Arc One, Chapter 9: A Brother Revoked

"Dear sister, how are you?" Raiden's eyes sparked with slight interest, the moonlight's glow being shielded by a transparent cloud.

Mariko stared at the man with a set jaw. Her eyes, blue as they were, seemed almost gray with the steely gaze she held. There was more in them, however; the undeniable look of betrayal that stood prominent in her eyes, and one that Kaito knew oh too well. Mariko's fists shook with anger so badly one would think there was an earthquake taking place.

Raiden rose his hands and made an apologetic expression. "Don't look at me like that, Mari-chan—"

"You, a stranger, have no right to call me that. Only my family and friends call me by that name, and you are neither." Mari said, anger oozing with each word that came out of her mouth.

"Hm?" Raiden donned a crazed look, his pupils dilating and his knuckles cracking in his arm, producing a small bolt to flash out. "You would say that to your dear, older brother? After all I have done for you nonetheless. Ma. Ri. Chan." The way he said her name made Kaito shiver down to his bones. He glanced at his sensei who was also bewildered beyond words, just as he had been when he saw Mariko in ninja attire. And Konoha ninja attire, nonetheless!

"My older brother went missing two years ago," Mariko said coldly, the wind sending dust flying into the air beside her, "I already mourned for him, for he will never be back. And this very day, he is still not back. What stands before me is an imposter, no more real than a lizard's shed skin."

Raiden's face twisted in the dark forrest, and in the cool, silent forest, Kaito sensed something. In the air, something had changed.

"Your older brother has never changed. I am still him." He said carefully, trying to change his face back to one that seemed trusting, more soft. It was too late now; they could see through his facade.

Kaito gulped audibly, being a little louder than he intended. Slowly though, he took one step towards his teammates. After the first step alone, he wanted to stop and turn into a statue. The tension in the air was so thick it was unbearable. Raiden's eyes weren't on Kaito, it was on Mariko's. And frankly, Kaito didn't think that that would change even if an explosion were triggered behind him. The feeling that had rose in the air, it was Kaito's first time experiencing it. He took another step, and then another, his legs feeling like heavy lead sticks moving in sticky, murky water. The unshakable feeling in the air, one produced by Raiden no doubt, was something the Academy couldn't even prepare him for.

For the air was now burning with a terrible, unquenchable bloodlust.

"No," she shook her head, "I'm afraid you're not."

Sora was in a crouching position, observing silently. As Kaito neared his teammates, Sora whispered something about "protect them" or something along those words, but Kaito couldn't hear it. His ears were glued to Mariko and Raiden. He slid his hand into his shuriken pouch and grabbed a kunai. He should have brought more, for the pouch was a little light on ninja tools at the moment. "Move them!" Sora said in a hushed, yet rushed tone. This time Kaito got the message and proceeded to care to Aoi and Hayato.

Kaito gently lay his teammates near each other, careful to move their bodies lightly. Aoi was pale, and her breath was ragged and sloppy. Kaito felt a pang of guilt as he watched her struggle to breath, even though this was the same kunoichi whom he had previously had a heated argument with. Kaito took off one of his arm warmers-thankfully which were wet already-and lay them on her head. Hayato was sweating feverishly, so Kaito did the same thing, applying the item on Hayato's forehead in replace of a wet towel.

"I remember the terrible sin you did..." Mariko said coldly, "And I remember it was all my fault."

* Flashback *

Mariko and her brother had been playing outside on a peaceful afternoon. They were young at the time, and knew nothing of the world besides their small little village. Their uncle and aunt had stopped by from their village to speak with Mamoru and Rika.

"Aye, Mari-chan," Raiden whispered in her ear with uncontainable delight, "I hear that uncle Rafu and aunt Kazue were super heros!" he giggled.

"There's no such thing as a super hero! You mean super ninja!" Mariko corrected, wagging her finger in the air.

