A/N: I'm really sorry about the long update, life is very hectic :( it's my last eight months at school and I'm being overloaded with homework. That and personal problems. And illness. Blehhh, but I've finished the chapter, and the next one will hopefully be out sooner :)
Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine, sadly.
Claimer: Kari and Kita and Kari's fighting style, is mine.
The Snake's Mark
Everything faded into pain,
Everything but the feel of her hand holding his,
His lifeline, his light in the growing darkness.
Sasuke got into a prepared stance, bending his knees and crouching slightly, glaring at the grass-nin. Kari stretched her wings, mumbling curses at the pain. Sasuke sent her a quick side glance, then turned his attention back to the enemy.
"He's definitely part of the Uchiha clan, his blood must be coming to a boil…" the grass-nin said to itself. "Seems as though the girl is tiring, I'll take my time to see how strong they are. As long as I don't anger her too much…" the grass-nin also got into a stance, crouching and spreading its arms wide.
I have to survive to kill my brother… When that thought came to my mind, I realized I was the one who was acting like an idiot. Kari, Naruto, Sakura, how can someone who can't even risk his life here kill him?
Sasuke took out a kunai and placed it in his mouth. Kari sent him a puzzled look; did he want to cut his tongue in half? Then she took her own kunai, twisting it around her finger before gripping it tightly in her right hand.
You rely too much on your right side; you're weaker on your left.
Kari threw her kunai to her left hand, and then took another in her right. She got into her own stance, which was influenced by her katana. She stood side on, her right side facing the grass-nin, her right arm was outstretched, holding her kunai directly at the enemy, her left arm was bent over her head, also pointing a kunai at the enemy; her legs were bent in preparation for movement, her feet making a backwards L shape.
"You're very elegant little one, it gives off the impression you're very fragile" the grass-nin mused, its smirk widening. Kari glared through her ruby eyes as she and Sasuke shot forward, Kari, being faster got their first, spinning and slamming her heel in to the grass-nin's gut. The grass-nin twisted with the impact and sent a blast of wind to push Kari away. She flipped and propelled herself upwards with her wings as Sasuke shot into the air and threw kunai at the grass-nin, who tilted his head to the side to avoid them. Kari folded her wings and they disappeared, sending a searing pain through her shoulder blades. Guess the pain stays… Simultaneously, she and Sasuke pushed off two tree trunks and hurtled towards the grass-nin. Kari gripped her kunai and flung them at the grass-nin, but it just cut off chunks of hair, missing the skin by half a millimetre. TenTen's gonna kill me. Sasuke's two kicks were blocked, but he avoided the grass-nin's kick and back flipped out the way. Kari shot forward and went to punch him, but the grass-nin swerved and managed to avoid.
Sasuke shot forward and went into hand to hand combat, his Sharingan detecting the grass-nin's movements, allowing him to dodge and block with ease. Kari's hand brushed the handle of one of her katana and a rush of excitement shot through her as her ruby eyes glowed with a haunting crimson light. Soon…
The grass-nin jumped into the air and Kari shot forward and jumped up, chakra surrounding her hand. Her eyes paling to a light grey she slammed her hand into the grass-nin's chest.
"JYUUKEN!" Kari cried as the grass-nin's eye widened in recognition.
"Impossible!"
Kari's hands grasped the handles of her katana, sliding them out of their sheaths. She crossed them over and then swung them outwards. Had the grass-nin not ducked, its head would be rolling on the floor. Spinning both her katana in her hands, she brought them together above her head and swung them downwards. The grass-nin avoided being cut in half by teleporting behind Sasuke. Kari landed and went to charge but the grass-nin shot off at full speed.
"No you don't!" Kari growled quickly sheathing her katana and chasing full speed after him. Kari glanced at Sasuke and sent him a message telepathically.
Pinpoint him with Sharingan then hit him hard Sasuke!
