Chapter 26: New Mission! Capture Itachi!
"Wait…hold one…let me get this straight..." Kyoske said, his head shaking.
"What's there to get straight?" Kankuro asked. "We're with you three losers…again."
"Except now, we have more unfortunate company." Temari added dryly.
"What was that?" Neji snapped.
I sighed, feeling my shoulders slump in response to all of them. Hideki was rubbing his temples while Tenten was shooting hard looks in Temari's direction, probably still sore from her crushing and sweeping defeat at the hands of the Sand kunoichi.
"That's enough." Megumi-sensei growled.
"First, is this a wise decision? We're going to be heading into the final round of the Chunin Exams in a few weeks and we're going off on a mission right now?" Hideki asked.
"You are the strongest shinobi your age, not to forget the most promising." Baki said, his arms folded across his chest.
"Do you think we can't handle the mission?" Neji challenged.
"He's not saying that." Kyoske cut in.
"Just don't forget to keep up with the rest of us." Temari sighed.
"I don't need any of you holding me down." Gaara grumbled darkly.
"It's a simple mission! No need to worry or fret! We'll return with plenty of time for you all to train and prepare for the final round!" Guy grinned, showing his sparkling and toothy grin.
"Shut up, Guy." Megumi-sensei grumbled, making the bushy-browed Jonin sweat a little under the hard glare she shot in his direction.
"Someone said it." Kyoske grumbled, earning an elbow to the ribs from Tenten.
"Guy's right. The mission is pretty simple. We're serving as back up for the Cloud shinobi already tasked out for the main mission." Baki explained.
"Long story short, they were tracking a group called the Akatsuki and they've zeroed in on two of the group's members." Megumi-sensei explained.
"They were originally tasked to gather information on the group, but they now their orders are to capture them, or at least one of them." Baki finished.
"How many of us does it take to capture one of those guys?" Kyoske said, looking around.
"And the Akatsuki are a group of rogue ninja, right?" Tenten asked, her question met with brief nods.
"Are we allowed to know who these members are?" Neji followed.
Megumi-sensei shrugged. "They're not sure who the members are. All they know is that they came across what seems to be a hideout of theirs and there are more than one inside, no less than five."
"There's a lot of us, which should make this whole mission that much easier." Baki added.
He had a point. Gaara alone could probably take out two members and the rest, with careful enough pairings would be able to take down whatever else was left. I was about to give a determined nod when I remembered what Samui had to said to be in the bath a few weeks ago. She had told me about her real mission that night, how the Raikage had plans to expose the leader of the Akatsuki and bring an end to them before anyone else could. Itachi Uchiha. I knew then that one of the shinobi in that hideout was him and I felt my hands ball into tight fists at my sides. I had almost forgotten about Itachi and just thinking about him reminded me of Sasuke's steel resolve, his desire to avenge his clan which meant his strong desire to face off against his brother.
"Once we meet up with the Cloud shinobi, we'll break up into smaller groups, scope the area before moving in and breaking down our groups even further. One team will be strictly defense, two will be strictly offense and each team will have a medical ninja just in case." Megumi-sensei said.
"Can't we know those teams now?" Temari asked. "I don't want to be with Kyoske."
"Wha—" Kyoske's head snapped in her direction. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're annoying." Temari growled.
"You're not any better." I added.
Temari's eyes widened as she turned to glare at me while Kyoske snickered into his sleeve.
"You have something to say to me, Miyuki?" Temari growled.
"No." I said, turning away.
"I already said enough once." Megumi-sensei growled. "Don't make me say it again."
"If we're going to do this, we're going to have to at least pretend to have an ounce of respect toward each other. Once we step through those gates, we're one solid team." Baki said smoothly.
"We shall move off, into the horizon, toward our destinies!" Guy said, striking a pose as he did so.
Kyoske rolled his eyes while Tenten sighed. Neji simply shook his head, agitation on his brow as he shot glances at Gaara who looked just as sinister as he always did and equally disinterested. There was tension there for all of us and maybe a lot of it was for no reason and could just be blamed on our history together but, it didn't erase the present. We were currently stuck together and our personal feelings didn't matter. We had a new mission, another side mission apart from our Sasuke/Orochimaru one. I knew that Sasuke would be safe as long as he stuck by Kakashi's side and I knew that Orochimaru wouldn't surface now because it simply didn't match his style. He would stand back and wait, observe everyone and everything until he decided to make his grand entrance again.