"Nyeeeh!" Raiden stuck his tongue out, "Ninjas are super heroes, you idiot! One day I'm going to be a ninja, you'll see!"

"N-not if I become one before you!" Mariko shouted.

"You won't, hehe" Raiden smirked. "I will!" She made a pouting face.

"You won't!"

"I will!"

"You won't!"

"I will!"

"Hey, hey," their uncle Rafu entered the conversation, all of his face, except his grinning lips, masked in a shadow from the sun's brilliant gaze, "So I heard you two wanted to be ninja, eh?"

"Rafu! Get away from them!" their mother came outside, placing herself in-between her children and their uncle. "Rafu, I told them I don't want them there. I don't care if you're running low on students, leave my children alone!"

"Ah, Rika-chan-"

"Don't. Call me that." Their mother's voice had changed.

"M-mama?" Raiden and Mariko tugged on their mother's sleeves, "Are you okay?"

Rika froze, and her blond hair couldn't conceal the fear her eyes held that day. "I-I'm fine kids. Go to your rooms kids, your mommy and uncle have to talk about something." She tilted her head and smiled her signature warm smile.

"Oh, okay!" The kids raced to their room, too young to know that their whole future was being planned without their say whatsoever. They were too young to realize the dangers of being a ninja, and their mother tried very hard to keep them from the life.

However, uncle Rafu had no intention of losing his chance for getting two new ninja.

The children had begun playing with the straw dolls their mother and father had made for them, and after only a few moments, Mamoru and Rika came into their room, followed by their aunt, uncle, and two Shinobi in standard Leaf jounin attire. Their parents had their hands gripped tightly together, both wearing fake smiles so their children wouldn't think anything was strange. However, if there were a time where Rika and Mamoru wanted to show their true emotions, lash out at the people who would be taking their children away and at their treacherous relatives, it was now.

"Would you two like to be ninja?" A man asked, bending down to their level. The two looked at each other, then back at the man. 'Was this a joke?' they thought, 'we thought only people in Konohagakure got accepted to be ninja...'

They looked to their parents. Rika looked up and met their gaze. Her eyes changed suddenly-but she was quickly blocked by aunt Kazue, whom's body stood in the way. "Go on," she smiled, "Tell the nice men what you'd like to be."

Mariko was the first to respond, holding her brother's hand for a soft feeling of reassurance. "U-um, mister, we would really like to become super ninjas!"

"Hm, super ninjas, eh? I think I can make that happen!" He patted their heads, and the two children swore the heard a stifled cry from their mother, but that couldn't be. Their mother and father were the ones who suggested this opportunity, right?

The kids were beaming brightly, overflowed with joy. They agreed a thousand times over, and traveled to the Village Hidden in the Leaves with their aunt and uncle. Among the many hugs given by the townspeople of the Village of Coal and neighbors and friends, the ones that took the longest were the hugs with their parents.

"Mama, aren't you happy? We'll be super ninjas like in the story uncle Rafu told us about!"

Mamoru turned around at this, muttering "I'll step out for a bit" before leaving. Rika sat on her knees and took a moment to stare at her children. Her beautiful, beautiful children... She touched Raiden's hair, the same red hair he had gotten from Mamoru. She then touched Mariko's the same blond hair that Rika herself had. They truly were their beautiful children...

Tears began welling in her eyes as she opened her mouth to speak:

"Kids, We might not see each other for a long, long time. Whatever happens, I want both of you to know that daddy and mommy love you very, very much. M-make us p-proud." She broke off with a trembling lip, and pulled her children into hug. It was hug that carried all of her emotions that flowed into her children, one that the two would never forget.

'Just,' Rika thought, 'Just come back to me.'

. . .

Their aunt and uncle lived in the village, and had agreed to let them move in with them. Moving into a much larger village, the two had no one to befriend except themselves. They didn't know their way around the village, so they would often play together in the backyard. They had made no friends, until the Academy.

