"I think we should split up… to at least find them," Katara suggested, sitting in the Kazekages' office.

"Split up?" Neji asked, hearing this for the first time.

"Yeah, Soma and I can check the northern area of Suna, Neji and Troah can look towards the eastern area, and Gaara and Naruto can check the southern area," Katara continued.

"I guess that means Temari and I are the western area," Kankuro said, walking in.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about you two," Katara said.

"Katara… what if we find the Akatsuki?" Soma asked, knowing the danger they'd be in.

"We send up flares to signal to the others, we won't fight them on our own… but wait until reinforcements come," Katara said, acting as though it was a stupid question. 'Soma… I'm sorry…'

Gaara simply nodded at the idea, though his eyes were on Soma. Her expressions were knew to him. Naruto acted similar… in a friend-like way. But the way she acted… it felt good to him. "Why… did you choose those pairings?" he asked.

"I tried to think of who works best with whom. Soma and I know each other well, were sisters so we react to one another quickly. You and Naruto both understand each other and can work together in a similar fashion, since Naruto is all offense and you have good defense. As for Neji and Troah, Neji has both offense and defense, and Troah can heal just in case," Katara explained. "Plus, Soma needs to be kept on a short leash and I'm the only one who can really do that."

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSE TO MEAN!?!" Soma snapped.

"I meant that you can jump into things to quickly," Katara said, calmly. 'I'm soo sorry…'

"So let's get started," Troah said, happy that Katara, at least, didn't pair Gaara with Soma.

"Katara… how far are we going?" Soma asked.

"We have to check the entire area…" Katara responded, not looking back.

"Can we take a break then?"

"… Soon…"

"Fine…" Soma sighed, looking up at the sky. Her hands were behind her head.

"Soma! Stay alert!" Katara snapped, knowing that her sister had lost interest. 'You're making this harder than it is… please… fight back…'

"I'm sorry Katara, but we've been walking for hours… and I don't see anything the least bit suspicious," Soma sighed, still not really paying attention.

"Just keep looking, we're bound to find something," Katara said. 'Deidara… Zetsu… where are you?' She looked around her, looking for some sort of signal from the two.

"Lost are you?" a male voice came, "how unfortunate for two beauties such as you. Mm."

Soma and Katara turned towards the speaker.

"Katara… his cloak…" Soma began.

"I know…" Katara interrupted, 'about time Deidara.'

"Soo… you are the one with the Thunder Dragon, mm?" the man asked, his blonde ponytail bounced as he jumped and landed a few feet in front of them. He approached Soma, hinting that his question was directed towards her.

"Katara we have too…" Soma stopped, looking at the man, "how… how'd you know that?"

"A little bird told me," the man said, stealing a glance at Katara.

Some looked towards Katara, then back at the man, "I see what you're doing. You're trying to pin me against my sister! Katara… we have to signal the others… where's the flare?"

"There is none," Katara said.

"What?" Soma asked.

"I'm sorry… Deidara… where's Zetsu, Itachi told me that he was with you?" Katara asked.

"He's here… waiting…" the man, Deidara said.

"K-Katara?" Soma said, in disbelief. "How… how could you?"

"Quite simply actually," Katara said, an evil smile playing on her lips. "I've been planning this for years… why do you think I offered for us to go on the mission to Suna?"

"No… no… this can't be true… this isn't you… you're my sister… you'd never do this on your own free-will… who's making you do this?" Soma asked, shaking her head. Her eyes were wide in fear.

"No one… I chose to do this… good bye Soma… I dare say, it has been fun," Katara said with a quick nod to Deidara.

Soma shook, tears stung her eyes. "No…" she muttered, clutching her fist. Lighting danced over her hand, "no…" she repeated. She quickly performed the signs for the Thunder Tiger, unleashing it on Deidara and Katara.

Gaara turned his head at the sound of an explosion towards the north. 'Soma…' he instinctively thought.

"What was that?" Naruto asked, looking fearfully at Gaara.

"I don't know… stay here… I'll check it out," Gaara said, breaking into a run.

"So you heard it too?" Troah asked, catching up with Gaara.

"What do you want?" Gaara growled.

"If Soma's in danger… then I will always rush to her defense," Troah smirked.

Gaara hmphed, not really liking Soma's male team-mate.

"We're rivals now, you know," Troah added.

"I'm well aware of that," Gaara hissed.

"Zetsu! Now!" Deidara yelled, charging towards Soma.

If there ever was a time Soma actually showed her true skill, it was now. The feeling of betrayal pushed her over the edge. She was going to get answers from Katara… and the Akatsuki weren't going to intervene, no matter what. She dodged Deidaras' attack, fighting back against the rogue ninja. "If you were smart… you'd back out… your friend too," she hissed dangerously.

Deidara smirked; barely dodging Somas' hate filled attack. "You think you stand a chance against the Akatsuki, mm? Don't make me laugh, not even the Kazekage could stand up to us… and he's more than twice the ninja you are," he chortled.

"I swear I'll kill you!" Soma snarled, her eyes filled with malice and hurt.

Katara glared at her sister and the Akatsuki member. She watched, unmoving, as Zetsu also joined the battle. The cannibal showed great amusement towards the lighting user who was trying to hold off both of them. Katara was actually impressed with Soma… but… it was time to end this. "Shadow Masquerade Jutsu," she muttered, performing her hand signals.

Shadow forms of herself appeared, gliding towards Soma, Deidara, and Zetsu. Invisible to the naked eye, deadly for many reasons.

