AN: This concludes the prologue chapters. From here on out they'll be longer and the real story can start. But first, a different POV…

They were the perfect duo to infiltrate Kumogakure.

The clouds created much cover, allowing the giant form to move between the landscape undetected. The mountains trembled and loose rocks tumbled into the river below. A giant claw gouged a cliffside, coming out from a drifting cloud.

"The village is close. Let's walk from here."

The claw shrunk then disappeared from view. Then two individuals casually stepped out along a trail.

They wore black hooded cloaks, and on the back was a white wing pattern: simple in design with spirals below the shoulders. It was a man and a woman. The man had outgrown black hair and slitted eyes that were snake-like, not unlike a certain Sannin. His headband belonged to the Hidden Grass, with a cut through it symbolizing his status as a rogue ninja. He was smiling. The woman had yellow eyes and blonde hair in viking braids. Her headband showed she was once a ninja from the Hidden Cloud, and she looked more serious than her partner.

"Back home, huh…"

"Is the nostalgia hitting yet?" The man asked.

"Let's not linger. We'll complete the mission and go." The woman was calm.

Prologue - The Akatsuki Branch

I was one week into my final year at the Academy. I hoped it was my final year.

Sometimes students failed their graduation exam. Just as common: three-man squads failed their initiation tests right afterwards and got rejected by their jōnin. It was made clear to me that I must not fail the graduation exam. In the holidays I'd trained every day with Uncle, Grandma and other adult clansmen. I was finally showing progress, but not enough to satisfy the high expectations put upon me.

Two relatives a little older than me came to mind. Enodate was the same age as my sister, and he'd outright refused to be a ninja. His father had died on a mission, and that was probably why he'd defied expectations and become a civilian, working as an assistant in his mother's shop instead. His younger sister was a couple years older than me and in a genin team. They had a cousin, Dotsuka, who'd been dropped from the ninja program when it became clear he was a pacifist. Even if we were a ninja clan, it didn't mean we were all born to be ninja. No matter what, Dotsuka could not be trained to hurt another person. It wasn't in him.

While the likes of Grandma and Uncle would disapprove of those two, they didn't feel disgraced by them because they came from the Asakida branch. Grandma Kouga had lost her husband and siblings in past wars. The only families from hers, the main branch, was from her eldest son Reikou and my Dad. That meant their children were expected to be strong.

I would never be allowed to not be a ninja, and I mustn't fail.

Even though the holidays were spent doing so much training, I still had some time to play with my friends in the village. Only, Shien was nowhere to be found. I didn't know where she lived, but I visited various parks and grassy plateaus. She wasn't anywhere. I stood gazing at a field where younger children were playing. I absently touched a weaved bracelet, remembering the two of us: crouching here last year, Shien and I exchanging matching trinkets we'd made.

I didn't see her until the first day back at the Academy. Through the crowd she turned around and saw me. I lit up, but then she faced away, stunning me. In class we didn't sit together, and I noticed she wasn't wearing her bracelet. It's not like we'd never fought before, but we always made up at the end of the day. This time I didn't even know what'd happened.

I didn't approach her, I remained in confused limbo. Maybe it was because I couldn't stand knowing I'd disappointed somebody else important to me.

Still, I was miserable. That afternoon I sat alone in a tree over a training field. I'd not been paying attention to who was practicing below; the day carried on around me.

A kunai flew, embedding itself in the trunk a few feet to my left.

"Huh?"

Then I turned as a boy landed on a nearby branch.

"What are you doing up here? Spying on me?"

It was Takeshi. I blushed then stuttered. I slipped over backwards and shrieked. He dashed down and caught my hand, keeping his feet on a trunk with chakra. I swung there then looked up gratefully.

"Jeez," he sighed.

We both climbed down to the grass.

I'd not mentioned him earlier for the sake of brevity, but Takeshi was one of the boys I'd met in my first year at the academy. Well not met, per se. The first time I saw him I was transfixed. His blonde hair always sat beautifully atop his head, like spun gold. With those yellow eyes, he was clearly a descendent of the Inazuma, one of the strongest clans in the village. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only girl smitten. Takeshi was the most popular guy at the academy, unlike me who happily blended into the background. We'd never properly spoken, and I was shy as we sat and talked, Takeshi sipping from his water bottle.

