Chapter 13

Shadow-Man

"Man stands in his own Shadow and wonders why it is dark."

-Zen Proverb.

Deep in the cells under the compound, pale lavender tinted eyes stared at a small wriggling bundle with something almost akin to joy in those pupil-less orbs.

Hinata watched carefully as the mouse baby wriggled playfully under her fur cloak as she listened for the occasional foot steps of any guards passing through. Though she had been extremely hesitant about taking the small mouse into her care, she had come to realize how fortunate she really was. He may not be able to talk yet, but it still beat being alone in a damp moldy prison cell under a hundred feet of sand and rock. smiling to herself, the ex-Hyuuga heiress stood to her aching feet and gently walked over to the giant scroll which was bound to her by blood.

She felt tears hit her eyes when she thought about all of those she had been to late to save, Kimoko-san, her mate and their children, many of the mice. The list went on she was sure.

Feeling hungry and knowing Yakennonokarasu was getting weaker and weaker with the lack of food as well kept the raven haired girls mood at a all time low. Though considered an adult konoichi wise, she was still but a child anywhere else and it frustrated her to know she was way above her head in this. With a small sigh she looked down at the small mouse as he suddenly gripped the fur cloak in his toothless mouth and pulled it further from her grasp. With a hard suckle he tried to wring amounts of non-existent liquid from the coarse fur and gave a muffled snort of hunger and anger when it didn't give him the results that he wanted as he looked up with his big pink eyes to her own tinted lavender.

Those eyes somehow reminded her of Naru and Lee. She longed to see her friends again and worried for their safety, Naru because she was forced to fight and Lee because she had heard nothing about him being captured or not, though she had a feeling he had been. Both of those two had care-free attitudes and the will to use them against others, something that she would find herself wishing for in the dark hours of the night. Hinata sighed as a smooth pair of footsteps walked up calmly to her door. The heavy sound of the rusty latch being lifted was deafening in the sudden stillness of the room as both she and Yakennonokarasu froze and stared at the door in confusion. There burned in the crack of the door hung a shadow in sharp relief.

Her pupil-less eyes strained forward trying to see who had come to them in their moment of solitude but it didn't work. Even if she could activate the Byakugan it wouldn't show who it was, just a shining blue mass of intricate chakra pathways to her eyes alone. Suddenly a feeling of melancholy hit the ivory girl. If only she had one of her older ex-clan members here with her, they all had trained for years to be able to master their visual justu. well it wouldn't hurt to have even one member of family here with me.. Even if they all seem to hate me., They would at least try to get themselves to safety and I could just follow them to a point. the striking light from the outside of the door burned Hinata's eyes instantly as she felt Yakennonokarasu burrow deeper into her side also trying to escape the light.

Her voice, cracked from disuse and lack of moisture, sputtered weakly from her lips, "whose there?" hunger may have weakened her but by lady luck she would still fight to the death if she had too, which at this point was the last ditch option.

A smooth chuckle reverberated oily from behind the darkness as a man stepped forward into her cell. Instantly she felt scared and uncomfortable in his presence. His chalky pale skin practically glowed in what little light found its way around them as his dark eyes glittered in a fevered madness. One of those brutish guards carried something over its shoulder as it walked past the man and closer to her. With a heave that made Hinata want to turn to see what it was that he had tossed down, the guard had once more stepped back outside with a foreign quickness that belayed the lumbering structure of the grotesque abomination.

Still chuckling, the man gave the tiniest of waves before walking back out in to the hall, the shutting of the door was only second loudest next to the shrill scream of a rusted latch being locked once more.

Shaking slightly, Hinata turned her head to the right until she could see the outline of a shape laying carelessly on the ground. With unsteady moves she crawled closer, praying mentally that it was something to eat but not getting her hopes up. Her body protested the movement as she slid across the freezing floor, muscles wanting to stay still after remaining tensed for so long ached harshly in a mockery of a rhythm as she gently touched something material.

It moved in what she could only describe as surprise. Hinata suddenly realized that she was on her back and staring right into a pair of round black eyes that seemed to burn. Her thraot rasped as she whispered, "Lee?". those black eyes narrowed before leaning in closer until the fire burned once more in them, this time from recognition.

