NOTE: TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING AT THIS BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT I HAD UPDATED DESPITE MY THREAT ABOUT NOT UPDATING UNTIL I GOT 20 REVIEWS, I'M SORRY. I went over this thing after I put it up and realized I had made two major mistakes, both taking place in both scenes between Kyiara and Kabuto. That's the only reason Iam updating. Sorry. updated on 12/9/06

A/N - A two-chapter update in one day! Ya me and Little Red Riding Hood! Until I saw the mistakes and changed them, that is……………….. hehe, I have also figured out how to make those lines! YAY!

Neither of us own Naruto and if we did, the whole world would shudder. MWAHAHA!!!

grins evilly guess what - Little Red Riding Hood will haunt you in your sleep if you don't review, and I will hunt you down and make you a werewolf in your waking hours. Which one of us will kill you first? Want to find out, or will you review so you're safe?

The choice is yours alone!

Shino was locked in a kunai battle with a female Sound nin, but there was something else going on as well. All the while unnoticed by her Shino's bugs gathered between her shoulder blades, drawing her chakra out. The woman didn't notice until Shino managed to sneak a side kick in under her guard, knocking her down. She went to get to her feet again, but her traitorous legs gave out beneath her. "What have you done to me?" she demanded.

"I had my kekkai bugs draw off as much of more chakra as they could while we fought, which was just a diversion until you became too weak to continue fighting."

The woman actually smiled. "Going to kill me now, kid? Do it quick and get it over with."

"No," Shino said, surprising the woman. "I will not sink to your level, since I am sure you would kill me or any of my friends were our corresponding positions reversed." He took a step forward and rapped the woman's temple with the hilt of his kunai. "I will also leave one of my allies on you so if you do try something, I will know." she fell to the ground, unconscious.

Shino looked around. Lee had dispatched his opponent and was now collapsed against a tree. Apparently moving as fast as he was able to during a fight put quite a lot of strain on his body. Kiba and Akamaru had also defeated their opponent with the help of Tenten. Now the three (Kiba, Tenten and Akamaru) were ganging up on the talkative brown-haired nin, who was actually looking frightened as they fanned out to surround him. Neji had his back to them and was holding his own against the last female Sound nin, who kept throwing chakra fireballs at him, which he avoided. Hinata was also doing well against the sword-carrying male Sound nin.

They were all doing pretty good, considering.

But that was before the unthinkable happened.

Naruto followed Sasuke into a field next to the caves. Sasuke turned around to face his one-time friend. "Well, baka? What are you waiting for? Attack me!"

Naruto didn't move. "You won't just come back, Sasuke-kun? Sakura-chan misses you so much she's being half way nice to me. She's also training to become a medic-nin." Naruto attempted a half smile. "And I miss you too."

"I have no need for that weak, pink-haired girl, just as I have no need for you."

Naruto shrugged. "Think what you will. I will just have to drag you back to Konoha if you won't come back with me."

Black lines appeared over Sasukes' skin; he had opened his curse seal to Stage One and activated his Sharingan. "I'll kill you before I go back there."

Naruto crouched, but his thoughts were interrupted by a voice.

Kit, let me help you from the beginning. What Orochimaru said is partly true; Sasuke has grown stronger than you, but not nearly as strong as I am.

Kyuubi, are you sure I can do this?

WHAT?! You are asking that now? What happened to saving your friend?

Hai hai, Kyuubi. Yes, I do want to save Sasuke. Naruto sighed. Okay, you can help me, but don't take over my body and control it like you did that time during training.

I wouldn't dream of it.

Naruto felt the fox slip into his mind and start sharing his eyes. He could feel his teeth getting sharper and his fingernails become claws. A fiery orange chakra enveloped his body.

Sasuke smirked. "Going to try and scare me by using that strange chakra of yours, Naruto? It won't work. And why don't you take that mask off; I want to see the look of fear and despair in your eyes when I kill you."

"I'll take it off when I'm good and ready to, Sasuke. That or you can remove it yourself."

"Have it your way, then." Sasuke said before throwing a volley of kunai at Naruto. Thanks to his training with Jiyaria and Kyuubi, Naruto avoided them all with ease, surprising Sasuke.

"You've improved, teme. But not nearly enough to defeat me."

"Shut up, Sasuke! Orochimaru is only making you stronger because he's going to use your body as his own! Why are you so thick-headed as to not see the truth?!"

