[Mei Terumi]

"Fuck." There were a lot of things Mei wished she could wake up to. Yagura tied up and gagged infront of her without chakra. Her family alive and well. A hot husband. But no. Unfortunately she woke up from her hour long nap to Ao. Ao had bad news. "We cannot let it be found out."

Nabu was a very special and important place. It was where most refugees went. Mostly shinobi stayed at the rebellion base itself. But Nabu was where all the innocents were. The one's who did other jobs. And now the one's who supplied food for the Shinobi until Mei could get other arrangements. If Yagura found out about Nabu... "We need to get more information first."

"Who do you suggest we send, Mei-sama?" Ao stood there obediently. Mei loved Ao deeply. Platonically of course. The man basically was her glorified errand boy. Of course those errands involved delivering very important information but still. He never complained unless it was something relatively trivial they were dealing with. Otherwise he was serious and waited for her orders, suggesting things that may be useful.

"Mangetsu and Ameyuri are training their apprentices at the moment and bringing them up to their standards... plus they wouldn't be good for the mission. Urahara's already out on a mission... Kushimaru and Ito are free though." Kushimaru would be perfect for the job.

Kushimaru was probably her most experienced shinobi beside's Ao and one of the strongest. Second to Mangetsu alone if a healthy Ameyur and she herself weren't counted. He was also one of the stealthiest with him only being outmatched by Zabuza.

"I shall get them right away Mei-sama." Ao quickly Shunshined away.

'Why can't nice things happen for once without something horrible happening after?' The rebellion had been on a bit of a hot streak recently. First came the defection of Kisame Hoshigaki. Whilst that meant that they would need to kill Kisame later it was still good because it meant the rebellion didn't need to deal with him for a long time. Then came the destruction of the academy which led into a jailbreak that caused them to get some of their best ninja back and the Kabutowari with its old user dying. Then they got the Shibuki, Jinpachi died, and Zabuza defected.

Of course there were other things like more medicines being discovered and Yagura being screwed over a bit more but they were relatively trivial when compared to what else had happened. But it seemed like for every good thing that happened to them something horrible happened.

Like this.

'Why must Yagura get this lucky?' Mei sighed as she poured herself a cup of coffee. After this was all over she would have to take one long nap. It was then that Kushimaru, Ao, and Ito shunshined into the room.

"You look like shit." Ito helpfully pointed out. "What happened?"

"Yagura decided to say fuck you once more." Mei sighed and stretched out. 'That nap was a bad idea... I need a better chair.' Mei grapped the papers Ao had handed her earlier. "Yagura is setting up another one of his prisons."

"Of course... I assume where its at is why you look like you just crawled out of hell." Kushimaru's back straightened and he stood tall. "And you want me and Ito to investigate." Mei nodded and Kushimaru sighed. "Okay where is the midget setting up his prison now?"

"Nabu."

"Fuck."

"That's what I said." Mei took a sip of the wonderful coffee that she wished she didn't need. "I want you to find out how close he is exactly and to try and capture one of his shinobi for interrogation. Preferably two and a high level one but we'll take any information we can get. This mission is of utmost importance. Nabu cannot fall. Not until we have located another haven."

Kushimaru clicked his teeth and nodded. "I understand Mei-sama." Kushimaru looked at Ito. "Ito you will go all out from the very start if we encounter someone. Fight to kill unless they are weaker than you." Ito nodded with an uncharacteristically serious expression on her face.

"I will." The little girl said.

Kushimaru then looked back to Mei. "We are leaving now." Mei nodded and then Kushimaru grabbed Ito and shunshined out of her office.

"You think they'll be okay?" Ao asked. "Yagura might know about Nabu... he could be there himself." A worried expression fell onto the war veteran's face.

"Of course they will be." Mei gulped down the rest of her coffee and looked at some of the papers on her desk that she wanted to melt. "Kushimaru is one of the few people here who wouldn't die immediately in a fight with Yagura. He could escape too."

Now all she had to do was hope they came back with good news.

