Before I get killed by overzealous lemon-fanatics - it's on it's way, damnit!

---Oh, and if you'd like to see anything in them, leave a note in a review and I'll jot it down somewhere. :).

Thanks to my beta - Kyo!

Loves and Hugs to...

Moogle In Paradaisu - Blood Zephyr - Zero Asakura - Depressing Truths - Kiros Razer - Little Evil Witch - Sanya12 - Hibiki-chan - Joster13 - BlackWingsOfTheRaven - Emerald Lady - Exhale Vanilla Lace - Kimura Akira - Kana090 - SpiritDragon-08 - Elewyn.

Thanks Guys!

I've also been put into two C2's! - 'Love of Anime' and 'OC Stories That Are Really Good'. Mucho love to ya!

Chapter Thirty Seven

For once, Neji woke up first, making him chuckle as he heard her purrs vibrating through her chest contently and then realised he too was purring in his chest.

He sat up, naked as the day he was born and stared down at the naked back of his wife.

Wife.

He couldn't believe he'd actually gotten himself a wife. And one that wasn't a Hyuuga.

He was married.

A grin settled on his lips as he fell back to the furred floor, hands behind his head leisurely as his head turned towards the only woman he would fully desire and want over all others in his life.

Well, in that way anyway.

A daughter would be nice.

He shook his head. Why was he thinking about children now? He had years, no, decades to think about it. Centuries even, if Richohet's longevity was true. Not that he doubted her, just the Higher Beings. He shifted to his side languorously, trailing a finger up her curving spine slowly, knowing her body far better than he did before, and she instinctively straightened in her deep sleep.

Smiling, he leaned over to kiss her whiskered cheek, then the rings on her fingers and stood up to get himself some clothes from her scroll. Then he blinked.

"Where did I throw it again?" Neji asked himself, fingering the ring on his left hand with his left thumb absently. He laughed to himself quietly. "I was much too busy getting her clothes off to remember, wasn't I?"

Looking around, he walked across the upstairs bedroom and then down the open hidden square door and 'ah-ed' as he found the scroll holder down the corridor. Snatching it from the ground where he remembered chucking it a few days back he took out the scroll, bloodied it and thought of his and her clothes. They appeared on his arm and he carried all back up the stairs and into the landing, where she was still sleeping, but not purring.

The past few days, going on a week, in bed just eating fruit alone was starting to grate on him. The nightly activities, and daily, were brilliantly beyond mind-blowing, but he thought it best to let everyone know she hadn't kidnapped him. They would think it her seeing as she had the demon 'in' her.

Neji gritted his teeth at that thought as he sat down and began dressing in the outfit she had gotten him from her demon fur, apart from the top and put on a simple male fishnet top that went to his elbows. Hinata had warned him that word had gotten out they knew she was Jinchuuriki and people were disgusted at another demon violating their grounds by her mere presence.

He didn't like it one bit.

They disgusted him.

He slipped on the trousers and the 'skirt' over it harshly, anger reaching into his actions. He tugged on the boots firmly, a glare on his face as he stared out the window at the awakening town.

Slim but powerful arms travelled up his naked back as he moaned lowly at the feel and slipped around his neck, a thoroughly kissed mouth kissing the junction of his shoulder and neck lovingly.

Richochet murmured into his ear. "Neji. You are troubled over something you cannot prevent. Humans are silly creatures easily swayed by the crowd. That's why you should be the one swaying the crowd in the first place, whispering in their ears whatever lies you want to weave." He could hear the smirk in her voice.

Neji scoffed, closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of her against him, stroking his hair. "Sounds wise. Not much of a humanist, are you?"

"You bet it is. I'm just that good to come up with something like that. Surely you know that by now?" Her voice was teasing as she leaned into her new husband, breathing him in, tasting his neck with her tongue.

He could hear the smug smile in her voice and tilted back into her.

"You must be wondering, how did I get an amazing woman like this for a bride? What karma! I'm just so luc-KY!" She yelped as he twisted around and shoved her to the ground, kissing her soundly and groaned into her hot mouth as she tweaked one of his nipples through the netted top. Firmly. He ground himself against her, tongue battling with hers ferociously. They broke a minute later, panting, but happy. "Man, I must be one hell of a wife."

"Yeah." He collapsed onto her and she scoffed.

"And you are one hell of a husband, you know? Oi, are you tired?"

"You kept waking me up, you ravenous thing."

She snickered, hand digging into his hair possessively and satisfied. "I heard no complaints."

Neji scoffed himself, nuzzling into her neck and taking in her scent. "Why on Earth would I complain?"

"You're a perfectionist."

"And your techniques are perfect. As were mine."

"You bet they were. I particularly liked that second position."

"Is that why we went back to it a lot?" Neji bit her shoulder making her hiss in pleasure. He licked the blood away, delighting in her taste. "Demons like you like it rough, huh? Still, I enjoyed the position of control you gave me." He growled into her ear.

Richochet kissed the weasel sweet spot, rubbing it after and he melted into purrs at her touch, eyes half lidded in pleasure as he sighed contentedly. "I'm getting addicted to your purring."

He only mumbled incoherently.

Richochet rolled her eyes with a smile. Shoving him off her, making him moan in distress at the loss of her hand, she sat up. "You know. You're right. We really do have to get up." She crawled over to the clothes he brought out at random and eyed them speculatively.

It was an all black ensemble. There were black short shorts, black bandages, small black top that just covered to the bottom of her breasts and to her elbows, tight, and a fish net top with black boots up to her knees. She needed some colour and something other than the fish net or she'd look like that freak Anko.

Then again, they were very similar…

She went to her scroll and summoned dark red leather boots – a gift from Naruto, who else? - and a sleeveless dark red suede jacket that went down to her knees. Grabbing her clothes, not bothering with underwear – they'd get in the way when she'd come back home for more – she slid them on as Neji waited for her. Taking her scroll holder, she snapped it on her upper thigh.

