Chapter 15: Mission! Enter: The Land of Rain!

"Naruto and Kyoske you will be in charge of watching the rear. Sasuke you have the front. Sakura will be holding the package and will be in the middle and if we are attacked, Naruto and Miyuki are in charge of protecting her. As for you Miyuki, you're our active medical ninja." Hideki said. "I will be in charge of navigation."

We all nodded, except for Naruto who instantly began protesting.

"Why can't I have the front? Why does Sasuke get to be in the front?" He asked.

"Because Sasuke's fighting skills are superior." Hideki said bluntly which made Sasuke snicker and Naruto's brow twitch with annoyance.

"We're wasting time, can we like…go already?" Kyoske asked.

Hideki nodded and before anyone could say anything else we were walking out of the gates before we started running as quickly as our legs could carry us. Megumi-sensei had thrown the mission file at us once we had gotten back to the hotel and we had read it over quickly. C-rank with the risk level being low to medium. I had only been to the Land Hidden by Rain once before and it had been with Orochimaru. It was a vast, almost desolate city that teetered on the edge of creepy. Cranks and uneven pieces of metal were what made up most of the buildings, jagged pieces and an endlessly rainy sky were only fun additions. I remembered being scared as we walked through the streets and Orochimaru had told me that I had had it all wrong. If anyone should be scared, it was the village.

"Miyuki?" Kyoske tapped my shoulder and I snapped out of my thoughts, turning to face him instantly.

"Sorry." I said. "What's going on?"

"We're going to stop soon." Kyoske said.

"Why?"

"Water break." Sasuke answered. I looked at him and caught him glancing back at us before turning his head forward.

"I'm gonna punch that kid." Kyoske grumbled.

"No you're not." I said.

We stopped a few minutes later, taking refuge under a tree. Kyoske and Naruto drank some water while Hideki pulled out his map and began marking it. Sasuke stood to the side, kicking the toe of his sandal into the dirt, his movements impatient. I sat beside Hideki, watching him work while stealing glances at Sasuke.

"I need to wash my hands." Sakura sighed, looking at her palms.

We weren't anywhere near civilization and according to the map the nearest village was a good thirty minutes away. But, we were making great time and had pushed through with running ever since we left the village and I knew by the end of the day we would be close enough to the Rain village that it would be a twenty-minute walk.

"There's a lake a few yards down to the east." Hideki muttered.

Sakura nodded and rose to her feet. "I guess I can refill your water bottles if anything."

Naruto grinned and offered his bottle. Hideki shot me a glance and I rose to my feet just as Sakura was getting ready to go off.

"I'll go with you." I volunteered with a smile.

Sakura smiled and we took off toward the lake, following the smell of fresh water.

"I'm excited even though this cuts into training time." Sakura breathed after we were a few feet in. "Our first mission together."

I smiled in return. "Yeah it is pretty exciting."

"Though the Forest of Death sounds pretty scary." Sakura said, her finger lifting up to her chin. "But I think we'll be alright."

I didn't have the heart to tell her that she had to be more than careful. Man-eating plants, ravenous animals, and brutal enemy ninja were just the icing on the forest. If it couldn't kill you, then there was a significantly high chance that someone or something in the forest would come pretty close. I remembered our first time walking into it, all wide-eyed and bushy-tailed and it had been a hard slap to the face. Sure it was nothing compared to all that my team had gone through, but the pure brutality of the life of a shinobi had quaked through us. It was easy to have a break down, to be paranoid, or quit and what always surprised me was just how quickly people did so. Groups quit before they even took their first step in.

"You guys will be fine." I smiled. "Nothing to worry about."

Sakura nodded, a light blush on her cheeks.

"You have a great team, Sakura." I said. "I know when it comes down to it you all have each other's backs no matter how much Naruto and Sasuke bicker."

Sakura laughed. "That's true but they work really well together."

"They do?" I could imagine them working well during life or death situations but not in anything else.

Sakura nodded. "Zabuza had captured Kakashi-sensei in the Land of Waves and they worked together to free him. It was…totally awesome."

