It seethed, furious that Butterfly had stoppped its attack, it seemed to have so much power....

Thats what it would go for next, the Butterfly, get it out of the way...those tohers seemd to have little real control over thier abilities, but this one was smart...somehow it had mastered its change right off....

It had to go...


"Amazing..that is so COOL!" The Hokage smiled, news had travelled fast, thanks to a random ANBU in the area..so by the time the team returned to the main village area, fractured reports ahd already spread...

People leant out windows as the group made its way to the Hokages office, crowding from shop and café doorways to see the ninjas. Neji blinked, unused to so much attention, Asuma managed to look as casual as usual, Kabuto stared at the floor...Jiraiya was grinning to all the ladies, and Kakashi....was starting to feel sick again...

It was him they seemed to be staring at the most..he could here the females gossiping about the report..The wings fanned out as he walked, and the sunlight glimmered off the myraid of colours. "wow..Kakashi-sensei's the best, eh guys?!" Kakashi turned at this voice, seeing Naruto, along with the Konohamaru squad, grinning at him. He sweatdropped hugely and managed to wave weakly, before chasing after the rest of the party. -Just HOW do i manage to get into these hings? I'd much rather be at my apartment, i left my Itcha Itcha Paradise book there..-

While they were in the office, Naruto was grinning, having heard from the ANBU member who had followed the group that Kakashi sensei had some amazing new ability. -Heheh, cool! Maybe he can teach it to me! i'll be so much cooler then Sasuke!-


Meanwhile, inside the office, the whole lot of them were worriedly discussing the event. "Put simply...if Kakashi here hadn't shown up, it would've killed someone.." Jiraiya said bluntly, Kakashi sighed "i dont get it..your a Sannin Jiraiya, how in hell did your attack -not- polish it off?!" Everyone looked baffled, and eventually Neji spoke up "its possible, this isn't anything to do with chakra, like the Third Hokage said..that this uses the energy of the body in a different way? Think about it..your known as 'Copy Ninja Kakashi' for all those jutsu's, perhaps your power is derived from that, more moves, move power...its a bit basic, but if that one shot was enough to hit it back..."

The rest nodded "its a basic creature, its attacks and DNA switches must be based on a simple idea too...seeing as Kakashi has one of the largest memories of moves, that must be some kind of advantage.." Asuma murmered. They all nodded, Jiraiya smiling to Neji "yer a smart kid, very well done!" Neji grinned back, ears twitching with the annual ::pwip pwip:: noise.

"But.." The third said, frowning worriedly at the very pale Kakashi "an advantage it may be..but it will have its side effects too..like draining your energy fatser than if it were a chakra battle.." Kakashi nodded, Kabuto sighed "that explains that for the rest of us, even though our ranks are varied, our powers are quite on the same level, because we all know roughly a similiar standard of moves..a same number almost.."

This caused a general nod and murmers, with Kakashi looking sick as hell -WHY THE HELL IS IT ME?!- he thought angrily...one hand pressing to his temple..he vaugely heard the Hokage dissmissing them, and wobbled outside with a sigh. "hehe, look, its that ninja, the colourful one, and the one that saved me in the lake!" Kakash stopped, as what seemed to be half the junior class came scooting up. Behind him the other one they mentioned, Asuma, was looking a little miffed, and confused.

"Naruto.." Kakashi addressed the boy; "just whats the meaning of..this." Naruto grinned at his teacher and the other ninja behind him "Sorry Kakashi sensei, i told them about you guys, and they all wanted to come see you" by this point someone was lifting up one wing, and Konohamaru was, with a bunch of kids, bugging Asuma, he being Kono's rescuer and was regarded, alongside Naruto, to be a totally cool person Kono valued. "Agh.." Asuma sweatdropped as the kids peered up at him, he sat down, sighing, and reluctantly, being it usually wasnt his thing, began answering the barrage of eager questions...

Kakashi seemed to be facing the same fate, the little kids were scampering around him, examining the wings, and the poor Jounin was generally getting poked a helluva lot.."wooow, a ninja butterfly!""i wish i had that, Jounins are so lucky!" he sighed "ah...pl-" he cut off, as he saw Sakura and Sasuke approaching them...


Neji and Kabuto got their own fair share of appriasal as they wandered towards a ramen stand, ppl came out of buildings to give a greeting and a smile, "its like.." Neji blinked, "they think we're heroes of some sort.." Kabuto finsihed with a sweatdrop...ah well, the downside to helping protect the Hokage i dare say...


Sasuke blinked, and sakura giggled, upon finding their teacher not only out of the hospital way too early, but surrounded by a kid-sized fan club it seemdd. "This si Naruto's work.." sasuke glowered, sakura blinked "yah, that dope.." they walked up to the crowd, sasuke and naruto glaring at each other in the usual fashion.

Kakashi sighed, but he couldnt shake the bad feeling...as he eventually managed to escape, he fled to the safety of the top of the hokages office. Only to find he wasnt the only one...