Entering the Academy, they were very nervous and very anxious. They would go home and ask their uncle for help, but he would only brush them off. It was only when a fellow classmate by the name of Akihiko came to them.

"Hey, I haven't seen you guys before," the kid smiled, his peculiarly colored eyes sparked with anticipation of new friends. "I'm Akihiko. What's your name?"

"Uh, I'm Mariko," She bowed, hoping this would disguise her slight blushing, "A-and this is my brother Raiden!"

"'Sup!" He gave Akihiko a handshake.

"Say," Akihiko watched as they tried to hit targets with their shuriken, "You're doing it all wrong! Here, let me show you," He grabbed Mariko's hands and went through the motions with her. 'He's so close...' Mariko thought. Her face was so hot she thought she'd explode. "Like that!" He let the shuriken free, and it sailed directly into the target's forehead. "Now you, Raiden-"

"I'm good." Raiden interrupted, scowling a bit.

Akihiko frowned. "Uh, alright... Well, if you need any help, I'll be over there!"

"O-okay!" Mariko smiled.

"Hmph..." Raiden mumbled sorely to himself.

. . .

Soon Raiden had excelled in many areas, working hard every day at the expense of barely getting any sleep, his once playful mood turning into one of mood swings that included times of imatience and crankiness. As he got better, however, Mariko was left behind. She was a good student, but Raiden became a prodigy. He began to understand things very well, and performed the tasks with even better expertise.

And even though his fame as an aspiring ninja grew, along with his change in mood, he still cared deeply for his sibling, always sitting down for talks with her whenever she needed it. He even lied about his age (considering he was a year older) in order to stay in her class.

Soon they were separated into teams, and miraculously Mariko, Raiden, and Akihiko had all gotten into the same team. Raiden had graduated as one of the best in the class along with Akihiko, while Mariko was only in the average section. She didn't let this bother her; she knew it wasn't a competition, and that Raiden and Akihiko wouldn't treat her any differently.

The two siblings grew, and aside from missions assigned to them that required them to go together, they had seen less and less of each other. They learned their affinities, and just when it seemed like Mariko had caught up, Raiden advanced another few steps again. With the decline in missions due to the oncoming peace, soon they rarely saw each other, the little conversations the had being quick, rushed, and coming off as forced. This was a hard time for Mariko also, for Akihiko hadn't been around in a while due to joining the Anbu Black Ops. Mariko and Raiden never even talked at home! It was only when Raiden began to sneak around that Mariko started to wonder what was going on with him.

Raiden would sneak out at midnight suddenly, and then come home around dawn. Ironically when they began getting more missions again she noticed that he had grown exceptionally stronger, and, if it were even possible, he began to talk even less often than before. He became a jounin, and, while prospering, distanced himself from others, even his own sister.

Mariko decided that he might need some talking to from his teammates, considering all access to their parents and the Village of Coal were cut off (due to some circumstance uncle Rafu and aunt Kazue didn't clarify specifically), so she asked for any information on Akihiko.

"Sorry Mariko-san, still no word." The information desk in the Hokage's office informed her yet again. "Thanks again," she faked a smile, "I appreciate it."

The words came out like she had practiced them over and over from an overused script. Things were all falling apart, slowly and surely, but Mariko would still keep hope. It's what mom would want, right? It's been oh so long since they've seen their parents. She wondered how they would react to Raiden's behavior now.

Going home that night, she saw a shadow leap from their window, and down the dark allies of Konohagakure. Something made her snap that night, so when Raiden ventured out into the night, she pursued him.

. . .

Following him had been harder than she had thought, his speed on a remarkable level. Whereas he would take leap on a tree, she would push three, all the while staying hidden from his senses. He stopped at a tree, and she stopped four trees behind his. He glanced around, and Mariko was almost completely sure that had it not been for the dark clouds that blanketed them from the moon's watchful eye, she would have been caught. But luck had been on her side that night.

