Hello all! Sorry that it's been a while I was going through a move and a job change. This one is pretty long though so hopefully its satisfying. I've been thinking about doing some specials on the side. Please let me know if you have any requests. My co-writer and I will be diverging soon so like always if you are more interested in Naruto and Shizuko pairing please check out my co-writer Tsukiange's page and Pinterest for pictures. Enjoy all.

Chapter 16

Lie's POV

I watched Shizuko talk to the blue-haired girl. She looked familiar to me even though I've never seen this girl before. I shook it off as Akumu came up behind me and dropped a scroll in my hands, "we're in gate 3."

I nodded as he walked away, still observing my previous teammates. Shizuko glanced my way only for a moment before turning her back and walking away with Sasuke and Naruto.

I sighed and began walking to the other side to gate 3. When I arrived Akumu locked eyes with me, "Here's the plan. We spread out and eliminate all, gathering any and all scrolls and take out all competition. We meet back in the middle in three days."

This was a plan I couldn't disagree with. I knew though I had to find Shizuko, Sasuke, and Naruto before Akumu did. I nodded, and he smirked. I knew he was pleased by my following along with his plans and I decided to ignore him and let him have it. Had I not been still slightly attached to my old team I would have been okay with following a plan like this. Where success on my end was based solely on me. That's just how my clan used to operate. I would be okay with it if I didn't know how Akumu was. If I didn't understand why he pursued me as he did. I wasn't oblivious though. I knew his dark plan, and it didn't fit in my agenda.

We all positioned ourselves at the gate, and when it opened, I dashed to the right. In the direction, I believed gate 12 was.

I jumped from tree to tree ignoring the fighting going on around me and making sure I didn't attract any unwanted guests along the way. I reached a clearing, broken tree branches were everywhere. Random scorch marks were all about. There was a battle that took place here. I stood straight from my crouched position and sighed. Hopefully, they are all too stubborn to die.

I made three water clones and split up in each direction. I need to find them there is lingering darkness here, and it's not from my kind.

I went south for just a bit towards running water. Close to a stream would be a right place if anyone got injured. I finally came to a clearing in the thicket and looked down to find my team. Kinda… Shizuko was exhausted on her knees staring at the sky between our two unconscious teammates. Her two unconscious teammates. I smirked, "praying to dead people won't save them Shizuko. The boys are still alive."

Her eyes snapped open and looked towards me exhausted and a little helpless, "Lie!" Her cheerful voice turned to a weary one, "why are you here."

I jumped down from my perch already decimating my water clones and walked towards here.

"I came because we were supposed to take this stupid exam as a team right? I just didn't find you in time."

I was sincere and whether she believed me or not she was very low on options.

"You're the healer, what do I need to do to get the guys conscious again?"

She looked at me but then clenched her fists. Her tired face disappearing in determination. "I need you to keep their temperatures down by getting some water and putting a head wrap on both of them."

I nodded and head over to the steam just beyond the thicket and tore the ends of my hoodie sleeves into strips and grabbed a bottle from my little nap sack and filled it with some water.

I went back and went to work pouring the water on the strips and fashioning them onto the boys' foreheads.

"So what happened?"

Shizuko stopped healing Sasuke with her green light and looked up at me, "What happened was you weren't there Lie. We needed you, and you choose your side, and it wasn't ours."

I put on a sad smile and then rose, "so if I were there it would have ended differently?"

She looked back down and made a heavy sigh, "who knows."

I wanted to say sorry but I couldn't. I couldn't be there for a crutch anymore. Not like I did much of a good job of it before.

"Get that thought out of your head Lie. We never needed you, we wanted you. You were our friend." She glared at me, annoyance snapping in her brown eyes.

That's when I heard a twig snap. A few feet away a squirrel came running down a tree and towards us.

"Lie it's back!" Shizuko shouted my way drawing her attention from Naruto's healing.

