Disclaimer: No I do not own Naruto.

Wings of the White Angel

Chapter 13: Entry to the Country of Lightning

Dear Kakashi-sama,

So far the trip to the country of lightning has been interesting. Over the last two weeks we've done a lot of simple D class missions, and it seems like the boys are getting along better. Still no sign of Pride or his servants, but I doubt they would attack us while we are within the lands of the Country of Fire. I'm not sure I follow your logic behind sending Kin outside of the country's borders, but I won't question your great wisdom.

Kai is still a bit of an ass, but he seems to not be so cold to the rest of us. So far he hasn't shown incredible improvement with his training, but it seems like he might be holding back his full strength for now.

Yurei has still been the same strangely nice guy he has always been. The only change I've noticed is that he carries this huge bundled thing over his shoulder all the time. I think it might be a sword, but he doesn't let anyone touch or look at it for too long.

Kin, so far, hasn't shown anything different. No sign of the demon yet. His skills are improving, and according to him he's just a step away from completing the Blue Water Dolphin. However, I'm not so certain about that.

Aiko-sama has been the most to change. She has actually smiled a couple of times while we were on some missions. I don't know about her strength increases, because she has yet to fight or even play fight. I'm more worried about her emotional health though.

This mission you have sent us on is very peculiar though. We're supposed to escort a captive ninja originally from the Country of Lightning to the village of Korroloka that is located just within that country's borders? I have a feeling like you have more planned than that, but I won't question it.

With my eternal love,

Ayumi-chan

P.S.

I'll make sure to catch up on all of the glomps I've missed since I have been gone because I miss you so much and Kai is still forcing me to hurt him a lot and I hate having to sleep outside and…

Aiko snatched the paper from Ayumi's grasp and rolled it up. "By the pace of your writing I can tell you're done writing the important part of the letter. Don't waste ink."

"I'm not done yet though, Aiko-sama! There's so much I have to say to Kakashi-sama!" Ayumi leapt for the letter, but it was already gone.

Aiko shook her head. "We're entering the border of the Country of Lightning. Once we have passed that line then any letters sent can be considered under scrutiny by the officials of the country. So for now we have to simply leave it at that. Kin, how's the prisoner doing?"

Kin barely heard her. "Uh-huh." Then he continued to glare at the prisoner.

Terubisu glared right back at him. The smoke ninja was glad he was finally returning to his village, but to think he had to be escorted by the very kid who had defeated him…it was ridiculous. His arms were locked behind his back by a special set of sealing chains that would prevent him from gathering Chakra. "I hate you…you ruined my plans at gaining fame amongst my village."

Kin smiled slightly, his slotted eyes staring right into the smoke ninja's soul. "Just to let you know, I'm much stronger now. So don't think you can escape."

"I had no intention of it." Terubisu actually had thought about it, but he was worried about the boy using that speed of his again. Also, the fact that the odds were five against one this time didn't make him feel much safer.

"Good." Kin glanced at Kai, who was wearing his sunglasses. "Your turn to walk the dog." That was a little analogy the group had come up with, since someone had to hold the end of the chakra-locking chain to keep it charged.

Kai grasped the chain and continued walking silently. "We're about to enter the Country of Lightning. Do you think that Pride will attack?"

"No. The border between countries, while well established, becomes blurry when ambushes are concerned. Until we get to Korroloka he won't risk it, because for all he knows Kakashi sent a hidden ANBU squad with us. If he did, they can't enter Korroloka without risking declaration of war." Aiko frowned, wishing that Pride would show himself. She had already gained the necessary training. If he thought that she would be his chakra battery this time, he was dead wrong. ("I'll tear him apart with my bare hands.")

Yurei continued to wander behind the group, a huge fairly flat object that was covered with long bandages over his shoulder. It was about two-thirds his height. ("I can feel something watching us…some kind of shadow eye technique.") Brushing back his long black hair out of his eyes, he glanced behind him and felt a deathly chill run down his back. ("It's that freak from before. He's watching us…his chakra is far too unique.")

