Yay! New chapter! I'd like to give a shout out to GEMfaerie for being the only reviewer thus far! Thanks so much for the support! You're awesome!
A soft patter echoed off the stones walls of the cavern, each individual tap combining with its predecessor and follower to form a rhythmic drumming in the darkness. Only the occasional torch provided a deep orange light to clash against the black of the cave. The lack of light in the stone hallway did nothing to halt the man as he continued on his way.
Then the rhythm of his steps stopped as a wooden door appeared from the darkness to stand in front of him. He reached a hand out to grip the metal knob, and he easily turned the handle to make his way inside.
The room he entered had a more sufficient amount of light than the hallway. Several candles were lit on the walls around the room to make it easier to see. But other than that, the stone room was completely bare.
The man took another step inside, his mismatched eyes glancing around the room… waiting.
Then what he was waiting for finally appeared. Or rather, who he was waiting for finally appeared.
"Ah, Zetsu," the man smirked as he turned to face the right side of the room.
A large green plant emerged from the ground. Its leaves shaped into a large toothy mouth facing towards the ceiling. A man, who appeared to be standing right between this large mouth, looked up as his name was called. His half white half black body bowed down, his yellow eyes also turning towards the ground as he kneeled in respect.
"Lord Madara," the white half said in a gentle voice.
"You summoned us?" the black half asked, his tone deeper and rougher.
"I did," the Uchiha said as he walked closer to stand above the plant-like male. "I have an assignment to do, and I require your assistance."
"And what might that be?" the white half asked as his body erected itself to stand up straight.
"I need to find the Saviors," Madara said with an evil smile.
"Oh, the Saviors?" the white half asked, his carefree voice filled with a small excitement.
"That group is spread out across the continent," the darker half said, interrupting his other persona. "Is there someone specific you wish to find?"
"Kioshi, of course," the immortal man replied.
The two halves of the cannibal smiled simultaneously. "Of course."
The man hidden between the Venus fly trap's mouth lifted his hands to perform his Mayfly Jutsu. Within one moment, Zetsu and his master disappeared further below ground level, submerging deeply beneath the earth's surface.
"Alright, we've made our destination," the ship's captain announced to his passengers.
Kazuki's green eyes shifted to look out over the ship's railing to see that they were, indeed, docked in one of the Mist Village's ports. He stood up, stretching his arms above his head to gather some feeling back into his joints. The little orange cat on his shoulder purred in annoyance as his nap came to an end. The boy's other traveling companion was already leaving the ship, uncaring of whether or not Kazuki and Ushiro were following or not.
The Uchiha's eyes widened slightly, and he quickly followed the girl off the ship. Rin was already walking across the dock and into the village. Kazuki sweat-dropped. "I just cannot cut a break with this chick," he muttered as he sprinted after her. Once he finally caught up with the emotionless girl, he fell into step beside her. "Yeesh, you seem in a rush."
"Well, after we find Umiko, we still have to find Yoru," Rin said, not even bother to spare a glance at the boy beside her.
Meanwhile, Kazuki was rolling his eyes. "Please," he said dismissively with a wave of his hand. "Once we find our shark princess, it'll be easy to get to the Waterfall Village."
Rin cocked an eyebrow at the boy's carefree behavior. "Interesting. You seemed a bit more desperate when recruiting me, yet you seem fairly confident that Umiko and Yoru will be accepting of this mission."
Kazuki chuckled at that statement. "I'm a great judge of character, Rin," he smirked cockily. "I know that those two will obey orders from my father. I'm surprised you almost didn't."
The girl plastered a large fake smile across her face. "Well, that was because you held out the part that I would get the chance to spill blood until the very end."
The Uchiha shook his head in awe at the girl beside him. After a few more minutes of walking, the group finally came to a large sandy beach that was secluded from the busyness of the village. As the two humans walked along the wet sand, the buildings slowly turned into trees. With the green forest on one side and the vast ocean on the other, the area was flooding with the beautiful scenery that Mother Earth had to offer.
"Hmm, quite the romantic setting, isn't it, Rin?" Kazuki asked, sending a dashing smile towards the girl beside him.
The Takahashi giggled with falsity. "Oh, Kazuki… you're so pathetic." Her expression quickly fell into its normal stoic mask as she turned to continue down the beach.
The boy watched her walk ahead of him, and he sighed as he shook his head. He was about to follow her when Ushiro lightly growled from his perch on Kazuki's shoulder.
"Would that be who I think it is?" the boy whispered so that only the small cat could hear.
Ushiro nodded.
Moving with great speed, Kazuki pulled a kunai from the pouch on his right leg. He held it in front of his face just as a large bandaged sword came hurling at him.
The two weapons clashed, and behind the large sword, Kazuki could see pale blue skin and white hair with a tinted blue shade. He smirked. "Well, your speed certainly has increased, Umiko."
"It's been five years, Kazuki. Do you really think I spent it just swimming lazily in the ocean?" a very tough female voice growled out happily. The sword pushed harder against the small knife with each word spoken.
"Hmm, I see you and Samehada are getting along nicely," Kazuki smiled slightly as he pushed his kunai harder against the old sword.
"Of course. He did belong to my ancestor," the girl said, her small white rounded eyes filled with glee.
The small yet agile girl quickly retracted her blade and hurled a kick towards the boy. Kazuki easily blocked it with his fist. "Now, now, Umiko, no need to turn me into a test dummy."
"I haven't exactly gotten the chance to have a decent fight in those five years, you know," the shark-like girl growled. The gills on her neck flared with anger, and her pointed teeth were clearly shown with her snarl.
"There will be plenty of time for that when we begin our mission," Kazuki said as he glared at the younger girl with authority. He placed his knife back in its pouch, signifying the end of the little brawl.
The shark-like girl scowled unhappily as she placed her weapon back in its rightful place strapped to her back. She was wearing a black tank top that showed her navel, black pants, and black combat boots. Her white eyes glanced over to the other female of the group, who was just standing there with her arms crossed over her chest lazily.
