A/N: Thank you again for the ongoing support. Thank you to cathyscloud9 for the reviews- I hope you're still enjoying it :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This story is purely a work of fanfiction.

Nina- is my original character (I do own her)


Chapter 88


Nina charged at Kakashi and he executed a manoeuvre that had her slamming onto the flat of her back. Now!

Nina struggled against his hold but found herself pinned heavily by not only Kakashi but the hands of several of his shadow clones that had been concealed beneath the surface.

"You cheated."

There was little weight in her words, in fact she was smirking in between her breathy grunts that almost sounded like laughter.

"Ninja."

His play hadn't come unexpected, he was known for his use of shadow clones to conceal the real him from underneath. This time it had been the reverse. What Nina hadn't anticipated was how all her gusto and anger had suddenly left her. Leaving her with a familiar urge for playful banter and disregard for the copious amount of spectators.

Kakashi was aware of the depletion in her attempt to break free. Nina had softened but he couldn't afford her the benefit of the doubt and kept his hold unyielding with a kunai pressed millimetres from her throat.

"Admit it."

His words would be both muffled and disguised from lip-readers due to his mask.

Nina found herself tensing under his words. Mindful to keep the movement of her lips minimal in order to prevent anyone reading their conversation.

"Admit what?"

He pressed the kunai closer, sinking the weight of his true self against her body further and boring his sharingan into hers, which darted back and forth in denial.

"I was just a…"

"No you weren't and you know it."

"How?" Nina's anger resurfaced. She had very little chakra left and it needed to be preserved for her last move. "How am I supposed to believe you?"

"I've never lied, Nina. I told you that." Kakashi knew he was on borrowed time and on the last amounts of Nina's patience. "Do you want a new agreement or not?"

Nina's heart simultaneously skipped a beat and sunk. Not only had he brazenly called her bluff, additionally he'd shredded any of her possible verbal comebacks to attest that any of what had transpired had been debased and false.

He watched closely as Nina's eyes scrunched shut. He waited for her reply. No, he was damn near begging for her reply. He felt and observed with his sharingan as her every muscle relaxed, bit by bit until her eyes opened ever so slowly. And smeared on her face wasn't forgiveness, desire or even relent. No, there was a blunt, sly, almost pompous smirk curling Nina's lips. An icy chill ran down his spine.

Fuck. He'd underestimated the kunoichi.


"Call the match Shik… hang on."

From the side of what remained of the stand they'd been seated on, wobbled Shikaku. The heels of his palms rubbing and pushing into his eyes.

Jiraiya swung his arm out halting a still very groggy Shikaku. Nina had drugged Shikaku before the mission. If this was the real one then it was easy to assume that the one that was standing just off to the pair of shinobi currently was none other than a mere clone of …

"What's the big idea, Jiraiya? I'm the Fifth-"

"This is the real Shikaku. The match isn't over."

Tsunade stopped glaring at the intervening Sage and followed his gaze to the pair of shinobi and… How did she miss such a thing? Well, well, well. She'd been right to bet on Nina.


In one swift motion, Nina used all but the last of her chakra to disperse the shadow clones from below and lurched upward towards Kakashi.

Keeping the blade of the kunai at her throat Kakashi flinched upon realising she'd one-upped him even further than he'd expected. The blade sunk into her flesh and he promptly withdrew the blade.

He'd hastily assumed Shikaku had been the real Nina all along and what he'd been fighting was in fact a clone given the wounds he'd already inflicted were superficial. No. He was wrong.

In his disbelief, Nina took full advantage kicking out one foot of her clone, which had been disguised as Shikaku, causing Kakashi to bungle backwards. Allowing Nina and her clone to hold a kunai each to either side of his throat.

Kakashi hung his head in defeat.


"What are you waiting for Shikaku? Get in there and call that match before she..."

Shikaku disappeared and reappeared grasping Nina's and her clone's wrists.

"Nina is the winner of this match. Please perform the unison seal."

Nina's clone popped and she took a step back, which enabled Kakashi to find his feet. Nina was still churning on Kakashi's question and she turned her back on him.

"Nina. You're here to set an example. Perform the unison seal."

Kakashi observed how Nina's fists clenched as she reluctantly turned and gave a haphazard unison seal without eye contact. She no sooner touched him and she disappeared in a flurry of leaves. He collapsed down to one knee, exhausted from the fight.


Jiraiya tapped the book on the shoulder of the copy-nin. "Here, this is yours."

"Uh thanks."

Kakashi staggered to his feet and was quickly assisted by Guy. Jiraiya watched as he limped away. And here the village thought Naruto was the number-one unpredictable ninja. Nina had just smoked him on that title. Her move had been dastardly underhanded but then again, what was it that they said… all is fair in love and war. Or something like that.

Now all that was left was to seek out the once bitten, twice shy kunoichi and find out what on earth was going through that brain of hers. More importantly, her heart.