The Sinner and the Saint

by Vergil Creiger

A Saint, patron of murderers and with a history steeped in blood. A Sinner, her soul a graveyard of demons and Malice. Pursued by madmen, they stand alone against the darkness. Alone, but for eachother.

4. Bad Dog!

Chapter 4

The two Mist-nin stepped into the crypt, quickly flanking the doors to allow their leader some sort of ceremony as she entered. Despite their training, both could feel the gorge rising in their throats at the hideous scene before them. The remains of Captain Tsuji and his men had lain undisturbed for several days, and the stench of rotting carrion was attracting great swarms of furry black flies. They could do nothing to change this, unfortunately, as it qualified as a crime scene. Though it was technically outside of the Hidden Mist's area of jurisdiction they had successfully located the massacre under the very noses of the Hidden Rain while searching for Tsuji himself, who they were hoping could be persuaded to join their ranks. The superior who had brought them here was a strong candidate for the throne of Mizukage, the position having been vacated after the demise of the tyrant Yagura.

Speaking of whom...

Both ninja couldn't help but gaze in admiration as she entered. She was incredibly beautiful; her long red hair cascading down her back, her eyes a light green and her lips curled into a supple smile. She was slender yet voluptuous, her curves accentuated by a revealing blue dress that left her shoulders bare and exposed a generous amount of cleavage. Though an impractical choice of clothing for a ninja, both knew she was still incredibly deadly. Most likely, she had received some sort of special training fitting for the adopted daughter of the Lord of Water Country.

Mei Terumi eyed the butchered corpse, the faint smile that perpetually adorned her lips refusing to budge. "Well well, what a pleasant sight this is." She turned to one of the nameless bodyguards. "You there, what were they looking for in here anyway? A man-eating tiger?"

"No ma'am," he replied. "Naruto Uzumaki, Fire Country male, approximately twenty years old."

"Yes, that's how I recall him as well." Her gaze drifted to the rapidly decaying cadavers. "However, I don't see a body of that description. Am I to assume that man killed all these men?"

"I..." The man was struggling to speak, desperately averting his eyes from the grisly scene. "I never imagined a human being could... kill like this... it's horrible..."

Mei lost interest in the man as he was noisily sick all over the floor. "Captain Tsuji," she murmured. "After your exploits in the Hidden Leaf, did you ever suspect you'd trained a monster?" She abruptly turned her back on the dead men. "Hmph, if the Tsuji Artillery Company can't bring in one blonde hermit, then they don't deserve to live." Here she paused and let out a mournful sigh. "And here I was hoping to bring the TAC back to Water for father. What a waste."

The guard who wasn't currently kneeling in a puddle of his own vomit pressed a hand to his ear, apparently receiving a message from the various nin she had combing the country side. As the ninja at the other end of the line spoke, his face lit up with excitement. "Lady Terumi, we have a witness! An elderly peddler claims she saw a suspicious looking man heading in the direction of the crypt!"

"What kind of man? One of Yagura's old followers, perhaps?"

He shook his head. "No ma'am, his description matches that of the missing-nin, Orochimaru." For the first time Mei's expression changed, contorting into one of shock and horror. "And there was a woman as well."

Mei quickly regained her composure. "Another one you say?"

"Yes ma'am. She was quite rough looking, and seemed to be following Orochimaru. Apparently, they were both heading towards this very place."

Turning this fresh information over in her mind, she turned back to the slaughtered mercenaries. "Does this mean he had help?" she mused. "A female ruffian and a missing-nin... a strange combination."

The Mist ninja waited to let his leader gather her thoughts. "What are your orders, ma'am?"

"Identify the bodies and have them returned to their families," Mei ordered, suddenly recalling the one conversation with the late captain she had ever been granted. "I recall the captain saying his six year old granddaughter couldn't wait for grandpa to come home. The girl will surely shed tears of joy when she finds out he's returning earlier than expected."

The guard saluted smartly. "Yes ma'am!"

"Place troops in the Hidden Rain and surrounding settlements," she continued. "See if you can track down Uzumaki." She ignored the reiterated salute, turning instead to the broken bodies one last time. "This is getting interesting," she smirked. "It seems that man possesses some unusual abilities. Now I see why that wizened old war hawk in the Hidden Leaf was so hellbent on tracking him down." A vindictive sneer was allowed as she recalled how she had first heard the name 'Uzumaki', and the details she had managed to glean on his disappearance. "Beware, old man, as the hawk in flight snatches it's prey from the wolf on the ground, I will have that man!"

Of course, Mei had no way of knowing that, even as she said this, the very old man to whom she spoke was in a safe-house in the Hidden Mist itself.

He didn't react as a figure stepped out of the shadows behind him.

"My my, this is quite an anomaly," he said, using his cane to help himself around to face the intruder. The man was bandaged heavily, his right arm and eye completely obscured from view. His one visible eye glared a dull brown beneath shaggy black hair. "Perhaps I'm getting rusty, have I somehow summoned you here by mistake? It's been fifteen years, Orochimaru."

"It has been some time, hasn't it?" chuckled the legendary traitor. "I'm pleased to see you looking so well, oh great magician." His long, serpentine tongue licked his lips in a way all that met him found extremely disturbing. "Or may I simply call you Danzo?"

I see you are still wearing that pasted on smile," sneered Danzo. "You have too much time on your hands, you infectious plague. But what brings you to the Hidden Mist, surely not simply to pay me a visit?" Before Orochimaru could answer the other man gave a harsh, barking laugh. "No, say nothing, I already know."

"Indeed," sighed Orochimaru. "I've found myself at a loss, and it seems I've made a slight blunder. An unforeseen meddler has entered the game, and my little bird is still outside his cage."

