get out…somehow. I'll figure that out as we go. But hopefully, I'll be able to write an epic fight before the end and maybe I'll kill Aido or maybe he'll live and show up in the sequel…..hmmm….I got to think on that one. I guess when I right it, I'll find out how it will turn out.

Invader Kyuubi: Yes I have and that is what I was thinking of naming it. You know as like a double homage to it. It will be funny that they are going after my firestarter girl like they did Carlie. Pity, I didn't name my girl that. Maybe I could have the leaders of the organization be firestarter fans. Either that or I'd name it the Company and have it a homage to Heroes….hmmm….I'll do the Shop though. It will be funnier.

Chapter 37: "Quick, An Obvious Distraction!"

-Day 173-

Alex paced the ice box that Aido's sister had put her in. She kept trying to make a spark so she could burn her way out of the prison. Grumbling in annoyance, she sat down on the ice bench that was made in for her to rest on. Ice. Everything was ice in here and the only warmth she could get was from the Akatsuki cloak that she hugged closer to her body.

Her cloak was different from everyone else. Hers was made flame retardant although it always seemed that whatever she was wearing seemed to be able to withstand her flames but that didn't matter if she couldn't make for her flames. She growled in annoyance and laid down. Alex didn't know what she was suppose to do now. She couldn't exactly wait for someone to come to save her.

She stood back up and started pacing her tiny ice cell, grumbling about the cold. Without thinking, Alex punched the wall with a chakra filled punch. The ice spiked out at her and she barely dodged the sharp protruding spikes. She cursed and kicked at the ice.

Hissing in pain, she plopped down on the ice bench. This was not her idea of fun. She cursed again and stared at the wall trying to figure out how to get out of here but this seemed to be the worst situation she has ever been in.

"This is it," Kakashi stated, squatting on a tree branch and pointed towards the cave opening.

Ibiki nodded his head. They had already made a plan. Half of the members would wait outside while the other six entered the cave in search of Alex. They wouldn't have to worry about her being with the Akatsuki anymore. She'd be returning to her realm with her doctor.

He, Kakashi, Gai, Shikaku, Naruto, and Sakura were the six that would enter. The Iwa ninjas were just trackers and chose to stay outside with the others. They jumped down and headed towards the cave entrance stealthily. They had to do this right or it would work. They had no clue on what they would be heading into. Kakashi's mask would save him from the pogonip.

They weren't even two feet into the cave when they were ambushed and dragged off, struggling and kicking, to the Lady Lexx's throne. It was quick, she already gave the verdict. The group would be thrown in with Alex's tiny cell.

"Hi, guys," Alex said when they were tossed into the room. "How's it going?"

Naruto shouted, "HOW CAN YOU BE SO NONCHALANT? WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS PERDICAMENT IF YOU HADN'T BEEN SO SELFISH AND LEFT US!"

"I wouldn't be in this 'predicament' if it weren't for the fact that everyone seems to want me," she muttered. "I go through my life not getting a lot of attention and I come here and suddenly I'm the rare jewel of high value. Or something like that."

Alex looked at Sakura. The kunoichi was forming chakra to punch the wall and Alex screamed at her, "DON'T DO THAT!"

But it was to late. Sakura had punched the wall and the spikes formed shooting out at the pink-haired girl. Kakashi grabbed her collar and pulled her away from the immediate danger.

Naruto started complaining about the cold and Alex rolled her eyes before getting up. She rubbed her arms and passed the crowded room. "Damn," she muttered. "I can't get warm."

Ibiki turned and looked at her. "Then why don't you burn your way out of here?"

She stared at him for awhile before replying, "I can't. I'm too cold. My flames don't work when I'm cold."

"Then we'll need to share our body heat," Sakura stated. She walked over to Alex and wrapped her into a hug. "Come on, we need to get Alex warm or we'll be stuck."

The others, especially Naruto, reluctantly walked over to Alex to surround her and share their body heat with her. "How long do I have to have my personal space invaded by you six?"

That received a chuckle from the Shikaku and mussed up hair from Gai. "No, seriously. I think I'd rather face creepy lady again. I think she wants to molest me like her brother. She is one messed up chick."

The others chuckled and Sakura replied, "When you can create a spark, we'll back off."

+++++++++++1 hr later++++++++++++

Alex flamed up and pushed at the ice. It didn't want to budge but that was because it was infused with chakra. So to match fire with fire, Alex imbedded her flaming fist with chakra and nailed the wall where both she and Sakura had hit before. Her flames erupted and spread across the cell wall and it cracked under fist. She hit the same spot with her left and repeated three more times until the ice shattered.

The ice wall started repairing itself but Alex held it off with her flames. "Come on. It's time to blow this popsicle stand."

The group chuckled at her pun and they ran towards the entrance but to get there they would have to go through the anteroom that contained Lady Lexx. Alex shivered at the thought of seeing that woman again but thanks to her fellow ninjas she was able to keep her flame going. She increased the flame intensity and she glowed ethereal reddish-orange. It may give them away but if she dropped it once, Alex didn't think she could pick it up again.