Sure enough on the squirrels back lay a paper bomb and it was coming our way. I stretched my shadow forward fully intending to incase the little creature and let it implode.

"No, no more pain."

Shizuko shouted with tears backing up her words, and I growled and backed my shadow down running towards the little squirrel using my water jutsu to encase the bomb long enough for me to rip it off this little creature. I threw the bomb to my left and the squirrel to my right, but that broke my hand sign, and the bomb erupted sending me flying against a tree.

The impact was rough, and my left side cracked from newly formed scorch marks.

I opened my eyes in pain but stood with help from the tree. The three ninja from the village of sound that attacked the silver-haired man with the glasses from before jumped down from a nearby tree.

"How sad our little trap actually worked. Stand down girls we're here for Sasuke and the scroll."

"Ha, if you think a little blast ours going to put me out of commission your mistaken. I won't let you lay a finger on them. I said pushing off the tree and getting into a battle ready position.

"No, Lie your hurt!"

I smirked by back still tired to the angel warning me, "yeah but I'm here this time. Things are going to turn out different." I replied to her earlier statement. I wasn't there last time, but I am now.

"I'll take care of these little girls Zaku then you can take care of Sasuke," Dozu said throwing a scroll towards Zaku and rushed me.

I remembered his attack. When his team rushed the silver-haired man before the first exam. The attack that didn't hit but still caused damage. He swung, and I moved back onto my hands, turning my feet in a kick that clanged on his metal armguard. My kick was strong enough to push him back slightly, but as soon as I went to stand back up my head started pounding, and I kept my crouch and held my head as I felt a warm liquid coming down from my left ear.

"Lie!" I could here Shizuko scream, and even though I knew she was behind me, it sounded like her scream came from 3 different directions.

I struggled but stood with a staggered stance. I could still see, and I've fought under worse conditions. I made a hand sign and materialized my dark chained sais

"Do you like it girl. This device lets me control sound waves and direct them back at your ear rupturing it and ruining your balance."

My head was spinning, and all I could do was dig my nails into the ground and kick and swing my legs around once again going to connect with some force behind it, but he just laughed and caught my ankle bringing his arm guard out again.

"You never give up do you girl. In that case, I'll just burst your other ear drum too," he laughed, but before anything happened, a beam of light shot past me shattering his arm guard.

"Light travels faster than sound, get lost and leave us in peace you cowards," Shizuko yelled bravely standing in front of the small canopy the guys were in.

"You brat," the man dropped my leg and ran behind me towards Shizuko.

I took this opportunity to make a few hand signs targeting the long black haired girl who was silently making her way towards me and put her in between my thumb and pointer fingers, not unlike the mind transfer jutsu and yelled, "eternal nightmare."

A few moments later the girl dropped to her knees screaming.

That didn't do well for my pounding head, but I was more concerned with who it might attract. Seeing what I did to his teammate the man who introduced himself as Zaku rushed me. I bit my thumb and grabbed the tiny paper from my pocket and materialized my dark Sais swinging them almost blindly. He just caught the end of my chain and grabbed my other wrist but before either one of us could move Shizuko was thrown back bumping Sasuke when she hit the back of the canopy.

Purple chakra started swirling around him and growing as black marks spread from his neck to half his face.

Everyone froze momentarily eyes glued to the raven-haired boy as his eyes slowly opened. He rose just as slowly looking around to survey the area. Taking in the now knocked out enemy, the Kunoichi. Taking in Zaku holding tight to my chain in one hand and my wrist in the other. Looking my half torn clothes up and down from the small explosion before finally connecting with my eyes.

His eyes were more intense than usual. He continued to look around gazing over the hunched-back sound ninja over to Shizuko who was in pain with her wall against the back canopy.

"Who did this to you?" The maniacal tone that graced Sasuke's voice stopped Shizuko from speaking so Sasuke looked at the sound ninja before them.