"Yo, Kakashi" Jiraiya said with a grin "you look tired.." Kakashi gave him a sarcastic look "thanks to Naruto..i have. a. bloody. fanclub!!!" Jiraiya listened to this irrataed ranting and laughed "thats what we get for going off on a mission, the whole village thinks we're heroes...I saw neji and kabuto earlier, theyre totally freaked by it the pair of them.."

Kakashi sighed, walking to stand by the Sannin as they stared over over the village. "Theres got to be a way of exterminating that thing..i dont know how much more of this i can take.." Jiraiya sighed, still grinning "i dunno..the ladies are very impressed.." Kakashi just shook his head -somethings never change.


It seethed, creeping along in the shadows, it could detect the butterflys presence there..soon, it would exact its revenge, the being wasnt so strong now...the right time to strike...


"Ah, whats this, a meeting?" The two turned, seeing a smiling third there. "Sorry Hokage sir...Kakashi's trying to escape his little fanclub.." Jiraiya chuckled, "urk, shutit Jiraiya you goit!" The third started lughing, seeing how peeved Kakashi was getting. "It is true though, you all did save my life today, no need to get het up on it.." the two nodded, stopping tryoing to throttle each other "yes sir.."

The third chuckled "how abotu we go get some food, im starving!" Jiraiya grinned "yes sir, comin' Kakashi?". The jounin nodded "yeah.." as the other two set off Kakashi felt a horrible chill pass through him -somethings wrong..-


There. it could see those long wings trailing in the wind, and the wolf man...and! The unchanged Lifeform..here was a chance, aim for the unchanged one, take out the butterfly man if he defended. It raered up, twisting itself into a dart with a sharp end, heading right for the third as fast as it could using the beings distraction in their talking to hit at them...


Kakashi's eyes widened, he could -feel- that thing speeding towards the Hokage....without thinking he psuhed forward yellign "HOKAGE!! MOVE!!" he screeched to a halt behind them, as he opened his mouth to shout again, give another desperate warning....

The thing punched right through him, dark crimson blood splattering the rooftop...his eyes widened at the shocking pain.."ugh...ah.."

He saw a flash of light, of scenarios of the village in ruins..it intended to take innocent people's souls..its mocking laughter rang through his head as hsi vision began to fade...


Jiraiya laughed at the joke the old man was telling him, he certainly had some good material...their talking was cut short by Kakashi's yell. They turned, hearing him stop behind them, then there was a sickening sound...

They whipped round and got a full view of a dart speeding right towards them, only for it to go right through Kakashi. For a second he stood wings twitching almost lifelessly..

"KAKASHI!!" Jiraiya yelled. The dart wrenched itself free, Kakashi took a staggering step forward, shaking from the hit..blood dripping to the ground. The Sannin ran forward, catching him and lieing him on his back.."oh shit.." he swore, pressing one hand over the wound "hold on.."

The dart reared back up, covered in blood..Kakashi's...looking right at the Hokage...-"ne..ne..xt.." it rasped. The Hokage stood as if frozen -that thing..i-it took a hit right through Kakashi..-

The things body seemed to split into a wide grin, as it reared back...
"Ah!" All the other mix-ups froze in what they were doing, even Gaara and Itachi. The thing was in Konoha...

"lets go!!" Neji yelled grabbing Kabuto's wirst and starting to run like hell towards where it was coming from...

"oh no!" Asuma ran out of the meeting he was in with Kurenai yelling; "where do ya think your going!?!" after him.
"Shit, just hold on a moment longer.." Jiraiya swore, tyring desperatly to stop the heavy blood flow from Kakashi's wound. The Jounin gasped in pain, trying to move "sto.p..it....it intending..." "shutit you" Jiraiya growled "no talking right?" Kakashi chuckled weakly, though this seemed only to cause more pain...

Blood was trickling over the sanins hands as he struggled to slow the bleeding -was it after the Hokage...or was Kakashi its original target?- he uttered another angry growl, there had to be help soon, the wound was severe...

"Neko Bell Bell!" the same white ball smashed into the thing, causing its attention to be diverted to the arrival of Asuma, Neji and Kabuto. And surpingly, Itachi. Gaara of course couldnt give a damn. whats new.

They all agped "Move ti! Protetc the Hokage!!" Jiraiya yelled, and they all turned to look at him, seeing the sannin covered in blood, all of which was coming from a barely moving figure lying on the ground..blood stained wings tangled around him...

"Kakashi?!" Neji gasped "what happened?!" As the others formed a line in front of them, neji ran over to the injured figure. "He took a blast that we're not sure wasn intended for him..or for the third.." Jiraiya paniced, "he needs help and fast..!!" Neji nodded "KABUTO!!" the other turned "you help heal Kakashi-kun, ill take your place!"