He waited on that branch for a moment before a kunoichi appeared in front of him. She watched their conversation carry on, and when she heard a slight, light chuckle it finally dawned upon her; he had gone to the outskirts of the village to talk to a girl!

Mariko sighed quietly to herself with relief, and figured it was his girlfriend. Why had he been acting so strangely? All because of one girl? Were you that nervous about someone finding out Raiden!

Mariko held the urge to laugh and scream "So this is what, or should i say, who've you been hiding, huh Raiden?"

No, she'd confront him about in private. She wouldn't want to embarrass him in front of her, now would she.

Another sigh of relief, and she turned to go back home. Raiden had scared her quite a bit. She was expecting some dark secret from her older brother. And the next day, she made the worst mistake of her life.

. . .

Dawn had arrived, and just on time, Raiden walked in the room. Rafu and Kazue didn't really what Mariko and Raiden did at this point in their lives. It was kind of like.. they didn't care? But no, they were family; Mariko was sure that their aunt and uncle just trusted them with whatever choice they made.

Raiden blinked when he saw Mariko laying in his bed. "Oh hi Raiden, I didn't see you there!" she unsuccessfully feigned innocence, giggles escaping her lips as she tried to keep them pressed shut.

"What are you doing, Mari-chan?" He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in aggravation.

Mariko giggled silently to herself a bit louder this time. Raiden walked to the other side of the room to hang up his jounin flak jacket. He was in the process of taking off his shirt when he heard his sister's voice:

"Waiting for you to introduce me to your girlfriend, Raiden-san," she responded slyly, "I wonder if she's as shy as you are." Mariko smiled.

Raiden's eyes narrowed. He had her back to her, so he had to be sure to make no sudden movements.

"Girlfriend?" He asked in a low voice.

"Yes. The one you were with last night. I won't tell anyone, I promise. I wish your trust in me were stronger than that, keeping secrets from your sister and all.." She sighed.

Raiden nodded his head slowly and turned around, putting his shirt back on.

"Yes, dearest sister, that's right. Tell me, how long have you known about my girlfriend?" Shadows concealed his face as he walked towards her.

"Only for a day." She stared up at the ceiling, glad to put her worries all to rest. It was as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders when Raiden's face appeared in front of hers.

"I see. Good." He smiled. He moved, and then it was pitch black.

. . .

Mariko woke up sorely, dressed in clothes different from the ones she wore earlier.

"R-Raiden?" She looked at the room she was in; she was on the bare floor of a locked cell, in what seemed like a cavern. There was a slight draft in here, and the white dress she wore was wet on the bottom due to a leak in the roof that created a puddle on the floor next to her feet. There was very dim lighting in here, and she wondered what time of day it was...

And how long she had been out.

Footsteps clicked to the side of her cage, and just before she was about to cry for help she heard a familiar voice.

"You're awake, I see." Raiden mused.

"What is the meaning of this? Let me out this instant, Raiden!" She struck her arm out to hit the bars. She flinched at the pain but continued to stare at the direction she heard his voice bellow from. She was tired of all these games and whatnot. Just when she thought she was going to get closer to her brother once more, he does some stupid, weird dress up reenactment.

"But sister, would you not like to have a talk first?" He clicked a flashlight to her face, "I particularly would like to know just what you observed that night. I am not a fan for surprises."

"Enough of this foolishness, Raiden. I demand you let me out." Her voice rose, her arms shielding her face from the blinding, intense light.

"A-ah-ah!" He wiggled a finger, "That's not what you saw. Wrong answer."

"Is this really about some silly girl? For goodness sake, all I saw was you taking a small stroll."

"Sister, do not lie," His face became blank, devoid of all emoitons, "The agents have told me that they saw someone snooping in on our conversation. We are far away from the village. They probably have begun to suspect something has happened to us. You can be truthful now. It might be your last chance."

"Raiden—wait, what did you just say? How long have I been in here?" She touched her stomach, suddenly feeling an emptiness. Mariko was finally beginning to grasp the situation she was in.