[Kukui Tanku]

My expectations when training with Ameyuri had been high. I expected to get my ass kicked a lot. I expected to wish I wasn't getting my ass fried by lightning. I expected to curse out Ameyuri with curse words I didn't even know I knew. I looked at my twitching arm and jumped back, dodging a lightning blast before getting punched in the face and sent into a wall. Needless to say, my expectations were being destroyed right now.

I jumped off of the wall only to see a kick being directed toward my poor, abused face. I grabbed the leg and sent a shock of lightning through it before receiving one of my own as it turned into lightning. 'At least my arm's better...' I looked to my somehow fixed arm and cycled through three hand seals of my own. "Lightning clone ju-" Suddenly, Ameyuri was in front of me. She poised her hand for a punch.

'Got you!' Three clone's formed and I switched with one which Ameyuri punched. Both turned into lightning. 'I almost wish she was using the Kiba blades...' At least then it'd be easier to tell which one was real or not. I looked to another Ameyuri that appeared and threw one of my swords at it. Ameyuri dodged and threw three shuriken at me which I blocked.

I looked at the Ameyuri in front of me and cycled through a few seals effortlessly. "Lightning Style: Electromagnetic Murder!" Using my swords I sent a blast of lightning at Ameyuri. She exploded in a sea of brilliant blue lightning. 'She's behind me isn't she?' I almost didn't want to look behind me. Scratch that. I didn't.

[Lightning Style: Electromagnetic Murder has maxed out]

'I would be happy if this was the first time.' Over the last few weeks I've been seeing a lot of maxed-out screens. Like wire manipulation, Railgun, Lightning clones, Shunshin, and now this. 'I now need intermediate Kenjutsu and Taijutsu to do this and I'll be good.'

Suddenly I felt a kunai poke into my back.

'Not here.' I kicked backward and felt my leg hit something to which the kunai in my back slashed down. I felt a stinging pain and collapsed to the ground. I sighed. 'I suppose that's longer than last time...' I was so glad my pain receptors had been fried by now... I'd feel this all in the morning though.

"Should have switched with a clone again brat. Could have shocked me." Ameyuri chuckled at her own pun before kicking me lightly. "Get up." That I did. "Alright, you did good again brat." I didn't let a smile form on my face this time... Last time that happened I got my ass kicked again so I wouldn't grow a big head. "Your arsenal still needs expanding. You've mastered quite a few jutsu quickly which is impressive but you're still slow. And you need something else to use with your swords since you won't always be able to use jutsu with them."

I nodded sadly. "I know. Not everyone is going to give me that opportunity. I need to do better." I was still slow. Still weak... Even with the stat changes and Running, I'd still be slower than Ito. Maybe with Thunderclap and Flash, I'd be faster but it wasn't great for attacking.

"That's the spirit brat!" Ameyuri grinned before pulling out her own blades. "Now there are a few Jutsu that directly go with the Kiba blades." She charged lightning into them and it appeared around her body. "Since your gonna need speed this jutsu is perfect for you. Its what the third Rakage based his lightning armor off of, the jutsu of your dr-"

"Stop acting like a hypewoman for the jutsu and just tell me the damn name." I sighed as I was bandaging my wounds that would likely be reopened tomorrow. 'Interesting lore though if it's true.'

"Fine." Ameyuri let the lightning around her die out. "Your no fun sometimes brat, you know that?"

"You just kicked my ass." I pointed out.

"Fair point." Ameyuri chuckled. "I'm gonna kick your ass again tomorrow though and I'm gonna enjoy it." I groaned. "Anyways, I'm gonna be teaching you a very important jutsu. But before that..." Ameyuri grabbed my swords and shattered them with a lightning jutsu.

"Hey!" That was just rude... "I technically stole those!"

"They were dogshit swords." Ameyuri then grabbed a scroll. "They would have shattered soon anyways. Even with you taking excellent care of them." Ameyuri then unsealed two longer, better looking taiji swords. "These are the training Kiba blades. These will never break. That and they channel chakra easier with a much cheaper cost."

"Woah..." It then dawned on me... 'This is real huh...' I was going to be a swordsman of the mist. I didn't know how to feel about that. "These sound really damn good. A lot better than my old shitty swords." They were a bit heavier though. Nothing I couldn't get used too. 'I'm a thousand times stronger than I used to be... Thats all I know.' I looked up at Ameyuri and grinned. "Thanks!"

