Chapter 27: You Can't Win

"The extraction is almost complete…" Shinji muttered, "…Just a little more…" A red stone began to come through Airi's chest. "Yes, this is it!" He smiled as he touched the stone. "Heh heh…"

"STOP IT!"

A torrent of Kikai bugs shot up from the ground and hit Shinji. "Agh!" He fell backwards, but knocked the stone to the floor. He looked up. "Ugh, dammit! Shino?"

Shino panted heavily. "You will not get away with this." His companions joined him.

"Ha ha…" Shinji got to his feet. "HA HA HA!" He smiled as he wiped blood from his forehead. "Shino, you idiot! You can't stop me, none of you!"

"We can and we will!" Hinata yelled. "We won't allow you to hurt Airi anymore."

"Shino, you just don't get it, do you!" He pointed to Airi. "This girl is your enemy! She means nothing to you!"

"Shut up!" Shino shouted.

"Ha ha, Shino, you disappoint me. I don't know why you're the favorite of Shen when you clearly have no plans to win."

"What…What are you saying!" Kiba asked.

"I don't have to explain myself to any of you. You're not ready for the truth." He smiled at Shino. "So, Shino, what are you going to do now? You came here to rescue your darling Airi, right?"

"That's right you arrogant bastard!"

"Tell me, how do you plan to take her from me? Are you going to…fight me?"

"Whatever it takes Shinji," was Shino's response.

"I see. Then all of you had better come at me. In case you forgot, I'm a rouge ninja; I won't go down so easily. And with the powers I got from Shen, I'm unbeatable."

"Well, we'll see about that!"

"Get ready guys!" Aurion said.

"This is pointless," Shinji said with a light laugh. "I shall show you what true power is…"

XXXX

The battle dragged on as Shinji showed no mercy. Bugs where everywhere as Aburame Shino and Aburame Shinji tried to battle it out. Shinji had mastered his Kikai bugs and fought without even giving them orders. They knew what he wanted and they were attacking on their own.

Hinata jumped back. "AAHH!" She threw her kunai knife, but it just brushed Shinji's cheek.

"Ah, you cut me little Miss Hyuga," Shinji said as he wiped the little droplets of blood from his cheek. He smiled. "It's my turn now!" He did a few hand signs and before anyone could blink, there were five clones. "How does Miss Hyuga deal with clones?"

"Oh crap!" Hinata gasped.

"Hinata, look out!" Kiba jumped in to shield her, but received several senbon needles to the back. "ACK!"

"Kiba?" she cried.

"Now's my chance!" Airas whispered to herself. She held up her staff. "I'm sure a nice lightning attack can do the trick…"

"I don't think so," Shinji said as he appeared right in front of her.

"Shinji?" He grabbed her staff, then punched her. "AAH!" She tumbled backwards and hit her head on the wall.

"Hmm, this isn't any fun."

"It will be for me!" Shino yelled. A swarm of his bugs shot out of his hand and went right for Shinji's arm.

"AH?" They dug into his arm. "Sh-Shino!"

"It's over Shinji!"

"…No, it's not." Shino's bugs blasted out of Shinji's hand as he bugs overpowered them. "My Kikai bugs are more powerful and trained than yours are Shino." Shino glared at him. "Look around you Shino. Your companions are near death and you're not doing to well yourself. You can't win this fight, Shino. You can't beat me. It's-" His words were cut off as two shaky hands clasped around his neck. "Wh-What!"

"Y-You're wrong Sh-Shinji! Shino c-can beat y-you!"

Shino looked behind Shinji. "Airi!"

"Hmph, silly little girl!"

A mass of Shinji's bugs began to crawl up Airi's body. "Wh-What! Sh-Shino!"

"Airi?"

"G-GET THEM OFF!" She began to scream as the small bugs made their way up her body. "N-No! Please! Shinji, stop it!" She tried to pull the bugs off, but more kept coming. "AAHH!" They were biting her.

"Shinji!" Shino sent his own bugs to battle Shinji's.

"Shino, it won't work. I told you already that--OOF!" He fell to the ground as Hinata and Airas tackled him.

"Leave her alone!" they yelled.

"Shino, help me!" Airi screamed. He ran to her and began to pull the bugs off. "Shino, they won't come off!"

"ENOUGH!" Shinji yelled. "I won't allow you to interfere anymore! You all will die here and now!" He threw Airas and Hinata off and focused his chakra. "Arrrgh…ULTIMA CHAKRA NO JUTSU!" His chakra shot up from his body, then came crashing back down onto his enemies. The missile like chakra beams hit their targets and knocked them to the ground. Shinji panted heavily. "I…I told you…" He looked at the unconscious bodies, "I told you, you can't win…" He shook his head. "Troublesome idiots." He picked up the garnet and the book from the ground. "I have to go see Shen." He walked off. Shino, you fool. You never could win against me. I don't know why Shen chose you, the senile bastard. You have no skills. You have no desire to get rid of the Nozomi Clan once and for all and prove that we are the dominate clan. Instead, you chose to fall in love with the enemy. I never believed in that 'Love thy enemy' crap, so why do you? You deserve to die along with those fucking people you call friends…

XXXX

"Hey Shino, wake up! Shino!"

Shino opened his eyes. "Hmm? What?" He sat up.

"You okay?" Hinata asked.

"I think so…" He looked around. "Everyone! How did you-"

"Thank Kitari," Kurenai said.

"Yeah, she saved you guys when we found you collapsed here," Naruto said.

Shino looked at Kitari. "…Kitari…"

"H-Hey, stop lookin' at me like that!" Kitari blushed. "You're welcome, okay?"

"Who's side are you on anyways?" Kiba asked.

"Yes, it's about high time you told us where your loyalty lies," Kakashi added.

"Isn't it obvious?" she said. They gave her blank looks. "I…I guess not. Look, I'm with you guys, okay?"

"Liar!" Naruto yelled. "What was all of that earlier!"

"Look, I had to go get something that belonged to Shinji, okay! The only way I could get it was if he trusted me, and he did!"

"…Oh…" He calmed down.

"I wanna help you guys. Now that I see things a completely new way, I've decided that I can't just stand back and watch while other people suffer. I have to do something. Besides, if the Aburame-Nozomi war spills over to other places, then innocent people with no affiliation with the clans will die."

"That's the first time I've ever heard a rouge ninja say something like that," Kakashi said with a smile.

"Hey, it's true, alright! That's how I feel!"

"You guys! Airi's really pale!" Sakura shouted. "We have to get her to a doctor!"

Kurenai sighed. "Yes, Sakura's right. Not only that, but I think it's time that we return to Konohagakure and discuss everything's that's happened."

"Yes, we still have to go after Shinji," Shino said.