"Humph, they're appeared." Sasuke said.

"This is the perfect handicap. Believe it!" Naruto comment excitedly.

"W-What is this?" Sakura asked as she frown when she saw Sasuke was standing in front of Nikki, protectively.

"It's quite a number. Moreover, they're clones?" Kabuto said.

One of the Rain Clone laugh. "Cornered rats." It said.

"Shut up!" Naruto exclaimed and ran to one of the clones and punch it.

Oh, they're quite weak, huh? Sakura though. "Good! Naruto!" She cheered at him.

However Naruto's punch went right through the clone a bit of black lime was on Naruto's hand, shocking everyone.

W-What are these guys? Sasuke though.

This isn't a normal clone Jutsu! Nikki though worried as feeling useless because she didn't have any strength left.

From that one clone that was punched half of the slime was creating another one in the other half.

I'll assess this! Sasuke though gritted his teeth together. Sharingan!

"Naruto!" Sasuke proclaimed, throwing shurikens at another clone that was about to attack him, destroying it.

"Sasuke!" Nikki warned quickly pushing him down as the kunai grazed her shoulder causing her to flinch.

"Sasuke! Naruto!" Sakura said.

W-what's going on? My body's... Sasuke though.

"Sasuke..." Nikki said worried. "Are you okay?" She help him up.

Kabuto grab the kunai. No mistake. It's the real thing, not an illusion. He wondered.

"Scroll please. Scroll please." The clone chanted, freaking Nikki out.

"That Nikki was injured means these things are actual Shadow Clone?! B-But...even though Shadow Clones are supposed to vanish if they take a direct attack these things don't vanish.
Does it mean then this is Genjutsu?! Which is it?!" Naruto said, panicking as the clones continue to chant. "Dang it!"

"It's futile! Stop! These things are illusions. It's an enemy Genjutsu." Sasuke told Naruto panting heavily as Nikki look at him worried while holding her wound.

"B-But, Nikki's wound is the real thing." Sakura proclaimed.

"No, it's as Sasuke says." Kabuto said as he treating Nikki's wound. "Probably the enemy is hiding somewhere...and coordinating their attack with movements of the 'Genjutsu Shinobis' and attacking from a different location. Pretending as if those Genjutsu Shinobis are attacking." Kabuto explained once he finish treating Nikki.

"Then I'll find the idiot who's behind the scenes throwing Lunau knives and kick butt, believe it!" Naruto shouted, frustrated.

"Hold it, Naruto. We're been deceived as to the source of the kunai knives...so we can't discover the precise location of the enemy like this. Do you get it? That is the enemy's purpose." Kabuto said.

Nikki suddenly covered her mouth when she start coughing into her hand and what she saw shocked her, an ashes stain was on her palm.

Sasuke saw it and looked at Nikki in shock as well but her expression said 'we'll be talking about it later.' "

"From a data stand point, it's a type who is weak at close combat and Taijutsu that likes this kind of attack. The true enemy won't come out until we can't move at all." Kabuto explain. "Listen, everyone! In any case, all there is to do now is to fend off the enemy attack."

"Fine, if that's what their plain is..." Naruto said, pulling out a kunai.

Suddenly kunais came and their quickly dodging them or using their owns to reflected them.

"Man! This is endless!" Sakura complain.

"Since it's come to this..." Naruto said as he was getting annoyed.

"Stop!" Nikki exclaimed, stopping Naruto as he was about to do a Jutsu.

"Naruto, don't waste your chakra! Even if you attack these things there's no point!" Kabuto told him.

"If I hit them all in a single sweep, the enemy won't fire inadvertently while these things are reverting back. The hiding place will be discovered, so. Shadow Clone!" Naruto said as he summoned his clones and attack the enemies clones.

"It's not over yet!" Naruto proclaimed.

"Sasuke, what should we do...?" Sakura asked concern.

"Man, that loser. All there is to do is go for it!" Sasuke said.

"B-But..." Sakura was unsure.

"Indeed... It's not a situation that he can get through by himself." Kabuto said, pulling out a kunai.

"Let's go, Nikki! Sakura!" Sasuke said, joining the fight.

"Yeah!" Nikki and Sakura sid together.