"So it was a misunderstanding then," Takeshi said, "You didn't realize everyone else had left. When I noticed someone up there I thought you were spying on my training."

We spoke for a while, and I ended up explaining my situation with Shien and how sad I was that I might've lost my best friend. I was surprised that he listened.

"You have to talk to her," he told me.

"You think?" I was reluctant.

"Absolutely! You have to tell her how you feel, otherwise how is she supposed to know?"

I stared into his handsome, determined face and blushed again. I turned away. I guess this means I'm a shinobi who's scared of conflict…

Suddenly there were two cloaked people standing in front of us. Takeshi jumped to his feet. I was slower.

"What do you think, Nagai?" The man asked the woman beside him. "Will she do?"

"Yes…" The woman called Nagai was looking at me. "The hair, the eyes, the green outfit. She's definitely a Makijiku, probably from the main family."

I noticed they were rogue-nin from their headbands. My eyes widened, mouth went dry, body tensed, hands and knees quivered.

"What are outsiders like you doing in the village?" Takeshi demanded.

"Hey, hey… we just want the girl," the man replied.

The presence these two carried was ominous.

Takeshi gathered his chakra then weaved signs, "Lightning Style!" Yellow blazed from his hands and I got goosebumps from the static in the air. The two adults hadn't moved and Takeshi grit his teeth, focusing on his attack.

"Hey, hey… this boy's from your clan: the Inazuma. Interesting…" at the man's words Nagai smirked.

"Sky Fang!" The bolt ripped away from Takeshi and tore up the ground. The two jumped back and apart.

Takeshi roared as he jumped at the man who caught his punch with little effort. He chuckled. Takeshi spun into a kick and the man leaned away. Takeshi caught the ground with one hand and kicked again, this time getting the man's leg who ended up tripping on himself.

Surprisingly, the cloaked man fell face-first into the grass, his limbs splayed out weirdly.

Not wasting the advantage, Takeshi took out a kunai and stabbed at the man's back. Only, the weapon couldn't cut through.

"Ow…"

"So clumsy…" Nagai shook her head. "That's what you get for lowering your guard, Kiryuu. Let's hurry up and take the girl before somebody notices the barrier I put around here."

Takeshi sprang back, holding his kunai at the ready. The man called Kiryuu got to his feet awkwardly. I needed to help Takeshi, but I was frozen with my heart racing. I'd never been in a real combat situation before.

Faster than my eyes could follow, Nagai was suddenly behind Takeshi and sending a chop to his neck. His eyes rolled back, he dropped to his knees and fell forward.

"Not gonna kill him?" Kiryuu asked.

"No, we have to stay hidden for as long as we can. I'll put him under genjutsu and hide him here." Nagai made a hand seal.

"Should I just eat him?"

"We don't have time for that," as she extended two fingers to Takeshi's head I finally found my voice.

"Get away!" I pulled the green scroll from my belt and worked fast, making signs: "Snake Scroll Jutsu!" I whipped my hand and the paper flew at Nagai.

It stopped short. Kiryuu had caught it with his hand which was now a claw.

He flickered and I heard his voice behind me: "Night, night."

Whack. Darkness.

I came to some time later, being carried over the man's shoulder. I blinked at the dirt ground, hanging limp as my memory came back to me: I was captured by a pair of rogue ninja. Fear clutched my heart and tears welled up.

"Hey, hey. I know you're awake. Don't try anything funny."

Of course I wouldn't. These two were probably chūnin, maybe even jōnin. I was just eleven-years old. I hoped someone had found Takeshi, at least they'd left him alive.

"It's just up ahead," Nagai said. And then after another minute of leaping in and out of the earthen tunnels they came to a stop in sunlight. "Here."

I was dumped on the ground and winced, looking up to see a huge metal door covered in talismans and sealing tags.

"They even used genjutsu to hide the way. The Cloud Ninja definitely wanted to keep this hidden."

