Hey people, I am a bit saddened to say that this will be the last chapter for Arc 2… But at the same time I am excited beyond belief. Cause guess what, Arc 3 is going to be coming soon! This is sort of a recollection of what has happened since the last chapter and during some parts that I will be clarifying. I must thank my awesome Beta STG or SarcasticallyTroublesomeGirl, for all her work in betaing my story.

NOTE: This chapter will change POV a few times, so I'm sorry for any inconvenience. The chapter is mostly in first person though.

EXTRA NOTE: Longest chapter to date! (7000+ words)

Recap:

"M-my packm-mates are alright," Fubuki stuttered out through her hiccups.

Shikamaru bent over and picked up the young girl, "Fubuki, I'm so proud of you, working so hard to protect the ones you care for."

Ino walked over, Akoaiji still in her arms. At seeing Fubuki, Akoaiji immediately brightened and dropped from his mother's arms to hold the young girl's hand. Fubuki looked at him and smiled a wolf-like grin, her tears beginning to stop flowing. Shikamaru set her down so she was level with the young boy.

"Fubuki-chan… Thank you!" Akoaiji threw his arms around her and squeezed the girl tightly, then dropped his arms to his sides, smiling.

Fubuki blinked and smiled, "You're welcome Akoaiji-kun!"

And for the rest of the week some healing was done… The future seemed bright… For a while.

--

I look out at my peaceful village now and take a deep breath. I can always smell it now, the putrid smell of death coming ever closer as yet another hidden village has fallen to a mysterious force.

It had begun with Kumogakure. Suddenly all communication with the village had been cut off. When an envoy was sent, they reported back nearly babbling and deeply disturbed, all the people whom were in the village were massacred, there were no survivors, and very few still looked like they used to be human beings. When witnesses of what happened to the village were finally found, they were so traumatized that absolutely nothing was discernable from their testimonies except some sparse words: dog, monster, blood everywhere, death, demon. All the Kages knew full well Gobi, the five headed dog had already been killed, so what could it have been?

Then it was the village hidden in the waterfall, all the signs of the same massacre in Kumo, except this time someone from the village actually survived the attack. A hardened shinobi lay on the cold, wet ground, covered in gashes and bleeding out slowly as a giant claw stuck out of his torso. He stared up at the sky; it was raining, though to me, it seemed more like the heavens were crying.

When the envoy found him in the rain he looked slightly at peace, as though he were resting.

"Sir! Why do you lay there as if nothing is wrong?" The shinobi envoy had said to the poor man.

His face spread into a weak smile, "No use fighting death, young one. Plus, I can no longer feel the pain; it has long since bled away, for Kami has had mercy on me after all my suffering, after all the loss."

The envoy looked respectfully at the man, humbled greatly by his words, "Shinobi-sama, please, I must know, what happened here?"

The man stared up at him before nodding slightly, "If you must know young one…"

The man recounted the attack, the deaths of his people and finally came to what had done it all.

"It was a young man, just some regular young man, nothing special. He had come wearing a blank Hitai-ite, which showed he was a shinobi, but was not affiliated with any village. We were weary of him though, we watched him from afar, and when he showed no malice so we sent some one to meet him, to see his true intentions. That scout was me, and I believe that was probably the only reason I am still here before you, even if I am in this state." He muttered, his eyes beginning to cloud.

The envoy had a shine in his eyes now, was it tears? I wouldn't know. Maybe it was reverence, or maybe it was respect. Again, I would not now.

"He seemed pleasant enough and since I can usually tell people's intentions by just looking him over, he only had the intentions to replenish his supplies. But as soon as we entered the village he began to freak out, grabbing his head, screaming, he told me to kill him as well… I of course refused and suddenly he was screaming louder and I saw him morph into a hulking dog type thing, the red chakra he gave off, had to mean he was a demon… but, it wasn't natural… Blood was pouring out of his mouth and his eyes turned to slits, and became completely crazed. He dug a claw in to me, ripping through my spine, but it somehow kept me intact as the attack went on. At the end, he turned back, covered completely in blood and freaked out again, and then he ran," The man said slowly as one of the envoys moved him gently into a sitting position.

