Team Kakashi
We traveled the few days that it took to get to the Land of Waves. The rogue ninja that were surrounding the village were not much of a challenge, but were enough for the villagers to call upon us for help. In the time that we were there (as guests), the village had improved since Gato's tyranny over it. It was more peaceful and the villagers were more receptive (since I saw them on T.V. anyway) to our presence. Inari and his grandfather had been pleased to see Naruto and Kakashi again. I was properly introduced to them and they were pleasant enough. However, I just couldn't keep my head in the game. I could not get rid of that foreboding feeling that I felt. It could only mean that whatever danger that I sensed was yet to come. I kept my face as calm as I could but my body was a bundle of nerves. Naruto gave me a curious stare with his blue eyes and frowned briefly before returning to our hosts, who failed to notice his glance over to me. They had no idea of the danger that we were to face on the way out of the village.
As soon as we left the gates of Inari's village, I started to feel out for any unwanted guests. I took a few deep breaths to quash my uneasiness, but I still got that sense of danger. Kakashi and Naruto were also on full alert. So far there was no one in sight, but that didn't mean that we wouldn't meet anybody along the way. It would take us two days to get back to the village and we already spent three in the Land of Waves. My tension disappeared, but I wasn't about to let my guard down anytime soon.
Naruto stood behind me as we walked and rubbed my shoulders in a friendly and soothing way. I knew he meant to get my mind off of things and it worked for a time but as soon as his hands left, my mind quickly reverted to the impending danger. I kept my mouth silent and my face blank, but I knew I wasn't fooling Kakashi. I could feel his one eye staring at me. He told me that worrying would solve anything. I agreed with this so I tried to occupy myself with a game with Naruto.
Danger will appear when it wants to.
Akatsuki Base
The Jinchuuriki of the five-tailed beast fell to the ground once the sealing technique was completed, dead. The extraction was complete and another eye on the King of Hell statue opened, indicating the capture of another beast. Each member of the Akatsuki relaxed their stances and gathered their bearings. They would continue their search for the remaining tailed beasts-the eight-tails and nine-tails-and to kill those who interfered with their mission.
"However," Leader said. "Capture the kunoichi and bring her back alive. She'll be essential to luring the nine-tails out."
Mina's description was circulated among the rogue shinobi. Deidara went stiff when he heard of her name but kept his anger in check. Sasori looked at his partner and reminded him that the past was the past and that he had an opportunity to face her again. The blonde relented. His partner was the better man here and he knew what was best. Deidara relaxed and took comfort in the fact that there would definitely be another chance to get even with the kunoichi. Revenge would taste sweet and even sweeter when her blood covered his hands. He smirked once they were dismissed and re-deployed to continue their search. The path that the two men took would cross the path of the incoming Leaf Ninja.
Team Kakashi
Damn. That awful feeling came back.
My instincts were continuously telling me that we were going to run into some trouble rather soon. We were in day one of our travels and there was still one whole day left to travel. What's worse: we were in a forest. Naruto stayed next to me while Kakashi decided to take the lead. We were halfway through the first day when we came to a sudden halt. We suddenly put our backs to one another, weapons drawn and bodies tense. I felt out the chakra signatures of our unexpected...and unwelcome...guests. These were very familiar and, unfortunately, our paths crossed once again. I didn't think it would be so soon, but here we were again. I was prepared to fight back even harder than before.
"Twice in a month, hn?"
I came face to face with Deidara and he had a furious look in his eye. He was definitely still sore from the last battle when he was forced to retreat and had every intention of coming after me. Well, there was no time like the present. Deidara launched the first attack with clay spiders and detonated them. We all spread out in every which way and the battle began. Sasori took on both Kakashi and Naruto while the blond focused his angry attention on me. He continuously threw clay bombs at me. I managed to protect myself with my chakra shield but the onslaught continued.
He's pissed.
I took shelter in the smoke from the detonated bombs and took an opportunity to launch an attack of my own. I used several shurikens to provide as a distraction, which was successful, and then punched him hard in his gut. He crashed into several trees. I followed this up with my fire spin and some super powered clones that I had created. Kakashi and I had discussed how I would pull this off. It had required a moderate amount of chakra to power up each clone that I used and a lot of focus to maintain the level of chakra in said clones. It took me a while to master this since chakra control was essential to mastering my invention and look at me now.
"Bitch..." I heard him growl.
Out of the clear blue sky (unfortunately, I mean that quite literally), he attacked me, kicking me right on the chin. He followed that up with a punch to my stomach and that sent me falling to the forest floor and crashing hard. A large hand picked me up by my neck and squeezed hard. My vision was going dark as I tried to pry that large hand (with the mouth on his palm licking and biting my neck, damn it) with mine small and slender fingers. I could hear Deidara chuckling as I finally passed out.