Ayumi smiled and trailed back until she was walking alongside Yurei. "What's the matter?"

Snapping out of his concerns, Yurei smiled. "Nothing at all. I was just listening to the sounds of nature around us. And I have to admit…it's pretty interesting." Plastering a calm smile on his face, he kept walking. "So Ayumi, what's a glomp?"

She nearly tripped at that question. "A glomp? Why do you ask?"

"Because you mentioned it when we first met you and, as many have said, I'm a curious soul." Yurei wiped a single drop of sweat away from his forehead with his free arm. For a few moments he felt that chakra again. ("Is he trailing us?")

"A glomp is kind of a flying tackle mixed with a hug." Ayumi tapped her chin with a finger.

"It's a fighting move?" Yurei tilted his head to the side. "It sounds very…" Suddenly Ayumi snapped around and literally latched her arms around his waist, nearly sending him to the ground in surprise. "GAH!"

Letting go, Ayumi threw him a little wink and ran back up to Aiko, who was laughing helplessly. "That is a glomp."

Gulping, Yurei ignored the snicker Kai gave him and kept walking. "I see…."

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"They have entered the Country of Lightning." Pain sat in silence, looking at the circle drawn in the wood of the small room they had rented in Korroloka village.

"Let me see!" A slim feminine hand nearly sent the gaunt teen flying as an icy pair of blue eyes locked onto the circle. "So the green-haired one is the receptacle of the demon? Wow, he's cute…"

Pride cleared his throat calmly. "Frost, control your hormones. You'll be the one to capture him for us."

"Of course, Pride-sama!" The thin girl leapt across the room and latched onto his waist.

Pride growled darkly, but didn't remove her. "Forget it…Blind, how go the preparations?"

"Already completed, milord." A heavyset young man wearing a pair of sunglasses stood up from his corner of the room. "When they sleep tonight, they'll awaken to nothing."

"Good. We mobilize right after Pain says they have settled down for the night." Pride rubbed his hands together in anticipation. ("Aiko…be stronger, I beg you.")

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"Welcome to Korroloka Village!" A small cheer came up the crowd of villager's who met Team Eight at the edge of the village. At the front of a group a man wearing business robes stepped forward and bowed his head to Aiko. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Aiko-san."

"It's a pleasure to be back, Mayor Saruma." Aiko bowed her head. Ayumi did the same, smacking Kin in the back of the head when he did not do so as well.

Saruma grinned widely as he looked upon Kin, Kai, and Yurei. "My, what strong-looking young men! I don't suppose any of you three would be willing to marry my lovely…" He was silenced by a shoe to the back of the head.

"Father!" A young blond-haired girl about the same age as the boys ran up to her father and put her shoe back on. "Don't you have any shame at all? You ask nearly every boy who looks my age that question!"

Aiko stifled a giggle at the memories she had from her last visit here.

"But I have to find a strong man to keep you safe, my treasure." Saruma rubbed the back of his head. "And each of these boys seem to be able to keep you safe and protected if they were your husband."

"Give her Kin." Kai casually said. He ducked his head as a fist was launched his way from the mentioned Genin.

Yurei chuckled and shouldered his package, ignoring the cold feelings of death that were breathing down his neck. ("Damn it…where are you Pain?") Extending his senses, he tried to locate the boy. But to no avail…

"I have to speak with you for a short while, Saruma-san." Aiko slung an arm around the man's neck. "Tell me, do you have somewhere inconspicuous for us to stay for the evening?"

"Yes we do. We have a guest house that we normally give to traveling lords when they pass through, but we have set it up to support multiple people. Please help yourself." Saruma grinned. "Alicia, show the boys to the house."

Ayumi huffed at the fact that she wasn't mentioned, but decided not to speak up. First impressions would make her seem like a drama queen-ish type person.

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"Master Pride." Pain stood up. "I suggest that Frost begin the technique now."

"Do it." Pride stood up and casually slid on his black over-robe. "Bring on the storm, Frost."

