He snickered at my reaction.

"I should've just killed her right then and there," He smirked.

I looked over at Yukiko. "Move,"

She looked surprised and moved her foot off of him and stood behind me. I weaved a sign for a lightning technique. 

I created an electrical current that struck down on him, making him yell out in pain. He tried to get back up, but then I quickly lunged towards him and punched him directly in the face and he fell back down.

"So what's your story then?" I ask, scowling at him.

"Me and the others teamed up with those who wanted revenge against the Yellow Flash just to get to you," He replied. "And we'll kill you ourselves,"

"Yeah right," I retort.

The whites in his eyes started to turn black and his irises turned into a different color. He had black swirls starting to form over his body and he grinned at me even more maliciously.

His skin turned into a brownish-grey color and his blue hair was now green. 

He lunged towards me with faster speed and hit me with a great amount of strength. I hit the ground, groaning in pain. He definitely caught me off guard there.

Yukiko widened her eyes and immediately weaved a sign, but he lunged towards her too and knocked her off her feet.

"So what now, Red?" He smirked. "You can't do a thing,"

He grabbed me by the neck and then threw me back onto the ground, weaving a sign for a wind release. 

"Wind style: Gale surge!"

The air distilled around us with his chakra and then a large burst of air hit me. Immense pain took over my body and I struggled to move. 

The mist started getting thicker around us and I turned my head, seeing that Yukiko was using the mist technique.

I shakily stood up, panting. I needed to take him down. He just caught me off guard is all.

I heard him coming from behind me, so I quickly weaved a sign and turned around. "Water style: Water bullets!"

Powerful torrents were sent in his direction and I heard him grunt. Suddenly Yukiko appeared from behind him out of nowhere from a puddle and kicked him back on the ground. 

"Hana hit him with your water whip again!" She shouted at me.

I nodded and this time formed more chakra for my water whip. I then wrapped him around in the water whip and decided to use a more powerful shock on him this time, so I used more chakra for my lightning release.

He was yelling out in pain as he was being shocked and Yukiko weaved another sign. 

"Water style: Water prison!"

A sphere of water formed around him and his eyes widened with shock since he couldn't move or breathe inside of the water prison. Yukiko panted heavily as she held one hand onto the sphere.

"Now what do we do?" I ask her.

"We have to restrain him," She replied. "As soon as I let go, you have to be ready to wrap him with either your water whip again, or use wire string,"

I had another idea.

"I could use one of my lightning techniques," I suggested.

"Whatever works. As soon as you wrap him in that, I'll use another technique to knock him unconscious. I don't know what the hell happened to him, but he's crazy strong right now and we have to use a lot of force," She replied. 

"So brace yourself. We don't have long because this water prison takes a lot out of me," She addded.

I took a deep breath and started weaving the signs for my static strings. I didn't want to use my lightning ninjutsu on the water prison because I knew it would also hurt Yukiko in the process since she's the one holding onto it. 

I had my attack ready and gave her a nod, so she let go of the water prison. He immediately gasped for air and I quickly moved, wrapping him with strings of electricity. He was being shocked 

Yukiko moved quickly as well and immediately weaved a sign. She summoned a massive amount of water from the sky and sent it crashing down on Yukio. He gasped out in pain and his body started to revert back to normal. He panted heavily and his eyes started to shut.

Yukiko also looked like she was about to fall over. I rushed over to her but was halted when I saw a man had already caught her. I looked up and realized it was Kuroshi. He caught Yukiko from falling over and held onto her.

She looked up at him. "K-Kuroshi..."

Her eyes shut as soon as she said his name and he gently placed her onto the ground.

"Are you two alright?" He asked.

I nodded, also feeling weary myself. He had a few of the ANBU from the Mist behind him and they lifted Yukio up.

"He's from our village, so we'll handle him from now on," Kuroshi said to me. 

"How did you know we were in trouble?" I ask, dumbfounded that he showed up as quickly as he did.

"I always look out for Yukiko," He replied. 

He lifted her up bridal style and then handed her to one of the ANBU. "Take her to the hospital,"

They nodded and left. 

"Do you need any medical attention too?" He asks.