He didn't give the ninja even a moment to speak before he kicked him so in the gut that the man flew several feet into a tree.

"Dozu," the man before me yelled as his partner lay unresponsive.

Sasuke moved closer towards Zaku and I a wicked smile shaped onto his face, "Lie, why haven't you wasted this ninja yet."

I also refused to respond turning my face away in shame. I should have been able to stop these guys. I should have just let that stupid squirrel die.

"They busted your eardrums huh. It's surprising you can even stand. You, you sad excuse for a ninja get your filthy hands off of her."

Zaku chuckled and squeezed my wrist tighter to my left forcing me down on one knee to keep from falling over, "What will you do about it boy. She deserves it for what she did to Kin."

Sasuke smiled more prominent, "if you can't learn how to keep your hands to yourself, I'll just have to rip them off."

Sasuke crouched and almost faster than I could see ran up to Zaku and punched him in the gut, making him double over. While he was moving Sasuke grabbed one of his arms twisting it back to where Zaku was on his knees with his arms bent backward. Sasuke put his foot on the back of Zaku's spinal column pushing forward while pulling his arms back.

Sasuke pulled back hard laughing maniacally. A chill ran up my spine. What the hell was wrong with him. It had to have something to do with those black marks. This isn't the Sasuke I know. He is acting like Akumu, and it was not appealing to him. Sasuke didn't try to break people.

I struggled to steady both my feet under me taking one big step towards Sasuke and then another. Trying a little too hard not to get sick or fall over. I had almost made it to him when the ground under me started spinning, and I fell forward grabbing his waist pulling him back slightly away from Zaku.

"Stop Sasuke. Don't let that little Mark control you. You're too strong for that."

Sasuke froze and slowly released Zaku's arms. He didn't waste time escaping as quickly as possible with the rest of his team.

Sasuke fell to his knees as the black marking receded back into his neck. I released his midsection from my grasp, but he turned on his knee until he was facing me and wrapped his arms around me with a firm embrace.

"Thank you," he whispered softly into my ear.

This was new to me. I wasn't used to being embraced by someone who wasn't Shizuko in one of her overexcited 'I need to hug someone' moments. No this was something far more intense. I placed my hands on his back, and we stayed like that for a while and whispered back, "I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. You guys are my team and my friends, nothing will ever change that."

I could hear the little cocky tone accompanied by what must have been the famous Uchiha smirk when he whispered back, "just friends?"

I blushed at that moment. I knew whatever we were just friends didn't really describe it. To make matters worse, I guess at some point in time Naruto woke up because the comfortable silence was broke when Naruto jokingly yelled out, "just kiss already!"

We both broke away fast remembering that we currently had an audience. Naruto sitting up from the spot he was laying in with that stupid grin on his face as if he was never hurt in the first place and an exhausted Shizuko who was slightly glaring at me and when our eyes met she turned away with a downcast face.

Sasuke was the first to move, standing and sauntering over to Shizuko. "I hope you're OK. I'm sorry you had to take care of us."

To this small act of kindness, a small smile graced Shizuko's face.

"Yeah, you're the best!" Naruto said giving her a big sideways hug knocking them both to the ground, which they all laughed at.

"You too Lie, we would have been goners without you," Naruto said after he picked himself back up.

"Your wrong you guys didn't need me all I did was get blown up and kill my eardrum. Shizuko saved you both and me."

Shizuko looked away at the compliment undoubtedly deep in thought.

"Stay with us through this round. Help us get a scroll. We are still a team after all," Sasuke offered, holding a hand out my way.

"No," Shizuko called out quickly de-authorizing both the boys. "She isn't on our side anymore she is with THEM Sasuke. Those other demons and her fiance! She is choosing them again just like she did after the fight with Zabuza. She will never be able to choose us because if she wanted to, she would have already."

I stayed silent. Shizuko finally understood the situation I was in despite her incorrect rage-filled reasoning.