"Rin," the younger girl rumbled out.
"Umiko," the red-eyed girl replied. "It's been a while. Your aggressiveness sure hasn't died down."
"Obviously. And it's one of the things that Madara wants me on this mission for," Umiko smirked triumphantly.
"You know about the mission?" Kazuki asked in confusion.
"Of course," Umiko said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Or at least, I knew action would be taken soon. I could smell two individual chakras awakening within the Mist Village. I almost jumped them at that very moment."
"Really? When did this happen?" Rin asked curiously.
"A few days ago," the shark girl shrugged. "They're gone now though."
Kazuki instantly remembered his father's words when he had given him his assignment. "I have felt the disturbances all over the world, and they are slowly moving… to Konoha."
"Konoha…" the boy thought to himself. He shook his head to refocus back on the mission at hand. He looked at the two girls standing in front of him; both were waiting expectantly for his orders. "Alright, we still have one more person of our team to get. Umiko, can you take us to the Waterfall Village?"
The blue-skinned girl barked out a hysterical laugh. "Haha! Can I take you to the Waterfall Village… Please…" she scoffed.
She quickly flew through a variety of hand signs. To anyone who happened to be spying on them, only confusion would be written on their faces. But to the group of people who were following the orders of Madara Uchiha, the usage of hand seals to summon chakra and create jutsu was no outrageous phenomenon.
"Water Style: Water Transportation Jutsu!" Umiko growled out.
A victorious smile reached across her ferocious face as the salty water of the ocean swirled into a small hole only a few steps away from the sand. The shark girl sent chakra into her feet and confidently walked across the water' surface until she reached the edge of the tunnel. Kazuki, with Ushiro settled on his shoulder, and Rin followed the girl across the water until they were looking into the dark abyss of the seemingly endless water passageway.
"Lead the way, Umiko," Kazuki said, waving his hand in a formal gesture towards the opening in the ocean.
The Hoshigaki grinned excitedly before diving headfirst into the vessel. Her body instantly disappeared within the dark chasm.
The Uchiha then glanced at the girl beside him. "Ladies first," he smiled.
Rin raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you scared, Kazuki Uchiha?"
"Of course not," the boy said, sounding very offended. "I just want to show that chivalry isn't dead."
"Meaning that you want me to stand in front of you so you can look at my behind," Rin translated as she dug her hands into her hips.
"Well…" Kazuki trailed off, not even bothering trying to hide his obvious objective. The girl glared at him with her piercing red eyes, and he rolled his own green orbs incredulously. "Fine," he moaned in exasperation.
He leaped into the hole with his orange cat digging his claws into his shoulders to hang on tightly. Smirking in satisfaction when Kazuki and Ushiro were no longer in sight, Rin jumped in after them. Once she was beneath the water's surface, the top of the chasm disappeared, letting the ocean continue its flow normally and peacefully.
"Thank you for choosing our Inn to stay in," the clerk behind the front desk said with a smile as he handed two keys over to the teens.
"Thank you," Yuu replied with a polite smile.
He took the keys from the kind man and handed a copy to his political partner. Amaya took her own key and shoved it in her pocket, walking away from the lobby of the inn. The boy sighed as he followed the girl out the front door. The pair walked down the street, merging with the crowds of people in the marketplace.
The female's pale blue eyes looked around the colorful markets interestedly, taking in Konoha's busy yet friendly atmosphere. Yuu took notice that Amaya seemed to soften up a bit the further they went down the street; he assumed it was because she wasn't thinking about the mission they were ordered to do.
The boy also began scouring the many intricate shops on the street, and his brown eyes landed on a small soda stand. He ordered two drinks from the merchant and turned to see Amaya glancing at the different food samples.
Yuu tapped her shoulder, and when her attention turned to him, he handed her the can of soda. She smiled at him and began to sip at the cola. The two remained in a comfortable silence, and Amaya lazily read the label of her drink. It was just some well-known name brand. Her eyes wandered over to her companion's drink to see that he had the same thing, except his label had the words Sugar-Free in fancy writing directly under the drink's name.
Amaya furrowed her eyebrows. "Really? Sugar-free? What are you, thirty?"
The male blinked in surprise at the breaking of the silence. When her words finally registered in his head, he laughed lightly. "Oh, yeah… See, I don't handle sugar very well."
"What? Do you get some kind of crazy sugar rush?" the girl inquired.
"Yeah, you could say that," Yuu smiled.
The girl's slender eyebrow quirked upward before she smirked. "Hmm, I see…"
The two walked down the road, passing the many villagers and shops along their way. Once they had finished their drinks, the teens tossed their empty cans into a nearby trashcan before continuing on their walk.
"So, what's with the sword?" Amaya asked curiously as she pointed to the sheathed weapon strapped to the boy's back.
Yuu unconsciously lifted his hand to grip the hilt of the blade. "Oh, this was an heirloom from my grandfather before he passed away. It was meant for my dad, but seeing as my dad finds more interest in politics than antiques, my grandfather gave it to me."
"Oh…" Amaya whispered. "Sorry to hear about your grandfather…"
The boy gave a small smile as he looked at the girl beside him. "It's fine. So how about you? Anything interesting about your past?"
"You mean other than the fact that I was dumped in an orphanage to pretty much raise myself my entire life? No, there really isn't much left to tell," Amaya said rather bluntly. Any lightheartedness that the Leaf Village had slowly been giving her completely left her at the thought of her own personal inner demons.
Yuu noticed this, and he frowned. "Sorry…"
"There's nothing for you to be sorry about," the raven-haired girl said, though a deep frown seemed to almost be permanently etched on her facial features.
"I hate to make you more upset… but we do have to check in with this village's leader about the treaty discussions," Yuu said, slightly nervous at seeing the girl's reaction.
Amaya rolled her eyes. "Alright…"
"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, remember that you're not the only one who's not up for this mission," Yuu said as he gave her a reassuring smile.
"I know…" the girl said, letting her unevenly cut hair fall to hide her face. "But hey, at least you have a father…"
"A father who tries to push his ideals on me," Yuu reminded. "Something I can't stand, actually."