"The poor guy can't control it I don't think… You know young one… I'm tired… I'm going to go to sleep now… I… could… use… the rest…" The man was staring up at the sky once again before he closed his eyes for the final time.

Both envoys bowed their heads in respect. One of them, took off the hood he had been wearing and rubbed his pupil-less eyes wearily, the other sighed and ran a hand through his hair taking out the hair tie that held his hair up out and let his damp black hair fall at his shoulders.

"Come Akoaiji, we have gotten the information," The envoy said to me, his young protégé that stood in the shadows.

I nodded, "Yes father."

Shikamaru smiled a bit morbidly, uncle Neji scanned once more around seeing if there was anyone else, and then we began to run back through the exit of the village, I followed and tried to get the vision of the many dead out of my mind. I was fighting a losing battle when our team stepped out of the village, but then I saw her, and my mind was cleared. She ran up and hugged both my father and I. I almost forgot we were in hostile territory as I almost slumped into her embrace.

"Ako-kun, daijoubu?" Fubuki asked as she released me from her embrace.

I felt my face heat up as I noticed I was staring at her, "H-Hai Fubuki-chan."

A lot of things had changed in the years past my transformation… That day was hell until Fubuki and the others I cared for came for me and Kawari.

Danzo had had some sort of machine… I went in first, and it felt as if it was ripping my very essence, my very soul, added something feral to it, and then jammed it brutally back into my body. I was half conscious then when I was taken out of the machine. I also felt my control over my mind going, a scary feeling, as if you were being torn away from yourself. Then I heard Kawari's screams, sometimes I hear them in my nightmares, and when I wake up, I wonder if I screamed as much when I was in there.

Then at times I remember Ikaru and his fiancé Lila, I think about what he did was for his loved one, the person he cared for more than life itself. I no longer blamed him for what happened, neither did Kawari after what we saw… But the days I remember what had happened to them, I begin to cry.

"Danzo here are your captives, now give me Lila!" Ikaru had shouted as he threw Kawari and me at his feet, the roughness of the throw did nothing for the bruises we each had all over our battered bodies.

Lila had already run to Ikaru when Danzo growled darkly.

"You are one short you damn fool," He said menacingly, as he began to go through one handed seals.

Ikaru's eyes had widened as he grabbed onto his loved one, he held her tight to his body as he attempted to escape. They were over the council table when Danzo unleashed his attack. Kawari and I closed our eyes to their screams of pain. Then I heard Ikaru say something that made us cry as Danzo laughed horridly.

"I-I lo-love you L-lila… I love you…" Ikaru choked out to his near dead love as tears streamed down both faces.

Lila could only mouth the words back her throat having been cut, and he could only guess that Kami was being as merciful as he was for the hardened shinobi and allowed them to die at approximately the same time.

Then the time after, as my father, my godfather, Uncle Gaara, and Fubuki had come… It felt as if I was trapped as a monster had control over my body. Then Fubuki had spoken to me, I won the battle for my mind then as her voice cut through the darkness. My father saved me, my mother came for me, Kawari was rescued, and Fubuki was happy.

Everything was great, though I could never really enjoy everything as I used to. I was forced once again to grow up that day.

Everything was okay until Sakura had had a miscarriage, into her eighth month of pregnancy, it was only two days after my birthday, it was hectic for another few months and then it calmed down, everyone had gotten married only a year later, and I kept feeling weird around Fubuki, I dismissed it and thought nothing of it.

Then two years later Sakura had gotten pregnant again. It was great again. Everything was happy.

Then it all went to hell.