Kari rushed after him, she could just about keep up with her outstanding speed, but the enemy was incredibly fast. She could feel the strain on her thighs, and her rapidly respirating lungs were putting pressure on her injured side. She grit her teeth and bared through the pain, her fingertips brushing the purple rope tied round the grass-nin's waist. It darted to the right, causing Kari to almost collide with a tree, she managed to push off and continue the chase.
"I can see!" Sasuke cried. Kari took that as her signal to abandon chase and darted to Sasuke's side as he aimed fireballs at the grass-nin. The grass-nin ran through it, straight towards them. Kari grabbed the Uchiha and darted backwards, avoiding the attack. The grass-nin slammed its fists onto the branch sending a wind attack at them both. Sasuke grabbed Kari round the middle and shot upwards out the way. He let go of her then pushed himself of the branch. He grabbed hold of the grass-nin flipping it round so that his legs were round its shoulders and his arms were round its hips.
"I got you!" Sasuke shouted as the grass-nin screamed, until its skull met a thick branch with a sickening crack, causing cracks to run along the thick wood. Kari landed a couple feet a way and Sasuke jumped next to her, the both of them watching intently. Kari's eyes narrowed. There was something off about it… To Sasuke's shock, the grass-nin turned to mud.
"Karimi?" Sasuke cried. Kari's ear twitched and she tore her eyes from the replacement and looked upwards to the right. She grabbed hold of Sasuke's wrist and dragged him away from the kunai that were raining down on them. Seeing a cliff, Kari started to slow, but Sasuke dragged her along and they jumped off.
"Hold on!" Sasuke ordered as he pulled out wire.
"What're you—Waaah!!" Kari cried, holding tight to him as the wire caught a branch, swinging them round the thick tree trunk. Sasuke let go of the wire and Kari paled. They shot downwards and landed on a branch.
"Daijobu?" Sasuke asked, noticing she hadn't let go.
"We have got to do that again when these exams are over!" Kari said with a grin, though her face was rather pale.
"Baka, keep your eyes open for the enemy" Sasuke scolded, his Sharingan eyes darting left and right. Kari released him, but then the grass-nin shot forward from in front of them, punching Sasuke in the face.
"Sasuke!" Kari cried, she turned and went to return the favour but was stopped by a searing pain in her side. The grass-nin had shoved two fingers into the kunai wound in her side, opening it and increasing the bleeding. Kari grit her teeth and grabbed his wrist, but when she tried to yank his hand out, he bent his fingers, doubling the pain.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried, finally catching up and looking down from a higher branch, Kita still in her arms. "Kari-chan!"
"You are interesting my little wolf," the grass-nin tore her wound, making it bigger, enough that he could probably fit his entire hand inside. "Despite the fact I'm causing you pain, you don't make a sound." With its other hand, the grass-nin reached inside her pouch and took the scroll. Kari growled and tried to grab it back, but he gave her a sharp prod in her now heavily bleeding wound and stopped her. "You're not living up to the name of Uchiha" the grass-nin said, looking at Sasuke. "Oh well, I'll slowly beat you, then kill you... just like a bug."
Sasuke's eyes slowly opened and the exploding tags on the grass-nin's back exploded. Sasuke shot back and grabbed Kari before jumping up and flinging shuriken with wire at the grass-nin.
"Sharingan Soufuusha Sannotachi! Sharingan controlled triple windmill blades!" the grass-nin cried before Sasuke landed on a branch, rudely dropped Kari, and pulled the wires tight. The grass-nin was tightly tied to a tree and Sasuke made speedy hand signs. He brought his hands (which were in the tora sign) to the wire in his mouth and shot a dragon shaped flame at the grass-nin. The ninja screamed as his flesh was burnt away, the forest clearing bathed in an orange-red light.
"He did it!" Sakura cried in relief. The fire slowly died, leaving small flames here and there on the burnt tree trunk. Smoke rose off the grass-nin's limp form. Sasuke panted his hands on his knees.
"Kari, daijobu?" he asked breathlessly, noticing her holding onto her heavily bleeding side.
