Butterflies

"Me? I'm nobody. I'm not skilled like Uchiha-san. I am not passionate like Haruno-san. I am not smart like Nara-san. I'm not as strong as Chouji-san. I'm not as collected as Aburame-san. Or as pretty as Yamanaka-san. I'm not as confident as Inuzuka-san. If anything, I'm like Hyuuga-san, socially awkward. Oh wait, no, she's just shy. The socially awkward one is me." OC! Team 7 remix!

Chapter 71 – Wolves and Kitsunes

8-8

"I smell them. Same group as before." Naruto-nii announces. I nod, agreeing. "You ready?"

I bite my thumb, do the handsigns, and crouch down to idly pet Tsuki and Tsupou. If that isn't answer enough, I don't know what is. "Our prey is coming." I say.

"A good day to hunt." Tsuren almost smiles – not a good thing when you see a wolf smiling. "You aren't nervous. Miwako would be proud."

"Nn." I nod, mostly to show I hear her.

"Naruto. Aren't you going to summon as well?" Tsuren is such a mother hen sometimes. It just goes to show that she knew our mothers so well.

A moment later, a familiar, and brash, little kitsune named Yokoshima is dancing around excitedly. Next to her is her MUCH older sister, Yokoe. The younger still only has one tail, and if she stands on her hind legs she reaches my (MY!) mid-thigh.

Yokoe on the other hand, is what you would expect of a kitsune. Tall as Naru-nii, lithe, three tails, orange-red fur, piercing blue eyes, and wearing a furisode kimono. She sniffs the air, and grins. A cruel, I'll-eat-well-tonight kind of grin. I like her already.

"Naruto-kun, you promised good hunting. You speak truth." Yokoe says, her voice silky and soft. "Tsuren, you look as pleased as I feel."

"I am. To hunt with a Namiki, an Uzumaki and the kitsune clan again. It has been far too long." Tsuren and Yokoe seem to know each other. "Kushina will be pleased when she learns of this."

"She is no doubt cackling in the Pure Lands." Yokoe agrees.

"Sorry, introductions. Namiki Aya, this is Yokoe. She was my mother's personal summons. Yokoe-chan, meet sis. Tsuren you no doubt remember, and these are her pups. Their names start with 'Tsu', and end with something else."

"Ever the Uzumaki." Tsuren just rolled her eyes. She seriously just rolled her eyes! I shake my head, wondering at that.

"Eyes on the prize, guys. They draw closer." I say. Chatter dies immediately. I smile. A soft, warm smile.

Today, we write our own story onto the legend of the Uzumaki and the Namiki. And we do it together.

8-8

It takes just over ten minutes before the first visual of our prey. Single male, Waterfall headband, slashed. He walks over to us, eyeing the wolves and the kitsunes warily. "So, the village broke our agreement and sent for help. Well. I guess we'll just have to ki-"

I don't know what he was expecting. I really don't. But having a wolf pups grab him by the wrists, ankles and throat obviously wasn't it. That they tackle him with enough force to floor him isn't helping his case either. They don't immediately kill him though, even though Yokoshima is whacking his skull with a stick… Not sure what that's about. Not sure I care. And why is she saying 'bad dog' over and over again?

"You were saying something?" I ask, innocent as the day I was born. Not surprisingly, he doesn't speak. I unseal the prisoners' scroll and seal him away. I'm quick to reseal the prisoners' scroll, for safe keeping. "Good. We have one for interrogation later. If we kill the rest, no one will care."

"Yokoe, you got a good read on them?" Naru-nii asks.

"I do. Tsuren?"

"I do. Ready?"

"GO!" We say as one. And so, the action starts. Five wolves, two kitsunes, one Namiki, one Uzumaki. This versus… sniff, sniff… twenty-one chuunins. Let's see who will die first.

They are smart enough to group together in fours –more or less– so they are spread out somewhat. However, that isn't helping them. Tsuren and I body flicker in front and behind one group, the pups jump in and tear into the 'men'. They are trained well enough to know to go for the thighs or hamstrings to keep their prey from running, while two others take the hands and the last takes the throat. It's inefficient against groups, but they are still pups, so I don't mind.

Each time someone tries to help their comrade, I slice them down, or Tsuren tackles them and rips their head off with one bite – she's an efficient hunter.

Soon the other groups decide we're not going down quickly enough, so they try to swarm us. An enemy with a brain, that's new.