"Heh, I know all about that," Amaya chuckled as she remembered growing up in the orphanage. She had pretty much raised herself with no help. So on the special occasion when her foster parents would tell her to do something, she didn't take it very well, as she was fine with being independent of others.
"Hey, how about we catch some lunch first before checking in with the village leader?" Yuu offered, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere.
Amaya grinned widely at the subject change. "Sounds good." And with that, the two made a quick detour in hopes of finding a suitable restaurant to relax and eat before their meeting with the town leader.
On a dirt road shrouded in the trees, two teens made their way through the forest. One member of the pair was walking ahead while the other kept a safe distance behind, for fear that his traveling companion would spontaneously lash out at him.
As if she was able to read her partner's thoughts, Karasu turned around to flash her snake-like eyes towards him. She smiled in a manner that both seemed charming and deadly. "What's wrong, Shin? You appear to be frightened of me," she said, her voice coming out in a lacey hiss.
The boy lifted his dark eyes to meet her yellow ones. "Ah… hehe, not at all. I'm just taking my time to enjoy the scenery of the forest…"
"Heh, is that so?" the girl smirked. Salyzar, seated on his mistress's shoulder, turned to send a dangerous stare towards the boy, making Shin wonder why on earth he decided to travel with this girl and her snake.
Karasu lifted her left hand to push back a stray strand of long black hair, and her tattoo showed in the dim light of the forest. The red roses were connected with a vine design, stretching around her left arm all the way down towards her palm. The seventeen-year-old boy was both intrigued and scared of the intricate design of the tattoo. It added to the mysteriousness of the fourteen-year-old she-devil.
A few more minutes of dead silence passed between the two when the dingy light of the forest gave way to sunshine. Shin had to blink a few times when the sun reached his eyes, but when his vision finally returned, he smiled excitedly.
Just ahead were the majestic gates of the Leaf Village.
The raven-haired girl might not have shown her excitement as obviously as Shin did, but her eagerness was evident as she increased her speed along with Shin to reach the tall entryway into the village.
Two guards were standing at the entrance, and they held their hands out to them, ordering the two teenagers to stop. "Do you two have business here?" one of the guards asked.
"We're just travelers who would like to have a little rest in the village," Shin said politely as he bowed respectfully.
Karasu didn't show as much respect. She only sent vicious glares towards the two guards, which in turn, made the two men at the entrance stiffen. "We'll need some identification, please," the second guard ordered.
The boy nodded as he pulled his pack off his shoulder. He pulled out an ID card, showing it to both guards.
The first guard nodded in approval. "You're alright. And you?" he asked, turning to the younger teen.
"I'm not telling you my identity," Karasu said, staring at the two guards as if they were crazy.
"Well then, we cannot allow you inside," the second man said, straightening so that he was blocking Karasu's way into the village.
The girl chuckled maliciously, earning confused stares from the guards and a terrified expression from Shin. "You'll regret blocking my way," Karasu growled out.
Salyzar hissed up at the men for further deadly emphasis. Poison dripped from his now sharpened fangs, and the two men stared wide-eyed with fear at the lethal aura pouring off the girl and her snake.
"Miss, we're going to have to ask you to leave," the first man said, trying to hide the involuntary shiver that ran up his spine.
"Oh really?" the girl snarled.
Shin saw it before the other men did. The boy quickly jumped in front of his traveling partner before she could lunge at the guards. Despite the voice in his head telling him to just run into the village and get away from this girl, he held both of Karasu's shoulders as he stood in front of her.
He turned his head to look at the guards, mustering up enough courage to think up a good lie. "Look sirs… she's my cousin, and she's really not good with people. If you let her in, I promise to keep an eye on her."
Karasu noticeably growled at that last statement, as she didn't want this kid making her sound like she needed a babysitter.
The guards, however, seemed convinced enough that Shin would be the responsible relative and keep an eye on his younger cousin. Both men nodded as they moved out of the way to allow entry. The elder teen gently pulled the girl after him into the village until they were out of sight of the entrance.
Karasu jerked her arm away from his grasp, and she stepped back to glare at him. "Who do you think you are? Do you think I need some babysitter? You're lucky I didn't slice your hand off for pulling me like that!"
"Listen," Shin said, losing control of his own temper. "We have finally made it to the Leaf Village, which is what you wanted, if I recall correctly. So how about you lay off with the lunatic attitude and chill, alright?"
The younger adolescent blinked in surprise. No one, not even her own parents, had ever spoken to her like that. She had only known this guy for a few days because they traveled together, and they hadn't even said that much to each other during their journey.
Her yellow eyes stared at Shin with interest as he stormed down the busy market street, giving her the cold shoulder. She smirked as she glanced over at the purple snake on her shoulder. "Hmm, that's interesting, isn't it, Salyzar? Someone who actually has the nerve to talk back to me…"
The snake hissed back to its mistress as he nodded his head in reply.
"Yes, I can't say that I like his nerve… but I do respect it," Karasu said as she slowly followed after her nomadic partner, a cold smile extending across her lips.
In the Leaf Village Hospital, one blonde boy was seated impatiently in the waiting room. A large white tiger was seated beside him, and the animal seemed to be a lot more composed than the teenager. The boy's right leg was shaking up and down in a small rhythm as he continued to sit anxiously. To ease his anxiety, he decided to count the tiles on the ceiling. And when he finished with that, he counted the tiles on the floor. And when that was done, he counted the miniscule dirt specks on the ground that had recently appeared on the floor due to the incessant shaking of his foot.
"Ugh, this stupid waiting is driving me crazy!" he groaned in annoyance as his pale eyes continued to stare at the ground. "Why can't they just release-"
"Hey, what's on the floor that's so interesting?" a kind voice said from beside him.
Surprised, he looked up to see the person he had been waiting for standing above him, giving him her signature sweet smile. "Kohana!" he exclaimed happily. He sprung up from his seat to grab her into a big bear hug, squeezing her tightly into him.
