... I have no excuse for the timing. I can't even promise it won't happen again

Enjoy though. Torachan pressured me into posting the chapter so thanks go to her.

Sarutobi stared at the man in front of him in stunned silence for a while. The silence stretched on until Sarutobi took a deep breath and spoke.

"I'm sorry Hiashi. What was that?"

"I would like to request the assistance of Team 7 for a mission."

"And the mission is what again?"

"To take my daughter Hinata across the barrier."

"Right… Why?"

"She is too timid. Perhaps having to deal with such a change would be beneficial for her. Increase her confidence and skills."

"You want to send your daughter to the demon side to make her more confident? That seems rather… dangerous."

"Yes."

"… You realize I would have to make that an A ranked mission. Or at least B ranked."

"Yes."

"Are you sure you want to create this mission?"

"Yes. Any training she could get would be worthwhile." Sarutobi sighed and pulled out the paperwork needed, scribbling across it quickly before passing it to Hiashi to sign.

"All right. I'll send them over tomorrow. Payment will be due upon safe return unless she's worse off than before."

"Thank you." He left and Sarutobi sent for Kakashi.

Risa placed a hand on the ground, her eyes sliding closed, as she felt the slight tremor. Sesshomaru came over slowly, waiting for her to look up. It took a moment before she finally glanced up at him.

"It's a ways away…"

"But?"

"I think… I'm not sure of course… But I think it's near the village we've claimed."

"Just an earthquake?" She shook her head slowly.

"No… Maybe… It feels a bit different. That's not going to be the end of it." She closed her eyes again as she felt another tremor. She stilled completely, sending a part of her soul to check out the disturbance. She had just reached it when there was a shout and she snapped back to her body to see Sesshomaru in front of her holding Naruto. She looked at them in shock before peering around to see Sasuke, Kakashi, and two girls. She shared a confused glance with Sesshomaru before Naruto bounced out of his grip and jumped on her.

"Hi Mom!"

"Hey Naruto. Hey Sasuke. What's going? Kakashi?"

"We have a mission." Kakashi rubbed his neck.

"And?"

"Well… It's to train over here. We have an addition to our team for it even. I figured it would be best to seek you out first." Risa looked over the group before pushing Naruto off her and standing, noting the wary and awed looks from the girls.

"What's wrong with them?" Kakashi pushed them both forward.

"This one is part of my team. Her name's Sakura. And this is Hinata. She's a Hyuuga…. Which you probably don't know anything about anyway." Risa shrugged.

"Sounds important considering you thought to mention it." Her eyes widened slightly and she whipped her head around as another tremor occurred. She turned back as Kakashi tapped her shoulder.

"What's wrong? Should we not have come here?"

"Mom?" Naruto looked up at her curiously. Risa ignored them both and turned to where Sesshomaru was watching her, Sasuke by his side.

"Eruption. Go." He disappeared and everyone turned to look at Risa.

"Um… What's going on?" Sakura spoke up.

"You can all come help. The volcano next to our village is erupting. We need to evacuate them and save what we can."

"A volcano?! Close by?!"

"Um… Not for humans, no. Ah-un will carry all of you." She jumped into the air, unfurled her wings, and flew off. There was silence for a second before Ah-un came into the clearing and looked at them all. Naruto and Sasuke both smiled and went over to the beast, easily hopping onto his back. After a moment Kakashi pulled the girls over. Sakura climbed up to sit right behind Sasuke and Naruto reached down to help Hinata. Ah-un took flight as soon as they were all seated. Sakura clung to Sasuke, and Hinata grabbed onto Naruto instinctually once they moved.

Only a few minutes later they landed just outside the village to smoke and people everywhere. Instantly the ninja rushed to help wherever they could. After a few minutes of helping villagers carry belongings up a hill to a bunker a large earthquake hit and fire spewed out of the volcano. They ran back to the village to make sure everyone got out when Sakura screamed and pointed at the sudden appearance of an enormous dog-like creature blocking the village from the volcano. Sasuke grabbed her arm and pulled her to the next house, explaining loud enough for everyone to hear.

