Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any characters affiliated therewith. Neither do I own Riku, whom I am using with the permission of AzNcHiBi. I only own Katsuki.

The sun had apparently just broken over the horizon in the Hidden Leaf Village, illuminating a hazy grey sky crowded with fat clouds hanging low, pressing oppressively over the village like an unwelcome damp blanket. A lone woman sat in a concrete room, surrounded by painted seals on the walls, floor, and ceiling. There were nicks, gashes, and holes in the pallid stone, and weapons ranging from kunai to shuriken were strewn about everywhere, giving the room an overall hostile appearance.

"Not much has changed in Konohagakure in five years," Riku thought, staring sadly out the window from her spot on the cold cement floor. The day outside was getting more bleak, much like her disposition, so unlike the day her student had left the village, betraying the trust of all her friends. She turned her attention to the bandages she was wrapping around her hands and wrists, a discarded pile of soot-blackened gauze laying on the floor beside her. Once she had completed the task, she got up and stretched, yawning as she straightened her loose kimono. Strapped to her waist were five katana, each with a different color and kanji etched into the hilt. Her fingers danced over her swords as she glanced out the window once more, dropping her arms to her sides as she allowed her painful memories to flood through her mind.

"Five years… And still nothing. Will we ever find her?"

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"You sure you're up for this?" A pale young man, probably in his early or mid twenties now, glanced at the slight figure beside him. The shadowed entity nodded, a chocolate bang escaping from beneath the hat they wore.

"I owe it to that village for all that they put me through." A sun-kissed hand slipped out of the black robe to pull away the hat, revealing wavy brown tresses, a serious, feminine face, and piercing azure eyes. Katsuki Fujiwara smiled back at her lover as he quietly followed her from Pein's room, his eyes softening as they both heard a quiet wail issue from within. Konan appeared briefly at the door, a tiny wrapped bundle in her arms, and an uncharacteristic smile curving her lips.

"Don't worry, Katsuki, Deidara," she said, cooing at the bundle of fabric. She twirled a finger over a fold in the cloth and a tiny hand flew out, the mouth in the palm toothless, enveloping Konan's fingertip before grasping onto her finger. She huffed playfully.

"Ooh, you little…"

"Hey, take it easy, hm." Deidara smiled, wrapping an arm around Katsuki's waist. "We want him to be alive and well when we get back." Konan smiled back, gently placing the bundle in Katsuki's arms before leaning against the wall, ready to take the baby back from her friend. The brunette gazed down fondly at the child, feeling her lover's gaze intensify as he pulled her closer to him. She and Deidara were both fiercely protective over the baby, the result of five years' worth of waiting. Now, to separate from their treasure was nearly unbearable. Katsuki kissed the child's forehead, before handing the bundle to Deidara. Lifting a free hand, the blonde cradled the side of the baby's head in his palm, letting the mouth open and the tongue tickle the tiny ear there. Even Konan had to smile as the baby giggled, before the couple returned their child to her.

"Take care of him, sister," Katsuki murmured, eyes glistening as she gazed at the child.

"Have no fear, Katsu-chan," the origami folder replied, rocking the baby gently. Deidara pulled on Katsuki's waist, and they began the long walk to the hidden exit, away from their child and into the perils of what could very well be their last mission...

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Riku had just exited the room she cloistered herself in when a panicked shrieking began from the nearby town square. Eyes narrowing, she quickly scaled the building across from her, leaping back and forth up the walls between the two buildings before alighting on the roof of the one she'd just exited. The sight that met her eyes was both unexpected and shocking.

An enormous white dove flapped its wings over the village square, sending the early-morning market patrons scrambling for cover. Smaller birds were circling around it, sometimes darting into different buildings before exploding. Riku's eyes widened considerably as she whipped out a katana, trying to sense the chakra flowing through the summon. She didn't have to feel much before a laugh cut across her ears, one that was so familiar, yet too cruel to be the real one…

"It's them." Riku glanced to the side when she heard Genma's voice, incredulity tingeing his voice.

"Akatsuki?!" To her right, Anko and Ibiki stood close by, hands flying for weapons as the scene of destruction continued to unfold before them.

"Leave them to us." Riku didn't need to turn around to know who had spoken, the deadpan voice full of pain and loathing, the single obsidian eye narrowed at the pair kneeling atop the dove-summon. The raven-haired woman exhaled sharply as she waved Anko and Ibiki off.

"Your duty is to protect the Hokage and Naruto," she murmured to the pair to her right. "This is our fight alone. Secure the perimeter with all available Black Ops. Go!" Not waiting for an answer, Riku, Genma, and Kakashi leapt off the roof toward the two Akatsuki.

