Note:

EDITED: 2/16/17- I added more details into Akira and Neji's respective battles, as well as their escape back to Konoha.

~~~~~~~~~

13

Bright lights filled the sky as one firework was lit followed by another. Sounds of happy chatter, lively music and laughter from the crowd rang in the air. Nadeshiko's streets were filled with colors from the bright yukata of women, to beautiful flowers that adorned the shops and the decorations that filled almost every nook and cranny of the small village. The sea was also strangely peaceful, as the boats on the docks swayed gently against the waves. A full moon shone on the sky, it's white light making the cloudless sky brighter than usual. It was indeed a happy night for Nadeshiko no Sato's annual Fish Festival.

Neji sipped the chilled sake in his hand, eyes wandering cautiously at the bustling crowd. His sharp stare noted the guards milling about, and the enhanced security the village's leader had provided for tonight. It seems that they also suspect that the renegade group would attack tonight.

A few meters from where he stood, Neji saw Akira standing in front of a dumpling shop. Like him, she was dressed in a traditional yukata of a deep purple color. Her red hair was tied in a simple bun at the back of her head. She seemed to be less subdued than yesterday and Neji was relieved that she was doing her part of the mission quite splendidly.

They had agreed to go to the festival together as a couple which earned Akira the jealous glares of the women Neji had interacted with during his espionage, and Neji the irk of most men who looked at the redhead admiringly. He watched as the kunoichi walked back to him with a stick of fried dumplings in one hand, and knew that he had to agree with most of the male population: the kunoichi indeed looked strikingly different tonight.

Akira took a bite from her dumplings as she settled beside him. "Want some?" She offered him. Neji shook his head and the girl shrugged. "Suit yourself, it's pretty good." When he still did not reply, Akira sighed and nudged him lightly with her elbow. "C'mon stop looking like that. We're in a festival, we're supposed to look... festive."

Neji only looked at her with expressionless eyes and the kunoichi sighed in exasperation. "You're all stone again. What do you want? Dango? Girls? If only we're not pretending to be married, I'll let you have some--not that I care." This seemed to draw some expression from the brunette and in turn he glared at her. Akira raised a hand in defense. "Okay, okay I'm kidding." She turned serious and lowered her voice more. "Look, my wolves are scouting the area right now. They'll alert us before anything happens. So ease up a bit. You're the one who told me to play the part right this time, and you're not doing it."

"Hn."

"There, that's more of a response," said Akira. She looked around them. "Would you like to eat? I'm getting kinda hungry." She finished her dumplings that made Neji wonder if all jinchuriki have vacuum-like stomachs.

"Do you want more of that?" he asked.

"More of what?"

He pointed silently at her now empty stick. Akira smiled a little. "Hmm...yeah. But it's okay if we go somewhere else, I don't mind."

To her surprise, he took her hand in his and began walking to where she bought the fried snack. She couldn't resist the blush that crept to her cheeks as she walked beside the tall Hyuuga.

She had agreed to play their married act for their last night in Nadeshiko and she knew very well that married people touched each other and do not feel awkward about it. But right now, she's feeling all out of sorts with Neji's hand clasping hers. True, he never signified any intention towards her--romantic or not--and the only one time he held her quite intimately was when they first arrived in Nadeshiko, and even that was done under the assumption that they were being watched. She knew damn well they were just playing a role but...

"Goddamn it if I don't find him extremely good-looking right now," Akira thought, feeling her cheeks burn. Neji had on a henge: his usual long-brown haired disguise with matching hazel eyes. But before he had it on, when they were back in the ryokan, when he was still the real Hyuuga Neji, Akira could not help but stare openly as she studied his strong jaw, well-defined nose and tall, lean built. This was one of those times she was thankful that her wolves can't read her thoughts for she knew Yuudai would bark indignantly, Kishi would smirk as if he knew some secret she doesn't, Akai would bark his protest, Kuroi would growl in disgust and Sachiko would laugh and cheer and be an eternal ball of glee.

They found a relatively quiet restaurant and settled inside. The waitress showed them a table for two, tucked inside the restaurant and beside the window. They had the perfect view of the ocean and the bright festivities outside. Akira turned her attention to the street band and the colorful costumes of the dancers moving gracefully to the beat of the drums. Their happy faces and the lively atmosphere of the people made her forget her recent brush with the Kageboshi.

Neji watched the redhead intently. Her usual scowl was replaced by a small contented smile, and her eyes were bright as she watched the festival. It was as if the demon within her does not exist. It was a change from her brash exterior, and she seemed a little...happier...quite far from the sullen and introverted kunoichi she was. And, although Neji has to admit grudgingly, he thinks the kunoichi is...

"Beautiful." And he frowned, not at her, but at himself, for allowing stupid and immature thoughts. He is Hyuuga Neji, and he does not wallow in childish ideas like love, relationships and such. He has more important things to focus on such as his career as a jounin and proving himself worthy beyond the brand on his forehead.