"How unlike you to make excuses," said Danzo dryly. "You need not apologize for going behind my back and abducting the Key, indeed I expected you would."

"Come now," countered the younger man. "There's no need to be so severe. I was merely indulging myself in a small diversion. With your grand ceremony drawing near, you needn't deal with minor trifles. I thought I'd lend a hand."

"Hah! You jest!" exclaimed Danzo in disbelief. "Are you telling me you would have delivered me the Key upon his capture?"

"Why, of course. The progress of your secret ceremony is of great interest to me, Master Danzo. If this man, Naruto Uzumaki, is truly the Key to the ritual," A cruel sneer twisted the pale man's lips. "I will do everything in my power to help."

Danzo was visibly disgruntled by his words. This was not the sort of reaction to his plans he had been expecting. "A clever old snake you are," he conceded grudgingly. He paused to collect himself, allowing Orochimaru to examine the inscriptions on the huge pillar at the center of the room. His eyes lit up in recognition.

"The Divine Septagram! So preparations for your Demon's Gate Invocation are almost complete."

Danzo nodded, deciding it would be pointless to hide his actions from the wily missing-nin. "I have taken the liberty of sealing up the Protector of the North, the Black Tortoise of Zhaoyang Village. It would have stood in the way of the rituals... but that no longer matters." He turned back to the pillar, grinning in anticipation. "The Spirit Machine of Kuihai Tower is finally operational! I can now focus entirely on finding the Key!"

Orochimaru chuckled at the other man's blatant fanaticism. "Well well, I look forward to seeing the great sage in action," he drawled sarcastically. "So have you discovered the Key's whereabouts?"

"Of course, I have eyes everywhere on the continent." He smirked, noticing the traitor's look of veiled curiosity. "Heh, very well. I'll tell you. He's in the Hidden Rain."

"Rain," repeated Orochimaru, one eyebrow arched in vague disbelief. He would have thought the man intelligent enough to have left the country by now. "Haven't the dogs of the Hidden Mist been skulking about there recently? I can't imagine how they caught wind of it, but it appears they lie in wait for the Key as well."

"We have nothing to fear from them," scoffed Danzo. "The Mist is in disarray, and staffed with morons. They pose little threat, save for a bothersome fly named Mei Terumi that's been sniffing about. The Key is already mine."

"Splendid," said Orochimaru, somewhat revolted by the crippled man's overconfidence. "I'll be off to Rain then." He grinned at the immediate narrowing of Danzo's eyes. "Please don't concern yourself with me, I have no intention of getting in your way, good sage. I'd simply like to observe your technique from afar, for future reference you see."

Danzo raised his voice as the snake turned his back. "Very well, do as you please." Orochimaru stopped, debating whether or not to reward what was (for Danzo) a colossal gesture of good will.

"Ah yes," he called over his shoulder. "I nearly forgot. There's a rather odd young lady accompanying the Key. Even stranger, she's a Harmonixer, a master of fusion."

For a moment, Orochimaru seriously thought Danzo was about to keel over and die. "What!" he roared. "Fusion! Are you absolutely certain?"

"I'm afraid so," said the traitor, vastly amused by his reaction. "You yourself have a substantial blood connection to the Harmonixer line, do you not?" He leaned forward, suddenly very serious. "I'd rather not see a repeat of what happened the last time you attempted such a summoning. Please, be wary. You wouldn't want to lose the half of your body that remains." He made again to leave, and again paused mid-step. "Ah, that was uncalled for. Forgive me." The space around the Snake ninja distorted, and he was gone.

Danzo grunted, reluctantly impressed by the exit. "Tricky bastard, he spies on me with impunity." He approached the pillar and rested his cane against its base, freeing his good hand so he could lay it delicately on the cold structure. He channeled the dormant power of the Divine Septagram, speaking to underlings in a city leagues away.

"Listen well, minions in Rain. That fraud of a warlock is headed for your city. Do not be outwitted! I shall be most disappointed should you fail to capture a single man! I shall not allow anyone to stand in the way of the Demon's Gate Invocation, our success or failure depends on that man, Naruto Uzumaki!"

That would be the last time that name was mentioned in a while. Soon everyone - Mei, Danzo, even Orochimaru - would know him for what he was.

The Saint of Killers.

Unaware of the moderately historic event currently taking place Hinata sat up, sore all over from spending the night on a bench. She looked upwards at the huge glass dome that covered the park, unfortunately necessary due to the choking rain that was so frequent in the country.

Hence the name.

For a moment she just stared at the blanket of rain water covering the dome, squinting through it to the sky above. With a great deal of effort, she deduced the time. "Morning already," she sighed. "Well, at least we got a little rest." She looked at the adjacent bench, where the Saint was sitting with his arms spread across the back, head back and dozing peacefully. "Even after all that crap that went down, he walked all night. Pretty impressive... for a man, I mean." She stood up and walked over to him, regarding his peacefully sleeping face. "...I think I'll let him sleep a little longer."

She strolled boredly away - to avoid waking him - and stopped when she reached a large fountain. It was huge, all carved statues and leaping horses. Its mossy rim was four meters wide, dominating the pebbled square. The stones covered a relatively small percentage of the ground, most of the park being surprisingly vibrant and green considering it had never been touched by rain. She sat on the edge, staring into the clear, rippling water at her reflection. She raised her fingers to her eyes, wondering at the unfamiliar brown orbs that peered back. She had been hiding behind these false lenses for years now, and yet she still found them strange, unfamiliar...

She was broken from her thoughts as she felt something pulling at the leg of her trousers.