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Katsuki glanced to her right when she saw a sudden movement over the rooftops, and was unsurprised to see her former sensei after her. She laughed.

"Look! They've come to throw us a welcome party!" Deidara smirked, following his lover as she leapt off her summon onto a wide rooftop. It didn't take long for three other shinobi to catch up, leaping over the railing to face the two Akatsuki.

"Well, well, Riku, Genma. Long time no see." Katsuki lightly flipped her brown hair over her shoulder.

"Hm. And the famous Copy Nin himself!" Deidara sneered, fingers already molding clay figures. Kakashi's eye narrowed dangerously as he pulled his hitai-ate up, revealing the Sharingan eye hidden there. Katsuki felt Deidara flinch, his body locking as he took a step back.

"Maybe if our son was old enough, he could take out your scrawny shrimp of a teacher, hm." Katsuki felt unnerved the faint quaver in the blonde's voice, but she didn't let it reach her eyes.

"Maybe he could've taken out all three of these jounin…" Riku hissed at the brunette as her hands dipped into her weapons pouches, pulling out a handful of senbon needles. Katsuki tilted her head, grinning.

"Got over my fear a couple of years ago when I was initiated into the Akatsuki." Kakashi made to lunge but Genma held him back, eyes widening at the woman beside him. His sudden movement caused the rest to focus on Riku, whose low crouch was almost animalistic, her fire katana gripped tightly in one hand. A chill swept through them all as they heard a low, guttural chuckle issue from Riku's bowed head.

"Heh. Well, this is a first." Katsuki frowned.

"A first for what? Your imminent death?" Suddenly she regretted saying anything, because Riku had just looked up, her eyes a bloody red.

"No. You're the first of any of my students to come back. Alive, I might add." Student leapt at teacher on the last word, both pairs of eyes flooded with bloodlust. Deidara staggered back at the sight of his lover's ferocity, nearly tripping over his feet as he tried to back away. But those few seconds had lost him precious time, as both Kakashi and Genma leapt at him in that instant of his weakness. The Konoha nins fought to protect all that they loved and cherished, startling the blonde with their desire to kill him. But their fierceness was nothing compared to the sheer power both Katsuki and Riku were giving off.

The essence of the curse mark that had been transferred from student to teacher had not completely left Katsuki's body, clinging to vessels in her bloodstream, dormant, until they could awake. Therefore, Riku had the lesser power gained from the curse mark, but over the past five years she had gained other powers, some much more horrifying than any Katsuki could have generated. Black flames swirled around both women, their eyes a vivid crimson, smoke and flames issuing from their mouths as they snarled and hissed at each other. Riku's stance was no longer that of any woman, more like an animal ready to pounce on its prey and rip its throat out. Flames of white fire flew from her shoulder blades like an enraged angel's wings. She held her katana in her hands, keeping it low to the ground as she watched her student. Katsuki held herself poised like a bird of prey, finger nails long enough to be called talons, even darker flames extending from her shoulders like wings. Using both their weapons and powers, they fought relentlessly, despair, rage, and love fueling their fight. Riku saw Katsuki glance back for a split second to see how Deidara was faring, and in those few precious moments of distraction, she lunged by her student, aiming directly for the blonde.

Kakashi had frozen Deidara with his Sharingan despite the immense pain he felt from a gash in his chest, but looked away when Genma screamed a warning, barely pushing the copy nin out of Riku's attack. The blonde was unable to react to the sudden offensive move, and the pain of having his arm ripped from his body didn't register for a full five seconds after the fact. He shrieked in pain as Riku wiped the blood from her blade. The scream alerted Katsuki, who turned and looked on in horror. The sight of her lover's blood flowing freely onto the concrete of the roof made her see red, and she felt her chakra flare more powerfully than even Naruto's. Riku felt the immense wave blast her in the face like a heat wave, and knew that her time had come. As soon as Katsuki moved to lunge toward her, Riku sheathed her katana, running through all the handsigns for the animals of the zodiac, before ending at the one for the Dog. Then, she did something she never thought she'd have to do. Instead of using her generated power for a defense, she slammed her hands over her heart and stomach. The response was immediate. Kakashi and Genma leapt to safety across the rooftop, away from where Riku was making her transformation.

