Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Bonds of Beauty. Enjoy the 6300-word chapter. I don't own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto and a few others do.

Souta had met plenty of people in his life. There were plenty of missions he had been on in life when it came down to it. All of them had been different from this when it came down to their skill requirements and issues.

"So? How are things?" Souta asked while he frowned to himself. "Because right now? This is weird. The arm-biting thing I mean." Souta stated that he was forced to dodge a slap to his face that almost made him blink in shock at the woman who had almost slapped his face.

"Hmm." Karin rolled her eyes before she shook her head. "Eh. I guess it is kinda weird." Karin stated as she rolled up her arms to allow him to keep healing.

It was rather awkward considering the fact there were other bite marks on her arms. She was well aware it looked rather weird to someone who didn't know what the hell their story was.

"Are you ok?" Souta asked with a raised eyebrow as he realized there were still many marks on her arms. "This got weird the first few times, didn't it?" Souta questioned to which there was a nod towards himself as he did so.

To the credit of the shinobi? Karin didn't see any deceit, horror, or a grim-faced attempt to snark at her. She guessed it was simply part of the fact shinobi were around weirder situations than gnawing on your flesh in an attempt to heal themselves. Karin would honestly admit if the idea of sucking on someone's arm was said as a way to heal you? She'd be rather quick to discard it as idiotic ramblings or an attempt at deceit that didn't work as well as it should have.

"It's fine," Karin said as she rolled her eyes. "You… Aren't the first to bite me." Karin said as she sighed at how pathetic and weird that sounded.

"Do you ever get those marks treated?" Karin asked as Souta raised an eyebrow at her. "I know what a healing technique is. I'm not a medic. I'm still smart enough to realize poison or sickness will transfer." Souta said while he simply nodded toward the woman in question.

She said nothing while she raised an eyebrow towards her friend who cleared his throat and waited for her to speak. This day had been thrown off by their meeting and to the other? Their interaction was both annoying and interesting when it came down to what they were able to discuss at the moment.

How did they talk when neither knew the other and neither knew what was ok to talk about to the other? It wasn't an easy thing to do. Yet both crossed the minefield anyway despite knowing what lay within it.

"Not a lot of medical ninjas left in the world anymore," Souta stated while he slowly tried to sit from his chair and failed. "They were one of the first things people went for in the war I believe. It's smart to do so. No doctor for the other side? No more soldiers for you to need to fight when it comes to it." Souta added while he cleared his throat.

He was greeted with a roll of his eyes. Both were well aware of how the war had gone for both sides. If the other side had won? They'd not be here to talk about anything or anyone.

Karin wondered if the entire war had been rather intense for all people within it. Many sides wanted different things that the war gave them. It came down to the moment of who wanted what and what was allowed. There were so many deals in the back of her mind that helped her when she considered them. All of the world considered the idea rather than embracing their ideals. It was sad to hear that so many were that way.

She rubbed at her eyes with pain and annoyance as her friend slowly started to place his feet on the ground while he did so. The pressure to be one of the heroes was starting to bother her. How did they not care what she had done during the war? They had harmed many people who didn't need to be hurt to get where they had been at the end of the day.

Still? She had been able to throw away a lot of her more horrible points. The more that she had placed into this new path? The more she wondered if there was anything worth it at the end of the road. Who cared for what she did to atone?

"You, ok?" Karin heard as she turned towards her friend. "Sorry. not trying to bother you. There are a lot of things I don't want to discuss at the moment either. It hurts a lot to try and it didn't entirely help a lot at the end of the road." Karin heard Souta sigh to himself as he did so.

"No. Simply something that hurts to remember." Karin stated as she sat next to her friend on the log next to him. "There are a few things I didn't mean years ago that I wanted to take back," Karin stated to which her friend seemed to raise an eyebrow.

"And that is?" Souta asked while he crossed his arms across his chest. "It isn't easy to tell what the flaw inside yourself is at the end of the day. Trust me, I'm well aware of how things go if you let them spiral too far. It will always hurt more than you expect. It's terrible and annoying." Souta stated with annoyance.