"Fine" Kari said quietly, trying to slow the bleeding by putting pressure on her wound. She winced and her ears lowered as she tried to bear the pain.
"Sasuke-kun!"
"Okaasan!"
Sakura crouched next to Sasuke worriedly, her hands hovering at his side and back. Kita pawed Kari's elbow and wagged her tail to praise her mother. Kari smiled weakly and placed her clean hand on the wolf cub's head, not wanting to stain her snowy fur. She felt as though all her energy had gone down some invisible drain; she couldn't even begin to describe the urge to keel over and go to sleep for a good while.
Kari was alerted by a few soft 'ping's and looked up to see the grass-nin walking forward. He slammed his hands together and the four of them felt their bodies freeze.
"Is he using a form of paralysis?" Sasuke cried, struggling to stay standing.
"I'm impressed you can use your Sharingan so well at your age. You live up to the name of Uchiha." The grass-nin's voice changed into a more masculine one. "And to think I would meet the vessel of the Torai-kenshi. You amaze me my chiisai-ookami." Kari growled, her eyes flickering red. She was tired and in pain, she couldn't last much longer. "I want you both. Oh, you two are definitely brothers. Your eyes say you carry more potential than Itachi." Kari's eyes widened. Itachi.
"Dare desu ka?!" Sasuke cried. The grass-nin took the heaven scroll in his hand.
"Watashiha Orochimaru. If you wish to see me again, get through the exam as though your life depended on it."
"The scroll!" Sakura cried as it burst into green flame.
"In other words, you'll have to defeat my subordinates; the Oto shinobi." Orochimaru continued. Kari scowled, that name brought bile to the back of her throat.
"What nonsense are you chattering about? We never want to see your face again!" Sakura cried. Orochimaru chuckled as he made a handsign.
"It doesn't work that way."
His neck extended upwards, then shot forwards straight towards Sasuke.
"Sasuke-kun!"
"SASUKE!!"
Orochimaru's fangs punctured the genin's neck, the body tensing beneath his lips. Sakura's horrified scream echoed through the tree's as Sasuke's eyes widened in sheer horror…
"OKAASAN!" Kita screamed as Kari stood rigidly in front of Sasuke, her body shaking uncontrollably. Kari's eyes dulled to a dark grey as the colour left her face. Orochimaru released her, leaving two trails of blood where his fangs had pierced her smooth neck. He then twisted and latched onto Sasuke, Kari's attempt to protect him thwarted. The blonde kunoichi fell to her knee's trembling, her small hand clutching the crook of her neck. Simultaneously, a three-comma mark appeared on hers and Sasuke's neck and searing pain spread through her body as though boiling water had been thrown over her. She faintly heard Sasuke's scream and wanted more than anything to do the same, but her breath had been stolen from her lungs, the organ's crushing inside her chest.
"OKAASAN!!"
"Heh, you astound me chiisai-ookami-chan…"
"Sasuke-kun! Kari-chan!" Sakura cried in alarm as blood started to leak out Kari's eyes and mouth. "What did you do to them?!" she shrieked.
"I gave them a farewell present" Orochimaru replied as Sasuke fell to his knees. Holding his neck with one hand, he blindly, frantically searched with the other until his hand found Kari's. It was ice cold, colder than usual. He could feel her shaking even more violently than him, and pulled her close to him, his clouded mind telling him to, that only she could help him through this pain. She curled up, her body pressing into him as her skin was stabbed by microscopic white hot needles. Her head lay on his chest as her body began spasming, the both of them grasping each others hands for dear life. "Sasuke-kun will seek me, seek me for power. And Kari-hime will follow. It was fun seeing a lot of your moves. Until we meet again." With that, Orochimaru sank into the tree branch and out of sight.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried when she heard him scream, she rushed to his side her hand on his back. "Get a hold of yourself, Sasuke-kun!" Kari's breaths were shallow; her body still weakly spasming with each intake of air. All colour in her lips and cheeks had disappeared, her dark, dull eyes, half closed and bloodshot, her face a sickly pure white; stains of red streaking across her face. "Sasuke-kun! Come on! Sasuke-kun! Please!" she cried desperately. "Kari-chan? Kari-chan!" The both of them stilled, falling limp. Sasuke's hand tight across Kari's limp one. Sakura's eyes became moist as she tried to calm her anxiety. "NARUTO!" she screamed. "SASUKE-KUN AND KARI-CHAN—! THEY—! THEY—! NARUTO!!"