"I do, but that can wait till I complete my mission. I was supposed to gather herbs to deliver to our hospital," I replied. 

I slightly winced as I bent over to pick up the basket that I had on the ground. 

"I'll help you find the herbs since she needs medical attention," He said. "But after that, we're getting your injuries checked out,"

I nodded and handed him the list of herbs I needed. He guided me through the area, helping me find the herbs. 

"Was that another one after you because of the Yellow Flash?" He asked.

"Yes and no," I replied. "Yukio attacked me years ago and I guess he wanted revenge since me and my comrades took him and his crew down. I just remember they were all crazy strong, but it seems like he's gotten stronger since then,"

"I see," Kuroshi replied. "I've known Yukio since we were kids actually,"

"Wait, are you serious?" I ask, astonished.

Kuroshi nodded. "He was my rival back in the day, but then he completely changed one day. He started killing off our enemies when it was unnecessary and a lot of our villagers feared him. He then killed one of our Council members when they were talking about possibly exiling him, and he's been a criminal since that day,"

I could tell Kuroshi was saddened by that, but he hid it pretty well.

"So you two were friends then?" I ask, giving him a look of sympathy.

"Yup, then he threatened to kill me if I didn't stop him from trying to kill our enemies. He's been in the bingo book since we were young and has been responsible for a lot of the murders that's happened over the years," Kuroshi said as we found the last bush. "I'll deal with him myself when I get back,"

I felt bad for him. He had to deal with his sister and now he has to deal with a childhood friend of his. 

"I know who's responsible for fueling his rage and hatred too," Kuroshi continued. "It was Orochimaru,"

"Doesn't surprise me," I shook my head. "He's attacked one our genin during the Chunin Exams,"

We found the last herbs on the list, which was pretty far away from where we were earlier. Now I felt as if we were being followed once again and Kuroshi noticed it right away.

"You're not very good at hiding yourself," He spoke out loud.

There was grunting from the bushes in front of us and I was dumbfounded when a man with an orange mask with stripes on it fell out. He stood up comically as Kuroshi stepped in front of me protectively.

I tensed as he looked up at us.

"I wasn't trying to attack you two, I swear!" He waved his arms around frantically, using a childlike voice. 

"Then why are you following us?" Kuroshi asked him, not reacting to his voice.

The man flailed around, making me sweat drop at the way he was acting. "I got lost when following my friend and now I'm exhausted and scared!"

"He doesn't seem exhausted," I sweat drop at the way he was flailing his body around. 

Kuroshi was ready to attack, but the man caught us both off guard by running around me and getting a bit close to me. "Don't hurt me, please! I just need help finding my way out of here!"

"Hey, don't get to close to her," Kuroshi narrowed his sharp, amber eyes. "If you're going to pick a fight, then you can attack me instead,"

I was too dumbfounded by this man's attitude and voice to react. He didn't seem to pose a threat for now though.

"I'm not!" The man protested. "I'm just lost and need help finding my way out!"

Kuroshi sighed with annoyance. "Fine. If we guide you out of here, will you leave us alone?"

The man nodded and was practically skipping behind us as we walked towards the dock.

Kuroshi was irritated this entire time and I knew it was because of the childlike behavior. He doesn't seem to have a lot of patience when it comes to this. 

Kuroshi leaned over to me. "I don't trust him,"

"I don't either, but he doesn't seem to pose a threat to us now. Maybe he's some kind of cosplayer or something," I whispered back to him.

The man suddenly got in between us, whisper-shouting. "What are we whispering about?" 

Kuroshi and I didn't reply and I sweat dropped at the way he was giggling. "Could it be...you two are confessing your love for each other? How romantic!"

"W-What?!" I shouted. "No!"

Kuroshi sighed with annoyance at that. 

There was no doubt Kuroshi was attractive, but I knew the bond between us was strictly platonic.

The man continued to ramble aimlessly about how much he loved dumplings, irritating Kuroshi to no end. I didn't mind it too much. I had more patience with him than Kuroshi did. We made our way back to the dock after finding the last herb and then Kuroshi turned to the masked man. 

"You can go now,"

The man saluted him and scurried off to who-knows-where. After that, Kuroshi walked me to the Mist Village's hospital so I could get my injuries checked out.