Espionage that takes place for the sake of military intelligence is one of the most vital, yet dangerous missions a shinobi can take. Hunting down an enemy and eliminating them is one thing. Kill the enemy at any costs and the mission is therefore considered a success. Missions that are assigned for the purposes of gathering viable intelligence is much more difficult. 

False information could bring down armies, kill thousands, and destroy societies. While gathering none could leave allies blind and clueless. That, and depending on the way one gathers said intelligence is tricky. Scrolls and documents are far easier than trying to capture an alive victim. 

They could just as easily commit suicide via cyanide pill or poison. Or they could take the opportunity to tell us lies. 

Oh, how I hate missions that require intelligence gathering. ESPECIALLY when you cannot kill or injure the person you must capture. I get the killing, for obvious reasons. 

But can one fully comprehend how hard it is to not even injure the target! By technical definition, that means I cannot so much as scratch them. Can I be a total smart ass and bring this up to Yamato? 

I think I really should, however, I won't for now. 

"-The target must not be killed or injured, no matter what. Even if this means having to fight them in the end.-" 

Yamato's face takes on a rather severe look, his eyes drilling into each and every one of us. "If they're killed, we lose our only source of intelligence. Therefore, this mission is even harder than when you just have to take down the enemy.... and because this is such a delicate situation, this must go off without a hitch.-" 

Yamato turns and looks towards Hikaru and I, his eyes assessing us with seriousness. "Naruto, Sakura, and Sai will act as back up, while I go ahead and try to capture the enemy myself. If by chance my disguise is penetrated, and it is revealed that I am in fact not Sasori, a battle will likely ensue. Only then will you be allowed to switch to combat mode. As for the two of you-" 

A harsh gleam overtook Yamato's eyes, his body going slightly rigid. "Under no circumstance will you be allowed to enter the battle until I give you some sort of signal.-" His eye's moved to each of our exposed shoulders. 

"For unknown reasons, you have yet to receive your ANBU tattoos, which therefore means you are still under my command until further notice. You both are our last resorts. If for some reason we are held up and the situation arises, only then will you be allowed to intervene. The enemy cannot know that the both of you are here." 

Hikaru and eye shoot small glances at each other before simply nodding in Yamato's direction.  What is Yamato planning exactly? I narrow my eyes at Yamato as he continues to speak. Is he wary of the fact that Hikaru and I have yet to obtain our ANBU tattoos? 

to be frank, I'm curious about this as well, and when I previously asked Tsunade about it, she merely dismissed me and told me to get lost. How can we be considered ANBU when Tsunade hasn't given us tattoo's and hasn't allowed us to take the necessary training to become a recognized one in the first place. 

I swear Konoha politics are just as twisted and absurd as the sea snakes who rule over my clan. Confusing and absolutely ridiculous. 

"You will work in pairs at all times. Teamwork is a must for this mission to be a success. Squad one will be Naruto and Sai. Sakura you're with me. Squad three will consist of Lorelei and Leviathan."

"But-" Starts Sakura. 

Yamato turns and looks at her. "You are the teams one and only medic. We cannot afford to lose you, so I will be there to cover for you." 

For Sakura to be as good of a medic as she is, fills me with some semblance of peace. No matter how hard I tried, I never could quite get the hang of medical ninjutsu. I have too much chakra in my body, and although I can control it with high amounts of mastery, I cannot channel it into the delicate amounts that Medical Ninjutsu requires. 

At least with Sakura here, those on the team have a smaller chance of dying. 

"In light of what I just told you, this isn't standard procedure, half of tomorrow will be focused on pair simulation exercises. Everything I know about you three is from your files. I need to assess first hand your battle style and skills, along with the makeup of your jutsu.-" 

"Wait wait wait! Why aren't Lorelei and Leviathan included in this!?" interrupts Naruto, his face twisting into one of frustration. 

Yamato let out a sigh, his head shaking slightly at the blonde knucklehead. "I was getting to that part, Naruto. I already have a small idea of what they can do, as I already know who they are. If we are getting into specifics, I have fought with these two. However-" Yamato turns his attention back to the two of us, his face showing his curiosity. 

"It has been three years since then, so I wish to also see how far the two of you have come, and if you both are just as stubborn as I remember."

A small scoff escaped me, my lips twisting into a small smile behind my mask. "Trust me, we've changed, as you will be pleased to find out. However, I'd like to see if you're still as cryptic as ever. Still finding it hard to understand what you meant back then." 