The forest was hauntingly silent when Naruto gave no reply, he didn't move a muscle, just hung limp where he was left. Sakura was startled by bird rushing into the sky from a bush nearby. She gave a small scream, her arms shielding her head.
"I… What should I do…?" Sakura whispered.
"Sakura-chan!" the kunoichi looked down to see a frightened Kita, nuzzling at Kari's pale face. "Sakura-chan I'm scared" Kita said in a strained voice, as though she had been crying. But wolves can't cry, they have no release.
"Me too" Sakura admitted with a sniffle. "We're all alone…"
Anko hurtled from branch to branch. She'd been searching frantically ever since the dead, faceless grass shinobi had been found in the afternoon. It was almost nightfall and she was getting anxious. There was still no sign of him. Suddenly, she sensed a familiar chakra. It's him! She ran full speed in the direction she sensed it. His chakra. She took a huge leap and then jumped downwards. He's close. She jumped from branch to branch until finally she found him, upside-down, half submerged into the trunk of a tree.
"It's been a long time… Anko." he mused as a smirk came to his face.
"You are an extremely dangerous S-classed wanted criminal. That's why I'm going to kill you, even if it costs me my life. It's my job as your former subordinate who learnt everything from you, right… Orochimaru?!" Anko cried, senbon slipping from the sleeve of her jacket into her right hand.
"You can't" Orochimaru said simply, before his tongue shot at her. She jumped up and avoided it, but the tongue followed. It wrapped around her wrist, making her drop her senbon and then pulled her back down. She landed on her knees.
"Senei Jashou! Hidden shadow snake hands!" Four snakes shot out Anko's left sleeve towards Orochimaru. "I won't let you get away!" she cried, pulling her hand back. She pulled Orochimaru out of the tree and slammed him into the tree behind her. She pressed her hands against his and the pushed a kunai into the back of her hand, and through his. She smirked. "Orochimaru, I'm going to borrow your left hand." Taking his other hand with hers, she made a seal.
"That seal is…!"
"That's right" Anko said. "You and I are going to die here." She took a deep breath. Souja Sousai no jutsu! Twin snake double assassination technique! Orochimaru's voice chuckled all around her.
"Are you trying to commit suicide?" Anko gasped and turned round to see Orochimaru standing behind her. He pulled off the rest of the grass-nin's face and smirked. "That's a replacement." Anko gasped as the Orochimaru she had been holding turned to mud. Orochimaru laughed. "You're one of the village's special Jounin." He said walking towards her. "So don't just use the techniques I taught you." Anko pulled the kunai out of her hand and flung it at Orochimaru. He effortlessly caught it between two fingers. "I told you, it's useless." He made a hand-sign and Anko gasped, her body rigid. Orochimaru walked towards her smirking.
"Why have you come?!" Anko demanded.
"We haven't seen each other in such a long time, but treat me so coldly." Orochimaru mused.
"Did you come to assassinate Hokage-sama?"
"Iie, iie. I still don't have enough men to do that. So I was planning on 'reserving' some outstanding ones in this village." Anko sunk to her knees holding her neck. "I gave two special someone's that same cursed seal as a present a while ago. There's two I want."
"As usual, you do what you want, but they will die!" Anko cried.
"Yes, there's only a ten percent chance he'll survive. But the girl, I'm not sure, she had a startling reaction in the first few minutes. But, they might be like you, and not die." Orochimaru said.
"You seem quite interested in these two" Anko said smirking. Her eyes widened as he stroked her cheek with his pale hand.
