Chapter Six

Life has a way of smacking you in the face and reminding you of the existence of reality. Sometimes they come in nice packaging but for the most part, they don't. Who would have thought that just a week after we were all happily celebrating Genious' real identity that my 'favourite' bunch of guys would come round to collect me after yet another night of wholesome alcohol intoxification. Slowed reflexes only assisted them as they promptly whacked the back of my head good and out cold I went.

I woke up to a damp, stale stench that lingered in my nostrils. Waking up fully, my senses finally confirmed that I was indeed strapped onto a board that was upheld up vertically. I felt like a lab rat that was about to be used for some experiments.

"She's awake." A familiar cold voice spoke in its usual monotonous manner.

"Morning to you too." I said as my eyes squinted against the harsh lighting that was shone in my face.

"It's afternoon."

Damn bugger had to be right on all things, doesn't he?

Ouch!

Another guy in dark cloak had come forth without me noticing and drew some blood. Rather roughly. He shuffled back to his lab table, or rather what i thought it to be and began prep work on it. It would seem that they still thought I was the one that they were looking for. Damn. There's not much time until they find out the truth. There must be a way out of this.

"What do really want the Bloodline for, Itachi-san?" I asked politely.

He considered for a second before those red eyes stared back.

"The Bloodline that you contain is rather volatile for changes. If manipulated under the right circumstances, we would be able to produce a breed of specialised troops that is mainly of advanced visual capabilities."

"I see."

So it was for the purpose of genetic re-structuring and cloning. Somehow the thought of designer post-humaniods set a depressive spiral to go off in me. Back home, there was an infamous case called the Designer Soldier trend that went on for decades. People were obsessed with the thought of creating the perfect being for military purposes. It may have originated from a drive with good intentions but still, I still shudder when I saw pictures of the large vaults of 'humans' floating in liquid. They look human but there was nothing earthly about them. The ones that survived moved robotically. They lacked what the layman called a 'soul' and a conscience. They obeyed orders and killed without mercy. They were subsequently stopped officially but everyone knows that underground research continues.

Goosebumps were raised in me. Itachi noticed but I guess he disregarded it to be nothing more than fear.

I looked around at the vials of coloured chemicals and marvelled at how elaborately stocked this place was. Primitive but still impressive.

Then I spied my sword some distance away, lying atop a table.

Now, I have to devise a plan to get out here before the results came out. Or at least find a way to pass a warning to people of Konoha and Genious especially.

Itachi spied me looking at my sword and coolly delivered the news with those cold red eyes of his.

"It's useless. There are seals on it to prevent it from being of use to you. You can't call it to your hand."

What?

I willed and called to the thing. Nothing. The sword refused to budge. Ah damn it!

Sigh. There goes one part of Plan A. Well, back to the drawing board to start on Plan B.

Instead of devising plans, somehow my mind drifted to Genious. Better that it was me who was here in this place than her. She has everything going for her – new family and new guy. I'm seriously happy for her. She deserves it. After 22 years of being bullied half to death by us and tormented by the uncertainty of her past, she finally found a life of her own. So it's good that the doomed spinster me is the one that is about to be executed when they found out that I'm not the one.

Mentally I smiled sadly. The family is shrinking again. Now there's only going to be Ruby, Cali and me in that house. That is, if I survived this one to make it back to my world in the first place.

FLASHBACK

"So what happened? You still haven't told me the whole story!" I asked as I lay on the grass on one of the afternoons with Genious beside me. It was a beautiful day of fluffy clouds and blue sky. Very pretty.

"Basically, sparks flew. I guess working in close proximity with him has forced me to see things in a different light. Yeah he's not as good-looking as my Itachi but he has a good heart. He's firm and he cares a lot for his students. Sadly, he still gets bullied."

"Uh-huh."

"There was that one day-"

"Now we're talking!"

She smiled and blushed some.

"Da jie, tell me honestly: Am I ugly?"

"Erm…..hrm…… well, you're not repulsive-"

"Ahh….. so mean to me!"

And we laughed.

'Da jie, to be honest, I never thought I would find someone for me. I mean, come on, compared to Cali, we are not much to look at seriously."

I laughed in agreement.

"So here comes someone who gets on my nerves all the time, just because I was so damn blunt about pointing that scar out-"

"Blunt is an understatement."

"Whatever. Anyway, we bicker day and night whenever we meet. We sulk like kids with a pride problem. And I have to admit that we fight worse than the kids at the academy. It's quite embarrassing. But then I start to notice that he gives in to me. He would let me get the last words and he would always stay behind until I leave before he does. The kids love him and I guess somewhere along the line something grew."

I smiled.

"He's a good guy. You're one lucky girl. Though, the two of you took so damn long to get around your pride!"

"It's his fault! He's the guy! He should do the chasing!"

"What happened to equality amongst the sexes?"

"I still believe in chivalry and honour!"

"Right."

"Are you going to stay here, Xiao G?" (Translates literally to: small G; Rayn's nick for Genious)

Her head dips a little before she turns to face me.

"I don't know. It feels as if I am being asked if I am going to abandon my other life over there with you guys!"

"You were born here. A long distant relative of the Hyuuga clan with an evolved bloodline that is unstable. In the midst of war, at the age of 2, your parents performed a forbidden jutsu to send you over to our world where you were found just outside the orphanage with your memories sealed. Now, you've finally found the missing puzzle pieces to your history plus a potential good future with Iruka. Surely you aren't going to throw all this (I pointed to the peaceful scenery around us) for a grim life with us?"

