DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, genjustu, purple smoke, Korii's eloquence, a hand of water, the kikaichu's poison 1337-ness, the fact that Denise lit her Christmas tree on fire once...

Isaac: True fact. I was there.

(continuing)...paralysis antidote pills, or a cow. That's right...a cow.\

A/N: Ok, I meant to update sooner, but then the world exploded and...alright, by 'world exploded' I meant 'the bell signifying that the period was over rang.' The periods were shortened that day, so I didnt' have as much time as I would have liked. And I was being distracted by several people. And yesterday, a class was in the library, so I couldn't use the computers (teardrop). But I'm here now! Yay! Onto chapter 13...

"NOOOOO!" Michiko screamed, as she woke up from the genjutsu, "NO! NO!"

"Michiko, relax!" Korii exclaimed, then held an arm up to shield himself as Michiko punched randomly around.

"You...You...You...!" Michiko cried out, hitting Korii's arm over and over again, before she realized where she was, "You...huh? I...purple smoke...And..."

Michiko looked around wildly, and her gaze fell on the person who had dragged Korii over to her to release the genjutsu.

"Shino!" Michiko breathed, grabbing him in a hug, "You're not dead! But...why are you all bloody? And..." Michiko released Shino, looked at her team leader, and she became normal again, "Korii, there's white, sticky stuff all over you. ...And that came out wrong. ...As did that...ugh..."

Michiko flopped back onto the ground and listened to Korii's eloquent explanation.

"Genjutsu," Korii said simply, shrugging.

Korii didn't like explaining things in too much detail without being told to do so. However, since Michelle and Corey had known each other for a long time in the other world, Michiko knew what Korii meant: she and Kiba had been caught in a genjutsu, which is why Shino wasn't really dead.

"And the white stuff?" Michiko asked, noting that there was still some smoke in the air, but it was clearing quickly.

"No idea," Korii said, already trying to pick it off of his eyes again.

"It looks like rice," Michiko observed, looking at it closely, then got serious, "Where are Kiba, Deniizu and everyone?"

Michiko jumped up, and looked around the road; she took out a handheld fan from her bookbag and wafted air away from herself, so that the smoke kept out of her field of vision. Kiba was trying to cut down the net that the five dogs were caught in, while Deniizu was awkwardly lying facedown on the ground, half buried into the dirt road. Shino had left Michiko and Korii as soon as she had let him go, and he was now kneeling in the midst of Goudon, Bikto, and their cats' still forms. Shino also noted that there was a small puddle of water with a thin sheet of ice floating on it, which was near where Hinata and Pooriin had been standing. Michiko decided to check on Deniizu first; the telepath wasn't moving. Michiko knelt beside her friend and raised her up gently; after a quick look, Michiko saw that Deniizu had been hit at the back of the head. There was a small wound with just a little blood, but it was more of a cut from the attacker's weapon than anything serious. Michiko used healing jutsu to fix the cut, then gently shook Deniizu by the shoulders. Getting no response, Michiko turned one of her hands into water and slapped Deniizu with it. Kiba, having just freed the dogs, watched in interest as Michiko's hand splashed apart.

"Whoa, isn't that dangerous?" Kiba exclaimed, pointing at the stump that was left at Michiko's wrist.

"Kiba, tell D'Artagnan and Athos to eat the stuff on Korii," Michiko ordered, making the water form onto her wrist and return into its 'hand shape' before slapping Deniizu again, "If the rice is poisoned or anything, they should still be ok; I've been training a food poisoning immunity in them."

"Ok," Kiba agreed unsurely, and turned to his own task.

After the third 'slap', Deniizu began to wake up; at the fourth, the green-eyed girl pushed Michiko away irritably.

"I'm up already!" Deniizu grumbled, wiping at her face, though it was dry, "Shit, Michiko, think of better ways to revive people."

"I thought my way was kind of cool," Michiko protested, reforming her water hand and changing it into normal flesh again.

"...Hey, that is cool," Deniizu agreed, watching Michiko's hand change forms, "But still. Don't do it again."