We had reached the lake and I stared at Sakura, her emerald eyes sparkling as she recalled the memory. I dipped my hands into the cool water and nodded, wishing I had been there to see the two of them in action. I realized I had never seen the two of them fight and though Sasuke was guaranteed to be amazing, I could only wonder about Naruto.

"Though don't tell Naruto I said that." Sakura laughed as she bent down by the lake, dipping her hands inside. "I'm sure he wouldn't shut up about it."

We laughed then and I was about to say something else when a snarky laugh sounded from just above us.

"Well, well, well." The voice said as my muscles tensed. "Look who it is."

I swung around, recognizing the voice instantly as Sakura stiffened beside me, turning slowly. Standing on a thick tree branch was the same kunoichi from Orochimaru's hide out. My heart dropped in my chest. She was still wearing the cloud cape, her expression amused, one of her legs popping out from the slit. But, unlike the other day, the kunoichi wasn't alone. Beside her stood another cloud robed kunoichi with pale skin, amber eyes, short purple hair and a straw hat.

"Wh-who are you?" Sakura asked, worry knitting her brow together.

"Is this another one of your little friends?" The dark-haired kunoichi called with a sly smile. "Where's the other one?"

"What is she talking about?" Sakura asked, shooting me a look.

"She's a Leaf shinobi." The purple-haired kunoichi said, nodding to Sakura's headband.

"Think she's worth anything?" The dark-haired girl asked, amused.

The purple-haired one scoffed. "She seems useless to me."

A vein pulsed in Sakura's forehead and I saw her hands ball into tight fists instantly. She was irked, with good reason, but she wasn't ready for a fight like this and neither was I after the last time. Plus, even if I was, I couldn't fight with Sakura around especially when the other one was involved. I didn't know the purple-haired girl's jutsu and it would be reckless to attack, to fight without the boys by our sides. What we had to do was move. We had to escape somehow, and my mind raced as I struggled to come up with some sort of distraction. The dark-haired kunoichi popped one of her hips to the side and seem to chew her comrades words over in her head as she regarded Sakura.

"Who are these people?" She whispered to me.

"We have to move." I whispered back.

"What was that?" The dark-haired kunoichi called out to me, lifting a hand to cup over her ear as she leaned forward, an eyebrow arched.

"What do you want?" I spat.

"There we go." The dark-haired kunoichi smiled, easing back into her relaxed position. "That's the big talk I remember."

"This is the one from before?" The purple-haired one asked. "The one you were telling me about?"

The dark-haired kunoichi nodded. "Yup and I have to pay her back for the other day."

"You and your grudges…"

"I have to teach her that she can't get off easy and that I don't forget." The hand that was on her hip slid down just as the silver pipe shot down her cape sleeve and I saw Sakura's eyes widen for a fraction of a second.

"Wh-where did that come from?" She asked.

I held my breath and shot her a glance. I had to do something. I couldn't afford to get separated from Sakura because I knew the two kunoichi would split up and just as uncertain as I was with Naruto and Sasuke's teamwork, I was uncertain about Sakura's skill level. I knew she was all book smart which meant she was able to plan but how that translated into hand to hand combat was a totally different story.

"When I say move, you move. Got it?" I whisper-hissed.

"We don't have time for you to teach stupid lessons." The purple-haired kunoichi said, her voice mellow in tone.

"Miyu—" Sakura began as she watched me slowly reach for the kunai pouch on my thigh. As the two kunoichi above argued back and forth, I pulled out a kunai and shot it toward them which the dark-haired kunoichi blocked with ease, but that was what I had anticipated.

What I had needed was the moment it took her to move, the moment her eyes left the purple-haired kunoichi's face and shifted to the incoming kunai. I turned and shot a hard look at Sakura who moved out of the way as I began making hand signs. I inhaled as the dark-haired kunoichi's eyes narrowed.

"Water Style! Raging Waves!" I exhaled a stream of water from my mouth that had as much power and pressure as a waterfall. It was aimed right at the kunoichi in the tree and the attack seemed to slam right into them, a direct hit.