"But you guys are my family! I fought so hard to build up a life there! We're a team that has gone through thick and thin! Surely you can't ask me to suddenly let go of everything!"

I sat up and hugged my knees to my chest.

"There's nothing for you there. Here, at least you'll be safe under everyone's protection. Xiao G, eventually our family will each walk their own way. We'll always have each other of course, but things are not going to same the same always. People are bound to fall in love, ambitions will make us change course and it will not always be the way it is now."

She looked at me, visibly upset. I'm an ass. I always make people upset.

"Think about it, all right? I'll be leaving in a fortnight, for sure."

I got up and started to walk deeper into the forest. At the last point before my shadow would disappear from sight, I turned around.

"I wish for your happiness, and I pray that you will not follow me back. You don't belong there."

END OF FLASHBACK

And about week later, here I am with a grim chance that I might not make it alive from this one. In my heart, I prayed that they won't come after me. But Konoha people are sentimental idiots, they will come.

My chest grew tighter as the one at the table started to have befuddled looks about the blood sample he has.

"Itachi, are you sure you've got the right person?"

Die.

The red eyed one glared at me. I merely looked at him. He looked crossed and was about to draw a sword to decapitate me. The shark one suddenly appeared.

"Woa… hold it. We can use her for trading purposes."

The riled up one stepped down and nodded. Then the shark one came over and grabbed me. Hoisting me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, I was taken out for a little ride.

A few moments later, I found myself in a clearing tied up good with ropes and with my sword lying nearby. Itachi and Shark guy then greeted a group of Konoha people. The idiots, really they shouldn't come.

The group was led by Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura. Oh what irony. It reminded me of our first meeting.

"Why don't you release her?" Kakashi said.

"Hand over the bespectacled one and we'll let this one go." Shark one spoke.

Amidst their talk of useless content, I shift my hands to have them rub against the course texture of the hemp rope that they used to restraint me. I rubbed desperately. Suddenly, Genious appeared.

"Da jie!"

"IDIOT! Why did you come!"

"You're my da jie! Of course I'll come to rescue you! I won't let you die!"

If I could I would smack my head onto the ground. Idiot, now she's in danger! Walking to the enemy on a silver platter!

"Why don't you come over then? We'll let her go free if you agree to come with us willingly." Shark one said.

"NO! I FORBID YOU!" I yelled only to be kicked rather hard by Itachi.

Ouch.

I now laid on my back on the course ground. After being dragged up, the two repeated their threat again. Please, there must something I can do before the stupid girl walks into a suicide trap. I tugged at the ropes again.

"We promise not to hurt her anymore if you will walk over nicely-"

And then, the sound of metal slicing flesh came.

Blood was split.

Shark one was pissed. And I was standing next to him, freed and holding onto my sword. Hands bloodied from rubbing against the course ropes. I had managed to break the skin of a blister that was on my hand which got the blood going, which finally broke the spell on the sword, sending it to towards me and cutting Kisame at the same time.

"Da jie!"

I pointed the sword at her before I rested the blade at the nape of my shoulder.

"If you take any more steps closer, or if you let yourself get killed because of me. I'll kill myself."

"Don't be an idiot!" She yelled.

"BAKA!" The pair of 15 years yelled. Hmm I seemed to have forgotten about them.

Pressing the blade into the soft flesh, I could already feel a cut appearing.

"Stop it!" Kakashi yelled as he lifted the cloth over his red eye.

"Then take her away and run!"

The young ones were hesitant but they grabbed onto Genious. She struggled but finally held still when the blood starting flowing more easily. The blade was waking up as the red element gently nudged it alive.

I turned to Itachi and Kisame.

"Blood for blood. I'll show you what I can really do."

And the vision turned red.

I woke up to sterile sheets and white environment. My body was stiff and the sun was blinding. I shifted my head to find a sleeping Genious sleeping on the chair and Kakashi standing at the window.

"Well, good afternoon to you." He said.

"How long have I been out?"

"About 3 days. That was unexpected."

"Hmmm."

He was referring to not me fighting but rather the vague memory of a burst of green chakra that engulfed the place and literally detonated the entire surrounding. There was no sign of Itachi and Shark one. Not sure if they are alive or dead.

I looked at Genious, who was starting to drool.

What happened girl? You nearly killed us by that scream of aguish. Good thing I managed to create a shield and the rest ducked. Otherwise, we would be like roast turkey in a spoilt oven of insane temperature. You had passed out by the time the dust settled and so did I soon after.

I got off the bed and covered her with the blanket.

Genious, there seems to some latent power inside of you that is uncontrollable when you are emotionally upset. I'm sorry for upsetting you to that extent. You must be waiting for me to wake up to kill me yourself. Sigh.

I looked at the silver-haired jounin.

"Tell Iruka to take care of her for me, all right?" I said as I made my way towards to the door.

"Ah. Where are you going?"

I raised my eyes to his one eye.

"Home. I've been gone for too long."

Author's note:

Hi Everyone!

Sorry about the delay. Have been really busy with essays up to my neck. Hope that you like this chapter! And thanks so much for the reviews!

Cheers!

Arte

PS Loveable - M: Ahh I had forgotten to answer your question! Gomene! I set it in the new arc: 2 and a half years after Sasuke left, and I'm not exactly following the main thread of the story. Sort of borrowed the timeline and deviated from there, though I decided to keep Sasuke out of this. Too many characters to keep track off:)