"Sounds like something an old man would say at the end of the day." Souta heard from Karin who gazed at her nails as she did so. "It isn't easy to simply pretend you didn't do something wrong and need to be punished for it. Trust me. I'm not an idiot when it comes to that sort of logic. The stuff I've been around is enough to make someone insane." Karin added before he crossed her arms and sighed to herself as she did so.

He rubbed at his eyes with annoyance. He had been far too annoyed by what to do next at the second. There was a lot more to see and do before he seemed to straighten up. Souta had become far more willing to accept that if she was interested in saving him.

Still? If he was, to be honest? He felt off simply deciding to think about these tactics. It had become a far harder pill to swallow knowing that he may have had left.

Yet he trusted her for some reason he had yet to contemplate. He'd have to figure out why that was sooner or later with enough time. Souta decided to simply sit down and wait for a time to further speak at a better time.

"What happens now?" Souta questioned with a raised eyebrow as he seemed to contemplate what to say and do next. "What happens when we're said and done? I still need to complete the mission and the longer we honestly attempt to talk means the more I won't be able to complete said mission." Souta stated which hadn't been entirely wrong.

Karin simply rolled her eyes at him. Souta was wounded and the more he stayed here meant the more his wounds could be infected. It was a lot more annoying, to be honest. She wanted to slap him upside the head for how annoying their plans were. What have happened had simply become a far harder pill to swallow. She wished to leave him here, but she wasn't the type to simply abandon someone to their fate as Sasuke had tried to do to her… She'd be lying if she said she didn't still nurture some sort of feelings for him regardless of what had been said or done. This was not supposed to be this way, but it was what had come down to.

"Are you ok? This isn't the worst I've been hurt, only the worst I've been allowed to live with If I'm honest. I'm sorry I'm a bit grumpy about what has been going on." Souta stated before he sighed and seemed to rest a hand on his hip with clear interest.

There was so much pain in his chest that it hurt. This pain wasn't as bad as he expected and some of it was receiving… But it was honestly something that had been a lot more horrid than he expected. The sooner he tried something, the sooner he'd had to deal with this.

Souta had no problems admitting he was out of his league trying to stop her. She was a lot stronger than he expected and any real attempt to stop her meant he'd be pushed to his limits sooner rather than later. The sooner he seemed to question at the time?

"We need to move you or you're going to bleed out idiot," Karin said to which Souta only rolled his eyes at her and seemed to prepare for what to do next. "And you are telling me what you're doing sooner or later. I do need to get to work at the moment and this isn't exactly helping me do my job." Karin said to which he seemed only to sigh and nod to her. "There are a lot of things we can handle later, but it isn't exactly like I can wait forever with your body slowly starting to break down at the moment," Karin said before she sighed and seemed to ponder what the hell to do if his body did break down.

She wasn't going to let him die, not here at least in the middle of some vague forest where nobody cared to see him fall. If anything? She'd let him expire somewhere he was able to properly relax and stop himself from falling apart. The sooner that was handled? The sooner he was able to relax and properly grasp the severity of the situation. Then again? She doubted he was taking it seriously without good reason. Karin had never understood the idea of trying to pretend the pain didn't exist with foolish bravado like this.

Souta at least seemed to accept he'd die without her, yet she didn't pat herself on the back for this as it became clear to her that there was more going on than it seemed to be. That was a problem that needed to be nipped in the bud and fast.

"What happens if and when we get to wherever this place is at the time?" Souta questioned before he seemed to take a deeper breath as he did so. "There's a lot more I need to report to my bosses and they're not exactly going to be happy. I was supposed to be there 2 hours ago. Now, look at me, stuck in some forest and bleeding all over the forest like some massive idiot at the time." Souta stated to which the woman appeared to raise an eyebrow.

"As opposed to already being a giant idiot who's probably lucky I had been around to stop them from bleeding out?" Souta heard from Karin as he seemed to shrug and sigh to himself.

"Hey, someone needs to be an idiot if the others aren't, doesn't exactly help if only one person is being the idiot, is there?" Karin heard from Souta but she only rolled her eyes.

"If you die on me? I'm going to scream." Karin said with an annoyed sigh to herself in exhaustion at the moment.

She had simply rolled her eyes for the time being when all of this was said and done. She knew better than that had been a lot more fun as of the time being… This was silly, sure, but she knew that he had a lot more to do next and she was simply standing in his way before now.