"There? Only two days, sister. Gone? That is but another matter to discuss. Later." His face changed into an awful, venomous grin.

It dawned upon Mariko that this was not some silly prank. Something had happened to her beloved older brother. Had changed him.

"Raiden," She kept her voice from shaking. For the first time she felt fear towards him, actual bone rattling fear. "What is the meaning of this? What have you been doing?"

"I am only saving you and our parents. I have gotten a few bandits' companionship. I need only a month to have their complete trust. And you, sister, will indeed help me with that."

Mariko only stared at her brother. She knew that he knew what harm bandits had done to their home. Did he plan to get revenge by killing them all? To swarm them at a moment's notice, deceiving them while he was at their camps?

"And to save everyone," he whispered, "we need only to destroy."

He said "destroy" with such malice and force that she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. He showed light on a mangled corpse on his right, and a chill ran through her bones, her heart seeming to stop along with the world around her. Not only was the person dead, but it was him. She couldn't take her eyes off of him, each second feeling like someone was taking a blade, plunging into her heart, twisting it around and wrenching it out.

"A-Akihiko?" A soft cry escaped her already agape lips. Is this why there was no information on him? For so long? How long had he been dead? This couldn't be! This can't be real!

"Yes, only to destroy. By killing all the inhabitants of that town, we can savage what is left and use it to help our army. We will extinguish our town's flame as the last cry goes out, and will use it to..."

Mariko couldn't stand to hear the rest so she turned from her brother and lay on the cold floor, rocking back and forth in the fetal position. Subconsciously she began crying, the only indication being teardrops falling from her face and splashing on the ground. She should've noticed the change earlier. How could he have changed this drastically? The tears overflowed as he continued talking, and soon her vision was blurred. She did not know why she cried at the time, but now she was certain:

That day she wept not only for Akihiko, or for the man who stood before her, who had probably committed the dastardly act; She wept for her dead brother, the one she had lost somewhere along the way.

Because the one in front of her was not him.

Everything else didn't seem to phase Mariko. A man with a mask on his face came to her, and her memories had been altered. She began having visions, and the villagers had begun assaulting her family. And each night, for an unclear reason, she would shed a single tear. She wasn't sure, at the time, if it was because of the dreams, or the pain it caused.

But now she knew. She knew very well.

* Flashback End *

"Just tell me why, Raiden," She stared at the imposture standing in her brother's body, "Why did you do all of this?" There was a small plea in her voice, as if she were calling out to her brother whom lay deep down inside of that Raiden.

"All that I do is for you, sister, you and father and mother. Is there anything wrong with that?"

She stared at him again, her lips pursing into a tight frown. "Okay then, Raiden. I shall get the real answer."

She rose her hand, and a shallow shell of water formed around it.

"Sister," Raiden warned, "I do not advise this."

Mariko cupped the hand, and swung her arm to the left.

"Water Style," She thrusted the arm in front of her, "Water Shell Impact!"

The water flew at him, growing in size, until a large, open shell encompassed him. Raiden cursed and weaved through hand signs but it was too late; the technique was already on him. In an oyster-like appeared, the shell snapped shut on inpact impact and the water hardened. Not even a minute later, three poles of lightning shot out of the shell, the beams expanding in side until it burst.

"Mariko..." He said in a low voice "That could've hurt your dear brother. Good thing you're still weaker than me."

Raiden appeared behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Mariko jerked away as Raiden chuckled. She flung her arm forward, and water flew out, slamming into Raiden's chest. He stumbled backwards from the force of the water and Mariko flipped into the air; Raiden looked up as she came down, thrusting her heel downwards to slam on his head.