The girl began to move her hands as fast as possible, creating hundreds of seals every five minutes. "Suiton; Chi no Ame!" Outside, thunder began to crash in the distance. "In a short amount of time…we'll have lots of fun, right Pride-sama?"

"Yeah…" Pride smiled coldly. "The streets will flow red with the blood of the fools who would harbor my prize."

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Kin looked around the small room quizzically. "There are only three beds, so someone is going to have to sleep outside."

"Thanks for volunteering." Kai kicked the green-haired boy out of the room and shut the door. "Keep an eye on the prisoner too."

Kin growled and wandered over the window that looked out at the rustic settings of Korroloka. ("This is such a nice place. To think that this might have been my life had I not decided to become a ninja…it's strange and surreal. Though I can never truly have anything like the people of this village have, I don't mind it. Maybe it's because the will of my father runs through my…") Thunder crashed in the distance. ("That's strange…very strange….the sky was clear when we went into town.")

Terubisu, who was chained up to a chair, scoffed at Kin's surprised face. "What's the matter punk? Are you really that worried about just a little rain?"

Kin looked up at the sky through the window and felt a tingle of fear run down his spine. ("What in the heck is…") Then it began to rain. As water dripped down onto the earth, he felt something wrong. ("Why is the water red? And more importantly…why is…") A loud thud came from the front door. Kin nearly jumped out of his seat.

Terubisu had gone silent, he felt it too. ("What is this horrible feeling…")

Kin stood up and walked towards the front door casually.

Terubisu gasped quietly. ("That rain…it's…") "Don't open the door!"

Kin's hand stopped a few inches from the handle. "Why?" Then the door exploded inwards. A bloodied corpse crashed down at his feet. It wore the clothing of one of the local villagers. Kin stared at the corpse in pure fear…his pupils contracted….and then he screamed.

Terubisu tried to stand up, but he couldn't. ("Stupid chains!")

Kin stumbled away from the corpse. "W…w….what in the…"

Snarling as loud as he could, Terubisu roared at the top of his lungs. "Throw the body outside, you fool!"

Then the corpse exploded, spraying hardened shards of bone throughout the entire room.

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From outside, in an alley across the street from the house, Pain smiled sickly. "Karoshi Bakudan. Death Time Bomb…" He loved that technique of his. By pumping a corpse full of chakra, he could turn that corpse into a grisly bomb any time he wished.

Frost looked up at the sky. "Blood Rain…isn't it interesting?" She held up a hand, which had a blood-red needle of ice pinched between two fingers. "They're dying and all they will ever think is that it's strange rain…right up until they are pierced…"

Blind stepped past both of them. "Now…let us finish the job! Kuro Moyamoya!" As he spoke, a black cloud began to form around the entire house.

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Kin stared in complete confusion. "Why…"

Terubisu smiled weakly, coughing up a few drops of blood. Somehow he had managed to move in time to stop Kin from getting hurt. Though he was unable to protect himself from the storm of bone shards. "I…I understand…"

"Understand…" Kin stared into the now dying gray eyes of his apparent captive. "But…we're…"

"No…Pride-sama…I'll protect your prize…" Then the ninja crashed, the chair holding him at a strange angle.

Kin quelled his fear, just in time to see darkness cut off his view of the outside. ("I have to make sure that everyone is alright…") He began to turn…

"Terubisu died for my will…excellent." Pride calmly finished sipping his drink, his back rested against the frame of the doorway that led into the kitchen of the house. "Hello, prize."

Kin felt his blood run cold. "Y…y…y…"

Waving his hand, Pride created a katana out of shadow. "Let us go see the darkness, shall we?"

Kin shook his head vehemently. "NO! Keep away from me…" He slid into a Taijutsu stance.

"You wish to fight?" Pride closed his eyes. "Sorry, but I'm taking you now…you don't need your legs or arms…not for what we desire…" He disappeared, appearing inches from Kin. His sword poised to strike. "This will only hurt for a moment."

Kin couldn't believe it… ("He's too fast…I can't track him…I can't…")

The sword fell….

To be continued…