The sun poured into a room at the Nisshoku residence. Vladdy opened her eyes, but did not move.

That liar. She left again. Everyone has left. Am I alone, or what? She thought. It had been 4 days since Axel said she was, "going for a walk." Shikamaru and even Tsunade-sama had to said to be patient, that this was overwhelming for Axel.

"Overwhelming my ass," Vladdy muttered.

Suddenly she ducked out of her bed, landing on the floor. A kunai had just been thrown and was now stuck in her mattress. She looked up, and there in her window was Axel, laughing.

"Not bad, not bad, my old friend." She chuckled.

Vladdy was completely pissed off now. "What the hell was that?! What if I had been asleep?! Even more so, what the hell is your problem, where have you been?!" She went on screaming.

"Oh my god, would you shut up!" Axel yelled back.

Vladdy did so, still standing in a defensive position, in her pajamas.

"I went to see Kyoya for a couple of days, sorry!" Axel muttered. "Anyway get dressed. Were going out."

Vladdy observed Axel. She now had tape around her arms, and a blue seal in the shape of a star at the corner of her eye. Had it been there the whole time?

"Where are we going?" Vladdy asked as she got her sun-stamped clothes out of the closet.

"To do stuff." Was Axel's impatient response. She was now lying on Vladdy's bed, looking at photo albums.

Vladdy mumbled. "My mattress has a freaking hole in it now…" She started to get dressed. "Sooo, how was the visit?" her voice turned mischievous.

"Good." Axel replied, bored.

"You're not pregnant or something now, are you?" Vladdy asked, ready to burst out laughing.

Axel took the kunai that she had thrown into the mattress and flung it in Vladdy's direction, leaving a stab in the woodwork of the wall.

"WOULD YOU STOP PUNCTURING MY ROOM?!" Vladdy screamed.

"WOULD YOU HURRY THE HELL UP?!" Axel yelled in response.

Axel led Vladdy to the training grounds, where Naruto, Sai, and Shikamaru waited.

"Huh? What are you guys doing here?" Vladdy asked, dumbfounded.

"We came to watch." Naruto said.

"Watch what?"

"Our rematch." Axel smiled.

Vladdy hadn't quit been expecting this, but, this was her eternal rival, she would be ready for this anytime. "Understood." She said, facing Axel.

"Shall we?" Axel mummered , walking into the training field, taking a stance.

"I called you all here to discuss the threat facing the shinobi nations these days." Tsunade addressed the jounin that filled her office. "That threat, as most of you are aware of, is Akatsuki."

Raidon stiffened at the name of the organization that her older cousin was a part of, the man who had murdered the clan, and had driven her younger cousin to the brink of going rouge to achieve revenge.

"We have received information that Akatsuki is on the move, and have apparently already collected four of the jinnchurikki." Tsuande said. "We also have been able to acquire rough information on a few of the members." She looked directly at Raidon. "Lycan is not a member."

Raidon relaxed slightly, happy that the girl she had grown up with was not doing evil deeds with the likes of her cousin.

Tsuande went on. "This does not change the fact that both her and Sasuke are rouge. They are criminals." She spoke directly to the Uchiha standing before her.

Raidon understood that. But it did not change the fact that she would try with all of her power to bring them both back, and kill Itachi.

"In addition, there have been reports of members spotted in fire country. There has been no sign of a threat so far, but I would like to let you all know now that we are upping the security. Once we gain hard knowledge of the locations of these members, we will take them down." She paused. "Be ready." She ended. "Dismissed."

The elite of the village started to shuffle out of the room, when Tsunade called attention to one of them. "Raidon, please wait."

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade looked at Raidon. "Axel has returned."

"Yes, I am aware."

"And?"

"We have not spoken." Raidon lowered her eyes at the thought of her student's reaction the other day.

"Give her time. She has been gone for almost three years. The reason was you, and the splitting of your team. Knowing Axel, she should eventually come around."

Eventually? More like never. Raidon thought, knowing that Axel had always felt insecure around her own sensei, the one she was suppose to trust the most. She looked up. "Yes, well, she was my student for a while, I think I know her enough. Will that be all, Hokage-sama?"

"One last thing. If Itachi is one of the identified members lurking around here, you will not be put on the mission."

Raidon stammered, "W-what?!"

"I will not allow the capturing of an Akatsuki member, and Konoha rouge, to go sour because of Catherina." Tsunade's eyes went cold.

Raidon was tierd, she didn't want to argue. "I understand." She said, and left the room.

Vladdy and Axel stood ten feet apart, having complete eye contact. Vladdy pulled her gloves out of her pocket and slowly slid them over her hands.

"Ohhh, what do we have here? A pair of gloves? You must kick some major ass now these days, to earn a pair of those." Axel joked.

Vladdy smirked. "It about to be your ass."

Axel returned the sarcastic smile. "Well, let's go then."