We set off a few moments after our briefing and we moved quickly. The alleged hideout was near the Hidden Grass Village just beside Tenchi Bridge. It wasn't bad travelling but it would take half the day just to reach the location and that didn't count our rendezvous with the Cloud ninja. As we moved, I found myself lost in my thoughts, thoughts that circled around Sasuke and Itachi and Megumi-sensei's words. Overall, she hadn't reacted as badly as I thought she would have or maybe that was because she wanted me to see it for myself, that she trusted I'd figure it out on my own.
Sasuke wasn't perfect and yeah sure he could be a complete and utter jerk at times as well, but there was something there, something warm and kind and even sweet. He had a sense of humor and being around him felt right, everything about him, about us felt right as well. I didn't understand how something that felt so right and so good and so effortless, could be bad. It felt like everyone saw something else in him, something I wasn't catching or was completely oblivious to. Sure, he had his quest for vengeance but I remembered the moment in the infirmary during the preliminary rounds. He had said that he might have wanted something else and even though he hadn't specified, a part of me, a small, innocent part of me, wondered if I had some sort of part in those feelings, in that ounce of uncertainty.
"Miyuki?" Tenten's voice burst into my thoughts, making me jump slightly just before her hand came down on my shoulder.
"She's probably thinking about her boyfriend back in Konoha." Temari snickered.
I flushed. "He's not my boyfriend?!"
"You have a boyfriend? Look at our little Miyuki, all grown-up." Kankuro said dryly.
"At least she has someone." Kyoske grunted. "It's better than you and the forever alone sign you carry on your back."
Kankuro swung around to face Kyoske and threw a kunai at him, which Kyoske dodged with ease.
"You speak like you have someone yourself!" Kankuro snapped back. "You're worse than me!"
"In your dreams!" Kyoske growled.
"Is this what we're talking about now?" Temari sighed. "Your sad excuse for love lives?"
"Can we not talk about this?" Neji asked.
"Why don't we try not talking at all?" Gaara asked.
"Ohhh to be young again!" Guy swooned.
"Oh no." Kyoske sighed. "No! Change the subject!"
"I remember when I was around your ages." Guy said. "I was quite the strapping young lad."
"No way." Kyoske coughed.
"You had a lot of girls?" Kankuro asked. "You really must be delusional."
"Sensei, maybe this isn't the best time for you to throw it back to the old days." Tenten laughed nervously.
"There is always time, Tenten!" Guy said triumphantly before looking back at Megumi-sensei and Baki. "As a matter of fact, Megumi couldn't get enough of me back in the day."
"No." Hideki said, seeming bothered by the mere idea.
I couldn't picture the two of them being able to have a normal conversation yet alone share a kiss. Regardless, Megumi-sensei broke away from her conversation with Baki only to give a swift punch to Guy's face.
"In your dreams!" She growled.
"Our sensei wouldn't fall for a loser like you." Kyoske said.
"I don't think anyone could." Kankuro muttered.
"She still…can't…get…enough…" Guy breathed, placing a hand against his wound and swelling cheek, tears twinkling in his eyes.
"Why don' you just shut up, Guy?" Megumi-sensei snapped. "Maybe you'll have a face when we get back to the village if you do."
"I…still…got…it." Guy grunted.
"Yeah, you just can't seem to get those girls off of you." Kankuro added dryly.
"How is little Uchiha, by the way?" Temari asked. I had been relieved throughout Guy's speech about love and being strapping because all attention had shifted away from me and Temari's teasing words. But, of course she would bring it all back to me. Now, there was a hushed silence in the air and even though all eyes weren't necessarily on me, I felt their glances in my direction.
"When we get back, you can ask him." I said through clenched teeth.
"You and Uchiha?" Neji scoffed, a small smirk spreading across his lips. "Why am I not surprised."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I growled, maybe a little too quickly.
"Be careful, she defends her lover boy." Temari continued to tease and I never wanted to punch someone more.
"You must like the smell of fire." Neji said. "That's all."
