Team Yumi re-entered the Hidden Leaf Village as the sun began to set over the Hokage Monument. They had just finished a mission, and were on their way to report their success to the Hokage. Despite the time of day, various villagers were running, talking, playing, and laughing through the streets. A few ninja discussed their most recent mission, while vendors tried to sell goods to annoyed customers.

 

"Heh... I really missed being in the village!" Koukon grinned, happy to be back home.

 

"Yeah. We can finally rest." Hikari wasn't as enthusiastic as her friend, but still smiled. "I can't wait to go eat some ramen." She rubbed her stomach, having missed her favorite food.

 

"Of course, that's the first thing you think of. It's always ramen with you." Koukon teased Hikari. "I guess that going to Ichiraku wouldn't hurt, though..." He looked over at his teacher. "Yumi sensei, is it fine if we head off?"

 

"Yeah, I'll go check in with Lord Hokage. You three can go off and get something to eat." The woman smiled back at her students.

 

"Alright!" Koukon shouted, and looked over to his teammates. "Let's go, Hikari! Are you going to come with, Kiniku?" He asked his best friend, hoping that the three of them could go together.

 

"It's been a while since the three of us got to go to Ichiraku together, hasn't it?" Hikari asked. "You should come with us, Kiniku."

Hikari paused for a moment to think. "I think we should figure out where our target is before we go and start making a scene. Figuring out our entire plan would probably be a good idea right now."

 

Koukon nodded. "That sounds good... we'll need to be careful moving around here, though."

 

"Yeah, I know." Hikari began scanning their surroundings, and eventually found a small cavern within the same area the two masked men were standing. "I'm seeing someone in that cave over there... It's definitely who we're looking for." She tried to remain calm, but couldn't help feeling nervous knowing how terrible this person was. "Any idea to get there without causing any sort of alarm?"

Shinachiku

 

"Uh..." As much as Shinachiku wanted to come up with a strategy, he was more about being spontaneous and causing commotion than he was at coming up with stealth plans...

"To be honest, I don't really think we have much of an option to get in there without causing any noise." Koukon pointed out. "It might be best for us to quickly take out the guards, and then get on to our main target."

 

Hikari nodded. "Yeah... you two are the best at surprise attacks, so you can lead that one. I'll help out the best I can, too." She suggested a plan. "Now we just need a way to get the attention of the others... Any ideas?"

 

"Uh... I've got my Fire Style jutsu, but that might not be the best thing to use here in the forest." Koukon sighed.

Shinachiku

 

"Hmm... ooh I know!" Shinachiku said, snapping his fingers after the thoughts beamed into his head. "I can use my shadow clones to take all of them out at once! We'll all sneak up behind 'em and then nail them with a Rasengan! They all won't know what hit 'em!"

"That... would probably work, actually." Hikari said, impressed by her younger brother's plan. "After that, we can run in to get the target. We'll just need to alert the others..."

Shinachiku

 

"All right!" Shinachiku surveyed the target group of shinobi. "So, should you guys just stack back?"

"Sure. We'll make a signal for the others once you've taken those guys down." Hikari told Shinachiku.

 

"Yeah, leave that part to us. We'll be right behind ya when you're finished." Koukon added, giving his friend a thumbs up.

Shinachiku

 

"Okay then!" Shinachiku said.

 

As the troop went about their way, Shinachiku sneaked closer to their formation. He then produced several clones and had them dig into the ground, following them and remaining unknown to their targets.

 

Suddenly, the Hokage's son and his clones popped up in front of each of their targets and hit them with an already loaded Rasengan, taking them all out instantly.

"Alright, they're all down! Now..." Koukon took a flashbomb that he'd kept with his various tools and threw it nearby, hoping that the others would notice the burst of light. "Let's go!" He told Hikari.

 

"Right." She nodded. She wanted to tell Koukon to stay safe, but before she could, he had already darted off. Figures that he'd be trying to catch up to Shinachiku... She chased after Koukon. The two quickly met up with Shinachiku.

 

"Nice job!" Koukon congratulated his friend.

 

"We're not done yet, you two. There's still our main target... Follow me." Hikari led the group to a nearby cave...

Shinachiku

 

"Ah, it was a piece of cake!" Shinachiku bragged.

 

Afterwards, Shinachiku followed the others to the cave.

Shinachiku

 

"Ah, it was a piece of cake!" Shinachiku bragged.

 

Afterwards, Shinachiku followed the others to the cave.

Upon entering the cave, the three could immediately notice a figure standing in the center of a small circular room. The figure was facing the three, and was clearly a woman. She had short black hair, and wore a plain black cloak. "Ah... you three look familiar." She smirked. "I assume you're the ones who eliminated my guards...?" She asked.

Upon entering the cave, the three could immediately notice a figure standing in the center of a small circular room. The figure was facing the three, and was clearly a woman. She had short black hair, and wore a plain black cloak. "Ah... you three look familiar." She smirked. "I assume you're the ones who eliminated my guards...?" She asked.

 

Shinachiku

 

"Yeah, we sure are. What's it to ya?" Shinachiku asked.

Shinachiku

 

"Yeah, we sure are. What's it to ya?" Shinachiku asked.

"Oh, I don't care. I didn't expect them to last long against you lot, anyway. I just want a chance to fight you myself..." Her smirk turned into a slightly more twisted smile. "You two boys ruined my plan, and the girl didn't help much either... Too bad Kiniku isn't here, or I could eliminate all of you in one go. I suppose I'll have to settle for the others, though."

"Oh, I don't care. I didn't expect them to last long against you lot, anyway. I just want a chance to fight you myself..." Her smirk turned into a slightly more twisted smile. "You two boys ruined my plan, and the girl didn't help much either... Too bad Kiniku isn't here, or I could eliminate all of you in one go. I suppose I'll have to settle for the others, though."

