Kamakura didn't know what happened. He was studying a book on middle estern culture when suddenly he was whisked away in the G.I. Joe jet. He continued to read on the jet, he needed to gain as much knowledge of this subject as he could.

"Kamakura, stop being such a book nerd! You don't have to read a book every time you don't know something!"

And with those words, Jinx knocked the book out of his hands and onto the floor. Kamakura didn't even flinch as he bent down from his seat to retrieve the book. He found the page and stuck his finger in it before turning to Jinx.

"I have done research before reading this Jinx. I just want a further…"

"Blah, blah, blah! Learn from experience!" she shouted before pulling out her Shives to polish.

*You should be doing the same with your studies Jinx. Now both of you stop quarreling!* Snake-Eyes signed, clearly agitated at his students "argument".

"Yes Sensei,"

Kamakura closed the book, rubbing his temples in the process. He supposed he might have done a bit too much research. He would read the last few pages of the book after the mission, right now he needed to be calm. He closed his eyes and waited for the order to…

"MOVE OUT!"

…move out. Kamakura secured his weapons as he and Jinx were dropped from the jet to their designated location. The others were to be transported to the main site, while Jinx and he were to obtain the representative and protect him at the location until the Joes came back with the plan.

He and Jinx, as they landed, removed their parachutes and carefully made their way towards the building. Kamakura scanned the area, not feeling security from the building. It looked old and collapsible. The old worn out factory was the so called meeting place where they would obtain their person, and bring him to the safe spot.

"Jinx, move slow and make sure the area is …"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's move in and then move out!" Jinx blathered in red as she raced into the building.

"JINX!" Kamakura yelled, as he was forced to run after his partner into the building.

The building was old, no doubt. No one had been within this building in the last few years, five at most. The electricity didn't work, that was for sure, for darkness consumed the empty space. The lights hung above his head, swinging to and fro. He set his goggles to night vision and looked around the complex for Jinx. He dared not call her name; it would give away their position. They were not sure if the enemy was here or not with their client. He crawled along the wall, feeling his way, not fully depending on his sight. Suddenly a hand covered his mouth and pulled him into a crawl space. Just when he was about to pull his stars out he realized that the glove belonged to Jinx. He turned to his partner and glared at her, holding her shoulders in his grasp.

*Ok. No more separating got it. Have you found the client?*signed Kamakura, not willing to risk using his voice in the building.

*fine…and no…I haven't found the client. I only searched this wing. He might be in the other one down by the back* replied Jinx, moving her hands messily into the signs.

Kamakura nodded, and soon he and Jinx were sprinting towards the other end of the building. He couldn't help but feel as if eyes were watching him from…well, everywhere. Soon they reached the other side, they noticed a light on, the only one shining. It singled out a spot, where a lone chair stood. It took a minute but Kamakura realized that there was somebody tied to that chair.

"SIR!" yelled Jinx as she ran towards their client.

"JINX WAIT!"

It was too late, suddenly they were surrounded by ninjas clothed in a deep crimson, the color was almost black. He scanned the ninjas for a second before they threw stars and spike balls at the two apprentices. Jinx managed to evade all of the weapons. Her mind was in a tizzy. It was all too much for her. Kamakura could see her desperation and was trying the best he could to assist her in evading the sharp objects. This resulted though, in many of them grazing his skin, sticking into his skin, and making him loss and significant amount of blood. Panting Kamakura shoved Jinx out of the circle.

"Untie our client and cover him for me until I can sort this out!"

Jinx nodded and as soon as the client was untied she felt a gun press against the small of her back. She looked at Kamakura to see the same thing happen to him, except it was more than one gun.

#Stop!# (#___#=Chinese)

With that command, the guards and the ninjas both lowered their weapons. Kamakura wearily stood up, a stranger feeling entering his arms. Ignoring it, he ran to Jinx's side, clutching their clients shoulder weakly. Their client, Kyle Gregory, was an American Diplomat who had asked for their services. They had lost contact with the man about a week ago. Now here he was scared, and in danger.

#I've been expecting you, Joes# spoke a voice, and soon a man about 4'9" came out of the shadows.

He was a stout man. With a receding hairline and the only hair remaining was the hair on the side of his head. His eyes were narrowed in pleasure and malice. With a wave of his hand, the soldiers and ninja spread, creating a pathway for the man. Kamakura noticed the ring on the man's pinky, holding a gem with the tiger emblem on it. He looked the man in the eye and glared.