"Pups. Light 'em up!" Five wolf pups grin –again, not a good thing when wolves grin, pup or no– and all five of them are enveloped with elemental chakra. Two with fire, one with air, one with lightning, and the last –Tsuki– with earth.

Tsuren nods, proud of her pups, and activates her fire cloak as well. I shiver in anticipation.

The first group reaches us, four shinobi. Each gets a pup attached to their throat. Only Tsuki runs and jumps at them in turn and body checks them, landing them flat on their back and trying to get the pup away from them. I see them trying to grab the pup, smell their flesh being burned from either the fire or the electricity, or simply being sliced into ribbons from the sharp wind. The shinobi can't even scream from the pain they're in, before a quick tug and loud snapping sound. Their bodies tense, then loosen. Their lives have ended.

We work through the groups, carefully, methodically. Until at least only one man stands.

"M-m-m-m-m-m-monsters!" His eyes are wide, his mind overloaded with the carnage. He doesn't cry, but he wants to.

"Oh? You threaten to wipe out a village, and we're monsters?" I counter. "How many others are there?"

"…" He doesn't answer. He just stares at me; mute, deaf and unresponsive.

"Who wants this one?" Five pups and Yokoshima jump up at the same time crying 'I do, I do!'. I make a lazy, have-at motion. And the six of them tear into the man. No cloaks, no tricks. Just good old fashion wild animals tearing into their prey.

"A good hunt." Tsuren says, eyeing the downed shinobi. I can tell she's wondering which to eat, and which to bring home to the pack.

"A swift hunt." I agree. "Thank you for your help." I hug throw my arms around her neck, hugging her gently. "There will be another battle, I'm sure. Take what kills you desire and rest."

She nods, walking up to the biggest, fattest, shinobi and grabbing him by the neck. She nods, unbothered by the weight. She makes a noise, to tell her pups to hurry, and she poofs back to her den. The pups are quick to run up to a kill of their own, and they poof back without a word. Six bodies missing. I grin, shaking my head in amusement. They could have stayed here and eaten. It wouldn't bother me in the least.

"Aya is right. These were the scouting party. The stronger of their pack are yet to come. I shall warn our sisters. Should you have need of a larger pack, we will aid you. Shima! Grab your dinner, let's go!" Yokoe is so proper. And a bit bloodthirsty. I like her.

"I'll keep that in mind. See you girls soon." Naru-nii says, waving lazily. Yokoshima drags three bodies closer to a fourth one and grabs all four of them at once. When she poofs back, all four bodies go with her. Yokoe isn't as fussy, she just gathers the remaining bodies, piles them on top each other, and disappears with all of them. Not fussy, but a bit greedy. Well, if she's hungry, I say: eat.

So long as I'm not on the menu, I'm cool with it.

"So… how about a game of twenty-one questions?" I ask, grinning.

8-8

Screaming, cursing, and damning me to the pit of the death god's stomach. Anything useful?

"Hey, idiot. I don't have all day. Either you tell us who to expect for the next wave, or I summon a wolf and let them eat you alive. Pick." I warn, already moving to bite my thumb.

The man blubbers –he's an ugly crier– his eyes show just how broken he is. "This isn't how it was s'posed to be. We were s'posed to get the weapons, to avenge… t-to avenge those take from us."

"You don't get it, do you?" I've officially lost my cool. "You think your boss would have let these villagers live if they didn't deliver? You would have had to slaughter every last one of them. You think I care we slaughtered you and yours first?"

"… I…" He thinks about that. Actually thinks about that.

"To demand fifty-three weapons, each of which takes more than a month to complete. And give them two weeks to complete it? The goal was to make them mess up, to give them a reason to piss you off, so you would have to kill them." I lay it out for him. He shakes his head, trying to deny it. Not to me, he doesn't care about my opinion. He's denying it to himself. "How cute. You actually believe you're the good guy in this story. Sorry, but you're the scum."

8-8

"And?" Shika asks the second I exit the room.

"One elite jounin, six jounins, four tokubetsu jounins, fourteen high-chuunins. The rest, over thirty of them, are specialised chuunins." I say. "We're going to need that backup."

"Yeah we are."

-Asami. We've got a confirmation. We need the big guns. Stat.-

-That bad?- She doesn't like the sound of that. She likes the update even less.

-Kakashi and the others are leaving now. They'll be there by tomorrow.-

"On their way. What did you discover from the boat?" I ask.

"…" He opens his mouth to answer, but blushes and looks away.