"I was only in Konoha for three months and a bit, training for nearly all of it. So I only spent some days actually going around this place." Richochet stated, looking for her Suna hitae-ate. "Take me where you used to go."

"I can do that." Neji nodded, giving some thought as to where to take her. "We should get something to eat before that. Not fruit."

"Agreed." She said dryly making him smirk. "I've had enough for this body for a month or so. I might love it, but even I get sick of it sometimes if it's coming in constantly. Lemon pops however… Especially yours will never be non-scrumptious to me. Definitely if it keeps coming in just for me."

"Nice to hear." Neji smirked wider and grabbed her hand, leaning over her and staring down at his wife with soft eyes. "Do you know what the day is?"

Richochet paused for couple moments in thought as he let her go downstairs first, still holding her hand. "No. I was far more interested in you to really care, but someone else will know, I'm sure."

He chuckled, silvery eyes turning with his face to grab the door and close the way to their room, locking it with a thought and spurt of chakra from his hand to the pad. She guided him down and away to their bathroom, nodding to a few weasels that passed her in the house. "How these little beings get in astounds me." He remarked airily.

"Well, I trust them not to do anything against their Lady and her Lord." Richochet nodded to a mink and then paused, following it with her eyes as it scuttled away. "Minks are part of the weasel family, right?"

"As are Otters, Ferrets and Skunks. Maybe badgers…" Neji said thoughtfully as they entered the bathroom. She opened a cabinet with a mirror on above the sink and took out some toothbrushes and toothpaste. He noted at least twenty toothbrushes and raised a brow. "That's a lot of toothbrushes for one person."

"My acid leaks out sometimes." She replied in irritation, frowning. "My teeth are very sensitive to mint in toothpaste form. It's for that purpose only. Do you have poison too?"

"Check for me." He opened his mouth wide for her, tipping his head back.

Richochet pressed her finger into his canine and zapped some chakra into it to start the process. Nothing came out but it gave his mouth a massage.

"No. Maybe something else? Lightning is my first ability, but poison is second for me. Naruto's is fire first and second is his dab hands at illusions but all Kitsune seem to be good at them. Gaara is a sand demon, but he's also got excellent control over his bit of demonic wind power. We have backups. What's yours?"

"I'm not sure, but something is telling me earth and growing things."

"Neji the Gardener." She said muffled, toothbrush lathering up the paste with a touch of water. "How cute. Growing his tomatoes like an old man… or how about pretty and blooming flowers? OW!"

BOP!

"Shut up. I remember that from long ago."

"Tch." She finished up washing her teeth and grabbed the purple brush with a black hair band on the end, running it through her hair and getting the knots out easily. She tapped a permanently red golden chakra induced nail against her cheek as she eyed his hair. "You'd look so good with your hair up slightly, you know."

"Go ahead." He mumbled, brushing his teeth.

That was all the verification she needed. She brushed out the hair from the bottom first, and then the middle, working her way to the top, making sure to catch him as she brushed the weasel sweet spot softly. Moving him over to the toilet, she sat on the seat, pushed him down between her legs as he gave no resistance, brushing contentedly as he let her do whatever she wanted to his hair.

Grabbing the end of the brush and taking the band off, she pulled his hair into one hand, letting some of his shorter hair at the front frame his face and pushed his head forward so his chin touched his collarbone. She tugged his hair into the band firmly and twisted it through his hair a couple times to create a simple ponytail that fit a man; low on the head, but not enough to be thought of as an Uchiha Itachi copy, but not high enough to be thought of as a girl.

"The shower was engaging." Neji spoke up, eyeing the piece of water works. "We'll have to go in it again." He said, sounding as if he were talking about a rollercoaster ride.

Richochet smirked. "I, without doubt, absolutely agree. We washed there, had fun, washed again, went upstairs and then just plonked out of it. Fun." She licked her lips, remembering her hands travelling around, tongue tasting. She was so glad to be a demon sometimes. "Hey, could you always keep your hair long? I couldn't see anything else suiting you."

"If you keep yours short, yes. I don't want competition now." Neji teased, standing up and dragging her with him as he went out the room, brush left behind on the seat. "I'm feeling for something… meaty. Some beef."

"Are you sure? I mean, I got a lot last night-" Richochet was cut off, but she ducked when she saw the two Suna hitae-ate on the ground and grabbed them, giving his to him. She wrapped it under her scroll holster.

Neji interrupted with a smirk as they left the house. "You got more than meat, mate."

"A glass of milk too." Richochet asked innocently and was merely hugged tightly to a male body from behind. "Warm milk."

He snickered and kissed her neck as they walked to the town. "All for you."

Richochet smirked back at him, kissing his broken curse mark. "And only for you." Breaking out of his hold, she jumped up to a nearby building, hand to hip. "So, you coming or what? I'm eager to go to that barbeque place or something. Loads of meat there, right?"

Neji nodded, jumping up to meet her.

"I'll pay seeing as I have the money." Richochet looked at her scroll. "Don't start on this gentleman crap. Unless of course, you'll go kill some bandits yourself?" Richochet smiled at him innocently and then a thought came to her. 'You could also be My Lord Toko. Actually…' Her eyes lit up. 'That would be perfect.'

The Byakugan user cocked his head, smiling slightly. 'If you want me too. It is your Empire.'

'My Lord.' Richochet bowed formally. 'An honour to receive you. I hope you can do your job well.'

Neji rolled his eyes at her odd formality. "Up." He grabbed her chin and left hand softly, kissing his wife gently. "You know I would do anything asked from you. And if it is for the lands, why wouldn't I?"