The girl in his arms giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Good to see you too, Riku," she said, her voice slightly strained as he continued to squeeze her.
The choking of her voice awoke him from his embrace, and he quickly let go. Riku held her at arm's length as he stared into her red eyes. "Oh gosh, did I hurt you? I'm so sorry, I couldn't help it. The doctors said there was so much glass stuck in your skin, and I was worried that you would have permanent scars. You were in there for three days, so it had to be bad, I mean-"
His nearly incomprehensible rant was halted as Kohana slapped her hand over his mouth. "Riku, it's alright. I'm fine." She hesitantly removed her hand from her friend's lips, and she proceeded to greet her faithful tiger, as he had been neglected during Riku's worrisome rant.
"B-But, you were in there for three days!" Riku yelled. "That's a huge amount of time! What did they do that they had to keep you so long?"
The girl sighed at her friend's worry. She stood up straight to look him in the eye, ignoring the aching in her back that signified the scars on her upper back region. She was about to tell him how the doctors had to put in more stitches than she could count into her back and shoulders when she suddenly frowned.
"Riku… Were you here the whole time?" Kohana asked as she pointed to the dark bags under his pale eyes.
"Well, of course! I was so worried, Kohana," the boy replied as he brought her into another hug.
The girl had to fight back the tears that threatened to fall from her crimson eyes. She ignored the pain that began to shoot up her spine from the scars as her best friend began crushing her into him. All she was concerned with was that she had put him through so much torment with her injuries.
As much as she treasured the warm embrace of her friend, she had to pull away to send him a reassuring smile. She decided not to worry him by telling him that she did, indeed, have a few scars from the glass that had punctured her skin. He would instantly freak out and yell at her for jumping in the way for him.
"Don't worry about it, Riku," she said, hoping her voice was convincing enough. "The doctors just wanted to keep me so long because they were just as worried as you. Nothing major, don't worry."
The blonde shot her a disbelieving look. "Kohana… Are you sure?"
"Of course," the girl smiled brightly. "Now, how about we go get you some ramen, eh? You don't look like you've eaten in days."
Right on cue, a vicious rumble sounded from the boy's stomach. He rubbed the back of his blonde head sheepishly as he shot her a grin. "Hehe, well… Yeah, ramen does sound good right about now."
"Good," the crimson-eyed girl smiled.
"Ramen! Big Daddy Riku is coming for you!" he exclaimed happily as he ran towards the front of the hospital. He disappeared right out the door. The newly released hospital patient giggled as she watched her friend sprint away. With one more comforting pat to Shiro's majestic head, the teen and her tiger ran out of the building and after the boy towards their favorite ramen stand.
The sound of light giggling could be heard echoing across the Nara clan's forest on the outskirts of the Leaf Village. "Kumade, stop! That tickles!" the blonde girl laughed as she squirmed away from the white buck.
"Kaoru, it's the flower in your hair," Yuna chuckled as she pointed to the green lily resting in her friend's ponytail.
"Alright, alright, here! You can have it!" Kaoru exclaimed as she removed the lily from her hair. She held her hand out to stag, and Kumade removed his snout from its place in the blonde's hair to snatch the beautiful flower from the girl's palm.
"Well, at least we know he likes you," the Nara smiled kindly. "If he didn't like you, he wouldn't go near you, even if you were wearing an entire garden."
The Sand Village's former resident was still grinning widely, still imagining the deer's snout tickling her neck and head. She watched the large white stag prance around the clearing in the forest with the green lily nestled between its lips. As her grassy green eyes continued to watch the deer dance about, she also began to mull over Yuna's words.
"It makes me wonder if I've been here too long," Kaoru said, her words barely above a whisper.
But Yuna still heard her. She turned to look at her new friend, her hazel eyes clearly displaying the confusion she felt. "What do you mean?"
The blonde girl turned to look at the brown-haired female in shock, surprised that she had been heard. She fidgeted with the colorful silk scarf around her neck, nervous at being caught. "Oh, well, it's just…"
Yuna furrowed her slender eyebrows in bewilderment. "Spit it out, Kaoru."
Kaoru sighed as she closed her green eyes in thought. After carefully choosing her words, she looked back up to make eye contact with her friend. "I'm worried that I'm mooching off of you."
"What?" Yuna asked in surprise.
"I've been staying with you and your family for a few days already. I'm worried about being a bother to you guys," the girl said, her normally happy attitude suddenly replaced with her anxiety.
"You're not a bother at all!" the hazel-eyed girl said in reassurance. She gently tucked her long chocolate-colored hair behind her ear as she gave an assuring smile.
The blonde raised an eyebrow at her. "How do I know you're not lying to me?"
Yuna sighed. Placing the handle of her basket of herbs into the crook of one elbow, she used her other arm to hook arms with her friend. "Kaoru, I don't lie. In fact, I've been known to be blatantly truthful with others."
The two girls made their way through the forest, arm in arm, while the large stag lagged behind, taking the time to sniff each and every plant.
The brown-haired girl suddenly smiled. "Plus, getting you acquainted with the village is getting me out of that stupid clan paperwork my parents keep shoving down my throat."
Kaoru laughed, her formerly depressed behavior already gone. "Oh, I see. So you're just using me to get out of your homework."
"Well, it is a bonus," Yuna smirked. She gently readjusted her black and green kimono as she looked through the herbs in her brown basket. After a careful analysis, she nodded. "I think we have all the herbs my father asked us to retrieve. We just have to drop them off at the hospital, and then we can grab a bite to eat."
"Cool, sounds like a plan," the blonde girl smiled, her green eyes alight with her normal exciting personality once again. The two girls made their way through the beautiful forest and into the village to finish of their errands before lunch.
Deep inside the dense forest, a girl and her wolf trudged along the dirt path. Only a little light trickled through the canopies of the tall trees, even though the sun was settled high in the blue sky.
The raven-haired girl halted in her tracks suddenly, and she pressed one hand up against a tree to lean against. Her knees buckled before they finally gave out under her, and she collapsed to the ground. Her breath came out in pants as her entire body ached.