It was a puppy, about the size of Hinata's fist, with ruffled grey fur and a bushy tail wagging furiously behind it. It continued to tug at the worn black fabric, its sharp little teeth wrangling enthusiastically at the hem and its small, cold nose tickling at her ankle. Realizing it had been found out the dog released its prize and stared up at her through soulful, watery blue eyes, yipping adorably. A tiny smile curled about Hinata's lips, and she knelt down to take the little creature into her arms. The puppy whined appreciatively, snuggling happily into her chest. "Y'are pretty cute I guess, ya dumb mutt."

The dog suddenly found itself dropped unceremoniously to the floor. Hinata brought her hands to her head and cried out as a familiar agony tore through her skull.

...life...dec...pt...on...

...a sma...l be...l...you...

As she came back to herself the first thing she became aware of was the puppy, sitting a small distance away and growling at her warily. She shot it an annoyed scowl. "What is it, ya mutt!" She barked angrily. "And... wait, why the voice?" She backed against the fountain, paranoia setting in. Every time the voice had spoken to her to date, some sort of monster had tried to kill her almost immediately afterwards. Deciding there was safety in numbers, Hinata hurried back in the direction of the Saint of Killers.

The puppy watched her go, its head cocked curiously to one side.

The Saint was dreaming when she found him, and as he twitched and murmured she was reminded strongly of the night they had camped out on the plains, before the appearance of Fox Face. Shaking the memory from her head, she shook him awake. "W-where..." the Saint looked up at her blearily, his composure dropped in a rare moment of weakness. "Where am I?"

"You okay?" said Hinata in concern. "You were sweatin' like crazy. Have a nightmare or somethin'?"

He took so long to answer she began to think he would never answer at all. "It was terrible," he said quietly. "I was in a dark room, maybe a hospital, and there was a woman... crying." Hinata was surprised by how frightened she was of something that could unnerve the Saint of Killers, even if it was only a dream. "She... she was staring at me. And then that man, the one from the crypt..."

"Orochimaru."

"Yeah, him. Then he turned up."

"What happened to the woman?"

The Saint shook his head. "I don't know. It got dark all of a sudden, I couldn't see..." He trailed off, staring down at his hands. They were shaking slightly.

Hinata forced out a bold laugh. "Don't let it get to ya. It's just a dream, right? And the old guy, what's his name..."

"Orochimaru." supplied the Saint, managing a small smile. "You knew it a minute ago."

"Quiet you." said Hinata. "Orochimaru, right. If he shows up again, well, I'll make him wish he didn't!"

The Saint laughed, and everything was alright again. "Come on," he chuckled. "Let's go."

Until they they began to wander its streets, neither had ever truly realized what a technological marvel the Village Hidden in the Rain really was. Everything, every building, every street and every scrap of ground the village claimed for its own was encased in domes and tunnels of glass, a network of transparent corridors necessary for protecting the locals from Rain's cruel climate. Myriad machines made for transport, cleaning and pest control scuttled in all directions, ants at the behest of an unknown queen. Certain outside areas that had been enclosed by the walls of glass had been filled to overflowing with rain, forming accidental lakes spilling out onto the drowning earth. Interestingly, the inhabitants of Rain had - for aesthetic purposes - chosen to fill these lakes with various species of fish, so that all but the outermost and most high-roofed districts were granted the unsettling illusion of being underwater.

The Saint of Killers thought it sad that, in a such a wondrous place as this, the first place Hinata wanted to go was a bar.

He nodded listlessly, not really caring as Hinata wandered off to fetch them drinks. He searched for a table, his odd appearance drawing many looks as he stumbled about the smoky room. Some of them were quite appreciative, as the last layers of dust from his extended nap in the crypt had long been washed away by the rain to allow his skin's natural, healthy luster to shine through. However, it was not the various admirers - both male and female - sitting about the room that drew his eye.

Wandering from customer to customer - getting under-foot and looking strongly out pf place - was a small girl. She was wearing a simple blue dress and her hair was long and blonde. Something about her, something in the set of her cheekbones and in the shape of her hands reminded the Saint of one he had known long ago. Soon enough she approached his table.

"E-excuse me sir," she stuttered shyly. "Have you seen my grandpa?"

The Saint sat up, seriously considering the question. "That depends," he said carefully. "What's you grandpa's name?"

"Captain Tsuji," she whispered loudly. "From the Tsuji Artillery Company."

Hinata, who chose that moment to return with the drinks, would never forget the utterly thunderstruck expression on the Saint's face. "You know Captain Tsuji?"

The girl's head shot up, apparently having not expected to receive any answer other than no. "Really," She asked hesitantly. "You know where grandpa is?"

"No," said the Saint, and her shoulders slumped. "I haven't seen him since I was eight years old."

Hinata shot him an incredulous look. "You used to be a child?"

He gave a harsh snort at her expression. "All creatures must start life somewhere, even me."

The little girl looked up at him shyly through her dirty blonde tresses. "So... you really knew grandpa?"

"Knew him?" laughed the Saint. "The man was my mentor, my savior and my friend. He taught me how to fight, how to survive and how to live. I owe him everything." By this point the entire bar was listening to his impassioned speech. Hinata in particular was stunned, as she had gotten used to the Saint as a cool, aloof figure, unruffled by the petty quarrels of lesser creatures. Sure, he had joked a bit when they slaughtered Zhaoyang together, but that was just macabre banter between killers. It didn't count.

"How did-" Hinata paused, cleared her throat and started again. "How did the two of you meet?" The Saint reached out and took his beer, prepared to take a swig... and then thought better of it. He shot his partner a glance.

"Are you sure you want to know?" he asked seriously. "It's not a pleasant story."

Hinata plopped herself down opposite him, Tsuji's granddaughter taking up position to her left. All around the rest of the bar's patrons shuffled closer, every soul there burning with the same feverish curiosity.

"I think I can handle it."

"...Very well then. I suppose it all started around twenty years ago, in the Village Hidden in the Leaves."