Nikki pull out two kunai as she was launching herself and start slicing several of the enemies clones.

Suddenly Nikki was surround by Rain Ninja clones. She looked at them with a smirk before she taped her heels together and blades appeared out of the sole of her ninja shoes, flipping backward to her hands with her legs splittede and start to spinning around, cutting several of the enemies clone down until there wasn't any left.
_____

Their had fought off the clones all night until daylight was slowly rising. Nikki, Sasuke, Sakura and Kabuto were getting tired and worn out.

"I'm not finished yet..." Naruto said.

Their were breathing heavily while looking around there's still more clones around them.

"Dawn is breaking."

"It's finally for the hunt."

"Mubi, that's enough. We're finished hunting their spirits. Now what's left is just their bodies."

"Lucky."

The Rain Ninja made the clones start to disappear to reveal the real Rain Ninja.

"You're...the one who...did my left shoulder. I finally you. You really hung me up. Lucky I can finally even the score." The Rain Ninja said pulling out a kunai.

Naruto smirk, surprised the Rain Ninjas.

"Cornered rats." Sasuke said.

"It went well, Naruto!" Sakura said.

Nikki's POV

"You were great, Naruto!" I said as we stood behind the Rain Ninjas.

The Rain Ninjas turn to see us.

"W-What the heck are these guys?!" The Rain Ninjas was shocked to see that we were fine.

Sasuke was holding my hand.

"T-This can't be! Since when...?!"

"Idiot! You finally showed your true colors, punk!" Naruto said, as he revealed that he had made shadow Clones and transforming them to us.

"T-This brat, don't tell me..."

"The Shadow Clone is just the preparation for the trick...for me to portray every member of the team by myself!" Naruto said released the shadow clone.

"At the same time Naruto lifted the Shadow Clone, the three of us hid. The Genjutsu users were adversely deceived." Sasuke said as Naruto was breathing heavily, he was a bit tired he tried to walk but he kneeled to the ground.

"Naruto! Naruto you've used too much chakra. I'll do the rest." Sasuke said.

"You have earned it, Naruto." I said.

Naruto surprised us when he got up and punched one of the ninjas the collision caused for one to be hit. Hitting the others in the same direction, surprising everyone.

"No way! I'm not always going to have the good parts taken away!" Naruto said breathing heavily.

Naruto... I though, smiling. You have change so much since we met.

"Naruto..." Sakura mumble in shocked.

"Not bad. But we're still unlucky. There's no time. This time around we'll show you our Ninjutsu!" The Rain Ninja said as a group of fog clones appeared.

"Shadow clones?" Naruto wondered.

"No, they are plain clones. However, he's up to something. Be careful!" Sasuke warned as he looked at me worried as I was panting heavily for air.

"Hah! If they are just clones, then there's one real body. I'll kick their butts right and left until I run into him." Naruto said with confidented.

"You idiot." Sasuke told him.

"Naruto, no you need rest." I told him worried.

"Such a tactless thing..." Sasuke commented.

"I'm telling you! I'm saying don't stick your nose in!" Naruto said running toward the clones.

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed. "That's reckless!"

"Idiot!" I exclaimed putting my hand on my forehead.

"Cripes!" Kabuto said.

"Sasuke..." I look at him worried when he groan and his body froze.

Naruto punching clone after clone but neither ones was real. Kabuto try to stop him but Naruto didn't listen.

"Are they all fakes?! Or could i be Genjutsu again?!" Sakura asked.

"There most be a way to end this." I wondered before I suddenly gasp when Sasuke shouting in pain as he grab his shoulder, falling to his knees.

"Sasuke!" I quickly when next to him and I notice a slight glow from his neck, my eyes widened when it hit me, it was the mark that is causing him pain.

"The bruise again..." Sakura said worried next to me as she saw it too.

"Stop using the Sharingan, Sasuke!" I told him and quickly move behind him, putting my hands on his shoulders as a green glow appeared, showing that I'm using Medical Ninjutsu.

"Nikki, stop..." Sasuke told me and I was able tou protective. "You're still sick so save your energy." I sigh and nodded while stopped the jutsu.

"It won't do to create an opening!" A Rain Ninja said having a kunai in his hand.