Tsunade-Obaa-sama passed away in her sleep. Naruto was devastated, but we all, his precious people, brought him back to his senses, Kushina-Obaa-sama was truly frightening in the way she yelled at him to snap out of it. Then suddenly there was a mission surge. Naruto had no choice but to send out almost every available shinobi.

Sasuke was away during the birth of his baby due to that very mission surge, and then something had gone terribly wrong, after the baby was born Sakura flat-lined, and the baby was born with a pulse barely moving through its body. The doctors couldn't figure out what the hell was wrong, and when they called auntie Hinata, it was already too late. Sakura died and the baby's fate was up in the air. Mom was devastated and we comforted her for two whole days. She took a turn for the better and then another tragedy came to pass.

Then there was a misstatement somewhere along the message line and Sasuke had understood that both had died. He reportedly went crazy, injuring all his team and scratching his forehead protector for the second time.

Uncle/ godfather Naruto did not take it well. When he received the news, the baby, dubbed Nero, had just been stabilized. His carefree smile was replaced with a sober look as he told everyone to leave the room. The Hokage's sobs and curses were heard all over the village that day as yet again the Uchiha clan was down to only one. After much debating, it was decided that he would stay with Naruto and Hinata, who only 2 months later now could only take low d-rank missions. She was pregnant now, Kushina-Obaa-chan was ecstatic, soon to be a grandmother, and things began to get back to normal, though the second betrayal of Uchiha Sasuke stung deep into the hearts of my loved ones…

Then the attacking of the villages by the transforming monster… Naruto worked late, but auntie Hinata and granny Kushina always took care of him. Mom and dad always would chastise uncle Naruto, and when they did, it would bring back that cheery smile that didn't show itself as often… at least until his first daughter was born. The couple decided to call her Naruko as a tribute to Naruto's old pranking days; they didn't expect that she would be a little devil though. The only two truly spared from her sadistic baby wrath were really Hinata and Kushina.

Then mom and dad announced that they had one on the way only three months later, and auntie Ten-Ten also was pregnant, uncle Neji was ecstatic. We've also been studying how summons disperse, I am keeping true to my word… Though I do not believe it is only because she's my friend any more, but I feel something more. I still don't truly know how I feel about her, but I… It's been weird these last few months, all these weird feelings popping up. I tried to talk to my mom… but she was no help after she began to rant about some weird stuff. We've made it pretty far in the study though, using summons willing to be dispersed in the name of becoming more solid.

Fubuki and I also graduated from the academy with full honors, and since the class was uneven we were put into a three man team instead of a four man team with our Jonin-Sensei being some crazy dog guy. His name is Kiba, I like his dog though, Akamaru's great.

Now here we are, back in the village about five months after the fact, dad is fussing over mom, telling her to take it easy, since she is six months pregnant. Auntie Ten-Ten is only a week farther along then mom. Honestly I can't wait for more munchkins, but at the same time I fear for my loved ones' safety.

For I can always smell it, the death, the fear, coming from outside the village walls as the others in the village are oblivious. Well, at least everyone except Fubuki, and I. Kawari, who regularly sends letters to us every other week, can smell it too. Though sometimes we think uncle Gaara and Naruto can get a whiff of it, for they sometimes go still after taking a deep breath, but otherwise they seem oblivious to it.

I hear Fubuki come into the room and put a gentle hand on my shoulder. She tightens her grip on my shoulder and my heart begins to race as I feel my face heat up. I reach up and mess with my Hitai-ite; I usually have rolled over my hair. I blush deeper as she just stands there, and as she gets closer to me, I have to hide this blush. I take off my Hitai-ite and let my hair fall naturally over my face, my scraggly-looking dog ears twitching at the squeal of delight as she pets them.

I sigh in relief and turn away from the window, engaging in conversation with a girl I had fallen hard for.

--

I hate watching him when he's like this. He looks so old, and yet he has only accumulated 13 short years. He is my pack mate, my brethren, my kin, yet he insists on being alone, well, except with me. And for that I am happy, but Shikamaru-san and Ino-san are getting more and more worried, more and more distressed… It is probably because they can not catch the scent we can… That scent of the dead wafting toward us always.