"Don't insult me, Naruto." Sasuke said calmly before charging at Naruto. Throwing a round house kick at Naruto's head which was blocked easily before aiming a kick at his knee, which was also blocked…

And left his head wide open. Sasuke spun and struck Naruto's forehead with an elbow strike. Naruto was thrown back by its' force. Rolling to his feet the Kyuubi container brought his hands up even as his vision swirled before his eyes before clearing as the Kyuubi healed the slight concussion to his head. He could feel the mask cracking as he and Sasuke collided, kunai flashing as they fought.

The mask broke and fell from Naruto's face, revealing the sharpened teeth, black markings and blood-red eyes.

Sasuke jumped back in spite of himself. "What the - what is this chakra you're using? It is the same chakra that you used at the Valley of the End the last time we fought."

Naruto grinned. "It's the Kyuubi's chakra."

The three Sound nins laughed. "Do you really think you're going to be able to hit Aura with that?"

"Yes." Kakashi replied calmly. "I do."

The one named Aura smirked. "You couldn't touch me even if I didn't use Wind Riding! Prepare to die!"

Kakashi almost sighed. Such cliché battle banter. This woman was in for a big surprise. She vanished; Kakashi waited until he saw a kunai clenched in a fist coming at his chest. He stepped into it and blocked with a metal-backed fingerless glove and with the other hand rammed the Chidori into her chest.

The woman choked as blood sprayed from her chest and mouth; the other two Sound nins said nothing. Aura looked at him with eyes fasting becoming empty. "You - you're faster than I thought."

Kabuto adjusted his glasses again. "Won't you take your mask off? I'd like to know who I am fighting."

Kyiara ignored her brothers' suggestion. "Why did you betray Konoha, the village that took you and your sister in?"

"Keep your mouth off of Kyiara!"

"Touchy, Kabuto. But why did you betray Konoha?"

When Kabuto remained silent, Kyiara decided to repeat her guess as to why he had gone to Orochimaru. "Did Orochimaru promise to bring your sister back from the dead if you helped him bring down the village that cast him out? The same village that failed to protect your sister, and didn't even find her killer or her body?"

The look on his face confirmed it. "You - how did you know that?"

This was the vital point. His answer to the next question she asked would tell her whether or not the blood crystals would work. "Back then you loved your sister enough to turn evil. Do you still love her? Love her enough to turn good again?"

Kabuto's answer was immediate. "Yes, otherwise I wouldn't still be wearing this crystal." He motioned to the necklace. "I won't take this off until I hold her in my arms again."

Kyiara nodded. "Good." and attacked him, activating her Sharugan under the mask.

Kabuto blocked her first attack easily. "Is this all you got, Cat?" he taunted, grabbing kunai from his leg holsters and throwing them at her. They arched in different direction and Kyiara realized that if she hadn't had metal manipulation, at least one of them would've hit her. He was as good as she remembered him being. Better, actually.

As soon as the kunai came within inches of her skin, they fell to the ground.

Kabuto wasn't surprised. "You're related to Kyiara's former teammate, aren't you?"

Kyiara shrugged as she launched a flying kick at his head. "In a way, I am."

Kabuto blocked the kick and tried to land a punch on her stomach, only to have her vanish as he started to make contact. Guessing she would move to the left, he sent a kunai in that direction. Like he guessed she had gone to the left. She saw the kunai at the last moment and flipped back just as the kunai skimmed over her chest. The fabric of the tunic ripped open. As the kunai imbedded itself in a tree, Kyiara straightened. Her gray shirt was wrecked, but the black tank top was untouched.

She looked up at him. "You wrecked my shirt! How dare you?"

Kabuto had been about to reply when a roundhouse kick hit the side of his face, sending him flying. Flipping in midair Kabuto dragged a kunai in the ground to slow himself down as he landed on the ground in a crouch. A cat-masked figure almost identical to the one whose shirt he'd wrecked was standing there. He launched himself at her, smashing his elbow into her masked face, breaking it. She spun with the force of his blow, sending a spinning hook kick into his stomach and knocking him back again.

He got to his knees and looked up. The mask fell from her face. Silver hair framed a face with crystal eyes. She looked so familiar… Kabuto pushed this thought away. He needed to concentrate on the fight right now. "Kage Bushin, Cat?" he asked as he got to his feet. "Why make just one of them?"

Neither Kyiara answered for a moment. She hadn't done Kage Bushin but something else, and it had put great strain on her body. Breathing the unmasked one answered, "No, not Kage Bushin -"

"-but Saibo Bunkatsu." The Kyiara with the torn shirt completed, taking off the wrecked tunic and tossing it to the side.

