The moment that I'm out of sight I allowed myself to stumble slightly.

Shit. Since when could Naruto do something as powerful as that? I had known it would be strong, but so refined? I'd managed to make my point, and I still won easily enough (though now that Naruto was prepared for my power, the next fight would be slightly harder), but still.

It wasn't even the second day yet. Naruto and Sakura had plenty of time to get the bells still, without my interference, as they preferred.

Although, it was very unlike Naruto to turn on a teammate. He must really be angry with me.

Of course, I've never given him a reason not to be angry with me.

I was still much much more powerful than him, but It didn't hurt to consider my options. Having Naruto as an ally, now that he wasn't a complete and total idiot, wouldn't be such a bad thing. After all, he did contain the nine tailed demon fox. If he could attain that power..

Well. He'd be very powerful, to say the least.

I took another stumbling step, and allowed my hand to rest on a nearby wall of an abandoned house--must have been to far out from the town for the owner's liking--to support myself. "Ow," I allowed the complaint to slip from my lips with no one around to hear it.

Then my eyes widened. It was the only indication that I had sensed the presence. My body stayed relaxed and unguarded. My right hand remained swinging loosely at my side while my left stayed wrapped around my stomach. I narrowed my eyes, casually opening my hand slightly in preparation for the blade--not quite a kunai and not quite a sword, somewhere in between--to slide into my right hand. I had an identical blade in my left sleeve. I could duel wield the two steel blades fairly well, but I was primarily left handed and it showed.

Still. I was better than most with just my right hand. Maybe I could catch the Claw off-guard.

I shifted my stance slightly, pretending to feel discomfort from the pain in secret so that the Claw wouldn't suspect anything.

Just perfect timing. Right when I was injured. Of course this was when the Claw would choose to attack.

Shouldn't have gone anywhere alone while so severely injured, I berated myself. Not showing weakness to Naruto or Sakura or Kakashi doesn't matter if you end up dead over this!

I sighed slightly. Who should make the first move? Me? The Claw?

I slid a little to the left, closer to a tree. Advantages, advantage, I needed to have every advantage in this fight. How? The Claw works alone. If I had another person with me as a distraction--they would have to be skilled enough to not get in  my way-- this would be a much easier fight. I shook my head.

Shit, shit. I didn't have the ANBU watching me-- I was supposed to be with Kakashi until dawn tomorrow.

I took a deep breath in and let it out, feeling my stomach stretch in ways it wasn't supposed to and pain radiating from the center, out.

I reviewed my options in my mind. I would have to fight: the Claw wouldn't allow me to get away while I was in such a vulnerable state. So I needed to start this fight on my terms. When I wanted to. Where I wanted to. How I wanted to.

I furrowed my eyebrows and looked around. Could several smoke bombs draw Kakashi's attention? I dismissed the idea almost immediately. Too many thick and healthy trees would block his sight, and it would cause the Claw to begin its attack.

Ah, fuck. This was not good.

I took a deep breath and let it out. Okay. I leaned over, pretending to catch my breath but collecting a few small rocks instead.

Then in a flash of movement I acted.

I sent one of the rocks hurtling towards the Claw.  It dodged neatly, the rock barely scraping its mask. It blurred slightly as it disappeared, and I raised my guard doubly.

This Claw was better than the others sent after me so far.

And so it began.

My blade slid into my right hand as I raised it straight above my head in a block , predicting where the Claw would appear. Our blades skittered off of one another with a shower of sparks and I smirked. "You forget," I taunted. "They taught me first. I know all your moves, all your tricks. I was the Claw once too." The mask gave nothing away, severely limiting my ability to read the Claw. I would have to make due with body language alone.

We both hid our blades once again in favor of our fists, and exchanged a few blows, testing each other out. The real fight wouldn't start until we had a feel for one another. I narrowed my eyes as the Claw went in for a debilitating blow, leaving itself open. A Claw would sacrifice anything, even its own well being, to complete a mission.

I managed to twist away from the strike, simultaneously slamming my fist into its mask. It cracked slightly, sending the Claw sliding back. My hand throbbed.