Still? if she was entirely honest? This had been something fun when all was done. He was a knucklehead, but he was at least a warrior at the end of the day.

This was going to be a lot more interesting for the time being when it came down to it.

"You're a lot more interesting than you look," Karin said before she rubbed at her chin and looked down at the ground. "If you're going to die? At least make sure you don't bleed on me." Karin said while she hummed to herself and sighed before rolling her eyes at her friend.

He only stayed silent. He had been a lot more curious as of the time being. whatever little bit of amusement he had in this place. Whatever little bit of annoyance she had hadn't been something funny like this.

This had been something odd as she slowly bent down to check on his wounds. She rolled up her arms to notice for a second before it came down to it. There was a lot more to say and do at the time when all of this moved. She knew more than anything that as a warrior he was stubborn. He didn't want to back off for now when this was all said and done. It was so odd and so weird when this was a lot more.

"What is going to happen next?" Karin questioned before she hummed. "You might need another bite. The cuts will all heal when that's done." Karin added to herself.

She rubbed at the bridge of her nose and lowered herself closer to his face. His eyes widened as he stared at the marks on her arms before looking at her.

"Are you sure?" She heard before he looked at her. "There's no way this doesn't hurt you, right? I don't want to hurt you before now." She stated before she hummed to herself.

She cracked her fingers and looked at him as she tried to best for the time being. This had been a lot more to this when he questioned before he tilted his head to the side.

"I'm sure. I don't want you to get hurt though, you are a doofus. I'll need to be bitten either way for you to heal up… There's a lot more to see and do now." Karin added before she hummed to herself and started to look around before now.

She had been a lot more to question before now. A lot more interesting to her. There was so much to say and do next. She knew her friend. This had been a lot more curious to them and she knew that her friend was probably trying to beat her when all of this was said and done.

The chase would be a lot more to say and do as of the time being. Still? She knew more than it came down to it that he was going to be messed up as of now. It'd be an odd little part of history for now. It'd be a cool little thing. Whatever came next would come next to it. Whatever came next was an odd little thing for them and she knew for it as of the moment.

He sighed for a second before now. She almost seemed to question before she seemed to be done and dusted as now. It'd be a lot more to question… And oh, did he find it to be terrifying when he considered it at the end of the day.

"You want me to bite you as I can?" Karin heard from Souta seemed before she rolled her eyes and nodded for only a second. "Ok, still the weirdest thing I've been around for a long time.

"Just bite before I kick your stupid head off," Karin muttered as she sighed and looked at him.

He sighed and rolled up her sleeve before looking at her and slowly starting to bite at her arm as she tilted her head. She had been a lot more curious for now. She had been an odd little thing for now… It had been terrifying for now.

She knew just how odd this crap was for now. It wasn't like she had often dealt with the fact that people had to bite into her like a shark.

She grunted in pain as his teeth latched onto her flesh. God did she forget how much it hurt like hell. It damn well hurt before this had been done and dusted at the time. She grunted and was brought to her knees by it… And man did it feel weird.

Souta finally released his grasp on her limb and looked at her, Karin blushed and rolled up her sleeve over the mark and the saliva from him clamping down on her arm like it had been a shark now. It had been terrifying when it seemed to question when this was done and dusted.

Still? He had been weirded out before it came down to it. She had been a lot odder as of the time being when all was done.

He looked at her as she shook the pain out of her arm she straightened, he seemed to question before now. It had been something weird for now. It had been a small little gesture that she had been thrown off by it.

He was honestly thrown off by this. She didn't know what to do next before now. It'd be a long time before she understood what came next. She knew more than he just how off-putting her abilities had been and why at the end of the day.

Whatever happened next was fun, it had been something odd for now. If anything? All Karin was doing for this had made him sigh, unprepared for what to do next, what he'd endure was more than what he had been through before. He was not at all done and their move was done for now.

She bent down to check on him, preparing for now. If anything she brought out the best in him.

"You ok? I don't want one of these bites to do too much for you." Karin heard as she looked before glancing around, unsure of what he'd do if there was more moved by anything.