"Ginmaru, I don't know how much left I have in me," Takara panted. She gently rubbed the side of her torso; her sides were screaming in pain with dehydration.
*Takara, you must continue. I smell a village not too far ahead,* the hound thought out to his mistress as he barked.
Over the past few days, the girl had grown used to her wolf talking to her in her mind. It was a strange phenomenon that she wasn't sure she even felt like delving into. When she had left her destroyed village, she had left with nothing but the clothes on her back. She had no money, food, or water, and the price was beginning to pay its toll.
"What good will a village do? We've passed through several already, and none of them had any sympathy when it came to giving food or anything," Takara moaned as another pain shot up her ribs.
*You're the one who said your instincts were leading you in this direction!* the gray wolf growled. His black eyes pierced into his mistress's own brown orbs.
The fifteen-year-old glanced away in nervousness, hating herself for her weakness. "I know… but my body can't function anymore…"
*Stand up and force yourself then.*
"Ginmaru! Don't you get it? I'm weak, alright? I can't go any further than this!" Takara shrieked at her canine as tears pricked the edges of her eyes in self-pity. The hunger pains were finally eating at her patience, and the lack of water was playing with her irritability.
"Oh, boohoo!" a sudden voice yelled out from in front of the pair.
Surprised, Takara and Ginmaru turned their heads simultaneously to see a girl who appeared to be about twelve scowling at them with her hazel-green eyes. Her curly blond hair bounced a bit as she walked up to them. She was dressed in a black hoodie, black leggings, and black shoes. A yellow pup was seated on the girl's right shoulder, staring at the older girl and her wolf with interest.
When the girl finally reached the pair from the Blizzard Country, she placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow at them. "This is pathetic. You're really going to sit here and sulk? How pitiful are you?"
The gray wolf fell into a protective crouch in front of his mistress and bared his fangs at the stranger. While he may have been strict with Takara, he would never let anyone talk to her like that, especially some preteen of a stranger.
The blonde girl placed a disbelieving look on her face as she raised an eyebrow at the large wolf. "Down boy, no need to get your tail in a twist."
Despite his ferocious nature, the wolf nearly blanched at the demanding tone of the stranger. Takara stared at the other girl in surprise, but she gently patted her partner's head, signaling to him to calm down. Grudgingly, Ginmaru fell back to sit on his hind legs proudly and confidently.
"What do you want from me?" Takara asked, trying to keep her voice strong. But the quiver in her tone could be heard from the lack of energy.
"Well, I was going to be a good sport and bring you to the Leaf Village, but if you'd rather sit here and feel sorry for yourself, that's good too," the twelve-year-old shrugged.
"I don't exactly have money to pay for food, or even a place to stay for that matter," the elder female replied as she played with the long hair in her ponytail.
The younger girl smirked as she pulled a money bag from the pouch on her hip. "Duh, that's what you have me for," she chuckled as she jiggled the bag a little, the sound of coins jingling filling the silence with rich and tempting music. The little pup on the girl's shoulders even seemed to be smiling with persuasion as she looked at the pair on the ground.
Takara blinked a few times as she contemplated snagging the bag of coins. But she shook her head as her integrity got the best of her. "I'm sorry, I appreciate the gesture, but I can't take your money."
The preteen grinned. "Oh please. It's my dad's money, and he owes me for dragging me all the way from the Rain Village for a family reunion anyway."
The teenager's eyes widened in surprise. "You shouldn't talk about your dad like that… Family is a very precious part of life…" Takara said, her voice barely audible. Tears brimmed the corners of her eyes as she thought of her recently deceased parents and village.
The young girl hesitated for a brief moment before she shook her head. "Whatever. C'mon, let's get you something to eat, eh?"
And with that, the twelve-year-old turned around to walk away. Takara and Ginmaru blinked in surprise at the retreating girl's back. When she noticed that the teen and her hound weren't following, the blonde turned around and jingled the coin pouch again.
"You know, I don't offer my dad's money to just anyone," she said, her voice emphasizing the temptation of the coins.
With a sigh, Takara picked herself up off the ground, readjusted her cloak, and followed after the blonde. She fell into step beside her, mustering up as much energy as she could to keep moving forward.
"By the way, my name is Takara Inuzuka. This is Ginmaru," the teen said as she pointed to herself and then gestured to the gray canine beside her. "What's your name?"
"Name's Megumi Urufu, and this wolf pup here is Inazuma," the blonde replied with a grin. Takara nodded with a small smile, and with the introductions done, the group continued toward the Leaf Village.
Water rushed majestically from the massive waterfall to land cleanly into a sparkling pond just on the outskirts of the Waterfall Village. The lush green grass and the shining water created a serenely quiet atmosphere. The large cliff that contained the river stood on one side of the pond, and trees surrounded the remaining sides of the small lake, leaving just enough room for patches of grass to grow beautifully with nature.
A boy with orange spiky hair sat cross-legged opposite of the waterfall, soaking in the wonderful peace and quiet that he enjoyed so much. A large three-headed demon dog sat to his right, also cherishing the lovely silence. The boy suddenly sighed, breaking the still scene with his intake of breath, as he sensed the presence of his former associates.
Three shadows moved behind the waterfall before slowly bursting through the wall of rushing water. The orange-haired boy opened his eyes to reveal deep brown orbs. He stared at the three figures emerging from behind the waterfall as they approached. The three heads of the dog all growled viciously as they looked at the intruders.
"It's alright, Cerberus," the boy said calmly as he patted the dog's back. The canine instantly fell back on his haunches to sit patiently.
"Wow, now I have to admit," Kazuki said as he shook his head to rid the water out of his black spiky hair. "It is eerily convenient that you happen to be waiting at the place where we ended up being dropped off."
"Coincidence is a strange thing," Rin sighed as she squeezed the water droplets from her long inky hair.
"Or I'm just great with my Water Transportation Jutsu," Umiko grinned, relishing in the feeling of water on her pale blue skin.