Ameyuri chuckled. "Now that your done ogling your new swords I can teach you the Depth charge." Lightning chakra appeared around her body. "This jutsu modifies your speed and power. Not to the levels of the Raikage's jutsu but this would make you equal to some jonin. Not only does it increase your speed and power but it also allows you to have a sorta defense. Your basically able to run through most earth and fire jutsu with lightning only hurting a bit. Water and wind hurt like a bitch though."

"That... sounds incredible!"

"I know! And I can't wait to kick your ass with it after I teach you!"

I hate my life.

I love my life.

I was currently carrying a sleeping Tayuya with me whilst talking to Choujuro. We had just spent the past three hours teaching Tayuya and being test subjects for her. She was so happy when she managed to pull off a genjutsu that we had trouble with. It was something I'd remember forever. Now though, we were just heading back to our room so we could go to bed.

"You know I never really expected our lives to end up like this." Choujuro was looking at his sword with a fond smile on his face. "Originally it was just me and you. Both of us wanted to get out of Kiri. Then we met Himiko and Sanemi and befriended them. Then we followed your plan and we were free." Choujuro smiled.

"We still had to deal with some opposition though." I pointed out. Remembering those times made me smile too though. It was nice to be on the run with my friends. It was as exciting as it was scary... it felt like I had found some people to call friends. It was nice.

"Yeah. That Hozuki guy..." Choujuro shivered. "He was scary. Like he was just so hard to beat. Thank god we killed him." Choujuro then went back to smiling. "And then we were taken by Kushimaru-sama and Ito to the rebellion. You went on a mission where you stole the Shibuki and impressed Ameyuri-sama enough to become her apprentice, and I went on a mission... Oh yeah." Choujuro suddenly turned red. "I forgot to tell you guys something."

I sighed. "You better not have done something stupid Choujuro." Choujuro tended to be intelligent. But he had his moments of stupidity. Sometimes he like everyone else needed a smack on the head and to be told that they're stupid.

"No!" Choujuro denied. "I just forgot to tell you all something important!" I wondered what it could mean. "I'll tell the others in the morning but I managed to impress Mangetsu Hozuki!" Choujuro whisper shouted. He couldn't help but throw his hands up into the air. "Like you, I might be a swordsman one day!"

'So this is when it happens.' A grin split my face. Choujuro would be at a whole new level of power soon. Good for him. "Nice. I had a feeling something would happen. Your a nice enough guy and your talented."

"Not as talen-" I quickly smacked him. "Sorry." Choujuro's grin gre though. "Anyways Mangetsu-sama wants to train me now! I can't believe it!" Choujuro looked forward. "I'm excited. I'll finally be able to do something. Anything useful." I was ready to stop Choujuro from admonishing himself again but he didn't say anything.

"I know how you feel, man," I said. I could relate to how he felt. I barely did anything useful in my last mission... I wasn't strong. Ameyuri would fix that. She promised me pain after all. "We'll be stronger than ever before man. Never before have our dreams been closer to us."

Choujuro grinned. "Yeah." He then sighed. "I can't wait for that... then I can protect you all." Oh no. That wasn't his job. "I'm a failure Kukui." I opened my mouth but he continued. "I know you, Himiko, and Sanemi will say otherwise but I am a failure. I was supposed to be the strongest of us. The prodigy. Our academy teacher said so. But every time we've faced an issue it wasn't me who did everything. It was you."

"You know, your wrong right?" I smiled at Choujuro. "You may not have planned our escape. But that was a team effort. Not just me. You saved me from that Hozuki so I could eventually deal the killing blow."

"Anyone could have saved you." Why did that sound oddly familiar?

I sighed. "Anyone could have. But ultimately it was you who did it." Why couldn't I get it through his thick skull already? "You were the one close enough and you were the one that did it. You are the reason we're all here today." I then looked at the door we just reached. "You strong. We can all get stronger though. That's what we will do. No use in feeling bad about the past now, right?"

That made Choujuro smile again. "Right."