"So, is it okay?" Richochet asked seriously. "It's a lot of pressure and responsibility. Gaara had asked me on this before with the link. I thought about it once. I wasn't sure if you would like to and I wouldn't do so without your permission. Anyone else I would have just pushed them into it and bullied them around if I thought them good and worthy enough."

Neji blanched but nodded. "You are too much sometimes..." He said in disbelief but smirked. "I'm proud of you."

"Well, duh. Of course you are." Richochet said as if he said something as obvious as 'it was day' right now. "I mean. Me! Hello?" Richochet dodged the bop with a cheeky grin. "Okay! I'll stop the obnoxiousness… momentarily."

"Come on." He replied, grabbing her around the shoulders and walking her to the shop. "What first? I fancy some chicken myself."

"Beef."

"Then pork."

"Pork? Sounds good. Then something else, too."

"Lamb?" He asked naively, faking innocence.

"Ew. No. I hate lamb." Richochet grimaced. "I puked last time. Valentines Day with lamb, my right butt cheek. Why did you have to stuff it into my gob anyway?"

"I thought it was funny."

Richochet snorted as they jumped down the building and used their sense of smell to guide them to the food market. "We have conflicting interests then."

"We're hungry. Now we've consistent interests."

"…Well, I'm starving. Your gymnastics wore me out."

Neji smirked proudly. "We're going to buy the place out, aren't we?"

"Hell yes."

R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N

"Sir, Madam! Please come anytime you desire!" The manager, Akogi, said pleasantly, internally calculating the price he could get with these two permanent customers. He bowed, moustache wobbling as he rose again. "Your patronage will be always welcomed."

Neji snorted. "It'll be hard since we live in Sunagakure no Sato."

The short stout man fleetingly lost his edge before beaming once more. "Ah, I see. Still if you ever come in, even if we have reservations you will be first in line."

Richochet smirked and leaned back. "I shall tell my Lord Toko that."

Akogi paled and then asked, hesitantly. "You… You are the Lightning Mistress?"

"What of it?" She asked simply, taking one of the skewers and digging some meat trapped between her teeth out as if it were a toothpick. "What's it to you?" She eyed him with distaste.

"No-Nothing madam! We fully support him!"

"Oh?" Neji asked interestingly. "And why would that be?"

"He has built and paid for villages! Giving homes to those who have none as well as train the children to protect them and kill off the surrounding bandits. I have heard you have done so many times in the past few years, My Lady. You are someone to look up to. And you sir?"

Neji just laughed.

Richochet smirked wider. "We'll be leaving, now." Richochet summoned her money owed from the scroll and placed it on the table. "I want a tab too. We may not come here a lot, but we will eat a lot each time if we do."

"Indeed." The Manager stated, eyeing the money.

Neji spoke up, arms crossed over his chest, giving off an aura of power. "According to the bill, the cost would be two thousand six hundred and fifty five ryou. We've given you six thousand. We know how much is on that tab." Neji warned, stepping forward with a caveat glare.

"Y-Yes, Hyuuga-san."

"Seishou-san. I am now called Seishou Neji."

Richochet snickered, remembering what his name meant and hers as well.

Seriously, they were made for each other. Fated, Neji would say if he were still of that mind thinking.

"…May I ask why you have chosen a different name, Seishou-san?"

Neji shrugged, grabbing Richochet's left hand and kissing below her rings, giving his wife a warm look and then looking coolly at the manager. "I am married to my Lightning Mistress, you know."

The manager fainted.

"Am I that scary?" Richochet asked lightly, smirking up at Neji.

"Mostly."

"I'm doing my job then."

Neji laughed lowly, guiding her out with a protective arm around her shoulder and left fingers entwined with hers as a couple of waiters walked up to deal with the money and the manager. "Not to me, you aren't. You can't scare your mate from anything."

"So I'm not doing my job then." Richochet sighed in fake disappointment, leaning into him and his warmth, an arm slid around his waist, glaring at anyone who looked before smirking up at Neji, caringly. "My bad."

Neji shook his head about to open his mouth to speak up when the two snapped their heads to the left as Naruto's signature rushed to them hazardously.

"RICHOCHET! NEJI!" Naruto shouted as he came to them. "We need to go pronto, dattebayo!" He landed in front of them with a worried expression decorating his face. Then he blinked and stared at each of them. "Whoa… Your demon chakra literally covers each other… and you have the mark on your tums as well." Naruto grinned and only laughed as they winked at him.

"Hunny…" Richochet sighed, looking at him as if he were a child. "…Tut tut. What else would we have been doing in our house? So what's the crazy news, fox?"

Naruto got his bearings back as he went serious. "Akatsuki have been spotted! Asuma-sensei of Team Ten has been killed by Kakuzu and Hidan! Come with us!"

Three others landed beside Naruto. One of them was Sakura, who smiled and nodded to each of them and they waved joined hands back idly. Her eyes widened at the rings on their fingers and pointed at them in shock.

Naruto snickered as the two Seishou smirked.

Taking the necklace from under her top, she undid it and placed the rings on it before closing it and tugging it back on under her top. "Who the hell are those two?" Richochet raised a brow as she looked at the teacher and the other boy who looked kind of pixie like. "Naruto? Are you picking up strays?"

"Oh! That's Tenzou, our temporary sensei. Kakashi's gone on."

"Dead?"

"No, just on the battle field." Naruto replied dryly.

Richochet smirked. "Dead on the battle field?"

"Are you crazy?!" Naruto growled, hands to hips at her smirk. "We'll tell more on the way!" He jumped away and the other four followed instantly. The blonde looked at the dark haired boy. "Tell them who you are!"

"I am Sai." The boy spoke up, raising a brow on his almost blank face. "Who are you?"

"Seishou Neji. Nice to meet you." Neji gave a short nod.

Richochet wasn't as nice. "Seishou Richochet. Not nice to meet you. You remind me of the sick fucks I once knew as a kid who was brainwashed to do whatever their master said to." She insulted him, sneering. "Stay the hell away from me."