I wanted that mask off.

It hurt.

After several minutes I finally managed to land a kick that sent the mask hurtling off. I smirked at the small triumph, although it had cost me bruised ribs. The boy underneath the mask had white hair and empty, empty blue eyes. A long, thin scar marred one side of his face. The other half was painted in a myriad of blue and yellow, the bruise only just beginning to fade. He had burns and bruises and cuts and abrasions and he couldn't have been older than twelve years old.

"Tough shit, kid," I mumbled.

Then we sprung towards each other once again.

***

3rd P.O.V

"In other words..." Kakashi smiled at Sakura and Naruto, "We're peers now."

Sakura hesitated.

"Is something wrong, Sakura?" Kakashi asked.

"Well, it's just... what about Cashile?"

Kakashi gave a short sigh. "Team seven originally had five members due to... special circumstances. However, Team Kakashi won't be having Cashile returning to it. She has her own team now to worry about."

"Her own team?" Naruto asked in amazement.

"Yeah," Sakura nodded. "You remember those kids we saw running around Konoha?" Naruto nods. "That's her team. And that workout was her version of 'a day off'."

Naruto blanched. Geez, I would hate to be the genin on her team. She's heartless!

They began to walk back to Konoha, Naruto chatting animatedly. Then he suddenly froze and stiffened. Sakura and Kakashi paused as well. "What is it, Naruto?" Sakura asked. Naruto was about ten yards ahead, and had clearly seen something they hadn't.

"Two bodies by the side of the path," he mumbled back, "It looks-- hey! One of them is Cashile!"

Kakashi looked around warily. "You said there were two bodies, right?" Kakashi checked with Naruto as he began to creep forward. Naruto nodded. "Stay on guard and back me up, Sakura," he ordered. "Be ready if we need medical assistance. Naruto, with me."

They crept forward slowly. Kakashi approached the unknown body first. The boy was laying face down on the ground. Kakashi checked for a pulse, shaking his head when there was none. With a slight grunt Kakashi rolled the boy, who Kakashi now recognized as a Claw, over.

"Cashile killed a little kid!" Naruto gasped. He clearly couldn't believe it. Despite having called her heartless, monster, bitch, he had never expected something like this from her. "He looks like he could barely be out of the academy!"

"Shut up, Naruto," Kakashi ordered, leaving the assassin and turning towards Cashile.

"Kakashi-sensei, how could you protect Cashile?" Naruto demanded. "Look at what she's done--"

"Quiet, Naruto!" Kakashi replied, searching for a pulse on Cashile's neck. Naruto recoiled slightly, looking shocked. "Sakura, come here," he beckoned. "The danger seems to have passed. I've never seen them work in groups or pairs before."

"Them? Who's them?" Naruto asked. Everyone ignored him.

"There's a pulse," Kakashi informed Sakura. "But this was a hard fought battle. It seems like she barely won."

Sakura was carefully checking her injuries, already beginning first response medical ninjutsu. "I don't believe her life is in any immediate danger," Sakura murmured. "The only issue may be how long she's been lying here, injured. But by far the worst injury I can make out is her stomach. The injury seems to be consistent with the damage caused by a rasengan."

Naruto paled. "But she didn't even seem to be hurt by it! She wasn't in pain at all!" He protested. "What's even going on here?!" He yelled, frustrated byhis ignorance.

Kakashi sighed. "Perhaps it's time we filled you in, Naruto," Kakashi nodded to Sakura. "Fill him in, I'm going to run Cashile to the hospital and alert ANBU to take care of the boy,"

"Yes, Kakashi-Sensei," Sakura replies courteously.

"You two can drop the 'sensei', we're peers now. Not student and teacher," Kakashi replied with a sigh.

Then he gathered Cashile in his arms and took off for Konoha hospital.

________________________________________________

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Hey guys! J's right, you really want this next update :3 it makes me HAPPYYYY.

So what do you think about this chapter? Did you guys expect Cashile to take the rasengan?

What about how much damage it did or how she was able to conceal all that pain?

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