She walked down the street, her yellow summer dress swaying with each of her steps. She had noticed several disturbances in the area. An increase in ninja surrounding her normal walkway. At first, she was interested, watching as they walked and performed jobs around her, she was always curious to the reason behind them. Her city had become so full of them that she had learnt to accept them in the background.

She walked down her usual street, towards the flower shop her sister owned, a job she had been working at for little over a year when someone bumped into her shoulder. You dropped your handbag before looking behind yourself, attempting to glare daggers at the person who did so. He was much taller than her, a dark look in his lined face, is dark hair pulled into a ponytail and a tight kimono wrapped around him with what looked to be a red cloud symbol decorating. Her heart skips a beat, he was a lot more handsome than she was expecting.

She picked up her bag before watching the man walking away from her. She glanced a little longer than she should, feeling her interest peak in the man, not dressed as the other ninja that she was accustomed to. Noticing the solid line cut through his headband.

She tried to push it to the back of her mind, before turning and continuing to her destination. Entering the flower shop, the aroma of flowers met her, giving her the calming feeling she always felt before noticing the expressions of her sister and brother-in-law ahead of her.

'Is everything alright?' she could see the distressed expression on her sister's face who relaxed at her appearance.

'Florence! Thank goodness you're okay!' Her sister embraced her tightly, confusion still evident on her face. 'What happened? I'm only 5 minutes late?' she laughed with her question, not recognising her severity before noticing the concern still on their faces.

'It's all over the news Flo, the Akatsuki are in the city, they have already killed several people this morning!'

'The Akatsuki? The bad ninjas?' Her interest was piqued, she had heard of them, she had done some research after the increase of ninja in her village, she always enjoyed reading about their recent exploits, she always found them interesting, though always knew of them from a distance.

'The bad ninjas? Florence, they are so much more than that, do you know how many people they've killed?' Her sister had re-joined her husband's side.

'I've read about them, can't say I know what they look like, shit happens. I don't see how it's our problem.' She threw her handbag behind them, before entering the stock room and noticing the large delivery she was going to put out in stock that day.

'I think we should stay closed today. I will organize the stock. Florence, can you walk Charley home? I don't want her to be alone on the streets now?' her brother-in-law walked beside her, ignoring as Florence rolled her eyes in his presence.

'Sure, I'll walk Charley home, not a problem. Not like killer ninja's are out killing pedestrians.' She didn't try to hide her sarcasm as she picked up her bag once again, ignoring the aggravated look from her sister as she exited the shop.

'I don't know why you try to fight with him all the time.' The annoyance in her sister's voice was heavy as they walked down the same route she had walked previously.

'Don't you think you guys are overreacting? Even if they are here, they aren't interested in us, I just feel like I wasted a day. I could have stayed in bed instead of coming here for no reason.'

'No reason?! I gave you this job because of how you have been struggling recently, what is going on with you Flo?' Charley stopped, pulling Florence to give her eye contact.

Florence sighed, wanting to avoid the conversation before noticing the man she had seen this morning. He walked towards them, a slow walk as he held his kimono closed around him. Charley followed her gaze, the colour draining from her face.

'Holy shit. Flo, we have to go. Now.' She gripped her sister's wrist gaining a confused look. 'Okay? What's wrong?'

She was pulled along, down a side street as the man walked past them, locking eyes with her once more, a cold look dawning on her.

'That was one of them. One of the Akatsuki!' Charley whispered strongly to her, breathing a sigh of relief as he walked past them.

'I saw him this morning. He could have killed me if he wanted to. Maybe they aren't as dangerous as you thought they were?' she felt a pull towards the man, wanting to follow after him, her sister's locked hand over her wrist stopping her.

'Not dangerous, eh?' a man from behind them gained their attention. She could feel the anxiety radiating from her sister. The man in front of them, if he could be called that, had a blue tinge to his skin and had the appearance of a shark. He wore the same kimono as the man before them.

'Perhaps we should make an example of you. Show you how dangerous we can be.'