Sai just blinked. "That's not nice."

"I don't care. I don't want to be nice to you. I don't even want to remotely work with you, drone-boy."

Naruto sighed as Richochet went up front, Kazangan eyes switched on. "Richochet doesn't like many people and is stubborn. As she instantly hates you, she probably won't change her mind. Too bad. You're alright, 'ttebayo."

'Richochet?'

'I'm not going to like everyone, Neji. And he instantly irritates me. I don't care if he's part of Naruto's team.' Richochet said aggressively. 'And he really does remind me of them back then. They had to have that fake smile on their faces...'

'I'll keep an eye on him.' Neji responded gently, trying not to actively seem disagreeing of the boy as they all jumped trees at a quick rate because of his trusted Mate.

For team work the three hanyou stayed with the other three, though it may have been better to split up.

'Maybe. Who knows? You'd be best for leader seeing as you do lots of Jounin missions. We'd follow your lead willingly, Toko-sama.'

'Anything for you, My Lord. I give you my absolute devotion and loyalty.'

"What else happened, Uzumaki?" Neji questioned, going back to the topic at hand. "I assume Team Ten is out there. Who is leading them?"

"Kakashi-sensei! He's better but he still has his right hand wrapped in bandage from the hospital. It's healed enough though." Naruto stated and Sakura nodded in agreement, her professional part concurrent with the blondes' words. The Seishou wondered why he had his hand bandage but figured all they needed to know was he was half out of commission and that was that. "What do your lines tell you of those two, Richochet?"

Her eyes narrowed. "You know how people are good with an element? Kakuzu holds all five. They also say something about hearts. The only thing I care about is that the bastard's stealing some of my bounties. Hidan… Huh. An Immortal, sacrificing himself all the time. Silver haired looker and you can't miss him."

"Seal?" Naruto asked quickly.

"I think it best." She replied wryly. "Jiraiya would have wanted me to seal the sword of Kisame's with it though, but he can just be pushed into making me more."

"Threatened more like it." Naruto laughed as she winked back at him over her shoulder. "Then again, if it's for the good of Konoha!"

"Richochet is the one who went with you, Naruto?" Sai asked monotonously.

"We both learned different things at the same time as normal things." Naruto said obligingly. "I decided to go into Genjutsu and Richochet into Seals. It was a no-brainer as to why, eh, Neji?"

"Hmph." Neji didn't bother answering that as he turned to Richochet who winked back at him slyly. "And I am eternally thankful."

The captain spoke up. "Does that mean Miss Seishou-"

"Mrs. Seishou!" Naruto interrupted gleefully, snickering. "Ehehehehehe."

Richochet wobbled on her branch, missing a step. "I can be called a Mrs…" She said to herself faintly, still disbelieving she was married.

"Shut up, Uzumaki. Yes, my wife did break my Curse Mark."

"What other marks have you broken?" Tenzou asked Richochet directly. "It would be helpful to know."

Richochet looked back at the man, wondering why he asked briefly. "I guess I could break any mark…" She trailed off, unsure. "It just depends on what it holds and how it could affect myself, the environment, the sealed item itself and many other variables."

"Spectacular. And What about the Curse Mark of Orochimaru?"

Her eyes narrowed. "That is my own business."

'Have you?' Neji enquired as they got closer to their mark.

'I've made progress, but without the mark in front of me I can do nothing to it. I was around Hyuuga for months. I even had time to study it while you slept.'

Neji felt a smug tug at his lip. 'Oh, really?'

'Scientific purposes only…'

'I feel doubtful.'

Richochet was obstinate. 'Go ahead and feel it, mate.'

R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N

The six jumped down in front of the other three, ready for battle.

Ino sighed in relief, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "Sakura, Sai-san, Naruto, Neji and Richochet. I thought you three were in Suna with Hinata-san and Hanabi-san?"

"Was. Past Tense. Get it?" Richochet smirked at her, making her steam. 'Blondes are so easy to infuriate.'

'Oi!'

'See what I mean?'

'ACK!'

Chouji sighed in relief himself. "Richochet, Sakura. You both have some Medical Ninjutsu, please help Kakashi."

Sakura immediately went to her teacher to check him over.

"I've never seen you so beat up, sempai." The other older man regarded him amusedly. "He must be exceedingly powerful."

"He's Akatsuki, what do you expect?" Richochet rolled her eyes at the stupidity of these people. "Dear, Shinigami-sama. Give me smarter members. Ones that don't state the obvious."

"Where's Shikamaru?" Naruto asked seriously, ignoring the opponent at hand for now, knowing he wouldn't attack without seeing what they could do. Any good Shinobi would do that. "He's not here at all? He's with Hidan then? On his own? He's smart and has good family techniques but…"

"Naruto's right." Kakashi stated performing the Kuchiyose no jutsu. Pakkun was summoned. "Two of you go back him up. One long range fighter and one medical ninja."

Tenzou turned to the pink haired female and the artist. "Sakura and Sai! Follow Pakkun and back up Shikamaru!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Roger."

"Richochet… We haven't fought together for a while now. A month or two maybe?" Naruto asked, grinning back at her wickedly, a dark look in his eye and she responded by grinning back, manic making him chuckle. "How about… Operation Breathe?"

Richochet eyes the being over there and Kakuzu looked back at her with a glare of disgust.

"You two… Are you two the Jinchuuriki we need?"

"We could be." Naruto shrugged.

"But it doesn't really matter to scum like you." Richochet stated offhandedly, checking her nails that grew into claws, poison forming in purple drops. "You'll be dead soon enough. And then I can get my bounties back."

"You're that bitch, aren't you?! The one stealing my heads?"