 

Shinachiku

 

"Kiniku doesn't have to be here. We'll whip your butt with just the three of us. Right guys?!"

Edited September 6, 201510 yr by Firaga Sensei

Koukon and Hikari sighed. "Some back-up would be nice, actually..." Hikari said.

 

"I'm sure the three of us can hold her off for now, though." Koukon spoke confidently. "Now then... Are you the one who used a jutsu to make Hikari fight us?"

 

"Yes, I was." The woman responded calmly. "Of course, I would have much rather gotten away without a fight..." She looked at Hikari. "So, how did it feel having no control over yourself? Knowing that you could kill your friends if I wished?" She taunted the girl.

 

Hikari began to shake. "I-I'm not going to fall for your tricks this time around." She tried to speak as confidently as Koukon had, but it was clear that she was becoming afraid.

 

"My tricks? It wasn't even difficult to shatter your will, girl. All it took was one simple threat..."

 

"Shut up!" Koukon ran over to the woman, and tried landing a powerful punch. However, she dodged it with ease. Regardless, it was clear that along with scaring Hikari, the woman pissed Koukon off. "Say what you want about me, but if you say anything to hurt Hikari, I'll make sure you regret it." He glared at the mysterious woman, clearly angered by her comments.

 

Hikari blushed, happy that Koukon was so quick to back her up. I can't slip up now... He told me we'd all survive this fight. I'll make sure to help him keep that promise. She activated her Byakugan.

 

"My, you're rather defensive of her, aren't you? What in the world happened since we last met? Could you have possibly understood what it is she's been trying to tell you for so long?" The woman teased Koukon, trying to throw him off.

 

"Yes, I have. That's not the point, though. I'll defend any of my friends if they're threatened." Koukon's angered look remained as he continued talking. "I promised her that we'd both make it out of this okay, and I intend to make sure that we do."

Shinachiku

 

Okay... she's tougher than she looks, I'll give her that... maybe we do need Kiniku... Shinachiku though.

 

Then, as if on cue, a hand popped up from beneath the ground and latched onto the mysterious woman's ankle, a hand that could easily be recognized as belonging to Kiniku, followed another Kiniku jumping from seemingly nowhere and kicking the woman in the back of her head.

 

Kiniku

 

"Hey guys. Miss me?" he asked the group upon his landing.

"Took you long enough, Kiniku." Koukon muttered, not keeping his eyes off of the woman they were fighting. It was pretty obvious that he was completely serious for once. "Are Daiki and Misaki coming, too?" He asked.

Kiniku

 

"Should be here any moment, now. I kinda rushed off on my own," Kiniku said with a chuckle.

"Good. We'll need all the help we can get against this one." Koukon said, his gaze still focused on their opponent.

 

"Oh, is it really fair for all of you to fight against me? I'm all alone..." The woman tried to sound innocent, though it was clear that she was just toying with them again. "If I have to fight by myself, though..." She quickly drew a kunai, and ran over to Kiniku. "I'll take you out, first!" She exclaimed, and tried to slash at Kiniku's neck in the attempts of taking him out with one attack.

Kiniku

 

"Not a chance!" Kiniku said as he dodged the woman's strike, duck down and then turning his body for a sweeping kick to knock the woman off her feet. Kiniku grabbed the woman's wrist, the same one that held the kunai, while she was in mid-air and hooked it behind her back as he planted her right on her stomach and face, holding her down with his knee.

 

"You know, Puppet Hag, I figured you'd be harder to fight. I guess without jacking someone else's body, you're not as tough as you make yourself out to be."

"You really think you can take me out that easily?" The woman smirked. Suddenly, she disappeared in a puff of smoke... and one of the masked guards that the team had already defeated was now in her place.

 

"A Substitution Jutsu... Hikari, can you find her?"

 

Hikari nodded, and prepared to activate her Byakugan. However, just before she could, she was pulled back, causing her to scream. The puppet woman had one arm around Hikari's waist, and a sword pointed to the girl's throat. Hikari was trapped.

 

"I really don't want to hurt you, Hikari... I still want those eyes all to myself." She grinned sadistically. "However... if anyone moves, I'll be forced to eliminate her. It would be such a shame... Why don't you all back off, instead?"

 

Koukon glared at the woman, but backed away. "... You're sick."

 

Hikari should have tried to look composed, but she was shaking. No one could do anything without potentially putting her in harm... She knew that Koukon wouldn't even try to think up a crazy plan to save her with that risk.

Kiniku and Shinachiku were, for once, stumped. Not even Koukon looked like he knew a way out of their current situation.

 

Where are those squirts when you need 'em?! Kiniku thought to himself.

 

But then suddenly, his thought was meant with an answer:

 

"You're not going anywhere," said a voice from behind the puppet master, followed by a kunai appearing around her throat. It was Daiki, who had maneuvered his way around the woman in secrecy.

 

Quickly following him was Misaki, who appeared beside the woman's arm and kicked the sword from her hand.

 

"Hold on, Hikari!" She said, quickly taking her former classmate with her as she jumped towards Kiniku, Shinachiku and Koukon.

 

"Whoa, guys, you're here!" Shinachiku said.

 

"Good timing, too. Though it would have been better if you had shown up just a little bit earlier..." Kiniku said.

 

"You were the one who left us behind, Musclebreath. Next time, slow down!" Misaki countered, letting Hikari stand on her own two feet.

 

"Or maybe next time, you guys should speed up," Misaki said.

 

While Kiniku and Misaki continued to bicker and as Daiki still had the puppet master trapped, Shinachiku went up to Hikari.

 

"Hey, you alright?" he asked.