Naruto kinda looked at Shizuko shocked, "You don't mean that. Lie has been a part of this team just as long as everyone else has. It's not her fault they only let squads of three in the exam."

Shizuko let out a big sigh. Naruto obviously didn't understand the betrayal she felt but Sasuke should. She marched over to my form that was still kneeled down trying to get my balance back.

"Fine I don't care if you travel with us through the forest of death but if I think for one moment you have ulterior motives, I won't hesitate to take you down.

I said nothing in response to her warning. Just looked up and smirked.

"Just remember Lie; We're not friends. We're not enemies" She turned her head, so her eyes met mine. Her brown orbs staring me down, "We're strangers with some memories. I don't think she feels anything for us, and we know nothing about her boys." With one more up and down glance, she turned around, her pigtails swishing angrily as she walked away.

I got up slowly with Sasuke's help. He had one of my arms over his shoulders and a hand on my waste. He was silent. No doubt weighing in what Shizuko had to say.

"So you still need a scroll right?"

***************FF******************

By the next day we were all rested and back to decent strength. Naruto and I went to catch some food and change my bandages out from the squirrel explosion, and Sasuke and Shizuko stayed behind to tend the fire.

While Naruto was ineffectively trying to catch fish with his hands using several water clones, I washed my bandages.

"Hey Lie, what the hell is up with you and Shizuko lately. I thought you two were best friends," Naruto asked in his annoyingly usual fashion (loudly and very blunt).

I kind of sighed but explained while wrapping my side as Naruto looked away, "Shizuko doesn't trust me Naruto. She shouldn't either. I have darkness living in me as do all the members of my clan. They are the strongest evils Naruto. They are demons. It's best that I keep my distance from those close to me now that my demon can take over at random times like in the mist village. Because she won't hesitate to kill any and everyone. Some people can control their evil Naruto. I cannot."

Naruto went depressingly quiet after that. We didn't really say much else to each other. We didn't really need to. If anyone understood having a demon, Naruto had to. By now we all knew about the nine tails.

I didn't like the sad look Naruto gave me after I was finished with my bandages. I didn't need pity. I made a few hands and buried my hands in the water, and the fish in the steam came out in bubbles and landed on the land.

"Wha-what you could have done that this whole time," Naruto yelled.

"I chucked, "yeah but it was Way more entertaining watching you struggle."

Naruto and I wrangled our fish up and head back to the base.

"Nice, did you catch all of those Naruto," Shizuko asked while she gathered some nearby sticks for the fish.

Naruto scratched the back of his head embarrassed, "well not all of them."

I just shook my head and helped in pailing our fish.

"There is a lot of fish here," Sasuke started in a questioning voice.

"That's because they aren't all for us," I smirked and told them my idea.

After we ate our fish, we hid nearby. Hoping to attract some hungry genin. It took some time, but eventually, a silver-haired ninja in a purple jumpsuit came out of the bushes followed by a blue-haired girl.

The looked around slowly, and the blue-haired girl took a long sigh, "we aren't going to fall for this pathetic trap. Come out." I looked at the others briefly and jumped down into a fighting position.

"The demon girl," the blue-haired girl warned her teammate but tensed and also got into a battle stance.

Shizuko jumped down from the tree behind me, "stand down Lie. This girl isn't our enemy unlike some." she said cooly breezing past me.

"Everyone is our enemy in this one, Shizuko," I said irritated.

"Shizuko it's good to see you again. Of course, we aren't enemies, us leaf genin should look out for one another."

This blue haired girl was strangely enthusiastic, but I didn't like the way she called me a demon.

"plus we already have both of our scrolls," the silver-haired man said. "maybe we could travel in a pack to the tower. Also is that extra food?"

Sasuke and Naruto dropped down from their trees.

"I'm ok with having a little backup. We still need an earth scroll, so that will work out perfectly," Naruto smiled happily giving Kabuto a fish.