"You got them!" Sakura called, a light smile on her face. I didn't waste time to celebrate and instead jumped back into the water, building chakra in my feet so that I wouldn't sink in and waited.

"That was cute." The purple-haired kunoichi called from above. Sakura and I looked up and the both of us gasped.

She was standing on top of a paper falcon that was about three sizes too big compared to a normal sized one and the sound of its flapping wings sounded more like pages flipping in a book. I was blown away and slightly agitated that I hadn't even sensed her above. Sweat began to dot my forehead as I realized they had even hid their chakra.

"She has a lot of cute tricks." The dark-haired kunoichi called. I swung around and found her standing in the middle of the lake with an amused smile on her lips. "They're getting a little old for me, though."

She began making hand signs and it took me a minute to realize her next jutsu. I was running toward her when the one from above reacted.

"Dance of the Shikigami." I glanced up only to see her body burst into hundreds, no thousands, of tiny papers. The stream of papers swung low before rushing toward me. I pulled out a kunai and tried to dispel a few of them but there was simply too many. I was so focused on blocking that I lost my footing and dropped just as a part of the paper stream broke off and turned toward Sakura. She chose the running option, trying to see if she could throw off the stream by dodging and jumping from tree top to tree top but the stream proved to be smarter and within minutes it had her surrounded.

"Sakura!" I called out to her. She seemed slightly nervous, her eyes darting from side to side. She was trapped and I could see in her eyes that she wasn't sure what to do next.

That was when I heard the sizzling, like a firecracker about to go off and my eyes widened as I squinted at the sea of paper surrounding me. Tiny explosive seals were stuck to the backs of them and it was too late. They went off just a second later, vicious, hot and fiery explosions that I barely dodged even as I dispelled the chakra from under my feet and sunk down into the water.

"MIYUKI!" Sakura screamed.

I had turned onto my side and could feel the burn running along my arm. It wasn't bad, something that could be healed with little to no problem, but the pain most certainly didn't help. I coughed, a good gulp of water burning its way down my throat before I swam back up to the surface a few feet away from the still burning fire.

"Water style! Black Rain Jutsu!" The dark-haired kunoichi shouted, lifting a hand as the clouds above turned stormy and inky black rain began shortly after. Her red eyes sparkled and I was struck with the memory of them again. The small red-eyed girl rushing out to the boy's remains before turning to shoot me eyes filled with such an intense rage, it came close to Sasuke's close.

"Wha-wha-is this fuel?" Sakura sniffed the oil that was beginning to cover her, a bewildered expression on her face. The dark cloud above stretched over the clearing and the paper kunoichi formed again above.

"Are you ready brat?" The dark haired kunoichi asked with a snarky smile on her lips.

I looked at Sakura and ran for her just as both kunoichi above inhaled. I grabbed Sakura's hand just as they exhaled two massive fireballs aimed right for the clearing, inflaming trees as it came down toward us. The flames reflected in Sakura's wide, horror filled eyes, but I pulled her back into the forest. We took off then, running quickly as the flames touched down and a hot wave came with it. I was getting ready to stop when a dark shadow loomed above and I looked up just in time to see the dark-haired kunoichi coming toward us, silver pole extended. I stopped in my tracks and Sakura slammed into my back just as the kunoichi landed, her pole slammed into the ground.

The ground shook before rising and cracking beneath out feet and we were quickly knocked off of our feet. I lost her hand somewhere in the chaos as the attack sent the both of us flying back. Dust and debris rolled up around us and my head slammed into an upturned tree trunk, making my head rattle.

"MIYUKI! SAKURA!" Naruto's voice pierced through my ears as the world around me shook. I was gasping, my throat tight as the dust around me made it hard to see, but I could see his orange jumpsuit above, right before his body launched into the air.

"What are you supposed to be?" The dark-haired kunoichi growled.