"Hello, Kazuki Uchiha, Rin Takahashi, Umiko Hoshigaki," the boy on the ground said calmly as he gave a small smile. "What brings you three here after five years?"
"We have a mission, direct order from my father," Kazuki explained.
"I see…" Yoru said, closing his dark eyes to go back to meditating.
A few minutes passed with only silence filling the air. The three new arrivals were staring at the eighteen-year-old expectantly, but he continued to ignore them with his meditating. The three heads of the demon didn't even bother sparing another glance at the other humans.
Kazuki's eyebrow twitched. "Oi! Yoru Saito! Are you going to get up?"
The three heads of Cerberus growled simultaneously at the interruption of the tranquil atmosphere. Yoru slowly opened his eyes to look up at the Uchiha. "Why do I need to get up?" he asked, his calm voice contrasting with the edgy voice of the other male.
"Because you're on the mission!" the raven-haired male said exasperatedly. He shook his head in disbelief at the young adult seated before him.
Yoru's eyes widened in slight surprise. "Oh, well why didn't you just say that in the beginning? There's no need to fret over a simple misunderstanding, Kazuki," he said as he stood up from his spot on the grass. He wiped off the invisible dirt from his gray trench coat and black pants and then readjusted the black wristbands on both of his wrists. He completely missed Kazuki's glaring green eyes.
In the background, Umiko was cackling loudly, not even trying to hide her shrill laugh. Rin had her hands on her hips, her face in its usual emotionless mask, though Kazuki thought he saw a hint of a smirk on her features.
"Well, I thought when I said 'We have a mission,' you would realize that you were included in it," the immortal boy huffed.
"Oh, well then it is my fault if I mistook the 'We' for merely you and the ladies," Yoru shrugged as he answered with his monotonously calm voice.
Kazuki only sighed with slight frustration. Only Yoru and his extreme calmness could annoy him so much. "Well, grab your things, and let's get ready to go."
The eighteen-year-old boy nodded as he picked up his backpack that was perched not too far away. As a traveling loner, he only desired one bag of necessities. The other three humans nodded when Yoru and Cerberus joined the group, and then they all walked off towards the back of the waterfall, where Umiko then prepared their descent back into the ocean.
"Ah, that ramen was delicious!" Riku sang out as he rubbed his stomach in content.
Kohana giggled as she shook her head in awe at her friend. "I can't believe you beat your personal record."
"Yup, ten bowls of ramen. It was the best meal I've ever had," the blonde boy grinned happily.
The pair and the tiger made their way through the crowded streets and onto the stone paths of the park. Only a few other people were walking along these trails, since most individuals had to perform their errands in the busier parts of the village. There were just a few people who received the occasional chances to take the scenic routes.
While Riku babbled on about something or another, Kohana's crimson eyes roamed across the beautiful forest that settled on either side of the stone trail. A random person every now and then would walk pass the teens and animal. The girl even took note when a brown-haired boy stormed passed them, headed in the other direction. The Sarutobi heiress furrowed her eyebrows as she turned around to look at his retreating back. She noticed his hunched shoulders and pounding feet against the path, two signs of suppressed anger.
"Oh hey, sorry," Riku's voice awoke Kohana's dazed train of thought.
The fifteen-year-old turned around to see her friend apologizing to a raven-haired girl who appeared to be just a bit younger than herself and Riku. The mysterious girl had unnaturally pale skin that clung to her bones, showing her skinny form. Her long black hair reached well passed her back.
"Did you just touch me?" the younger girl growled at the boy. The yellow slits she had for eyes glared dangerously up into the pale orbs of the Hyuuga.
Riku blinked in surprise at the venom sewed into the girl's voice. The purple snake nestled around her shoulders enhanced the poisonous aura of the serpentine girl as it hissed viciously.
"Uh… sorry?" the boy replied nervously as he took a step back in surprise. He glanced away nervously, afraid of the venomous eyes of the younger teen.
Karasu, however, saw his fear of keeping eye contact as a sign of weakness. She did not tolerate weakness. It was pathetic in her eyes, and those who had no backbone did not deserve to remain in her presence.
The fourteen-year-old girl reached to grasp something fitted into her belt, and Kohana's eyes widened as she saw the glint of silver metal. From beside her, Shiro roared ferociously. The raven-haired snarled in return, and she raised her knife to strike the white tiger.
Kohana screamed in surprise, and Riku's mouth fell open in a silent yell. The two moved to stop the girl from wielding the blade, and the tiger crouched to the ground, prepared to lunge at the serpent mistress…
When the sound of metal clashing against metal stopped everyone.
Everyone's eyes darted to the side to see a brown-haired boy with matching brown eyes holding a sword in front of Karasu's knife. The boy seemed surprise with himself for interfering, but his grip on his sword's hilt did not slacken. In the distance, another black-haired girl could be seen running up behind the sword wielder. Her light blue eyes were wide with confusion as she came to stand behind her companion in support.
"What the hell is going on here?" she screamed in shock as she stared between her traveling companion, the bloodthirsty girl, the previous victims, and then back again.
"Yeah, I'd kind of like to know too!" Riku yelled as he waved his arms around in bewilderment.
A sudden blur moved quickly from behind the source of the chaos. The angry boy that Kohana had seen earlier walking by was suddenly pulling the snake girl away from the group. His dark eyes were glowering down at her in disbelief and anger.
"Are you freaking serious, Karasu?" the boy yelled. "Even when I give you the cold shoulder, you find some way to get me involved!"
"What made you think it was okay to lay your hand on me a second time?" Karasu hissed out severely. "And is it really my fault that you have taken it upon yourself to involve yourself in my business?"
"I promised the guards I'd keep an eye on you!" Shin scolded. "So help me, if you get me kicked out of this village on the first day-"
"Are you threatening me?" the serpentine female asked, narrowing her golden slits dangerously.
The other four teens were staring in shock at the arguing pair. They almost seemed like brother and sister, arguing incessantly about any and everything.
Almost.