The images and sounds of a human turning into a Tailed Beast were so horrifying they were indescribable. There were innumerable sounds of cracking as bones broke and shifted; the awful gurgling and slimy slipping as muscles shifted, stretched, and grew. Fur sprouted with a bristling noise as Riku's body morphed into an enormous fearsome creature, one that was still growing. Katsuki's power waned as she saw the monster her former teacher was becoming, and for the first time in five years, fear struck her heart. All too suddenly, there it stood, in the place of her beloved teacher, a monster with its tails tipped in different colors, and Katsuki's power faded completely, so that her teal eyes were wide as she, alone, faced the Houkou, the Five-Tailed Dog.

The dog advanced on the brunette, swishing its red-tipped tail, creating a ring of fire around the four other shinobi. Katsuki was frozen in fear. She didn't even notice the blur which flew in front of her or the voice which shouted out in her defense.

"Stop, Riku! You can't!" Kakashi shouted, arms flung out in a feeble attempt to protect his beloved. The dog roared at him, which drove the copy nin to his knees as he covered his ears. Only Katsuki remained standing.

"Why? First the curse seal, now this. Why?" her quiet inquiry was nearly lost in the roar of the flames surrounding them. She felt a cool blast of air on her forehead, and she heard Riku's voice. Or was it the Houkou's?

"You are the first of my students to ever return alive, Katsuki," she growled. "I became the Houkou for the village… to protect it… so that you have a place to come back to. To call home." The deep earthen eyes of the dog still held the same gleam as those of her sensei, and Katsuki felt tears well up in her eyes. Her voice broke when she tried to speak.

"I don't deserve it…"

"Because you retained some of the same powers as your mother? As this demon?" The Riku-Houkou snorted. "Your mother's consciousness remains a part of the Houkou demon, as will yours when you pass." The voice turned serious again. "But for now, you have people who love you here, who want to spend the rest of their lives with you, regardless of who or what you are." The dog gently nuzzled Kakashi, who looked a bit stunned to come so close to a Tailed Beast and live.

"Spend the rest of your days with those who love you dearly. Unconditionally." Katsuki looked away from her sensei-turned-Houkou, and her eyes overflowed with tears as Kakashi embraced her, his arms squeezing her so tightly she thought she would suffocate.

"I love you, Katsuki," he murmured, fingers swiftly unzipping the Akatsuki cloak, pulling the marred hitai-ate from her forehead. The copy-nin pulled the evidence of her betrayal from her body, eyes filling with tears as he saw she'd kept the kunoichi clothes he'd given her on her twentieth birthday. He held her at arm's length, careful to keep from getting his blood on her.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you." The copy nin leaned closer, tilting his head. Suddenly, his lips were on hers, burning with passion and longing, holding the promise of a good life full of love. Katsuki's eyes slid closed, and her tears flew faster. Unexpectedly, she remembered the memory jutsu that had been placed on her almost six years previously, and the last frail thread of resistance was shattered. The forgotten memories of her childhood, her life before any of the Akatsuki had entered it, those of her love for Kakashi, for Riku, even for Genma, flooded through her mind, and she finally knew her home was in Konoha, with Kakashi. Uncaring of the blood soaking his clothes, Katsuki threw her arms around his neck, kissing him with her entire being. The Houkou dog, glanced at Genma, who smiled slightly, unsure, as the Riku-Houkou lowered its snout to nuzzle his face. Unfortunately, all good things had to come to an end when there was a hysterical scream from behind the Tailed Beast. Deidara was standing up, his remaining arm poised in a throwing stance.

"NO! SHE WILL NEVER BELONG TO YOU! SHE BELONGS TO ME!" With that he hurled an all-too-well-aimed clay bird straight at Kakashi's back. Riku and Genma were too slow to react, and all they could do was scream in horror as they watched the projectile inch closer and closer to the couple. Katsuki's eyes opened and saw the bird, her eyes widening in shock. And then Kakashi could no longer feel her warmth in his arms, just a cold breeze that blew past him to his left. He whirled around, seeing Katsuki rush forward, arms outspread, hands cupped to catch something…

Then there was a deafening bang…

Piercing, blinding light…

Searing hot liquid splashing across his face…

And then there was silence.

Kakashi opened his eyes, mouth dropping in a wordless scream, staring in horror at the sight before him.

"NO!"

A/N: Dear me, what a terrible cliffhanger. Fastest update in a long while, though. Too long. Almost three years too long. Anyway, this was actually supposed to be two chapters, but I cut an incredible amount out from the original email plotline, added some of my own recent creations, and this is what I came up with. Not sure when chapter 15 will be up, but I am nearing the end of term, so I ought to be able to catch up with this story at least by the end of the month. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. This story is almost over, so, dear readers, please bear with me.