Still… He deserves better after all he's been through. And that's why I hate it when he sits at that cursed window of his and just looks out at the village, worrying about something that he can do nothing for the time being. I walk toward him and lay a hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. When he doesn't respond, I decide to squeeze his shoulder, showing him that I'm there for him. He reaches up and messes with his Hitai-ite, he almost always has it on. I think it's more to hide his ears since his transformation, I don't understand why though. They're so adorable!

I blush as he compliments my hair; he always drops little compliments like that… I wonder why? It's not that I do not enjoy his compliments or niceties… It's just that, is it on a whim or is it because… Does he feel something for me? But… He couldn't like me like that… Right?

I'm just his pack mate. That is all… But then why does it hurt to admit it?

I think my face fell as I feel arms encircle my stomach and I get pulled back into a warm embrace. Akoaiji is hugging me… Kami preserve me, I think I am going to die. I can feel my heart speed up and my blood rush to my cheek as he speaks gently.

"Fubuki-chan you okay?" He mutters into my ear.

I shivered slightly and pull away, "I-I'm fine Ako-kun! I sw-swear!!"

Akoaiji laughs, as he smiles and nods, "Of course."

And we continue our conversation as if nothing happened. Though… I sort of wish something had.

--

Fubuki smiled as they conversed and to Akoaiji's distress she brought up the subject he hated to talk about.

"Akoaiji-kun… Why are you resigned lately? Shikamaru-san and Ino-san are worried about you…"

Akoaiji sighed, "I know… I just… That scent keeps getting closer… I'm worried about things."

Fubuki was close to losing her temper as she began to speak again, "Well, you are doing them no good if you're always away from them, not watching over them."

Akoaiji began to protest and Fubuki's eye just twitched as her peaceful demeanor was lost. She reached into her pocket as Akoaiji ranted on about something; she had blocked him out already. He turned away as she placed two earplugs in her ears and took out a dog whistle. She looked on smirking slightly as she blew as hard as she could into it. Akoaiji jumped, winced and turned around as quickly as he could, covering his sensitive ears with his hands. Fubuki stopped and nodded, satisfied at the reaction.

"Akoaiji, you are lucky enough to have a family that loves you very much, yet you refuse to spend time with them, instead you sit here alone!" Fubuki said, her voice practically screaming how annoyed she was.

Akoaiji blinked and blushed at how she had put him in his place. She could do this so effectively now, she had even done it to prisoners before. It made her a great advocate for interrogations. She looked at him with pained eyes, and his heart nearly broke. Suddenly he was reminded of a recent memory when he turned away a chance to go out with his mother and father, the same look in their eyes was apparent when he had turned them down and turned away, back to looking out his window.

He straightened up and looked at the girl in front of him. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek lightly, mussing up her hair before running out of his room. Fubuki blushed a deep crimson and it took a moment before she registered what had happened.

She brought up two fingers to where his lips once were, blushed deeper before sighing and following the boy out.

Akoaiji walked up to where his mother sat, reading a baby book, and bit his lip, "Mom?"

Ino looked up from her book and smiled softly at her son, "Yes Ako?"

Akoaiji smiled at his old nickname and hugged his mother tight. Ino looked a bit surprised, but smiled happily and hugged her son back.

"What brought this on, Ako?" Ino asked as her son buried his head into the crook of her neck.

"I'm sorry, if I have been distant… I've been thinking of my little brother," Akoaiji muttered, not lying, but not telling the whole truth.

Ino, if she caught on, didn't show anything except happiness. She kissed his brow and stroked his hair.

"You know Ako, Your father and I are actually going to have to buy some pink infancy clothes as well," Ino said, a small grin on her face.

Akoaiji stared at her confused, before it struck him, he looked at her amazed, "No wonder you've gotten so big around the middle mom!

