Chapter 90

Still leading the way Chidori came to an abrupt halt as she saw the man waiting outside. Yukari was slow to react, almost running into his view. Chidori shot her a stern look and Yukari replied by sticking out her tongue. Behind her Kaorin slapped her forehead.

"Why have we stopped?" whispered Fuka.

"There's a guy in front of the entrance," said Chidori. "Must be a guard left behind to stop anyone getting in."

"One guy?" asked Yukari. "We stopped because of one guy?"

"We don't know how skilled he is. We can't take any risks with these people," hissed Chidori. "Takino and his men are well trained, and very skilled. And we don't want him alerting the others."

"One guy?" said Yukari dismissively. "I could take him."

"He does look quite strong," said Kimura allowing a quick glance. "I don't think you could take him."

"Plus he has some sort of weapon," said Kaorin. "Like a sabre or something."

Yukari allowed a quick look. Kaorin was almost certain she smirked.

"Sabre?" asked Yukari stretching out her arms and shoulders. "I can do this," she said as she started to step out into the open. Chidori reached out to try and stop her, but it was too late.

"Yo," said Yukari, waving as she ambled towards Costa. The man was surprised at first. Was this a civilian? Given what was happening elsewhere in the village she seemed oddly relaxed. She didn't seem concerned at all. Then Yukari brushed her hair out of her face and he saw the mark of the ninja village.

"I think you should turn back," said Costa. "If you do not, I will have to take action."

"I've seen plenty of action in my time," said Yukari as she continued forwards. "But not in that way," she added waving her finger. Costa just about avoided blushing.

"Please turn back," he said as he drew the sabre.

"She can't do this," said Kaorin as the rest hid behind the building. "Are we meant to be helping her out?"

"She would have told us to do that," said Kimura.

"I think she knows something," said Sakaki.

"I don't think she know anything," said Chidori with her arms crossed. Whatever this teacher planned to do, she hoped Yukari did it fast. She had more important things to do.

Costa took a step forwards, holding his sabre tightly. He was surprised to find that the woman had yet to draw any weapon of her own. Instead she merely continued forwards. Costa almost would have allowed a smile. She was wide open to attack. He could strike her and have her immobile and out of action in a few seconds. Of course dragging her to a hiding place so that Kline person didn't find her on their way back would be difficult, but at least no blood would be spilt. He knew very well what Kline would do if he found her.

He took two steps forward, Yukari three. He was almost within striking distance.

"Say," said Yukari. "Is your name Costa by the way?" she asked.

Costa's look of shock and surprise was clearly visible.

"That it is," said the man. "I guess it is only right for you to know my name before I attack." Yukari smiled.

He jabbed out to attack the first pressure point. Unbelievable quick, so much so that Costa did not believe it at first Yukari shot her hand down and grabbed the sabre blade. In the next instant she had a kunai in her hand and stabbed his own. His automatic reaction released the sabre and she pulled it away from him. He glanced up at her in disbelief.

"A while back you attacked my friend," said Yukari. "She told me about a strange man who attacked different pressure points with a blunt sabre. I've never really seen one used before, they're rare around here. Plus I did get her to describe you to me….after all you could have been a looker."

"I don't understand…" said Costa.

Yukari slammed an elbow straight into his face, knocking him unconscious. As he fell to the floor she dropped his weapon beside him.

"Never underestimate the power of gossip," said Yukari. She turned around to find everyone bar Chidori and Sakaki with their mouths wide open in shock.

Tomo climbed to her feet and this time caught a glimpse of the opponent charging her. She slammed a fist down into the ice and it cracked and gave way as the shadowy figure stepped on it. The figure of Speed fell down into the icy water.

She wasn't certain how, but Tomo was started to find it a bit easier to find and track Speed's movements. When they had first started she couldn't catch a sight of anything until she had been hit. Then she had started catching occasional glimpses in her peripheral vision. Now she was starting to follow her movements as though she were a normal opponent.

From behind Tomo the ice cracked and then burst upwards as the figure jumped back into battle. Tomo turned and surprised herself by blocking the attack. She saw a quiver of surprise pass across her opponent's face too. She hadn't been expecting that.

"Getting a bit too quick for you?" asked Tomo. "I have been fighting and training constantly now for a while…I haven't even had a break for a snack or even a pudding!"

"Not too quick just yet," replied the figure, directing a jab true into Tomo's ribs. The girl gasped in surprise and bent over, more than slightly pained by the attack.

"Awww not fair," groaned Tomo as she backed away. She blinked for an instant and her opponent was gone, merely the icy background standing before her.

"How long will this one last?" moaned Tomo to herself as she stood back up fully. "Better get going," she said, cracking a couple of her knuckles.

Sunlight faded into faintly lit twilight as they stepped into the old building and down towards the entrance of the underground passageway. Yukari peered down, watching a crooked line of rock steps trailing down far beneath them.

"How far does this go?" she asked the others. Chidori merely shrugged, Sakaki said nothing.

"Has anyone here ever been down there before?" asked Yukari. She turned hopefully to Kimura who turned away. "Well this is a pretty good plan."

"All we have to do is catch up with them, and stop them," said Chidori. "We don't need to go exploring, we just need to follow them- and I bet they're arrogant enough to think no one will follow them. They won't bother to hide their tracks; they just want to move as quickly as possible."

"How do you know that?" asked Fuka.

"A hunch," replied Chidori. "They probably think no one even suspects them of anything- I bet they think everyone is preoccupied by the attack above."

"You're doing a lot of thinking there," said an unimpressed Yukari.

"Kline and Shuzo probably believe they can handle any stragglers that may come after them," said Chidori. "They tend to think very poorly of other people."

"Well we can't go and find a map now can we?" said Kaorin. "We just have to keep going- we should be able to catch up with them."

"And remember to be quiet," said Chidori, glancing towards Yukari. She shot an unkind look as Chidori turned away from her.

One of the buildings behind her burst into flames, and she jumped down to the floor as a delayed explosion ripped through the building. Chiyo turned around to watch as the two groups battle once more. A trio of village guards were attempting to hold off a group of the invading mercenaries, and already they were being pushed back.

Chiyo turned away from the skirmish to find herself face to face with one of the other mercenaries. His mouth opened to reveal a crooked yellow smile.

"Hello."

Chiyo surprised even herself as almost reflexively she pulled out one of the two blades she had upon her, dropped down to her knees and jammed the blade into the man's foot. The crooked smile vanished instantly, and he yelled out in pain. Chiyo jumped back up and kicked him in the knees and then once in the chest. She looked on almost in disbelief as he fell to a crumpled heap on the floor. She was surprised she was able to do that.

"I don't like people injuring my men."

Chiyo turned and felt her mouth open in disbelief as a great hulk of a man started to walk forwards. The leader of the mercenaries, Curtis didn't fully clench his fist, he didn't intend to kill, merely to knock out. Chiyo turned away and closed her eyes, waiting for the blow.

It didn't come.

Chiyo opened her eyes and turned back to find Kagura standing before her, holding up both of her arms having blocked the attack. Her arms quivered, and she wore a slight grimace. Curtis tried to push forwards, push her away but Kagura stood fast.

"I can't let you do that," said the girl.