A small chuckle escapes Hikaru as he jerks his head in my direction without truly looking at me. "and that's saying something. She likes to brag about how smart she is.-" 

My fist swings out without must thought, nailing Hikaru in the gut rather harshly. 

"Sorry, must have been reflex." 

"Reflex my ass-" Wheezes out the boy, his head moving so he could glare at me. I shrug my shoulders and give him a small pat on the head. Basically telling him to get over it. 

*                   *                   * 

Screaming was all I heard as Naruto continued to struggle against the binds Sai accidentally set upon him. Sighing, I put my hands behind my head and stare up at the sky in wonder. How much longer was their simulation going to last? I mean, Naruto and I still need to go.

"It's impractical to fight while covering for someone who can't maintain his cool...not to mention dangerous. I simply considered what would be the best way to ensure mission success, and then I acted accordingly." 

A sharp growl was heard for Naruto, causing my head to snap in his direction. 

"Brother." 

Naruto turns to look at me with a small snarl. I give him a small shake of my head, silently telling him to back off. Scoffing, Naruto shoulders past Sai and goes to stand beside Sakura. 

"This isn't going to work-" Mutters Yamato in distress. 

Looking towards Hikaru, we send a silent message to each other before we both approach the other four. 

"Yamato-" 

Said commander turns and looks at me. 

"Shall we demonstrate what teamwork should actually look like?" I say plainly, my voice coming out as indifferent even though adrenaline was slowly seeping into my veins. 

Genjutsu shall be off-limits for this simulation, Yamato needs to still be able to carry out the mission perfectly after we fight. 

Sound-induced ninjutsu should also be limited to a bare minimum. Sound that effects his eardrums will dull his sense of gravity, and we can't have that happening. He'd be out of commission for quite some time if we did that. 

 Looks as if ninjutsu and taijutsu are really our only options for now. That, and my chakra infused water. 

"Yes, let's do that. Frankly, you both are my only hope at this point." Stepping away from him, I reach out into my weapons pouch and double check that my chakra blades were there. They were. 

A small smirk makes it's way across my lips, Yamato is going to have the time of his life. Looking towards Hikaru, we simply look at each other, understand flashing between our eyes before we both look away. 

"Begin" 

Hikaru and I charged without a second thought. 

Lightening cracked where the two of us used to be, shouts of surprise echoing from being us as we charged at Yamato with killing intent.

Yamato refused to act in panic and surprise, and before we go within inches of him, pillars of rock shot towards us. Hikaru reached towards me and threw me up in the air, while he himself ducked underneath the columns of earth. 

In sync, lightning crackled in our hands as time almost seemed to slow down. Twisting my body in the air, I raise a chakra infused fist before smashing it into the earth that threatened to flatten us. 

Within moments, the rock was broken, and I was safely back on the ground. Looking towards Hikaru for a mere second, we split apart and rush towards the ANBU from opposite sides. Sticking out a hand, my Chakra crackled, the water and lightning mixing and quickly taking the form of a trident. It was a little trick that Hikaru taught me a couple of months ago. 

With ease and incredible speed, Hikaru and I swing at the same time, The deadly weapons aimed for Yamato's neck. Bending backwards, Yamato ducks before placing his hands on the ground, immediately using his wood Jutsu to attack us. Instead of running away from the Jutsu, I fuse my feet with Chakra and jump on to it. 

Hikaru does the same. 

Below us, Yamato pulls out a Kunai, his eyes narrowed in concentration as a small number of sweat beads down his brow. Even from here, I can hear his heavy breathing. 

I chuckle slightly. He's nervous about what is to come. As the wood Jutsu begins to dissipate, Hikaru and I run at him yet again, however, this time, Yamato meets us full force. Slashing towards Hikaru, Yamato slight smirks as if he thinks he's won. However, Yamato's blade cuts right through him, the section where Yamato's blade slashed was nothing but a swirl of black mist. 

Hikaru lets out a sharp laugh as his trident swings out towards Yamato with deadly force. 

While Yamato continued to be distracted by Hikaru, I flash behind him, one of my  Chakra blades out and ready. Fused with lightning, the marks across the blades themselves almost seemed to come alive as I gripped Yamato around the neck and poised one of the blades towards his main artery. 

I flare my chakra as well, and the water within the gourd reacts violently to it. Coming out, the water swirls and twists as it warps around Yamato's legs and spreads itself across the ground. 