Kabuto felt his mouth fall open in spite of himself. Saibo Bunkatsu, or Cell Division, split the cells of the body to create an actual living clone, except that the 'main' body still controlled what the other body does. He rubbed his head where the kick had landed. It took a great deal of chakra control to do Saibo Bunkatsu, especially during a fight when one's concentration was on one's opponent. "Well Cat, I must say I'm impressed with your ability. But it still won't be enough to beat me." He stopped, staring at her face; at her eyes. He had noticed the three pinwheels in each eye. The exact pinwheels as in the eyes of Sasuke, but the iris was crystal, not red. "What the heck - why are your eyes so strange?"

A look of brief pain crossed her face to be replaced by anger and hate. "Why don't you ask your boss, Kabuto-kun? I'm sure he has all the answers. But don't bother asking him; I'll tell you." Kyiara straightened, hateful eyes flickering up to Orochimaru. He was smirking at her. "All of the kekkai genkai you've seen me use aren't mine; they were grafted into me after I was taken from my home."

Kabuto bent his knees, ready to fight. "Don't insult Orochimaru-sama! I'll make sure it is the last thing you ever do!"

Kyiara held up her hand. "wait just a moment, Kabuto. I have one more question for you…"

Sasuke blinked. That was not the answer he had been expecting. "The Kyuubi's chakra? How come you have demon chakra?"

Sasuke blinked. That was not the answer he had been expecting. "The chakra? How come you have demon chakra?"

"You mean Orochimaru never told you?" Naruto demanded.

Sasuke frowned. "Told me what, Naruto?"

"The Kyuubi was never killed, like everyone told us. Instead the Forth sealed the demon inside a newborn baby; me. I have been in contact with the Kyuubi for awhile now. He helps me."

Sasuke's face twisted in fury and hate. "You're nothing but a demon!"

Naruto felt a pang in his heart; this was the reaction he had feared of getting if he told anyone the truth. "I have a demon sealed in me, and I can use its chakra; that doesn't make me a demon, or something evil. I can't say the same for you, Sasuke."

"Damn right I'm evil, Naruto. I am going to defeat you, and then my brother."

The black lines of the curse seal went further and a pain of clawed, hand-like wings appeared on his back as Sasuke went into Stage Two.

Time for you to go further into my chakra, kit.

Naruto sighed. Very well, Kyuubi. Naruto felt the chakra covering his body become thicker, stronger. He felt tails growing from his rear; three to be exact. Naruto went down onto all fours as the markings on his face became even clearer.

Sasuke was running at him, a Chidori in one hand. Naruto tensed, ready to move out the way at the last moment and counterattack. But then Sasuke vanished momentarily to reappear directly in front of Naruto. He rammed the Chidori into Naruto's chest, sending the smaller boy through the air to crash against the stone wall of the mountain.

The Kyuubi cursed inside Naruto's head as the boy pushed himself to his knees and coughed, spraying blood onto the ground. "What - the hell - was that?" he gasped between coughs.

"It's called Blinking, Naruto." Sasuke was a few feet away, watching him impassively. "Orochimaru taught it to me. You use your chakra to go from one place to another in the blink of an eye." A smile tugged at the lips of the Uchiha survivor. "I am going to use it I will kill you. But first I am going to us it to make you regret coming after me."

Kakashi eyed the remained two Sound nins warily, wondering which one of them would attack next. He was starting to feel a bit tired, but he pushed the feeling away. There would be time enough to rest later - after these two were defeated.

The man stepped forward. "I'm next, I guess. I won't be as easy as those other two," he added, nodding his head toward his slain comrades. "I have chakra power far greater than theirs or anyone you've ever seen."

"We'll see about -" Kakashi felt the halfway confident retort die in his throat. The mans' shadow was standing next to him.

The man grinned. "I see you noticed. Let me introduce myself: I am Hidden Village of Sound's Kage Ansatsusha, or shadow assassin. My shadow can fight completely separate from myself."

Kakashi felt the blood drain from his face. He had heard of this man. He was a very good assassin. He distracted his target and his shadow killed them. In one-on-one fights he never had been hurt.

The man's grin widened. "I see from your body language you've heard of me; good. Also, I - or, should I say, my shadow can see right through your mask. I know who you are as well, and I would like to say that I'm honored that I get to fight Hatake Kakashi, Konoha's famous Copy Nin."

