Kurei finished putting the last charm of her little trap. Will this even work? She wondered.
Off in the trees a kunai came down and hit the ground a foot away from Kurei. It was the sign from Kasai that the Jinchuuriki were close. She quickly picked up the blade and hid herself.
Soon Neji, Kiba, Gaara, and Saria walked calmly into view and chatted. Even gaara seemed to. Where's the blonde one? She thought confused, shit this could ruin everything.
" How long does it take for a guy to piss?" Saria asked looking back the way they had come.
"For Naruto, ages." Kiba joked. Saria laughed and they continued to chatter.
Thirty feet. Kurei thought as they came closer to her trap. Twenty. Ten.
As soon as the Jinchuuriki were in the middle of her nearly invisible seal, Kurei activated it. Taking the kunai Kasai had thrown, she cut her palm and set it down on the seal. The symbols came to life and the seal glowed red under the leaves she had hid it.
The Jinchuuriki, by then, had figured it out and tried to get away, but when they tried to jump weight pressed down on their bodies with incredible strength.
Kurei cut her other palm and set it on another set of seals that began to glow blue on top of the red.
"I suggest you stay still." Kurei said hearing her student come down to her side, "I've trapped you and if you try to use your chakra a seal will only absorb it. And even if you manage to beat me, most of your chakra will be gone and my friend here is ready for anything." She said indicating Kasai.
Kasai stood there a glared at them blankly.
Neji cursed his stupidity. How the hell did I not notice them?
"You were occupied pup." Gobi said in his head, "preserve your chakra. These seals take a lot of chakra to keep up and I bet we can out last her."
Neji nodded understanding and relaxed a bit.
They think they can hold out until sensei runs out of chakra. Kasai thought, pissed that they had underestimated her and her sensei.
"I'm beginning the transfer jutsu now." Kasai said as she began to make hand signs. Kurei nodded, have come to the same conclusion as Kasai.
Kasai slammed her hands to the ground. Another sign appeared in orange and Neji and the others could feel they're chakra being pulled away.
Shit. Kiba thought trying to hold onto his chakra.
"Looks like things just got a lot worst then I had thought." Gobi said, "They're well prepared."
Damn wolf. Shut up. Neji thought as he ran scenarios through his head. Nothing seemed to end in their favor. Fuck. Were screwed.
Then a kunai flew towards Kurei, aimed for her neck. The clash of metal echoed and Kasai glared daggers at the one so bold to attack HER sensei.
"Hoi!" they all heard a load voice say, "What the hell are you doing to my friends?" Naruto demanded, his eyes already slit and red.
Gaara looked at Naruto shocked. He had just met the poor sap and now he was being called his friend. Who is this guy? He thought in wonder.
Kurei gritted her teeth. Fuck! Just what we needed.
"Kasai, deal with him!" she ordered. Kasai broke the seal she had and Kurei added more weight to her artificial gravity she had them trapped in.
Kasai turned to Naruto and sent a wave of heat at him. The blonde jumped back and looked at his opponent, surprised that her entire body was surrounded by flame.
She lashed her hands at him and the flames leapt to capture Naruto and incinerate him.
"What the hell?" Saria asked panting, "doesn't she…(pant) need hand seals? (pant)"
"That's the thing." Kurei said looking at the young girl, "Kasai belongs to a desist clan. The Kaki clan."
Neji's eyes grew wide in shock.
"Shit! She didn't just say what I think she said did she?" Gobi asked, knowing very well the clan she had named and how much of a pain in the ass they were to get ride of.
"I see you know about them, young Hyuuga." Kurei said smiling.
"Neji?" Kiba asked, his voice hoarse.
"The kaki clan was a clan of fire experts whose blood limit is to control fire without hand signs." Neji said before he had to take in a breath, "they were suppose to all have died fending off Kyuubi."
"All but one." Kasai said. She stood before a burnt and panting Naruto. She too had bruises and cuts and the blaze that had surrounded her was gone, but she looked like she could continue; "only I am left now."
Naruto looked up at her with pained eyes
"Is that it? You want to avenge your clan by killing me?" Naruto questioned.
"That is none of your business." Kasai said, her orange eyes cold yet ablaze at the same time. Tears slid down Naruto's face as painful memories grasped his mind
"Why?" he questioned softly before shouting, "it was Kyuubi! Not me!"
Kurei looked back at her student. What will you do? Kasai?
"I know that damn it." Kasai said fire rising around her again, "If I beat you up a bit that damn fox will come out. Then I can avenge my clan!"
The fire swirled around her like a fire tornado.
