Chapter 12: Family Issues

"The door's open!" Airas exclaimed.

"I guess they did it," Aurion said with a surprised looked.

"Uncle Keisuke is right beyond here…" She looked at Shino. "Let's get going, Aburame." The three of them walked into the next corridor and looked around. "Where should we go from here, though?"

"Ah, um…" Aurion began to think.

The Nozomi Charm gave off a faint pulse wave. "Huh?" Airas held the stone. "Of course! Duh! We can use this charm to find Uncle!"

"Good idea," Aurion said. The charm began to pulsate some more and they followed the beats. As they traveled deeper into the base, the beats began to get stronger. "Are we there yet?"

"Shut up Aurion," Airas hissed. "You've been asking that for the past five minutes."

"Well, excuuuuuse me!" He crossed his arms in a huff. "I'm tired of walking."

She stopped in front of a large door. "Whoa, the charm is pulsating like crazy. Our uncle…he's…"

He smirked. "He's right behind this door."

"Let's go in then," Shino said.

"Right." Aurion pushed the door opened and they walked in.

"Uncle Keisuke?" Airas called out. "Uncle Keisuke, are you in here? It's Airas, your niece!" She looked around. "Where is he?"

"I never thought I'd see you here." Airas, Shino, and Keisuke looked forward as a man came before them.

"U-Uncle?" Aurion asked.

"What? Aurion?" the man asked. "How is this possible? You died nine years ago."

"I-It was me, Uncle," Airas confessed as she stepped forward. "I brought Aurion back to life. I made a pact with the Summon Spirit Akurei and I used a forbidden spell."

"Why?"

"Because I needed his help. Everything that's going on was too much for me alone so I thought that…"

"Your sister's soul was stolen, wasn't it?" Keisuke asked.

"Yes, but how did you…?"

"Uncle…What are you doing here?" Aurion asked.

Keisuke looked at Shino. "You're an Aburame, aren't you!" Shino remained silent. "I…I know you…" He smirked. "Aburame Shino. I attacked your pathetic father, you know."

"So it was you, wasn't it!" Shino yelled. "You bastard!" He reached into his shuriken holster and threw a barrage of shuriken at Keisuke.

"Uncle Keisuke!" Airas screamed. She held up her staff. "Guardian!" A barrier appeared in the way of the shuriken. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Get out of the way Airas!" Shino shouted.

"No! I will not lose any more of my family to you, do you hear me?"

Aurion closed his eyes and bit his lower lip. "So, it had to come to this, didn't it Uncle?"

Airas stopped and looked at her older brother. "Aurion, what're you talking about?"

"Of all the possible outcomes, I prayed that it would never come to this…" He opened his tearful eyes. "Why Uncle! Why would you do such a thing!"

Keisuke put his head down and laughed. "Very good Aurion! Well, you were always sharper than your sisters."

"Uncle…?" Airas whispered.

"Why don't you just tell us what you're up to!"

"Well, it's quite simple, really. I'm a traitor," Keisuke answered.

"Traitor…?" Airas shook her head. "No…No! That isn't true Uncle! You're lying!"

"Open your eyes Airas. I've been a traitor to the Nozomi Clan ever since that wretch of a niece of mine failed to make the barrier around our village strong. I never liked her anyways."

"So you've been working with the Aburames, haven't you!" Aurion demanded.

"Yep. But to tell you the truth, it's gotten pretty hectic since I tried to assassinate Aburame Shibi. I think I'll just pack up my stuff and leave the Aburames. I'm a ninja now, so I can do whatever I want."

"You son of a bitch!" Aurion screamed.

"Where's Airi's soul!" Airas shouted. "Tell me now!"

"Tsk, tsk. I thought your parents taught you better. Where are you manners? You children shouldn't talk to your uncle like that!" He held up his hand. "Nozomi Clan Restraint Jutsu!" Strings of chakra shot out from his hand and pinned Airas, Shino, and Aurion down to the floor. "See? This is how much of a ninja that I've become. I've mixed the arts of the Nozomi Clan with my own ninja style. Now, you asked where your sister's soul was, correct? Well, I have it."

"What! No!"

"And I also have a few other things of yours." He pressed a button and a wall turned around. Chained to the wall were Team Kakashi and Team Kurenai.

"Kurenai! Hinata! Sakura and Inochi!" Aurion yelled.

"What have you done to them!" Shino demanded.

"They were wandering around my base and I couldn't have that." He walked over to Inochi. "I can't thank you enough for bringing me Aburame Shino and Airi's body." He unchained Inochi and restrained her. "This is way too easy."

"Get away from me!" Inochi hissed.

"Sorry Inochi, but you need to get out of there!" He held up his free hand. "Soul Stealing Seal!" His hand began to glow a purple color.

"Uncle Keisuke, NO!"

"HA!" He drove his hand through Airi's body and blood appeared on her back. Inochi screamed out in pain. "Time to get out!" He pulled out the spirit from the body.

Inochi tumbled forward. "AH!"

Airi's body fell into Keisuke's arms. "My revenge will be so sweet."

"U-Uncle, stop it!" Airas shouted. "Killing Airi's body won't solve anything, I should know!" She looked down. "I…I tired to kill Airi once before for the same reasons you have. It won't change the fact that two-thirds of our people are dead. Please, stop this."

"Airas, I don't give a damn about that. I'm killing her no matter what!"

"No you will not!" Shino threw kunai knives and shuriken at Keisuke. He merely jumped out of the way. "I'm a ninja too you know! You think strings of chakra will hold me!"

"What're you doing!" Airas asked.

"Don't you get it Airas? Keisuke don't care about any of you! He wants to kill Airi! Are you just gonna sit there and let him do that!"

"But what can we do!"

"We have to fight him!"

"But-"

Aurion pulled his arms apart and snapped the strings of chakra. "The kid's right Airas. This bastard wants us dead, so we have to kill him first."

Airas pulled the chakra apart. "But…Uncle…"

Aurion smirked. "I never liked him anyways."

Keisuke began to laugh. "You amuse me! Do you really think you can beat me!" He held up his hand again and grabbed Airi. "You need to be punished for your disobedience! Marionette Seal!" He drove his hand back into Airi's stomach, then released her. "Airi, go." Airi began to walk towards the trio.

"Airi?" Shino called out.

"Did he just say Marionette Seal?" Aurion asked.

"He did!" Airas answered. They jumped out of Airi's way. "Aburame, move!"

"What?" Shino asked. Airi picked up a kunai knife from the ground and stabbed Shino. "ACK!"

"Let's see how well you do against Airi and myself!" Keisuke said. He tackled Airas. The trapped Team Kurenai and Team Kakashi and began to struggle to get free from their chains and tried to scream through the tape over their mouths.

Inochi watched helplessly as the battle began. "I have to do something, but what?"