If at all? He was expected to prepare for a weirder problem. She seemed to be prepared for the worst. Wouldn't surprise him, he was a Shinobi and she knew it, she knew more than anything that he was just as much a threat as an ally. They didn't know one another, they didn't understand what their control was their powers. If anything? She seemed to be capable of what it seemed capable while it made her tilt her head, she was prepared for the worst.

"Are you going to be ok?" Karin questioned while he nodded to her.

"Yes, I'll be ok, I don't know what will come next when all of this is done. I don't think they wanted me to leave. Maybe they just don't like me." Karin heard as she rolled her eyes, prepared for now.

His mind wanted as he tilted his head, prepared for the time being, what it seemed preparing for now. Karin questioned what to do next, what was he? What work needed a Shinobi this far out in the wild? If anything? He was more on the case than it seemed to properly be focused on now.

"What is going to happen when you're all healed up for now?" Karin questioned to which Souta shrugged, preparing for whatever the future would bring him for the rest of the game.

Karin was all over before long. If anything? They had a lot more to talk about before she tilted her head, unsure of what was going to be done, and dusted, whatever he seemed to be honestly questioning for now. He prepared for whatever she'd expect from him. He smirked, prepared for anything and every little thing that had been placed in his way.

Karin was a strange woman, wasn't she? One which constantly seemed to be shifting with each new second while he became more and more powerful. She was honestly a weird woman that mystified him. It confounded him to his very core, all too real for him and all too over the top while he questioned whatever he did next. He seemed to be oddly weird when he seemed to be preparing for something odd.

What was she? What had she wanted from him for now? he said nothing, trying to wrap his damn head around it before it came down to it. there was a lot more to have to deal with for now. it was something that had to be handled and would have been properly dealt with.

Souta grunted as she sat next to him, reminding him that she could easily snip his throat shut with only a small mark which wasn't going to make it easier for him to relax. It was clear more and more fun to be had and if nothing else. Both of them managed to have done something.

"And what happens if you don't tell me is I find a nice cliff and see if you can swim… The war is over. Who the hell would I even tell? The Sound? They stopped being friends with me years ago." Karin said as she peeled off her boots and rubbed at her legs which had the markings of someone who had been in pain for a longer time than possible.

It wasn't as if she had anything to have brought it all down, it was clear to her she had been through more in the past few days than she had expected to have. Karin was an odd woman and she knew it, she knew Souta was probably just as odd when it came down to it. Their next move wasn't going to be easier and easier to deal with.

"I'm going to need some time to knit the damaged bones and broken tendons before I say anything then. It isn't like I can speak when I'll be able to simply walk it off… I can't walk it off yet." Souta stated before he tilted his head to the side. "Sides. It's going to be a longer time than usual when push comes to shove." Souta said with half of his breath sounding more and more pained.

It was clear to him that if anything? It hadn't yet gotten them anywhere. It'd probably not get them anything either. Then again? They were dealing with the idea that without any healing? He'd be useful.

Well, there was also the fact he wanted to troll her to which she almost elbowed him in the side, allowing him to find some humor despite the searing pain in his side.

"Not going to get me to crack that way either." Karin heard as she rolled her eyes. "I'm going to need to handle something anyway and this wasn't to be easy… Then again? Little is easy for us." Souta stated to which he sighed to himself, all too pained and down and out of his mind to do much of anything.

It was clear more and more to him that if he was honest? It hurt… A lot more than he could pretend to fake for now and all it did was give him a headache. All it did was make him look weaker in front of her rather than she should get along done for now.

Perhaps the issue would be better if they were allowed to relax and get the show on the damn road. It'd not be long before he managed to relax and all of this was reduced to ash and rubble. Such things weren't beyond him as he liked to have claimed… If anything? Well, he'd probably find himself crashing and burning into the ground… Yes, such measures would do little if anything to him… And it hurts to admit he'd need help… But he did since that was the way of the ropes he had been shown.

It was clear more than anything that if he were to be entirely honest? Well, such measures would do little if anything besides reminding himself that he had needed it all to go perfectly… Yes, this had to be grand and grander upon it and it was all too clear if he didn't move. Well, something would give and it would not be the only thing he felt he could do properly… The only other move he could try was to push himself further and further entirely up the wall.

It would have been too much in any way shape or form. It'd end perfectly or not at all as of the moment. It wasn't clear more and more there was more and more to have to deal with for now.