"S-Sakura." I coughed and I could make out her body a few feet away from me. She was lying on her side, knocked out.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto's voice boomed above. I looked up to see more orange jumpsuits popping into existence in smoke clouds and suddenly there were at least a hundred Naruto's lunching toward the dark-haired kunoichi.

"I'll teach you to pick on my friends! Believe it!" Naruto shouted. I was rising to my feet, the dust cloud finally starting to fade away and watched as Naruto and the dark-haired kunoichi went at it. The Naruto clones were sending one punch and kick right after the other or often at the same time. The dark-haired kunoichi humored him by dodging until she pulled her metal pole from the ground and began fighting back, destroying the Shadow Clones one by one.

"Shadow Clones?" I breathed as I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. I knew enough about the technique to know that it was forbidden. I was stunned, blown away suddenly while gaining a new sense of respect for Naruto. He had to be strong if he had a technique like that up his sleeve.

"You alright?" Hideki's voice called down to me.

I blinked, swiping at my eyes again as the dark-haired kunoichi dispelled ten Naruto clones before slamming her pole on the ground again, sending a circle of small wind waves to ripple out around her. That got rid of the other clones and sent the original flying back, his back slamming into a tree.

"Naruto!" Kyoske growled before he jumped down along with Sasuke. I ran to Sakura then and pressed two fingers to the side of her neck. She was still alive, but her pulse was a little weak. I closed my eyes and lifted my hands, letting them hover just on the outside of her forehead. She had hit her head, but it was at most nothing more than a slight concussion. I pulled her body up and balanced it against a tree before turning back to see Kyoske and Sasuke fighting the the dark-haired kunoichi who was laughing.

"Water Style! Hand of Waves!" Kyoske shouted, holding out his palm as a powerful jet of water shot out as the dark-haired kunoichi who instead slammed her pole onto the ground, throwing off the attack and sending the stream toward Sakura and I. I was about to grab Sakura when Sasuke appeared in front of us and exhaled a fireball at the water stream. It burst into steam and Sasuke looked back at me.

"She's alright." I said, a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "She just hit her head."

"What happened?" He demanded, his voice low, his eyes narrowed.

I looked down at the damp ground and sighed. "It's my fault."

"There's more of them." The purple-haired kunoichi called from above and a quick glance confirmed she wasn't just above us, she was hovering with paper wings jutting out of the back of her cape, holding her up as she observed the fight below.

"They're like roaches." The dark-haired kunoichi smirked. "Is that the best you have?"

"We're running out of time." The purple-haired kunoichi called. "He'll be upset."

"Let him." The dark-haired kunoichi growled before her eyes settled on me. "I still have lessons to teach."

I pushed myself up to my feet then, my mind still racing. The only option was to run for it. There was no need to involve anyone else anymore. If I could put as much distance between myself and the others, I knew for certain this kunoichi would chase after me and then, after that there would be no need to hold back.

"I'm not afraid of you." I snapped.

"You should be." She growled before running toward me.

Sasuke held his ground in front of me and I stepped toward him.

"Don't be stupid." I growled. "She's way out of your league."

"Hmph." Sasuke growled, his hands in tight fists as the kunoichi approached. I stepped closer just as the Sharingan lit his eyes. The kunoichi was lifting a pole, seeming ready to strike and just as she was about to bring it down, Sasuke looked up at her, his eyes as red as blood and she stopped in her tracks.

It was like she had seen a ghost. She stared at him with wide eyes, her face going pale. Above, her partner tensed.

"What's the matter?" Sasuke growled. "I thought you were going to teach a lesson."

The kunoichi was speechless and instead lowered her weapon, her body shaking slightly as she started to stumble back.

"Karin, what's wrong?" The purple-haired kunoichi called above.

Karin. Her name triggered something deep inside of me and before I could grab hold of the feeling, Sasuke was moving toward her. He was lifting a fist and the kunoichi, Karin, jumped back, dodging it, putting enough distance between them that allowed Sasuke time to form hand signs.