Shin and Karasu almost seemed like a sibling pair. However, the boy seemed too distressed and angry with the girl to even consider her family. And the female definitely seemed too spiteful to even let this boy be considered close to her.
"I may have tolerated you tagging along for our little journey," Karasu growled as she held up her blade to Shin's face, "but don't think for a second that I won't hesitate to slit your throat and pierce your heart."
"Hey!" another voice interrupted from a distance.
A girl wearing a black and green mini kimono ran up to the group, a white stag following behind. There was a second girl following, though she seemed to keep her distance, not wanting to get involved with the fray. The first girl had long deep brown hair with hazel eyes to compliment them. The second girl had blonde hair tied into a high ponytail with green crystals for eyes. She was wearing a camouflage vest, a skirt with black shorts, and a long colored scarf.
"You should watch what you say around here," the brown-haired girl said. "Threatening others is not something that is particularly welcomed here."
Karasu sneered at the new arrivals, and she expertly twirled her knife in her right hand as she looked the other girl up and down. "You're really going to order me around?"
"Just put the blade away," Kaoru sighed. "This is a public place. Have some consideration for others. Not everyone wants to see weapons being thrown around."
Riku gawked at the green-eyed girl's words. "Really? You're more concerned with how others will feel about this? You obviously didn't see this devil try to attack me!"
The serpent girl smirked as she pointed her knife towards the blonde boy. "Would you like to try calling me more names, Blondie?"
The Hyuuga boy couldn't help the light tint of pink that brushed his tan cheeks. "Why you…"
Kohana quickly placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Riku, it's alright." Said boy grudgingly relaxed, though his pale orbs stayed hardened as he glared at Karasu.
"Can we all seriously just take a breather?" Amaya shrieked as she glanced between everyone.
"What exactly happened?" Yuu asked, his voice much calmer than his partner's.
"You all really should mind your own business," Karasu said, glaring at each person before her gold eyes landed on Riku. "The only issue here is that someone wasn't watching where he was going."
"Listen, we all need to just calm down," Yuna said gently.
"Or you all can just stay out of my way," the serpentine mistress said as she took a threatening step forward, towards the other members of the group. Shin looked like he was going to make a move to stop her, but he decided against it, as he seemed fed up with dealing with his traveling partner.
Kumade took a step in front of his owner and new friend, standing protectively and majestically in front of the two girls. Salyzar, still seated on his master's shoulder, hissed loudly at the stag, the purple venom dripping from his fangs. Shiro growled ferociously as he stepped in front of Kohana and Riku, his large white teeth glinting in the light.
The battle between the animals was interrupted with an unexpected blood-curdling snarl. A gray blur appeared just a few feet from the group, feral fangs flashing fiercely. Both humans and creatures turned to look at the vicious silver wolf as it continued to growl, coal eyes piercing into everyone's minds.
"Ginmaru!" Takara exclaimed, surprised at her wolf for jumping into a fracas so quickly. She and Megumi rapidly ran up to join the group.
"What's this?" Shin asked, slightly annoyed at another person joining into the quarrel.
The raven-haired girl bit her lower lip in nervousness as she fell to her knees to wrap her arms around her wolf's neck. "Uh… sorry to interrupt… Ginmaru tends to be protective when he feels there's some kind of threat nearby…"
A moment of silence fell amongst the group. Each of the teens glanced at each other nervously, the uncomfortable silence suddenly filling the air. The animals slowly recoiled from the defensive stances. The teens hesitantly relaxed as they glanced at the other members of the crowd, silently agreeing to end this squabble. Yuu sheathed his sword, somewhat glad to have his weapon safe in its case. With her head held defiantly high, Karasu put her knife back into her pouch on her belt. With the weapons away and the animals settled down, the adolescents all glanced at each other, wondering what on earth had just happened and why everything was resolved so quickly.
The fight had erupted spontaneously, and it somehow brought these strangers together just to end up awkwardly standing in the middle of the path. Nine of the ten teenagers looked at each other nervously, afraid to make the first move or speak the first word.
The remaining person, however, smiled at the great convenience of the meeting. "Wow, that was amazingly easy getting these guys together," she inwardly praised the universe. "So, introductions seem to be in order then, eh?"
Deep inside the Mountain Country, a dark cavern was settled amidst one of the many mountain ranges that made up the area. Inside this cave, a secret cult of scientists scurried about, performing tests and running experiments.
Two men stood out amongst the group of scientists, as they were not wearing the same white lab coats that the members of the medical group were donning. One of these men earned the respect of each scientist as he walked by; the medical experts took the time to turn away from their projects to bow respectfully to their ultimate leader.
Madara ignored them all as he made his way through the many labs that resided inside the mountain. Zetsu followed closely behind his master, remaining only two feet behind as they continued walking.
Finally, the Uchiha and his subordinate made it to their destination. A large metal door stood at the end of one of the labs. The words, HUMAN PROJECTS, were written in bolded letters just to the side of the door, right next to the handle. Madara turned the steel handle of the door and entered inside, the plant man following.
Inside was a large room made of all metal. Several tables were placed against the left side of the room right up against the wall. Tubes, vials, and beakers were spread across each blacktop of the tables, a different colored liquid in each glass container. The other walls were lined with strong iron doors. Each door had a small barred window that was used for observation of whatever lay beyond the door. There were probably about ten doors on each wall, and several noises could be heard coming from them, creating a chorus of groans and screeches.
A single man stood in this room; he was leaned against one of the tables with a folder in his hand. He jotted something down into the file in pencil before laying it aside. He looked up at his guests, and he smiled. He appeared to be in his mid-forties, as a few wrinkles could be seen around his face. His black hair fell only slightly to cover his rectangular-shaped glasses. His white lab coat was the same as the other members of the organization, and he wore a black shirt and black pants underneath.
He adjusted his glasses as he approached the two arrivals. "Lord Madara, Zetsu, it is always a pleasure," the man said.
"Kioshi," the Uchiha smiled in return. "I have an important assignment for you. It is something that I must entrust to you, as you are the only one I believe is eligible for this matter."