Ino's eye twitched before Akoaiji got up and excused himself from the room, he knew that look, and it promised great punishment if you were not out of its sight within a certain time period. He sighed as he walked out of the room and back up the stairs that led to the sleeping chambers, Fubuki watched him go, smiling softly as he seemed genuinely happy.

"Thank you Kami, for this family, and for letting me be able to share in their times and their happiness. For allowing me to be able to help them in their problems," Fubuki muttered slightly before a cry came up from upstairs.

Ino stood up from seat and yelled up, "Akoaiji?! Are you okay?"

Fubuki took off upstairs and ran into the room where Akoaiji was standing at the window, mumbling something to himself. She walked over and tapped his shoulder; he whipped around so quickly he almost hit her.

"S-sorry…" He said quietly before he seemed to compose himself.

He looked at her with urgency shining through his midnight black orbs, "Fubuki, I want you to take a deep breath and tell me what you smell."

Fubuki looked at him strangely and did so, "I smell nothing except the regular smells of a huge village."

"Exactly!" Akoaiji shouted, "The smell of death just suddenly stopped and dropped away."

He locked eyes with her as his mother walked in and mouthed, "Something is wrong."

"Is everything alright?" Ino asked as she walked over, worry in her eyes.

Akoaiji looked at his mother and smiled, "Everything is fine kaa-san, I was just… surprised."

Ino nodded and the worried look abated. Akoaiji though hated it. He always hated lying to his mother, but this time it was for the best right?

Well Ino walked away and the two teens stood staring out the window wondering what the hell could be happening.

--

I wake up now to the cooking of a former elder sister, whom I now consider my mother. I wake up to the soft voice of my former elder brother, now my father. They greet me softly as my baby sister sleeps in a crib out in the kitchen for when mom wants to watch over the young one and a half year old when cooking. It's strange how things change so quickly.

Five years ago I was living on the streets, fighting over scraps with bigger people than me, and almost got killed for it. I lived in a small 'house' made up of three sturdy cardboard boxes and tape, a large amount of tape. I hated the regular people of the village. The idiots complaining about trivial things when they did not even notice how lucky they were. A dry home, a roof over their heads, food wasn't necessarily sparse, most of them had families or friends that cared for them. And yet the fools would get into squabbles over fashion of all things.

And because of that I took it upon myself to make their lives a little bit harder, while having fun at the same time. Pranks, sneak attacks, and massive robberies with some of the other kids I knew, those were the days… But I got wearier after one of my close acquaintances, a kid named Ryouko was caught; I didn't cause as much havoc. I became a bit more legit. I was then about eight years old.

It was about two days before a huge festival in the village; I was in my alley, minding my own business, when this lady throws away a huge turkey, saying mumbling something about her damn husband not caring for her cooking, so she wouldn't cook anymore. Something along those lines at least. I ran up as quick as I could to the garbage and fished it out. I was rapturous and I about to walk back to my cardboard house when one of the older beggars snarled at me. He had pulled a knife and told me to give up the turkey, and when I refused, he slashed me, it hurt, so much so that I began to scream. I only ever felt worse pain in one situation…

Suddenly I heard two people come, I heard the beggar yell in pain, but I could barely see anything, I was so tired and weak. I heard voices, but it was like they were miles away, or as if I were submerged in water and the voices were trying to reach me. I then woke up feeling much better, and the Kazekage, of all people, was there, he questioned me, and soothed me, then he got this whole bunch of food brought in! I ate to my heart's content and was full for the first time in a long time.

We talked some more and he left. I didn't like it in there though. So I leapt out of bed and wandered the hospital. I thought I had my chance to surprise the great Kazekage, but as soon as I tried to tackle him, he sidestepped and caught me. I went to sleep after another strange encounter and the next day we played hide and seek and I met Matsuri-Chan. She was really nice… After my ordeal she was always kind, always helping me out through any changes, and along with dad, the two always made me feel loved.