I flushed at the small glance he shot in my direction and turned away, a sour taste building in my mouth. Now he marked the third person who was damning whatever was beginning to blossom between Sasuke and I.
"Why don't we focus on the mission at hand?" Hideki cut in and I realized that he hadn't spoken much even from the start. I glanced at him, noting the slight edge of irritation he wore on his brow. I knew instantly that something had happened but I also realized that whatever it was it could be numerous things.
"And shut up." Gaara grumbled darkly. Kankuro swallowed audibly while Kyoske's eyes narrowed at the back of Gaara's head. Neji's jaw clenched and Tenten pulled back a little, moving toward the back of our small Genin group. Temari's smirk became slightly strained while I stared straight ahead, finding solace in the quiet Gaara's words had inflicted on everyone. We lapsed into silence that seemed to stretch on for eons but in fact had been about two hours. Two to three hours of nonstop running and ad by the end of it, I was running on pure adrenaline.
"We're almost at the rendezvous point." Megumi-sensei said, breaking the silence after the third hour mark. Everyone was breaking a slight sweat, but we were all doing a good job at hiding it. if we were exhausted, you'd never be able to tell.
A few yards in and Megumi-sensei announced that we could stop. We all darted down to lower ground only to find the Cloud shinobi themselves in the small clearing.
"Bout time you all rolled through." Karui huffed.
Kankuro narrowed his eyes. "We're here aren't we?"
"We should move quickly." Samui mumbled. "They seem to be recovering and they've been in and out mostly for water."
"We believe they'll be leaving soon." Omoi said.
"Ugh! Omoi! That's totally what she just said!" Karui growled.
"She merely insinuated it, Karui! Insinuating is based on assumption and saying it, well saying it saying it. I broke it down so that our friends could just know the main point, have something solid to grab onto instead of noth—"
"Oh my everything…shut up." Kyoske snapped.
"Don't talk to him that way." Samui advised, her eyes narrowing.
Kyoske flushed. "I'm just…it's not…wait I…" He didn't have any words, which was unlike him, but expected whenever it came to Samui. She always left him at a loss for words.
"The teams are as follows." Megumi-sensei said. "Squad one, Miyuki, Karui, and Temari. Squad two, Kankuro, Neji, and Kyoske. Squad three, Gaara, Samui, and myself. Squad four, Hideki, Omoi, and Tenten. Squad five will be Guy and Baki."
"Squad one and two are strictly offense and they'll be going in first, leading the infiltration. Squad three will be standing back, leading the defense, and squad five will be back up to squad one and two while squad four will watch squad three." Baki said. "And no, Kyoske. I won't repeat any of it again."
"Pay attention." Temari snapped shortly after, to a completely flabbergasted Kyoske who had merely arched an eyebrow at the wrong time. He was still a loss for words, probably worse now as he stared between Baki and Temari.
"We attack now." Samui said and nodded toward Karui.
"Sounds good to me." Karui said, cracking her knuckles. "The faster we drag those bastards out the better."
"Who exactly is in there?" Neji asked.
There was a brief moment of silence before Samui stepped forward, her arms folding across her stomach.
"We believe there to be three members inside the cave a few kilometers away from here, one of which happens to be on the most wanted list." Samui explained. "Itachi Uchiha."
There was a moment where I could hear everyone but my team's wheels rolling inside of their heads, well everyone except Gaara's as well. Then, everyone's eyes widened and I could see the titter of conversation about this newest revelation forming on their lips before Megumi-sensei jumped in.
"We move quickly." She said. "No time for mistakes. The faster we get this done, the better off we'll be and the faster you'll all be able to get back to training for the exams."
We all nodded, swallowing our comments and breaking up into our teams. My team set out first, shooting through the trees, following an eager Karui. Behind us, I could hear Kyoske grunting about our speed and Neji telling him to suck it up. When we broke through the thick brush, I could make out the alleged hideout, a little hole in the ground, hidden underneath what looked like a small alcove of trees. It was a small cave of some sort and I knew right away, from the tension in the air that they knew we were coming and I prayed they hadn't anticipated the back up. I had expected them to be ready, but not ready and waiting for this exact moment.
"At least now we get to see what an Uchiha is really capable of." Kyoske grinned.
