A woman ran past me, her scream blaring in my ears. She didn't get very far before a shadow's hand stretched up from the ground in front of her, elongating to use its talons to rip her throat out. She fell with a gurgle, but was soon trampled by more villagers trying to get to safety.

"Damn it," I muttered just as the others ran up behind me.

"This is bad," Kankuro said. His hand was already on his wrapped up puppet. "Real real bad."

"Where are the others?" Neji asked, his eyes crinkled. A mega-shadow appeared behind him but he quickly whirled and sliced it open with his chakra hand.

"I don't know." My eyes scanned the chaos, looking for a flash of pink, blue or orange, but all I saw was red. Red blood.

"Well then, we better take care of these guys." Temari withdrew her fan from behind her. "Let's go!"

I ran off with them, Mami by my side. Two mega shadows appeared before us. It exuded darkness and evil, threatening to stifle me with it. I closed my eyes and in the next second my hands were covered in purple chakra. I ran and jumped up into the air, baring my fist to slam down on my opponent. From the corner of my eye, I saw Mami engage the other one.

My chakra covered fist slammed into the shadow, which tore its face apart. It made no difference because its face started to grow back but I moved too quickly. I sent punch after punch into its body until it has been reduce to nothing. Unfortunately for me, there was no chance for rest. Mega shadow after mega shadow came barreling towards me.

My chakra covered fist took them down one by one. I leapt over one, severing its head from his body, and using its body to slam into another one who was trying to sneak up on Mami, before the parts could reattach themselves. My kick went right through another and I dived through the opening, narrowly missing talons clawing down my back.

Mami knocked one aside, quickly sliding in to cover my back as I did hers. I was moving faster than I ever did before. Everything around me was a blur, only focusing on my enemies.

"Mami!" Mami wasted no time getting rid of her enemy and slid under my feet when I jumped into the air. She flew up immediately while I made my hand signs.

"They just keep coming!" she complained. Mami flicked her tail into my back, which had me flying back towards the ground. Halfway there, I completed my hand signs and shouted "Heavenly Flame!"

Then I landed on the ground crouched like a cat while the ground exploded in purple flames around me. It was a dangerous jutsu, I knew. Especially because I couldn't be sure if all the villagers got away, but with hoarde that just kept on coming, I saw no other option.

Being that it was my flame, I was immune to it. I dashed in and out of the fire, cutting down any mega shadow that hadn't been touch by it. The regular shadows all fled the scene with piercing screams leaving in their wake, no doubt ready to attack another part of the village.

Mami remained above ground. She began forming a fiery bow and arrow, shooting at all the regular shadows that were getting away. They faded away with a screech as soon as the light touch them.

"Lea!!"

I whirled on my heels, and watched with immense relief as Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke and Horo came running towards me. Horo reached me first, and immediately swept me up, much to my surprise.

"Woah, whoa," I said. "What's with all the commotion?"

"What happened to you?" Sakura asked as soon as she reached me. I grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her away from the lick of the fire. "Sasuke said some girl kidnapped you."

"Yeah, but I escaped. And came back to this."

"We didn't know. It happened so suddenly while we were all in our beds."

"Our fault for letting our guard down when we had no idea when they would strike again," Horo said.

"What's with all these ninjas?" Naruto asked.

"I met Shikamaru and the others on my way back. Tsunade had told them to head to the hidden village in the sand and bring back some ally ninjas to help."

"Gaara...?"

"Yes, Gaara and the others are here too, somewhere."

All this time, I was doing great at ignoring Sasuke's piercing stare. I didn't dare look at him.

"Lea-chan," Naruto said, coming closer. "You're chakra is weird again."

I laughed. "Yeah, I know Naruto. It's my kekkei genkai. Now if you guys will excuse me, I need to take care of some bad shadows. I suggest you guys do the same."

They all nodded, having not forgotten that this was a battlefield. And being surrounded by my flames may give them some protection but they can't - and won't - run from this fight.

"You sure got stronger Lea-chan," Naruto stated with a grin. Then, with a wave of his hand he dashed back into the heat of the battle, kunai in hand, followed by Sakura.

