Chapter 8:meeting.

They awoke that morning refreshed as they sat at a café near th ehotel eating breakfast.

"how much money is left?" shika looked around the table. Counting they had maybe 2307 yen all togather (or roughly 20 american dollars).

"so we cant stay here forever money wont allow it." We need to find her and get her out of here.

"anyone make headway last night?" kiba asked looking around.

"I don't like heights or things that spin." Chouji said holding his stomach.

"what?" kiba asked looking at chouji oddly.

" he got sick on all the rides." Shika shook his head.

"we didn't get anything either, but by popular choice it seems people are happy with the treaty and are glad to have a new lord seems the old one was a bit rough with the citzens." Ino then siped more tea.

"we got nothing either." Kiba looked to shino. " sorry."

Shino nodded deep in thought. " what did kabuto say to you when he knocked her out with the needle?"

Kiba looked to him questionly. " a…. she would wake up back home."

"home…where was she from anyway?" ino asked.

"princess form country of the bliss, but she was kidnaped according to hokage , she then came back with powers and she was a weapon."

"weapon?" shika asked.

"she can control anything with her bubbles. She's an extreme temptress who's power is unmatched but its not under- well lets just say she hasn't mastered it yet."

"wait she came back with powers. So she didn't have them before." Shika puzzled thre it in his mind.

"correct," kiba added.

" but she has connections with orochimaru so she was what could possibly be called his greatest experiment."

"but kabuto called her his creation so we think it was kabuto on a side task using orochimaru's notes to do what they did to her."

hinata shivered. "that's so cruel." Under the table kiba placed a hand in hers to reassure her that everything was fine.

"but if she was the greatest experiment why did she run away?" chouji asked between bites.

"we don't know, offically she had turned good and had asked to be returned to her home country that's where we came in but then kabuto got to her."

"then how do we knoew she isnt the mastermind controling kabuto herself, could she be controling us now?" chouji looked around nervously.

"no she's not. and even if sh etryed to she cant control us all?" kiba said looking to shino.

"im gonna get some air." Shino stood up and walked down the street.

"what am I sposed to do?" he said out loud as he kicked a rock down the street passing it from foot to foot.

Finally thought consuming him he sat down on a bench.

A small boy jumped up and sat next to him and the bench. "he mister that lady wants to talk to you."

Shino looked up. The ninja woman was standing across the street leaned against the wall behind her.

"she said to meet her in the alley next to that building in ten minutes."

"ok. Arigoto kid." The boy then got up and ran away. After ten minutes shino walked to the alley.

It was very dark. "hello- ." he quietly called into the darkness.

"shh…" she walked form the shadow. "im not sposed to be here."

"why?" he questioned looking to her.

"he wont let me.." she looked to the ground.

"who is this he? The other ninja?"

"yes." She still refused to look up.

"then why would you risk talking to me?"

"because I have some information for you."

"information." He leaned back on to the wall. " what kind?"

"of great importance to you." She looked up slightly.

" so its about korena."

"yes."

"how can I belive you, if I cant even be trusted to see your face." He moved close to her.

" she is well,"

"can you take me to her…." you could hear the longing in his voice for her.

"no I cant." Her head still down.

"why…"

"they would kill me. And you. Can you save her when your dead?" emotion rose in her voice.

"can you see her then?"

"yes"

"give this too her.." he pulled the necklace out. " I vow to help her, if it costs my life tomarrow , we will be at the temple tell her to meet us there."

"I will." She looked up and there eyes meet again. " im shure she will love it."

She then disappeared with the necklace leaving shino once again to his thoughts in the alley.hope of her being now restored he hurryed back to the others to plan who they would break in that night.

---- about six blocks away with the female ninja----

" where have you been?" it was another person in a cloak.

"taking care of a small problem."

"well quiet wondering off.we need you here to help our master prepare for her great day."

"yes." She bowed walking into a chamber.

On the bed sat korena. "how was it?" the cloaked woman asked

"well.no vistors " Korena replied.

The girl sat next to korena and closed her eyes making symbols as the replacement korena poped leaving bubbles. Now all that sat on the bed was the girl in a cloak.

"he does care." She leaned back. Falling onto the bed, necklace was clenched in her hand. She sighed sitting up now.

The hood had not come up with her. revealing her face. It was the real korena! Taking off the cloak she threw it under the bed. And danced around the room. " he loves me, he loves me."

She sat down infront of a mirror. Placeing the necklace around her throat she the admired it in reflection.

"he loves me " she whispered again. Grabbing a brush as she ran it threw her hair.

She hummed to herself as she brushed. Singing was a joy for her. she got up again dancing around the room singing a little louder, she placed her hands in the air, like she was dancing with someone. Spinning an twirling as she went.

She stopped suddenly in front of another body. Frozen mid-note.

"kabuto" she breathed the name out heavy as she backed away.

"hello bubbles ." he placed a hand on her shoulder. " my arent we happy today, Is it about the party tonight?"

"a…yes…. My love.." she twirled again back toward the mirror.

"let me help you. " he pushed his glasses up before taking the brush from where she had set it. " you will look so lovely tonight my dear."

" you think?" she asked twitling her fingers.

"yes." He leaned down kising her cheek. " wear this." He pulled out a dress from a pile laying it on the bed.

She eyed the dress. It was a pale mint green. About to the knees. The fabric felt soft to her finger tips, but moveable like cotton. It had two thin straps by the shoulder. "wow."

Holding it up to herself in the mirror she was amazed how she liked it. " for my bubbles."

He smiled hugging her from behind. " do you like it?"

"yes so much thank you."she smiled to him.

"I thought it would look like a nice match with silver, don't you." He began to walk away.

"silver?" she looked confused.

he opened the door and looked back fixing his glasses that had fell slightly down his nose. " silver the color of your bug necklace , is it not?"

Korena practicly fell into the bench behind her as she colapsed slightly.

"did you think I didn't know bubbles?" he gave an evil smile as he shut the door behind him walking out.

Laying her head in her fists korena had tears coming from her eyes, what would she do now?

----back at the hotel----

the plans had been made the would attend the festival for a short time, as they tried to blend. Then a few at a time would head to the temple till they could all gather so it didn't look odd they were in such a big group.

They were dressed and ready heading out to the festival at dusk.