"That day, for reasons still not truly understood, the Leaf was attacked in the dead of night. Before they were even aware of what was happening, almost a third of the village had been flattened. In the confusion it was hard to tell what exactly was attacking them. Ninja? Samurai? Or perhaps a natural disaster? Of all things, perhaps it is that last item that best describes what hit the Leaf that night. What attacked them was a demon, an engine of destruction, whose paws caused earthquakes as they hit the ground and whose tails caused tsunamis as they struck the sea. It was the Bane of Legions, Lord of the Tailed Beasts and a Crown Prince of Hellfire. The Nine Tailed Fox."

The gathered audience gasped. Sure, they had all heard this story before, but no-one had ever told it as well as the man who told it now.

Hinata remained oddly silent.

"As the Tailed Beast began its bloody rampage through the Leaf, it seemed nigh unstoppable. The great strength of the Akimichi clan was as nothing before its might, the binding shadows of the Nara could not hold it and the Yamanaka foolish enough to touch its foul mind were returned screaming to their mortal coils, their minds twisted into madness by the poison of the creature's soul. The chakra devouring insects of the Aburame clan and the faithful hounds of the Inuzuka buckled under the beast's presence alone, turning and savaging partners with whom they had been bonded all their lives in a bid to get away, so deeply had they been driven mad by fear. Even the Hyuuga and the Uchiha, those noble clans that see All That Is and All That Will Be, thanks to their wondrous eyes. Even they fell before the invincible monster, their eyes boiling in their heads as they gazed upon the demon's true essence, and found themselves unable to withstand it. As these great clans of the Hidden Leaf and many more fell beneath the Nine Tails' onslaught, all appeared to be lost. Until at last, one man stood in its way."

He fell silent. The expectant crowd stared back at him, until someone got impatient. "Well!" snapped the faceless bar-goer. "What happened next?"

"I'm sorry," said the Saint dryly. "But I don't believe I was talking to you."

"Please sir," Tsuji's granddaughter piped up. "What happened next."

The Saint graced her with a benevolent smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Kanade," she murmured. "Now please, keep going."

He chuckled warmly. "The man who stood alone before the might of the terrible demon was Minato Namikaze, also known as the Yellow Flash for his unique ability to teleport across the battlefield at will. Despite his skill he knew he was no match for the Nine Tails, and so he summoned a God of Death to aid him in battle. With this forbidden summoning Minato traded his own soul in exchange for the monster's destruction. With a mighty shriek, the god plunged its arm into the Fox's body, tore its soul from its flesh and destroyed it utterly. Or so the stories say." The Saint of Killers grinned at his audience, raising one finger into the air. "For the truth is even Death could not slay such a beast."

"That's not true," scowled a pimply young man a few tables away. "Namikaze killed the Nine Tails. Everyone knows that."

"Shut up! It's my story, dammit!" the Saint snapped crankily. "Since he knew he could not slay the creature, Minato decided on the next best thing. He chose to seal it away, though into what proved to be a problem. Eventually, he realized the only thing powerful enough to contain such an entity was a living being. He also knew that sealing it into an adult would only cause the person to be overwhelmed by the Nine Tails' power, so he would use a child, a newborn, whose body would be able to adapt to the vast demonic energies over time. And so the monster was bound to a young boy, whose name is lost to time."

"The child was a nobody. He was an orphan, chosen as he had none who would object to the burden forced upon him." None of his listeners noticed the lie. "He grew up alone, hated and feared by the villagers. Most ignored him, others abused him, deliberately ensured he lived in worst conditions possible or made outright attempts on his life. He held hope, for the longest time, that he would be accepted: that there was some small shred of kindness waiting for him somewhere in he world. But soon he became disillusioned to the nature of human cruelty, to injustice, to fear, to hatred. Until, that is, he met your grandfather."

The child crouched by the side of the road. His head rested on his arms, which were folded on his knees, which were drawn up to his face. His beautiful blue eyes stared dully at the ground, all that was visible to passersby being his shock of spiky blonde hair. Filthy rags hung from his emaciated flesh, his poverty abundantly clear to the uncaring masses. Never before in his life, short though it was, had he ever felt so alone.

"You there," came a sudden brusque voice. The boy didn't stir. "You, boy!" The child raised his head. Remarkably the person had in fact been addressing him, a notion disconcerting to one so used to being ignored. "What are you doing there?"

Sixteen years before his death at the hands of Orochimaru and Captain Tsuji looked much the same as he would then. Same uniform, same mustache, same lines about the eyes and same shrewd, penetrating look. Of course, neither party was about to know that. "Why are you just sitting there in the gutter?" There was no sympathy in Tsuji's voice, as he strongly believed in the notion of helping oneself.

The boy lowered his head to his knees once more. "The villagers burnt my house down," he mumbled miserably. "I have no friends, no family, no money and nowhere to go for help. I suppose I'm just... waiting to die."

The boy was taken completely off-guard by the cuff Tsuji delivered to the side of his head. "Don't be pathetic," he snarled. "It matters not if today was bad. Not today, not yesterday, not any day before. There is always tomorrow. Whether tomorrow holds good or bad, always remember that the future is far too uncertain to give up hope. Do you understand?" The child just gaped at him speechlessly. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND!" Tsuji roared. The boy scrambled backwards in fear, nodding frantically. "Good," Tsuji turned on his heel militaristically. "Now, follow me."

When Tsuji picked the Ichiraku Ramen Bar at random, he wasn't expecting them to react to the starving orphan at his heels in quite the way they did. "Oh my god!" screamed the bar girl, bowling him over. "What have you done to that poor little boy!"