Nagai made a hand sign. I watched the two of them while they faced away from me.

"My clan too…" I heard the smile in Nagai's voice. She took out shuriken and threw them at posts on either side that blazed loudly with electricity then faded out.

"Huh?" Kiryuu wondered.

"Just a lightning trap. Now we simply have to get through the door," Nagai explained.

"Well you are the best of us at sealing and barriers. What now?"

Nagai lowered her hood and I saw her long hair in braids of varying sizes. She spread her feet and made more seals, gathering an impressive amount of chakra.

"This seal is from the Makijuku clan and can only be undone by a jōnin of their bloodline. But my technique should be enough to crack it. Bring the girl. Don't kill her yet."

Kiryuu turned. His snake-like eyes and grin made my blood turn cold. I tried crawling back but he caught my arm and dragged me. My feet scuffed the dirt as I stumbled but he was stronger than anyone I'd ever met. He sliced my hand and I screamed.

Just a flesh wound - not so different from the cut I gave myself the very first time I'd been handed a kunai.

Kiryuu dragged me to the door and smeared my palm down the main tag. He then pulled me back as Nagai weaved more signs. Glowing symbols appeared on her body then slid off like bugs, traveling along the ground then up the door, darkening into circles and lines. Her braids blew around her face.

"Seal Release!" The tag burned away and the vault unlocked, opening slowly on rusty hinges.

"Impressive," Kiryuu let go of me and they both trudged into the secret room.

I wouldn't be able to escape the likes of them even if I ran. I reached into my satchel for bandages and wrapped my hand. Then I looked up, peering into the dim passage.

"Nothing… there's nothing here."

"That pedestal is empty."

"We're through the jamming seals, but I can't sense it…"

"So we were duped?"

They finished their search in less than a minute, then stepped out again with stern expressions.

I'm going to die. My legs shook. Thank goodness I didn't help them find what they were looking for… but now they don't have any use for me. I'm going to die now.

"Well that pisses me off…" Kiryuu fixed me with his glare. I could see the decision being made on both their faces. "I'm not even in the mood to eat you…" He blurred to me but something crashed on top of him, strong enough to smash the ground, throwing rocks about and blowing up a dust cloud.

I grunted and stepped back, forearms up. I peered through as someone sprang back and skidded in front of me protectively. I recognized him and was astounded.

"Lord Killer B…?"

Nagai frowned from the doorway. Kiryuu straightened up from the crater, looking unharmed.

"You no-good thieves better leave or I get mean, yeah~"

"It is you! Lord Killer B!"

My childish wonder returned in full force. Even in such a dangerous situation I felt filled to the brim with a giddy feeling. My rescuer stayed cool, knowing not to look away from these enemies.

"Hey, hey. The Eight-Tails jinchūriki… do we…?"

"No," Nagai cut off her partner. "We're not the Akatsuki. We're with the Akutenshi, a separate branch. The tailed beasts aren't part of our goal."

"So do we fight him?" Kiryuu asked.

"No… Cloud Ninja will be here soon, that includes Storm Operatives. We have to retreat."

"Hmph… nice try fool, you fool!" B reached back and flicked out two slim swords from the scabbard on his back, and caught them. "Check this out, yo!" They blazed with lightning and he leapt forth.

I moved away cautiously. There were explosions and the clash of weapons, dust spewing out into a smog, then from within lightning sparked and shadows leapt about. After some clashing the two Akutenshi members flew out the dirt cloud and landed up the path, hastening in their retreat.

Killer B landed beside me, "You wait out of sight, I'm going to fight!"

I couldn't phrase a response before he launched off after them.

"Saved…?" I backed up until I felt the rocky wall, then slid down onto my butt.

I was saved, twice.

Eventually Cloud Ninja arrived and found me, among them were Storm Operatives in black with their black patterned face-paint. I was escorted back to the village and questioned. I remembered being surprised when I later heard that the pair of rogue-nin had escaped not only Killer B, but the village ninja too. I hadn't expected them to be capable of that. Either way, I was lucky to be alive and even if I'd accomplished nothing, I'd got my first field experience.