Without needing to ask the two switched over, Neji forming more bells to continuosly fire, while Kabuto pressed his ahnds over the wound, using a healing jutsu to ease some of the jounins pain...

"NEKO BELL BELL!" "FEATHER LIGHTENING!" "WATER HYDRA!" all of these struck at once...the lightning being conducted by the water, the powerful current burning the things form as it writhed in pain and fury..they exaustedly continued firing...

-Come on..- Kabuto kept his hands over the wound, while the others stoood in front of the Hokage, using everything possible to drive the creature back...Itachi forming dozens of lightening feathers, which, with each vital hit, burnt away a part of it...a burning smell mixing with blood in the air..

Kakashi coughed, returning to conciousness again as the healing chakra helped a litle "you.." he coughed, the pain obvious "its..going to...att..ack...Konoha-acgh!" his hadns clenched as the slight movement cause the woudn to twinge again, kabuto gasped and jiraiya yelled "KAKASHI PUT A SOCK IN IT, WE'LL TALK WHEN YOUR LESS DEAD!!"

The thign growled angrily "-shinobi win now..but butterfly is out of my way...fell for trap..only beguining of plan..-" and with that it vasihed into the sky...

"Its..original target..WAS kakashi?" Asuma agsped, the others looked pale and paniced. they turned and began running back to Kakashi..Kabuto was trying to stop the flow, but the pain must have been unbearable..

"we need soemthing to slow the blood!" jiraiya yelled Itachi whipped the outer robe of the akatsuki off, wearing just trousers an shirt under ti. Wordless he threw it to kabuto, who pressed it over the wound, wrappign it tightly around the jounins waist. "Oh god.." Nej bti his lip..wishign he could help...none of them wanted to loose Kakashi...the bell began to glow..then changed into a small crystal.."this.." Neji could fele a comforting, healign warmth...

"I cant slow it down!" "Kakashi!" "Ive got it!" Neji yelled, dropping to his knees by Kakashi "eh?!" kabuto and the rest gaped. Neji didnt say anythign, he simply unzipped the jounins outer jacket, moving the cloak temporaily aside, pressing the glowing thing into the gaping wound. -please work...dont let him go.-

The light sank into Kakashi's body, his entire forming glowing slightly..thenit faded, and to the ashtonshment of all present, the wound began to seal up, undoing as much of the damage as it could, although the best it could do was make the wound more shallow than it had been deep.. "Neji..h-how...did you get that?!" the genin shook his head "i..i dont know..i just wished to heal it faster and it apeared.."

They all wainted anxiously...would it work? Seconds later the fear was disolved in releif as the jounin abruptly rolled onto hsis ide, curlign up tightly and coughing. "thank god.." the third sighed..as Kakashi maanged to force himself up, his uniform soaked in bood, as well kabuto and jiraya, and his wings...

"Kakashi-sama?" Kabuto frowned "take it easy....your still a little hurt.." Kakashi nodded as the nin re-tied the fabric over the woudn to ease it.."ah..thanks Kabuto, Neji.." both nodded, stained in blood...looks of relief an panic on everyones faces..

"Kakashi." Jiraiya looked at him "that thing..it must have been after you....not the hokage as you thought.." "but why?" kakashi frowned sleepily..asuma answered that "because of that last battle...you stopped its vital hit, so it was trying to get rid of you since you werent as fully recovered as we were..it regards you as its worst problem i think.." Kakashi nodded "we have to stop it..al of us..including Gaara, we cant do this without every single one of us...that thing is intending to harm the innocent..."

He managed, with jiraiya's help, to stand up "we have to stop it....its goig to come after the 'pure' lifeforms here..it showed me a glimpse of it when it imapled me.." he loked up, seeing itachi had shown up -good..now its just Gaara..-

---

The afore mentioned was sitting out on the roof now..irrataed as always. Then, raising his head..he chould smell something...blood. Grinning he darted over the roof tops, landing on the roof opposite the hokages office. His grin grew even wider when he saw the Sannin helping an injured Kakashi to walk. There was blood on the copy ninja's wings, and the sannin..its smell was so strong gaara couldn't help but grin and wonder what had been happening here...

----

Kakashi winced as he slowly walked, with Jiraiyas help, back down the stairs. He felt sick every time he thought about that image, about the things plan. -This is bad, i have to get back with them, that thing wanst me out of the way does it? its gonna take more than this..i cant let any innocents get harmed..-

Jiraiya looked at the resolate expression on the pale, wounded jounins face -heh, you cant beat some peoples spirit, but dont overdo it Kakashi..- he sighed - and we STILL have to persuade Gaara, It was thankful Itachi came this time, but we need all of us, so we HAVE to talk to that kid...

its getting more and more dangerous each day...we already almost lost Kakashi-

((AN: waai! ;) ive finally finsihed this chapter, for some reason i just kept getting writers block on what to do next, so i did the yaoi yugioh story for a bit, till i finally unblocked for this story..))