Richochet shrugged one shoulder, finally looking up to him in boredom. "I feel it as the other way around. Lord Toko needs funds like Akatsuki. And what, pray tell, does Akatsuki need money for?"

"What else? To get bases… all over… for our goals. I like you kid, you understand the need for money. Unlike that dumb fuck I work with. If you weren't Jinchuuriki, I would've taken you as an underling for myself, maybe becoming an Akatsuki member."

"Pity that... Though, I probably would have agreed for the hell of it."

"That's not nice, Richochet." Naruto tutt-ed, smirking. "Here I was, thinking you liked us." He started creating copies of himself without using his hands. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no jutsu." Over sixty moved around and attacked him, but Naruto kept five of his back as Richochet fed Neji the information of what they were doing.

'We need the basic of two people to do this so we usually go for Kage Bunshin. We circle the enemy, trap him in a barrier Naruto remembered from the sound four and recreated, making sure to go underneath with a Kage Bunshin also, and then do a specific jutsu that works only in tandem with it.'

Neji nodded slightly, very surreptitiously. 'How do I help?'

'There's only three hands to this. Tiger, horse, snake.' Richochet replied quickly. 'It's like using Byakugan… No, when Naruto creates the barrier with a fire hit and I do the wind technique and power it up by the elements, you make sure he stays inside by using the Gentle Fist. That would be best for us.'

'That's a brilliant idea!' Naruto answered their conversation. 'There's no way he can beat three half demons, dattebayo!'

Naruto's Bunshin went underground and other surrounded the male, who was lashing out with fire and wind attacks form two horrific masks on his back, quickly decimating the numbers of the serious looking Naruto's. Each of them had red eyes with slits in them like Kyuubi's had.

"Three hearts to go if the two broken masks are anything to go by." Neji murmured and Richochet nodded, eyeing the place as she too unleashed a barrage of copies. "I should copy."

"We'll need only a few of you along with me." Richochet turned to him quickly before looking back. "You aren't used to how taxing this damn thing is."

Rushing forward, Naruto found all in position, creating three of the same barrier for extra protection in case the unpredictable male created more of them. "Shishienjin no jutsu! Shishienjin no jutsu! Shishienjin no jutsu!" His chakra zapped quickly but he could still easily keep them up.

Jumping in with copies before Naruto could put the other two up, the Lightning Mistress started her own created jutsu. "Fuuton: Sanso Gaijo!" Richochet yelled loudly. Instantly, her hair started blowing around as air and oxygen was literally sucked from the inside of the barrier.

The copies of Neji pushed energy outwards using his Hakke Kusho technique. Kakuzu was struck again and again as the copies of Neji kept him moving painfully towards the next Kage Bunshin so he wouldn't think on what attack to use next against the powerful defensive and offensive attack they held.

Slowly asphyxiating, Richochet put her latest attack in, a Bunshin sucking energy from the real one on the outside hidden in a tree. "Doku Kumo Kazou no jutsu." Her Bunshin's claws and teeth lengthened even more dangerously and seeps of poison drained from her body and flung itself into the barrier, forming a cloud of dangerous and highly potent poison.

The energy to carry the poison as a blob of energy while using a wind attack was draining on her; her reserves were starting to quickly deplete. She summoned up the energy from her food earlier and prompted Neji to do the same, her beast roaring in her mind at his in their own bestial tongue.

The Operation was a very quick one, but draining when using technique of different element types at once and being so linked like those three were.

Sweat beaded on Naruto's brow. "Hurry it up, Lightning Girl! These barriers are pissing me o-off!!"

Knowing Naruto wasn't good at concentrating chakra without immediate effect – like his Rasengan - Richochet narrowed her eyes and concentrated a ton more chakra into the area. Her Kazangan eyes watched the patch Kakuzu was in darken immensely with reddish gold chakra and turned them off. Kakuzu fell to the ground, choking to death as saliva welled out of the holes in his body, bubbling up and out.

"It's taking longer because he has three fucking hearts and he uses each in tandem! Shut the hell up! It's only been seven minutes!" Richochet snarled back, her own eyes reddening in fury as the man wouldn't die. "Die already! You're not going anywhere but to the afterlife!" She finally slammed the poison fully into his system.

His eyes popped out and rolled from his head, blood spurting as everything dissipated before their own eyes, the poison taking affect within moments as bones become brittle, sizzling everything into nothing.

Richochet smirked, sweating herself. "That was the first time I used that poison attack." She said idly, dropping the attack. "Then again, that Akatsuki member deserves it for taking my bounties. Pity I couldn't save his head. I'm sure he was worth a pretty penny."

Her Bunshin poof-ed out along with Neji and Naruto's as they sat on the ground.

Naruto sighed. "Would have been nice to use my new attack… Rasengan Shuriken would have been so awesome to use. Then I'm going to come up with Rasengan Kunai!"

"Let's see it then, foxy." Richochet said smugly, smacking her knees and getting up. Her eyes watched the boy curiously, a smirk on her face without a thought. "Sounds good."

"Oh, it is." Naruto promised with his words. Three Bunshin poof-ed into reality, glad to be of use and to show off. "Go!" They shuffled their hands around and Richochet watched intently, her own hands clenching and unclenching anxiously. A shining blue Rasengan formed, but the points, identical to a shuriken were also formed.

Racing up to a tree, Naruto shouted out loudly. "HAA!" He slammed the Rasengan Shuriken into a nearby tree, slashing it into microscopic pieces and letting it loose as he jumped back next to Richochet to watch the show of pieces flying down.

Neji stood up and easily performed a large Kaiten then spun away any pieces aiming to hit his companions. "Ingenious." Neji complimented and Naruto beamed. "What about using Asuma-sensei's blade technique together with your Rasengan? It would give the shape of its blade. The actual throwing of it could be tricky."