"Well, that is why you placed me in charge of the Saviors, my lord," the man named Kioshi smirked cockily. "What is it you require?"
"First off, I think I would like to borrow one of your experiments. One that would meet my highest expectations as a proper minion to assist my son on his mission," the immortal man said.
"Hmm…" Kioshi said as he fingered his chin in interest. "I have many experiments, all of which have different abilities and purposes. Each is a masterpiece that I myself have created. But I think I have just the right girl for you."
"Good," Madara nodded. "Now, as for you, I'm going to have to ask you put all of your current experiments on hold."
The glasses-wearing man smiled in interest. "Ah, this sounds important."
"Indeed," the Uchiha said. "There is… a strange phenomenon that is occurring. My Infinite Tsukuyomi is crumbling."
Kioshi furrowed his eyebrows as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you know the cause?"
"No, but that is what I have you for," Madara smirked. "As we speak, my children are locating these individuals and keeping close watch on them. Kazuki and his spies are working to destroy them. But I think you would find a much better purpose for them."
The younger man smiled in slightly contained excitement. "You are allowing me to perform tests on these specific persons?"
"Yes," the immortal nodded. "If possible, find out how they broke the genjutsu. You may conduct as many projects as you need on them to find out how they did it. Once I have my results, you may do whatever you wish with them. Just don't go easy on them."
Kioshi smirked. "Do not worry, Lord Madara. The deaths of today are needed to save the lives of tomorrow." He cuffed the collar of his white lab coat triumphantly as he turned around to head to a specific metal door. "Now, how about I introduce you to your new minion?"
"I'd love to meet her," Madara smiled.
The scientist slowly opened the door to reveal a dark and dingy cell. A long pole that reached to the ceiling was kept in the left corner on the other side of the small room. A ratty blanket was placed beside the pole. The cell stunk of poor hygiene and ill-kept conditions.
Huddled in the corner, a figure was seated in the corner. The shadows of the room kept the others from seeing the person clearly. "Naomi," Kioshi called out. "Come here. I have two people who wish to meet you."
The figure in the corner perked up at her name. She turned around and crawled on all fours towards the door. Madara's eyebrow rose with interest at the person before him. Although, 'person' seemed like an inaccurate term to be used.
The girl appeared to be in her early twenties. Her more outstanding features were the wings sprouting from her back and the horns protruding from her temples. The horn coming out of the right side of her head was broken. Her right eye was covered with a bandage while her left eye was gazing dazedly about, its yellow color shining brightly in the dark cell. Where her hands should have been, sharp claws were there instead. Her skin appeared gray, whether it was due to the darkness or ill hygiene, the two Akatsuki members couldn't be sure. Her hair had the faint appearance of what was once a honey blonde color, but it was now greasy and filthy. Her body was skinny to the point of ill-health; her bones were nearly poking out of her dirty skin. The clothes that she was wearing were torn and ripped, just barely covering her body.
"This is Iriai no Naomi," Kioshi said proudly. "She is the Saviors' greatest human experiment."
The black half of Zetsu scowled. "If she is such a success, why is she kept in such terrible conditions? And what's more, she looks like she hasn't been decently taken care of in years."
The medic glared at the man in the Venus fly trap. "Our human experiments must go through a series of tests and trainings to get to where they are. If they fail, they die. If they pass, they live. After that, they have the luxury of being given a place to live and food to eat. The Saviors do not sugarcoat anything. If they can survive in the conditions we put them through, then they are masterpieces."
"Well, if as you say is true, then I request her for this mission," Madara said.
The scientist nodded as he turned back to the girl. "Naomi, this is Lord Madara Uchiha and his friend, Zetsu," Kioshi said slowly so that the creature on the floor would clearly understand him. "They have come all the way here to ask you a favor."
The female clicked her tongue in what sounded like annoyance, but the dazed state on her face kept the men from knowing exactly what she was feeling. "Naomi wonders why Master Kioshi does not take the time to introduce her best friend. It is not very polite that her friend is not mentioned." Her voice was scratchy and somewhat hoarse. Even when she spoke in third person, she didn't sound as if she was speaking to anyone in the room. She almost sounded as if she was narrating a story.
"Oh, how rude of me," the scientist chuckled. "I forgot to introduce you to Naomi's best friend, Hamtaro."
A little apricot-colored blur appeared from the matted mop that Naomi's ill-kept hair. The little hamster cocked his head at the appearance of visitors, but he merely went back to fidgeting with his tiny paws. Naomi gently cuddled with the little ball of fur with both hands, petting him with her index finger.
"It is nice to meet you, Iriai no Naomi," Madara said politely as he took a step forward. He made a move to hold his hand out to her to shake, but he quickly declined that, as he wondered if the girl would even understand what that meant.
Naomi looked at Madara's face and then turned to stare at the metal wall. She continued to pet Hamtaro's fur as she spoke. "Naomi is happy to meet Lord Madara. She has heard so many good things. Naomi wonders why he pays interest in herself and her hamster."
"Well, as Kioshi says, I have an interesting favor to ask of you," Madara said. "Could you help me?"
The girl tilted her head as she looked to her hamster for confirmation. "What do you think, Hamtaro? Should I help Lord Madara?" The little creature in her palms squirmed a bit before scratching her fingers lightly. "Okay, I understand." The bat-like creature turned back to face the three men in the doorway. "Naomi only wishes to make her masters happy. She is glad to receive such a nice chance."
Madara smirked down at her. "I like your response, Naomi." He looked to his left to see a confident Kioshi smirking cockily. "I'll take her. Send her to Kazuki and his team."
Umiko Hoshigaki belongs to shadow4000 on TONFA. She is the descendant of Kisame Hoshigaki.
Yoru Saito and Cerberus belong to Starless_Night on TONFa. Yoru is the descendant of Kimimaro Kaguya.
Kioshi belongs to SincereGlomp on TONFA. He is the descendant of Hidan.
Iriai no Naomi and Hamtaro belong to BattyBigSister on TONFA. Naomi has no known ancestor.