Little recap: Kyoshi ran off when Neji got a little too close for comfort.

Chapter 6: Me and My Shadow

The evening sun dipped low, peeking just above the horizon, causing shadows to stretch to their fullest. By now, the lamps along the streets of Konoha flickered dimly, attracting moths to their warm yellow light. Birds flew overhead, returning to their nests to feed the little ones, chirping brightly as though greeting each other. The purple-orange sky was a beautiful sight to behold, but one such young lady did not appear notice its loveliness. That young lady was too preoccupied in sulking at her shadow as it stretched longer.

"You shouldn't have done that," Kyoshi said in a calm but deadly voice.

"How can you stand that… that pervo? Touching me like that!"

"For one, he was trying to be nice. And he was touching me, not you, you retard!"

"You forget. You forget again. I am you… as you are me," the inky form would had grinned if she could, "and you shouldn't be calling yourself a retard too," she added with a hiss.

Kyoshi violently grabbed her by the neck, desperately trying to bash her head onto the uneven ground, but to no avail. She hated how her shadow would lay domain most of the time and suddenly act on her own at the worst possible moments. I just want to be normal, damnit! I just want to fit in!

But you can't! An ominous voice echoed in Kyoshi's head. Because we are not normal. And we'll never be. In her blind frustration, the teenaged girl pounded the ground brutally, producing little potholes every time her small white fist came into contact with it. She hated the voice that taunted her all these years, the voice that always spoke the heinous truth, the voice that proved her wrong time and time again.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Another voice sneered at her, but this voice was not in her head.

She looked up to see that raven-haired brat standing a small distance away, watching her with his cold onyx eyes. Why did it have to be him of all people, to catch her at her weakest? Kyoshi pivoted to him, arms dropped limply to her sides, not bothering about her badly skinned knuckles. Sasuke returned the hostile glare he received with a severe death glower as his eyes narrowed, trying to intimidate her. It was hard to maintain eye contact with the strange pair of eyes that scared him, fortunately for him, she broke it quickly. She was now staring at the setting sun; a distant look had touched her eyes. Kyoshi frowned as though recalling painful memories, events that haunt her sleep and waking hours.

"Leave me alone. Just as I have ignored you," she spoke softly, which surprised Sasuke.

Kyoshi sat herself down on the ground and hugged her legs as she continued to stare out at the sky. Sasuke did not leave.

"You were shouting at someone. Heck, you were even trying to strangle your own shadow." She must be a total nutcase.

"Thump!"

Kyoshi turned when she heard the dull smacking of flesh and saw Sasuke cradling his wounded jaw.

"He's annoying you, isn't he?" A voice from the surroundings said.

"Stop hitting people! Stop acting for me!" Kyoshi shouted.

She watched her shadow moving in to deliver another blow to the male shinobi, "Stop! Kumoriii!" She yelled again, gaining control of her deviant shadow.

"You've got some explaining to do," Kyoshi looked up in stunned silence as Sasuke sat down beside her. Is he going to hit me? Maybe I should just ignore him. She snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of him clearing his throat. He was looking at her expectantly.

"I'm sorry my shadow hit you."

"Hn." Was the only reply she received.

Minutes passed and they both sat there in uncomfortable silence, nevertheless either refused to speak. Frustrated, Kyoshi started to get up, but was stopped by the vice grip Sasuke had on her.

"Explain," he spat out sourly.

"Fine. A Takakuro in born with his shadow. His shadow and he are one. His shadow is… him."

"Hn."

"His shadow usually does what his heart desires. Shadows don't hold back."

"So you hate me. Cause your heart desired for me to be whacked." Sasuke stared at her dangerously.

"Probably." Probably why I killed my father too, she thought bitterly to herself.

"Shadows are dark," the Chunin spoke thoughtfully.

"And evil," Kyoshi faced down to see the shadows merged as the sun finally set.

"Not necessarily. Men are the evil ones." Came a cryptic answer. "So when you activate this kumori thing, you are in control?"

"Sort of, I activate it to be in harmony with my shadow. Mostly I'm so-called in control. But if I get too weak, she may take over."

"Hn. You're a freak," Sasuke got up and walked towards the village.

"Look who's talking," Kyoshi muttered under her breath.

Kyoshi. I shall find you. And when I do, you shall die. And your death, I promise, shall not be swift. Kano closed his eyes and gathered his thoughts. Nothing. Nothing at all. I can't detect her even when the shadows have overtaken the light. How far could she have gone? That coward. She can't keep running forever. Kami-sama I beg you to direct me. Show me a sign. Show me my destiny.

Flashback

"My child, why are you hiding there?" Kaemon heard his little five-year-old son whimpering behind the door.