"Are you jealous? Are you still angry that I used you, then threw you away?" he asked. Anko growled in rage. "Unlike you, they seem to be excellent ninja. After all, he is the boy that carries the abilities of an Uchiha. She… she is the legend of the Torai-Kenshi."
"That's just a myth!" Anko cried.
"Hm, that's what I thought. But her eyes are unmistakable. Their bodies are beautiful, either capable of becoming my successor." he said smirking widely. "If they survive, things will become interesting. Whatever you do, don't cancel this exam. Six from my village are under your care, I'm going to enjoy this." He walked away and disappeared. "If you take away my joy… it will be over for the village of Konoha."
"He's breathing easier, but still has a high fever…" Sakura said sadly to herself, touching Sasuke's forehead. She had managed to get them under a hollow under some thick tree roots nearby. She had difficulty, but she managed. She looked round at Kari and checked her temperature. "But Kari-chan still isn't breathing right and her temperature's rising…" Kita lay curled between Kari and Naruto, Sasuke's hand still tight around Kari's. Naruto lay still and quiet, bruises here and there. Kita's eyes opened and she observed Sakura through her icy orbs. "It's just you and me now Kita-chan, we have to protect them!" Sakura said with all the confidence she could muster. Kita gave a light yip of approval, her ears twitched and her tail wagged. Sakura smiled weakly, Kita wasn't much of a protector being the size of a small cat, but at least she wasn't alone.
An eye peeked out between the leaves of the bushes, a sleeping Sakura clearly in view.
"Heh, found you. Right, just as Orochimaru-sama ordered, we strike at daybreak. Remember, our target is the Uchiha and the wolf girl."
"Yeah but if the other two and the little white rat get in our way it's alright to take them out, ne?"
"Of course."
Sakura awoke to find the sun shining in her eyes and bird song echoing through the crisp early morning mist. Her four companions lay silent, three unconscious, Kita asleep. She quickly busied herself with soaking cloths so she could bring down their fevers, wetting the material with water from her canteen. She needed to go to the stream soon… She replaced Sasuke's first, then Kari's, then Naruto's. Sasuke was restless in his sleep, as though he was having a nightmare. Naruto just seemed to be asleep, just lacking his usual snores. Kari seemed to be made of marble, still and silent, her golden hair fanning around her white face. Sakura half smiled, Kari's beauty was a little hard to notice, but it was breathtaking when you did. Unlike Sasuke; who you notice immediately. The pink kunoichi sighed, gently stroking Kita's head. The cub's ear twitched, but other than that she didn't move. But Sakura knew she was just a baby and needed rest.
The hours were slow, the minute's slower. Sakura's eyes struggled to stay open. But she was too tired, and eventually fell asleep.
"Oh man I slept really great!" Naruto cried with a yawn, sitting up and stretching.
"Naruto!" Sakura cried happily. Sasuke too sat up. "Sasuke-kun!" she looked round hopefully at the still sleeping Kari. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.
"We know you're awake."
Kari opened an eye as a smile came to her face, her lips and cheeks flushed with their usual rosy colour. Sasuke turned back to Sakura as Kita jumped into Kari's arms, knocking over as she tried to sit up.
"Did you take care of us this whole time?" Sasuke asked over Kari's cheerful giggles. Sakura held in the urge to laugh too. Kari had an adorable laugh, like a little girls.
"Thanks Sakura-chan!" Naruto cried. He started chuckling at Kari's laughter, Kita trying to lick her face and wiggling in Kari's hands.
"I'm glad you're ok!" Sakura cried as tears came to her eyes. Kari's laughter stopped as she sat up and threw her arms around Sakura.
"We're just glad you're alright!" Kari said happily.
"Sakura-chan's younger than you, yet you're the baby of the team Kari-chan!" Naruto cried laughing. Kari pouted and went to sit next to him, playfully telling him off for suggesting she was immature.
Sakura was startled by a rustle in the bushes.