I once spoke to Akoaiji about the events of the day that changed us. We both burst into tears, once he even asked if he had screamed in the machine. I told him the honest truth, I didn't remember at all. In fact, I always tried to suppress those memories; I had no want or use for them.

A month later I then overheard a conversation between mom and dad when they weren't 'together'.

I huddled against the corner, as they spoke, hanging on to every word.

"Gaara-kun… There is something I need to tell you. But every time I attempt to tell you… something goes wrong," Mom had said to dad, looking all worried.

Dad's back was to me, but I could discern the concern in his voice, "What's wrong, did something happen?"

Mom shook her head so furiously, I was scared she could hurt herself, "It's not like that, it's just that…"

After 'that' I couldn't hear anything, but dad had stepped forward and hugged mom really tight, and muttered something into her hair. I know what it was they said now, but before, it was nothing short of a mystery. I popped out from the corner after that, and nearly scared mom out of her skin. Dad began to laugh, and when I asked what was so funny, he just shook his head and mussed up my hair.

I thought back then, of how strange my parents were. Well, back then they were my siblings, they weren't ready to be parents just yet. And then they got married. And I'll admit it, I acted like a brat. I didn't like that my siblings weren't spending as much time with me as they used to, and instead were spending more time with each other. I think the only justified action was the only time I have ever run away from my family.

You see, dad had always read me to sleep. At least up until two years ago, when I was eleven. I asked him to come and read after maybe three hours of him being home. He refused, stating that he had to plan the wedding, talk it over with uncle Kankuro to just finalize that it was ok for me to stay at his home while they went on a very short honeymoon.

He said, "I have no time for foolish reading right now Kawari. You are nine; you should begin to read by yourself."

Those words had hurt like a sword through my heart. I remember twitching and biting down on my lip hard to keep myself from sobbing. I threw my book at him and for the first time I remember I caught him off guard. It connected with his head and I sprinted away. I heard him growl in anger and yell after me, but I ran into my room too quickly. I locked the door and got together some clothes and my bank of ryu and I leapt out of my window.

He caught me a day later, trying to apologize. I refused his apology flat out. I had never caught dad so flatfooted in my life. Then again I have never seen my dad ever so riddled with self-loathing. I saw straight through him. He was genuinely torn apart by what had happened. We cried together that day and he promised to never allow it to happen again.

I learned only a few months ago that mom had put him in his place after what he had done. I loved her even more for it.

Then, only a mere eighteen months ago I noticed mom had begun to get bigger around the middle. I said nothing of it because I valued my life, but dad said casually one day.

"Honey, you've been getting a bit wider," Dad had stated his reading glasses on as he read a local newspaper.

I cringed as mom froze and dad chuckled as she turned around, flaming eyes of death shining at full power and her frying pan in hand.

Then he saved himself with words that stopped her dead in her tracks.

"So is my heir a boy or girl?"

Mom's face was so priceless, I wish I had a camera to capture the moment, her jaw had dropped as she began to sputter something incoherent. Dad just got up and kissed her cheek, rubbed her stomach fondly and announced that he was going to the office. At that moment I realized, that dad was really slick... Well at least with mom anyway.

My baby sister was born a particularly sunny day in Sunagakure. It was a regular day, and she supposedly was due in a month. Apparently, she decided, screw that, I'm cramped in here and I am leaving this joint! Mom was presenting to my class the correct way to mold chakra when suddenly she appeared to piss her pants. My class began to laugh as I ran up to my mother. She practically bellowed for me to get the infirmary nurse. And soon enough Mom was being carried to the hospitals, screaming profanities at the top of her lungs. The day my sister was born was the single most amusing and scary time of my life, and for the record, I did not know half the words she yelled out existed.

Then dad with his completely freaked out demeanor came in and tried to help mom through it… But she kept threatening him… This was the horribly scary part. I wondered for a whole year why dad went so pale when mom threatened to castrate him for impregnating her. When I learned what castrate meant I winced, and felt horrible for my father.