At long last, I finally faced Sasuke. Even as I did, I made sure to keep myself cool, calm and at a distant. His eyes were burning. "Aren't you going to get back?" I asked him.

Sasuke didn't answer and, for a while, just stood and stared at me. Then he moved forward, his movement slow and deliberate. I stood still as he bent at my ear. "I'll find out who you are."

My eyes didn't move from its spot on the ground, rooted there. Sasuke sprang off, back into battle. Horo was the only one who remained.

"Missing this?" I looked up to see him holding Machaera in his hand. A grin split across my face and I made a grab for it.

"You should know something about that sword," he said. "It was Muro's and ... there's something special about it. It has powers."

"What kind of powers?"

"The ability to shift into any weapon you may need."

"How do I get it to do that?"

"I have no idea. I'm not Muro, am I?" With that, he sent a salute my way then ran back into the battle, skirting the fire.

I looked down on Machaera again, wondering just what Horo had meant by what he said. Shift into any weapon I may need? How? I closed my eyes, willing the sword to transform into anything ... anything different.

When I opened my eyes, lo and behold. It was a bow. A grin split across my face at the sight of its gleaming black surface, strong, sturdy and beautiful in my hand. "Now this is more like it!"

Dashing out from the fire, my bow in hand, I skirted past the dangers of the shadows, running up the side of a wall to get to the top of a building. It would be a great vantage point, I knew, and a perfect opportunity to test out my new weapon.

At the very top of the building, I finally got an opportunity to see everything. And when I say everything I mean everything. The shadows and the creepy way they moved, the talons flashing in the in the moonlight and coming to rest in the body of a unsuspecting ninja, the spray of blood as the talons were ripped from the skin, the fade in the eyes of the ninja who lost his life. I saw all this and more, watching from above. I felt anger grow in me, and I allowed it to fester and form until it materialized into an arrow of bubbling chakra.

I took the arrow and let it fly. I could feel my anger radiating off me now, and I tried to tamper it down. If I don't, I knew what would happen. But then, I watched as my arrow arrived late, killing several mega shadows at once but not before they tore through several other ninjas, ripping them to shreds.

"Lea!" Mami flew down before me, but I ignored her. "Lea! Snap out of it!"

I didn't and I didn't want to. With the anger and rage that settled over my body, I knew that my hair had become black, and my Ketsuekigan was out. I could see everything even more clearly now. I turned and faced Mami.

"Look what that bastard unleashed on this village." My voice was eerie and calm, quite unlike the volcano I was feeling inside.

"Yes, I know," Mami said. "But you have to control yourself. If you don't then you might end up hurting the same persons you're trying to protect."

Somehow, those words meant nothing to me. I just stared blankly at her. "We are not the same. I'm not like him."

"Lea, get a hold of yourself!" Mami placed her paw on my shoulder but I immediately knocked my arm into her face. She went skidding across the roof. I turned and looked at her.

"Do not interfere."

With that I turned and positioned my bow again. After one more long stare, I drew arrow after arrow with quick succession, aiming for mega-shadows and regular shadows alike. Mami's words lingered in the back of my mind, somehow loud and clear among the screams of rage that was going on in my head.

I might end up hurting the same persons I was trying to protect.

The arrows flying from my hands didn't slow however, and not long after I heard Mami's wings take flight again. I liked the rage, I fed on it. It was making me feel invincible, like a trained warrior. Like no one, not even him, could touch me.

It wasn't the same rage, however. Something was different. I felt more in control, more aware.

I ran along the roof's edge, still shooting arrows before flipping over and landing on the ground crouched, a blaze of purple chakra flying up around me, lifting my short hair into the air when it did. There was another difference, I noticed. My chakra wasn't red anymore but purple. This Ketsuekigan was no joke.

Mega-shadows crowded in on me instantly. With a large battle cry, my bow was now a battle ax and I swung like a madwoman, cutting through them with every swing. My chakra didn't stop blazing, my hair didn't fall down. With each step I took, the ground sank under the weight of its power and pebbles and small rocks rose into the air.