"Fire Style! Dragon Flame Jutsu!" It was one burst of flame in the form of an ancient dragon head and it shot toward Karin. It seemed like a direct hit but it was clear that the moment it hit, it was uncontrolled. The attack was uneven, too powerful for its own good and Sasuke had put too much chakra into it. The ground was already uneven from Karin's previous attacks and it gave out beneath us. I was reaching back for Sakura when Karin jumped out of the smoke cloud, a pipe aimed at Sasuke and I. It was so sudden that we weren't able to dodge it and the attack slammed into us, knocking the air clean out from my lungs. We went flying back and through the violent stream of wind I could make out muffled shouts. My hair whipped around my face, the winds suddenly too brutal, too powerful for my eyes to stay open and soon they were shut tightly.

We landed what felt like an eternity later and I was a weak, wheezing mess as I struggled to pull myself together. My breaths struggled to make it out of my panting mouth and I looked over at Sasuke who looked a little pale as he pushed himself up onto his haunches. My eyes trailed over to our surroundings until I caught sight of the path we had been sent down. Trees were toppled over, roots overturned, the ground pulled up to reveal the cracked and jagged rock pieces beneath. We were standing in a small clearing at the base of a mountain and I realized after a few long moments of staring that we had been blown way off course. I remembered seeing the mountain ledge on the map and knew that if we were on that side it meant that we would be entering the Rain village from a different side.

I looked back at Sasuke only to find him standing a few inches away from me, a hand aimed down at me, his palm open, waiting for mine. I stared at his hand for a moment before I reaching for it. He pulled me to my feet with ease and together we turned toward the aftermath.

"She blew us off the trail." I mumbled, stating the obvious.

"Hmph…" Sasuke said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his shorts before turning to face the mountain behind us. I turned around moments after and stared up at the tall mountainside. It was massive, a monstrosity of a structure that towered over us and would be difficult to get around. It would at least take the whole night if we worked straight through but then I felt the burning reminder on my shoulder and gritted my teeth.

My hand snaked up my arm to touch my burned shoulder and I winced with the fiery pain that shot up as a result. He glanced down at me.

"You're hurt."

"I'm fine." I growled. "We have to keep moving."

He didn't argue and we started making our way around the mountainside. I knew Hideki would push the mission forward. I knew he wouldn't stop to look for us because he knew that I would move forward no matter what. But I could only imagine Naruto and Sakura's reaction and I was suddenly happy to be with Sasuke as opposed to hearing them firing off question after question.

We walked in silence for a while until the pain in my shoulder became too much. I grunted and slowed, digging in my pouch for some bandages. Pulling my shirt back, I noted that the burn was so small, there was no point in wasting chakra to heal it. I was getting ready to wrap my wound when Sasuke handed me the ointment I had given to him after his scuffle with Lee.

My eyes widened a fraction as I stared between him and the ointment and slowly, almost timidly, I took it from him. I opened the jar and slathered some ointment onto my burning shoulder. I clenched my teeth together through the pain and once I had enough ointment applied, I began wrapping, but of course by that time I felt a little disoriented. It was a sloppy wrap but I didn't care. I was rising to my feet when Sasuke pushed me back down and unfastened the tie.

"You don't have to—"

"Who was that girl back there?" Sasuke asked at the same time, the firmness in his voice forcing mine back down my throat. I watched as he began to refasten the bandage and looked down. How could I explain something I barely understood myself?

"I fought her before." I managed. "But I don't know anything else about her other than the fact that she's strong."

"How did she find you and Sakura?" Sasuke asked.

"We were at the lake when she appeared. I don't know anything about the other girl either. But she was more of an observer anyway." I studied his face remembering the look on Karin's face when she looked into Sasuke's eyes.

"Do you know them?" I asked timidly.

His eyes cut over to my face, his hands stilling their quick movements around my arm. He was glaring at me instantly, making me feel stupid for even voicing the words but it was still good to ask. Something had been burning in the girl's eyes when she looked at him, something strong enough to make her freeze up, to lose focus.

"Never seen them before." He said before looking back at my arm.