Cuts appeared on Soma that she had no recollection of receiving. She instinctively looked towards Katara; about to ask for help… when she saw the position she was in. She knew that position… it was the one she used with the Shadow Masquerade. 'No…' she thought, tears stingy her eyes. Her betrayal hurt even more now… driving Soma almost mad. "AHHHH!" she yelled in anger, lashing out at Zetsu and Deidara with her Lightning Serpent and the newly learned, from Kakashi, Lightning Blade.

Zetsu cursed, jumping back. He looked at Deidara, questioning the next move. This girl was a lot tougher than Katara had led them all to believe.

"Katara what is this!?" Deidara snapped.

"Leave it to me… it's time to end this act Soma…" Katara said, approaching Soma. "It's time to take what we came here for."

Soma shook her head, "no… I'll never give this power to the likes of you."

"But I thought you wanted to get rid of it?" Katara asked, smirking.

"It needs a vessel to survive since it was cursed… if one of you take it… I can't and won't allow it!" Soma yelled, getting ready to attack Katara. "Katara I trusted you… I loved like a sister… and you… you betrayed me."

"So?" Katara asked.

"What about Neji? Hmm? What's he going to think of you now?" Soma asked.

Katara stopped, 'Neji?' What would he think of her? A member of Akatsuki… he'd never accept that… he would…

"He would feel how I do… that you played us to your advantage," Soma growled, as if reading Kataras' thoughts.

"Who cares about that… once I have the Thunder Dragon… none of that will matter anymore," Katara said.

"When? I'll never let you take it from me." Soma dropped her hand towards the ground, summoning charka through her arm. Her blood-trait, as one of the Village Hidden in the Lightning, her ability… the ability that surpassed the Lightning Blade, a move learned from the moment the child is able. The Summon Jutsu… Black Lightning Wolf.

Katara smirked, this was one move Soma usually avoided using because it left her helpless for a period of time afterwards. The summon took a lot of energy and although very effective, left the summoner unable to move. All Katara had to do to get the Thunder Dragon was avoid the Wolf. Easy enough… she hoped.

The black wolf came up from the spot where Somas' hand pointed towards. Very similar to the Thunder Tiger except that it was twice as fast, twice as powerful, and harder to control. It also lasted for a shorter period of time. With a snarl the summon leapt towards Katara, already well aware of it's… prey.

Katara dodged it, barley missing the long, large fangs. It left Soma wide open for an attack. Katara ran towards her, expecting an easy attack. A flash of black shot passed her. The wolf spun launching at Katara. Katara cursed, she dodged the fangs again, but the claws had slashed her side. It learned… it knew she was going to dodge.

'A challenge… I'm surprised,' Katara thought. She knew the wolf wouldn't last much longer. But if it learned Katara's movements, it was certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Katara and the summon circled each other, Katara trying to buy time and the summon learning Katara's strengths and weaknesses. The wolf turned and lunged again, catching Katara off guard.

'It took only that long?' Katara thought, getting ready to dodge.

The summons footing changed, Katara stopped, realizing it was getting ready to turn in the direction she dodged in. 'Well then… I'll just have to go over… won't I?' she thought.

The white wings sprouted from her back, she flapped twice and took off into the air. Then the unimaginable happened. The wolf jumped, its fangs catching her left leg.

Katara cursed, falling to the ground.

The summon stood over its prey, fangs gleaming. It was stopped abruptly though.

Katara guessed it's time was up, but instead it turned and lunged towards Soma. She looked to see why and almost smiled, Deidara had Soma now in a clay cocoon.

Just as the summon was about to attack him, it dispersed. Katara had bought all the time they needed when she and the summon were circling one another.

"Katara… let's get this over with," Deidara growled.

Katara nodded, limping towards Deidara and Soma. She placed her hand at the base of Somas' neck, turning her head away so that she would not see the look in her 'sisters' eyes. She began to summon charka through her arm, trying to release the seal that kept the Thunder Dragon inside Soma… trying to transfer its power… to her.

Soma began to scream in pain, a scream very much like the one she had admitted when the Thunder Dragon had attacked her in Coffee Bean, only louder and more pain filled.

Gaara stopped abruptly, hearing the scream… he couldn't believe what was happening.

"What's up?" Troah asked, catching up to Gaara. Then he heard it… and his heart stopped… they were so close… "SOMA!" he yelled, breaking into a run.

Gaara was well ahead of him, he was determined… not to lose her again.

Katara never felt such power before, why her sister hid it, she'd never know. The power was enough to become Hokage at the age they were now. The transfer was nearly complete and already Katara was three-times more powerful than she was.

'So… I finally have a master with power,' a dark voice echoed through Kataras' head.

'Who are you?' she thought.

'I am the very being that you are removing from that weakling,' the voice chuckled.

'The Thunder Dragon…' Katara thought.

In her mind she was face to face with the great beast. If there was ever a time Katara was scared… it was now. Staring into the blood red eyes, gleaming fangs and jet black body… Katara was… terrified.

'Many years I was sealed away in the grass country by a curse… and at my first taste of freedom… I get a vessel who ignores my orders and bites back her pain. I was killing her… and she still wouldn't give in to my strength,' the dragon growled. 'But you and I… I think we are going to get along… quite nicely…'

Katara chanced a look at Soma. Burns were forming across her chest where the Thunder Dragon was being extracted from. Against her will, memories flooded her mind as she stared at Somas' pain-filled face. Their time at the orphanage together… meeting Troah… their first mission… when she pinned Soma to the tree… the mission in Coffee Bean… and of course… the trip here. Katara closed her eyes, 'I'm sorry… dear sister…' she thought, finally… ending the extraction.

Somas' lifeless form lay still in the field of Sand. No color to her face… no warmth to her body… she was indeed, dead.

Not going to lie.. I cried when I finished this chapter...