I was like robot, killing anything that was marked with him. I sped through the lot of them, Machaera conveniently becoming a lance, bow, sword, hammer and whatever else I needed whenever I needed it.

"Lea!"

I whirled, preparing to cut down whoever had dared call my name. He ducked just in time, then sprang back up his onyx eyes filled shock.

"What's with you?" Sasuke asked me.

I didn't answer him. He was in my way. If he didn't move now, I would have to get rid of him myself.

"Lea?"

Machaera became a club and I swung. Sasuke dodged quickly enough and the club slammed into a mega-shadow.

"Lea, what the hell is wrong with you?" I finally allowed my eyes to meet his.

"Piss off."

"Lea, it's happening to you again. You're getting out of control."

"Piss off!!!!" All my rage was now directed at one target: Sasuke Uchiha. Quick as lightning, I threw Machaera up into the air as it became a sword again, and while it was suspended, I wrapped my thighs around Sasuke's neck, flipped us both over. Then I caught the sword and prepared to stab him with it.

"Lea, don't." Sasuke didn't even move. He just laid there and looked at me. Why was he looking at me?

A mega-shadow loomed above us but I got rid of it quickly. I looked back down on Sasuke. He was still looking up at me. I raised my sword.

"Lea, snap out of it," he said. "Don't lose control of yourself. I am not the enemy here, those shadows are."

They damn well were the enemies. But for the life of me, I didn't know whether or not that was true.

"Lea." My eyes snapped back to Sasuke and suddenly all the anger drained out of me. I fell to the ground, my Ketsuekigan retreating and my hair falling down, as white as before.

"Oh my gosh."

"Are you okay now?" Sasuke asked me.

"I almost killed you. I could have killed you."

"But you didn't."

My tortured eyes met his. "What came over me?"

"I don't know." But I did. My rage, the blood rushing to my head, the chip. One second longer in that state and I would have had Sasuke roasting over a fire. I buried my face in my hands. I was too dangerous.

"Lea, get up. We need to continue fighting."

"Yeah, you're right." Slowly, I came to my feet. "I'm ... sorry."

"Yeah? If you are, try not to kill anyone else."

"Yeah, okay."

Sasuke gave me one last look, to make sure I was sane no doubt. I picked up Machaera and sent him a salute. No, I wasn't sane. But he didn't need to know that.

A mega-shadow ran past me, slicing my back open. I hissed in pain. It attempted to do it again but I set Machaera ablaze and rammed it into wherever its heart should have been, making it die instantly.

"Damn it." The wounds was bad, exposing some of my bones. I couldn't fight like this. Not until I healed.

As quickly as I could, I ran over into a secluded part of the village. There I sat behind the gate, out of sight of all the others. The pain was intense, but I could already feel my muscles growing back, the skin repairing itself.

The battle behind me raged on. Screams were constant in the air, both of the ninjas and the unnatural blare of the shadows. I waited rather impatiently for the healing to be done. I needed to get back out there. If only I could keep a leveled head.

Suddenly, standing in front of me was a mega shadow. It popped up out of nowhere and was already baring its talons to sink into my face. I didn't move fast enough to get up but I did manage to block most of its blow with Machaera. Unfortunately, one talon scraped my face, sending a long cut from my temple to my cheek.

"Rasengan!" The shadow dissolved in a blast of blue light. I hid my face against it, then when I opened it Naruto stood grinning down at me.

"Why you hiding round here, Lea-chan?"

"I'm not hiding, I'm resting a bit. I think I exhausted too much chakra."

"We're getting creamed out there, Lea-chan! They just keep coming. I don't think there's ever going to be an end to all this fighting."

"It's simple, Naruto," I said calmly. I had to be calm. If I think too hard, I'll get angry again. "We just have to find the source."

"Source?"

"Someone has to be creating all these shadows. Get rid of the source and you'll get rid of the problem."

"Yeah, you're right, Lea-chan!"

"I know." I slowly came to my feet. The wound was almost completely healed by now. I opened my mouth to speak again but then I was cut off by a scream.

