A/N: It's almost the end!! I'll start the sequel after I get the others done and after I post all the one shots that I've written during classes because I don't pay attention...-.-"...anyways, I don't own Naruto, just this plot and all the OC characters I put in it. If you want, I can make a list of them and why I put them in the story...there are reasons other than couples. I'll call it my 'Sequel Spoiler Guide for Impatient Viewers'. Alright, I'm out to work on another chapter!
Chapter 44: The Southside Orphanage
Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she walked around the school. There was absolutely no trace of the kids that had disappeared. She had met with the teachers this morning and after explaining that with the ongoing investigation of the serial rapist her family had been put under protective custody and they were living in a temporary safe house. When the meeting had been adjourned, she pulled aside Anko, Kakashi, Kurenia, and Gai. She'd explained to them, in depth, what was going on, even going as far as telling them about the Center and her suspicions that it was the Center that was behind the disappearance of the students.
The four teachers had promised to keep an eye out and Tsunade had gone to her office, where Shizune and Genma had been waiting. Tsunade noticed the difference in the two immediately. Genma no longer flirted with her, as he seemed to dote on Shizune all the time. Shizune no longer wore clothes that predated her birth, and seemed much more comfortable now in her own skin. Tsunade was happy for the two. She also told them the same thing she'd told the four teachers. They'd nodded and said they'd keep their eyes open. Now, all she could do was warn Sakura.
She took out her cell and dialed the number Sakura had given her. It rang a few times and then a voice came on the other side. "Hai?" came a tired voice. Tsunade arched a brow and spoke.
"Sakura?" there was a pause and then a groan.
"Hai, this is Sakura. What do you need, nee-san?" she asked in a slightly grumpy voice. Tsunade chuckled and shook her head.
"Sakura, I just wanted to tell you in person. Something's happened at the school. Several students have gone missing. Sasuke is one of them. From what I heard, he moved…to Kagure…" the silence was deafening and then there was a sigh.
"It was only a matter of time before he moved the base of his operations. Let me guess, the man in charge of taking care of Sasuke decided to move them, no?" Tsunade was shocked…how'd she know? She heard her sister chuckle tiredly and then speak again. "Because, that's how Madara's been keeping an eye on Sasuke's growth. The man currently taking care of Sasuke is the man that's reporting his growth as a predator to Madara. Anyways, I'm still tired, so I'll talk to you later, Nee-san. Bye!" Tsunade looked at her phone as the line went dead.
"Figures she's already got that figured out…" she sighed and went about her daily work.
Lotus watched from her perch in the ceiling as children, bound and gagged, were brought in. Her eyes widened as she noticed that some of them were teenagers already. She'd never actually seen the kids being brought in and she wondered what was going on. She cloaked herself and ran along the piping to keep up with them. She watched as the kids were taken to cells and thrown in, girls with girls and boys with boys.
She could hear several of the kids weeping and she estimated the youngest being about eleven to thirteen and the oldest being around eighteen or nineteen. There was one girl, around seventeen, that stood out. She had short, spiky purple hair and a scar down the left side of her face. When her blindfold was removed, she lashed out, drawing blood from one of the scientists. She smiled maniacally at the man as he ran out, holding his bleeding arm.
One of the guards came towards her, a taser in hand. "Now just settle down there, girl, and we wont have to hurt you." one guy said, a sadistic smirk on his face. She bared her teeth at him, her leather pants creaking as she backed towards the younger children.
"Yeah right. You're nothing but a liar. We wouldn't be here if you didn't intend on doing something to us." she growled and Lotus noticed her nails become incredibly sharp. Her breath caught and she watched the girl carefully. The man chuckled and gave her a once over.
"You're smart for a street urchin. Let me put it another way. Don't fight and it wont hurt as bad." the girl curled her lip at the man, baring an oddly shaped fang.
"Like I'm going to believe a sadistic fuck like you. I remember your kind…came to my place when I was a kid." she smiled viciously and traced her scar. "Last guy that tried what you're doing managed to give me this…before I gave him a crushed skull…" she took a swipe at the man, who retreated, only to glare at her.
"I warned you. The more you fight, the more they like it. Hope you can handle pain, little girl, because that's what you're going to get." he sneered and then shut the door. Lotus closed her eyes and when she opened them, she was melting through the wall. She watched the girl's face contort in slight fear and then covered with anger.
"What do you want? Are you one of them?" the girl hissed and put her body between Lotus and the other girls. Lotus felt her heart constrict at the terrified faces of the girls.