I glared at him and he shrugged in response as our teams landed just on the outside of the cave.
"What if this is a trap?" I asked. "What if they put up seals?"
"I can check that." Neji said and a few moments later his Byakugan spread across his eyes. he stared for a moment more before shaking his head. "Nothing. It's clear."
"Suspect." Kyoske said.
"Something isn't right." Kankuro said, looking around.
"What are you talking about? They're in there." Karui said.
"Listen." Temari said. "Kankuro's right."
"Listen to what?" Kyoske grumbled.
"Listen to the forest." Kankuro said. "What can you hear?"
We all piped down then and truly took in our surroundings, but all that came back to us was the silence. It was powerful and palpable. Not one creature scurried through the forest floor, not one bird flew through the leaves. The forest was so silent, you could hear a pin drop and be able to find it with little to no effort.
"Impossible." Karui grumbled. "How can it be so damn quiet?"
"There's someone inside." Neji grumbled.
"What are they doing?" Kyoske asked, his hand on his swords handle.
"They're just…they're just…standing there." Neji breathed his brow furrowing.
"Standing there?" Kyoske grumbled.
"It sounds like they're waiting." I said.
"Waiting for what?" Karui asked, her body tense.
I heard something then, something coming in fast through the trees. By the way everyone's body turned toward the sound, we all heard it and we braced ourselves waiting for the worst, except what burst from the trees was the exact opposite of what we had thought. It wasn't enemy ninja, it was just a flock of crows, big, black crows with leather-like wings flapping in the breeze. The whole flock headed straight for us and moved around us so quickly, we couldn't make out anything past their beating wings.
"Grr! What the heck!?" Kyoske growled, swatting at the birds.
"What is this?!" Karui grumbled, as she reached for her sword.
"Where did all these stupid birds even come from?!" Kankuro growled.
I tried to cover myself until I realized the birds weren't really picking at us. they were just flying around us and then I caught sight of one of their eyes, a ruby red color with three black tomoes. A Sharingan.
"It's a tra—"
Before I could finish my sentence, it was too late. Bursting from the flock of crows on top came a metal pole that slammed to the ground between all of us. the moment of impact forced the ground beneath us to implode and we all went flying back into our own clouds of dust.
"I swear you brats are too easy." A familiar voice called from atop the cave.
I grunted and jumped out from my dust cloud to glare at it and get confirmation. Karin.
She glared at me the moment our eyes met. "I'm getting real tired of your face."
I pulled out a kunai in response and braced myself for whatever she threw at me. I had expected to see her here almost, had practically seen it coming really.
"And we're getting tired of your stupid parlor tricks!" Kyoske shouted.
"I'm here to take one of you in, so why don't you make it easy on all of us and just give in right now?" Karui shouted.
"Take one of us in?" Karin scoffed. "You and what army?"
"Don't underestimate us." Temari growled.
"I don't take kindly to empty threats." Karin said.
"By order of the Raikage in the Village Hidden by Clouds, you're coming with us!" Karui pressed further, taking a step forward.
Karin's eyes narrowed in response. "You can tell the old man to come and get me himself."
I was ready to attack right then and there something by my feet caught my eye. Mist, thick and heavy, rising up from the forest floor. I had smelled water in the air earlier and knew instantly that Karin wasn't the only one in the area. There was someone else, someone who knew Hidden Mist techniques. Moments later, the mist had risen and there was no escaping it as well as no seeing through it. our eyes were useless now, well everyone by mine, Kyoske's, and Neji's.
"Mist Jutsu, huh?" Kyoske scoffed. "This supposed to be a joke?"
"No." Karin called. "You're just waiting for something bigger."
"Miyuki!" It was Neji's voice, calling out to me from the mist and I swung around only to meet a massive blade with my kunai. It was a sword with white and slightly dingy wrappings covering it. My eyes widened as I followed the length of the blade and met the eyes of a rogue ninja that my small village had housed before they discovered the truth about him.
"Ki-Kisame." I breathed.
The man chuckled. He looked like a living shark, with gills on his blue-green skin, small beady white eyes and spiky blue hair. He had gotten even bigger in terms of muscle and he towered over me, making me feel small and slightly uncertain. Just staring into his eyes conjured up the little I knew of him which though small, was enough to make my heart race. He was a murderer and a wanted man, the top of the list in the Land of Water. He had planned on overthrowing the government in our land and he was wanted for treason along with a slew of other things.
