:( Comedy's a lot harder than I thought.

Might I add poor Kiba seems only center stage in Yaois. No wonder why I'm having such a hard time.

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"Kiba-kun," Anko rang out cherrily. He shuddered. "You'd best get this scent before we enter the desert," she said, meekly holding out a notebook. Numbly he took it from her as she squealed in delight, and squatting, snuffled it with his dog. It had a faint sensation to the nose of scaled leather, white geisha powder and lots of saliva. Kiba raised his eyebrow.

"That's what Orochimaru's scent is like? Meh, It's so..weird.." he thought out loud. Akamaru snorted like a sneeze.

The oppressive heat beat against the three as they squinted their eyes. Kiba strained, trying to pick up the scent. The leathery smell had been strongest but that could lead them to any random reptile in the desert. The geisha powder and saliva were a lot more useful to concentrate on being there were hardly any entertainers in the burning sands. Akamaru started, and barked at Kiba.

It's behind us.

"Huh, behind us? That can't be, why wouldn't we have smelled it before..? Kiba asked, puzzled.

"Behind..? It's not the lab!" Anko said alarmed. An ovular head smoothly slid out of the hot sands a couple dozen feet away from them. It let its long, purple, tubelike tongue oncoil into the arid breeze. Orochimaru smiled at them, wide mouthed.

"Heh heh leh-blehah..." He chuckled softly.

Anko winced, and fell to her knee, gripping her neck as it bled. "Orochimaru!" Kiba started. Then he bent his knees, readying a spring as he pre-emptively twisted his body. "Akamaru! Let's do it! Gat-" He took a step foreward, begining to spin. His he felt a sharp pain shoot across his ankle as the world flailed around him and he was jolted on his stomach, head level with the smiling face. "Erk..what happened?" He looked at his foot. It hurt just laying there.

Orochimaru flailed his tongue around in the air, still smiling. His white hands melted out of the sands, infront of his face as he began to rapidly do seals. "Kinjutsu," his raspy voice called out as he paused with his hands positioned oddly above the sand. "Jurei Satsu(1)." The sand glowed infront of him, flowing into a path of brightness towards the sprawled youth. Kiba gritted his teeth as it approached him.

Is that thing going to kill me? I'm already young! His view was shook as the taller body of Anko flopped infront of him on her side, still holding her neck. The tan coat fluttered in his face and he felt the gritty pain of sand in his eyes. Kiba rubbed them until watering, his vision was semi-cleared.

"Ah! It's Orochimaru!" He felt a pair of slender arms squeeze around his neck. It can't be.. Anko's voice was higher pitched. He felt the trembling body of a young girl choking him, making his eyes water more. "Save me Kiba-kun!" She pleaded, eyes shut on a more rounded, youthful face.

"You're supposed to save me! You're the Jounin!" He barked at the girl, forgetting her odd, new appearance. "My ankle's twisted, I can't do anything!" He yelled with a cold sweat. Her large, dark grey eyes shot open.

"I..I have to protect my snuggle puppy!" She said determinedly, standing up. 'Snuggle puppy'..? Kiba's eyebrow twitched. Kiba felt Akamaru's moist nose twitching near his pained ankle.

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Chapter in progress. I hope the..change to Anko will help.

Author's Notes

(1) Age Diminish