Michiko smiled weakly, then walked to where Korii was; Deniizu waited while Akamaru, Aramis and Porthos dug her up before following Michiko. Shino was still hunched over the twins, trying to revive them; Deniizu was about to help Shino, but after a stern look and a dismissing motion from Shino, she changed her mind and continued walking to Korii.

Michiko had activated her healing jutsu as soon as she took a good look at Korii's condition. Korii's body was covered in burns from all the hot water jutsus that had been thrown at him.

"At least I can heal these," Michiko thought out loud as she healed Korii's arms.

"How can you heal burns and not cure poisons?" Kiba asked curiously.

"Deniizu's a pyro," Michiko answered glibly, earning a punch in the arm from Deniizu, "What? It's true!"

"Well...yeah, but still-" Deniizu argued.

"Pyro," Michiko interrupted, starting to heal the burns on Korii's legs.

"I am not-" Deniizu started.

"Pyro."

"No! Stop say-"

"Pyro."

"Michi-"

"Pyro."

Michiko turned away, smiling inwardly as she walked towards where Shino was. Deniizu glared at the back of Michiko's head, then turned to Korii.

"Are you ok?" she asked in a low voice, after making sure no-one else in the group was watching.

"Yeah..." Korii looked at her questioningly.

"You sure?" Deniizu asked, "You were just burnt a moment ago."

"Yeah, but Michiko healed me, so I'm ok," Korii said, wondering what was up with Deniizu.

"Ok...Just checking," Deniizu said awkwardly.

"Of course," Korii nodded, also awkwardly, "We're a team, and all that..."

"Yeah," Deniizu agreed.

"Yeah," Korii said again.

Neither looked at each other for a moment, then Korii hooked a finger under Deniizu's chin and raised her face slightly. Both of them looked into the others eyes for a moment, saying and doing nothing.

"...What?" Deniizu asked quietly.

"...Nothing," Korii said looking down and pulling his hand away.

Deniizu stared at Korii for a second, then shook her head to clear it and looked around the road for the other group members. She had been wondering why she didn't hear Pooriin and Hinata giggling at her and Michiko's antics, or why Bikto wasn't saying something uncalled for. Shino was between Goudon and Bikto, who were still lying on the ground, and Kurenai was near them, still on her stretcher. Michiko had been half-smiling after teasing Deniizu, but now it faded away when she saw how Deniizu's emotions were quickly changing. After spending so much time with her friend, Michiko could judge from Deniizu's posture and walk how she was feeling. Deniizu walked into the neighbouring woods, just close enough so that the group could see her for safety, yet as far as that limit could take her; from the deliberate way she was stepping, and from her slight crouch, Michiko could see that Deniizu was getting angry.

"Don't come any closer," Shino warned when Michiko approached, "There's a paralyzing poison in the air. It got the twins, and I'm not sure if Kurenai-sensei was affected too."

Michiko pulled a surgeon's mask out of her medical kit and put it over her nose and mouth.

"How are you not affected?" Michiko asked, signalling for her dogs to stay back as she knelt beside Shino.

"My kikaichu can get render some minor poisons harmless," Shino explained, as Michiko used her scanning jutsu on Goudon, "...can you heal this?"

"No," Michiko answered, sounding muffled because of her mask, while looking through her medical kit and pulling out a bottle of something, "But since this poison is basic, I can use some of the stuff that I have in this kit."

Michiko opened the bottle and took one of the small, brown pills that it stored. Shino glanced at the label and saw that it was a cure against paralysis. Michiko opened Goudon's mouth for him, and was about to put the pill in his mouth, when she stopped herself.

"What's wrong?" Kiba asked, calling from a distance.

"He can't chew it," Michiko answered, "I'll choke him if I just give him this pill."

All of the group thought for a minute, trying to think of a solution, when Deniizu called to Michiko from the woods.

"Michiko, remember that ninja that visited the Tea Village a couple months before we left?" Deniizu asked.

Michiko reflected on that, then nodded. She put the pill into Goudon's left hand, and lay sideways at Goudon's left side, with her back towards his body. Michiko put her right shoulder onto Goudon's right shoulder, still lying sideways, and then waited.