"Shika~aaaaaa…"

"… Sex slaves…" They're dead. All of them. Dead. "Eight of them. Three of which are pregnant. Hidetsugu's daughter is taking care of them."

"How old?"

"… You… you don't want to know, Imouto-chan."

8-8

As promised, Kakashi, Momochi, Mitarashi, Haku and Tayuya arrive the next day, almost in time for lunch. I nod to them, but say nothing. They take one look at me, not too happy with what they see.

"What's with her?" Tayuya asks, not used to this side of me.

"She's pissed. I'd avoid her if you enjoy living." Shika answers seriously. Kakashi glances at him, an unasked question in his eyes. "The scouting party had… eight to fourteen year old sex slaves. Three of which are pregnant."

Mitarashi and Tayuya look about ready to erupt, just like I feel. "I'm glad I came then." Tayuya's the one to speak. I nod, anger burning in my eyes. "When can we expect the corpses?"

"We don't know. We know their location, and we have their boat. It could be another week, maybe longer depending on how long they take to notice their missing comrades."

"We know their location. I say we take the fight to them." Mitarashi suggests. I crack my knuckles, all for it.

"Kakashi-sensei is the highest ranking now. Imouto-chan refuses to speak, so she won't care if he takes command." Shika says.

"Location." Kakashi demands in his 'mission voice'.

"Aoi Island. North-eastern side. An abandoned fishing village." Shika answers.

"Jubei Village." Kakashi says the name without thinking. He's been there. Good. Let's go. "We leave immediately." Couldn't agree with you more.

8-8

We make it to Shinjuku Town the next afternoon, going on three PM. We don't enter though. We make relax on a cliff overlooking the sea. "It's an eight hour run over open waters. We leave at dawn." Kakashi announces.

I nod, itching to get going, but refusing to risk my pack.

"Aya, are you capable of controlling yourself?" Kakashi asks, not in the mood for surprises.

"Barely, but yes." I say honestly.

"No Okami." He orders. I nod, fully agreeing with him. Transforming would be foolish in my current mental state. "Everyone gather round. We need a plan going in."

Kakashi takes his time drawing out a detailed map of the village. He's been there on a mission, no doubt about it. He highlights which team is coming in from which angle. Where the rogues are most likely to be. He even seems to know a thing or two about who to expect. Hitomi grows more and more in on herself. I narrow my eyes, suspicion boiling up within me. I say nothing.

"Yes, Aya. This is likely the group that killed your mother. I don't know how, but the M.O. is exactly the same. Either Nichiren survived, or someone in his clan took up his mantel." Kakashi explains.

I nod, appreciating the honesty.

"That's… not possible. I beheaded Nichiren myself. It has to be a clansmen, but they were all but wiped out in the last war." Hitomi says, not comfortable with where this is going. "… It could be… his child? That would explain why there's been no sign up until now?"

"Theories." Kakashi shoots it down. "I deal with facts. We'll know when we get there."

"Tell me anyway?" I look between Hitomi and Kakashi.

"… The Imamura clan. They are as closed to bears as the Namiki are to wolves. Including the transformation. Only…" Hitomi begins, but seems unwilling to continue.

"Bears know nothing of honour. The do not care for a pack. They are solitary animals and will fight their own if they chase the same prey." Kakashi explains, his tone crisp, but I hear the disgust in it all the same. I nod, understanding how he would look at people that put themselves before the pack.

"I understand." I say, looking to Hitomi. I smile a little, letting her know that I know, but I'm not upset. "We should rest."

8-8

As expected, Hitomi and Kakashi come to me. Both with guilt in their eyes. "I know, I just don't care." I tell them. "Mama died using the Okami jutsu, protecting Hitomi during a mission. I know. But you forget who she was."

The two of them stand stock still, wondering what to make of me. "The pack's needs come first. She died the way any Namiki would want to: fighting for and protecting their pack." I say, looking out to sea, admiring how the stars dance on the uneven surface of the water. I sometimes think I can make out a pattern, but every time I do, it changes. It's fascinating.

"So don't worry about me going all avenger on whoever is dying to meet us." I say, smiling through the tears. "The pack will always come first."

Tsu wraps an arm around my middle, tugging me closer to her. I lay my head on her shoulder, glad to have her here. Hitomi sits on my other side, laying her head on my shoulder. And I think Kakashi's the one petting my hair.

"Kami-sama, the pain just never goes away, does it." Not surprisingly, no one answers me.

