So it's the last night of the masquerade ball and the Akatsuki have a plan. How will things go?

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS.

Chapter 9 – The Last Night

The Akatsuki were on their way to the Masquerade ball. Once again everyone was dressed up, only this time the attire was more modern. The men were in suits while the women were in dresses. Everyone was wearing their masks.

Konan's dress was very provocative. A halter neck, backless dress with a low cut down to her belly button. It flowed in straight to the bottom with a split on the side which stopped on her upper thigh. Although Konan was usually confident with her body, after what happened the dress did little to help her. She agreed to wear such an attire if it would help the mission.

Tonight everyone went to the ball in separate boat like cars (since there were no roads); in their usual pairs (Hinata was paired with Hidan and Kakuzu). Hinata was sat in between Hidan and Kakuzu, feeling very exposed. Her dress wasn't as provocative as Konan's but it was backless and halter neck but there was a diamond shape cut out on her chest which showed her cleavage. The dress also had a split on the side like a Chinese dress.

Hidan kept his face to the window but couldn't help, once again admiring her beauty through the reflection of the window. She looked so beautiful, even though she looked melancholy, it almost made her look more beautiful. Hidan shook his head, he couldn't let his guard down tonight of all nights.

Tonight's mission was simple: Find the Iron masked man, capture him, get as much intel from him as possible, then kill him.

It seemed now the killing part was more to show him what happens when someone messes with the Akatsuki. Hidan was really looking forward to making his blood pour. It's been a while since he's had a killing.

Hinata could sense the thirst for blood from the Akatsuki without using her Byakugan; it was that strong. Her only job was to stay with an Akatsuki member, find if there's anything suspicious with her Byakugan and be back up. She herself was looking forward to the mission, anything to distract herself from the last 24 hours. She was then brought back to the real world by Kakuzu.

"Hey" he said calmly; still facing forward "Don't let your guard down tonight, that Iron masked man will probably be looking for you"

He then turned his eyes to her.

"If it means a better chance to capture him, seduce him"

Hidan jolted and turned his head to Kakuzu.

"Hey!" He yelled.

Hinata simply closed her eyes; showing no emotion "Very well".

They both stayed silent in shock.

"If it will help, if it means making this mission a success, I'll do whatever is necessary".

Kakuzu just said "good" and turned back to face the front. Hidan looked at Kakuzu, then Hinata, not believing what's just happened. He turned back to the window, resting his chin on his hand, looking pissed. Kakuzu noticed.

Kakuzu: I hope you're not going to be sulking all night like a child Hidan.

Hidan gritted his teeth.

Kakuzu: Just think, this will be your first killing in a while.

Hidan calmed himself, reminding himself what he was like before this mission started, before Hinata was around. He smiled.

Hidan: Oh I'm looking forward to it. Hehehe I'm gonna have so much fucking fun tonight, you might have to keep an eye on me Kakuzu. I might end up going on a fucking killing spree.

Hinata clenched his fists and kept her eyes closed.

Hidan: Hehehehehe That's right, all I have to do tonight is kill, kill, kill…

A few minutes later, the Akatsuki had arrived outside the building the Masquerade ball was being held. As everyone started making their way to the entrance, Hinata took a moment to collect herself and then proceeded with everyone else.

No one said a word as they walked towards the doors that led to the main ballroom. Pein lead everyone and was the first to the doors. He turned around to everyone and nodded to make sure everyone was ready. Everyone else nodded. Pein pushed opened the doors to join the celebrations. Everyone walked in but then stopped.

The ballroom was empty.

Everyone was now on high alert. Then a high pitched giggle was heard. It was Lorenza.

"Welcome everyone" She said calmly with while smiling "To the last night of the masquerade ball".

Everyone stood their ground.

"Don't be shy, eat your fill, dance to your hearts content! Party until it's Dawn!"

Everyone stayed quiet.

"Dawn?...get it? because Akatsuki means dawn?...huh?"

Lorenza sighed and her smile changed from friendly to sinister.

Huh?

Suddenly Pein yelled "SCATTER!"

Everyone jumped in different directions a second before a huge explosion engulfed where the Akatsuki stood. There was then a burnt hole beside Lorenza who was stood in front of the huge curtains which lead to the gardens. They opened to unveil the cause of the explosion.

It was a canon, and a second Lorenza

Kakuzu: What the hell?

Kisame: Heh! Well that's new!

Deidara: you hear that?

Sasori: It's just your ears ringing from the explosion, it'll go away soon.

Deidara: I know…Isn't is amazing?

Sasori: This is not the time!

The first Lorenza stood her ground, acting childlike. "Oh shoot, we missed, and we damaged the master's ballroom".

The second Lorenza was obviously different in personality. Showing no mercy. "What do you expect from shinobi? I knew this piece of junk would be useless".

Everyone took out their weapons and went into their fighting stances.

Hidan: Heh! A bit of a useless weapon if you ask me. You can't even aim it and shoot it fast enough to get a fly.

The second Lorenza then made a sinister smile. "Guess you're right, well…" She then took hold of the canon and picked it up, revealing a long chain of bullets on both sides.