"I-"

"Ayame, what's-" As the girl's father stepped out from behind the bar, his eyes immediately homed in on the tiny blonde. He growled at Tsuji threateningly, hefting an intimidating meat cleaver in one hand. "What the hell have you been doing to that child!"

"Nothing," snapped Tsuji angrily. "I just met him."

Hmm... awkward.

A few hasty apologies and a bowl of ramen later and Tsuji watched as the boy desperately fed himself, the ramen chef's daughter fussing over him all the while. While unused to the attention, the neglected child was obviously enjoying it.

"Thank you," said the blonde. He had just finished his bowl, and was wiping his mouth on one rotting sleeve. "I honestly don't know how to repay you. I'm afraid I don't have any money, so-"

"Boy," interrupted Tsuji. "Shouldn't you be in school at this time of day?"

The child dropped his eyes to the floor in shame. "I used to go to the Ninja Academy, but all the teachers ignored me and refused to help me. The other children were told by their parents not to be friends with me, and a few were encouraged to bully me and call me names. I had no good reason to keep attending." Before Tsuji could get another word in, the chef's daughter grabbed the boy's arm and held it up to the light.

"Where did you get these bruises?"

He wrestled the arm away and hid it behind his back. "The villagers caught sight of me as they set fire to my house. I... They..."

"Were you not taught a means to defend yourself in the Academy?" asked Tsuji curiously.

"No-one taught me anything," the boy spat bitterly. "Least of all how to fight."

Tsuji looked at the miserable child for several seconds before making his decision. Most responsible adults would hesitate to give such a thing to a child, but something forced his hand.

He took the pistol from his belt and held it out to the boy, mentally bracing himself for the legal repercussions of what he was about to do. "Tell me," he began. "Have you ever seen a gun before?"

Whatever the orphan's answer had been, most of the bar's occupants would never hear it. At that moment the door slammed open, three members of the Hidden Rain's civilian police blustering into the room. The fattest of the three immediately homed in on Hinata and the Saint, stepping forwards to make an pathetic attempt at intimidation. "You there, I hereby place you under arrest on charges of murder."

They were spectacularly unimpressed. "I'm sorry," said the Saint unapologetically. "But you're going to have to be more specific. Who exactly did we murder?"

"We killed quite a few people in Zhaoyang," said Hinata helpfully. "Maybe he means them."

"No, those were demons," the Saint argued. "I doubt that the local constabulary'll care if we butcher a few monsters here or there."

"Hm, true."

"Ehem," They both turned as the fat guy gave a pointed cough. He looked pissed at being ignored. "The murder victim in question," he ground out angrily. "Is none other than Captain Tsuji of the Tsuji Artillery Company. Now, come with-"

"LIAR!"

He was cut off by the hand that grabbed ahold of his throat, almost crushing his windpipe as he was pinned against the bar-room wall. The Saint of Killers looked him in the eye, his killer intent pouring off him in waves and causing the nearby civilians to choke on their oxygen in fear.

"Liar," he repeated, quietly this time. "Tsuji wouldn't... He would never-"

"Excuse me," the second policeman flinched as the Saint looked his way. At some point during the exchange, his eyes had clouded to a frightening pitch black. "I-I'm afraid that what he says is true. Captain Tsuji was confirmed as dead only a day ago. His remains, along with four of his men, were discovered in a crypt to the west."

For several seconds, the only sounds were the police chief's choked gasps. Hinata warily rose to her feet. "When you were unconscious," she began. "And I first entered the crypt, there were already bodies all over the floor. Most had their throats slashed, one or two were full-on decapitated."

At last, the Saint allowed his hostage fall to the ground. He turned to his partner, his eyes having turned back to normal. "Was it Orochimaru?"

"No, it was the work of his pet, like a little floating gremlin with a scythe."

"Did it make a noise like this?" The Saint let out a loud, grating squeal, making many people cringe and cover their ears.

"Yes," winced Hinata. "Exactly like that."

"Then it was a Wind Shear," the Saint frowned. "A type of homunculus formed from the putrid vapors of a stagnant pond. This means that Orochimaru isn't just a missing-nin, but also a decently skilled warlock."

"Warlock!" blurted out the police chief. "As in magic? You've gotta be kidding me!"

"Quiet you!" barked the Saint, kicking him hard in the ribs. He turned to Kanade, who hadn't spoken a word since learning of her grandfather's death. As the Saint knelt before her her face was a fixture of shock, silent tears running down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry." Her eyes focused, surprised by his words. "I was there, I was probably in the same room as him when it happened. I could've... should've... done something... ANYTHING!" He fell to his hands and knees, tears running freely down his face. "Please," he sobbed. "Forgive me."

Kanade stared at the weeping man before her. She could see nothing on his face but raw, unashamed grief. He looked a broken man. "It's okay," she whispered, raising one hand to his cheek. "It's okay."

"No," Her hand seemed incredibly small as he covered it with his own. "Not until I bring Orochimaru to justice." He rose to his feet, the crowd parting as he moved to Hinata's side.

"W-wait!" stammered Kanade. "What's you're name?"

"My name?" laughed the gunman darkly. He drew one of his pistols, and the whole room tensed up. "I abandoned my name fifteen years. Now I am merely God's bounty hunter, the patron of assassins, murderers and thieves. I AM THE SAINT OF KILLERS!" He pulled the trigger, and with that single bullet blasted a fridge-sized hole not only in the wooden flooring but also in the several meters of concrete beneath, allowing both Hinata and himself to drop into the darkness below.

As she regained her bearings Hinata could tell from the smell alone that they had landed in the sewers.

She elected to remain where she was, allowing the dust to clear and her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. She heard the Saint mumble something about it being easier to get around unnoticed when underground, and she made a vague noise of agreement.

He was from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, just like her.

And she remembered him.