"Such monsters…bringing children here." she said quietly and then looked at the purple haired girl. Vibrant red eyes shown from that face. Lotus shook her head. "I am called Lotus. I, like yourself, am a captive here. I was created here, in this lab." the girl looked horrified, until she relaxed and merely glared.
"What do you want?" the girl reiterated. Lotus looked at the girls once more and then at the area she knew the boys to be.
"I want to get you out of here." Lotus said quietly and put her hand on the wall. She shut her eyes and concentrated, like Sakura had told her. She remembered the many nights that she'd sought Sakura's help to figure something out…to master a new power that arose in her. Sakura had been integral in her development. She envisioned a gateway…far away from the Orphanage that was the Center's cover. She envisioned the blond sister of Sakura, watched the woman walk around. She then pushed against the wall. A large swirling blue hole appeared and she looked at the girls, sweat built up on her brow.
"Hurry through the portal. It will only stay open a few minutes. You will find a woman with long blond hair and kind hazel eyes. Tell her you need her to take you to Sakura. Tell her that you were captives of the Center and that Sakura's spy has sent you to her." the girl nodded, not even thinking twice. She gathered the younger girls around her and she sent them through the portal. Before going through herself, the girl with red eyes and purple hair looked at her.
"If you ever get out of here, look me up. Name's Flame." Lotus smiled and nodded as Flame stepped through the portal. Lotus pulled her hand away and the portal closed. She inched over to the wall and started morphing into it. When she had made it through, she found herself face to face with two guards and a bunch of boys. The guards gawked.
"L-Lotus-sama…what-" the guard didn't get to finish, because Lotus struck quickly and efficiently. The first guard's eyes rolled up in the back of her head and he fell to the floor, his lips blue. The other guard stared in horror and then made a choking noise as Lotus held out her hand, acting as if she were choking him. He, too, fell to the ground in a lifeless heap. She was breathing heavily as she turned back to the boys. The oldest boy seemed around nineteen, maybe twenty. Several of the smaller boys were hiding behind him.
"You must hurry…they will be here soon to take you to the lab to do their experiments. I've already sent the girls to safety. It's your turn." she whispered and went to the far wall. She put her hands to it and did the same as before. Again, a swirling blue vortex appeared. She looked at the boys, who seemed uncertain. "Please, you must hurry. I can't maintain this connection long. When you get to the other side, there will be a woman with blond hair and hazel eyes. Tell her that Sakura's spy sent you and that you were captives of the Center. She can take you to safety. Please, hurry!" she whispered adamantly. The oldest boy nodded and started hauling the younger boys, hastily pushing them in. When it was only him left, he looked at her.
"Thank you." he whispered and then jumped through the portal. Lotus broke the connection and hurriedly disappeared. The only thing left were the two dead guards and a feline paw print.
Karin blinked her blurry eyes as the sun shone in them. She looked around and noticed that she'd been moved since she fell asleep. She was now in the soft, comfy bed she'd been sharing with Kankuro lately. However, Kankuro was not there with her. She stood, her legs a little wobbly, and walked to the bathroom. She heard the water running about the same time she felt the steam on her face.
Standing in the shower right in front of her was Kankuro. He was washing his brunette hair, which was running down in his face. She blushed as she watched him. His muscular frame looked just that much larger in the shower. Through the glass, he seemed more defined, more chiseled. She blushed and turned around, rushing back to the bed. She jumped on the bed and buried her face in the pillows.
She was rolling around frantically on the bed when she heard the door open and heard him padding into the room. She sat up, acting as if nothing was wrong. However, she squeaked when she heard his deep chuckle. "Karin…why is there a feather in your hair?" her eyes widened and she frantically reached up and, sure enough, felt a long, fluffy feather in her hair. She turned red and snatched it away.
Kankuro shook his head at her sillyness and walked over to her, still in his towel. He sat on the bed and leaned over to her, kissing her gently on the lips. She sighed and put her arms around his neck, the feather forgotten. He used his body and pushed her back so that she was lying beneath him. He made a noise, sounding oddly like a purr, and started kissing her neck. She giggled and ran her hands over his bare back, feeling the rippling muscles.
When he made it to her breast, he reached back up and kissed her, this time with more passion. She practically melted beneath him. She could feel the bulge under his towel and knew he was getting more and more aroused. So, she opened her body to him, allowing him to do whatever he wished. She heard his groan and then felt his hands and lips on her. She sighed in contentment. Nothing would ever beat this feeling.