WHAT THE FUCK?! Some of them thought.

"LET'S TRY IT LIKE THIS!" The second Lorenza started shooting in different directions, trying to hit anyone. The first Lorenza just stood in the same place; getting shot herself but not caring, in fact laughing. "Hahahahaha Oh Lorenza, you're so cute when you go all yandere"

"YOU'RE THE YANDERE ONE HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" still shooting, now laughing hysterically.

The shooting stopped. The room was filled with smoke and silence.

Suddenly small clay birds flew to the girls and exploded.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" In the confusion, both girls felt their arms, legs being tied of by black like vines and being choked by a hand; all coming from the ground.

Kakuzu: They're both down.

The girls struggled trying to get out, then stopped when they saw crows flying around them and saw a pair of red eyes.

Itachi stood in front of them, almost hovering.

"Who do you work for?"

"Who is your master?"

….

"What are you after?"

Neither of the girls said anything. Both of them just smiled. One smile was innocent looking, while the other looked sinister.

Hidan walked towards them while dragging his scythe. "Let's just fucking kill them!" He yelled "The only fucking thing they're good for is being a sacrifice to Lord Jashin!"

They both laughed, to the point of having tears in their eyes. They stood up.

Kakuzu and Sasori (with his chakra strings) held them both down, but they continued getting up. Their legs started to crack from the force of the vines and chakra strings, but neither of them cried in pain. Suddenly they disappeared. Then reappeared in front of Itachi and Kakuzu and Sasori.

The girls started glowing and then…

BOOM!

The ballroom exploded and destroyed the entire building, creating a shock wave across the entire city of Venice.

Hinata woke up under some rubble. She looked around her new surroundings with a loud ringing in her ears. Only half of her mask was left.

"Hello?!" She called out. She tried to stand up but stumbled from the injuries to her legs. She had deep cuts in her legs and arms. The bone in her right leg was almost exposed. She looked around, she was so dazed, it didn't occur to her to use her Byakugan until a few seconds later.

"Byakugan!" She turned around…

Her eyes widened.

"HIDAN!"

Hidan was pierced by his own scythe across his back. He was against what was left of a wall; feet off the ground, only being held by his scythe, he was covered in blood and he was unconscious. Hinata stood up and fell again, thanks to her legs. She then dragged herself, almost crawling to the injured Shinobi.

"Hidan!" She screamed "Hidan can you hear me?!"

He didn't move. He was as pale as a ghost. Hinata couldn't sense any chakra from him. Tears started flowing down Hinata's face.

"No" She quietly weeped to herself "He can't be…"

"Oh dear!"

She looked up to the direction of the voice.

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, this is going to cost me a lot to rebuild"

It was the Iron masked man, still wearing his mask and in a tuxedo.

"Those silly girls, blowing themselves up like that, heh, well at least they were useful in the end"

A shuriken flew past his face; leaving a cut on his cheek. It cut the mask and the string that held it on his face. The mask fell off, and Hinata's eyes widened as her Byakugan eyes met another pair of Byakugan eyes.

"It is good to see you again, lady Hinata" The man said; simply smiling.

Hinata sat in shock. The Iron masked man, their target, was a Hyuga.

"Who…who are you?" She asked.

"Oh my apologies hehe I haven't introduced myself, I am- "

The man was suddenly tied up in chakra strings from different directions. Hinata looked behind him to find Sasori, whose clothes were ripped apart. His chest with the character for "Scorpion" on it was exposed.

"So Uchiha was right, you are a Hyuga, or did you steal those eyes?" Sasori said smiling.

The man's expression changed.

"Hmmm, this doesn't concern a puppet"

In a flash, Sasori's body was destroyed. Pieces of his wooden body falling everywhere, leaving only his "heart" in one piece. The chakra strings vanished at the same time. Hinata gasped.

"Now where was I? Ah yes, I was about to introduce myself" The man was back to smiling, but the smile was cold.

"My name is Seiji Hyuga"

Hinata's expression didn't change. Seiji walked to towards her, he knelt down to her and started healing her legs as he continued talking.

"You probably don't remember me, you were very young when we last met, not even your little sister was around. But there's nothing to worry about my lady…"

He finished healing. The injuries on her legs were gone.

"You're safe with m- "

She disappeared from him and reappeared behind him. Seiji turned around to find Hinata picking up Sasori's "Heart". She knew it was the only thing that kept Sasori alive and that if his heart stopped beating he would die.

First Hidan…now Sasori… I need to save them

"Do not concern yourself with those low lives my lady"

Seiji stood in front of Hinata. He brought his hand to her.

"It'll be dead soon so why don't you just put it down" He was still smiling.

Hinata stood up with Sasori's heart still in her hands. Seiji kept his hand out to her.

"Why don't I take it – "

SLAP

Hinata's slap was powerful enough to make him stumble to the side and leave a bloody scratch on his cheek.

"HE is not an IT!" She said loudly; as if giving out an order. "How dare call yourself a Hyuga."

