• A figure leaps from tree to tree, their long hair streaming behind them as they land in a crouch on a high branch. The fact that they are completely obscured by the shadows makes them appear ominous and hides their identity. From a distance, one might mistake them for an animal. As they sat, their attention was caught by a distant and muffled sound. Curious, they bound closer to the sound. Silently jumping to and from each tree with cat-like reflexes and amazing speed, they appeared to be nothing more than a dark blur streaking across the sky. As they stop to catch their breath, they take in the scent of blood wafting on the wind. With new strength flowing through their body, they take off in search of the source. Driven by hunger and instinct, they almost lost the element of surprise by nearly hitting their head on the branch above. Luckily, they caught themselves just in time.
    The shadowed figure peers down through the trees directly below, taking in the scene of an unfair fight. A young man in a forest green chunin jacket was surrounded by a band of eight anbu black ops. Their faces were masked by bandages and they all wore a headband bearing the sign of the Village Hidden in the Sound. His hand was clasped over a wound in his right shoulder, blood flowing through his fingers and trickling down his arm, dripping neatly and forming a small pool by his foot. One of the anbu leapt at him from behind, but never made it to his target, for the ninja who had been watching from the shadowed trees above came pummeling down upon him, stabbing their sword in between his shoulder blades. The mysterious newcomer loomed over the corpse as they removed their blade, which was now drenched with bright red blood. The young man, startled by the attack that unknowingly saved his life, whirled around, a kunai in hand, ready to face any danger. They caught his wrist, stopping the attack. He looked up at his rescuer, and was very startled to find it was a girl about the same age as he.
    Several anbu, now recovered from the shock of their comrade’s death by the hands of a sadistic young girl, leapt at their newfound enemy. She turned around and slashed her sword, which ran through her enemies like a knife through warm butter. The bloody pieces of her assailants fell to the forest floor with a sickening thud, sending droplets of blood in every direction. The young man stared in awe at the tattered remains of the sound anbu. Five enemies remained, but it would have to wait. She saw that the young man had lost too much blood, and if the bleeding didn’t stop soon, he would bleed to death. She sheathed her sword, which she kept strapped to her back. To serve as a distraction, she pulled out a paper bomb wrapped around a kunai. She flung it at the others, missing on purpose and hitting a tree. The kunai stuck there, looking harmless. As she had anticipated, one of them laughed and grabbed the kunai. As he did so, it exploded, sending blood everywhere and singeing his arm. The others where not easily fooled, and ran at her. She grabbed the wounded chunin and threw down a smoke bomb. Confused and unable to see, her enemies groped around, attempting to stop her. She made her getaway while they were distracted.
    She ran quickly, the boy cradled in her arms. He would have protested, but he was too weak from the loss of blood. She stopped at a small stream and set him down, leaning him against a large rock. She could see him more clearly now that they were safe. He wore a typical chunin uniform; a fishnet shirt under a forest green vest, long black shorts, ninja shoes and equipment belt. He had medium length brown hair, pulled back tightly into a high and spiky ponytail. He had a windows peak and a pair of small silver hoop earrings. A Leaf Village headband was pinned to his sleeve.
    She pulled out a small bag and gave him a food pill. He chewed it, and immediately felt energy returning to his body. The pain, however, still remained. Relieved, he sat up. The girl pulled out a canteen at her waist and a rag from her equipment pouch. He got to get a closer look at her now that the danger had passed. She had bandages wrapped around her chest, which was surprisingly well curved for her age, and a fishnet shirt. Her left forearm was also bandaged up. She had tattered black pants and bandages as shoes. Her hair was long and black, which she had pulled back in a loose ponytail, with stray pieces that fell into her face as she bent over him. He shifted uncomfortably as she reached over to remove his jacket. Sensing his unease, she slowly withdrew her hands and sat back. He removed his jacket and set it aside. She looked up at him and said,
    “I’m going to have to ask you to remove your shirt as well.”
    He sighs and grudging obliges to do so. She opens the canteen, grabs the rag, and leans over to clean the wound. He recoils in pain, biting down on his lip to prevent himself from yelping. After several seconds he got used to the pain. “Man, this is a drag. Not to mention embarrassing.”
    She ignores him and continues cleaning his wound. He watched her in silence, his eyes searching her for a village headband. She looked at him suspiciously and got up to clean the rag, which was now sopping with blood. As she washed it out in the stream, she said,
    “Well, why do you keep looking at me like that?” she asked, obviously very irritated by his impudent remark.
    Her question took him completely by surprise, and her tone of voice clearly pointed out that she was very insulted by his single murmured complaint. He sat there in silence, trying to think of what to say. Apparently, she was not the kind of person that took things lightly, and a slip of the tongue might cost him his life. She may have saved him, but that doesn’t automatically make her an ally. She looked up at him and cocked her head, obviously very annoyed by his ignorance.
    “You didn’t answer my question.” she said. He looked up at her as she loomed over him. Her hair draping down casting a shadow on her face that made her look even more intimidating. He sighed as he closed his eyes and lifted his head to the treetops. Then he lowered it and replied,
    “I’m just looking at your outfit.”
    “Hmph. You men are all the same.” she said, getting up to clean the rag out once more.
    “What?!” he said, a little startled. “It’s not that,” he continued, noticing his perverted mistake. “Man, you women are all the same.” he added under his breath.