"Hinata-chan. What are you doing here?"

Kami she wanted too cry. They had gotten her friends, people she felt she loved even more then her own family. No, Hinata wanted to cry in anger. The rage was something so foreign that it took her a moment to understand what was happening. Her eyes stung from repressed tears as she threw herself onto her lithe friend.

Instantly she clenched her eyes shut as she babbled incoherently to Lee's shoulder, glad that even though they were in what seemed like hell, they had each other.

Lee moved rough hands over her back in comforting circles as her heart bled slowly. He may seem like an idiot most of the time, but even he knew that when the torment became too much, one needed to drain the sorrow and helplessness out of their life like poison from a wound.

Sniffling silently, Hinata lifted her head from the damp spot and looked into her friends face. A sudden realization hit her then. He seemed different.. His hair was longer and more unruly as it comically still maintained its bowl cut form somewhat. His skin which had been a darker ivory before she left Konoha was now a healthy, glowing peach color that complemented his love for green very well. But for these changes came the darker understanding. His once loose clothing fit his form to the point of bulging in some places as it hung by tatters and shreds.

Up on his brow nearly hidden by the dark mass of his hair was a bright red scar that seemed to poof out from his hairline. It was still too dark to see if he was injured anywhere else. Black eyes showed humor and steel control deep within their depths as he stared back at her calmly.

His voice rumbled weakly as he sat up straighter, " are you okay now?" concern coloring that light voice.

Nodding her head, Hinata was pulled away from Lee as a small tug grabbed her hand. Looking down she smiled at her summons as it tried to separate them both from each other. The small movement though incited Lee's natural curiosity and before she knew it, she was telling him about her new partner.

"he's really big. Are they supposed to be this big at such a young age?"

Hinata smiled at Lee's question and said, "actually, Yakennonokarasu is the runt of the litter. He will get much bigger as he matures and who knows maybe it will be enough to show his strength."

Lee grinned before becoming pensive, "do you know what abilities he has?"

Hinata shook her head, "No, but they might manifest themselves before he reaches full adolescence." biting her lip, she stared at the summons animal. "he's only a few months old anyways. It will be a while before he even starts speaking let alone fighting with me in battle."

The two stared at the adorable mouse infant as its bright pink eyes watched them both. It didn't trust the boy so close to his partner yet. With a smile, both children shinobi talked a little more before the cold cell and natural weariness forced them asleep.

0-0-0-0-0

In a pagoda surrounded by dark fabrics and wealth, The Shadow watched the fights taking place in the arena below, contemplating his newest question.

On one hand, he held the biggest crime syndicate this side of Kumo and on the other, three small children barely clearing nine. He had no doubts that by now Konoha had gotten word of their missing shinobi, things seemed to be going as planned. His hands clenched under his sleeves, and yet now he had several kids who he needed to do away with.

The Uzumaki he could keep for a few years. Her skills of manipulation and fighting would prove useful so long as she was rightly tethered by his side. The other two, well he could always use more arena fodder.

A low chuckle burst forth from the shadows chest as he waved a man over from the back. " bring to me the Hyuuga and the one they call Rock Lee from their cell to me." he turned to look into the terrified servants eyes, "make sure they are unharmed when they are brought before me."

The man, middle aged with many wrinkles and thinning grey hair, shook in fear as he faced the one he was forced to call lord. The lord of death and shadows, a paupers gambit made to strike terror in the hearts of honest folk.

The man shivered but ran to do as bid, this was his reality no and nothing he knew could change that, it was a lesson learned through blood. Even now he could feel the phantom ache where the barbed lash had split his skin into hanging ribbons of red, long since healed but forever raised as a reminder that his life was worth nothing to the man sitting on his pretentious throne.

With a heavy heart he walked down to the cells, sadness and guilt rolled heavily off of him, but in the end he would rather sacrifice three children to save his one skin. To him that was simply the way of life.

0-0-0-0-0

Hinata gave out a laugh as she watched Yakennonokarasu craftily sneak up on Lee before giving him a sneaky bite to the nose.