She walked hurriedly with her head held up back towards Hidan. Seiji's smile was gone. He turned around fast about to grab hold of Hinata…

SLASH!

Hinata turned around; only getting blood splattered to the side of her face. Seiji fell to the ground screaming in pain, holding his arm which now stopped at the elbow. His arm on the ground was crushed by a massive sword. Kisame's Samehada sword.

"Heh, you should treat your 'lady Hinata' with respect"

Kisame, Itachi (with his sharingan activated) were on opposite sides of Seiji.

"URGH! Lowly scum!"

Once again, in a flash, Seiji's wound had closed and the battle against Itachi and Kisame began.

Meanwhile…

Hinata felt a sudden gust of wind and looked up to see Deidara flying down with his clay bird.

"Deidara!" Hinata called. Deidara jump off the bird and ran to Hinata and

"What happened to Sasori?!" Deidara asked, took hold of Sasori's 'heart'.

Hinata: That man did it (turns around), he's a Hyuga.

Deidara: Come on, Pein's got this covered, we gotta get out of here now! Un!

Hinata: But Hidan!

They both turned to face Hidan. Deidara's eyes widened.

Shit!

He switched on his on his mic. "Kakuzu my man! Un!"

Kakuzu: I know I'm already working on it!

Huh?

They both ran to Hidan to find a large group of Kakuzu's vines inside Hidan's chest, trying to keep his blood pumping through his body. The vines from Hidan's body went around to the other side of the destroyed wall. Kakuzu was sat down looking exhausted.

Kakuzu: Hmph We need to get that scythe out of him, otherwise we really will lose him.

'lose him' those words repeated in Hinata's mind. She rushed back round to Hidan and started moving the scythe. She could then feel how deep in it was. The scythe had gone right through him, now lodged into the wall. Hinata struggled.

Deidara gave Kakuzu what was left of Sasori to help out Hinata. Kakuzu simply sighed and brought out more vines to keep Sasori alive.

Both Hinata and Deidara tugged at the scythe while the battle between Seiji and Itachi and Kisame was still going in the background.

Hinata then let go of the scythe, started focusing her chakra to her fists which turned into giant lions. She aimed at the scythe.

"GENTLE STEP! TWIN LION FISTS!"

She snapped of the most of the scythe leaving the remains of the three blades that were still lodged in Hidan. Just as they were about to grab hold of Hidan, a huge wave of water came their way. They grabbed hold of the wall.

Deidara: KISAME! Watch where you're spraying! UN!

The battle was getting out of hand. Even Kisame was struggling.

Deidara made a hand sign to make the clay bird fly and hover over them. Deidara and Kakuzu jumped onto the bird. With his black vines, Kakuzu shot his arm down to grab Hinata to get her to safety.

Suddenly multiple shuriken (enhanced with chakra) flew by and cut all the vines that were attached to Kakuzu's arm and Hidan. Deidara made the bird fly higher.

Hinata got up and ran back to Hidan, who was now not on any life support.

"Hidan"

"My lady"

She turned. Seiji was a mess but walked towards her. Itachi and Kisame stumbled but got up from their battle with him. They stood their ground; waiting to see what he'd do next.

"I know they're protected you, but you shouldn't concern yourself with the Akatsuki".

She stood closer to Hidan.

"I understand your father's intensions, but I believe their services are no longer needed. I will look after you until they succeed in the coup and you take the head".

What? Coup? Head?

Hinata's eyes widened but then she calmed herself.

Hinata: What do you mean by that?

Seiji: Please do not worry my lady, I promise I will explain everything. Now let us stop this silly fighting and make our way.

Everyone looked at Hinata.

Hinata stayed silent for a moment, she then placed two fingers on the side of her face and wiped off some of his blood. She looked at it for a moment and then looked up to face him.

"Sorry Seiji…"

She then turned to Hidan, went on her tiptoes to reach his face and placed her bloody fingers into his mouth. Seiji made a confused and disgusted face.

"…but I'm staying!"

She took her hand away. The blood was gone. Seiji's eye widened.

"NOW!"

Deidara made 3 small clay birds and flew around Hidan, and created a large circle around him on the wall with his blood.

"WHAT ARE YOU - ?!"

Seiji suddenly froze.

He looked at Hidan, to see his face turned and smiling. Before he had to chance to look down to see his wounds that were the same as Hidan's, he collapsed.

And with his last breath he mumbled

"M-may we see the future with our own eyes…"

WOW! This was a very action packed chapter. This was my first time writing an action scene so I'm sorry if it wasn't detailed and not writing about how the battle between Seiji, Itachi and Kisame went. Seiji Hyuga I just made up, he's not canon. More about him and the Lorenzas will be explained in later chapters. I'll try and keep writing a new chapter a week until the end of July. I will be going on holiday to Japan for 2 weeks for there will be no chapters for a while but hopefully I will get loads of ideas during the trip! Please let me know what you thought and look forward to the next chapter.

P.S. There will be a Hidan x Hinata moment next chapter, that's all I have planned at the moment for the next chapter hahahaha!