Raiden shielded himself at the last second, blocking the his head from the kick. After a moment of letting the stinging and pain subdue, he twisted his arm and grabbed her foot. He then brought her leg overhead, dragging her body with it, and pulled her to the grass to slam her in the ground. Before she made contact with the ground, however, she shoved her hands on it and twisted her body; Raiden wasn't preparing for this, and as she twisted his legs went from underneath him. Mariko didn't miss a beat, pulling him closer and locking his neck with her legs, placing a kunai at his neck after successfully pinning him down.

"Give up Raiden!" she screamed, breathing heavily. It had been a long while since she was forced to fight in combat.

No reply. He made a hand seal and a bright light enveloped him. She turned her head and tightened her leg's grip on the neck, but before she knew it he was already gone, the feel of the body under her there no more. Instead, now there was a body that stood over here.

As she had expected, it was Raiden whom had appeared over her. He reached down and clutched her face roughly with his hand.

"Don't be afraid, dear sister. We still are related aren't we?"

"You killed him!" she yelled with all her might, "You killed him, and you knew i loved him. You knew!" She savagely bit into his hand. He yelled in anger and released his grip. She rose her knees to her chest, and thrusted out her feet, kicking him square in the chest; He flew for some seconds before he tumbled onto the ground, Mariko using this brief moment to wipe fresh tears from her face. Lightning sparked in both of his palms as he stood up.

He rose his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a single word water from the side shoved him into a tree. Mariko looked to the side to see what had happened, but her questions were quickly solved when a familiar white-haired shinobi appeared next to her.

"I don't know many moves to help you," Kaito admitted silently, "But i know enough to be useful."

It took a moment, but Mariko understood what he meant. He was offering his assistance no matter how little it would be in the fight. She was silently thankful for him, and she would be sure to tell him after the battle was over. And she would make sure that she had the chance to, for if someone in this battle had to die, she would make sure it was not Kaito.

"I understand." She nodded decisively.

Static sparked around Raiden's body as he staggered up, the crazed look on his face able to spark fear in the next generation of kids a thousand times over.

"I have had quite enough of you water users." He growled.

"Then why don't you try dealing with a fire user? We are much more lively." Sora slid in front of them, his feet encased in wheels made from fire; the fire disappeared as he skidded to a halt. "Mariko, Kaito, go to the others and heal them. This guy is mine."

. . .

"Clown," Raiden glared, "you are not only a nuisance, but you also fail to amuse me with your silly attempts at jokes."

"Clown? Who me? I don't seem to see a resemblance..." Sora made three small orbs of fire and began juggling them. Though he did it partially for amusement, partially to annoy him, which seemed to be working immensely by the way, he also did it to buy time for Kaito and Mariko to go. They moved, but not after a moment of hesitation, grabbing Aoi and Hayato's bodies and vanishing to a safer location.

"I grow tired of you each second, buffoon." Raiden spat

"Really? For people around the same age, you sure do act as if I'm younger than you, kid. The difference is, I'm actually older." At that, the orbs flew; one on either side on him, and one hovering over him. He reared his arms back and clapped them together.

"Fire Style: Soul Flame, Trine Perfecta!" The orbs expanded and grew menacing faces on the fronts of them, the flame curling at its top.

Raiden looked at them with bewilderment and then fear before taking off to the trees. So Raiden had heard tales of Sora after all, Sora guessed. The three flames made a sort of ticking noise—it could only be assumed to be a laugh–before pursuing their target at dashing speeds. Sora turned and smiled before following them.

. . .

Mariko was tending to Hayato in no time. Kaito had been very quiet after his sensei left them. Mariko had wanted to say something, but Hayato's condition was more serious than she had thought, and required her full attention.

A while had passed, and when Hayato was in better condition, she said, "You know, healing was one of the first things I learned."

"Oh?" Kaito said absently.

"Yeah," she tried to continue, "It intrigued me. What interests you?"

"I dunno..." he said in the same tone.

After wrapping bandages around Hayato's stomach, she looked at Kaito.

"Kaito, I'd like to thank you."

This got his attention. He turned towards her as she scooted next to Aoi and began healing.

