Well... I guess I could start by apologizing for how late this chapter is. I don't have many excuses other than that I'm lazy and I almost gave up on this fanfic.

I have to thank StormFugue for reviewing since that's what finally got me back to this fanfic, even if it has been about a month and a half since my last update. Thank you kindly for the review.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed in the past as well; you're all such a great inspiration.

So, I am alive: Waves hands: and I will keep updating! Enjoy the long awaited chapter 7:

Honor and Loyalty

Chapter 7: Choices

His feet padded softly on the ground as he took another turn through the Mibu territory and his eyes surveyed the fortunately silent grounds, before he ran for the closed door in front of him with the symbol of the ying-yang on it.

Saizo carefully raised his hand and tried to literally push the door open, but again failed to get through.

"Damn it," he hissed through clenched teeth.

His hand came up to wipe over his mouth and he cursed once more. He couldn't get rid of the feeling of that mans' mouth against his. It lingered like a constant reminder of the promise he had made.

Damn you, Sanada...

Saizo cursed the Sanada Clan then cursed himself for cursing them. He hissed once more in agitation before shifting back along the wall and walking towards the next entrance he could find.

Though Saizo wasn't the strongest of the Juyushi he was the stealthiest. He was usually the one assigned for silent attacks and assassinations. He knew how to get around soldiers and ninja unseen.

He fell back against the wall in time to miss getting spotted and crouched along the ground as he saw another entrance. Much to Saizo's own surprise this door opened easily when he leaned against it and he ran inside quickly, making sure to close the door behind him.

It was silent and cold inside the Mibu Clan. After having gotten through the Gates of Hell to get here, Saizo had realized that the very earth itself seemed to hold its breath around here. It was too quiet and it was too cold. He gripped the handle of his sword feeling silently unwelcome in the light spacious room he stood in. Not that he was ever welcomed to start with...

Voices suddenly glanced off from his right and Saizo moved around towards the nearby pillars that were holding the ceiling in place above him. He pulled out his short sword and prepared for battle if need be.

"Are you lost?"

"No..."

"You know that this area is off limits for you people don't you, Kubira?"

Kubira...? Saizo shifted along the pillar, carefully peeking around the corner. Didn't Demon Eyes Kyo kill Kubira?

He could just barely make out a cloaked figure standing beside a rather annoyed looking young boy. The two were only a few feet away from Saizo's hiding place and he contemplated moving further away along the pillars.

"Have you seen Antera?" the one called Kubira asked nonchalantly.

"She's probably with the others, now get out," the boy replied, agitation coming through his voice.

Saizo shifted back behind the pillar when the cloaked figure turned and began walking away towards the exit. He kept himself hidden listening to the sound of footsteps and a frustrated sigh.

"The moon, an illusion. I am the one whose image is great and I am the one who has no image, how very endearing a quality," the young boy hissed before his footsteps also vanished through one of the hallways leading away from the entrance Saizo had found.

Saizo looked out into the empty hallway and finally sheathed his sword before coming back out of the shadows to move towards the exit. The clearing outside was empty and there was no sign of the one called Kubira.

This would have been the best time to head back to Yukimura-sama and report the way in, but...he was curious. Saizo moved back from the exit and moved towards the hallway that he had heard the young boy go through. Maybe there was something here that would help Yukimura-sama?

Saizo crept along the walls and pulled back a cloth covering one of the doorways to find a spacious room that opened up towards the outside. He quickly walked in and jumped into the nearby tree that stood over the area.

There were only a few Mibu walking around the place and Saizo watched them make their way towards a nearby doorway. His eyes caught on one of the figures, cloaked like the rest of the Mibu, but darker and the strides taken to get to the door were more controlled and strangely...familiar.

Saizo watched the figure as it came to a stop and he saw a silver chain at the hem of the cloak peek out for only a second as the figure pushed open the door to walk after the other guards. Saizo shook his head as his brows furrowed, trying to think of why this seemed so familiar. Did he know who was behind that mask?

His thoughts were cut off abruptly a few moments later when a dark shadow suddenly appeared below him.

"Taking a tour, Saizo?" the voice asked softly.

Saizo glared down at Shindara, watching as the former Juyushi nodded his head to one of the Mibu guards that hadn't taken notice of him yet.

"What do you want?" he asked his agitation coming through.

"Did he send you?" Shindara countered instead.

"Does it really matter?" Saizo wondered shaking his head as he leaned back in the tree. There was no guarantee that Shindara wouldn't give away Saizo's location.

"Love problems?" Shindara guessed and Saizo ground his teeth together as he clenched the bark of the tree in his fist.

"I thought so..." Shindara said trailing off.

The older ninja shook his head as he turned to follow the last of the Mibu into the doorway. "Get out of here before I change my mind and tell them of your location. I would hate to have to tell Yukimura that his simple minded dog got caught in the Mibu Clans garden."

Saizo grimaced at the insult and waited until the last of the shadow of the former Sasuke vanished before making his way back to the entrance he had found.

He had no problems making it back out towards the area where he had left Yukimura-sama, but he noted that his footsteps slowed down the closer he got to the campsite. By the time he was within half a mile of the location, he was moving in small baby steps wondering if maybe he could wait until evening before seeing his lord, but as luck would have it that was when Yukimura-sama spotted him.

"Hey! Saizo, did you get anywhere?" Yukimura asked cheerfully, sitting on the ground near the died out fire with several bottles of sake littered around him.

Saizo marveled at the amount of sake Yukimura could drink in half a day before bringing himself down to his knees and bowing to Yukimura as his lord stood up rather unbalanced.

"I found a way in, it's marked on the map, Yukimura-sama..." Saizo replied uncertainly as he held out the map.

There was a moment when Yukimura just simply looked down at Saizo, watching him with a strange look on his face and Saizo held his breath wondering what it was that would happen next after yesterday evening.

Yukimura reached a hand out and... snatched the map out of Saizo's hands before he even had time to register the movement and with it in hand he walked back towards the fire and sat down grinning like a madman as he looked over the location.

Saizo sat there rather confused, watching Yukimura and barely hearing the words of 'thanks' and 'so that's where it was'. He had a moment to realize that his hand was still outstretched towards Yukimura and he snatched it back.

Maybe he had been drunk? Yes, that had to have been it. Yesterday when he had gotten so close he had probably been drunk and perhaps he had mistaken Saizo to be one of his whores?

Then...why did Saizo feel so disappointed? After cursing him over and over again for what he had done? Why had he reached out to get more of that same attention?

Shadows are lonely creatures...

Saizo wished Kosuke were here to help him get control over his feelings. Even if she couldn't quite understand him sometimes, at least she was always there to talk to.

Saizo shook his head looking up squarely as he waited for his lord's next decision. He would follow no matter what Yukimura-sama chose.

After all he was merely a servant...but he refused to be a whore.

"Saizo?" Yukimura inquired from where he sat. "Go get Kamanosuke and Jinpachi, I have a feeling we'll be needing a few extra friends to get around the Mibu clan."

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Chapter 7 is finished finally... If anyone is still out there make sure to leave a review, even if it's a flame.