She knew it was extremely rude and if she was back at Hyuuga compound, she would have already been punished, but to see her hyper friend rolling around on the cold stone floors with her summons securely hanging on as they flailed around, was to great an opportunity to squander.

"Hinata-chan help me out will ya. Your little monstrosity has one hell of a grip." Lee's exclamation boomed of the walls, mingling well with her smothered giggles. "stop laughing Hinata-chan!"

And the day was going so well too. her thoughts sighed out. "don't worry L-?"

A rattling from the door cut her off mid-sentence. The door rumbled out in agony before the profile of a scrawny servant peaked out at the two children shinobi.

The servant man coughed loudly before addressing the two, "Milord has requested the two of you to be brought out before him." his voice was shaky and thick sounding, as if he was unused to speaking. It freaked them out just a bit as Hinata looked over to Lee. Both came to an unspoken decision and calmly got up from the floor before walking over to the door.

Swiftly, Yakennonokarasu fumbled across the floor until he reached Hinata and dug his tiny claws into her leg as he climbed up to hide under her wolf cloak.

Lee, who had been watching the small show of trust, smiled and started to walk in front of his friend and new partner. He would protect both of them and do his duty by them diligently.

Hinata walked behind her friend as she carried the mouse infant under her cloak. Though she accepted his help, she couldn't help but be slightly peeved at Lee's part of feeling she was unable to protect herself and her new partner from danger. She conveniently left out the part that she was weakened very severely by starvation and exhaustion.

Stomping along, Hinata silently admired her surroundings.

Plain stone walls slowly transformed into neat mosaics and tapestry covered halls as the small group walked towards the masters room. Little alcoves set into the walls housed ornate statues and beautiful weapons set in glass covered cases. With every few meters, a guard stood stiffly to attention as they stared blankly at a spot in front of them, not even paying attention to the small group that walked by them.

Looking ahead, Hinata saw Lee stiffen as he moved towards the end of a new tunnel. Even she, a ex-heiress to a very wealthy and prominent clan, had to smother a gasp of awe.

The place was filed to the point of bursting with gilded walls, paintings of battles and carved columns depicting scenes out of legend. Gold and jewels dripped from every available space as wall sconces made from polished silver shone blindingly with light from their lit tops. The floors were expertly covered with rich rugs in colors of red and gold's.

At the end of the hallway stood a beautiful door, sound in its simplicity with only a few carved designs spread over its polished surface. Its handle looked to be covered in some type of plating. But for all it looked normal, Hinata knew it held a darkness behind its plain exterior.

A solid knock echoed out from the hall as the servant man bowed to the floor in submission. It took a few minutes before he lifted up his hand to the doorknob and opened the door.

The man cleared his throat before announcing, "Master, the two children you have requested an audience with, have arrived."

A silky smooth voice, like dark chocolate presented on satin cloth, rang out from deep within the chamber, 'good, very good. Send them in."

Hinata gave out a small gasp of surprise when she felt someone push her into the room. Once she managed to keep from falling, she turned her pupil-less eyes on the innocent looking mans form with a glare. Fire burned in her belly when the man, almost three times her age, glared back with his tongue sticking out from his mouth.

Suddenly, the man was coughing up red as he held his mouth. A formless scream bubbled up from the depths as both Hinata and Lee watched with eyes widened in horror. A small pink shape laid innocently on the rug covered ground as a small puddle of blood formed around it. A dark clothed man, lithe and dangerous like a predator, walked over to the now kneeling servant whose eyes were glossed over in immense pain.

The new man stopped mere inches from the servant who was petrified as blood spilled from his hand covered mouth.

"now now, this is not how we treat guests is it? Maybe I'm mistaken but, you do serve me, yes." the servant man quickly nodded his head and made weird mumbling, gasping sounds as tears leaked from his eyes as the 'Master' simply smiled serenely. "what's the matter…you seem to be have some difficulties speaking, my friend. Could it be that you finally understand the value of keeping your peace and a civil tongue inside your head."

A silky chuckle was loosed from his mouth as the Master watched his now mute servant fumble for his tongue. The look of his servant being punished amused him immensely, but he had other things to do, such as assess the two children who stood shaking in his presence from the fear and horror.