After trying to comfort her he decided to just hold her hand and towel dry her head any time she needed it. Then mom broke his hand. She had screamed and pushed one final time and you just heard the crunch of bones, and then a baby's loud cry. Dad was solemn as he looked at his disfigured hand and mom lay in the hospital bed, passed out from exertion.

And that was the day little Hikari came into our lives. She had one small red hair sticking out from her scalp, and the most beautiful coal eyes I had ever seen. Dad held her in his good arm before the doctor pulled him away to splint up his hand. I love my little sister. We all do. But with this scent… I fear for all my loved ones' safety.

--

And then, all of a sudden, a young boy in the prosperous village of Sunagakure looked out from his huge balcony above the village and twitched violently.

"The smell just increased ten-fold and right near… Konoha?"

"This can't be!" He muttered as he ran to his father's office.

"Tou-san! Something is going to happen in Konoha!" He yelled with urgency.

Gaara looked up and sighed, "Kawari, please keep your voice down."

Kawari flushed in embarrassment, "O-Of course father, I apologize."

Gaara nodded, "Do not worry, now what was it you needed?"

Kawari looked his father straight in the eyes and began to tell him of the scents he had smelled, and with every passing word, Gaara became more and more worried for the village of his greatest friends.

--

And at that very moment a young man with shoulder length ebony hair and a triangular scar upon his left cheek walked up to the gates of the village hidden within the leaves. He wore a blank Hitai-ite proudly on his forehead as he approached. Two guards jumped down very quickly to 'greet' him.

"State your name and business!" One barked out, making sure they were at least 20 yards away in case a fight broke out.

The man smiled wearily, "My name is Jiai. Hinote, Jiai. I am here to see an old acquaintance of mine."

The men stared at him blankly before one went very still and whipped out the Iwagakure bingo book. He opened it to a bookmarked page and there was Jiai again.

Given Name: Hinote, Jiai

Age: Circa. Late twenties

Rank: Genin

Danger Level: S rank, approach with extreme caution. If noticed, flee as quickly as possible.

Wanted For: Freeing 100 pieces of property, and killing 70 active duty shinobi in cold blood.

Known Techniques:

-- Kaze no Yaiba- uses a vacuum shaped by chakra controlled wind to act like a sword blade and makes perfect cuts. Is able to use from any part of body with a one-handed seal. Killed 12 with the technique.

-- Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu- Creates a dragon made complete of water to attack enemies and leave them disorientated or worse, depending on the amount of chakra used. Is able to perform with a one-handed seal as well. Drowned 17 with the technique.

-- Katon: Kazanfunka no Jutsu- Turns the air around the user's hands hot enough to melt rock into liquid magma and in turn makes it able to control the magma. Is able to perform with little to no difficulty. Set 11 on fire, only bones were found.

-- Doton: Wana- Liquefies the ground at a person's feet, then resolidifies, effectively trapping the person into the ground. Is able to liquefy ground to the deepest point he needs. Buried 30 alive.

Bounty: 1,000,000,000 ryu for capture, alive or dead.

Supposed Allies: Konohagakure, Sunagakure

The other guard's jaw dropped as he read the page.

"Hey! I am not in my late twenties! I am 19 thank you very much!" Jiai said glaring at the page from over the guards' shoulders.

The guards jumped apart, surprised, and glared at him. Jiai paid no mind as he ranted on.

"And 100 pieces of property? Oh please! I freed 100 slaves from the Tsuchikage!" He said anger apparent in his deep amber pools.

The guards looked upon the ranting man and shook their heads slowly before yelling up to gate control. Jiai thanked them for their help and walked on in to the village. He looked around at the prosperous village and smiled. He walked by, flustering several women, flirting with others. He came to run down apartment building and sighed as he climbed. His goofy smile he had on as he walked into the village was gone, replaced with a hard stone mask.