It was clear for now such problems only served to make it worse and worse. If anything? Souta was still amused by her and yet it had only served to drive him more and more up a wall.

"Are you going to be, ok?" Karin asked as she tilted her head.

"Yes, but I'm just more and more thrown off by all of this. There were a lot more problems on his mind." Souta stated before he sighed. "So, what's a nice little doctor like you doing out?" Karin heard as she sighed before clicking her fingers.

"None of your business," Karin said before she winced at her tone. "I'm going to be blunt, there's a lot of things I don't at all understand about you when it comes down to it. Anyway? I'm here on my mission, it's my business, though. My commander didn't want me to find out what is at the end of the day. The last thing I need to do is deal with someone who's just going to slow me down." Karin stated before drumming her fingers on her chin.

It was clear without a shadow of a doubt if anything. There was all too much to try and figure out things.

There was a lot more to their games than there should have been and it was clear more and more that it was funny to them before now. They had more and more to talk about as of now. It was clear more and more for now. There was all too much upon the mind as of now when push came to shove.

It wasn't clear what was going to happen sooner or later. This was just going to be another dream and nothing else before now. Souta was too terrified for now and smirked, unsure of what he could say or do for now, not ready for it all seemed to get upon now.

She would all too easily bow down as of it became down to get it as now. Karin yawned and clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, all too eager to see it become something to be proud of.

"You're going to be ok, stop squirming or I'm going to end up stabbing you," Karin muttered as Souta laughed and almost paused to look upwards and into the sky.

"Maybe, but we need to get to relax more and more, whatever comes next? I'm not going to get to relax, not if my commanders want me dead for everything I've screwed up and felt more and more tiring." Souta said before Karin whacked him in the side, too interested in what may come next.

It was clear more and more that Souta was telling the truth. Their tribe would kill him as would anyone who would see their orders ruined. Their home did not like forgiveness for now and it probably wouldn't offer any for the rest of their days.

She tapped him on the head still, playfully reminding him that she could hurt him and yet reminding him she didn't at the same time. it was a very nice and playful little reminder that such things were far beyond control.

"Sound isn't going to kill you, we both remember how well it'd get worse and worse," Karin stated as she looked to the side and smirked, unsure of what to do next for now.

"Are you going to be entire, ok?" Karin questioned to which she looked upwards into the sky.

"I don't know what to try and focus upon, but yeah… Your arms look pretty screwed upward." Souta stated and yawned to herself before leaning on the wall next to himself.

It'd be a lot worse if they found him but she was tired as well, unsure as of now, cracking her fingers and slowly starting to hobble away, only pausing to look at him for a few seconds and pausing to know if it was entirely true.

She had to know before she acted and this was the only way… The only good way to see it end so soon and so happily.

"They're a long story and I damn well don't feel like doing it for now. I don't want to try and work on seeing your other injuries yet. Get up, want to see if your wounds are up and all that." Karin stated before she crossed her arms.

It was a lot more amused sort of thing as she clicked her nails on her arms.

This was a lot more amusing, interested in what may or may not come when the sunset as she seemed to get her bearings, brushing back a few strands of hair behind her head and smirking to herself.

Karin watched as she looked around, utterly baffled by every single little thing on his mind, something that only grew with each little bit of time and effort, slowly flaking over in terms of such things… What he did next would be a direct result of the choices imposed upon him, something he knew and he knew well.

Whatever he did next would continue to grow harder and harder to figure out.

They had a lot more to see, and to do at the moment, a time when he was baffled by her skill, her talent.

They had a lot more to figure out, and to do next and it was clear to him at the moment as now and she didn't think that would change anytime soon.

It was harder and harder still to figure out something else he could scarcely do. He was all too eager to figure it all out before now before something else came and went.

Yes, he had a lot more on his mind to say, to do. Whatever he did next would come back to haunt him, plainly and utterly. What little he did do would become something he could scarcely understand what to say and do next before now and he was too eager to figure it all out. He didn't want to try and deal with it all at the time being, something more horrid, understandable and could keep growing.

He yawned and seemed to be all too ready for now, all too uncertain of it all.

He was ready more or less of it all, they had a lot more on their minds than could and would kill everything and anything. Karin merely tapped her hands on her shoulders, sighing as she knew more and more that whatever hang-ups he had? Well, they were too little and too late.