"Speak English?" asked Jinx.

Jinx could pick out a few words, but she was Japanese and none of this made sense to her. This mans accent was slurred and thick. She knew she should have studied that language book that sensei had given her.

#What is she blathering about? English…so primitive.# muttered the man, chuckling as he came closer.

#What is your intention? Why do you have this man in your care?#

Jinx and Mr. Gregory turned in surprise as they watched Kamakura talk in Chinese. The man seemed equally as shocked before that shock turned to amusement. He slowly clapped his hands.

"Wonderful. Just what I expected from the apprentice of the oh so great Snake Eyes," spoke the man, in perfect English.

Kamakura narrowed his eyes, annoyed at the amusement the man showed.

"You're Xiao-Li, leader of the Tetsu Taiga Clan in the south Hong-Kong district of western china. The Iron Tiger Clan as it is translated too, stomps out any enemies to your campaign and to the political message of totalitarianism you are spreading." Explained Kamakura, looking in the man's eyes, hoping to continue. " And yet; you are a chairman on the communism support council, and a high standing authority figure too. Now why did you kidnap our client?" asked Kamakura, keeping his tone even.

"My ninjas are not ordinary ninjas Kamakura, you know,"

"You're avoiding the question Mr. Xiao-Li, please answer…"

"Patience young one. This information is very valuable I assure you," laughed Xiao, twisting his ring.

"Did you know that the beautiful Azalea flower is highly poisonous? Any part of this flower produces a toxic juice. Contact with it through ingestion, or just with contact into the bloodstream, can cause vomiting, nausea, breathing difficulties, and resulting in a coma most of the time. Those stars and spike balls…my dear boy…contained that flowers substance…"

Kamakura and Jinx froze.

'that's why theres a tingling in my arm..' thought jinx as she pressed her hand against the light wound.

Kamakura touched his shoulder. Realization swept through him. No wonder why he was feeling ill. His legs were shaking, and he could hear Jinx faintly muttering curses and worries under her breath. But…there was one fact missing. Smirking, Kamakura looked at Xiao.

"You're forgetting Xiao, that although highly poisonous, the Azalea flower rarely causes fatalities."

Xiao laughed again, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief. He looked slyly into the young ninjas eyes.

"You are everything I expected and more young one. You are right. Although the poison of the flower causes many a ill side effects, it is rarely fatal. But, the Azalea's poison can kill…if mixed with the right ingredient. And the so called ingredient happens to be the Ricinus communis, more commonly known as the Castor Oil plant. This plant's poison is contained within a seed. This poison causes a burning in the mouth and in the throat of the victim of who receives the intended douse. And it seems to me, you one, that you have gotten more that the intended douse"

The room went quiet as Kamakura shook, his Katana now in his grasp. Jinx pushed the client behind her back and retrieved her throwing stars. In less than a second, a ninja held a knife to the neck of both the client and Jinx. That was when all heck broke lose. Forcing his weak body to move, Kamakura raced at the two, knocking the ninja away from his comrades Jinx snapped the stars at the others and as soon as one got too close, all that was heard was a snap and the falling of a body to the floor. Kamakura was then sword to sword with two ninjas. Steel clashed as the two crimson warriors tried to back Kamakura into the corner. Knowing better, Kamakura locked his sword with the two others and flipped over, carrying the two ninja with them. With a crack, both warriors lay unmoving on the cement. He turned to klick the other ninja with his leg, and although it hit the mark, the ninjas neck, but his leg lost feeling as it was two inches away from the intended point.

He kept his leg up, knowing that he know had to depend on his weapons and wits. Suddenly his other leg gave out. He found himself on his knees. He felt vulnerable, too vulnerable. His arms seemed to grow heavier by every passing second. He could hardly feel the spike balls still lodged in parts of his body. Jinx was covering both him and Mr. Gregory. He looked and sighed to see Mr. Gregory holding a grenade shaking in a corner. Great, nervous American with a grenade…perfect! Suddenly there was Xiao, staring down at him. His vision started to blur but he could see the man pull out a dagger. The dagger was twisted and spiraled. Like an Arabian knife. Xiao turned it around his fingers.

"Sorry young one…but I must destroy any opposition to cobra. See he gives me support and I give him…service…"

Kamakura reached up, maybe in hopes of stopping the knife. Xiao laughed at his attempt and drew back the knife. As Xiao brought down the knife Kamakura heard a snap of bone and watched as Xiao stood there frozen. His eyes rolled up till his whites shined. He began to fall towards him before the man stopped and was thrown back. He looked up, his vision going, and saw a black figure. He smiled when he figure who it was.