8-8

We make it to the village –Jubei Village?– around two the next afternoon. "If there is a bear summoner, they know we're here. Expect resistance, and we don't need anyone else to entertain Ibiki." Kakashi says. "We rest, eat, and we attack tonight."

"Hitomi?" I turn to her. She activates her Byakugan, taking her time to analyse what she sees.

"Two Imamuras. One older male, one younger female. Perhaps father and daughter. Stone headbands, slashed." No honour is right. Even at my worst I never considered abandoning Konoha. "Everything else agrees with the report. In the main building, two teams patrolling."

"Change of plan?" Shika asks.

"Estimates on the Imamuras?" Kakashi (sort of) asks.

"The elder is the elite jounin, the younger is mid-chuunin. They aren't fighting, so he likely doesn't see her as a threat." That's… just sad. Fighting your family? Fighting for your family, yeah sure. But actually fighting them? I pity them more and more, the more I learn about them. "She smells us. She's whispering it to her father. He already knows."

There's a tense moment. Will they act? "… Nothing is being said to the others. Not even covertly."

…

…

… Seriously? Arrogant much? Or do they just not care about the others?

"Imamura indeed." Kakashi isn't impressed. I start handing out lunch and bottles of water to everyone. "Imouto-chan, better make it two rations bars a piece. We fight tonight, so we'll need the extra calories." I nod, unsealing the extras without complaint.

8-8

"Taiju, your team will secure this area. We'll need a secure location to retreat to. Do not give it up to anyone, do you understand?" Kakashi orders. Taiju nods. He doesn't like it, but he knows it's safer for his team to lay low.

"Hitomi, Tsu. You two will stay here to help." I order. They sputter and start trying to fight me. Hitomi even tries pulling rank. "Tayuya's coming with us. We're going to be the main distraction, and that means sound release genjutsus neither of you can counter. I need you two here."

They don't look happy, but they aren't fighting me anymore. "… Be safe, Aya." They demand.

"I'll be back before you know it." I promise, waving as Naruto, Tayuya and I start walking down to the village. "Be safe. I'll need my cuddle bunnies to help me sleep tonight."

Even without looking back, I know they're grinning and shaking their heads.

8-8

"You know the plan." I drone, standing on top of the last of the shinobi patrol.

"Time for some carnage." Tayuya says, going through the motions of a summoning. Three of the ugliest things I've ever seen poof into the clearing we're in. I shiver, not sure if I like being so close to them. "Let's go."

She starts playing her flute, so Naruto and I focus on the Offsetting Sound jutsu, but only allow it to cover us. Anyone else would fall into whatever (cruel) genjutsu Tayuya is casting.

We make our way into the main building, into the main hall. Where more than three quarters of the enemy shinobi should be – and where they will die.

Once inside, I see dozens of shinobi clutching their heads in pain. I don't know what they're going through, but it looks unpleasant. The three ugly things, Naruto and I start bashing and cutting them up, being careful not to overlook so much as one of them. Tall, short, fat, skinny, light skinned or dark. They fall. And I won't be losing a wink of sleep over them.

Having dealt with the bulk of their forces, we start making our way upstairs. The sounds of battle getting louder the closer we get. Kakashi's team and Temari's team are focusing on two separate floors. Kakashi's on the floor with the Imamuras. Temari's on the floor below them with the elites. We need to back Temari's team up.

On the third floor, we encounter the Sand Trio making a mess out of things. Two jounins are already in pieces – stab wounds, so I blame either Temari or Kankuro.

Tayuya starts playing again, only this time, only to move the three ugly things. Naruto unsheathes his scimitars, getting into his clan's stance. And me? I'm doing what I do best.

Spamming Sound Balls and making those idiots' day that much worse. I make sure to stay near Tayuya, so she'll be guarded while she works her magic, but out of her way so she can see what she's doing.

Eight shinobi were alive and kicking when we got here. But between Temari's wind jutsu, Kankuro's three puppets, Gaara's defensive skills corralling them, and now our kickass back up?

The three left, I'll assume are the strongest three.

They obviously no longer care what happens to the building, or their comrades, because they start using fire jutsus – in a wooden building. Of course, the pillars catch afire. I don't care. Not my den.

And Temari uses it to our advantage too. She lines herself up, casting Wind Scythe jutsus right into the flames and at the three idiots. One of them uses the Water Wall jutsu, but that isn't going to save them for long.

I start spitting Mud Balls, right into the flames. The thing about mud jutsu? They cast fire all too easily. And they cut through the Water Wall like a hot knife through butter.