It was almost impossible to deal with it all and she knew it, she knew more and more that whatever it'd be was something odder and odder at the moment.

They had a lot more to figure out, something horrid more and more with each passing second of it all. They had a lot more to try and figure out, something that could only grow further and further with each passing second.

"Souta, you aren't going to be walking anytime soon, whatever you do next? Do know you are too stupid to try and deal with it all, you know, you're not going anywhere or soon. We both know what to say and do, something horrid, something better than it was before. I don't even know what to do next." Karin said as Souta hummed.

"Maybe, but we have a lot more to figure out and you know it. there's a lot more to try and understand. I don't even know what to say or do about your… Endless questions at the moment and about it all… There's a lot more you can see and do and do and this… Isn't at all going to end here, is there?" Souta asked as she snorted at him, tired more and more of all the pointless banter on her mind.

She didn't even know him, didn't even remember meeting him, and yet here he was clogging her mind like a stain, one she couldn't at all expect to see handled.

It was something polluting and clogging her mind for the time being that could and would end up being something she knew very well couldn't be allowed to happen, not now.

She didn't know and she didn't at all know what to say next for now before she cracked her fingers, unsure of her madness.

Not ever as she sat down and plunked onto the log next to him, unsure if she'd ever stand back up again anytime soon. It wasn't exactly like she was lazy but she was tired, so very damn tired when it came down to it, and that she was owed it at least for now when push came to shove.

All of it made her tired to the extreme and something that she couldn't be allowed to do for now and she'd take what she was owed anyway in some shape or form.

All of it only served to make her sigh as she looked downwards at the ground, tired but not at all ready to back down.

"You ever shut up?" Karin asked which got a shake of the head. "Then part of me wonders what the hell you're going to do when I shut you up…. You don't have to tell me your life, I just want to know what to say." Karin said before she crossed her arms across her chest as she sighed and leaned back on the log.

She didn't even know him as she had anyone else, but she did know that she liked him a lot more than anything else.

"Too bad, I like talking," Souta stated before feeling a foot connect with his chin. "Ow…" Souta said before pushing her leg away.

Karin only snorted and looked down at the ground before she sighed and ran her fingers across her cuts and bruises for what he had done next… There was a measure of mercy, one which she'd find to be soothing one way or another, and yet nothing she did would stop it.

She had to stop the madness as Souta hummed and looked at her with concern. The amount of oddity in his eyes made her realize just what was going on next for the time being.

"Are you going to be, ok?" Karin heard as she nodded. "Good, we have a lot to talk about, I guess. I'll answer what I can, even if I'm not allowed to spill it all… My question is, why does your arm look like someone tried to snack on it like chicken?" Souta asked as she glared at her.

It wasn't like he knew, how could he? She didn't know if she had told him because she didn't know if she'd tell anyone besides her former teammates what the hell had happened and what to expect when push comes to shove.

It wasn't easy but it'd happen all the same and end just as quickly now and forever.

"Long story." Karin finally to which he shrugged and looked downwards.

"Worth a shot, every wound has a story, just like the ones I have," Souta said before he sighed and looked downwards.

He knew she found him of all people to be weird, unsure, and uncertain for now. it wasn't simply a matter of fact when it came down to it as she sighed, kicking at his face only for him to knock her foot to the side.

What was he doing? What else was coming down to the wire? What was he going to do next?

Karin sighed and looked at him before rubbing at his eyes, unsure and unable to fathom what was going on.

She sighed and simply looked upwards into the sky, ready to figure out what to try and do for now. She could kill him, drive her kunai into his shoulder and then his head and there was little he could do at the moment to prevent that.

Yep, she didn't have anything to lose by sparing him yet she also didn't have any real reason to kill him, nothing that was concrete enough to kill him or throw him to the wolves.

She decided it was better to let it play out, more and more curious for now.

"You're an idiot, you aren't prepared to understand how much of an idiot, for now," Karin stated before she sighed to herself.

"I'm a lot of things, I think being an idiot is a bit too much for now," Souta said before he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

Author Notes

Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be delayed. The next chapter will show more and more of Karin and Souta talking. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will be 900-6500 words. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!