Shikamaru was watching every move Temari made. Well, at least he was watching covertly. No one other than herself would ever be able to tell. However, she knew quite well that her lover was watching her intently. And she was playing with him. It was almost two in the afternoon. Everyone in the house had slept late. Even the early birds Lee and Tenten. Lee had come in, around noon, and grabbed food for himself, Lacey, and their girls. He said that they were training and didn't feel like coming themselves. Most had laughed, but a few had arched a brow at the word 'training'.
Shikamaru had been one of those people. Those girls were toddlers…what kind of training were they going through? And why? The brunette sighed and looked over at Kiba and Ino, who were teaching the twins how to use utensils. Kiba would growl when they did it wrong and purr when they did it right. The twins would beam happily when they did something right. And then they would erupt into a small squabble, and Kiba would have to scold them.
He watched the twins as they watched Temari as well. She was a perfect example of etiquette. She was surprisingly very ladylike at the table. Even Ino had complimented her on it. She'd blushed and told them her mother had been very ladylike and that it had been instilled in her at an early age. Shikamaru had arched a brow and commented on her unladylike tendencies and he'd promptly been smacked in the back of the head with her fan.
The twins had been fascinated by her fan. At the moment, it was only the size of a rolled newspaper. But he knew from experience that it could get much larger. He watched as Temari turned to Ino and Kiba. "Kiba, did you find anything in regards to the twin's pack of wolves?" Shikamaru noticed the inu trainer's sad look.
"Yeah…I did. The reason the kids were vulnerable in the first place was because the alphas of the pack were killed by something. I talked to Astair's ookami companion, Bijou. He's from the same pack. He told me they track up the mountain side every three months. However, he said that with the alphas dead, there would be dissension and we'd probably be in trouble if we pursued them. However…" he looked back at the squabbling twins again and sighed.
"If we don't get their companions soon, it could be detrimental to both of them. These little squabbles would be easily avoided if their companions were here." Shikamaru watched Temari as a thoughtful expression crossed her face.
"You said that the scent of you companions are imprinted from birth, correct?" Kiba nodded and leaned back in his chair. He intercepted a jab that would have been quite painful had it made contact and gave a low, threatening growl to the young male. Tsume whined and bowed his head. Temari glared at Kiba and called Tsume over to her. She looked at him, her eyes serious.
"Tsume, you can't do that. It's not nice. You remember how you felt when those mean people had Gin?" Shikamaru noticed the boy's eyes go wide at the reminder. He made another, more desperate whining noise. It made Gin perk and she scampered over to Temari, climbing into her lap with Tsume. Temari nodded and then looked at Kiba again.
"As I was saying, I think that if we can track them, we can convince them to help the twins. With my fan, it should be easier." Kiba arched a brow and looked at her. She smirked and Shikamaru groaned, drawing their attention.
"Now you've done it. She's going to bring out that fan and I'm going to get hit with it." he grumbled, making them all laugh. Temari shook her head and held up her fan.
"This thing is more than just a weapon. It was designed so that I can ride the wind currents." everyone stared at her and she smiled, looking down at the kids. "I think it would be a good idea to find their companions as soon as possible."
"I agree." Shikamaru looked up and gaped at what he saw. Standing there, in black dress slacks, a red blouse, and her hair in a pony tail was Sakura. She had makeup on and high heels. Everyone gaped at her. She smirked and shook her head.
"Well I AM the head of a large corporation. I can't waltz in there looking like a punk, even if I am one." she laughed and turned to Gaara, who was right behind her with the young red headed child in her arms. Ichimanako and Hime were flanking the two, their eyes on the little boy. It was obvious they were attached to the child, who was obviously attached to them.
"Down, please." the little boy said quietly. His ability to speak clearly surprised many of the young adults gathered. Sakura smiled and nodded and Gaara put the boy down. He went to Ichimanako and climbed onto her back, after much ear and fur pulling. Kiba winced, but noticed the large cat seemed unaffected. Shikamaru arched a brow and waited for Sakura to speak again. She didn't get all dressed up for no reason.
He watched as Sakura turned to Shino and Sai, who had Kuro on his lap as he was wheeled in. "Shino, gather all the active operatives in the mansion." Everyone looked at her then. Her eyes were glittering and slightly glazed with silver. "We are going to pay a visit to the Southside Orphanage." Shikamaru arched a brow and looked at Temari, who looked puzzled. He sighed…this couldn't be good.