Looking back at his servant, the Master smirked arrogantly before looking at one of the guards who stood behind the mute man, "take him away, the sight of him offends me."

Everyone present stood in silence as the garbled sounds of fear and agony faded away.

Hinata looked over at her friend with eyes that shined with disgust. Shaking in rage, Lee gave her a slight nod that showed he was just as disturbed by what he had witnessed. Turning back to the front, Hinata gave her best 'I'm a Hyuuga and therefore, I'm better then you' look as the Master motioned for several beautiful women to come out and set a table. She would have to play this game as well as Naru would have because there was no room for error.

"well now that that's settled, come and sit down. May I interest you in some food and drinks?"

Hinata paused before forcing her most icy façade to the surface. so it begins, she thought. "why yes that would be lovely," she forced a smile at the smooth man, "what a lovely place you have, sir."

Lee, who was sitting beside her, looked at her as if she was insane. Didn't she just witness the atrocity of a man getting his tongue sliced off. What in the name of all that is youthful was she doing complementing a despicable man on his interior decorating.

The Shadow gave a odd look at Hinata but she could have cared less. She was going to give the best performance of her short life and deep inside her, she knew both Anko and Naru would have been proud of her.

Lee gave a small cough before asking, "sir, if I may ask…why the hell are we here and what the hell do plan to do with us?!" well it sounded better in his head.

The Shadow gave an incredulous look at the green spandex wearing boy as he dared to question him. He grinned, the boy would have ball made of steel…when they actually dropped that is. No matter, he would give the boy his answer, after all, they were children. What's the worst they could do.

"you have been honored."

Lee gave a snort of confusion, "Honored? What is that supposed to mean?"

The Shadow smirked, "you have been brought here to serve me in a awesome way. By enlisting in this ones army, you all will sacrifice the lands of the elements in order to unite them all. Do you understand what this means…no more wars, no more divisions, no more shattered loyalties. All the land will become one, united under a strong rule…my rule." he carefully bit into a piece of breaded fish.

Both Hinata and Lee couldn't help the look of shock that came over their faces. This man was insane if he thought he could use an army to take down the shinobi nations. And what was this crock of bull he was trying to put into effect?

Lee shuddered, but stared fiercely at the shadow, "you're mad."

Suddenly, the table and food was flung viscously towards the left as the Shadow threw himself up from his seat, a cloud of mad rage twisted his handsome features as he roared, "I am not mad! You shinobi are so set in your ways of hatred that you fail to acknowledge your own betters. This is why you will fall, not me nor my army but you." physically fighting for control, The Shadow breathed deeply for a few moments, "Besides - you will never be able to escape, at least not without leaving some behind."

With a cautious eye, Hinata looked directly at The Shadow, his words striking something deep within her and it put her on edge.

Her voice was weak but persistent as she stared into those dark eyes lit with madness, " what do you mean by that?" she said.

Stalking closer to the small girl, the Shadow clawed her arm in a vice like grip as he hauled her forward, the hurried sounds of those following were strangely comforting.

With a careful look at her surroundings, Hinata almost didn't have time to react before she was thrown towards a opening in the wall.

Though not afraid of heights, even she was unnerved by the steep drop. She could see the bottom of what look like an arena and some type of rusty splattering in the middle, she shuddered at what she knew it was. Two people seemed to be battling it out down below as stands and stands of patrons cheered or booed in equal measures. Hinata, shocked, looked back at the Shadow as he sat on a richly decorated chair, enjoyment written on his face as clear as day.

"who are they?" she asked.

The Shadow silently looked at the pale eyed girl, his thoughts wandering as he pondered what she asked.

"the ones on the ground, are but two of my growing militia. They are cast-away of society; some were murderers, thieves, bogies that hid in the darkest reaches of the night. Others would have been ordinary people; a few craftsmen, some artists, builders, and one or two soldiers and shinobi." his voice was mellow as he watched her, "does that answer your question, little one?"

Hinata was just about to shake her head when she was suddenly picked up and slung roughly over a thick, meaty shoulder. Looking over she quickly noticed that Lee was also in the same predicament.