A diminutive child hesitantly stepped forward into the room, tiny hands quivering as he clutched on tightly to a tear-stained handkerchief. He sniffed and moved slightly forward again as Kaemon gestured for his son to come by his side. Finally, the boy seemed to pluck up a little more courage and walked to the man he had grown to fear. But now, this man was broken. His hard and cold façade left his angular features, the fierce imperative aura had diminished. Kano tried to listen to his father when he heard the man whisper to no one in particular, but the meanings of the words escaped him. The once firm and booming voice was all but a soft murmur filled with anguish. The lad looked up to the man he called father, the man who laughed in the face of danger. The man who was now staring blankly as cheerless tears flowed down his razor sharp cheeks. Kano turned to his lifeless mother lying on her bed and touched her sweet face for the last time.

"Father?" The boy questioned innocently in surprised when he felt his father pat his head, as though trying to comfort the child.

Kaemon never acted this way towards his son, he had always been a strict and ruthless father, instilling pure fear in the young lad's heart. He gave his son a sad smile, picked up the baby and walked out of the room, leaving Kano alone with his mother.

End of Flashback

Kano merged with the shadows again, concentrating even harder. South? Southwest. She is there. I know it.

"Kiba!" Hinata cried out when she saw her teammate falling from the sky, landing on the ground with a loud "thump".

"Byakugan!" The female Chuunin gasped in utter shock on seeing the enemies. So many of them. We're surrounded. Hinata tried to suppress the sheer terror mounting up within her as she gestured to Shino to attack.

Here they come! Shino directed dozens of his Kikai bugs at a few of the enemy shinobis before him, smiling secretly to himself at the horrified faces he received. Forward, my little critters suck them dry! The ninjas tried quite unsuccessfully to dodge the angry insects moving towards them.

"Little girl, you're not going to kill me if you just keep tapping me, people don't die from tickles, you know," a ninja sneered at the Hyuuga heir, preparing his next attack.

He did not have a chance to execute his move as he collapsed to the ground, wheezing frantically. Hinata dealt another light blow to his head, shattering his jaw as well as knocking him out. She ran to Kiba, pushing a yelping Akamaru aside as she checked on his condition. Strong arms tried to grab the petite ninja but the attack was foiled as Hinata turned, moving swiftly around her attacker. She hit him numerous times, each time closing a main chakra hole as she performed the highly advanced Divination Field. She finished him off with a deft gentle-fist uppercut; the shinobi's body solidly hit the ground.

"Ahh," Hinata exclaimed as a shuriken cleanly sliced across her left forearm and leaped away as several more shurikens whizzed pass.

Akamaru howled painfully as he was hit and slumped limply onto the ground. Hinata's eyes widened with terror as she noticed a lone shuriken heading straight at her unconscious teammate. The small Chuunin rushed forward, she had to get Kiba out of the way before that shuriken embedded itself into his vital organs. Too weak! She cursed herself bitterly when she realized that she lack the sufficient strength to drag Kiba away. The Hyuuga swiftly raised her arm to shield her face, only to feel the sharp pain in her wrist when the shuriken dug into her delicate flash. Hinata gritted her teeth, pulling out the offending weapon which was stuck smugly in her wrist.

"Shino," Hinata almost gave out a horrified scream when to turn around, she could never get used to his Bug Clone.

"We must get Kiba out of here. I think he's been poisoned," the wounded female watched as Shino's bug clone picked Kiba up.

Hinata seized Akamaru from the where he laid and proceeded to escape. She frantically looked around for the mysterious bug-man; she could hear the sounds of an intense battle going on at a distance.

"Shino! Let's go!" Hinata stumbled, panting heavily, her vision blurred and the surroundings swam around her.

She tired to use her Byakugan to seek out her other teammate, but her eye lids shut tightly as she fell heavily onto the earth.

Alright, a bit about Kyoshi's bloodline is revealed in this chapter. Wow, six chapters already. Next in Chapter 7, some more fighting and gasp Orochimaru makes his appearance! gasp

I actually quite like the character Orochimaru. He's such an evil genius!

Thank you all for the reviews. Keep them coming! It is very encouraging and sometimes when I read a review, I actually get inspired to write. I have to admit that the chapters I've written so far are a bit rushed, but that's because I started writing this story just to relieve a little stress from my never ending schoolwork. The story has sort of grown onto me and I intend to continue it. Yay! I hope that's good news.

Oh yes, one more thing, please inform me of any mistakes (e.g. spelling) by emailing me. I almost died of embarrassment when I realised that I had spelt Choji's name wrongly in the last chapter. So please help, thanks a bundle!