"For what?" He asked.

"I thanked you for just believing me. That clueless damsel you found could have easily have stayed that way for the rest of her life. But you, Kaito, trusted me, which in turn, saved me. Whether it was dumb luck or not, you did it. Any ideas on how I could repay you?"

Kaito's gaze was stuck on her like glue. Then he did something that would forever be engraved into Mariko's mind: He blushed, and made the cheesiest, most joy-filled smile she had ever seen.

Scratching his his snow white hair, he said, "I'm sure I'll think of something. I've got to warn you, though, the best ninja might not need anything." He smirked.

She suppressed a laugh.

"I will be sure to remember that."

. . .

Raiden narrowly dodged the technique as he made way into the open field he had met Sora earlier.

Sora jumped from the trees at an impressive height and clapped his hands together. Raiden backed up a safe distance from the jounin as he landed, slamming his palms into the ground.

"Fire Style: Five-Point Fire Ring!" Five small dots of red flared up around them. Raiden peered closer, and saw that they were coins heated to almost melting point. They all caught alight, and a fire burned in the coins that shot out to their sides, curving inwardly to touch another coin at either side of it. A searing flame rose, trapping both of them in a large ring of fire. The three orb beasts made of fire went into the flaming mass encircling the two ninja, disappearing from sight.

"Was this your plan?" Raiden yelled, "To trap us in this? So we could have a fight to choose the victor? I could easily destroy it."

"Really? But I provided so much room." He gestured to the large area inside the ring. "Some people are just so ungrateful. Did your mother teach you these manners?"

Raiden only scowled at Sora with deep loathing.

"Continuing," Sora went on, "Unless you've got some pretty good memory, you're not getting out of here. Those five lovely coins you saw earlier? Those are the five points that strengthen this small little technique of mine. Oh wait, that good memory won't do ya well here. The coins swirl with the flames, so they are never in the same position. Right now, this barrier is too powerful for you to try and destroy. Go on, I've got time to spare."

Raiden, without turning his gaze from Sora, stretched his arm out and shot a monstrous bolt of lightning at the swirling mass of flames. It struck, but the flames did not part. In fact, it seemed as if the flames grew brighter.

Raiden clenched his teeth together as he tried to keep his calm.

"I have no time for this, jester." He said through gritted teeth.

"Ah, then try your luck at the points. Five points and you win," Sora held up five fingers, "But I have no intention of you leaving here."

"Oh? And what do you think you can do to me? Your little coins will just get shot down." Raiden rose his chin up cockily.

"You should know that those coins are not my only weapon." Flames spewed from his hands and coiled up his arms.

"No matter, the end will be the same." Raiden rose his hand and lightning crackled in his palm.

Sora summoned wheels of fire to his feet, and sped towards the redhead. Jumping into the air and flipping, he roared, "Fire Style: Flame Wheel Jutsu!" His body was covered in flames as he spun down towards Raiden.

"Lightning Style: Thunder's Resonance!" Raiden thrust his fist lightning coated at the heap of flames, and the lightning disappeared, a silent shockwave launching at Sora. The techniques clashed, Sora driving against an invisible force. Raiden reared his fist back and used the technique over and over again, driving Sora back until he flew from the pressure. He turned in the air, and when he landed on the ground rolled smoothly to a halt.

Sora growled as Raiden yelled, "Lightning Style: Downstream Pulse!" and hurled his fist into the ground. Lightning shot out in large beams, heading towards the jounin.

Sora made six rapid hand seals. He kneaded chakra in his stomach, and released it:

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" A massive orb of flames shot from his mouth, the poles of lightning being consumed as it flew to Raiden. The large explosion from the fireball obstructed Sora's view, but he sensed that the battle wasn't over.

Raiden appeared to his far right, his body smeared with ash. His rose his hand to the sky. His hand flared, and he summoned a fierce lightning so wild that it arced outwards, striking the ground at random. He charged recklessly at Sora, fueled by pure rage. Sora took a coin out and flicked it in the air, making a hand seal as it came in-between them.