"Miyuki!" Kyoske called from the mist.
Kisame chuckled and pushed his blade away from mine. He jumped back into the mist, disappearing and I managed to suck in a quick breath. I had seen his forehead protector shining in the dim sunlight and I had also seen the long scratch running across the metal, across our land's symbol. A rogue ninja. A rogue ninja and of all of the ones we came into contact with, it just had to be the Monster of the Hidden Mist.
The mist was dispelled and I swung around just in time to see Kisame appearing above Temari, his massive sword swinging down just as she met the blade with her fan.
"No way." Kyoske breathed, his sword drawn along with Karui's.
"Temari! Hold on!" Kankuro shouted as he pulled off a strap on his Crow.
Temari pushed away from Kisame with a grunt, a light sweat dotting her brow as the massive man chuckled.
"He said to stand back, Karin." Kisame called to Karin who was still standing on top of the cave.
"I wasn't planning on moving anyway." Karin called back.
"Fire Style! Fireball Jutsu!" I called, sucking in a breath before firing off my jutsu at Kisame. He sliced through my attack with his blade and I watched as it dispelled it, the flames disappearing almost instantly. He chuckled darkly, turning his attention to me.
"Is that the best you can do, girl?" Kisame asked, his voice making me shiver.
Neji moved before I could form a response and he moved quickly. He was using his Gentle Fist technique, his Byakugan still activated and managed to hit Kisame's sleeve. It was a narrow miss and I could see the slight agitation in Neji's face.
"Take this!" Kyoske growled, appearing above Kisame when he landed. He was bringing down his word and Kisame chuckled darkly just as one of Karin's metal poles went flying through the air.
"Kyoske!" I shouted in warning. He narrowly dodged the pole and I saw it slice him across his cheek. But, as he drew closer to Kisame, the man lifted a leg and caught Kyoske, square in the back.
He went flying forward, landing face first on the ground. I raced to his side, and helped him sit up while he cringed in pain.
"You're going to have to do better than that, boy." Kisame said.
"Try this on for size!" Kankuro growled as Crow ripped free from his bindings and jumped into the air, opening its mouth to allow a stream of senbon to pour out of its mouth. Kisame blocked it with his sword but not before Neji darted forward.
"Eight Trigrams, one hundred twenty-eight palms!" He shouted. He moved faster than I had remembered and I realized suddenly that Neji had gotten even stronger since I had last seen him fight. He managed to catch Kisame this time, and his hands quickly through the air, hitting vital chakra points, 128 to be exact, with expert precision. Kisame gasped, his already wide eyes, widening further in his skull. He stumbled back, a hand lifting to his chest, shock covering his face.
"Hmph." Neji smirked confidently. "Not so much for talking now, are you?"
Kisame looked up at him and I watched with an icy terror as the shock melted away to reveal a shark-toothed smile. Neji's own smile faltered slightly as Kisame's deepened before his skin became translucent and then burst into water.
"A water clone." Temari breathed.
"Up there!" Karui called, pointing up toward the tops of the trees. Sure enough, there stood Kisame, right at the very top of a fir tree.
"How did he—" Neji breathed.
"He's one of the Legendary Swordsmen of the hidden Mist." I said. "That should be enough of an explanation."
"It's not really, but something tells me we're going to have to take it anyway." Temari growled readying her fan.
"My turn!" Kisame called, his hands forming signs quickly. My eyes widened when I realized what jutsu he was going to use and Kyoske jumped to his feet, realizing the same.
"Water Style! 1000 Hungry Sharks!" Kisame growled, lifting his hands into the air. There was a rumbling behind him and suddenly, the smell of water filled the air right before it formed a massive stretch of wall behind him. I could make out the sharks at the top of the wall, their bodies wriggling around before the wall began moving forward.
"Temari! Counter it!" Kyoske shouted.
