Provoked

His feet slapped against the cold earth as he ran, looking for them. His mind seemed to have stopped working. None of it made sense. None. His fearful eyes fanatically searched for them. The red stained sky stretched over the field as he ran. His legs burned and his chest ached but he kept on running. He had to get there. He had to stop them. The two would kill each other. And he didn't know which one he wanted to live. His body frozen when his eyes landed on them. She stood up, covered in blood. His breathing stopped. He knew whose blood it was. She turned to him, not caring that she was littered with blood. He fell to his knees, staring at her and the body. The pale and lifeless skin. Horror forever etched into the face. Parts of the skin ripped and torn. Bones jutting out into view. His eyes looked up at her, trying to find words. She stared at him. No emotions. Not one emotion ran through her. Her eyes were empty as she stared back at him. She looked at him without an ounce of emotion towards him. The blood dripped down onto the ground as the sun set. She looked at him while he fought back tears. She didn't mind that the blood drying on her was making him sick to his stomach. She was almost completely red. Her hair was matted against her and was becoming stiff as the blood slowly dried. Her face wasn't completely covered. Red was splattered. But she just stared at him, with those eyes. No emotion coursed through her. He looked back to the body as blood ran down her legs and arms. Wide brown eyes were lifeless and dull. Fear was the last emotion that was felt. The black hair was hacked away. Parts of the scalp missing from the hair being ripped out. A ear was partly cut off. The neck had a huge gash across it, revealing the white flesh that was stained from blood. He threw himself to the side and vomited. He regurgitated everything in his stomach and dry heaved for a few minutes before turning back to the blood covered woman. She looked down at him, with empty eyes from hell. He felt himself saying words. Asking why. It was then that she spoke. Her haunting words echoed through him mind, engraving themselves deep within him. They chilled him to the bone and caused nightmares months afterwards.


Duane stared in horror as the memory flashed through his mind. That look in her eyes . . . Eve held the same empty look. It had happened. What he feared the most in his entire life had happened. Her dark shadows from the past caught up and sent her back into the state in which she earned the name Bloodless Ninja. The state that had caused her to be feared by the world. The roar of clapping and cheers drowned out his other senses. She stared at Kakashi and Kurenai before she stood to bow lightly in a form of respect. After they left she sat once more and watched as the meals were brought out.


"Want do you think?" Eve turned to Orochimaru. She was quiet for a moment before answering.

"They would make a wonderful couple." Her soft dull voice answered him before she turned back to her food and ate small bites.

"It is a nice distraction for all the chaos going on. Love tends to help the Leaf a better place." Eve let her gaze wonder before she looked at him.

"Love? I think of it as a foolish lust disguised as something bitter sweet." Orochimaru rose an eyebrow in interest.

"Oh? Pardon the pun, but you seem bitter about love." Eve closed her eyes for a minute before looking at him out of the corner of her eyes.

"Let's just say I've had my fill of its burns." Orochimaru smirked.

"Well, do you desire to love again?" She raised an eyebrow as she looked at him.

"Why should my desires come into question?" The snake smiled calmly as he cut into his food. A bird.

"Desire equals power."

"I see." She looked back out to the people, ending the conversation. The evening wore away like that. Her empty eyes watching every movement. Janghoon kept a dreadful eye on her fearing something might trigger her fury. Right now she was bomb with a short fuse. That look signified that she no longer cared about taking lives. The only relief was her smile. It was plastered on, he could tell that after being around her for so long. But it was only faint and formal. Something that put him to ease. He forced back a shudder when he thought of the one smile that he would be more than willing to run from.


"What is it?" Adonis muttered before taking a sip of his drink.

". . . right now . . . her eyes worry me." He muttered before catching sight of her standing and excusing herself. Duane looked back at Adonis.

"Get Noam." Duane nodded and began to search the crowds for Noam.


Eve made her way out into an elaborate garden. The noise from the party was a soft and quiet hum in the background as she walked though the garden. Her feet made no noise as she passed by gorgeous plants and fountains. She closed her eyes, listening for the wind.

"Lady Eve?" She turned to face Kakashi.

"Yes?"

"Why are you out here all alone?" Eve stared at him before turning her back and continued walking.

"Because I like the dark." She called over her shoulder as she went further into the dark gardens. Kakashi quickly caught up with her and walked beside her. "Shouldn't you be with your fiancée?" Kakashi nodded before glancing at her.

"Hai. But you are a respected official from your homeland unable to defend yourself from assassins." She paused for a moment before glancing at him.

"As a ninja you should know that looks can be deceiving." Her voice was calm as she spoke. Kakashi stopped walking and she kept walking before his voice stopped her.

"Lady Eve," She turned to face him, an indifferent look on her face. "I know that you are more than you appear." She tilted her head to the side and gazed at him.

"I doubt anyone is what they appear." Kakashi shook his head in slight anger.

"Iie. You are much more. You're not just a noble woman from a distant country." She turned completely to face him.

"Kakashi-san, I am a noble woman of the court and you are an elite shinobi with a fiancée. That is the truth. Plain and simple." She turned and continued to walk forward until his words froze her to the spot.

"I know who you are." She waited a few seconds before answering.

"I am viewed only by what people hear. They hear rumors and assume. You of all people should understand that hearsay is not creditable. I expected more of you." She would have walked off but he stopped her with his words again.

"I don't even think you are a noble woman of the court. Earlier today you were able to throw that mud at me without me even realizing it until it was too late. That kind of stealth? You don't move like citizens should. You move like a ninja. Quietly, quickly, and deadly. Every move you make seems to have a greater purpose." She opened her mouth to respond but he cut her off before she could excuse her movements. "And it isn't because you are a noblewoman. They don't move like you. Not as effectively and more gracefully. You've got grace, but it is by far more deadly." She turned to him and stared. Her eyes bore into his soul as she chose her words carefully.

"I am what I am. There is no denying who I am or what I am. And there is no changing what I am."

"And what is that?" She turned away from him before casting one last glance over her shoulder.

"No man can force another to change. No one has that right. And eventually, the one forced to change to change back. When that happens, then all the fires of hell will rain down." With that she left him as she wandered further into the darkness. He listened as her footsteps faded away.


Eve came to a stop by a fountain. She sat on the small stone bench beside it and closed her eyes, listening. When no wind came she scrunched up her face in anger before her thoughts echoed onto the wind.

'Tell me. No more games.' No answer. 'You answer to me.' Her thoughts raised in annoyance and warning. 'Now answer, what has he done?!' Her mind roared.

". . . ripped into mind . . ." Her face returned to its calm state and her mind settled alittle.

'You do not make any sense.'

". . . the one you call snake . . . rips into their minds . . ." Confusion was etched into her face for a brief moment. ". . . he seeks an eye . . ." She opened her eyes and stared off into space.

"I see." Once more she closed her eyes. She slowly held out a hand and waited. 'What else?' After a few minutes a butterfly landed in her palm. There was no answer. She stared at the butterfly before looking up at the sky. The wind knew nothing else. Orochimaru found a way to block it from his plans.


Duane watched Eve get up and head back to the celebration. He knew nothing of her thoughts. With those empty eyes she was far more unpredictable than before. Making her the greatest danger he had ever seen. He stepped out the the shadows and moved to follow her when a slight movement caught his eye. Duane slowly walked over to the bench and stared down in sorrow at the crushed butterfly as it moved one last time before dying.

"I'm sorry." He muttered to the butterfly as he picked up the lifeless body and lifted it up into the air. After a few minutes the wind gently held it and took it away.