She looked back at the three that followed. Kakashi's group and her eyes turned downward. They really didn't trust her. They wanted to keep their eyes on her to make sure she didn't run off again. Alex felt horrible about leaving them and she wondered if Ibiki had given them the letter so they would know why she left. Then would they hate her for using them? Did they think that she didn't care about them?

They turned down another hall and the group skidded to a halt. There was fifteen of them. Alex knew her friends were strong but the odds that they would be able to fight them all off was not likely. She heard Naruto shout out. He had made some clones and they attacked the threat. With the enemy distracted for awhile they took off running once more.

It was a bad idea to leave them. When they reached a room there was even more of them, forty in total. That wasn't including the fifteen they had left in the dust. They backed into the wall and Alex saw an opening for them to escape.

"If this works again. I'll die of shock," she muttered and Naruto turned to look at her.

"What are you talking about?" he hissed back at her.

"When it happens it will happen fast. So be prepared guys." They all nodded their heads, wondering what Alex was planning. Alex smiled and jabbed her finger in the opposite direction of their escape and screamed, "QUICK, AN OBVIOUS DISTRACTION!"

The group turned to look and laughing her ass off, she grabbed Naruto with her burning hands, ran towards their exit. "It worked, again," she hooted. "That is just a riot."

Ibiki glared at her. "Be quiet." And Alex cut off her laughter midway.

"We should be approaching the throne room," Kakashi said, to the left of Alex and she nodded.

He was right. They ran into and stopped again. Aido and Lady Lexx stood staring at the group.

"So nice of you seven to join us," the woman said, mostly to Alex.

The fog pulsed and thicken and Alex commanded, "The woman is mine."

Alex ran at her while exuding more heat. If her flames didn't like to work when she was cold maybe Lady Lexx's ability wouldn't work if she was overheated. From the corner of her eye, she watched Aido run off. Coward, Alex thought before turning her attention back to the woman. The others would have to deal with the group of ninjas that were following them.

She heard them clash with the enemy ninjas and she quickly did the hand signs for her chakra chains wishing she had real ones. They wrapped around her and for awhile distracted her from her fog. When she focused again she heard her teammates coughing and when she looked she saw everyone, but Kakashi, coughing up blood.

"Everyone, get a mask," Alex shouted.

Her distraction had a price. Alex felt pain biting into her side and she looked at the wolfish grin and then the crystal kunai in her side. Hissing in pain, she sent chakra into her hand and nailed Lady Lexx in the face. The woman went flying and the wolf jumped at Alex from the fog.

Alex threw her arm up and the wolf bit into her unscarred forearm. She grimaced and forced her flames into her arm and into the wolf. The animal howled in pain and let go but it was to late its mouth and insides were on fire. It kept swiping at its mouth and whimpering until it fell over the fur and flesh burning away to reveal the charred bones before they too crumbled into dust.

"NOOOOOO!" Lady Lexx shrieked. "YOU VILE BITCH! YOU MURDUROUS WHORE!"

Alex turned back towards Lady Lexx as the woman lunged at her. Her talon like nails going to gouge out her eyes. Her eyes glowing the strange icy blue. Alex jumped out of her way. This angered her opponent more and she blindly attacked Alex. Her rage making it hard for her to think clearly but it didn't stop the fog from thickening.

She choked and spit up some blood. To combat the tiny ice slivers, Alex increased the fire that coursed through her veins. The woman's hand wrapped around the teens throat and Alex fell backwards struggling. Lady Lexx released her screaming, her hands blistering. She was right just like Alex, Lady Lexx's ability didn't work the greatest around her polar opposite.

Not thinking about, Alex lunged at her wrapping the woman in a hug. She was icy to the touch but she was already burning hot. The fire increased in her and she poured it out. Her vision started going black but she refused to let up.

The woman screamed in pain and Alex ignored it. There was no way she was going to let up. It was past the point of her being able to pull it back in. Hopefully, the others would realize this and be able to get away from her.

Her vision was gone and her mark spread completely across her body. The inferno exploded and raced across the domed room, destroying the pogonip. She thought she heard some yelling to get out of there but she couldn't be entirely sure about that. Everything was fading away from her and she gladly accepted the sweet oblivion.

expletive means:

1. linguistics swearword: an exclamation, especially a swearword 2. grammar word with no meaning: a word that carries no meaning but has a grammatical function in a sentence.

In the sentence "There are three books on the table," "there" is an expletive.

3. poetry meaningless word in line of poetry: a word added to a line of verse in order to fill it out, usually for the sake of the meter.

In the line "When and that I was a little tiny lad," the words "and that" are expletives.

adj

grammar poetry used as expletive: functioning as an expletive in a sentence or poem

synonyms: curse, swearword, invective (formal), exclamation, oath, obscenity, four-letter word, cussword (US, informal)

A/N: Sorry, only one word for this time. I hope you all enjoyed this relatively short chapter after that 7,000 some words chapter for the last one.

Zetsu: I'm not going to be in this anymore am I

Me: You'll find out.

Zetsu: -glares-

Me: Don't give me that look.

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