Chapter 7: Crouching Falcon, Hidden Rock

Arriving at the village, the four of them donned their disguises and broke into two teams; Ino and Kiyoko, and Kiba and Hinata. Their first three days spying revealed the number of shinobi that would be attacking the Fire Country, when they would be attacking, the jutsus they would be using, and even their strategy. They didn't, however, know where they would be attacking from. A counter attack would be impossible if they didn't know where they were coming from.

"The location of the attack seems to be classified," Ino said. "I think our only option is to sneak into their mission room and find the scroll with that information on it."

"Do you have any idea how risky that is?" Kiba put in. "I say we keep up with what we're doing."

"No, I think Ino's right. We've been here for three days. Our time is running out. We need to get that information. Tonight," Kiyoko said firmly. Hinata nodded. "I agree with Kiyok-er-Shirotaka. It's essential that we complete our mission as soon as we can so the Hokage-sama can plan a defense," she said. When darkness fell, the team crept silently towards the building where they would hopefully gain their last piece of information without being killed. As they climbed silently over the large rocks outside the Iwagakure ninja headquarters, Kiyoko suddenly became aware of a presence.

"Hinata, Kiba," she hissed. "Company."

They nodded in understanding. Kiba and Akamaru sniffed the air and Hinata activated her Byakugan. Akamaru bumped Kiba's leg with his nose and growled quietly.

"I agree," he whispered to the dog before turning to the others. "We only smell one of them."

"There, behind those rocks," Hinata confirmed, pointing. "He's heading towards us. I don't think he knows we're on to him."

"Be ready to attack, but only when I give the order," Kiyoko said. A bead of sweat dripped down her face beneath the mask, and her heart thudded with an adrenaline rush. Hinata kept staring intently at the unknown ninja, telling them exactly what he was doing. Ino gripped her kunai in anticipation, and Kiba and Akamaru took on the appearance of two guard dogs ready to rip apart any intruder. When the shinobi came into view, it became apparent that he was going to attack.

"We're fighting our way out of this. Lead him away from here so we don't attract attention. Go!" Kiyoko ordered, almost shouting the last part. They slowly lead him away from the village, into an outcropping of rocks that was inconvienient for fighting, but would have to do. He was good, too. Even with the four of them against him, they were having a hard time subduing the raven haired rock-nin. He formed a seal and dust began to swirl around the four, completely obscuring their visions.

"Kuso! I can't see a thing," Kiba cursed. The others shouted to each other, blindly fumbling around.

"My Byakugan can't see through this!" Hinata gasped to Kiyoko's left. Then, strangely, everyone's voices grew softer and softer until she could hear nothing but the swirling dust and her heartbeat pounding in her ears like a drum. Shit, what the hell is going on? Kiyoko drew out a handful of shuriken, ready to throw, as the maelstrom of dirt began to clear. The black-haired ninja was nowhere to be seen or sensed.

"Ino!" she called out, seeing her friend lying facedown on the ground in a pool of her own blood. Carefully, Kiyoko turned her friend over and gave a sharp intake of breath at the sight of Ino's blue eyes staring blankly upwards, glazed over with death, her throat slashed open. Kiyoko's eyes filled with tears. Her best friend, dead. Nanni? This is all my fault. I should have protected her.

"Ki...yo...ko..."

The pale ANBU whipped around looking for the source of the voice. It was Hinata, struggling to pull herself across the ground, leaving a scarlet smear behind her.

"What happened, Hinata? Where are you hurt?"

She cringed and choked out, "Chest," before collapsing in Kiyoko's lap.

"No! Stay with me, Hinata! We'll get through this!" she exclaimed, though she knew it was pointless. Her friend's entire chest was ripped open, like a giant claw had come in and scooped out half of her torso. A few moments later, she was gone. Kiyoko set her down gently and began to search for Kiba and Akamaru. Hopefully they had escaped the fate that claimed the lives of two of her best friends. When she found them, it was too late. Kiba's body was crushed beneath the heavy boulders that had fallen on him. Kiyoko used her earth jutsu to lift the pile, only to reveal a small, bloody, white and brown figure beside him. She dragged the bodies of her friends so they were lying next to each other, and wept beneath her mask.

"It's your fault."

"Who's there?" Kiyoko demanded, searching wildly for the source of the voices that seemed to come from everywhere at once. "Show yourself!"

"Why didn't you protect your friends?"

"I-I couldn't..." she stammered. The voices changed, becoming lower and angrier.

"You brought us here. It was your responsibility to keep us alive. You were supposed to keep us safe. You killed us!"

Kiyoko screamed as a hand grabbed her roughly by the arm. Hinata's hand! Her eyes were white, and not from her Byakugan. They were the white that comes from death. Another hand grabbed her, Ino. Using her ANBU skills, she twisted and leapt back. The three of them attacked like animals. What the hell was going on? Someone had to be controlling the bodies of her friends to make them attack her, yet she sensed absolutely no chakra coming from them. They were definately dead. Their chakra and souls were absent. The only thing left that Kiyoko could sense was an intense, overwhelming intent to kill. Together, they drove countless kunai into Kiyoko's body. She was unable to fight back against the three of them. Ino's hands wrapped around her throat and squeezed, her face curling into a maniacal grin.

"Die, leaf trash."

Leaf trash? Huh? Wait! Kiyoko lifted her hands up to form a seal, then used the very last bit of air in her lungs to wheeze, "Dis...pel!"

The world around her swirled and disappeared. She watched as Ino's face disappeared, being replaced by the black haired rock nin's. Kiyoko kicked out and sent him flying.

"You broke through my Visions of Terror genjutsu," he smirked. Kiyoko growled like an angry tora and lunged at him. He brought his foot up to meet her face, and her ANBU mask flew off.

"Kiyoko! Are you okay?" she heard Ino shout. Hearing her friend's very much living voice made Kiyoko want to jump up and hug her comrade. She had other matters to attend to though, like that rock bastard. Wiping the blood off her mouth, she looked up at him menacingly. To her surprise, he dropped his weapons and his mouth fell open.

"...Izumi...?!"

Shiori's blurbs:

I'm sorry about this one being so unbelievably short! I'm leaving for the weekend so I figured I'd post a short chapter rather than take forever writing a full one when I get back. Anyway... so who is this mysterious rock ninja? Who's Izumi? Find out next time when Kiyoko's full past is revealed! Next Chapter: The Truth