"...What're you doing?" Kiba asked, suddenly bored, but Korii shushed him and they continued watching.

Michiko took a few deep breaths, then closed her eyes. After more waiting, Michiko's shoulder started sinking into Goudon's, and as Michiko rolled backwards onto him, she seemed to be absorbed into Goudon's body. Shino watched silently, trying to make sense of what was happening, and Kiba stepped forwards instinctively, only to be stopped by Korii. The Four Musketeers began to run towards Michiko to 'protect' her from what was happening, but Deniizu stopped them with her bloodline limit.

"Korii, you guys can go ahead," Michiko said, her shoulder just merged with Goudon's, "Leave my dog team, and maybe one other person as a precaution; we'll catch up later. This will take a while."

When Michiko was done speaking, Deniizu rejoined the group, having fully searched the surrounding area.

"Shino, you stay with her," Korii ordered, "As soon as she's done with the client, she can heal you."

"Michiko, Korii," Deniizu said in a low voice, "Where are Hinata and Pooriin?"

Michiko winced, but took another deep breath and concentrated on joining with Goudon; neither she nor Korii answered Deniizu while Shino and Kiba packed Michiko's medical kit. Korii glanced at Michiko, then looked up at the sky; evening was falling.

"Ok," Korii sighed, getting up, "I was planning on stopping soon before we got attacked anyway."

"Guys, where are Hinata and Pooriin?" Deniizu asked again, her tone getting harder.

"Deniizu, you and Kiba can carry Kurenai," Korii instructed, "I'll lead the way and try to cover you," he added, making three Kage Bunshin of himself, "I'll leave stone signs on the ground so you know where to go, Michiko, Shino."

"What happened to Hinata and Pooriin?" Deniizu finally yelled.

"What do you think?" Shino asked roughly, rising from his crouch slowly and turning to the young kunoichi, "They're gone. The enemy kidnapped them."

"Let's move out, guys," Korii said in a dull monotone that matched everyone's mood.

Michiko dug her fingers into the ground beside her, her whole arm now inside Goudon's, trying to control her emotions and continue melding with her client. Kiba squeezed her arm in a reassuring way before picking up one end of the stretcher, but try as she might, Michiko couldn't stop her tears from falling.

ANGST! And before we continue here's ruroni

(Yo review and tell us your favorite original character or I will keep writing this in the middle of the chapters forever and ever)

"What was Michiko doing?" Kiba asked Deniizu, while they were setting up camp.

Deniizu looked up from making the fire, and saw that both of her companions were looking at her, expecting an explanation. Deniizu sighed and spoke while continuing to make a campfire.

"A month or so before we left, a team of Konoha ninjas passed through the Tea Village. That's how we found out about becoming kunoichi. But one day, one of the shinobi had gotten into a fight with one of the villagers. Michiko had been walking some of her dogs at the time, and when she saw the fight, she panicked. I think the shinobi was cheating and using jutsus or something. Anyway, Michiko jumped at the shinobi, and meant to just land on his back and knock him down. But...you know how her bloodline limit is linked to her emotions? When she gets desperate, that also triggers her bloodlimit; instead of landing on the guy, she somehow entered into him. She was able to control his body for a little while, so that's what she's trying to do with Goudon. ...I just hope she doesn't faint right after she gets out of him; that's what happened in the village."

(fwip)

Since she was using chakra, instead of her emotions to trigger her ability, and she didn't use this ability much, it took a long time for Michiko to be fully inside of Goudon's body.

Kamisama, this is an odd feeling, Goudon thought.

I know what you mean, Michiko thought, I don't do this very often.

Now part of Goudon, Michiko could use his muscles and move for him; Michiko moved Goudon's hand, put the pill in his mouth, chewed for him, swallowed for him, then got out of his body. Having taken care of Goudon, Michiko did the same for Bikto, then went into Kurenai, to check and make sure that there were no new poisons in her. Kurenai did have a few paralyzers in her, so Michiko gave her a pill before next checking on Shino. Looking at the sky, they both saw that it was dark.

"Are you sure the poison didn't affect you?" Michiko asked Shino.