In her first month at the Ninja Academy, during the only year she had attended, she could remember a blonde boy - short for his age - who had proclaimed loudly to any that would listen that he would be Hokage someday. The boy was nothing like the Saint had described. He was loud, boisterous and brimming with energy and optimism, a far cry from the destitute orphan described earlier.

He also, for some odd reason, wore a neon orange jumpsuit. Far from ideal ninja attire.

But what made the whole thing so damn embarrassing was the enormous crush she had had on him, if they were really the same person. She had been shy, her confidence non-existent due to her father's ridiculously high standards and resulting disappointment, and had latched onto his overpowering confidence like a lifeline. Hinata had admired the boy with almost religious fervor, her feelings underdeveloped yet strong. She had found herself unable to sum up the courage to speak, falling into a blushing, stuttering wreck if he so much as glanced her way, until, for no apparent reason, he left.

But for all those feelings, she just couldn't remember his name!

One thing that stuck in her mind, however, was the three whisker like marks on each cheek. If what the Saint said was true, if he truly possessed the Nine Tailed Fox sealed within him, then perhaps those marks adorned his face still. Subtly, she activated her Byakugan.

She hadn't used the ability in a long time, so it came as a bit of a shock when she suddenly found herself able to see through solid objects. The 'solid objects' part happened to include her own head, allowing for the fortunate byproduct of three-hundred and sixty degree vision. Ignoring the single blindspot where her spinal column met her skull, Hinata focused on the Saint's face.

Sweet baby Jesus. There they were. They had faded almost to the point of invisibility as he had aged, but there they were. Her head decided to do its best impression of a tomato as it sank in. The Saint of Killers was her first love.

But that wasn't all that bothered her.

…"I am merely God's bounty hunter"...

…"The Big Guy was downloading information directly into my brain. Saves him having to teach it to me"...

The Big Guy... was God?"

Oh. Oh, wow.

"Oi, Hinata," She snapped back to the present, coming face to face with the Saint's concerned blue eyes. "You okay? Your face is all red."

"Oi, Hinata, you okay? Your face is all red." As the oblivious blonde placed a hand on his admirers forehead, her face turned a shade of red that had never been seen before in the world of man and would likely never be seen again. Unable to handle the ungodly amounts of blood her brain shutdown, her eyes rolled up into her head and Hinata collapsed backwards in a dead faint.

Hinata scrambled to her feet, putting some distance between the two of them. "I-I'm f-fine. L-lets just-" She stopped as she heard a distinctive click. The Saint of Killers had drawn both his guns and was pointing them at a large hole in the wall, the brickwork having fallen inwards. Hinata was instantly on her guard. "Is something there?"

Eyes glowed in the darkness. "Another monster?" The Saint sounded more resigned than afraid.

"I dunno-" Hinata almost jumped out of her skin when out of the blackness sprang... a familiar grey puppy. "G-goddamnit!" she bellowed. "Don't freak me out like that... well, if it isn't the little mutt from the park."

The Saint hadn't moved an inch, firearms still trained on the helpless canine. He slowly holstered his weapons before squatting down to scratch it behind the ears. "What are you doing here, little fellow?" he said softly. The little creature just whined pitifully.

"Ah, the runt got lost and can't get out," grinned Hinata. "Dumbass."

The Saint raised an eyebrow. "Just like us, no?"

Hinata pinkened. "A-anyway," she grumbled. "Let's go, forget about the dog."

"But we can't just leave it here! Let's take it to the exit, at least." Hinata tried to say no, but stopped when she saw the look in his eyes.

The short blonde scratched the puppy behind the ears, under the watchful eyes of its owner the whole time. "I've always wanted a dog," the scratcher murmured wistfully, reluctantly withdrawing his hand. "Could never afford one though."

"Suit yourself," muttered Hinata. "I wish someone would take us to the exit."

As they began to walk through the brick-walled sewers, Hinata was lulled into a dull, dreamlike state by the sounds of the flowing sewage. She began thinking about the Saint, and the alleged Big Guy.

Was it true? Did the Saint of Killers truly possess the capability to communicate with God himself? Were they talking right now? She shot her companion a side glance. He had yet to revert to his standard chilled demeanor and was cuddling the little dog to his chest. As he continued to smile at it in benevolent warmth, she could see his eyes were still rimmed with red.

Another thought occurred to her. She had remembered him, so what prevented the Saint from remembering her?

A troublesome matter.

"Hey," said the Saint, interrupting her thoughts. "Look over there." A short distance away, a metal ladder led up the side of the wall to a sewage grate set high up on the ceiling of the tunnel. Hinata had completely lost track of time whilst immersed in her thoughts, and hadn't registered for how long they'd been walking. As such, she wasn't sure how deep - or for that matter how far outside - the Village Hidden in the Rain they truly were. The Saint of Killers probably knew though. On the walk from Zhaoyang he had known exactly where he was going every step of the way, which Hinata now strongly suspected was due to the 'Big Guy' helping him cheat.

My God that sounded lame.

"I'm going to take a look," said her companion, holding out the dog. "Hold him for me." She took the scrap of fur with a sigh, ignoring it as it snuggled into her breasts. The Saint clambered agilely up the ladder, and she wondered for the umpteenth time why his hat wasn't coming off in the rush.

"Hey, is this..." The underside of the grate was covered in glowing blue runic symbols, extending in a circle around the center, a smooth round indent marking the origin. "Yup, no question about it. It's a Taoist seal... maybe to keep us from getting out?" He slid down the ladder, taking the puppy back as he hit the bottom. "But who set it? I doubt there's anyone from Rain who can use black magic like this. It doesn't look like we'll be able to get out of these sewers unless we break it."

Hinata frowned. "Break a Taoist seal? How? I don't have a-" She interrupted herself, squinting upwards at the seal. "Wait, it looks like something fits into the middle."