Sasuke couldn't believe his ears. The orphanage that his father had funded when he was alive was merely a cover for his evil experiments. He watched the woman carefully, waiting to see if she lied to him at all. However, from what he could sense, she was being completely honest.
"I was, uh, helping out a shelter when Madara caught me." he noticed she skirted around what she'd been doing when she was caught, but that didn't interest him. Only the information on his father did. "He shot me with some weird gun and had me carted off like I was meat. I was still completely conscious of what was happening, but I couldn't move. He had his goons take me into this weird room with some television screens and computers. They hooked me up and ran a few tests, drew my blood, crap like that. And then…" he could see pain flash behind her eyes. He felt his pants tighten and shook his head. That was his father's tampering…not him. He fought it and shook his head. He looked up to see her looking at her hands.
"I heard them say that I would be sufficient and I felt pain burst through my head. It spread through my whole body and then everything went dark. I felt like I was floating for a while, and then I woke up inside the body of someone else…a girl named Lotus. She calmed me down and told me she'd get my body back. When she did, I ran like a bat out of hell. I didn't even give her time to heal my wounds, though she said she could. I was more concerned with getting far away from that place." Sasuke nodded and walked over to the mirror. He could feel the urge to dominate, to terrorize her. He fought it. He closed his eyes and fought against it. A knock on his door had his eyes snapping open. They were crimson as he walked over to the door and threw it open.
"WHAT do you want?" he snarled viciously, his temper heightened as much as his arousal. His butler stared at him in surprise. He noticed the butler trying to look past him and he narrowed his eyes on the man. So…this was how his so called father had kept an eye on him. He'd show this son of a bitch who was boss. He smiled evilly and watched the butler back away. He looked at the girl from over his shoulder, a nasty gleam in his eyes.
"Hey, how do you feel about bondage?" the girl arched a brow and looked past Sasuke to the young-ish butler standing before him. She smirked.
"As long as I get to be on top." Sasuke smirked and grabbed the butler and pulled him in. The man cried out and tried to fight, but soon he fell victim to the Sharingan.
Madara was pissed. Somewhere along the line, he'd lost all the tapes on Project Crystal, the vidscreen flashing a warning and telling him that the vids were corrupted. Also, he'd lost the kids that had just been brought in, though he didn't know how, and on top of that, he still didn't know how to make Lotus sexually reproductive. He slammed his fists against the table he'd fell asleep at. He kicked his chair and went to the cell where his guards had been found strangled to death.
He got there and walked the perimeter of the room. An unusual mark caught his attention and he walked over to it. He touched it and glared. It was the shape of a cat's foot. He looked closely, just in case there were claw marks, but there were none. It was definitely that of a large cat. He looked for more marks and found bootprints of that of a female. They were small, hinting that whoever they belonged to was over six feet. They weren't very deep either, meaning whoever it was kept themselves in shape and was light on their feet. It looked almost like there's been a dance of some sort. He walked over to where the children had obviously been huddled. He traced the path of the feet to the wall, where they ended. He touched the wall and hissed. He could feel the lingering traces of chakra on it, though who it belonged to was a mystery. He'd never felt chakra like that before. Meaning, it wasn't the Haruno that did this. His brows creased…did he have another enemy?
He was about to investigate more when he heard a shout. "Madara-sama! Madara-sama! Come quick! Lotus-sama has gone missing!" Madara stiffened and took off, leaving the mystery of the children to be solved at a later date. Another of his weapons had disappeared and he wanted to know who the hell was after him now.
Raidu was on his way to the dining room where he'd been told by Shino to meet, when pain ripped through him. He felt sick and disoriented, waves of nausea crashing over him. He reached out and put his hand on the wall, dropping his head into his hands. He took a few deep breaths and calmed himself. He then stood and closed his eyes, searching for what the source was.
He gasped and his eyes shot open. "LOTUS!" he whispered urgently and then disappeared. He found himself outside a large, abandoned old house with a very creepy Victorian feel to it. The house itself seemed foreboding. He narrowed his eyes and started searching for a way in.
Gaara watched as more and more of Sakura's elite SHINOBI appeared. From his spot in the chair at the head of the table, he could see them, arranged by couples. He arched a brow at this. Eto and Cheela were sitting close to Choji and Michi, who were currently eating lunch. Naruto and Hinata had their twin toddlers, each holding one, and were talking to Shino and Sai, the latter of which had the small dark haired, dark eyed boy in his lap. Neji and Tenten were talking to one another, rather intimately from his point of view, in a corner away from the others.