Lee's voice was rough as he glared at the now smirking Shadow, "what is the meaning of this?" he growled out.

The Shadow laughed easily as he watched the two struggling children, "move them to the arena cell and give those there my regards. As for you two, I expect to see you in a few days time. Until we meet again."

The fading chuckle haunted both of them as the were escorted from view.

0-0-0-0-0

The Shadow chuckled as he watched both children being escorted away.

He was a dangerous man, it was something he had never tried to hide from others but rather showed them slightly diluted versions of his true being. In his mind, he was supreme, the one with all the weapons and the best fighters, the one who was destined to rule all.

His hands clenched tightly though his face remained impassive as he watched one of his little sluts, her pretty raven hair and burning grey eyes enticing him as she cleaned the spilt food from the turned over table. Even after all these years, his insidious mind could still conjure her name as though she had never truly left the dark confines of his conscience, Jinja, the woman who was as evil as him.

He remembered when she had found him, alone and broken, barely hanging on to whatever remained of his life and sanity.

He was dieing slowly, a kunai buried just inches away from his heart, courteously of a chakra infused stab from an assassin. It was not something new as he was the son of a daimyo, many years had faded the knowledge of where he was from, but he remembered that.

He had only been a child, not even twelve when his life lost meaning, when the betrayal and pain killed off what little heart he still had at such a tender age. He could remember that night when they attacked.

The Shadow shut his eyes, back in his mind too the night it happened.

flashback

It was dark and quiet as a small boy flittered down the darkened hallways of his shiro, not a soul insight as he played a game all his own.

He shivered as the cold air crept up on him. He knew that if he was caught now, his father would know he had left his bed and would be very angry at him, but he could care less. He was twelve now, basically a man and as such, was entitled to certain rights, such as staying up for another hour or two.

He had just taken another turn onto a different hallway, when the sound of a paper screen being snapped shut alerted him of someone's presence. With smooth, practiced steps, something his sensei had practically beaten into him, the boy crept closer to the screen and fought to keep his brows down.

Why were there people in his fathers study?

Curious now more then ever, the boy lifted shaking hands to the screen and opened it just enough that he could see into the lighted room without showing everyone he was there.

Within the room, he saw a man dressed all in black from head to toe, leaving only his eyes uncovered as he stood before his father. Even at such a young age, the boy felt pride at looking at his strong father, who as always, was dressed immaculately in burning colors of fiery yellows and rich and plush red velvet robes. His father illuminated the study as he studied the other man, his voice deep and lyrical as he said, "why have you come?"

"to finish what has to be done." the oddly soft voice of the stranger said.

Suddenly the boy screamed as he watched his father stumble backwards until he hit the large teak desk, knocking important documents to the floor. A kunai was firmly seated in the toned belly of his father, nearly unnoticeable save for the puddle of red that stained the once crisp yellow of his outfit. Black eyes, so much like his own, turned darker as that once beautiful inner light, faded silently away. His fathers last words ringing in his ears, as loud as a gonging noise even though they had been whispered softly at that time.

"Run!"

Fumbling to get too his feet, the boy screamed for help, none came.

He raced to the entrance hall and came face to face with a massacre. Crimson pools spread over marble floors as they leaked slowly out of the one staff of his family. Maids, butlers, vassals all laid together on the cold ground, and if it wasn't for the blood, he would have thought them to be taking a community nap on the ground. With a silent scream, he moved on, instinctively knowing that the black covered man was toying with him.

He ran on, his bare feet slapping the floor as he raced towards his parents rooms, hoping beyond hope that there was someone there for him.

There! He raced at the door and slammed it open and froze. The room was empty. Scared and confused, he ventured in further, not seeing anyone. Normally, his mother would have been laying in the large futon, a novel clutched firmly in her ivory covered hands as her bright green eyes would flirt along the pages, but she wasn't there.

Opening doors, he would find them empty until one remained. Shaking hands turned the knob and braced. The smell of iron permeated this room as the boy felt the strength leave his body. His mother, his beautiful mother, was lying amongst a tiny crib that had held his newest sister.