This wasn't just any old, scream. This one was different, probably because it actually contained words.

"No!!! Not my baby!!!"

Both Naruto and I shot towards the source of the screams. It was coming from deeper in the secluded area of the village. When we rounded the corner, we saw the unmistakable pink that was Sakura and the dark broody boy beside her.

"What's going on?" I asked when I reached them. "Who screamed?"

"We don't know," Sakura replied. "We heard it too and came running."

"My baby!!!!"

"Over there!" Naruto took off running, the rest of use following behind us. What we saw when we turned the corner would have made a wiser man run for the hills.

There were mega-shadows everywhere! These weren't normal mega-shadows, I knew, the looked more evil, more sinister, and definitely more ugly. They had gold eyes shining through their darkness and even had longer talons that the others. And there must have been about a couple thousands staring right at us.

"Oh no," Sakura muttered, refusing to move an inch.

We were all frozen, those golden, eerie eyes staring us down. To the side was a woman clutching a little boy, who had escaped from the weird looking mega-shadows as soon as we turned the corner and their attention had been averted. Slowly, one step at a time, the woman and her son inched away until she could safely run for the hills. Something I think we should be doing.

"What do we do?" I whispered.

"What can we do?" Sasuke whispered in answer. "They're staring right at us."

"Might as well fight huh?" Naruto said, sounding weirdly pumped.

"We're gonna die," I muttered.

"We are," Sakura agreed.

I gripped Machaera's hilt tighter. At the slight movement, the shadows took off running towards us. My teammates and I all exchanged looks before facing the mass and jumping into another battle.

Sakura jumped into the trees, finding it safer to protect herself while attacking from above. Sasuke and I flanked the sides while Naruto engaged them head on.

"Fire is good against them!" Sasuke shouted.

"Thanks for the tip," I shouted back, my words full of sarcasm. These mega-shadows were no joke! They were faster, stronger and were much harder to cut down. Sasuke sent fireball after fireball, taking out multiple at once. I set Machaera ablaze and cut through them, moving faster than quicksilver, my blade transforming on will. Naruto had about a hundred other Narutos fighting around him, and they all made a lot of noise as they fought their way through.

"Fire Style: Torch!" I waved my hand around a fire appeared. Flipping over the head of a mega-shadow as I twisted its neck, I threw the fireball in such a way that it took three down. I continued drawing fire out of thin air and throwing it around.

Sakura was doing well getting rid of them from the trees, throwing paper bombs where she couldn't use fireballs like me and Sasuke. I sliced Machaera through one mega shadow, twirling and kneeling down to shoot and arrow from what was now a bow, then flipping over to land on the ground brandishing my club. This was the best sword ever.

"Fire Style!" I shouted. "Explosion!" I ran up a wall and flipped over, doing my hand signs. I landed on the ground, slamming my fist to the ground. The ground before me exploded with purple fire, taking the lives of many of our enemies. If you could even call them alive.

"Lea, no!" Sakura screamed. "We don't know if people are still alive inside!"

"Oh crap!" I had to get rid of the fire before the ground exploded again, taking us along with whoever might be inside. I really needed to control myself.

"Water Style: Shield!" I slammed my hands on the ground and suddenly there was water, flying from the trees and creating a tall enough shield to protect the building.

"Quick, get behind the shield!" Sasuke bellowed. The real Naruto was already there and Sasuke and Sakura jumped in to join us, just as another explosion sounded, taking another chunk of the mega-shadows.

There were three more explosions before it stopped and the fire died down. As soon as the shield fell, I did too. The ground felt cool on my face. Maybe I could lie here for a while...

"Lea, are you okay?" It sounded like Sakura.

I opened my eyes. "Tired ..."

"You used too much chakra." She knelt at my side. Soon, there was a warm feeling spreading throughout me. "I'll help you."

"What are you doing?"

"Healing you, what else?"

"You can heal?"

"I've learnt a thing or two from Lady Tsunade."

"Oh ..." My eyes drifted shut again. "That's cool."

"You'll feel better in a minute. Sasuke and Naruto are taking care of the remainders."