"That's as bad as killing me!" Naruto shouted, "What is it with people and revenge? It doesn't make the pain of loss go away! If anything it makes it hurt more because then you don't have the rage to numb it!"
Kasai looked at Naruto with cold eyes before setting into a fighting position, "I know that. Nothing will replace my dead family. Nothing can, but I will not allow my clan name to die. So I must either kill you or become a criminal. And I will not allow the second."
Naruto looked into her eyes and saw she meant it. She's trying to carry her clan name with pride and make everyone remember them as great warriors. He realized. Naruto pushed Kyuubi's chakra away and faced Kasai.
"What are you doing you baka?" Kyuubi demanded trying to force Naruto to take his chakra. When Naruto refused it he charged at Kasai
"I'll win this fight. On my own!" he shouted. Kasai's eyes narrowed and she prepared herself.
Naruto created three bushin and push his chakra to his feet, giving him more speed.
Kasai, not wanting to waste time, sent a wall of fire at the Naruto's and was surprised when all four disappeared. What the…
"Behind you." She heard a male voice say. Another lash of fire revealed that one to also be a bushin. Then she heard the whistle of kunai and jumped up. As the kunai hit the ground Kasai noticed the pieces of paper attached to the kunai. Fuck! She cursed before being flung away by the shock force of the explosion note.
---
What the hell? Kurei thought as she watched the fight. Why is Kasai holding back?
"Hoi. Why the hell are we just sitting here?" Kiba asked as chakra began to swirl around him. He looked up to reveal his eyes had slit more and had turned a gold color, "we can't let it look like he had to save us."
Neji looked at him and smirked. He began to gather Gobi's chakra and worked against Kurei's seals.
"That's right. Can't make it look like we needed that baka to save us." He said struggling to stand.
God damn that blonde brat! Kurei cursed. Its as if they draw moral strength form him. Driving them forward.
Soon Gaara and Saria joined in. Kurei fought to hold them and the battle seemed even.
Damn it! Kurei thought holding the to seals with one hand and make hand signs in her now free hand. She closed her eyes and set her hand down. The same orange seal Kasai was using came to life and more of he Jinchuuriki's chakra began to be pulled away.
"We'll be stronger together." Neji mumbled. As if hearing him the others came towards him and looked at him. Each had a thread of chakra that they tied to his. Knowing what to do Neji sent to cord into the earth, into the seal, and into Kurei.
Kurei felt the invasion of the Jinchuuriki's chakra and tried to fight it off but holding three seals was taking all her concentration anyway. She felt her hold on them beginning to slip.
God damn it!
---
Naruto and Kasai traded blows. At that point Naruto had began to use wise battle tactics that kept him out of Kasai's range but still within his throwing range.
God damn it. Kasai cursed. Now that he's calm he fights decently. She thought happy for the challenge but pissed nonetheless.
Naruto threw kunai, shirkiken, exploding notes, anything. But he knew his store was running thin. This isn't good. He thought.
Kasai blocked another kunai Naruto had thrown at her when she felt it. The other Jinchuuriki's powers were growing and Kurei's was dieing. She blocked another kunai and tried to run to her sensei's side. Naruto not far behind trying to stop her.
---
The four Jinchuuriki sent another wave at Kurei hoping to break her. They had tried all the jutsu they knew but it kept being absorbed, and was thus useless.
Kurei gritted her teeth as another wave hit her. I… I can't hold them much longer. She thought.
"One more." Neji panted, his Byakugan activated, " one more and we'll be free." The four Jinchuuriki sent one last wave with what little chakra they had left.
Kurei smirked, I forgot about his Hyuuga blood. She confessed as the wave came at her, to bad there wouldn't be a next time. She thought sadly.
As he wave hit her Kurei felt the last of her chakra give way and her seals came undone.
She rested against a tree they had been blown her into. She coughed and blood gushed from her throat. What seemed like coughing turn into a small soft laugh.
"Well done." She said looking at them, "you are all strong. Strong enough to take on just about all the ranked ninja if you must. Now finish what I started. Kill me."
"Kurei-sensei!" Kasai said appearing by her teacher. She was covered in wounds form Naruto's well thought strategy. Kurei let out a soft giggle.
"Looks like your fight was delayed. Sorry Kasai." She said looking at Kasai. She looked back at Neji, "now finish it and kill me." Kasai's grip on her sensei's arm tightened.
"Why?" Neji asked, "can't you just go back and say mission failed?"