Shikamaru, Temari, Ino, and Kiba were talking about the companions for the Ookami twins, Temari occasionally scolding the two children for fighting. Lee and Lacey had just arrived with their two little girls, who were napping on their new parents' shoulders. Kankuro…well, his older brother looked pissed beyond belief. From the blush on Karin's face, he was sure it had something to do with her. He just shook his head and looked at Sakura, who has Akouji in her lap and seemed to be waiting for something.
He watched her shut her eyes and then open them again, the blazing silver cutting off many conversations as people noticed. She stood and handed Akouji to Gaara, who arched a brow at her. She shook her head and disappeared. Knowing that she was not in danger and didn't really need his help, he vouched to stay with the others and let Akouji play with Ichimanako and Hime. He looked around and frowned slightly…where was Sai's brother? He shrugged and figured he'd just not got there yet and waited for his mate to come back.
Sakura heard the mental summons of her sister. Something had surprised the blond into unconsciously calling to her. When she appeared by her side, it was to come face to face with a medium sized group of kids. She gasped as she noticed the ranges of age…they were about the same age of the kids she'd taken from the Center in her last raid. Her eyes flared a brighter silver and she heard several gasps. She looked at Tsunade, who seemed at a loss for words.
"What's going on here?" Sakura asked in a gentle voice. The kids looked surprised that, despite her rough exterior, she seemed very gentle. A girl with spiky purple hair and red eyes looked her over and looked at the boy beside her.
"You the one they call Sakura?" the boy asked, his eyes narrowed on her. Sakura stiffened and shifted slightly, putting herself on guard.
"And if I am?" she asked, waiting for them to make the first move. She noticed the girl look behind her to the scared kids. She glared at the young man, who seemed to entreat her with his eyes. She shook her head and stepped forward.
"We were sent here by someone claiming to be your spy. She found us after the guards threw us into cells in some creepy underground lab. The girl that saved us…she called the place the Center. That mean anything to you?" the girl exuded honesty and Sakura relaxed. She smiled gently at the smaller kids.
"Lotus sent you. Good. I was wondering if she'd actually have the power to send anyone out. It's a good start. She send you in separate groups, I take it?" the two oldest youths nodded. Sakura closed her eyes and when she opened them again, gentle emerald orbs were looked out at them. The two 'leaders' gasped and Sakura chuckled.
"Don't worry…I'm harmless to those who would seek shelter from the horrors of the Center. Come. I will take you to my safe haven. I take it they didn't get a chance to experiment on you?" the oldest boy and girl looked at the other kids and then shook their heads.
"The younger ones have never been touch. Me and Flame…we escaped once before. We been on the run since we were about ten." Sakura's eyes filled with compassion and she held out her hands.
"Very well…allow me ease your pain." both the boy and girl arched their brows and then walked up to her, putting their hands in hers. As soon as their skin touched hers, they gasped. Sakura fell to her knees and dug her fingers into the soil. She growled and her eyes were flashing dangerously. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she managed to stand, she shook her head and opened her eyes. They were silver once more.
"I am sorry that I did not find you sooner. I believe much of your pain and suffering could have been eased had I know where you were." She turned to the young man, who stiffened when she looked at him. "Slash, I can heal you, but only if you allow me. You know what I'm talking about." the young man looked away and his face went blank. Flame put her hand on his shoulder, her eyes concerned.
"Slash…if she can fix whatever happened, let her." she noticed the young man's eyes turn cold and she wrapped her hands around his head and made him look at her. "Baby…I ain't gonna love you no less for getting help." she kissed him gently on the lips and she felt him relax against her. They put their foreheads together after they broke their kiss.
"If you're gonna heal me, you better do it now, while Flame has me calmed down." he said in a low, hushed voice. Sakura nodded and stepped behind Flame. She wrapped her arms around both youths and both gasped as warmth passed through them. When Sakura stepped back, both were looking at one another with awe.
"Slash…your eyes…" tears came to Flames eyes as she smiled at him. Slash blinked and looked down at her for the first time ever. His eyes widened and he blushed slightly.
"I never knew you were so beautiful. I can see why they call you flame." he watched her blush and looked over at Sakura.
"Thank you…from the bottom of my heart, thank you." Sakura nodded and then put her hand on Flame, who looked back at her. Sakura's eyes glowed and Flame gasped. Tears gathered in her eyes and she suddenly turned and threw her arms around Sakura.