He knocked on the door of the apartment that he came to and the door swung open. A high, falsetto voice suddenly rang out.

"Ah! Jiai, come in, I've been expecting you."

Jiai growled as he walked in and looked around. The apartment was very well kept, and most would have thought they had walked into a completely different building. He looked around for the owner of the voice and his eyes narrowed as his vision came to rest on one regenerated Kabuto. He had spent the last five years healing and regenerating the horribly scarred body he had once had. Though there was one part he could never regenerate, which led to his falsetto voice. But enough of that.

Jiai grabbed him by the front of his shirt and slammed the shorter man hard against the nearest wall, effectively pinning him there.

"Get this demon out of me!" Jiai yelled, his amber eyes growing into slits to illustrate his point, the triangular scar on his cheek glowed with an orange aura, proving to be the seal placed into him.

Kabuto smirked, "Of course my dear friend."

Jiai eyed him wearily, but nevertheless let him go. Kabuto smiled and dusted himself off.

"Come along, I have just the thing to extract that demon of yours. It will even leave you unharmed," Kabuto's falsetto voice took on a light tone.

Jiai nodded wearily and followed Kabuto to a room in the back of the apartment. He opened the door and switched on a light switch. The room was small and bare except for three things. A seat that looked like a dentist's chair, a console full of knobs, switches, and buttons, and then a thing that was connected to the console that looked to be a pincer of sorts.

'The machine is something I… acquired… from an old rival of mine and then I modified it, so instead of taking a soul out and returning it, it keeps it out and places it away for safe keeping," Kabuto explained.

Kabuto instructed him to take off his shirt and to sit down as he prepped the machine. Jiai nodded and did so. But the second he sat down, chakra chains surrounded him and held him in place, his eyes widened as he struggled and yelled. Kabuto smiled evilly, lapping his yells of fright up like a kitten at a water saucer.

"I am sorry to say I told the truth about everything except that part about you living," His high voice clipped through Jiai's yelling as he pressed a button.

The pincer struck straight into Jiai's heart and before his heart exploded, he shifted and it felt as if the pincer grabbed some of his soul along with the crazed dog demon inside of him. The machine drew it out as a long, shining, orange string, and placed it into a box. Kabuto smirked and left the room, not knowing of the extra catch.

He came to a window and laughed as one thought ran through his head, 'Two and a half months before total annihilation.'

And in one of the more peaceful homes a wedded couple kissed tenderly as a blonde stroked her enlarged belly. A man with his midnight black hair, up in a spiky ponytail looked on at his wife lovingly.

They spoke together.

"Two and a half months before our children are born."

And in the darkest of all darkness, Jiai came to face himself. He stared at the almost mirror image. The only differences were two. This Jiai had two scraggly dog ears, and a tail. Other than that they were completely alike.

Jiai glared at his mirror image as his blood boiled in rage.

The mirror image smirked, "I am going to kill all of them. And you can not stop me."

Jiai's eyes grew shadowed as he ducked his head, and his deep set frown became a beatific grin, "Yes I can, and I will."

With that the two began to fight.

In two and a half months, something would begin that no one would expect. And all of our protagonists will have to make the hardest decisions of their lives. And along with that, the lives of the new youngest generation would hang in the balance.

Will they be ready?

-End Arc 2-

A/N: OK. I know you guys probably want to kill me right now for stopping. But it is for your own good. I was scared I would completely blow your mind if I continued on, so I saved your lives. XD Still in Arc 3, possibly the final arc, everything will get worse, and then even worse before it gets better, but that's how life is, right? WIll be taking a break to do summer homework...XD I hate homework. Oh well...

P.S. - THANKS FOR THE 15000+ HITS, I LOVE YOU ALL AND I HOPE YOU KEEP READING UNTIL THE END!

P.S.S. - Review if you want the first chapter of Arc 3 to come faster. It'll work. I swear.

Vally27