Kiba got to his feet and along with Akamaru joined Tenten in fighting the brown-haired Sound nin. He was bleeding from a few wounds made by kunai the genin had managed to hit him with.

The genin closed in but the nin suddenly leapt back and up onto a tree branch, throwing a kunai at each Konoha genin. They each saw the projectiles aimed at them and blocked them. All but one.

Neji kept right on fighting the last female Sound nin, unaware of the kunai. Everyone else noticed as well, but only one of them moved to do anything.

Neji felt something warm and wet hit his back and neck, and whirled around to see Hinata fall the ground, a kunai buried deep in her shoulder, blood staining her jacket and pooling under her small frame. The kunai had been meant for him, and it had been in his one blind spot. She had seen what would happen, and put herself in between it and him. She had saved him.

Neji saw Kiba, Akamaru and Tenten leap furiously at the Sound nin who had thrown the weapon; Lee and Shino, who were just as mad went after the male nin Hinata had been fighting.

"Hope the girl didn't mean anything to you." The female nin said. Neji whirled to face her. "What do you mean by that?" he spat. Neji was feeling emotions he hadn't felt towards anyone in a long time; concern for Hinata, and anger at whoever hurt her.

The woman smiled as she attacked him again. "Oh, don't worry; Kador doesn't poison his blades. But you are too far from anyone with healing chakra; she'll bleed to death before you can get her anywhere safe."

Neji felt anger well up inside of him. "You shut up!" he shouted, surprising the woman by moving in faster the he had while fighting her, slamming a palm of chakra into her heart and stomach. She was dead before she hit the ground.

Neji spun around. "Hinata!"

"…why did you heal Hinata the day you were going to betray Konoha?"

"Who said I healed the girl?" Kabuto demanded.

The masked Kyiara cocked her head at him. "Do you think that even after all of these years I still wouldn't recognize your chakra, Kabuto? I knew it the moment I started to heal her."

Kabuto raised his kunai. "So you're a medic-nin, woman? Is that how I know you, from us training together?"

The unmasked Kyiara shrugged. "Sort of. Now, please answer the question; why did you heal Hinata?"

"Because she was my sister's best friend. I could tell she was still severely hurt from the fight during the Chuunin Exams, so when she started coughing up blood I offered to heal her."

"And for that I thank you, Kabuto." The unmasked Kyiara said. "She is a dear friend of mine and I would've hated to lose her."

"Shut up and fight me." Kabuto growled. "I want to beat you, both of you so I can get to the main battle."

"You think you're stronger than us?" The Kyiara who still wore the cat mask said. Nothing hung around her neck.

"You're right between us; go after one and we go after you, Kabuto." the other Kyiara said, smiling slightly.

Kabuto hesitated. They - no - she was right. The unmasked Kyiara cocked her head. "What's the matter, Kabuto? Think it's unfair to have two of me against one of you?"

Kabuto saw it then. The unmasked one was the real one, the main body. Given, the other was a living and breathing clone, but the unmasked one was still controlling it. The unmasked one was doing the most talking. It also was breathing and moving much more normally than the masked one, which was still breathing heavily. It was a trick to make him think the clone was real and was still tired from doing Saibo Bunkatsu.

Kill the main body and the clone would automatically die as well.

Catching both hers by surprise Kabuto leapt for the Kyiara whose mask he had broken, using his chakra to boost his speed.

The real Kyiara barely had time to form a single hand seal and say, "Kai!" or Release. The clone of her vanished and Kyiara felt her cells joining again. Because the clone had removed her tunic, then when it joined her body again hers vanished, leaving her amethyst crystal in plain view. There had been no crystal on the clone because a blood crystal is bound to the main body.

Kabuto rammed his kunai into her chest. Blood ran down the kunai and onto Kabuto's hands. She looked up at him. "You're quicker than you used to be, Kabuto."

A mocking voice spoke from a ledge on the cliff; Orochimaru. "Very good, Kabuto. You managed to destroy one of my best projects; pity it failed and I couldn't use it."

Kabuto looked from his master and back to Kyiara. She tried to smile at him, but just coughed blood onto his hand that still held the blade in her chest.

"K-Kabuto-niisan…"

A/N - Now hear this:

I don't know how many people are keeping an eye on this story and reading it because they like it, but there will be no more updates on this story unless I get a total of AT LEAST TWENTY reviews total for chapters 13 and 14. I don't mean to be a pain, but I am a starving writer and I like to hear what people think about my writing, whether it's praise, constructive criticism or flames.

- New Moon Werewolf