"Coin Expansion!" Sora yelled, and a large smoke cloud blocked the two. A battle cry went out, and Raiden swung his fist into the smoke.

DING!

Raiden hit a large golden coin, barely denting the thing. His rage increased tenfold, and he poured more chakra into the technique, the lightning growing wilder and crashing into all areas behind him. The lightning struck the wall of fire and two large snaps could be heard. Hearing them Raiden cancelled the technique and jumped back to a safe distance.

"Hear that?" He yelled, "I think that was two of your little moving coins. That means I can get out of here!" He rose his hand and aimed his palm towards the sky.

"Destroyer's Bolt!" He screamed, and the sky flashed.

Sora swung his head up towards the dark sky. He hadn't noticed that more clouds had gathered. Lightning lit up their underbellies as thunder went off in continuous booms as if a drummer were going wild. The lightning seemed to surge in one spot, focusing above the two ninja. Before Sora could even attempt to stop him, a bolt compressed with all of the lightning it could gather shot at Raiden; or more specifically, his hand.

Another battle cry escaped his lips, and he propelled the lightning to hit the shield.

An indescribable sound pierced the forrest and what seemed like the world, as an intense light engulfed them. Sora moved the giant coin to shield him—And then the world was silent.

. . .

Sora shoved the giant piece of metal off of him, and gazed around the field.

The flames still roared proudly, licking the field that was singed beyond recovery. Raiden was on his knees, his fist dug deeply into the ground and his head bowed in defeat.

"Even... Even if technique wasn't strong enough to tear through, the coins should have made way for the blast... They should've been destroyed!" He punched the ground again, dirt flying in his face.

Sora coughed, clearing his throat from the dirt, ash, and smoke that now contaminated the already hot air.

"The soul flames, the orbs, I summoned earlier went into the fire. Though normally the coins would have gone into the area of your technique, the other three were held in the mouths of the flames. They float along in the fire, so while the other two could only slide on the ground, the other three could travel both by air and ground. They cannot go outside of the ring of fire, nor could they come in, because that would disrupt the technique's formation. Once my creatures get a coin, they cannot leave it, because that would also throw off the techniques rhythm. It took me years to perfect this move."

Raiden looked up at the brunette, finally looking him in the eye.

"And you used it on me... You're oddly serious," he said, almost weakly, "Tell me, has anyone ever even broken out of this before?"

Sora nodded.

"Only two people." He decided to give him the answer.

Raiden didn't even try to get up, only stared at the jounin. The most peculiar thing about it was that there was no anger, no hatred in it.

"I am guessing I will not be the third one, Sora." Raiden glared. Sora was shocked that the missing-nin decided to call him by his name.

"You know my name, huh?" Sora stared back at him, "And no, Raiden, unfortunately you will not." Sora held his hand out. Fire spun around his palm.

"Flame Nunchaku." Sora whispered, and a nunchuck made from fire formed.

Raiden chuckled.

"You know, I originally planed to use that technique at a lower scale. Now i can't even move." He looked at the sky, accepting his face to be brought in.

"I'm sure that temper had something to do with it." Sora took a step forward.

"People always said it was his bad habit of his." A voice that rose over the flames whispered. Sora turned just as three more snaps went off.

The mighty flames were extinguished, and the man Sora saw the night they found Mariko appeared, a purple mask pressed firmly against his face.

"You have no idea how much I've been waiting to do this." Sora appeared in front of the man in a flash. Gripping the nunchucks tightly, he brought them down on his foe.

A millisecond before the weapon hit him, the masked man disappeared. Sora turned to see the man picking up a now unconscious Raiden. "Dammit, stop!" Sora rushed after him, but it was too late, and Sora was too slow from the amount of chakra he had already exerted.

And now, the masked man, and Raiden, were gone.