"So what happened to your other teammate?" Sasuke asked skeptically.

"Hiroshi got separated from Shiori and me, but I assume he's waiting at the tower for us."

"As your team is." Shiori cut in, "Lie, right? I heard they've been knocking people out left and right. Why aren't you a part of that?"

"Really none of your concern. Frankly, I don't care if you all come with us or not, but we should get going. We still need to get you all a scroll, and we're running out of time."

Everyone did reluctantly agree that we had no more time to waste. We all went forward. Most of the others trying to hide and blend in as we got closer preparing to possibly ambush. Not me though. I walked/ sprinted openly along the forest path while the others ran in the trees close by.

SHIZUKO'S POV

I traveled along some brush not too far from the main path where I noticed Lie sprinted openly. I smacked my face and shook my head.

"She is pretty gutsy huh. Makes sense though, considering her past I'd say she isn't afraid of anything," Shiori said from next to me. I looked at her curiously.

"Exactly what do you know about Lie Shiori? "

She chuckled nervously, "honestly all I know are rumors, but apparently a scroll of the village of darkness was found. That scroll explained a lot about them. They were a clan that worships Angels. They make deals with demons, and their main goal is to bring forth Leviathan great bringer of darkness. Lie is one of the key components. The story has it she houses the demon Abaddon angel of destruction. While her mate houses Azrael angel of death. If they ever have children together. That child will be strong enough to form a bond with Leviathan."

Shizuko looked shocked, "did you say, Angels?"

"Well, who knows if Angels are real or not but it's a legend that the angels who followed the Morningstar became demons. The Kuriyama clan chooses a demon to bond with. Most are afraid to try and bond with high-level demons because if they are rejected the demon will kill them for thinking they were worthy enough to bond with them. Lie, and Akumu, however, were said to be engaged when it was announced that Lie would bond with Abaddon the two held both of the demon generals of the morning star. They are trying to destroy everything Shizuko."

I looked towards Lie. The Lie who I used to be able to call my friend. Could this Lie be trying to destroy the world? I didn't trust her, but I don't know if she's that evil.

********************Lie's POV***************************************************************

I continued walking. So far there was no sign of life, and the rest of our 'group' joined me on the main path.

"So much for the element of surprise. There is no one here to surprise," Kabuto said in a slightly relieved tone.

"Oh I'm surprised," A ominous voice said in a sinister tone coming from behind us. We turned to find several clones from multiple directions of a spiky-haired man in a black bodysuit and a gas mask.

"You wanted a fight right Naruto?" I asked with a smirk on my face. I sure as hell wanted one. I was already anxious about the fight I had lost the other day with those sand ninja, and I was ready to redeem myself.

"5 vs. 5,000. I like those odds," he smiled cracking his knuckles.

I took my tiny scroll out of my pocket and bit my lip wiping the blood across it summoning my chained sai's Naruto, and I rushed the clones both cutting through them, but they immediately began to regenerate their limbs.

What is this? I cut through them and got back to the others.

"Are they clones?" I asked confused.

Sasuke had already activated his Sharingan. "There is Genjutsu at use, but I think they are clones as well." He said as a very solid kunai knife grazed close.

"Well I guess we'll just have to tire them out," Naruto yelled excitedly and summoned a group of over 30 clones. I smirked. I was going to fight them too; I was ready for a good battle.

The battle lasted a while. By the time the last of the clones were disappearing, we all appeared to be panting.

"We've got you trapped," Another man in a black suit came out accompanied by two others in tan uniforms.

"I don't think so," Naruto smirked cockily, and the four behind us turned into Naruto clones. All of the originals hid except for me.

"Go ahead and take a break guys I can take care of it from here," Sasuke said with a smile.

At that moment Naruto rushed all three of them punching the first one so hard that he fell back into the others knocking them out.

Nice. I shook my head in approval and chuckled a little.