    “Really?” she asked. Obviously she had caught his last comment. “Why is that?”
    “You are violent and have no patience what-so-ever, and you never take things lightly.”
    “Hmph. I must commend you for that.” she replied.
    “Why?” he asked, very confused.
    “You’ve accomplished what none other has done before. You just described me in a single sentence. Though it was a little blunt…” she said.
    They sat there in silence for several minutes, until he spoke up.
    “By the way, you have incredible swordsmanship.”
    He paused to let her respond, but she sat there as if she hadn’t heard him.
    “Where did you learn to use that kind of weapon?”
    “Flattery will get you nowhere.” she replied sourly.
    He sighed. “Just to get the record straight, I was not checking you out. I was just looking for your village headband.”
    “Why? What does it matter to you?” she asked, not enjoying the subject.
    “Well, for one thing, what kind of village lets teenagers carry swords?”
    “I want an answer, not a question.” she replied.
    “Did your village leader teach you?”
    “No. And you still haven’t answered me.”
    “Then who taught you?” he asked, pressing her for answers.
    “That is of no importance.”
    “Actually, it is. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re in the middle of a war, and if the enemy has the ability to teach kids to wield the sword as well as you do, then we have every right to know.”
    “You’re in the middle of a war?” she asked, somewhat shocked.
    “Yes. You didn’t know that?” he asked, equally as shocked that she was unaware of the current circumstances.
    “No, actually I didn’t. Tell me about this war. How long ago was it started, and why?” she asked, suddenly interested.
    “It started not to long ago. Our enemy wishes to destroy Konoha. The sound ninja were probably sent to spy on us.”
    “Hm. I see. That is important.”
    “So will you tell me a little about yourself?”
    “It’s only fair. You told me what I needed to know, so I should tell you what you wish to know. I’m a rogue, and I’m on a personal mission to destroy a certain someone.”
    “Did you have a village?” he asked.
    “No. I was born a rogue. I’m self taught. You have to learn quickly in order to survive outside the comforts of a village.”
    “Hm. I understand.” he replied, not wanting to question her any further. He looked down at his wound, which has stopped bleeding. Despite this, she picked up her rag and pressed it to his wound anyway. “What are you doing?” he asked. She ignored him, and tossed the rag aside. She took a deep breath and placed her hand over his wound. Her palm started glowing with a soft blue ambience, and within moments his wound had healed. He was amazed. A killer AND a healer, all in one. He thought. She sat back and picked up her canteen, checking if there was any water left. As she did so, he noticed that the bandage on her left arm had a bloodstain on it. It was fresh, and was actually getting bigger, spreading through the bandage. “You’re bleeding.” he said in alarm.
    She looked to her arm and shrugged. “So I am.” she replied casually. “Looks like I used a little too much chakra than I should’ve.”
    She removed a fresh bandage from her pocket and redressed the wound. He noticed that it was a scar, shaped like an X. He decided not to ask about it. After a few moments, he realized that he didn’t know her name. So he asked.
    “Um, hey. Y’know, I didn’t really catch your name.”
    “Kieyetsu Mishigori.” she replied.
    “Shikamaru Nara.” he said in turn.
    They sat there in silence for several moments until something caught her attention. She quickly glanced over her shoulder in surprise, as if someone was coming. This confused Shikamaru, because he didn’t hear anything.
    “What’s up?” he asked. She lifted her finger to her lips to tell him to keep silent. She bent down and laid her ear to the ground, listening for any movement. After a few seconds, she got up slowly and started to gather her supplies. Apparently someone was coming. How she heard them from so far away was a mystery to him, but he had no time to ponder this. He then got up and put his shirt and vest back on, ready to leave. As he did so, she flinched again. He kept silent, allowing her to listen. He listened too, but he heard nothing. She cursed under her breath and looked down at her feet. She turned her head towards him and asked,
    “Think you can still fight? Or will I have to save your petty a** for a second time?” she teased.
    Not wanting to be told off by a girl, he pulled out a kunai and replied defensively, “Men cannot lose to girls.”
    He heard it now, the sound of his enemies jumping through the trees, drawing closer with every heartbeat. There were five of them, each coming from a different direction. They were surrounded, and escape would not be easy. He would have to fight.
    Something else caught his attention. Kieyetsu was emptying out the small bag of food pills into her hand. She tossed the empty bag aside, counting the pills as she did so. There were several left, and she popped every one of them into her mouth without a single hesitation.
    What is she, crazy? A single one of those pills can keep a man going for three days upon end! Eating that many may be too much for her small body to handle. I hope she knows what she’s doing. He thought to himself.
    She cracked her neck and started hopping from foot to foot. She was stretching and getting ready for battle. He didn’t see why, judging by her performance of swordsmanship she presented not too long ago. As he had expected, she drew her sword. What happened after that was a complete and utter shock to him. She went over to a tree and stabbed her sword into it. It went all the way through, stopping at the hilt. She left it there. Apparently she wouldn’t be using it. But he had no idea how she got it in there. Her strength must be enormous.
    The wind whistled through the trees, causing them to stir. She stood, alert and ready to fight. She closed her eyes and listened carefully. She heard something, and she turned to Shikamaru and yelled, “Behind you!”
    He snapped to attention as he whirled around just in time to stop the anbu that was attacking him from behind.

    2 B Continued.... ninja