The disguise melted away, revealing Ariha in her true form. She glanced back at the thin glimpse of Konoha that she could see, staring at the place that had once been her home, the place the people that had once been her friends lived. She did not regret leaving but regretted the Hell they were about to go through. The sound of snow crunching beneath feet made her stop. Not again. She turned, intent on confronting Hana again, instead finding herself face to face with Nexus. His blue eyes were grim.

"Nexus," Ariha breathed.

His black robes billowed around him before blasting out, swirling around her.

"Don't!" Ariha commanded.

The vampire paid her command no heed and Maru launched into defensive mode, her energy radiating from Ariha, surrounding her host's body and ripping through the black fabric. Pieces fell gently to the ground before reforming in seconds, turning into chains. Ariha cried out as they wrapped around her body, restricting her movements and overpowering what power Maru was using. In the end of the struggle, Ariha was staring down at the snowy earth, upside down.

"Let me go!" she ordered.
"My king," Nexus said. "Where is he?"

"I don't know," Ariha half lied.

She knew he hung out in the forest around Orochimaru's hideout. He usually came when she called though. Nexus was studying her, his eyes cold slits. Normally Ariha liked him. He was funny but levelheaded, balancing Karasu out. But right then, he was actually scaring her. According to Karasu, Nexus liked…skinning things. And he was a blood addict meaning when he fed from the vein, he couldn't stop. He had her in a very vulnerable position. Slowly, the fabric uncoiled, dropping her to the ground.

"This is very serious, Ariha," Nexus declared, locking eyes. "My king is in trouble. I have felt his distress. Mecredi has felt his distress."
Ariha rolled her eyes.

"He's fine. Probably messing with you."

"Karasu may laugh in the face of danger or crack a joke, but he never does so falsely."

"What do you want from me, Nexus?" Ariha snapped. "The last time I saw him, I was saying goodbye!"

She'd almost slipped and hinted at her mission, catching herself at the last time. Nexus tilted his head a bit.

"What about Maru?"

Ariha's eyes widened.

"She wouldn't do that," Ariha declared. "Maru and I have a deal!"

Nexus still looked doubtful.

"She knows how much he means to me!" Ariha nearly yelled.

Maru was a storm inside her, a growing ball of rage at the accusation. Holding her back was becoming physically painful.

"What he meant to you," Nexus corrected.

His eyes had gotten lighter, a cold icy blue now.

"Because my king cannot mean anything to you now. And you cannot mean anything to him. He's going to marry Mecredi and keep our race strong. Please remember that, Ariha. Because when I find him, and I will, I intend to remind him of that very thing. And he will do what is right."

Ariha glared daggers his way.

"I will do what I want," she declared. "No vampire peasant will tell me what I can and cannot do. What I can and cannot have."

Maru was leaking through, becoming dominant. She had plenty of fuel. Being bested by Nexus was one thing. Being bossed around by him was another.

Nexus seemed as calm as could be, as if he couldn't sense the power radiating off of Ariha.

"Enough," he commanded, voice blank.

His robes slid across the ground, up his legs and reshaped into his billowing robe.

"Return home and stop causing unnecessary trouble."

With that, he turned and vanished. Ariha forced Maru down, ignoring the pain. Still, she fell onto the cold ground, shivering from more than just the cold. Mentally, she was scolding herself. She needed to be ahead of the Sound Four, just in case. Every second she sat there just made more snags. Ariha got back on her feet, casting one glance at where Nexus had stood, scoffing at the lack of footprints before she took off.

It had been days. So many that Kabuto hadn't kept track. Maybe because it was so quiet and he had less to do with the Sound Four around. Kimimaro and Orochimaru had been pretty stable. Caleb had been scarce. Maybe it had taken too long. God, he wished he hadn't been so busy. Despite the fact that he'd been acting on Orochimaru's orders, the man would probably still blame him if his daughter was hurt. That's probably why his health was taking a turn. He was worrying needlessly. Still, perhaps he should send a reinforcement. No, no one else could be trusted to go out and assist. Not even Caleb who had free reign since he'd become Ariha's sensei. A sensei she didn't need, if her fight with the Sound Four was anything to go by. Still, Konoha did have a few impressive shinobi. He took a deep breath. He'd have to risk it. His next stop: Kimimaro.

Ariha sensed conflict, the sounds of battle not far from her. She glanced over her shoulder, testing the wind. Blood. That hit her first. Beneath that, she could smell- Her eyes widened as panic seized her.

"Naruto!"

Was Tsunade crazy? How could she send him? Without thinking, she turned, intent on entering the fray, no matter how far but stopped almost as fast. He probably would have heard of her actions. He would know she left as well as why and he'd probably sense she'd played apart in this mission. No doubt, Naruto would hate her. She was helping take away his best friend after all.

"Maru, what should I do?" she asked.

"Go," was Maru's reply.

Her tone, though, said she meant to return to safety. Not engage in battle. Ariha looked longingly in the direction of battle before she turned her back on it.

"Wise choice," Maru said. "Now brace yourself."

Ariha's instincts took hold and she leapt back, avoiding Shino's initial attack. His bugs swarmed around him, on stand by.

"Come to take me back?" Ariha guessed.

She didn't relax. No way would Tsunade only send one shinobi, regardless of rank, to bring her back. Shino was not alone.