Shino nodded, and Michiko activated her healing jutsu to heal the gouges on Shino's arms, neck and face.

"Can you take off your sunglasses?" Michiko asked, seeing that there were more wounds around Shino's eyes.

"You can heal just fine while I have them on," Shino answered stiffly.

Michiko sighed and healed the flesh around his eyes, and Shino thought he heard her mutter "stubborn" and "baka" a few times.

What is underneath those sunglasses?

That night, there was another group meeting around the campfire. Michiko sat near the stretcher Kurenai was on, examining a sample of the injected poison with her chakra; the pill she had given Kurenai hadn't done much to the poison. Korii and Kiba sat beside her, Deniizu sat on the other side of Korii, Shino sat on the other side of Deniizu, and then there were the two Chatora, with Goudon between Kiba and Bikto. The Four Musketeers were in the tent with Kurenai, guarding her, and Akamaru lay in front of Kiba and Michiko, near the fire. The four cats wandered around the fire disinterestedly. After staring into the fire for a long, dramatic amount of time, Goudon turned to the Kiba and Shino.

"Why do you think they took Pooriin and Hinata?" Goudon asked roughly; he'd been in a foul mood since the poison left him.

"I don't know about Pooriin," Kiba said quietly, "But for Hinata it's obvious; she had a powerful bloodline limit, and she an heiress to her clan."

Michiko linked her arms with Kiba and leaned against him, try to take away a little of his sadness; he'd been melancholy during the whole trip to the camp, and hadn't said much while they were setting up.

"Does anyone know why they took Pooriin?" Korii asked, throwing bits of dried grass into the fire.

"If I did, I would've given it to them by now," Goudon growled, thinking, I just want my sister back!

Somebody's a drama king, Deniizu thought.

"I have no idea," Michiko said, answering Korii's question, "I just thought they were after the twins."

"Me too," Deniizu agreed.

"Good job," Bikto said sarcastically, "You're really doing your mission well."

"Bikto, not now," Goudon said menacingly, but his brother paid no heed.

"Let them keep her," Bikto shrugged, "For all I care, she's more useful there."

"How can you say that?" Michiko exclaimed, horrified at his attitude, "She's your little sister!"

Bikto merely shrugged, closing his eyes and leaning back on the log behind him. Michiko glared at him, and seemed about to answer back, but Kurenai made a gurgling moan, and Michiko quickly ran to help her. Korii and Shino conversed quietly for a moment, then Korii spoke up again.

"Ok, here's the thing: Our mission is to safely take the three Chatora," here Korii looked at Bikto, "...to their family reunion. We'll fail our mission and not get paid if we only get to the Thyme Village with two. Obviously, we have to find Pooriin. We also need to get Hinata because she's part of our team. However, we have a huge complication here."

Korii pointed at the stretcher, and all seven of the ninja looked at Kurenai. The young woman was still pale and hadn't awakened yet; Michiko was now administering different kinds of pills to her.

"Will that wake her up?" Deniizu asked.

"I don't know; I wouldn't count on it," Michiko answered, returning to the group, "It affects most of the components of the poison, but there are a few more parts that I don't understand. Yet," she added, after a moment, but looking none too sure; Michiko rubbed her face with her hands tiredly, "I don't know most of what I'm doing," she whispered, "I need lessons, or I need to study this; I've never dealt with poison before."

"I hope you don't kill her," Bikto said maliciously, and Michiko flinched and hugged her knees, looking towards Kurenai.

"Shut up, teme," Kiba growled, "She's doing all she can."

"But she's useless just the same; the woman hasn't changed at all," Bikto countered with an unkind smile.

A kunai thudded into the log, less than an inch away from Bikto's head, level with his eyes. The 15-year-old's eyes snapped open, and he looked around angrily, wondering who threw it.

Denise, calm down, Korii thought, caught in a death glare match with the girl.

I hate this guy! Deniizu thought back, He's such a bastard!

True as that may be, you can't kill him. He's our client.

Screw him being the client-

No, you do not want to screw the client. Now shut up for a second; I have to explain our plan since Shino sure as hell won't.