"Now you'll see what it's like to be prey, panicking and frantically running from your predator." It was Orochimaru! "And that predator… is me!" He hurtled towards them, transforming into a large snake, its tongue flicking around, tasting them in the air. Sakura turned round to warn her comrades, only to find her voice was gone, all their voices were gone! The snake reared, its mouth wide, heading straight for Sasuke. Sakura screamed, but no noise came…
Sakura gasped as she woke up. She looked up surprised, noticing the sun was already up. She gasped as she heard the bushes rustling behind her. Her heart pounding against her ribs, she grabbed a kunai with shaking hands. She slowly looked round, only to come face to face with… a squirrel?
"Oh man… Don't surprise me like that little guy." Sakura said tiredly. She gasped as it ran straight for her. She threw a kunai, blocking its path and scaring it away.
That was too close…
"Shimatta, I though for sure that would work… Do you think she saw the paper bomb we put on the squirrel?"
"Iie, that wasn't it…"
"Then what was it? What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking we need to go closer and find out… So let's get going…"
Sakura struggled as she tried to stay awake. They were sure to wake up soon, then she could sleep. But not yet, not until…
"Sakura-chan!" Kita cried in alarm. Sakura shot up and looked around.
"Some look out, you're half asleep." It was the oto-nin! The ones that attacked Kabuto! "At least you won't have to keep watch anymore, what's the point when we've already found you? Now wake Sasuke and Kari up, we want to fight them."
You'll never get them you jerks! Sakura thought as she reached for a kunai.
"What do you want here? I mean, what do you really want?" Sakura cried as she rose to her feet, Kita jumping to her side. "I know Orochimaru is calling the shots from the shadows!" The oto-nin seemed surprised by this. "What are those strange bruises on the back of Sasuke-kun's and Kari-chan's necks? You're behind this too aren't you!? And now you want to fight them when they can't defend themselves?!"
"What in the world could he be thinking?" the large, fur-backed ninja hissed.
"I can't stay quiet after hearing you talk to us like that. First I'm gonna kill this girl, then that rat" Kita growled as Kari tensed for a second in her unconsciousness. "Then I'm gonna kill Sasuke and that Kari freak" he stood as Kita's hackles rose.
"Matte Zaku." The fur-backed oto-nin said.
"Nani? Nande?"
"It's so obvious… This is the colour of dirt that has recently been dug up. And this kind of grass doesn't grow in a place like this. You know, there's no point in laying a trap unless you make sure it's actually hidden." Sakura's eyes widened as a bead of sweat rolled down her face.
"Ha! You're just a joke. You threw that kunai knife just so the squirrel wouldn't spring the trap you set huh?" Zaku mocked.
"Now… we kill them." The oto-nin jumped towards Sakura and Kita. Sakura smirked and cut the wire being held by the kunai next to her. A huge log swung towards the oto-nin.
"A log?!"
"She also laid a trap above?! Watch out! Nice try, little girl" the fur-backed ninja placed a hand on the log, with the other hand he made a hand sign and the log was reduced to dust. "Clearly you have no talent as a ninja, someone like you needs to make a little more of an effort don't you think?"
"Leave her alone! Konoha Senpuu!!" The oto-nin were thrown away from Sakura with a powerful kick. Sakura gaspd as Lee landed in front of her.
"Wha… What's he doing?"
"Is it so? Need to make more of an effort?" Lee asked.
"You…"
"I am the handsome devil of the leaf village, my name is Rock Lee!"
"What are you doing here Lee?" Sakura asked.
"I will always appear, anytime and anywhere you are in trouble Sakura-chan!" Lee cried. "As I will for Kari-hime and Kita-chan" he said smiling at Kita, who was wagging her tail in delight. His eyes fell across Kari, lying behind Sakura, between Naruto and Sasuke. He noticed with worry her pale complexion and her lack of movement. He turned back to the Oto-nin "Sakura-chan, when this is over… please make sure Kari-hime is alright. She is very precious to me."
"Hai…" Sakura agreed.