"Good evening, may I take your orders?"

Akira and Neji looked up at the waitress standing beside them. Akira scanned the menu.

"I'll have gyudon and inarizushi," said Akira. "He'll have warm tea and nishin soba and gyoza."

The waitress wrote down their orders. "Would you want a bottle of sake or asahi?" Akira shook her head. "Would that be all?"

"Hai. Arigato."

After the waitress had gone, Neji turned to the redhead with a frown. "How do you know what--"

"--you'll order?" the kunoichi interrupted with a sly smile. "It was easy to predict. You always order nishin soba every time you get the chance at the ryokan. You only ever drink tea or plain water, and on the very rare occasion, sake--but since we're onto something right now, I bet the small cup you had a while ago would be your last. The gyoza was a leap of faith. If you don't like it, I'll eat it instead. I hope you don't mind."

At this, the Hyuuga indulged in a smirk. "Perceptive. So is it safe to say that you prefer food with beef or pork in it?"

Akira grinned in a way that Neji was reminded of wolves. "Yes, you're right. Give me a platter of katsudon and beef yakiniku and I'll love you forever."

Neji shook his head slightly at the kunoichi's exaggeration. "And what kind of ramen?"

"Miso ramen. With Chashu, sometimes menma or naruto, and beef strips. Perfect after one hell of a day at the Academy."

"What is it with ramen that you and Naruto like it so much?"

"Is that a serious question?"

Neji only stared at her and Akira sighed and leaned a bit forward. "I guess because... it makes us happy." She paused a little. "I think Naruto likes it because he has grown eating it. You know, instant ramen since he's got no one to cook for him."

"And you?"

The brightness in her eyes faded a little as she returned Neji's stare. "Because it's a luxury." She smiled. "When I was in the Academy I told myself that the moment I become shinobi, I'll spend my first pay on ramen." Neji noticed the far-away look that had come to her green eyes. "A big one, with extra beef and a side of onion rings. And this time I'll leave a tip for Teuchi-san, not the other way around. But... that didn't happen until a couple more missions later." Akira's smile faded as she remembered where her first pay went. "Teuchi-san often gave me and Naruto free meals when his business is doing well. He's a very kind man. But sometimes, Naruto and I would even share a bowl just to make ourselves feel better."

Akira looked away from Neji, and the brunette saw a scowl cross the kunoichi's face before she turned to him again.

"How about you? Why nishin soba?" she asked.

Neji was silent for a while. Nobody had ever inquired why he liked the said food so much, and it was strange that someone relatively unknown was asking something personal about him. Come to think of it, they don't talk of personal things despite being stuck with each other for one week and more. And being the Hyuuga that he is, Neji isn't really one to share things about himself.

But after telling him about her wolves and the Kageboshi, Neji felt that it was only fair to tell her about something harmless--yet very close to his heart--like nishin soba.

"Because my mother used to cook it for me."

Akira studied the Hyuuga across her and despite his skill in masking his emotions, she detected a faint note of sadness and fondness in his baritone voice. Wordlessly, she reached a hand to touch his. Neji was startled but kept his hand on the table.

Again, the thought of defecting from the village crossed Akira's mind. If there ever was a better opportunity, it would be now. But...

Their small exchange was interrupted when their orders arrived, and if there was a bit of gloom in their conversation, it was lifted when both shinobi indulged in their favorite meals. Akira ate her generously heaped gyudon with much gusto, while Neji indulged in his steaming bowl of nishin soba. They ate in relative silence, occasionally exchanging words about their mission in hushed tones, glancing wary glances every now and then at their surroundings. When they finished, they paid for the meal and set out once more.

"What now?" Akira asked Neji.

"Something's strange," said the brunette, frowning. He looked around, eyes narrowed. It did not take Akira long to figure what he meant. It's well into the night and there have been no signs of the enemy shinobi. Were they wrong in thinking that they will attack tonight? Have their calculations been wrong?

"But it can't be," Akira thought. Late last night Yuudai and the rest of the pack reported to her that the enemy had settled their boats at the southeast of the island. She had alerted Neji and they went to see that the group had begun to enter the village undetected thanks to the genjutsu they had on. However, before the Konoha shinobi could track them further, a group of Nadeshiko's military had spotted them and a gruesome murder took place. It was murder, not a battle, since the soldiers had nothing on the enemy shinobi. They were killed instantly.

Neji and Akira had decided to retreat after witnessing the scene. If they learned anything that night, it was that the enemy numbered more than they initially thought of. Aside from the enemy shinobi, there were fishermen with them too and the two Konoha shinobi could not identify if they were with Nadeshiko or not. To be safe, they had concluded that the enemy had recruited some civilians that help them haul the reefs and infiltrate the village undetected. Yuudai later reported this morning that the group had started hacking through the reefs since last night and had filled their boats plenty.