Naruto nodded, listening completely. "Uh-huh. And I could use it when I have an enemy trapped too. To throw it though? That'll be fiddly to work out. Any ideas on that front, Chet?"

"Hmm… Give me some time. With both Rasengan techniques you need to keep it in your hand the whole time. The kunai is thrown and you could simply use an actual blade with good technique instead of a Rasengan, as that Rasengan Kunai would be harder to learn. Can it be done? Possibly, but you are water Naruto, not wind. Why not try it with wind, or even fire before going in with different shapes?"

Naruto nodded. "I could do so much with this."

"Even use medical Ninjutsu. That'll be a laugh." Richochet snickered at the thought of a crazy Rasengan slamming into a body to heal. "You'd end up switching the heart with a bladder. Your heart would be bleeding piss! Ahaha! Nice!" She smirked in hilarity at the cruel thought.

Naruto glared at her. "That is so not funny. My poor Rasengan…" He wobbled his bottom lip dramatically.

"Aren't you guys tired?!" Ino yelled at them, looking frazzled in her disbelief. "You just lost a huge amount of chakra each!"

Kakashi looked up tiredly himself, wondering the same thing. And the Kyuubi brat just unleashed a jutsu even the fourth couldn't complete. 'He's gotten strong. And it's not because of us really is it? No, it's those kids. It's their hidden talents only others can see. Naruto… Gaara… Richochet… Jinchuuriki are completely amazing in strength and valour. And let's not forget Richochet's Hyuuga Genius.' He smiled fondly to himself. 'It's also nearly time for his generation to take over our world.'

The silver haired male walked over to them with his sempai. "We should leave now, Kakashi-sempai."

He nodded, eyeing the land that had also been poisoned.

Richochet looked up at him, seeing his rather lethargic look. "Did you think we'd stop growing after the three year trip, old man?"

He smiled at her wearily. "Old, indeed. I just didn't expect you all to get so powerful. Naruto could be Hokage within a couple years if Tsunade appoints him as one."

She smirked and looked to the sky. "God help us all if Naruto becomes Hokage, huh, Kakashi?" She said loudly as they listened with grins on their faces. "Ramen only for everyone!" Much to the amusement of everyone, Naruto then growled at her, stomping up to her.

"You want some of this?!" Naruto held up a fist to her face.

Richochet narrowed her eyes and put a hand to her hip, looking at him arrogantly. "Pah, who's the Taijutsu Master around here?!"

"Lee!"

"What!? You dumbarse! He's not here! It's me and you know it!"

"I'll beat you down with chakra then!"

"You've no control over it so it's useless!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Don't be lying to yourself, now!"

Naruto huffed at her, not pleased. "Tch. Let's just go home."

"Oh, I'm so sorry…" She said sarcastically, rolling her eyes and said falsely sweet. "But I live in Suna."

"There is no winning with you!"

"And that's why I should be Hokage seeing as I never lose." Richochet swung an arm around his shoulder as the said shoulders dropped. "Honestly. You know I wouldn't be Hokage. Waaay too much effort for such a self-important, vain, drowning in tradition village."

"Thanks for insulting the village we grew up in." Kakashi said from the side of her. "Still, I'd understand why you feel that way."

"Why? Were you stripped off your ninja title too?" Richochet asked sarcastically. Kakashi laughed nervously and looked away. "That shut you up rather quickly."

Neji tapped her head. "Stop being mean."

Richochet huffed, herself, and grimaced. "But that's me…" She pouted a little, not noticing it. "How could I not? People don't change that easily you know."

Neji smiled. "But they still change."

The girl rolled her eyes, taking her arms away from Naruto and crossed them over her chest instead. "Suppose so… If they wanted to. You can lead a horse to a river but you can't make it drink."

"You changed."

"Like heck I did." Richochet scoffed at Naruto who just smiled at her knowingly. Neji wore the same smile as Naruto as she turned to him in investigation. "Tch." They just still smiled. "Oh, screw you both."

"Actually I'm the screw." Neji interrupted, leaning on her slim shoulder with an elbow as Naruto laughed loudly. "And I'd rather be the only one to screw you. Not Uzumaki."

The hanyou sighed at her two friends as they grinned at her exasperation. "I thought we were leaving?"

R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N

"Excellent work everyone." Tsunade congratulated them, smiling proudly. "Don't get complacent though. There are still Akatsuki to deal with. However, for now, you take a break. Taking down two Akatsuki would be trying on anyone."

'Not for us though. We still had about half to three quarter energy left.' Richochet pointed out with a proud smirk, arrogance leaking out from her.

'Yeah, we rule. No one can beat us!'

'Don't get cocky you two.' Neji, the voice of reason said through to them. 'We still have to stick near each other to not get caught by Akatsuki or anyone else.'

'Yeah, they may even come after you, Neji. For your essence that Richochet gave some of hers to you.' Naruto said thoughtfully. 'Who knows, dattebayo? They may think only the Jinchuuriki are worth it?'

'Both as likely as one another.' Richochet added in, not really listening.

"You now must look after yourselves more." Tsunade spoke up, unknowingly interrupting their conversation. "You're on the watch out for list most likely. And definitely you two, who'd they be after. Naruto, Richochet. And I also give congratulations on both, Richochet."

"..Both?"

Tsunade chuckled as Richochet and Neji stared at each other in confusion.

"Don't worry." The blonde woman remarked, waving a dismissing hand at the comment as if it were next to her. "Anyways, I'll be writing a letter to Gaara for thanking him for using his two Anbu members."

Naruto pointed at Richochet and Neji, jaw dropped. The other looked moderately shocked too. "You never told me you were ANBU MEMBERS!"

Richochet snickered. "…Stupid GENIN! How could you not know?" She emphasised greatly on the last words making him twitch. "Honestly, you should have come with us to be Suna-Nin! Gaara would've put you in the same group as us."