"You think you're the only one who gets treated badly? I was Tsunade's student. They expect me to be able to capture you. Failure would be seen as weekness in the village. If you don't kill me the Hokage will." She said plainly, hate evident in her eyes.
"It is that way with all seen as great ninja." Kasai said before turning to Naruto, "you beet me today for I could find no way to stop you before running out of chakra first. If I die here my clan will be not been seen week." She said dead serious.
"Its death to our names in either situation." Kurei said, "so just end I now."
Neji looked at them and drew two-kunai form his hostler.
"You cant!" Naruto said jumping in front of the girls, "don't you see? They're like us!" he said trying to keep the girls before him alive.
"There is now where for us to go." Kurei said looking at the back of the blondes head, "and if we leave the village they will send MY SENSEI, TSUANDE AFTER US!!!! She's a Sanin! The highest level ninja there is!!!" she shouted trying to get the message threw to the dolt.
"You could come with us?" he said trying anything and everything, "I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYMORE PEOPLE DIE!" he shouted gripping his jacket were his seal was.
"Every night Kyuubi SHOWS ME! He shows me what he did. I see them. Even now. Even in daylight." Naruto said sobbing, "and then to make it worst the villagers come at me. They're angry. They think that hurting me will hurt Kyuubi but it doesn't!"
Kiba and Neji watched Naruto with soft eyes. What seemed like hours of uncomfortable silence settled.
"Akamaru had to steal my food for me to survive." Kiba said breaking the quite, "My parents locked me into the cellar and forgot about me. It was only when they were reminded that all Kohona children had to get an education that they remembered me. And even then. I had to sneak out everyday to go. As long as they don't see me they don't care!"
Akamaru whined softly and licked away a tear that was falling down Kiba's face. More silence fell and Neji spoke next.
"Lord Hiashi locked me out of the Hyuuga compound. I could not visit my parent's graves or even be in a Hyuuga's company. And every time a Hyuuga just saw me they would attack me. In broad daylight they would just attack. If it weren't for Naruto and Kiba, I might not be where I am now." he said softly.
"They attempted to assassinate us." Saria said speaking for herself and Gaara, "the first time they sent Gaara's uncle to kill him. The second they tried to send my brother. But aside for those attempts, just seeing the looks they gave us. Knowing what they were calling us. It… it can crush a person." She said shaking slightly.
Gaara looked at Saria concerned. He had never seen her cry and was panicking on what to do.
"And you two." Naruto said, "You, Kasai are the last of your clan. You survived when others did not. You think it don't you. You think, 'why me?' and 'why not someone stronger?' right?" Kasai looked away so they could not see the hurt in her eyes. What he said was true and she could not deny it.
"And you." Naruto said turning to Kurei, "you were taught by a Sanin so they send you to come after us. They think that a Sanin student is a match to five Jinchuuriki?"
"I doesn't matter!" Kiba said losing patience, "they sent her to take us back! They're leaf Anbu Naruto! Get that threw your head! If we let them go they'll come back!"
"Don't you see?" Naruto asked turning towards Kiba, "They see them as a Sanin's student and as the last survivor of a desist clan! Not who they are!! They see us as demons! Not who we are! How are we different?"
For once none of the others could answer. Even Kurei was at her wits end. She smirked. He's right. In a way we are the same. We're all just pawns.
"Kurei-san. We can run. You said once that you knew about a place perfect for one to live in solitude. A place where no other would follow." Kasai said to remind her teacher.
Kurei let out a sigh and said, "But for just the two of us to go there is suicidal. Tsunade alone could come and drag us back."
"What if we came?" Saria asked having regained her composure. She quickly turned to Gaara, "a place away from the ninja nations. A place were no ninja would dare to go with five Jinchuuriki."
"It is the ideal place." Neji said thinking it over before adding, "for people like us that is."
Kurei and Kasai looked at them like they were mad.
"Don't worry." Naruto said smiling despite the tears still on his face, "We'll be your shields."
"But." Kasai said, "but we tried to kill you. Why are you offering to protect us?"
"Because you held back." Neji said, "When you fought with Naruto, you held back. Neither of you really wanted to kill us. Other wise you would have done so with out using costly seals."
"Maybe that's because we were told to bring you back alive?" Kasai responded.
"Enough kasai." Kurei said her eyes hidden, "this is our way out. No more leaf console to tell us how to live our lives. No more Kages. If we do this, we'll be free."
Kasai thought it over. She's right. But what about my family name? She thought.
"Aren't you tired of being called the last of your clan? If you come with us you'll just be you. A person, not a thing." Naruto said softly. Kasai's eyes were hidden.