"She just…she just seemed to remember you from somewhere." I said, my voice low. "That's all."

Sasuke smirked, faintly, but it was a smirk nonetheless. He finished up his bandaging before pushing himself to his feet.

"We should keep moving." He said, his voice dry and free of emotion.

I studied his face, searching for an inkling of doubt until I realized Sasuke Uchiha didn't lie. It was the mysterious air surrounding him that made it feel that way. If he was lying, something told me I would know and he wouldn't be very good at it. I stood up just as he turned around to continue walking and then looked down at the ointment in my hand.

"Hurry up. We're on a tight schedule." Sasuke called back to me, not even turning to shoot me a look. I felt a light blush make its way up my neck and hurried behind him, throwing the ointment into my weapons pouch.

We kept on for about two hours more and my legs were throbbing, exhaustion bursting in my muscles. I wasn't sure how much more I could take and was about to complain when he stopped walking and I almost walked right into him. I jumped back as he turned around.

"What's wr—"

"Someone's following us." He cut me off, his eyes scanning the trees above as my back stiffened. Someone watching us? I tried to sense another body hiding in the trees, opening up my senses to my surroundings but I came up empty. I looked back up at Sasuke and saw the Sharingan in his eyes and noted the hardened expression of determination on his face.

I was about to open my mouth when I heard it, two sets of grunts and the sound of leaves rustling somewhere behind me. I swung around, drawing a kunai, ready to defend just as a body loomed above.

"Ahhh!

"Grr! Take this!"

There were two of them, one heading for Sasuke and the other heading for me and while while Sasuke jumped back, I met the body heading toward me with my kunai blade, our weapons clanging loudly. They had been like shadows, their bodies hiding the sun above, and they landed, unrecognizable thanks to the gray cloaks they wore. Both shinobi held sharp swords and the one Sasuke had managed to dodge, charged toward him again, drawing their sword.

I pushed the body struggling with me back and pulled out another kunai just as it swung at me again, the sword slicing through the air. I blocked it, the metal clanging sharply in my ears again and I pushed the ninja back again.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Sasuke grunted, kicking the cloaked ninja he was fighting back. The ninja stumbled and fell back just as another jumped out from the trees above, wielding a tantō. Sasuke pulled out a kunai and managed to block it, pushing the new shinobi back. He began making hand signs as the third ninja rose.

My ninja came for me again, twirling their sword around to try and throw me off. I scoffed and threw a few shuriken at them, which they blocked but I used the durable, translucent thread to bring them back around and just before the ninja could reach out and strike me, the string wrapped around their body and they fell forward, landing hard and groaning.

"Fire Style! Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke's fireball shot toward the third mystery shinobi. The shinobi stilled as the attack shot forward, consuming their body in the fiery ball of flame.

"Sasuke!" I shouted as Sasuke's eyes drifted above his fireball only to see the shinobi he had kicked back jumping over the flames. Sasuke flinched and I knew he had reached his limit and was reduced to nothing more than hand to hand combat at least for a little while. I began making hand signs before flicking my wrist at the shinobi sailing through the air, their sword raised high atop their head.

"Lightening Release! Thunder!" I shouted as a small spark of lightning shot toward the airborne shinobi. It was a direct hit the shinobi grunted before falling to the ground, their body twitching as they continued to groan.

Sasuke coughed, a hand on his chest as he dropped down to one of his knees.

"Sasuke!" I called again and raced to his side. I placed a hand on his back, leaning over to shoot him a concern filled look. The Sharingan was still in his eyes but it was clear he was still using a great deal of chakra to keep it going.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm fine." Sasuke grunted, before pushing back up. He flinched again but his eyes were set on the cloud of smoke left behind after his massive fireball attack. When it cleared, there was no body on the ground.

"Wh-where did they go?" I asked, my hands in tight fists at my sides as a bead of sweat made its way down my forehead.

"Up here!" Slowly our gaze lifted upwards only to see the tantō wielding shinobi diving toward us, her weapon drain, reflecting the sunlight. Sasuke pushed me out of the way and met her weapon with his kunai, grunting from the sheer weight of her body.