'No...' I backed away from the monster in front of me... I had been running for the past few hours. Alone. I was out with Tayuya in a nearby town before we were ambushed by Zabuza who wanted revenge. I naturally made a clone to carry her away. "GET AWAY!" I swung my sword at the man who was slowly walking toward me.

"Weak." Zabuza spat. "People like you are the exact opposite of people like me." An Oni like figure began to form behind Zabuza... I felt my limbs lock up. "I am strong and you are weak. I am ruthless and you aren't." Zabuza took a step closer and raised the Kubikiribochou.

"NO!" I broke out of my fear, grabbed some sand, and threw it at Zabuza. 'Why did I have to use all my chakra doing tricks for Tayuya?' Maybe if I didn't I could get away. 'I... I don't wanna die today...' I felt my heart pound in my chest. 'Not... yet.' I began to crawl.

Zabuza sighed. "You are fucking dumb if you think I will let someone as pathetic as you get away." I looked behind me only to see the blade of the Kubikiribochou.

Then nothing...

I sprung forward. Where was I? I looked around... Okay, I was safe... I looked down and saw a hand on my chest. My hand... 'Another nightmare...' Fuck. I had been having way too many of them recently... 'Fuck you Zabuza!' I cursed the demon of the mist mentally. I then looked down and saw Tayuya looking up at me. 'Fuck.' Welp. "Hello, little one." I tried to look as relaxed as possible. "I hope I didn't scare you."

"You had a shitty dream didn't you?" Tayuya asked. She walked closer to me and gave me a hug that I didn't know I needed. "Don't lie to me. Your heartbeat's faster than normal."

'Fuck you Himiko.' Said girl sneezed in her sleep. I sighed. "Yeah..." I hugged the girl back. "This is making me feel a lot better though."

"Liar!" Tayuya poked a finger at my chest. "You still feel bad... What kinda dream did you even have?" Tayuya asked. I noticed she was getting some ninja wire ready... Little did she know that she was messing with a master!

"A bad one." Wrong answer apparently as I was wrapped in the wire. I didn't mind though... I wonder how Tayuya didn't get caught with me? "I'm not lying."

"No." Tayuya tightened her hold on the wire. "But you aren't telling the full truth either!" Tayuya then kicked me down. "Now tell me so I can help you."

'I don't know if I should be annoyed or break out and give her a hug...' I chuckled. "I dreamed about dying again. A bad man cornered me and he's a lot stronger than me." The wire from around me unraveled and Tayuya shaped it into a nice neat coil. "I do feel better now though." This time it wasn't a lie.

"Good." Tayuya then gave me another hug. "You don't need to worry about the bad man anymore. It was a dream and you're here..." Tayuya then hugged me tighter. "I'll protect you even if another bad man comes."

Orochimaru was not getting near Tayuya. 'Over my dead fucking body.' I ruffled Tayuya's hair and chuckled. "You won't need to worry about that. I'll be the one to protect you from any bad men."

"No." Tayuya glared at me. "Don't be a stubborn bitch Sensei. I will protect you if a bad man comes and you won't complain. Got it?" She threateningly took out her flute. I decided to not laugh. Genjutsu sucked.

"Fine..." I lied, this time it got past Tayuya. " You won't need to though. I'm gonna get a whole lot stronger." I smiled reassuringly. "I promise."

"Okay Sensei." Tayuya then yawned before promptly falling asleep.

'Welp.. Might as well go back to bed too.'

[Chapter End]

Holy fucking shit. his chapter seriously took me... Ten days to begin and finish. Wow. It sorta makes sense. Depression has been hitting hard in October it seems. Oh well. Anyways I started off strong when I began this chapter. Then when writing Choujuro and Kukui talk everything just died a firey death. Then promptly got resurrected as a mighty Phoenix with Kukui's nightmare. Honestly I really loved this chapter.

Also wrote this in time for today's release. Chapter 27... Might actually edit that chapter real quick. Fun fact: I barely edit. Unless its some egregious errors I spot then I don't really edit. Mainly since m eyes even with glasses suck and I'm lazy. One day I'll edit the entire fic though.

Anyways, see Y'all soon!

-Tobi