"Thank you…thank you so much! You have no idea what that means to me!" she sobbed against Sakura's shoulder and Sakura just rubbed her back, a gentle smile on her face. Slash looked at her, and Sakura shook her head.
"If you wish to know, you must ask Flame. Her secrets are not mine to share." She watched the respect creep into those now bright teal eyes. Flame sniffled and turned back to Slash and ran to him, throwing her arms around him. She kissed him passionately and Sakura chuckled at his deep blush.
"I think it's about time to get you guys to Gokuraku. But first, I have to do a mandatory sweep of your minds to ensure that there isn't a spy planted in your midst. Don't worry, it wont hurt." she smiled as some of the younger kids became scared. She held out her arms and light flashed. When everyone could see again, Sakura was there, a small girl in her arms. She looked sad. "This little one collapsed when I did the sweep. She has had a bug implanted in her brain. I must remove it."
She turned and suddenly they were in a hospital room. Everyone gasped and looked around her. Sakura turned to Tsunade. "Nee-san, I will need your assistance in this." she turned to the other kids. "I need for all of you to go find a seat against that wall. I can not afford for you to walk out of here. It would put you all at danger. When I have saved this child, I will take you where you will be safe from that bad man." they nodded and went to the wall and sat down. Sakura closed her eyes and held up her hands.
"When I send the jolt into her, she is going to try and attack me. It is not her, it is the machine. You are going to have to subdue her until I can deactivate the machine." Sakura explained to her sister, who nodded, concern in her eyes. Sakura's eyes glowed once more and, with a shriek of rage, the child convulsed and tried to attack Sakura. Tsunade held the girl down while Sakura worked quickly and efficiently. She put her hand over the child's head and located the device. With another pulse, the girl went still. Sakura put her hand to the girl's head and felt for the device again.
Sakura's eyes glowed as she stared at the area, her hands moving as if she were really doing something. Without warning, the girl started convulsing again. Sakura's eyes widened and she grabbed an oxygen mask. She put it over the little girl's mouth and looked at Tsunade. "Keep her stable enough until I get back." Sakura ran out of the room and down the hall. She grabbed a syringe with a long thin needle and a small bottle. She raced back to the room, already drawing the fluid into the syringe. With the swift, sure movements of a surgeon, she stuck the needle into the girls arm.
Just as quickly as they came, the convulsions stopped. Sakura sighed and wiped her face. She went back to her staring and hand movements and seconds later, a bloody microchip was produced. She put it in a small metal bin on her tool tray and held her hand over a certain spot on the girl's head. That quickly, Sakura backed away and sighed.
"I've removed the device, but in the process she had a seizure. She may or may not wake up again. Now, it's up to her." Flame heard Sakura's voice waiver and watched as the young woman's fists clenched. She put her hand on Slash, who nodded. She then went over to Sakura, who had silent tears falling down her face.
"Sakura…you did everything you could to save her. If not for you, worse things would have been done to her. And the other children. Don't forget that. You have worked miracles…don't belittle what you've done by beating yourself up over this." Sakura looked at Flame and the girl gasped. There was hatred and agony in those eyes.
"I have spent my life trying to keep people from the same pain I have suffered. I have seen things that no person, adult or child, shoulder ever have to witness. If my dying would ensure that humans never had to go through pain, I would gladly lay down my life. It's monsters like Madara and the scientists at the Center that keep our way of life from being peaceful." she turned away from Flame then, her aura turning dark and dangerous.
"I will eliminate these monsters…they are no longer human to me…in any form." she turned and Flame saw one sterling eye looking at her. It sent chills down her back. "I was born and bred to hunt monsters…and I have new prey."
With that, the kids found themselves in a small village like setting. A woman with black hair and gold eyes was standing not too far from where they'd appeared. Sakura and Tsunade were gone. Flame looked around and jumped when she heard a yell.
"INCOMING!" They turned just in time to see a large fireball heading their way. The kids screamed and Flame and Slash braced themselves, knowing they'd never make it away in time. Suddenly, the young woman with black hair was standing there, her hands up.
A large golden shield encased them and the fireball struck it, bouncing harmlessly back towards the mountains in the distance. The girl put her hands on her hips. "HEY! You guys be careful!" she screamed. There were shouts of sorry and then the girl turned to them, a smile on her face. "Hey there. I take it you guys were sent here by Sakura-sama?" Flame and Slash looked at one another and then at the girl, who acted like nothing had happened.