"Sensei…" muttered Kamakura, since he had no strength to speak louder.

He felt himself start to fall forward before he felt an arm wrap around his chest. He felt his throat burn even hotter. He tried to open his mouth to tell Snake Eyes what happened but he felt his tongue block his throat. He shivered as the poison burned him, yet it left him with a freezing feeling. He felt himself being lifted up, arms under his knees and his back supported by another arm. He saw his vision begin to darken.

"Sensei! He's been poisoned…azalea…oil…….." that's all Kamakura could manage to hear before he felt his eyelids start to close.

"KAMAKURA"

He felt the grip around him tighten and the air around his rush by.

"S…s…sorry"

(at base)

Snake eyes looked through the window, clenching his fists. Inside the room, his student lay on the bed, fighting for his life. They had gotten the antidote in time, but they couldn't save the boy from the side effects. Lifeline had refused to let anyone in until he was sure that Kamakura was stable.

'to make sure..' thought Snake eyes, the thought chilling him to the bone.

He should have known that there would be a trap. He should have gone with them. He should have given them better instructions. He should have…his thoughts were interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. He turned quickly to see Scarlett staring into his eyes before she stared into the room. Immense sadness filled the air around her. Snake Eyes knew how much his Wife loved that boy.

'that apprentice of yours is too stubborn for his own good. And since he's never had parental support I'm going to have to give that to him! Along with some discipline. I can't believe you Snake. Trying to hide a boy like that from me? He needs 24/7 supervision obviously!'

Scarlett no matter how much she denied it, loved being a mother to his apprentices.

"Lifeline says you can go in. he says Kamakura might wake up so…you should be the first one he sees…so…"

Snake gripped her hand and she smiled, getting the message. The couple walked into the room and almost ran to the young boy's side. Scarlett sat in the chair while he stood. She stroked the boys chocolate tresses, weaving in and out of them. The heart monitor started to beep and both looked on in anticipation as they watched the boys eyelids flutter open. They looked around the room rapidly before landing on the two.

"H…hey…wh…where am i…Scarlett?" he whispered, his throat had the after taste of bile, he wanted to wash it out.

"Oh honey. You're okay. We're at the Joe hospital. I…I have to get Lifeline. Snake, stay with him!"

Scarlett leaned down and held Kamakura before kissing his forehead.

"I'll be right back baby"

She ran out of the room. Snake chuckled at his Wife's actions and at the weak blush on his students face. He sat in the chair and looked at his student. It was just so hard to grasp…that they…that he had almost lost the one boy he considered a son. Lifeline said the only possible reason Kamakura was alive was because of his quick thinking of taking most of the weapons out of his body at top speed. The ones that stuck hit mostly cloth or a small area of skin.

"M'…m'sorry sensei…I ruined…th..the mission" slurred Kamakura, his throat killing.

He felt a cough well up in his throat, and soon his body was racking with coughs. He felt a cup of cold water being pressed to his lips. He took in the water. But It washed the bile in his mouth, he wanted it out. He felt something touch him and looked to see his Sensei holding up a trash can. Kamakura released the now defiled water into the waste bin. He settled back onto his bed. His fever was going down but he felt so hot. Like he was burning. He felt something smooth over his forehead. He looked up blearily to see his teacher ruffling his hair.

*I am not mad nor disappointed in you. You did well. Better than anyone else would have handled it. You saved jinx, you took down numerous opponents, and you kept the client safe. Although I do not know why you gave an American a grenade. That was a little…*

"J..Jinx's idea. She did it…" he whispered, watching the amusement show through his teachers mask.

*of course. I should have known. But Kamakura, you did well. I am glad I can call myself your teacher..* he signed.

Kamakura looked at Snake, and smiled weakly before he felt his eyelids begin to drop. Snake smiled and took His students hands and started to sign into them, for his students eyes were closing

*Sleep, you'll be safe*

"…ok…tell Scarlett…I'll see her…k?"

*Of course*

And with that Kamakura fell asleep. His chest rose and fell evenly and gently. Snake Eyes felt all the worry seep out of him. He looked at the man on the bed. Or more closely, the boy. The sheets made his student seem much younger. It made Snake realize just how young his student was. He smiled before covering him up in blankets. He would stay in the chair until his student woke up. He refused to leave…no this time..