"There're remainders?"

"Yeah, but not much. You really wiped them out. When did you get so good?"

"I was always that good." I frowned. Was that me or Masuta?"

Sakura didn't seem to notice. "Yeah, yeah. No need to boast. All done."

I felt a rush of energy. I got up and smiled at her. "You're good."

"I know," she replied. "I'll go help those two, you go check for anyone inside."

"Since when do you give me orders?"

"Just do it," she said, sounding exasperated.

I sighed and jogged inside. I had been planning to do it anyway. As soon as Sakura had mentioned survivors I had planned to go check, I had just been too weak and drained after using all that chakra. I ducked inside.

"Hello?"

No answer.

"Hello? Anyone here? If you're there say something, or I'm giving up on you." (A/N: c :)

"Everyone's fine," came a voice behind me.

I whirled on my heels and saw the same old man who had been back there. The ones who created the shadows. He was sitting Indian style, with his hands rested on his knees.

"Stop this," I said, coming closer.

"Stop what? Serving my master? Doing what he bid me to do? Why would I do that?"

"Because you're killing innocent people out there! Just stop! If it's me he wants then, I'll go."

The old man laughed. "You think too highly of yourself. If it was you he wanted he would not have sent me. I'm too powerful for the likes of you."

"Then-"

"The clan he's interested in. The same clan you were calling for just now."

"Goddamit, why doesn't he just let this clan obsession go-?"

"Don't you dare call his life work an obsession!" Two shadows appeared out of nowhere and pushed me to the ground. I didn't fight back. "He needs them. Just like he needs you and I."

"He needs me," I said grinning, taunting him. "Does he really need you?" I looked him up and down.

The old man boiled over. "Of course he needs me! I'm his special! His most needed, wanted everything!!"

I nodded, pretending I was agreeing. "Sure."

Suddenly the old man jumped to his feet. "I'll show you. I'll show you just how powerful I am."

The two shadows holding her down ran to their master. They picked him up and ran outside. I followed them, just in time to see the remaining shadows outside run after them. Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto and I all exchanged confused looks.

We chased after them. All the shadows were following, not just the weird ones. They stopped in the centre of the village and began jumping on top of each other, fusing together.

"They're merging," Kiba said, walking up beside us. He had blood on his sleeve. His head bent backwards farther and farther as we watched in grow.

"Will this ever end?" Shikamaru complained from somewhere behind me.

The giant shadow was now scraping 20 feet tall. Its talons were so long it scraped the ground and it had golden glowing eyes. It looked down at all of us.

"I am the strongest," it boomed.

I turned my back to it and faced my allies. "Fire works against it so, since Sasuke and I are the only ones who has that element, we'll flank it. Temari, I need you to use your fan and fuel the fire. You too Naruto. Sakura, you take all the injured persons over to a safe enough place and heal them. If this plan doesn't work then we're going to need all the men we can get. Everyone else, just be on standby until we hit it with the fire. After that, you can all attack. No water."

"Who put you in charge?" Kankuro asked.

I looked at him evenly. "Me."

"Pfft. Why would we listen to you?"

"It sounds like a sound plan, Kankuro," Temari said.

"We shouldn't be taking any orders from a twelve year old girl."

I rolled my eyes. "Gaara, if you please?"

Gaara's sand came around and slapped Kankuro. "We'll do the plan," Gaara said. Kankuro shut up immediately.

"Thank you Gaara, I always liked you. Everyone understand?"

Everyone nodded. "Okay, go!"

Mami flew down and picked me up. On the other end, I saw Sasuke being lifted into the air by Gaara's sand. The giant shadow lifted its hand to swat me and Mami out of the air. There was always one bug advantage to fighting something this big. It moved really slowly. Mami and I dodged it easily. As soon as we did, I did my hand signs.

"Now!" I shouted. Sasuke and I both inhaled deeply. Sasuke released a massive fireball, bigger than any I've ever seen him do before. I exhaled shortly, the sound a high ping. I watched as both his fireball and my little fire nugget headed straight for the shadow. As soon as it did, it created such an explosion that I was blown of Mami's back and we both landed on the ground, rolling several times before coming to a standstill.