His mother had decided, he thought, to wear her bright blue sleeping gown to bed this night. It made her look heavenly, like a misguided angel, lost among these mortal worlds. Her sharp and sweet honey smelling hair was left out of its bun in a black mass that reached her lower back in curls. Pale, ivory skin was whiter and colder then fallen snow as dark purple bruises framed that swans neck. He felt anger at those marks, they had no business on her person. Crawling forward he gently brushed fingers at them, trying to rub them off as if they were spilt ink but knowing that they would stay there.

Looking over at his sister, he felt nothing but grief.

She was only a few days old, wasn't even named yet, and now she lay in his mothers frozen embrace, peaceful as if she slept. She had their mothers green eyes and their fathers brown hair and lightly tanned skin, she would have only grown more beautiful if she had lived. He wanted to call her Hana ~ Flower, something so precious and pure that he wanted her name to reflect what she was.

Along her neck he looked, but found no trace of bruises, instead a small hole, not unlike a mosquito bite burned red against her chilly skin.

It would be many years later before he found out the type of poison the assassin had killed his sister with.

Nearly silent footsteps padded into the room as the murderer walked closer. His eyes showed nothing when they looked upon him and yet the boy knew, they were thinking of the best way to dispose of the body.

His throat burned with tears as he looked up at the man, "why?" crystalline tears glittered in the palest form of light.

The man didn't flinch, didn't move, just stared in silent…something.

"Because I was ordered too." the man looked back at the mother and child in embrace before looking back to him, "if it eases your mind…I did not want too kill them. I don't want too kill you either. I made sure they did not see me coming, and made sure they died fast and without too much pain, they suffered for only a moment."

The boy cried harder as the man came closer, "we have guards." he said, "they will come to check up on us."

The man just sighed. It was in that moment that the boy knew he was next and that no-one was going to come and save him. "will it hurt?" he asked, his twelve year old brain needed to know.

"yes. But not for long. It will fade."

"will I see my family again?" he asked.

"I do not know…I am sorry…we will never meet again. Goodbye."

A scream, so loud and long, shattered the still night air as a sobbing boy curled in a ball. His body burned and yet felt cold. A darkened kunai, much like the one buried in his father, stuck up from him next to his heart, red ran in rivers down his boyish chest.

Two feet moved closer, before a face appeared next to his. "I will tell you, my name is…Itami. I fell that this is what you shall want before you leave this realm…we will never meet again, little shadow."

And then he was gone.

The boy felt the darkness creep amongst his vision as his body started to shut down, "Shadow…is that what…I …am…nothing but…Shadow…mother…father, Hana…forgive…me…I wasn't strong…enough to protect…you…forgive…..me…" then he knew shadow.

Flashback over

A hand on his shoulder, made him shoot straight up from his seat, a slap ringing out as he found his voice, "Leave me!"

The small servant raced from his sight as he stared back towards his beloved, Jinja, his angel. She had found him a few hours away from deaths door, raised him and loved him. It didn't matter to him that she was twice his age or that she burned with hate for the world, she loved him and in that, he loved her.

"lets retire for the night…I need…you ." he rushed from the chair and heard his beloved following right behind him.

For better or for worse, he was hers and she was his.

0-0-0-0-0

Hinata laid complacently as her mind tried to unravel the mystery surrounding this place, that man, even themselves.

There was something familiar about the Shadow though, something burning a hole in her brain with its intensity as she tried to recall what it was about him that sparked these thoughts. A yelp made the girl turn her head and narrow her eyes at the sight…her friend Lee was being squeezed by that ham-handed Guard as if he was some poor sack of rice and therefore not important enough for some decency.

Raised to be prim and proper as would benefit her station in life and in her clan, such animalistic cruelty, as what she was witness to today, was causing her to feel sick, angry, and emotionally unstable - something that was uncharacteristic for a Hyuuga, even if she really wasn't considered one anymore.

For a few moments in time, she simply stared at her friend before another yelp, this one far louder and more painful sounding, caused her to do something out of her element, she yelled.