Yamato silently curses to himself I push lightning Chakra into the water. If He so much as moved, the Chakra would react mercilessly and electrocute him without pause. 

However, as I smirked to Hikaru, I noticed something off. Pushing away from Yamato, I let out a loud curse before taking my blade and cutting through the ANBU. 

"Oi! What are you doing!?" Yells Naruto in fright and anger. 

Snarling, I turn and look up toward the trees on my right. Where the real Yamato was. 

"You can come out now Yamato!" 

Hikaru approached me, his fists clenched as he silently fumed. Smiling to himself, Yamato jumps down from the tree and claps his hands mockingly. I curse myself for not realizing it sooner, and as he approached us, I couldn't help but feel a sense of failure as a smile broke out across his face. 

"Now that is what teamwork is supposed to look like."

I scoff and shake my head. "That fight didn't even last long enough for those three to see actual teamwork." 

Hikaru's shoulder brushed against mine, as if sensing my unease and frustration. The feeling causes the area of contact to tingle, small goosebumps running across my skin. 

Yamato simple shakes his head at us as Naruto, Sakura, and Sai make their way towards us. 

"That. Was. AWESOME!" Yells Naruto, his lips twisting into a huge smile. 

"You guys moved like seasoned Shinobi! How did you guys do that!?" Asks Sakura in awe. I ignored all of them, and instead fixed my eyes on Yamato. Narrowing my eyes through my mask, I feel the unease continue to grow. 

I still have a long way to go before I am fully able to sense the Chakra signatures of experienced ANBU. I can somewhat sense Kakashi and the others, but when they get completely serious.

I can't sense them at all. 

A presence to my right causes me to turn, and it most definitely wasn't Hikaru. It was Sai. 

Turning my head slightly, I meet his gaze dead on, and instantly I felt the tension rise. The area around us went quiet. 

"From a Sairen...I'm disappointed." 

My reaction was instant, and with lightning speed, my hand shot out with ruthless intent, my fingers wrapping around his pale neck. "I dare you to say that again," I say with a low rumble.  My mind only just now understanding the fact that Sai knows that I'm a Sairen. I'll ask questions later. 

With a simple thought, Chakra ran through my hand and pulsed into Sai's body. 

"Lorelei! Don't do it!" 

Too late. 

Hands wrapped around me and pulled me away from Sai said boy looking at me in contempt as I was restrained.  The cold feeling of a mask brushed against the nape of my neck as I struggle to move out of everyone's grasp. Even Sakura has a hold on one of my legs. 

"Shizukana, you need to calm down," whispered Hikaru lowly. 

"Calm down my ass." I say with a low hiss. 

" Lorelei Stop!" Yelled Naruto, his arms quivering as he tried to hold me back. 

Yamato even yelled at me in frustration. "Listen to your own advice, Lorelei!" 

I tuned them all out, my hands twitching as they were the only things not being held back. With a small movement of my hand, Sai's body moved grotesquely, his limbs twisted to match the movement of my hands. 

Hikaru inhaled a breath of horror as he realized what was going on. Flaring my chakra, I clenched all of my muscles and let out a low breath as I steadied my heart. 

Without a single pause, I throw my body forward, those holding my arms and torso going flying in front of me, while I twisted my leg free of Sakura. 

Rushing forward, I pull my bamboo flute out of my pack and play just a single note, Sai, and everyone around us going still as their eyes turned glassy. Hikaru was the only one unaffected by the note I had just played. 

However, as I lifted my flute, I played a simple B flat scale, the sound resonating and the ill intent only meant for Sai. Slowly, tears began to fall down his face, but no screams came from him. Simple sounds are not meant to harm, they are meant to warn. Of course, the intent behind the sound it the only thing that matters. 

A hand roughly grasps my shoulder, causing me to twist around abruptly. 

"Enough." Growls out Hikaru, his mask off as his face shows the amount of dissatisfaction with me. 

"Just because someone insults you, does not give you the right to always act out violently. Show some restraint." Disappointment laced his words and I feel the sinking feeling of guilt tug at me. With a sigh, I play a final note, causing everyone to come out of their haze. 

while Yamato, Naruto, and Sakura looked around in confusion, Sai turned and looked at me in terror. 

After that moment, he never looked at me the same. 

_________________

After such a long time, I'm sorry for such a crappy chapter. I'm still going through a major writer's block and I had to find something that would fill everything in. I'm kinda lost on what to do, to be frank, but I'll figure something out. 

-Mizuko