The Saint cocked his head to one side thoughtfully. "I've heard of this kind of occult feng shui magic before. If memory serves there are two ways to break that seal; open the lock on the other side, or destroy its guardian."

"There aren't any guards around, it's just us."

"Nevertheless, I've been getting this oppressive feeling," murmured the Saint grimly. "It's like something's been watching us. Ever since we arrived..."

"Ah, what a pain!" grunted Hinata. "If you're out there, save us both some time and show yourself. C'mon, let's play!"

The Saint flashed his rare, foxy grin. "Hinata, I don't think that's going to work."

"Feh," she snorted. "So what, we need to find the key?"

"Nah, that'd be boring." Before she could stop him, the Saint of Killers had drawn a pistol and was pointing it over his head. There was a crack of gunfire, a burst of eldritch turquoise light and the sewage grate had been blown to kingdom come. Three misshapen creatures materialized about the exit, leaping down to-

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

Ah... nevermind.

"These are no ordinary guns you know," smirked the Saint, holstering his weapon with a flourish. Hinata just stared, slack-jawed, as he began to fuss over the terrified puppy still tucked beneath his arm.

"What happened to 'either lock or guardian'?" she croaked finally. The gunman just shrugged, as though he didn't particularly care.

"The cringing loser who set it just double-locked," he murmured blandly, still distracted by the quivering dog. "Seriously, who does that?" His pet finally calmed down, the Saint rose to his feet. "Odd... I still feel like we're being watched. So whoever set that seal is probably still here..." He span on his heel and began to climb the ladder. "Oh well!"

"Hey, wait for me!"

The sunlight hit Hinata like a slap to the face. After so long underground, it was as though her eyes were being burnt out by the sudden flare of UV. Not everyone, however, had such sensitive eyes as her.

"Hey, Tiny! Come back!"

As Hinata finally managed to open her eyes, the first thing she saw was the Saint, and the puppy breaking off from him at a full-on run. "Aw, the mutt ran away... wait, you named him Tiny?"

He gave her a look. "Is that a problem?"

"...No," she sighed. "Look, forget about him. He's just happy to be outside."

"But..."

"I've always wanted a dog. Could never afford one though."

"Okay, fine!" The Saint gave her grateful smile, and the pair set off in pursuit. They were now outside the Hidden Rain, and luckily the downpour had finally stopped. The ground was a mass of congealed mud, sucking at their boots as they walked. Just ahead was one of Rain's more recent technological investments, an experimental contraption they called an 'airplane'.

As they reached the hangar Tiny was sitting in the doorway, yipping softly. However, before either of them could move to grab him a man in ninja attire stepped out to investigate the noise. Finding the source of the disturbance, he didn't immediately see them. "A stray dog? You lost, boy?" He knelt down to pat the little animal, bring his forehead protector into view. Strangely, he was from the Hidden Mist.

What the hell were they doing here?

It was only as a second Mist-nin stepped out behind him that he noticed their presence. "I-it's them! The terrorists who murdered Captain Tsuji!"

"S-sound the alarm! Alert Lady Terumi at once!"

Hinata cursed as the lower-ranked nin ran off. "Damn dog!" Three more Mist ninja appeared, surrounding the partners. There was tense stand-off, the ninja quivering with fear, Hinata glaring aggressively and the Saint looking around to see where Tiny had gone.

The hangar abruptly exploded.

There wasn't much that could knock out the Saint of Killers, but apparently several tonnes of C4 to the face did the trick. As he came to the first thing he saw was Hinata's face as she leaned over him, shaking him awake and shouting over the ringing in both their ears. Not for the first time, he thought to himself how much better she would look without those damn contacts. She looked way better without them, he'd thought that when they were in the Academy together and he thought that now...

He mentally slapped himself at getting sidetracked and got to his feet. "Hey, you alright?" asked Hinata in concern.

"Y-yes, I'm fine. What the hell was-" He cut himself off as a familiar figure emerged from the wreckage, and his shoulders slumped. "Oh, you've gotta be kiddin' me."

"What's wrong?" it mocked. "I'm just you're little dog, Tiny!"

The puppy was surrounded by a glowing crimson aura, and was trying his level best to look sinister. However, he was only succeeding in looking even more adorable than before.

"The dog," said Hinata blankly. "Is... TALKING! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!"

"You're the one that blew up the hangar, aren't you?" said the Saint, remaining calm. "And just as we were about to make our escape."

"As if I'm going to chase you halfway across the continent," Tiny snorted. "I think not. Now, you're coming with me." He gave a thoughtful flick of the ears. "The blonde man, that is."

The Saint palmed his face, still finding himself completely unable to take the glowing canine seriously. "Who are you? Wait, so you're the one who's been watching us since the sewers!"

"That's correct," smirked Tiny, sticking his snout into the air. He would have went on, but Hinata chose that moment to share a brilliant bit of insight she had just had.

"Oooohhhh, I get it!" she grinned, pointing at the arrogant dog in triumph. "You're Orochimaru! What, did you get reincarnated as a dog after I killed you on the crypt!" Both humans present keeled over with laughter, as the dog looked on in disbelief. "This - (ahahahaha) - this is too much! H-how unbelievably lame. AHAHAHAHA!"

"No, foolish child," Tiny roared furiously, his aura intensifying with anger. "How dare you mention me in the same breath as that... that charlatan! You want to know who I am? Not that you zeroes are even worthy of hearing my-"

"Don't tell me," wheezed the Saint. "Is it 'Tiny' after all?"

"What!" Again, the aura grew stronger. "T-that does it, you bastard!"

Hinata sighed in relief as she finally regained her composure. "Ehe... I can't follow all this. Look, dude, I don't know who y'are but we don't have time to chew the fat."