"It's just Dad! He can transform into that!"

Naruto finished searching one house and ran into Hinata.

"Hey Hinata! Have you finished searching your side?"

"Um… Y-yes… N-Naruto… There's a h-house on the mountain. Some-someone might be there!"

"Let's go Hinata!" He grabbed her hand and ran off into the smoke.

As the eruption began to reach its peak Risa met back up with everyone at the bunker. She sighed and wiped some ash off her face before looking around the room.

"… My count is off." She peered around again before settling her gaze on Kakashi. "Where is Naruto? And the girl… Hinata?" Kakashi's eye widened and he looked around hastily. Sasuke looked around quickly too. Sakura is the one that answered.

"I saw them head towards the volcano a while ago. I think they were checking one last house." Risa paled and the room went quiet. It only took a second before Risa was gone, running up the mountainside. Sakura looked around in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"No one lives up there anymore. It's haunted."

"Lady Risitka would be the best one to handle it though. Soul stealers aren't bothered by ghosts right?"

"Soul stealer?!" Sakura squeaked out. Sasuke rolled his eyes and Kakashi sighed before pulling her away to explain.

Meanwhile Risa burst through the door of the abandoned house as another explosion rocked through the air to find Naruto and Hinata huddled behind a rapidly failing barrier. One of the few things she had managed to teach him to use Kyuubi's chakra for. They were surrounded by six souls, all battering on the barrier to get at them. Risa went up to them and swept a hand through them, annihilating the souls without bothering for any sort of flair or subtlety. Naruto broke the barrier and grabbed onto her, Hinata doing the same. Risa took a second to pat their heads before hustling them out the door just as the house caught fire. Looking around they realized there was no way to walk or jump down anymore. Behind them they could see lava rolling towards them. Hinata stepped back and nearly fell off the ledge they were on. Naruto managed to grab her and pull her back before looking back up at Risa in panic. Risa looked around desperately for a way out, looking down only when Naruto yelled.

"Mom! Can't you fly us out?!" She stared at him for a second before glancing back at the rapidly approaching magma.

"… I… Yes. I suppose so... But you two have to hold on tight to both me and each other, got it? This will not be an easy flight." Naruto and Hinata linked arms and grabbed around Risa's waist. Risa wrapped her tail around them and opened her wings, jumping into the air. Instantly ash clung to her wings, weighing them down and making it difficult to move them. Even without the horrible visibility and lack of breathable air it would have been difficult to fly. With those it was nearly impossible. Risa winced at the pain it caused and forced herself to fly regardless. She headed toward the stream nearest the bunker, holding onto the two kids tightly. As promised the flight was rough as she dodged what she could see, endured what she couldn't, and fought against her failing wings.

They crashed a bit after reaching the bunker and she let go of the kids on the first landing before tumbling through the tree line herself and splashing into the stream. Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura all rushed over to Naruto and Hinata. Kakashi looked towards the broken trees and pushed Sakura closer to the others.

"I'll go check on Risa. You guys stay here."

"Okay…" Sakura responded.

Kakashi carefully picked his way through the trees to find Risa laying facedown in the stream. After a moment of panic he realized her head was turned just enough to breathe. He stepped to the edge and she opened one eye to look at him tiredly.

"Is everyone-" She coughed, "okay?"

"Yeah… Are you?" He looked over her prone form, his gaze resting on her wings.

"I will be… eventually."

"What happened to hurt you?"

"A volcano." She tried to move, her wings fluttering sadly, and a cloud of ash escaped only to fall back on her. "Have you ever seen a bird flying during an eruption Kakashi?"

"I can't see much at all actually."

"Yeah? Neither can they; and the ash interferes with their wings… In short: things that have to fly usually die." Her eye closed and Kakashi watched her in confusion.

"But you can't die. Wouldn't you just come back perfectly fine?" Risa chuckled lightly.

"I wish. I would come back if killed right now, but any ailments would stay with me. Only what had killed me would be healed." She shuddered slightly and turned to allow more water to flow over her. Kakashi managed one step into the stream before someone appeared beside him. Just close enough to make Kakashi pause.