"Already on it!" Temari shouted before flapping her fan. "Whirlwind Wall!" Two tornados were created and while one shot forward, meeting the center of the water wall, the second combined with the first to cut straight through. We drew closer together as the other parts of the shark wall came down around us. Karui and Kyoske sliced at any stray sharks and I tensed beside Neji. The water from the Kisame's attack splashed around our feet and once it was over, there was water up to our knees.
Temari was panting heavily by the time it was over and the water settled beneath us.
"Temari, are you alright?" I called to her, sympathy getting the better of me. I had never seen her so tired before.
"Why'd you use that technique out all the other techniques?" Kankuro growled. "Now you've reached your limit."
"I'll be fine." Temari growled back. "Just stay focused on him."
"Impressive." Kisame called from above. "For a Genin."
"We can catch him." Kankuro said. "I have just the trick up my sleeve to do it."
"Whatever it is, once he's in, we'll have to seal it as well." I said. "We can't take any chances."
"So, what's the plan?" Karui growled.
"We lure him out, try and give Kankuro the perfect opening." Neji said.
"I can seal him." I said. "It might not be enough to hold him, but it can hold him until we meet back up with Megumi-sensei."
"Sounds like a plan then." Kyoske smiled.
"Miyuki, stay back then." Neji said, his eyes hard as he watched Kisame jump out of his tree and land soundlessly on the water's surface. "Watch Temari and wait for Kankuro."
"I'll watch Kankuro." Karui said. "Puppet masters aren't too good with close distance combat anyway."
"It looks like it's just you and me against this demon, Hyuga." Kyoske snickered. "You ready?"
Neji's eyes hardened. "Always."
"Be careful." I managed, earning a glance from Neji. "That's no ordinary sword he has there."
"Yeah…I remember." Kyoske growled, biting his lower lip.
"It's the Samehada." Karui whispered.
"He's also no ordinary ninja. He earned his monster title fair and square." I said.
"We'll be fine." Neji said, his voice clipped. "Kyoske, let's go."
"Right behind you!" Kyoske shouted as the two of them shot forward.
It was hand to hand combat at first, nothing but fists and kicks and then Kyoske introduced his sword at the same time Kisame did. Neji brandished a kunai and suddenly there was nothing but the sounds of metal scraping against each other and cutting through the air. This went on for a few moments until the Samehada cut through Neji's kunai, giving Neji barely enough time to dodge the swiping sword. He rolled to the ground just as Kisame swung his sword to meet Kyoske's with a sharp- CLANG!
"You're a pretty good swordsman, boy." Kisame said with a dark smile.
Kyoske scoffed, breaking away from Kisame before bringing his sword down again. It was an opening that Neji took and he moved forward, his fingers coming down on Kisame's arm. He flinched in response and before Neji could land another hit, he jumped back.
Kisame pulled back his sleeve and noted the small red dot that had probably formed on his arm. A chakra point, not necessarily vital, but enough to make him feel uncomfortable at least.
The Crow shot up again and let out another array of senbon which Kisame blocked with his sword. Kyoske moved forward then, jumping up before flicking his wrist at Kisame. Small lightning sparks shot toward Kisame who grunted as the attack struck him. It did little damage, but it definitely made him upset.
"Kisame! Finish these brats already so we can move on!" Karin called out to him.
"What if we just take her instead?" I whispered.
Karui looked back at me.
"I think she knows Itachi." I continued. "If we take her, maybe he'll reveal himself and we can get a two for one."
"That's not a bad plan." Karui said after giving it thought for a moment.
"He's distracted now." Kankuro said.
"It's the perfect opportunity." I said. "Plus we can call for Guy and Baki if anything."
"Or they'll jump in on their own accord." Temari said. "Knowing Baki-sensei he's probably holding Guy back as we speak."
"I'll back you up, Miyuki." Karui said.
I nodded and didn't waste any time moving. I ran back toward Karin who didn't even realize I was coming to her until I appeared a few feet in front of her. She met my kick with her arm and grunted at the force.
"Why you little—"
I pushed off of her and delivered another kick that caught her on the side. She growled under her breath and pushed me off, one of her hands sliding down to touch her wounded side. I smirked at her.
"I'm not holding anything back this time." I said.
"Shame that I'm not in the mod to return the favor." Karin grumbled.
"I've been giving a lot of thought to you ever since we met up the last time, Karin."