The conversation had lasted only a couple seconds; speech in thought is much faster than actually speaking.

"Could everyone just relax?" Goudon was saying.

The boy was fiddling with a kunai, making it seem as if he should take his own advice, but Shino realized it was a hint for himself. Slowly, Shino moved his hand away from his belt pouch; Deniizu had done what Shino had planned on doing. Everyone turned back to Korii and Shino, and the older boy continued.

"Our group has to split up later. Tomorrow, Kiba and Deniizu will scout out to see where the other group is based. At around noon, they'll come back here and we'll make further plans from what they'll learn."

"I'm not going."

All of them turned to Kiba, who had spoken up; he had said it quietly, but he had said it. Kiba crossed his arms adamantly.

"I'm not helping that..." Kiba hesitated, then choked out, "Chatora. She's a Chatora."

"You make it sound like a bad thing," Goudon mumbled.

"You make it sound like it isn't," Kiba snarled, and both boys jumped up angrily.

The two genins charged each other at the same time. Shino and Korii jumped up and held both of them back; somehow they managed to settle them down again.

"You have to talk to Kiba later," Korii whispered to the Michiko, when they were sitting on the ground again, "He won't listen to anyone else, and Kiba has to scout; he's the best person for the job."

"If you can get Deniizu to talk to Goudon, I'll talk to Kiba," Michiko promised, and Korii spoke to the whole group again.

"We need to discuss the enemy. How many of them are there, and what can they do? We know there are no ordinary bandits, though Shino and I didn't see anything. Both of us were blinded, but we know that one of them has trippy 'rice jutsu', another is a poisoner, another uses water jutsus, and another has a big bird of some kind."

"I think it was a falcon," Michiko said, "The claw marks on Shino looked smaller than an eagle or hawks."

"Ok, he has a fast, big bird," Korii nodded, "Anything else?"

"One's definitely a genjutsu user," Kiba said, sounding as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Right," Korii nodded, "Using what sense?"

"Smell," Kiba answered, "I kept falling back into it because of that."

"Stupid dogs with their sensitive noses," Bikto chuckled, and Shino gave Kiba a warning look that said 'Stay quiet'.

"I saw nothing," Deniizu said ruefully, "I got knocked out from behind. But I'd like to know how I sank like that."

Kiba spoke to Akamaru for a moment, then spoke up.

"He says there were about seven people. Two carried off Hinata and...the Chatora, one dropped the smoke bombs, another knocked out Deniizu, one was hiding in the trees and sending out smells from jars, and two were attacking Korii," Kiba reported.

"Seven on seven," the Hyuuga muttered to himself for a little bit, then addressed the whole group properly, "We all have to be ninjas now; there are no longer any clients while we rescue Hinata and Pooriin. I call the rice freak."

"Poisoner's mine," Michiko said quickly, "I'll get the antidote from him."

"Genjutsu-user's mine, then," Kiba said, "I owe him one."

"No, not you," Deniizu shook her head, "You don't stand a chance if it targets scent. I'll go."

Kiba started to argue, but Michiko poked him.

"Just let it go, Kiba," Michiko advised, "Deniizu's a natural genjutsu-user. You and Akamaru's best match would be the guy with the falcon."

"Fine," Kiba grumbled, but he still didn't sit down.

"I'll take the water jutsu specialist," Goudon volunteered.

"Aren't cats afraid of water?" Korii asked.

"Not mine," Goudon declared, so Korii nodded and turned to Shino and Bikto.

"You two have the hardest jobs. Both of you don't know what your man does. Are you up to it?"

Shino nodded, and Bikto shrugged carelessly. Korii looked around the group thoughtfully, then nodded again; this time to himself.

"All right then. Let's get ready for the night."

A/N: ANGST!

Itachi: ...

Michiko: Whatever.

A/N: ANGST!

Itachi: ...

Michiko: You can stop now.

A/N: ANGST! MICHIKO IS AN ANGSTY HOBBIT!

Itachi: ...(blink)

Michiko: ...I'm not even going to ask where that came from.

A/N: Eh...just review. I'm hungry. I need some lunch.