"This was all thanks to you little one, but it's time for you to run along. It's up to me now." Lee put down the squirrel resting on his shoulder; which Sakura recognised with amazement as the one that had tried to approach her earlier.
"But right now on his test, we're your enemy" Sakura said with a weak smile.
"Sakura-chan, I already told you. I will protect you until I die. That and you are important to Kari-hime. Her happiness means very much to me."
"Hai… Arigatou, Lee-san" Sakura said softly.
"Looks like I have no choice…." The fur-backed shinobi sighed, tossing his earth scroll to his team-mate. "Zaku, I'll let you have Kari and Sasuke. I'll take care of these two. That guy with the bushy eyebrows is pretty good at Taijutsu, looks like I get to have some fun" he sprinted towards Sakura and Lee, pulling up his sleeve to show the metal device attached to his arm. Sakura flung a kunai at him, but it didn't stop him in the slightest as he jumped up. Lee stuck his hand into the ground and pulled up a lump of tree to shield them.
"I am positive there is some kind of trick to your attack. Therefore, I will not waste my time trying to dodge it." Lee said. "After all, I have seen your jutsu before." He quickly made a plan to attack one at a time, knowing he was outnumbered. He slowly began unravelling the bandages on his arms.
Gai-sensei, I know it is forbidden but I must use the jutsu now, the condition has been met. Sakura-chan, Kari-hime…
"To protect the life of someone precious!" Lee shot underneath the oto-nin, kicking him in the jaw sending him upwards. Lee jumped up behind him and the bandages from his arm wrapped round the enemy tightly, trapping him.
"Oh no, Dosu! There's no way he can break his fall!" Zaku cried, making hurried handsigns. Lee rapidly spun, causing the wind to pick up around them.
"Take this! Omote Renge! Primary Lotus!"
Zaku slammed his hands into the ground, just before they hit it. The dust cleared to show Dosu's legs sticking out of the earth.
"Ha, got you just in time" Zaku said smirking. "That impact could have been much worse for you." Dosu pulled himself out of the earth and shook his head.
"Nani desu ka?! This cannot be!" Lee cried.
"That's a frightening jutsu, it nearly took me out even though I landed on soft dirt…" Dosu said groggily. Lee quickly got to his feet, panting heavily. Dosu lifted up his sleeve to show the metal device again. "Now it's my turn…" he shot forward hitting Lee with his metal covered arm.
"Lee no…" Sakura whispered as she held back a squirming Kita. She wanted to go bite that big bad sound ninja and make him leave Lee alone!
"Your jutsu is indeed fast…" Dosu said as Lee's vision began to swirl. "But ours is even faster because it travels at the speed of sound." Lee fell to his knees breathing heavily. He retched and threw up.
"Lee what's wrong?" Sakura cried. A trail of blood slid from Lee's ear as he groaned in pain. He put his hands over his ear in attempt to ease the throbbing.
"Ooh, I forgot to mention this little gadget I wear. You might be able to dodge my blows, but you can't get away from it. I don't need to strike you with my fists; I can hit you with the power of sound! What makes it possible for the ear to hear things? What is sound really?"
"Vibrations" Sakura said, beginning to understand.
"Give the little lady a prize. Yes, the vibrations of molecules in the ear creates a sound wave. These vibrations are collected by the ear, then directed through the outer ear canal to your eardrum. The rest, as they say, is anatomy. What interests me are the organs of your inner-ear, the ones that control your sense of balance, your ability to move. Feeling a little dizzy? Nauseous? That's right, best if you don't even try to stand up for a while." Dosu said.
"You see buddy, that old fashioned taijutsu stuff won't work on us." Zaku said. "Not that you're not pretty good at it. It's just, what's the point? Compared to our jutsu, that stuff is totally yesterday's news." He pulled his hands out of the dirt. "See I can manipulate ultrasonic waves and air pressure. I can do things you've never even dreamed of. I can obliterate boulders, or make the ground itself as soft as a feather cushion. Face it little man, you're up against the jutsu of the future." Zaku opened his hands and air rushed out of the hole in the centre of each of his palms.
