Bad Blood

Lamia Deus smirked at a unconscious Gaara. Smoke blocked her from view before revealing Uzumaki Robin. She had bruises and cuts littering her body. With a cruel glint in her eyes she kicked Gaara over onto his back.

"Took you long enough." She muttered as she turned to Itachi.

"I could say the same for you." Robin smirked as she looked down at Gaara.

"I enjoyed playing with him." Robin bite down on her hand and summoned the large bird from before.

"ITACHI!" Robin and Itachi spun around in time to see Sasuke charging forward. Robin narrowed her eyes when she saw her younger cousin Naruto. Itachi moved to the side, dodging Sasuke's punch. Itachi dodged a few more of Sasuke's punches with ease and knocked Sasuke back with a single punch. Robin glanced at Hinata and Sakura. Hinata had dropped down into her family stance while Sakura had adopted a medical taijutsu stance. "Bastard!" Sasuke screamed as he charged his brother once more, sharigan blazing.

"Should we take Naruto now?"

"No." Itachi responded while dodging another punch. "Leave him for now. We won't need him until a few weeks." Robin summoned her naginata and twirled it in the air before dropping into her own stance.

"Do you want another one?"

"You're MY opponent!" Sasuke yelled, fury flooding his systems.

"You heard him." Itachi smirked as his younger brother jumped back, performing his best jutsu. The sound of birds filled the air and chakra crackled around Sasuke's hand. Robin rolled her eyes when she saw this. With a sigh she turned back to the other three. She barely had time to dodge Hinata's open palm. She jumped back, avoiding Naruto's rasengan. With ease she moved her head to the side and Sakura's fist missed her head.

"Three to one. Hardly honorable." Robin taunted as she did a back flip to avoid getting her feet swept out form under her by Hinata. She leapt back again, avoiding Sakura's kick. Robin narrowed her eyes as a golden flash blinded her. A fist connected with her cheek, sending her tumbling back. Robin rolled through the sand before she pushed off with a hand and flipped up into the air to land on her feet. "Naruto-kun," She spat out blood as she stood. A flash of light appeared once more but Robin held up her hand and blocked the kick aimed for her head. "That took me by surprise. It will not happen again." Flashes of light appeared, one right after the other. Robin dodged or blocked each blow. "I'm faster than you, little cousin. Even using your father's jutsu, I'm faster." Robin swung her leg around, making contact with Naruto's skull. Naruto was sent flying back and tumbled through the sand as he skidded to a stop. "You rely too much on that jutsu." Robin lunged forward and did a handspring, dodging Hinata's gentle fist. She brought her naginata up and blocked Sakura's kick. "This is getting to be sad."

"I agree." Sasuke was thrown back by Itachi's punch. "We don't have time for this." Robin grabbed Hinata's hand and held them apart.

"I helped train you, don't you think I know your weaknesses." She narrowed her eyes when she saw the blood on Hinata's hand. "You were going to summon?" Robin smirked. "Don't you think the dragons would listen to me more than they would you." She kneed Hinata in the stomach and shoved the girl away. Robin flipped up into the air, barely avoiding a punch from Sakura. Robin landed and kick Sakura's back, sending her tumbling through the sand.

"We need to get back." Robin nodded and stepped onto the bird with Itachi. The bird lifted itself into the air with a few beats of its wings and flew off. She glanced over to Itachi and he sighed and moved forward.

"What are you doing?"

"You've trained nonstop ever since you joined Akatsuki. You barely sleep. It is only because you are Uzumaki and have been using your bloodlimit constantly that you are not dead right now." Robin narrowed her eyes and looked ahead at the sky as she crossed her arms.

"How did you know?" Itachi pulled Robin back into his arms as they sat on the large bird.

"I know because I have been watching you. I know you. Sleep. You've got no energy left. You used up the last of it just now in the fight." Robin opened her mouth to protest but he shook his head. "Sleep." Sighing, Robin gave in and laid back into his arms, falling into a restful sleep.