"Am I supposed to be flattered by that or creeped out?" Karin said, flicking her wrist as a metal pipe shot down.
I didn't let her comment get to me. "Ever since we first crossed paths, I felt like I always knew you from somewhere, but I could never place you."
"But, then I said his name…I insisted that you had a connection to him and you freaked out." I said as Karin tensed.
"What are you blabbing about?" She snapped.
"I think at the end of the day, I do know you." I said. "You were one of his experiments weren't you?"
Karin seemed to freeze before a dark, violent storm began behind her red eyes.
I smirked, mainly to myself. "I'm right, aren't I?"
"Ever since I met you, I've only wanted to do one thing." Karin said, flicking her other wrist as another pipe shot down her sleeve. "I want nothing more than to kill you."
"He controlled me too, you know." I called out to her as she started toward me. "He made me do terrible things too."
"Argh! Shut up!" She shouted as she lifted a pole, swinging it down to the ground. It shifted beneath me and I jumped off just in time as the top of the cave collapsed into itself. She continued toward me though and didn't slow in her assault. We hit the ground and were still going at it, me on the defense, her strictly offense. She moved quickly fueled by her anger and she was getting even faster as her adrenaline kicked in.
"Don't try and make us the same thing." Karin growled.
"I'm not." I insisted.
She threw a pole at me and I managed to swipe it away from me with a kunai. She darted forward and caught me right in the stomach. I coughed and dropped to my knees just as she sending another fist in my direction. Crow appeared and caught her hand before it could make contact. Its mouth rattled at her and Karin groaned before she flicked her wrist and forced the pole that came down into her Crow's chest.
It gave me a chance to jump away and I did though I felt bad as the Crow crumbled to the ground below.
"Water Style! Five Hungry Sharks Jutsu!" I turned and caught sight of Kisame lifting a hand off of the water's surface and as his fingers moved up, five water spirals rose with them before they grew bigger and bigger, wider and more ominous and took the form of five hearty sharks. They shot forward, jumping down into the shifting waters before shooting up in front of my comrades.
"Kisame's gonna make fish food out of your friends." Karin smiled. "You still have a chance to help them."
I returned her smile which seemed to shock her a little.
"I have back-up." I said just as Baki and Guy shot forward, jumping down into the Kisame fight with ease. Karin was distracted and I shot toward her. I was just about to strike her when one of those Sharingan crows landed on her shoulder. I froze, ending my attack just as she turned to look at the bird.
"Demonic Illusion, Mirage Raven!" A haunting voice said. Suddenly, the steps between Karin and I felt longer. The one crow on her shoulder flew up and suddenly there were hundreds, no thousands of the damn things shooting toward me. My body was filled with sheer terror and I wasn't able to think properly almost instantly. The birds surrounded me and I struggled to swat them away but their talons grabbed at my arms and pulled at my hair. I felt my legs give out from under me as the storming flock of birds made my heart race anymore and I was left completely at their mercy, unable to defend myself.
"Miyuki!" Someone shouted distantly but the damage was done. I couldn't hold in my paranoia anymore. It was all too much to handle and I was blind within this bird swarm. What scared me more was the look in their eyes, powerful and cutting, the tiny Sharingan's staring right into my soul, reminding me how helpless I was.
I screamed with everything I had. It was the kind of terrified, horror-filled and that made people feel just the way it sounded. Frozen, paralyzed, and suffering. I blinked and the bird flock was over. I was lying on my back, my body trembling in the water and I looked up at a giggling Karin who stood beside another body. It was a man who was a whole foot taller than Karin, with jet black hair pulled back into a low ponytail and long bangs that extended past his chin. His cloak shielded his undergarments except for his sandals. His forehead protector had the Leaf's symbol at its center but it too like Kisame's Water symbol was crossed out in a smooth line. In his eyes he had the Sharingan and he stared down at me with impassive eyes.
"Itachi! You came to join the fun?" Kisame called as my comrades fought against his water sharks to no avail every time they dispelled one, they regenerated and it looked like Kisame had summoned even more because even Guy and Baki were fighting their own set.
I looked back at Itachi, seeing myself reflected in his eyes.
"No." Itachi responded after a moment of letting Kisame's words hang in the air. "I came to see what was taking you so long."