"Hey, get your ugly hands off him." okay, not the greatest of insults, but hey, she was still kind of knew to this whole attitude adjustment - thing, she was apparently going through, had to cut some slack.

Lee gave an almost playful roll of the eyes as he stared at his friend, "Ugly hands, huh." his voice carried amusement.

"shut it!"

A soft laughter, very different from his normal, boisterous one, reached her ears as the two Guards opened up a large metal gate. Both shinobi had a few seconds where they felt weightless before the ground kissed them happily as a wakeup call. A harsh screeching rang through the air before it dissolved in a moment, a locking sound followed soon after.

Hinata pushed herself off the ground and held herself steady, not entirely sure she was strong enough to remain standing on her own. starvation really was a bitch it seemed.

She grimaced at the casual use of profanity, something she had unconsciously picked up from Naru, even if they were in her own mind, it still seemed like she was defiling a unwritten - but none the less sacred rule of being a lady.

A sense of being watched threw her for a loop as Hinata looked around. There, in the shadows, people.

A feeling of anger flared a temper she felt was becoming more prevalent within her as she stared hard at those hiding away from the little light available.

They were gaunt, and sickly looking. Half-starved and, to some, half-mad as they watched both Lee and herself. Most wore some type of pitiful armor and had little to no hair on them. Their eyes seemed glossed over in hopelessness.

"move out of my way, shoo now, nothing to see here." on, we've all seen new arrivals before and know it doesn't do them any good to be stared at like bento from a starving man."

Hinata and Lee watched as a curvaceous woman in the same outfit as the others, walked up to them.

She was beautiful. The mischievous look of the unknown lady was only enhanced by the silkiness of her voice. Hinata thought she had to have been a cat in her last life. Though most would consider them plain, both children could easily agree that her big, glittering brown eyes were her greatest feature. They held vast amounts of passion, hate, kindness and pity all illuminated by a great inner fire. To them, she was very human, a perfectly imperfect creature.

0-0-0-0-0

With a frown on her plump lips, Hana beat the red-hot metal with a vengeance.

Oh, she hated that brat who called himself a shadow, almost as much as she hated that manipulate bitch he kept by his side. Now she knew she was a bitch as well: would gladly call herself that any day of the kami graced week, but something about that woman…was off.

She was empty, the only thing close to emotion she had ever witnessed on that witches face, was a softening of the eyes towards that Shadow. Even that seemed rare.

Hana placed the thin piece of metal in a small bucket of water and smiled lightly when the resounding hiss filled the normally heavy air.

She was just wiping her hands on a ratty piece of cloth, when she heard a commotion from up further in the cage. I wonder why they are opening up the gates? There wasn't supposed to be anyone fighting from this prison today, so that leaves out a returnee, maybe it's a newcomer. Hm, this leaves much to be desired. I had better check this out. her thoughts finished, she walked towards the front of their hell, passing by an interested Yoh and Naru as they played a game of poker.

She smiled lightly when she looked at the child who had become so much like the one she would never have.

Sometimes, in the dead of night, she liked to imagine that she hadn't been placed here and that she and Yoh with Naru were all just a big family.

It was a harsh dream.

Here footsteps echoed lightly as she walked amongst the broken, the despaired and the lonely. She pushed those in her way, to the side as she moved forward. Silently Hana cursed her natural curiosity, it was nothing to her but trouble.

Oh well, what could she do about it.

Her big, brown eyes snapped in annoyance as two more fighters stepped in her way. Her heavy fists smacked both men away from her in practiced ease. Though those two were thin and extremely malnourished, they rolled away from the hits with wary vibrancy. Hana pitied them.

"move out of my way, shoo now, nothing to see here." she loved her loud voice. It was just the thing she ever needed to make crowds of idiots flow away from her. Hana was close enough to see what had gathered everyone's attention. huh, children. Why are there more children here?

Quickly shaking herself out of her stupor, Hana assessed the situation at hand, and didn't like where her thoughts were taking her. The only thing she knew for certain was that The Shadow Man had a hand in this cluster-fuck.

She sucked in a breath and said, " we've all seen new arrivals before and know it doesn't do them any good to be stared at like bento from a starving man."