Setsuko nearly knocked down the door as she barged into the Hokage's office. Tsunade looked up, surprised. She had been talking to Tenshi. There was another person in the room but Setsuko didn't see them due to the chair blocking her view.

"Setsuko-chan."

"The Akatsuki! Where!" She demanded, almost out of breath from the dead sprint she had made to the Hokage's office the second the wind brought word to her.

"Setsuko-sama . . . ." Tenshi stood from her seat. "Please do not do anything hasty." Setsuko sent Tenshi a sharp glare before resting her eyes on the other person in the room.

"Setsuko-sama . . ." Yoko stood up. She looked pale and tired but still held a regal air to her. "I do not think you should go to fight this battle." Setsuko's eyes narrowed as she stared at Yoko. Yoko sighed and brushed back some of her black hair. "I just woke up from the . . . vision . . . . I had." Setsuko turned back to Tsunade and marched up to the desk.

"Where is the Akatsuki!" She demanded once more, anger burning in her eyes. "I swore on my student's grave that I would avenge him! Tell me where they are!"

". . . . you will die." Yoko quietly whispered, catching Setsuko's attention.

". . . . what?" Yoko looked down in shame.

"I. . . . had a vision before your wedding. You died in it. I thought . . . . I thought that it wouldn't come true. But then . . . . with that last vision . . . . I know for sure that if you go you will die." Setsuko was still, trying to take in the information she was beinf told by her cousin.

"Setsuko-sama, I know this may be hard for you, but listen to Yoko."

"Who?" Tenshi blinked as Yoko looked away, sorrow etched on her face.

"Setsuko . . ." Setsuko cut off Tsunade.

"Who!" Yoko sighed and looked back at Setsuko. She bite down on her lip before giving in.

"I . . . . do not know her name . . . ."

"What did she look like!" Setsuko demanded. Yoko bite down on her lip once more.

"I couldn't get a clear image of her."

"Then how the hell can that be any use to me!" Yoko winced at her harsh words.

Sakura sighed as she finished healing Sasuke's rib. Itachi had broken it during their fight. Hinata looked down at her wrists, seeing the bruises from when Robin had grabbed her to stop her from summoning.

". . . . she was faster than me." Naruto sighed and shook his head as a sand medic checked him over before saying he was fine.

". . . . what could make Robin-kun be so harsh?" Hinata quietly asked her boyfriend.

"Itachi can, apparently." Sasuke sent a harsh look towards Naruto when the fox boy spoke. "What? Gaara said so himself when he came to intercept Robin. She and Itachi are . . . seeing each other." Sasuke sneered at the mention of his brother and looked away, anger clouding his mind once more. He gripped the exam table hard, leaving cracks in it. Sasuke shook with rage as the fight replayed in his mind.

"He was toying with me." Sasuke muttered to himself. Sakura slapped Sasuke across the face before Naruto could say anything. Hinata gasped slightly at Sakura's action towards her own boyfriend.

"You're damn right he was!" She snapped at the startled Sasuke. "You lost your head. You let your rage cloud your mind, losing any chance to beat Itachi!" She sighed, her anger melting away. "You would have been fine if you hadn't lost your head."

"She's right." Naruto muttered, causing Sasuke and Sakura to look back at him. "We have to fight them. Losing our heads isn't going to get us through this." Naruto sighed as his thoughts drifted back to his cousin. "Listen, Robin's my cousin. I . . . I have a hard time fighting her but I have to do it anyways. I can't let emotion cloud my mind and neither can you."

"Setsuko-sama . . . . from the vision I did get alittle information."

"What is it?" Yoko hesitated before replying.

". . . . this woman . . . . you thought she was dead . . . you thought you killed her." Setsuko closed her eyes in frustration.

"That doesn't help."

". . . . she wore your village's symbol . . . ." Setsuko felt her world stop. ". . . . she's been wearing it for years, seeking revenge."

"Setsuko . . . ?" Tsunade was hesitant as Setsuko felt her body go numb. Memories flooded her mind.

"Who is it, Setsuko-sama?" Tenshi asked quietly, reaching out to comfort her cousin.

". . . . her name is Tsuki Ai."