"Now then little girl, it's your turn!" Dosu cried rushing past Lee and towards Sakura and Kita. The wolf cub growled its fur on end. Sakura pulled out a kunai, preparing herself.
"IIE!" Lee cried. He rushed toward them. "Konoha senp—aargh!" Dosu caught Lee's kick then jumped backwards.
"Ha! Not as effective as it was before is it? Still, it's impressive that you can move at all. We'll have to do something about that!" Lee hurriedly covered his ear as Dosu shot towards him. He placed his metal arm against lee's covered ear as high pitched sound waves emitted from it. "Do you hear that? This device amplifies the vibrations of the impact, transforming them into a wave of sound. A sound wave I can control with my chakra, focusing on any target I desire!"
"Lee no!" Sakura cried as Lee cried out in pain. "STOP IT!" Sakura screamed. The waves stopped and lee fell to his knees, then to his side.
"Alright little man, time to end it!" Dosu said, lifting his arm.
"That's what you think!" Sakura cried flinging kunai at him. Dosu just lifted his arm, the kunai rebounding off the metal without leaving a scratch.
"Ah, I'd almost forgotten you…" Kita growled and stood in front of her, hackles raised and teeth bared.
"Ah man these guys are scary! I vote for getting out of here!" Chouji whispered from his point behind the bush.
"Sasuke, Naruto and Kari are out of it and Lee's not looking to good either. It's just Sakura and Kita all alone against the three of those guys. Well Ino? What d'you wanna do?" Shikamaru asked his female team-mate.
"Why ask me, huh?" Ino said, her wide topaz eyes glued to the scene in front of them.
"Well if we don't do something soon she's toast! Are you cool with that? You and her, you were friends once right? Well Ino, what d'you wanna do?"
"Why do you keep asking me that?! Do you want me to go out there and get myself killed?!" Ino snapped. She looked back worriedly. That's all that would happen…
"Catch these!" Sakura cried, throwing shuriken at him instead. Zaku appeared in front of Dosu and used air pressure to send them back. Sakura gasped as her hair was roughly tugged backwards. Kita growled and went to help, but the kunoichi just stepped on her, holding her down with her foot.
"My, my, what soft and shiny hair… But you know what? If you spent a little less time shampooing and a little more time practicing your jutsu, you might not be in this mess." Kita growled, her claws scratching at the ground as she tried to get out. "Hey Zaku, I know what'd be fun; let's make miss beauty queen watch as you finish off Kari and that Sasuke guy"
"Why not, sounds like fun to me" Zaku said as Kita's snarls got louder and her attempts of escape more frantic. Sakura tried to move but was yanked back.
"Don't even think about it" the kunoichi sneered.
"Sakura-chan… Kari-hime… Kita-chan…" Lee said weakly. Tears started to run down Sakura's face.
It's no use… I have no strength left… Way to go Sakura, you let everybody down again! What good are you?! Even now, when the others really need me, I cave. How many times have they saved my neck? You'd think that maybe, just this once, when it's life or death, you'd think that just maybe, I could come through!
"Ok, let's do this" Zaku said, slowly walking towards Sakura's unconscious team-mates. Kita struggled harder, yelping when the kunoichi applied more pressure to her delicate spinal cord and ribs, but she just fought harder, though it was clear she was tiring.
Okaa-san! I need to get to Okaa-san!!
A light purple fog was starting to radiate off Sasuke, coming from his cursemark.
"Man this thing is about to get really ugly!" Shikamaru hissed.
What do I do, what do I do?! Ino thought desperately.
"C'mon" the kunoichi snorted when Sakura pulled out a kunai, her eyes tightly shut. "It's pointless, that won't work on me." Sakura smirked and looked round.
"It's not meant for you…"
"What the?!"
Sakura brought the kunai to the back of her head, slicing straight through her beloved, silky, bubblegum pink hair…