A massive dust cloud obscured my vision. I quickly sought Mami and she flew up and above the dust cloud. The shadow was flailing around, the fire quickly spreading over its body.

"Don't let the fire out!" I shouted.

Temari spread her fan wide and sent a massive gust of wind after the shadow, big enough to allow the flame to burn brighter and bigger.

"Naruto!"

Naruto spun his clone around and around, then released him into the air, holding the Rasengan.

"He won't make it!" Sasuke shouted.

Gaara came to the rescue. He pushed Naruto farther, sending the small orange boy and the even smaller blue spiraling ball into the heart of the fire. As soon as it made contact, there was another explosion. This time when I fell off Mami's back I didn't climb back on. It was over. Bits and pieces of the giant shadow was falling from the sky.

The dust cloud again, however, hindered my vision.

"No!!!!"

I whirled around. The old man was kneeling on the ground, half his face burnt off and blood pouring out of his body. "No!! You will not be his favourite!"

"Dude..."

"NO!" He raised his hand, then jerked it to the side. I frowned at him. What was he doing?

Oh.

There's my answer.

That smile of his lingered on his face as his life slipped away but who cared? There was a massive talon sticking out of my chest through my back. On the tip of the talon was my blood and some purple liquid. I staggered back, shocked and the end of the talon tipped me over and rested. I was now in the air with a talon through my body. Wow.

"LEA!!!" Mami rushed forward. "Lea, oh my God!"

"Lea-chan!"

Everyone rushed over to me. I turned to face them. "Hey guys."

"Lea, oh my." Hinata sounded close to tears.

Horo pushed his way forward, followed by Sasuke.

"Damn it, girl," Horo cursed. I frowned. Why was he angry? "This is not the way for you to go. You're too young."

"Go? Go where?"

"Lea, you can't die!" Naruto shouted at me, tears running down his face.

I looked at him. "I'm going to die?"

"No!" This was Sasuke. My eyes sought his. His eyes, although they held no tears, were filled with pain. It made me hurt too. "You're not going to die, you hear me? Stay with me Lea, don't close your eyes."

I struggled to open them again. "Sasuke."

"Yes?"

"You never told me you request." My eyes fluttered but I tried my best to focus on him. He had come closer. Still no tears.

"You can't fulfill my request now," he whispered.

"I suppose. I'm dying anyway."

"No! You're not going to die on me! That's my request Lea! Don't die."

I blinked at him and a smiled formed at my mouth. "I don't have a choice, do I?"

He shook his head. "No, you don't."

Suddenly, pain laced through me and I cried out. The shock and adrenaline must have worn off. I was feeling everything now. To my complete horror, tears of pain ran down the side of my face. Horo came closer.

"There's poison," he said. "And judging from the position of the talon, it must have grazed her heart."

"Damn it, Lea, why is it always you?"

I looked at Sasuke and attempted to shrug. "I don't know. Maybe I'm cursed." My eyes fluttered. "Mmm, I tired."

"Don't you dare close your eyes, Lea," Sasuke warned, his voice thick.

"But I need to rest a little. I've been fighting all night."

"If you close your eyes, I swear to God Lea..."

"Well, that's not very nice." Despite his warning, my eyes drifted shut. I couldn't help it.

"Lea!"

My eyes shot open at the shout of my name. I looked around me. Sasuke was standing over me and ... was it raining? My eyes drifted to the others. Everyone was crying. Hinata was sobbing uncontrollably in Kiba's arms. Kiba and Naruto just stared at the ground, looking angry. They probably didn't realize they were crying too. Sakura was sobbing like a baby. Neji looked lost, as if couldn't believe what was happening. Mami was lying down beside. The poison must have affected her too.

"Mami." She lifted her head and looked at me and my heart broke. "Don't die," I ordered.

"My lady-"

"Do. Not. Die."

My eyes drifted shut again and I made a sound of contentment. "Well, I'm off everyone. Good night..."

Hope you liked this chapter everyone :)