"You shouldn't have flown."

"I'm sure you know why I did my love." She winced as she tried to turn back to look at them and suddenly Sesshomaru was next to her.

"Don't move so much."

"… Okay…" She agreed quietly, far more subdued than Kakashi had ever seen before. She let him pick her up with only a minor whimper. Once adjusted she looked back at Kakashi tiredly. "You can get everyone back right? It could be part of their training."

"Sounds good to me."

"Kakashi?"

"Yes?"

"Don't tell them I got hurt. Naruto will only blame himself." Kakashi nodded as Sesshomaru disappeared with her. He turned back to retrieve his team, hoping Naruto and Sasuke knew the way back.

It took a few days, about ten minor scuffles, and fleeing one particularly relentless demon, to make it back. This time the boys didn't run excitedly into the clearly. They opted instead to toss their packs to the ground and slump down by some trees. Sakura followed suit quickly, but before Kakashi could Hinata looked around.

"Um… Where-where are they?"

"Huh?" Kakashi looked around quickly. "I don't know. Are you two sure this is the right place?" Both boys just grunted in confirmation and Kakashi sighed before almost jumping as Sesshomaru appeared beside him.

"It is." Hinata actually did jump as he spoke.

"Oh! Uh, um, where is Risa?" Sesshomaru watched the girl for a moment before slowly pointing past the clearing.

"Bathing. You can join if needed." He strode past her and nudged Sasuke, and then Naruto, with his foot. "Go bathe in the other pool." Kakashi couldn't help but smile as the boys grudgingly followed the command. Sakura jumped up and quickly followed Hinata when the demon glanced her way. Kakashi chuckled and followed the boys, his eye widening when he saw what looked like a hot spring next to a small waterfall. He was still taking in the sight when he overheard the boys mumbling about how the other pool was bigger.

Hinata and Sakura found the pool easily enough. Like the other it had a waterfall attached. However, it was much larger; towering above them and causing mist to float around like a fog. They quickly stripped and stepped into the water, surprised to find it somewhat warm. They looked around once they heard a chuckle.

"I used a spell to warm up the water enough to be comfortable." Risa sighed as the girls came closer to the waterfall she was sitting under. "I'm glad you guys made it back safely. I assume the boys are at the other pool."

"Yeah. Is it cold since you're not over there?"

"Most of it, but there is a hot spring nearby. Bubbles up from far underground." She shifted under the spray with a wince.

"Are you okay?!" Hinata cried out.

"I'll be fine. Too much ash got in my wings. I've been confined to the water, with only short breaks, for three days. It's almost all cleaned out." She smiled at the girl's worried expression. "You're cute." She glanced over at Sakura as well. "As are you. Both have so much potential too… Keep training hard and you both could be excellent ninja." Sakura grinned while Hinata blushed and lowered her head.

"I-I don't think… I don't think I'm any good."

"Oh?" Risa tilted her head and leaned forward to stare directly at Hinata. "The only thing you really lack is confidence. The talent is there, if unpolished. I would never have allowed you to help out near an erupting volcano or to travel back here without either me or Sesshomaru regardless of how injured I am otherwise." She leaned back into the waterfall. "Now you two should bathe before my overprotective mate comes over to scold you for potentially upsetting me." She closed her eyes before she could see the smile spread across Hinata's face.

It stayed silent for a while as the girls bathed and relaxed in the water. Risa didn't open her eyes, only occasionally shifting, until they were getting dressed.

"How long are you staying?"

"I'm not sure. We'd have to ask Kakashi." Sakura shrugged and opened her mouth to continue when there was a shimmer in the air near her and a strange tearing sound. Risa had instantly stood when it started, all ready fully dressed and on edge. A figure stepped out of the forming portal and looked around in disgust before finally looking at Risa with a smirk.

"Hello again Sister dear."

Don't worry, I'll leave it on a cliffhanger.

I hope to be able to continue in a more timely manner.

Probably.