"I thought you were a Taijutsu teacher at the Academy?" Naruto asked in puzzlement.

"I am, but I'm looking after Kino as well so no getting myself done in when I'm needed elsewhere more." Richochet answered him easily. "And I get to have some control over future generations." A smirk lit her face. "They'll so know who's really in charge when it comes to it."

"Manipulative bitch!" Naruto gawped and then nodded his head in an impressed way. "Nice one."

"Oh I know." Richochet gave a mocking bow, hand to chest in fake 'thanks' while the other was in a fist behind her back.

"Dismissed already!" Tsunade interrupted as the others looked on in amusement. "These kids…"

R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N

Mizu stood back as Sasuke released Suigetsu, fiddling with Orochimaru's ring of Akatsuki. A flood of water dripped down and Suigetsu grunted as he shifted out of the water naked. Mizu averted her eyes modestly.

"I'm second so…" Suigetsu spoke up, a light but mocking voice. "Who are the rest then?"

Sasuke shook his head, face still blank. "No, two more to go. Mizu is a healer for us. I'm taking Juugo from the north base and Karin from the south base."

"Oh really…" Suigetsu replied, disappointed.

"What?"

"I don't know of this Mizu other there…" The naked man stated turning to the girl leaning against a huge tube. "I really don't like those two at all. I really don't think I can get along with them."

"No need for you to get on extremely well. Just enough." Sasuke said in answer to that, cocking his head to the side, eyes lazy.

"Well, you did save me." He stood up, uncaring of his modesty. "I guess I could work with them if you'd like me to. Yet, I don't know what to make of the ones who have chosen those two… Sasuke."

"Oh, stop blathering on and get some clothes. We have to go." He sighed, turning his head away.

"Ha, ha, you really do talk like you're in charge." Suigetsu murmured, reappearing behind Sasuke. "Let's make one thing clear; just because you took out Orochimaru doesn't mean you're boss. Someone would have taken him out sooner or later. That snake liked you, and that's why you were by his side. And thus, with more chances..."

"Get on with it."

"...You had more chances than the rest of us." Suigetsu finished, pointing a finger at the temple of the teen's head. "Right now I have the advantage."

Sasuke looked at him monotonously. "So what?"

They stared at each other for a few challenging moments.

Suigetsu grinned, shark like teeth bared. "Just kidding! You heart didn't skip a single beat there! Reassuring to know you really did beat Orochimaru and not just faking it. I heard you were strong… You were in a team that defeated my senior, Momochi Zabuza."

"…"

"I'll go with you."

Mizu cut in slowly, fiddling with the ring still. "May we leave then?" She asked politely, even though rudely interrupting. "I need to get something back with all due haste while I'm with the group."

Suigetsu stared at her before turning to Sasuke. "I too need to make a detour. A sword needs to be collected." He turned back to Mizu. "What do you need?"

"A pair of wings and my brothers back."

"Brothers?"

"Genkaku and the one now called Kino. He's Kaguya Clan, somehow." Mizu smiled softly. "Despite the clan being eliminated in war, a Kaguya still lives. Oh! Sasuke, Richochet has told me she found a small Uchiha boy in one of her villages. He had the Sharingan also."

Sasuke stared at her in disbelief. "Not possible."

"Why not?" Mizu blinked in surprise. She would have thought he'd be demanding her to show him where the boy is. Not that she knew. "I don't understand. Have you not had banished members in the past? Ones that successfully ran away like you and your brother have?"

"…There can't be. Fine. We go there first. Where is it?"

Mizu shrugged. "I'll write a letter to Richochet, though it's unlikely she would respond well."

"Hm?" Sasuke raised a brow as Suigetsu went off to get some clothes, bored with the conversation.

"She despises me for killing Gaara and as a thing from our childhood. One day, she'll find out the truth concerning what it is I tried to do." The long haired female nodded to herself, sadly smiling slightly. She took out a small scroll and pen from her bag. "We won't get a response immediately so it's best to get the other two first."

S. R,

Could I ask where this Uchiha boy is? Sasuke himself demands to see him and as one of his only family left, it would delight him if he could see the boy. I don't know what the Uchiha plans to do when he sees the boy.

There are many things I could do to help if you will allow it.

I have to see things by myself. I have been working undercover for Akatsuki and Orochimaru as you have been for Konoha and Suna, I hear. And Lord Toko is a nice name for you. Keep it up.

Akatsuki needs money as it's stage one for support. Stage two will be low buying rates so everyone will go to them for killing and have a good hold over everyone. A loyal group of mercs only loyal to Akatsuki. They would start wars with the power of Akatsuki, get others from poorer villages to pay for them to stop the wars, convincing everyone to use them other than bigger more expensive countries. Stage three, world domination by sheer monopolising of the ninja industry. Simple, but it's taken some couple decades. There are other plans underneath the underneath, such as money for self as in Kakuzu's place or myself to help others; you for a first.

The Jinchuuriki will be the power of them for stage two and three. That is why they're after you. I have heard there are only two to four Jinchuuriki left. I also send Orochimaru's ring to you. Seeing as he's been killed it may be handy for you to have it, somehow. I have no need of two. My own is; Seiryuu, Azure Dragon and Orochimaru's; Kuuchin, Void.

Please keep my brothers with you at all times. They'll like you a lot more than anyone else because of a reason you should already know if you ask 'Kino' himself.

Mizu.

Whistling a tune that summoned her pet to her, a small eagle flew down at high speed, landing on her shoulder gently. She rolled the scroll up and slipped it into a holder on his leg. "Find Richochet, make sure she answers straight away by following her."

The golden bird bowed formally. "Yes, Enzeru-dono." It took flight immediately.

Sasuke looked at Suigetsu, who reappeared with clothes, running a hand through his hair. "Ready?"

"Yeah…"

"Let's go."

R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N

Richochet waved the boy away. "No, I'm not staying."