"Come back quietly, Ariha. I don't want to hurt you and ruin ties between Konoha and Hell," Shino insisted in his controlled tone.

"No," Ariha said.

She crossed her arms defiantly.

"So be it," Shino said.

Then he attacked. Ariha leapt out of the way, clawing her way into a tree. She heard the sound of fluttering wings and ducked, managing to also avoid another swarm. Glancing over her shoulder, she discovered Shibi.

"Glad to see Tsunade wasn't foolish enough to send just Shino," Ariha remarked sarcastically.

"Return to the village," was all Shibi snapped.

Ariha let out a ragged sigh.

"This is why people are always saying you're forgettable," she sighed. "You never want to have any fun."

She leapt at him, twisting to avoid another wave of his insects and tackling him. They fell in a tangle of limbs, Ariha quickly scrambling away. Shino was right there though, trying to catch her. If either got their arms around her, Ariha knew it would be over.

"Maru," she summoned.

The wolf instantly woke, lashing out with metaphysical energy that nearly sent Ariha to her knees. Shino faltered, his body tensing. He sensed something was wrong, he just didn't know what. But his father did.

"Shino! Run!" he ordered.

Too late. Like water, a burnt orange covering slid over Ariha's own pale skin, encasing her in a leathery armor. Thrusting one hand forward, Ariha sent Shino reeling back. Her attention went to Shibi next, her mind enough to thrust him back a few good feet. Ariha smiled, observing her handiwork.

"Well done, Maru," she praised, the wolf giving her that grin.

Her "armor" vanished, sinking into her skin and leaving a highly sensitive top layer behind that was a healthy pink. Ariha braced herself and continued her walk home.

The rat scampered by, aware of the red eyes on it. Red eyes that lusted for the liquid coursing through the rat's veins. A black tongue slid over elongated fangs, the muscles tensed, ready to send the predator's body surging forward. But instead, one clawed hand extended, uncurling to reveal a piece of cheese. The rat inched closer, curious, only to be snatched up, those fangs ripping into its flesh. The black tongue made quick work of the rat, its tongue returning to its normal reddish pink Slowly, the blonde locks blackened and the claws slid back into the skin. Karasu sank back against the cell, closing his eyes. He touched his lip, checking for any blood left behind. No such luck. He tossed aside the rat's bloodless carcass, sighing. He needed more blood if he was going to break out of the damn cell. How could he have been so stupid as to allow a human to capture him? Then again, Uchihas and Yuhis were the perfect vampire hunters. Karasu tugged on his chains, desperate to escape. Not only for himself but for Ariha as he recalled every word that damn Uchiha had said. It made the borrowed blood in him run cold. He had to get out before Caleb got to Ariha. Slowly, he rose, using the wall for support, his chains creaking as he did. His black eyes were focused solely on the key that Caleb had hung on the door. He of course didn't expect Karasu to ever reach it. Boy was he in for a surprise.

Orochimaru was a bundle of nerves. It put Kabuto on edge, which wasn't too bad. At least he only had one patient to focus on with Kimimaro gone and Caleb up and about.

"Is she back yet?" Orochimaru demanded, not for the first time.

"No," Kabuto replied. "But she will be soon."

He was sad to know that he had to keep reminding his lord just to make the man rest. He had to remind his lord that Ariha had defeated his bodyguards single-handedly. She had tamed Kimimaro. She could probably bring Sasuke back. That probably always became a definitely whenever his lord was concerned.

"Take your medicine, M'lord," Kabuto urged. "You don't want her to see you like this."
Orochimaru couldn't argue with that. In fact, he was being reasonable now, considering taking a new body, if only to prevent himself from showing weakness in front of his daughter. He only needed a little bit more prodding. And Kabuto was not above attempting a guilt trip.

"When she gets back, she's going to want to rave about her success," Kabuto pointed out. "But can she if she must also worry that you're about to expire?"

Those angry golden eyes flashed to Kabuto, a silent and begrudging surrender in them. Kabuto nodded his approval.

"I'll make all the necessary arrangements."

Worried. That's how she felt. She paused before entering the lair, looking back at the quiet forest. How had Karasu not sensed her return? Abandoning her intent for a direct return, she strayed into the woods, her feet carrying her on her usual route to where she usually found Karasu. The snow was a soft white blanket which made sense. Vampires didn't leave footprints. Ariha knelt, touching the ground, the sheer coldness burning her fingers. It was with the sound of skittering footprints that she glanced upwards at Dinner. The tiny rabbit was across from her, its ears twitching once before it zipped away. Ariha shot up, turning fast, discovering Karasu behind her.

"Karasu," she greeted.

He smirked.

"Ariha."

The intensity in his gaze was suddenly too intense and she pointed over her shoulder.

"Dinner got away," she informed him.

"I'll catch him later," he replied.

He took a step forward and every alarm in her body screamed at her to be on alert. Which made no sense. This was Karasu. She prided herself on having sharp reflexes but in that moment, her body shivering from cold, he got the drop on her, seizing her chin in his hand as the Karasu disguise faded away, revealing red sharingan. Ariha's own eyes widened.

"Caleb," she managed before he squeezed her face savagely.

"Ah, ah, pet," he said, his breath hot on her face.

Maru roared within her and the trickle of power that escaped only seemed to encourage Caleb.
"Let's have some fun."