By now, Tiny's aura had reached mountainous proportions. "Nnngghhh," he snarled cutely. "I shall not stand for this! You shall repent! Taste my wrath, the wrath of DANZO!" With a sudden spasm, the dog began to mutate. It grew bigger and more muscular, its fur falling off in places as its muzzle lengthened to grotesque proportions. Each tooth looked like it belonged on a dinosaur, a set of devil-like horns protruded from its forehead and its eyes were white and soulless. By the time the transformation was finished, it was roughly the size of a van.

The Saint of Killers just smirked, in that 'I know something you don't know' sort of way. "Oh yeah? Well I could destroy you with just four words."

A brief pause. "And those are?"

The Saint turned to Hinata, pointing at the beast-dog with a grin. "He touched your boobs."

A deathly chill settled across the airfield. "So he did." said Hinata soullessly, a look of such cold murder in her eyes that even the indomitable Saint of Killers flinched in fear.

What have I unleashed?

"N-now now," said Tiny/Danzo nervously. "No need to over-react-"

"You snuggled into my chest you perverted old fart!" Wisely, the Saint began to back away from the danger zone. "I'M GOING TO RIP YOUR BALLS OFF!" And everyone present was blinded as her body erupted with light.

The first thing the Saint noticed about Hinata's latest fusion soul was how very male it was. It had the physique of a bodybuilder, orange skin and an extra set of arms protruding from its ribcage. The face was white, with orange spikes sticking out the back of its head in place of hair. Its lower arms were crossed over its bared abs, while its upper arms were hanging loosely by its side. It was also, annoyingly, her tallest fusion yet.

"CLOTHESLINE!" the giant roared, charging forward with surprising speed to catch the beast-dog - who was still blinking away the spots - in the muzzle with one outstretched arm, flipping it painfully onto its back.

"Er... 'scuse me." The Saint turned slowly, causing the quartet of Mist-nin's to cringe in fear. "Aren't you going to help her?"

"ELBOW DROP!" The dog barely dodged the ground-breaking move, rolling out the way as Hinata's elbow crashed into the charred ground.

"You want me to get in the middle of that?" laughed the Saint. "If you're so eager to see someone squished, go on in yourself."

"BOSTON CRAB!" Hinata leapt onto her opponents back, seizing his back legs and pulling them up into an incredibly painful-looking position.

"Yeah... good point." laughed the ninja nervously.

"SUPLEX!" With this last maneuver, Tiny/Danzo managed to squirm away at the last possible moment, due in no small part to him accidentally clonking Hinata in the nose with the back of one horn. Desperately putting some distance between them, the mutant canine rose unsteadily to his feet. Opening his maw to its fullest extent the beast-dog belched a stream of fire at the enraged Harmonixer, catching her full in the chest.

The flames washed off her like water, the skin of her fire fusion totally immune to the onslaught. Raising all four arms in front of her Hinata arranged her fingers in an odd symbol, one the Saint couldn't quite make out due to the blaze surrounding it. A fireball the size of a coconut shot from her hands, carving a tunnel through the blast and torpedoing directly down the monster's gullet. Tiny/Danzo just had time to look startled before the missile detonated in his stomach, his body exploding and sending chunks of smoking dog flesh flying in all directions. The Saint casually grabbed an unlucky Mist-nin and used him as a human shield, thereby avoiding the worst of it.

Her body glowing softly, Hinata returned to her original form. "It should be obvious by this point," she said seriously. "But I'll say it anyway. I. Hate. Perverts."

The Saint of Killers gave a dry chuckle. "If you say so."

His companion smirked cheekily. "You sure are popular with older guys. First Orochimaru, then Danzo... maybe... you have some big secret?"

He stopped laughing. "Don't look at me like that." He pointed at an ugly brown construction that was far enough away from the hangar that it had escaped harm during the explosion. "I think we should use that to escape."

"What the hell is it?"

"An airplane, one of the earlier versions I believe."

"You know how to fly that thing?"

"Of course not," he laughed. "But I will once the Big Guy finishes his download."

Oh yeah. He had God on his side. "Listen to me, blondie. I am not - repeat NOT - going to get in that thing."

He gave her one of his foxy grins. "Really, 'cause I can think of a certain disembodied voice that would be pretty upset to find you'd let me go on alone."

"Dammit."

"Hey!" The duo turned to the hereto forgotten troupe of Mist-nin, their leader giving the Saint a baleful look. Considering the front half of his body was still completely covered in chunks of charred dog flesh, it was understandable if he was slightly pissed. "Where do you think you're going?"

"We were just going to make our escape," explained the Saint, and the ninja opened his mouth. "And let me just point out that if you even try to stop us we'll kill you where you stand. Furthermore, if you try to shoot down that plane after we've taken off we will survive the crash and will come back to get you, in a manner that will make what just happened to that dog look like a god-given mercy. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

A few minutes later and Mei Terumi was standing in the airfield, watching the plane vanish into the distance. "It appears we are moments too late," she sighed. "And the guards failed to stop them, I see. Just how far do they think they can get in that rust heap? Amusing little fools..."

One of the stationed ninja stepped forward, and Mei wrinkled her nose at the unidentified charcoal-colored meat he had coated himself with. "Ma'am, the ninjutsu specialists are prepared to fire. With your permission, we can shoot them down."

Mei laughed delicately. "No need to waste your energy, they'll crash before they get too far."

The man hovered nervously. "I-I apologize for the state of our troops ma'am, I..."

"Don't worry about it," she said dismissively. "I'm heading for Wave; make the preparations. I suppose we shall have to lay traps for them, then lay patiently in wait."

"Yes ma'am, understood!"

Her men took their leave, but Mei stayed a while longer, gazing impassively at the setting sun.