Kabuto quickly grabbed Naruto but he got a slight graze on his leg.

"Kabuto!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Darn it!" Naruto proclaimed.

"Stop! Naruto! No matter how much you swing at them, the real body isn't in those clones." Sasuke told him, groan in pain.

"Then where's the enemy attacking us from?! If they are merely clones, the clones themselves can't attack!" Naruto said.

"If I knew that, we wouldn't be having a rough time of it! This is the enemy's scheme." Sasuke told Naruto.

I gasp as I sense the Rain Ninjas. "That's because their underground!" I exclaimed.

One of the Rain Ninjas hit Kabuto. A slight scratch was across his face, he looked at the enemies with a menacing look in his eyes the others took a step back.

Naruto took this chance to kick the Rain Ninjas, kicking them out. Stopping they're jutsu.

"Heh, 'it won't do to create an opening', right?!" Naruto said, repeating with what the Rain Ninja to him earlier.

"Thank you, Naruto. You saved me." Kabuto said, sigh in relief.

"We're okay here, Naruto!" Sakura said, waving at Naruto as he collapse back to a sitting position.

I suddenly start to coughing out of control and ashes came out uncontrollably.

"Nikki!" Sasuke exclaimed as he quickly hold me to his chest as he was shock to see ashes.

"Nikki!!" Naruto run over to us.

Sasuke was rubbing my back until I finish. He touch my forehead. "*Tck* Your fever is returning and it's worse than before." Sasuke said.

It was already morning as we wait for Naruto, who were checking who of the Rain Ninjas that had the scroll, which allow me to get some rest.

"What happened there? Are you hurt? That's a terrible bruise." Kabuto asked Sasuke, when him in pain.

Sasuke quickly grab his shoulder. "It's nothing." Was his answer.

"Here it is, here it is!" Naruto cheered when he found it. "Look, the Heaven Scroll!"

"Good for you." Kabuto congrats us.

"That's great!" I said, clapping my hands together.

Sasuke help me up. "Nikki lean against me." He said.

"But Sasuke, your hurt too." I said and he was about say something. "How about we lean against each other." I suggested.

Sasuke though for a second before nodding as we start leaning against each other while making our way to the tower.

After a while of walking, we finally arriving at the tower.

"Oh, it's you guys. You're later, Kabuto." His teammate said when their appeared out of the forest as we stood in front of our door.

"I got a bit involved in something. Sorry." Kabuto apologies to his teammates.

"But, but...thanks to you, we got both the scrolls." Naruto said with a big grinned on his face as while as hands behind his head.

"He's right." I said smiling.

"No, it's because you guys fought hard. You were amazing at the end, Naruto." Kabuto said causing Naruto to chuckle, still smiling. "We're going through his door. We'll then, I wish us both luck."

"Yeah!" Naruto said as Kabuto give us a thumbs up.

"Goodbye for now Kabuto." I said while bowing my head slightly before we entered our door.

Inside we were met with an empty room. "There's nobody here." Naruto said confused.

"Are you okay to stand on you own, Nikki?" Sasuke asked concerned.

"Yeah." I said reassuring him before we let go of each other but continue to stand next to each other while holding hands.

(Note: ignored the background and pictures it to be indoor and that her hair color is brown.)

I sweat dropped as I could feel Sakura death glared from behind me. I wonder when she will stop with her jealousy and realize that Sasuke isn't interested in her and move on. I sigh at that though as I know it was going to take a long, long time before that happens.

"Say-say, what're we supposed to do?" Naruto wondered confused as the rest of us.

I look around until I saw something on the wall in front of us. "Oh! Look at that..." I said, pointing toward it.

"Without... Heaven... I don't get it at all." Naruto said.

"If 'Heaven' does not exist, enrich your knowledge, and prepare for the chance. If 'Earth' does not exist, run the fields in search of an advantage. Open the series of Heaven and Earth, and the perilous way shall be redressed... This is namely the secret of 'the one that guides'..." Sakura read out loud.

"What's that?" Naruto asked.

"It looks like there are letters or something missing there. It's probably has to do with the scroll. I think this means we're supposed to open the Heaven & Earth scroll." Sakura said as she took the Heaven scroll.

"Okay then, I'm going to open it." Naruto said, nervously.