The screams that meet my ears are like music. No matter how badass you think you are, if set on fire… everyone screams. No exceptions.

So when the screaming dies down, I know we're one enemy poorer. Poor them.

I send my Sound Balls through the Water Wall, and I start waving them around in the dark. Eventually, the Wall crumbles – it's hard to focus on a jutsu while avoiding half a centimetre wide balls that can kill you.

With our vision restored, Temari whips up another Wind Scythe and it catches the flames again. I grin, firing more Mud Balls right at the idiots and sending the last Sound Balls over as well.

Fun fact I didn't know: Sound Balls are flammable. And they burn good.

The screams die down a minute or two later. I don't trust them though. Their jounin for a reason. So I make two Divine Hands and toss them my wakizashis. I behead the jounins, just to be safe. Not one of them fights it. Good. I seal the heads, for the bounties.

"Let's go."

8-8

Two Imamuras. You'd think that Kakashi, Mitarashi, Momochi and Haku could handle them, right?

Wrong.

They are still holding out and standing strong. They are both transformed, taking every hit head on and simply shaking it off. Kakashi even hits one of them, the smaller one, with a Lightning Blade, aimed for her heart. The lightning doesn't pierce the transformed skin.

Well, let's see if I can shake things up a bit, shall we?

Snap!

I capture the little one –relatively speaking, seeing as in this form she's three times my height and as broad as I am tall– in my Devouring Shackles. She struggles, but the more she struggles the stronger the shackles become. With one less distraction, Kakashi's team can focus on the big one – challenge enough, I'll bet.

Kakashi starts pelting kunai, likely imbued with lightning chakra at the big one. The kunai bounce off without even making a dent.

Hitomi might have been able to shut down their chakra network, but she isn't here. And it's starting to get a bit warm in… here…?

"CRAP! Lower floor's on fire! This floor is compromised!" I shout out the warning.

"Move!" Kakashi orders. I grab the little bear and we move out, just in time for the big bear to fall through the floor and into the inferno downstairs. Sorry, moron. Heavier things fall through weakened structures quicker than light things. Facts of life.

8-8

We're down in the courtyard, the little bear isn't struggling anymore. She seems to be calming down, trying to undo the transformation. Whatever. She'd be easier to kill untransformed.

The front door flies off its hinges. The big bear walks out, unharmed mostly, but clearly a bit singed. Kakashi grins, liking what that means. Bear roast is an option.

The big bear jumps forward, aiming to land on the little bear's head? Oh, I don't think so!

Snap!

A Sound Barrier is created right above her, but at an angle so his downward momentum will take him further up and miss her completely. He doesn't even react, but the little bear is reacting. Very much reacting. She's undoing the transformation, returning to her normal form.

I adjust the shackles so they shrink with her, but I need to focus on the big bear. Kakashi and Momochi are taking turns playing whack-a-bear – Momochi's strikes with his gigantic sword pack so much power that the bear has to take a few steps back each time. They still don't break his skin though.

Mitarashi is sending snakes to bite every soft spot she can think of. I don't know if the fangs are piercing the skin, but the big bear isn't slowing down in the least. Haku's ice needles aren't even starching the surface.

I try capturing the big bear in my shackles, but he keeps evading. I try hitting him with my Sound Balls, but even if they hit him, it doesn't affect him. Even when I exploded one right in his ear. Nothing happened! He didn't even bleed!

Then a thought hits me. It's pretty much insane on my part, seeing as it would make me the main target if it works… but it might just get the effect we need.

Deciding to hold off for now, I try casting Genjutsus. He isn't effect in the least. Not even B-rank genjutsus affect him at all. Fine! Let's try underpowering this then! Casting it at full power would probably kill me…

Boar – Tiger – Earth Release: Dark Swamp!

Not surprisingly, the 'swamp' ends up looking more like a mud puddle. It's three metres across, roughly three metres deep. The big bear avoids it. Momochi isn't having that though, he hits the big bear so hard with his blade that he flies back into the mud. Kakashi takes immediate advantage and casts Fire Release: Flamethrower to light the mud puddle afire.

Before we even find out what's going on, I run up to the inferno –fire is hot, in case you didn't know– and cast the jutsu I was holding out on.

Sound Release: Acidic Screech!

The flames themselves churn under the effect of my jutsu, but I can't see what it's doing to the big bear. Before I get caught by surprise, I back off, ready for anything.

What I wouldn't give to have-

"Miss me?" Hitomi is suddenly right behind me, with Tsu!