"Destroy them!" The shinobi I had tied up grunted. "Rip them to shreds, Samui!"

My eyes widened as the shinobi landed and drew back her tantō only to come flying back for Sasuke. Their weapons clashed again and I ran forward.

"No stop!" I shouted.

"Stay out of it." Sasuke grunted as he threw the shinobi off of him again, this time sending them a few feet back.

"No!" I shouted before jumping in front of him.

"Miyu—" Sasuke growled as the shinobi charged for us again.

"Samui!" I shouted. "Stop!"

The shinobi stopped in their tracks, their blade raised just under my my chin. Slowly, their hand slid up to the top of their head and they pulled off their hood, lifting their head so they could meet my eyes. It was a woman with fair skin, blue eyes, and straight blonde hair framing her face. She stared at me with a blank expression at first, her eyes studying every spot on mine until recognition hit. Her blue eyes widened and put her tantō away, sliding it back into the protective sleeve on her back.

"Miyuki." Samui breathed. "It's you."

"What's that?!" The shinobi I had tied up shouted.

"It's an old friend." Samui called over her shoulder. "It's Miyuki."

"M-M-M-Miyu-Miyu-Miyuki?" The shinobi still twitching on the side managed.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, his kunai still in his fist as he stared between all three shinobi.

"Apologies." Samui said, her eyes "If we had known it was you, we wouldn't have attacked."

I nodded and reached up to scratch the back of my head. "It's alright."

"Miyuki!" The shinobi I had tied up shouted in greeting before throwing back their head and revealing a dark skin, amber eyes and a head of spiky red hair. "It's me! Karui!"

I smiled as Samui shot a shuriken in her direction, slicing through the thread holding Karui in place. Karui paled before anger took over her features and she shot Samui a deadly look.

"What the heck Samui?! You tryna kill me?!" She shouted.

Samui sighed. "I didn't though, so relax."

"Wha-what?!" Karui growled before stomping over to Samui.

"If that had been a fraction closer to my skin it could've have sliced clean through!"

"But it didn't." Samui said, her head turning so she could shoot a glare at Karui.

"Who's being pessimistic now, Karui?" The other shinobi, who had been twitching on the ground, asked. He was still twitching but it was faint now and he removed his hood, revealing himself. Dark skin, blonde hair and a thoughtful face with a red lollipop in his mouth.

"Omoi." I smiled.

"Miyuki, if you hadn't revealed yourself to us we could have killed you and if we had killed you your team would have sought vengeance over us and we would have had to fight them to the death in a grueling battle." Omoi said, rising to his feet.

Karui turned to glare at him. "Oh would you shut up with all that overthinking?!"

"What are you doing here?" Samui asked, turning to face me, choosing to ignore her two bickering teammates behind her.

"I'm on a mission." I said with a grin.

Samui nodded before looking back at Sasuke. I shot him a quick glance myself and saw that he was still defensive, his kunai still at his sides, his Sharingan still active and his lips pressed into a tight line.

"This is Sas—"

"We should get going." Sasuke cut me off before sliding his kunai back into his holder.

Omoi and Karui stopped fighting to shoot Sasuke a curious look as Samui crossed her arms, an amused smirk lighting her lips.

"No…stay." Samui said, earning a dark look from Sasuke.

"Yeah, let's chat a while." Karui said, her eyes hardening.

Sasuke glared at them while I couldn't help but stifle a giggle. He had no idea who he was giving attitude to.

Author's Note: Confused? Maybe. I envisioned Karin the way I had seen her when her image was first released online-black & and white. The colors just stuck and I also tweaked her personality as well. She is older in my story, about the same age as she is in Shippuden. Despite the changes, there's a few other changes I've made to a few characters but you'll see more of that as the story progresses. I just figured that I should write a little blurb after the chapter to try and answer the big Karin question. Thanks for reading! Keep the awesome comments coming, and like always don't forget to review please and thank you!