"Aww! Richocheeet!" Naruto whined, grabbing her arm with the bag on and holding it tight. "Pleeeaaase stay! We work so well together, 'ttebyo! So why not?!"

"I need to be at least a bit more loyal to Suna than this!" Richochet snapped back, making the boy pout. "You've got your friends, Naruto and they need you more than we do right now."

Neji waited patiently.

"But-"

"No. Go to Hinata and seduce her. And seeing as you lost the bet we made, you owe me even more." Richochet smirked. "Go ask her on a date, stay with her until she wakes from her faint and then drag her to a place to eat and then buy her something useful and pretty. That's what I want you to do. So do it."

Naruto whined and hugged her around the torso. She allowed it for a moment, putting a hand on his head. Naruto paused, sniffing her strongly for some reason.

"Whaaat?" Richochet asked dryly, giving an amused look to Neji.

"You smell… More... More Richochet."

Richochet rolled her eyes at his weirdness and pushed him back. "Yeah, whatever. Later then. See ya soon, little brother of mine." She winked at him, smirking and turned away, following Neji. "Be a stranger!"

Naruto sniffed. "I won't! So HA!"

She chuckled and jumped away with Neji.

"That boy likes you a lot." Neji stated softly. "I haven't seen him act like that to anyone."

"He's just an attention seeker." She looked away, smiling very vaguely.

"You like it too." Neji grabbed her around the waist and held her bridal style, barely feeling her weight with his demonic strength and clutching her to him. "Don't deny it."

Richochet sighed at his actions, wanting to run but would let him do what he wanted. Seeing as she could do no other than let him be happy and if this did the trick, well, she'd enjoy the ride. Simple as that. "…Only a little. I like this too before you ask. Why are you carrying me?"

Neji stared at her face that was centimetres from his; suddenly realising he was carrying her. "I don't… know."

She felt her face deadpan. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"Exactly what I said."

"Ugh." Richochet leaned her right elbow on his left shoulder, holding her head up with her right hand. "Cheers, then. I'll get comfy."

"Hmm." Neji kept his eyes ahead as he locked lips with her for a moment, missing a step when she forcefully kissed back. She snickered as they parted and he had to duck both of their heads to dodge a stray low branch. Neji growled at the branch, snapping it off with a Gentle Fist attack to it. "Damnit Richochet! That branch nearly whacked us in the head!"

She burst out laughing.

"…You seriously don't care about your health do you?" Neji gaped at her before setting his face into a frowning motion.

"If that branch hit me it may have scrambled my brains back into place." Richochet smirked at him. "Thanks for keeping me insane."

Neji screwed up his face. "You, my mate, are mad."

"And I'm all yours."

"Better be."

She poked him in the stomach, making him twitch his lips up. "Taking my lines… Jeeze…"

"You use them so much I thought I'd give them a reprieve off of you." The ex-Hyuuga stated, smirking wider than usual and turned her around so her legs settled around his waist and arms around his neck as if she were a child to take care of. He knew he was acting a little different than usual, but guessed himself to be more protective now she was his wife and Akatsuki were more at large.

"How kind." She said sarcastically, shaking her head with the two words. "Such a brilliant husband."

"Damn right I am. You seem more affectionate."

"Only around you."

R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N

As soon as the two touched down inside the barrier of Suna's village, a bird similar to the one Richochet remembered Mizu having floated down to her and touched upon Neji's shoulder. The bird shuffled to face her and Richochet huffed to see it was for her.

"Mizu…" She growled. "Just what I need."

She took the scroll and snapped it open with both hands, scowling at the page and caught the ring before it dropped to the ground. "I seem to be receiving rings a lot these days." Richochet muttered as Neji hugged her around the shoulders and collarbone. "Want to know where the other Uchiha is… Yadda Yadda Yadda… Keep Kino near. Well, well, she does come in useful, doesn't she?"

Neji looked at the English writing and sighed. "You must teach me this language."

"Yeah, sure. I will."

"What's useful?"

"She's decided to be honest." Richochet smirked at him, baring white teeth dangerously. "Akatsuki's actual goals instead of speculating what they could be."

Neji snapped his head and then pointed to the place with a large chunk of writing in a paragraph. "This part?"

"Yes. Two to four Jinchuuriki left…" Richochet looked away from the paper and Neji. "Shit. This is getting me pissed off. Taking the other innocent Jinchuuriki… Using them… Why does this happen?" Her fists clenched and she trembled in her anger. "We get used, abused, refused and tossed away…"

Electric sparked around them as her anger rose.

"I hate it. So much. And we can't do anything about it!"

'Do you require assistance?' Gaara voice echoed loudly and commandingly.

Naruto spoke up, feeling her pissed off emotions from far off. 'What's wrong, 'ttebayo?!'

'There are only two to four Jinchuuriki left.' Neji replied to them swiftly. 'We've found out Akatsuki's goals and we have Orochimaru's Akatsuki ring as well.'

'WHAT?!'

'Neji. You're going to take me somewhere and you will screw my brains out so I don't have to think of this anymore, got it?' Richochet stared at him intensely. 'Fuck me. So much so that I scream.'

How the hell could he deny his wife that?

"As you wish."

Grabbing her, Neji quickly took off with her.

R¬NR¬NR¬NR¬N

Okay, gots ta point out - I made Naruto's element Water. I always felt he was a water type for some reason. He's the exact opposite of the fire fox Kyuubi, so it fits in my mind. Things are starting to heat up, ah? It is following the manga still like before, but it will deviate from the true cannon for my fic. Don't ya just love fanfiction?

Ten Words?

Well... Um. Ah, no. This time we're having an interlude. Naruto and Richochet talk about their time on the road!

Let's see what laughs I can make. Love you guys for reviewing so far!

Ja ne, tomodachi-san's!

R.