The eyes of the sick and mad, the broken, looked back at the older women. They stared her down with anger and pity in the gazes. Weighing the experienced fighter, up and down, before slithering back into the shadows of the cage. Those children weren't worth the trouble.

Hana grunted before looking back at the children. Both were in dire need of a bath and new clothing. The tiny female looked more than halfway starved, the male seemed to have had the ever loving shit beat out of him. Something shivered in the torn clothes of the female. Hana sighed, things always seemed to go wrong on her shifts.

Brown eyes glanced broadly over the two kids, her lips thinned in concentration as the sounds of arena life started up. From experience, Hana knew the sun would be up in a few hours yet, which meant the poor saps from some of the other cages would be moving around for their duties. Damn, she only had a few hours to make something happen, but what?

Hana grunted softly, "follow me."

Both child shinobi shared a look. Communicating without words was something all three of the friends shared in common. In fact it was a requirement for when the had been trained in Anbu, and something they all shared a great proficiency with.

Lee looked over to his shorter companion. He never wanted her to go through the pain and isolation of the last few weeks ever again. He held anger, mostly towards himself, for being too weak to properly defend the two most important people in his life. He vowed in his mind in that moment to never be this weak again. The helpless feeling was something he himself loathed and riled against.

Hana grinned sadly.

These child soldiers made her cold heart clench. She was never a maternal woman, never wanted to be. The life she cloaked herself in was not one of gentle understandings and for all it hurt to know her body may never bare the brunt of children, she knew any child of hers would only make things difficult for the goals of her once darkened youth.

She often joked to herself that her body and heart were as callused as the hands that forged such wondrous steel and metals of war.

Hana laughed silently. Things in life always turned out for the worst, when she seemed to be involved. Her lips twitched. "so be it."

0-0-0-0-0

As she led the two shinobi deeper into the confines of the cage, Hana softly spoke of what was to pass.

"so we are basically trapped here, with a limited amount of time before the dam breaks. How unyouthful!"

Brows twitched in annoyance. Naru seemed to have forgotten to mention that her bushy-browed friend here was loud and energetic to boot. She silently cursed the little she-witch.

Hana's brown eyes snapped over to the forge like space with a careful glance. One could never be too careful with tempered metals and several unfinished prototypes for new arena armor and weaponry. She smiled lightly when she saw Naru and Yoh both standing by the rough looking anvil. She narrowed those brown orbs when she saw something etched into the side. This would need to be investigated, but not right now, now she had bigger fish to fry and she mentally grimaced at all the explaining that would need to be done before the next matches.

She just couldn't get a break.

0-0-0-0-0

Yoh watched lazily over the three emotionally and physically exhausted children. She had once been a konoichi, and knew of the hardships of shinobi life. For these three younglings to have crossed hundreds of miles in between themselves to somehow make it back to each other alive and relatively unharmed, was nothing short of a miracle. If she was a praying woman, she would have cried.

She could see the teamwork and unity in all of them and knew, without a shadow of a doubt, they would make one hell of a team.

Her heart clenched in both wonder and pity. This was not the way they should have forged such a bond. And yet, she could think of no better way for this to have happened.

The round of screaming, hugging, crying - she cursed that loud boy, his cries probably alerted the gods with that racket - and snot filled promises and "sorrow" was so sweet, it made her teeth ache. Though they had only been separated for a short time. It had passed like an eternity.

Yoh grinned at Hana, her new partner in crime, in silent victory when the three children had finally passed out. Both women had been down right flabbergasted at the tale told by lee and Hinata.

Hana grinned at the softest brush of fur against her wrist, the little mouse baby was the cutest thing she had ever seen. She was shocked at how easily he had blended into the ever dark cell, almost like velvet darkness himself. The blacksmith was extremely thankful for this as she didn't fancy a meeting with one of their wardens lapdogs over the oversized ball of cute.

Still they would need to be even more cautious with the escape plane. Extra people tended to make things more difficult in the long run, especially when stealth and secrecy were the main themes. She and that woman, Yoh, had more things to worry about than was healthy, adding more was not wise but needed. For the sake of a future, they would handle the extra burdens.