"Great job Naruto! But don't overdo it okay I don't want anyone else to pass out on me," Shizuko said.

Sasuke walked over and searched the ninja. A moment later he returned holding an Earth scroll with a relieved look.

The rest of team 7 cheered.

"We should hurry to the tower before someone decides to take that away before you guys get to safety," I said eying the older ninja accompanying us closely.

"Agreed," Kabuto said with a shaky laugh.

We began walking again, and Shizuko walked up closer to me, finally leaving the side of that blue haired ninja who decided to join us.

"Lie I have some questions for you," Shizuko said seriously but still not making eye contact.

I raised my eyebrow and glanced at her but shrugged and put my hands in my pockets.

"What are your intentions as a ninja?"

This question threw me. I wasn't expecting Shizuko to ask me something so strangely.

"Well… It's personal really," I said thinking of the demon inside me.

"So you won't tell me." She sighed heavily. "Tell me this then. Whatever it is. Will it hurt people for you to get there?"

I thought deeply.

"I honestly don't know Shizuko. I don't necessarily know how to go about it, only that it needs to be done and if a few people have to get hurt on the way then it's better than the alternative." I left it at that. I don't know if it satisfied her question or not but I saw her clench her fists. Under a heavy breath, she muttered, "I bet you're all the same. I don't accept any casualties, unlike you."

She walked away after that. I was sure she meant Akumu and the others when she said all. I know I had this coming, but I honestly had no idea where all of this was coming from.

I shrugged and continued walking. Sasuke picked his pace up a little to walk closer to my left, "so you two are on speaking terms again?"

I just shrugged, "Who knows. I really don't think we are on talking terms still though."

Sasuke nodded understanding but still looked at me again, "So what are you going to do after this?"

I never got a chance to answer him though. We approached the tower with Akumu and Ezrah sat leaning against the tower obviously waiting for me.

I turned to Shizuko and the boys and smirked, "Looks like we part from here again." Despite everything I walked over to Sasuke and gave him a half shoulder hug and whispered in his ear, "never forget what I told you when that mark retreated. You guys are my team and despite everything the closest people in my life."

I turned away with only a side glance and a wave to the others and walked into the tower with my clanmates.

"Well, that was unexpected. When did you turn soft Lie? I would have never expected to see you with those others?" Akumu asked curiously as we ascended the tower.

"I promised to help them through the chunin exam. That's all," I said nonchalantly not really meeting his eyes.

Suddenly I was slammed up against the wall with one arm pinned above my head while Akumu towered over me, "it's time we released your beast so we can remind you where your real loyalties lie."

My eyes went wide as I attempted to escape his grasp, "get the hell off me Akumu. I'm playing your game, so there is no need for that."

He grabbed my chin and pressed his body against mine to halt my struggling. You see my little Lily. I think you're playing a different game with your own rules and I'm just going to guarantee that we are on the same side that's all." Akumu bit his lip and grabbed my cheek crashing his lips into mine while snaking his tongue in to push my own out of the way so that I completely swallowed some of his blood.

He broke away quickly, and I could feel my teeth getting sharper. My eyes changing from its grey-black to an unnatural red. I grew thirsty. I could feel a powerful evil pushing my conscious away like it had only once before. I could feel Abaddon's evil presence mixing with my aura. I was still me, but at the same time, I wasn't.

I smirked at the intense power overwhelming me as I figured out how to power it down.

"How do you feel love?" Akumu asked curiously, and Akumu stood back a smirk on his face.

"I'm thirsty love. Let's finish this, I'm getting bored."

Akumu smirked and took my arm leading me up to the top of the tower.

Where a Konoha ninja popped out of the scroll and congratulated us on passing and told us to go to a stadium for the next round. 1 on 1 battles. Akumu had to hold me back from attacking the ninja, but after all, was set and done, I happily walked ahead of the group. Ready to take on the poor soul who was going to be my opponent.