"Trying to give me a heart attack, I see." I drone, hating that my heart is still beating a bit fast.

"Sorry, sorry." She claims, but she doesn't sound sorry at all; more amused than anything. Her Byakugan's active, so she knows what I would ask. "He's alive. That last jutsu damaged his legs enough that the flames could pierce the skin. And Anko's poisons isn't doing him any favours. If he comes up, he's going to be desperate. That's why I'm here, to keep you from going kamikaze."

"Aww, you do love me." I tease, elbowing her side to rile her up. She blushes, but doesn't comment.

"He's coming up!" Hitomi gives everyone the heads up. We all tense, waiting to see what awaits us. "Anko, those poisons… they're breaking his muscles down."

"Why do you think I like working with snakes?" Mitarashi sounds proud. I'm too busy focusing on the steaming bear-like hand that just flopped onto the ground.

Bit by bit, the rest of big bear crawls out. His fur all burnt away, much of his skin as well. He smells like he's half cooked. A little oregano might help though. Maybe a pinch of black pepper?

Like Hitomi said, his legs are completely missing. He's clearly in agony too, grunting and puffing out smoke. I'm willing to bet his lungs are damaged beyond repair.

He slowly starts undoing the transformation.

The closer he gets back to his human form, the more downcast and defeated he looks. His skin is covered in boils, and where it isn't, there is no skin at all. I can see his half brown tongue through a hole in his cheek. He's a good as dead. And he has no weapons on him. Hmm. A suicide jutsu? Possible. Best to keep some distance from him.

"Coming down from the high, dad?" I look over at the little bear. A girl, my age. Long black hair, just like mine. Glasses. Black, angry eyes stare at her father. I can't help but see myself in her. And yet, we shouldn't be anything alike. My father would NEVER try to kill me – no Namiki would.

I… pity her.

"… I'm sorry." He says, but I don't know what to make of it. It is because of the transformation? Is it because of the lack of a pack mentality? I don't know. And I never want to find out.

"For what? Trying to stomp on my face? Trying to kill me again? Or are you sorry that you're dying and can't make it up to me this time?" She sounds… cold. Emotionless. Like neither his trying to kill her nor his being on the brink of death bothers her. What kind of life do their clansmen lead? That's just… crazy!

"Namiki. Please. Kill me. I am no longer a danger to you or yours." He tries.

"Uh huh." I noise, not buying it. "You do realise that your whole clan was a bunch of idiots for not buying into the pack mentality, right?"

"Hmm. Is that it?" He muses. I don't comment. Let him think about his shortcomings in the Pure Lands. Not my problem. "Will you take my daughter with you?"

"Sure. We always take enemy shinobi along and treat them with love and respect." I drone sarcastically. "Imamura, you have some serious priority issues."

"No, I don't. If you were to see her as one of your own, you'd give your life to protect her. Sometime we've always envied of your clan." He says. His voice is starting to break in places, and the volume is tapering off. He's dying. "Curious, you're the first Namiki to know of us."

"Sorry, Kakashi told me about you, and Hitomi told me about your clan." I burst his bubble. "There's nothing about you in my clan's records."

"Heh. That's more like it. You always did ignore us." He sounds amused. "Please, Namiki… take her. She's the last of our clan." How is that my problem? Maybe you idiots should stop trying to kill each other! "Please. I'm asking as a father… not an Imamura."

"…" I shake my head, no. How can I ever justify taking her as anything but a prisoner? And why would I trust someone that cannot control themselves while using that jutsu?

"Ikuko. You are Konoha's prisoner. Please, do not fight them. Survive. Break the chain of hatred in our clan." He's crying. An elite jounin, in tears in plain view of the enemy. His heartbeat is slowing, skipping beats. Its beat are becoming increasingly erratic. "Fall in love with someone that will treat you right. Please… for me…"

His heart stops beating. "Aishiteru, Ikuko-chan." He starts gasping for air, but no matter how deeply he breathes, his heart won't pump to circulate the oxygen.

I look to the kunoichi. She's in tears, her broken heart on plain display in her eyes. I… I don't understand. If these people care, why would they threaten a village? It doesn't make sense. "Aishiteru, daddy…"

I walk up to Ikuko, unseal the prisoner's scroll, seal her away, and I seal the scroll back into my glove.

"I don't like this. At all. We need to get back to Artisan Village. I have a really bad feeling."

8-8

End Chapter 71

8-8

A/N: Hmm. Is the fighting over? Were they tricked? What's going on? You'll just have to wait and see ;)