"What choice do I have?" she looked up and grinned wickedly, "besides. I AM tired of being an it instead of a person."
Kurei smiled and struggled to her feet.
"Lets go then. No doubt someone's sensed us and Anbu are on the way." She said. Her eyes softened as she looked at the six children around her, "lets go find a better home."
They all nodded and they all disappeared into the forest.
---
The Hokage slammed his fist down.
"That mud licking, fire spitting, bat dung brought up, BITCH!" he said trying to come up with a curse fitting. Suddenly he heaved a cough and it turned into several.
Tsunade heard him cough and was by his side healing his weak lungs.
"Please don't do such things. You'll kill yourself." She said healing the old man. She healed him and stood up.
"She's left you Tsunade." He said low and with venom. Tsunade's eyes flashed with pain and worry.
"Who has?" she said playing dumb not even looking at him.
"Kurei." He said with more venom, "she and Kasai have abandoned us for those damn beasts. Place a bounty on their heads. As high as we can dare. I wants their heads on my desk."
Tsunade nodded and left to do as he had said. The minute she closed the door behind her she sat down and rested her head in her hands. What do I do? She questioned. How can I escape like you, Kurei?
---
Dana, Hikari, and Yami sat in a teahouse, eating quietly. None of them liked being in the waterfall village. Leaf ninja and waterfall ninja were everywhere and all three of them had a large bounty on their heads.
Not much had changed in them. The only difference was Yami's and Hikari's pets seemed to have grown a bit.
Kaira came over and joined them. She had started following them about six months ago, when she witness them fend off a squad of rock Anbu.
"Why must you follow us?" Hikari asked annoyed.
"Because I can." Kaira said smiling evilly. She went to take a bite of her dumpling when a wave of power came at her. Dropping the dumpling she and the others turned in the direction the wave had come from. Deciding to check it out, they grabbed the food, left money for the bill, and headed toward the source.
It lead them out of the village and to what looked like a coven.
A girl with a black turtleneck shirt, white pants, and black shinobi shoes was yelling orders to the children. She had mid-back midnight black hair and eagle yellow eyes. Which oddly enough did not seem to frighten anyone.
When Dana looked closer she noticed that all the people other than that girl had the same characteristics. They all had bleached white hair and black eyes. They also wore all pitch black.
"What the hell is this?" Yami asked.
"It's called a coven." Said a bored voice behind them. They all turn and the past few years of being on the road taught them to be aggressive. Kaira grabbed her sword and slashed it through the man before she could even think.
"Shit." She cursed.
"You shouldn't use such language." The man said. They all looked at him in shocked, surprised he wasn't dead. In fact he stood there as if nothing had happened.
"Sorry but those types of attacked won't work on me." he said with a smirk. He had bleached white hair and black eyes, like most of the people in the coven. And also like those in the coven he wore all black. He wore black pants, a black t-shirt, trench coat, and black shinobi shoes.
"What the fuck?" Kaira asked again.
"So sorry. My name is Shiro Youma. I am a member of this coven." He said not bothering to extend a hand. Dana, being the first to recover, spoke.
"Forgive us. Years on the road have not helped with their manners." She said meaning her comrades. Shiro smirked.
"Its fine. After all Jinchuuriki have to be careful these days." Once again shock became evident on their faces, "come. You must be hungry."
He said leading them towards the coven.
"Furai! Rei! fetch food for our guests." Shiro shouted.
A boy that looked like Shiro's son and the girl with long black hair ran off to the cook to relay the message for food.
Shiro set them down by a fire that had just been light.
"How did you know we are Jinchuuriki?" Dana asked curious.
Shiro looked at them, "your charka." He said as if were obvious.
"Ahh." Dana said feeling like an idiot.
Soon food was brought to the four Jinchuuriki and they picked at it.
"So where are you all headed?" Shiro asked setting down an empty plate.
"No where really. Just around." Hikari said.
"Hmm. If you want you can stick around." Shiro suggested before pointing over at Furai who was talking to the young children as they all tried to pile on her lap, "she's been following us for a while now."
"But. We're…" Yami went to say.
"You are who you are." Shiro said cutting in, "something an old friend told me. Never look at the problem. Look at the solution."
The Jinchuuriki looked at him oddly before they all looked back into the fire.
"It would be a nice rest. Besides, you all need to learn not everyone's out to get you." The demons lectured
Dana looked up and smiled at the man, "I think we will join you."
The others smiled and nodded their agreement. And Shiro smiled back, something they would come to learn didn't happen often.
"Then welcome to the Youma coven." He said before asking about their previous adventures.