(A/N: Wow. This one was fun to type. Just so y'all know… I was in a bit of a dark mood when I was typing the first lil half. When I get in a dark mood, all my bad guys have more fun and are more mocking. I like it, tho… it shows the difference easier. Hope y'all like it, too! Please RnR!)
Chouji brought Anko with him as he ran back to the place he had left Sakura. Panic rushed through him as he wondered if she was going to be okay. He had watched from a distance as Yukie had attacked Sakura. He left to tell Anko, his squad leader, of the attack. He would have told Tsunade, but the explosion and giant snake and slug had told him she must be busy.
Anko and Chouji stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Sakura had been pinned by Yukie.
Anko ran forward, calling out, "Sakura!" Yukie reacted quickly, performing a jutsu, Hidden Snake Hands. Four snakes came form Yukie's arm and shot towards Anko. Although she wasn't expecting it, she still managed to dodge it. As the snakes recoiled back to Yukie, Anko returned the same jutsu.
Yukie jumped back, leaving Sakura unattended. Yukie smiled maliciously as she looked across at Anko. When she spoke, her voice was nothing like it used to be. The shyness and insecurity was gone; to be replaced with mocking and hatred and undeniable strength. Her voice was like velvet, soft yet taunting, "So, you were taught by Orochi-Kun, too."
Anko didn't react; she just returned the comment with, "You must be Orochimaru's new favorite."
Yukie's eyes glittered and she replied threateningly, "That's me. Are you jealous, Anko?" Anko started and Yukie let out a mocking laugh before saying, "Oh yes, Orochi-Kun told me about you. He said you weren't a threat." She said the last part in an off-hand manner, but added with another malicious smile, "but you're foolish enough to risk anything for this pathetic village." Her eyes narrowed when she said, "Almost as foolish as Sandaime."
It struck a chord, as Yukie assumed it would, and Anko shouted, "Don't insult my Hokage!" Without thinking, she used Hidden Snake Hands again.
Yukie dodged, mocking laughter filling the air. Then she replied in the same mocking tone, "Ex-Hokage, you mean." Yukie performed a jutsu and directed it at Anko, Shadow Hands. Yukie's hands turned black and grew, and her fingers shot out at Anko.
She could barely match the speed and nearly got hit by the attack. Anko turned to Chouji and called, "Take Sakura, I can handle Yukie." Chouji nodded and ran toward Sakura.
"No you don't!" Yukie said to Chouji. She performed her summoning jutsu, Shadow Summon; however, instead of saying Orochimaru's name, she said something else, "Kotori, come to me, My Pet." Yukie's shadow seemed to get darker, and then a small black cat came out of it. "Keep them away from Sakura," Yukie ordered. Kotori replied with a quiet meow and bounded to Sakura.
Chouji, un-frightened by the small kitten, knelt by Sakura's side; she had been knocked out with some jutsu. Kotori's fur stood on end and she leapt forward to attack Chouji. In mid-leap, she grew about four times her size by using a jutsu, Night's Beast. Kotori knocked Chouji over, now bigger than him. Chouji shouted in terror and scrambled to get out of the way of Kotori's retracting claws.
Yukie battled Anko, both performing forbidden jutsus and dodging the other's attacks. Both threw caution to the wind, to fight an exhilarating battle to the death.
Chouji managed to get out from under Kotori and the two were now brawling. As Chouji fought the huge cat, he wished his other teammate, Neji, had not gone and vanished right before an attack on Konoha.
Neji sat quietly in his cell. He had to be patient. He couldn't be reckless. This had to be flawless. He had overheard the guards talking about attacking Konoha. If he timed this right, he could get out in time to help his village.
Today his food would come. He would attack the guard, eat to build his strength, and run to his village's aid. Sure enough, in walked the guard with a plate of food. He placed the food before Neji and turned to leave. Neji jumped to his feet and attack the guard using his Byakugan sight and a special combo technique, Divination Field, 32 Strikes. Each strike hit its mark and the guard was out cold.
"Weak," Neji said with a small shake of his head. He ate the meal and left his dark prison at a run. If he restrained himself and was careful, he would be in the forest in no time at all.
Neji managed to escape, having to face only one other guard, who went down easily. That scared him; Orochimaru's ninjas must have already left for Konoha. He ran at top speed through the forest, crossed a rickety bridge over the Valley of the End. He saw a hole in the side of a cliff there, and knew this was where Naruto and Sasuke fought years ago. Across the bridge, Neji was in Fire Country land; he was almost to his village. If he hurried, he may be able to overtake Orochimaru's large group of ninja. With such great numbers, they wouldn't be able to move as quickly as Neji. He may actually make it to the Hidden Leaf Village in time to warn the others.
That thought was dashed when he saw smoke rising from the village, only a few feet way. A huge snake reared into the air as a slug, equally large, rammed into it. Neji used his Byakugan to see Tsunade on the slug and Kabuto on the snake. Hatred faired in Neji when he saw Kabuto perform a deadly forbidden jutsu. That traitor had fooled two Hokages; and could quite possibly be a great reason for both of their murders. But Tsunade managed to block the attack and Neji knew he couldn't waste more time. Apparently, Orochimaru hadn't arrived yet, but some spy ninjas were located in the village.
Neji remembered Yukie, and another wave of hatred flew through him when he saw, right at the entrance, the battle. Chouji was fighting a cat the size of a large horse, and losing horribly. Anko and Yukie were flinging jutsu after jutsu at each other; all forbidden; all deadly. The two almost seemed equally matched, but Anko was tiring fast, and Yukie was laughing maniacally and mocking Anko's attempts. Sakura lay unconscious in the center of all of this. She was unhurt, except for a huge bruise slowly appearing on her temple. Neji ground his teeth. He had to help.