"What could they be waiting for?" Akira asked Neji quietly as they walked through the streets, hand in hand.

Neji gave a tiny shrug. "Any word from your pack?"

Akira closed her eyes briefly, sensing through the noise for the distinct trail of thoughts of her wolves. She heard nothing.

"None," she said. "Would you like to..."

Her question was left hanging and the two of them went to a dark alley. After making sure they were completely hidden, Neji dispelled his henge and used his Byakuugan to scout the area.

"Well?" asked the redhead.

"None within my radius. How about you?"

Akira heaved a deep breath and knelt, coursing her chakra to the ground. She closed her eyes tightly in concentration.

She was silent for a few moments while Neji continued to look for the enemy using his Byakuugan.

"The vibrations are too mixed up for me to sense anything," said the kunoichi after tracking through the ground. She looked up at Neji. "There are too many people walking, their patterns are too mixed up with each other." She stood up. "Let me try again with the wolves." She closed her eyes once more and this time she was able to catch Yuudai.

"Yuudai. Any word?"

"My apologies Hime. None from the shinobi but we were about to tell you about the 3rd boat that arrived since this morning."

Just then, a howl resonated from the forests. Akira opened her eyes and turned towards the direction of the sound. Before she could say anything, another howl sounded. And another.

She turned to Neji, eyes flashing with alarm. "Three howls. From Sachiko, Kishi and Kuroi." She felt her alarm grow when Yuudai and Akai followed suit. "Five. From all directions. This is not good."

She began to run from the alley but the Hyuuga pulled her back. "Had they seen the enemy?" he asked urgently. While he acknowledges Akira's alarm, he wanted to be sure that there is a reason to be on guard. If they were to encounter the enemy and their cover be blown, it would prove perilous for both of them. They were outnumbered three to one, even with the kunoichi's wolves.

"Yes. A third boat had arrived according to Yuudai. It is full of fishermen and they're hacking through the reefs right now but they are being guarded by some shinobi." Akira replied quickly. "And Akai tells me from the north that another boat had arrived and they ambushed the small Nadeshiko outpost. They're trying to clear the forest for something..." Another howl from the distance. The redhead was quick to translate it to the brunette. "That was Sachiko, and she's currently chasing after the second group-- five shinobi, she says-- they're going towards Yuudai at the south. Kuroi has seen one group of shinobi from the east enter the village proper disguised as peddlers. Kishi says one more entered from the west."

Neji activated his Byakuugan once more to try to spot the said ninjas. He could see no one with a strange chakra signature. The enemies are good in masking their chakra, apparently.

"There's a whole lot of them," he muttered. "We can't fight them head on if there's that many. Tell me their locations."

Akira closed her eyes, locating her wolves. After ascertaining their locations, she relayed these to the brunette. "The nearest to us is the northeast dock. We can take them down."

"We're not going to take anyone down," said Neji. When he saw the redhead about to protest he cut her off. "The enemy's numbers have increased and even with your wolves we are outnumbered. Our mission is intel-gathering remember?"

Akira crossed her arms. "Don't tell me you're planning on taking them all back for interrogation?"

"You know that's impossible."

She cursed under her breath. "Damn it. Fine, you're the captain."

He ignored the added stress she placed on the word 'taichou'. "Come on." He took her by the hand and pulled her along with him. Once out of the alley, they made their way towards the shops.

"What are we doing here?" Akira asked. "Aren't we supposed to chase--"

Neji frowned and muttered, "We'll stay undercover until we are sure that the enemy has infiltrated. Tsunade-sama specifically told us not to engage the enemy."

"I know that," Akira whispered angrily, glaring at him. "But we can't just sit still while they're hacking around Nadeshiko!"

"Yes, we can. And we will."

The two shinobi glared at each other. Neji could not understand the redhead. She was the one who was constantly saying that their mission is just information gathering and now she wants to strike at the enemy? As a jounin, he knew that going against orders could not only endanger their team but also their client. Not that he's willing to sacrifice his comrades for the sake of the mission. It's just that the Hyuuga always thinks things through and does not act on impulse, which, in his opinion, is what the kunoichi is inclined to do. The fact that they could not both sense the enemy and they are severely outnumbered made Neji stand his ground that no, under no circumstances are they to engage the enemy head on.

Besides, engaging the unknown enemy shinobi will place his other mission in jeopardy. He can't risk it.

They continued to walk along the street, pretending to enjoy the festival while keeping their eyes peeled for any suspicious activity. Fireworks kept lighting up the midnight sky, a small street play has begun and the village showed no sign of sleep. It was lively and loud.

Just then, in the distance, a howl echoed followed by another. Soon, the night air was filled with a chorus of howls. The sound sent chills to the kunoichi's spine.

"Hime, the enemy shinobi's converging towards the village!"

Akira's eyes widened in surprise and she gripped Neji's arm tightly. "They're in the village," she said urgently. "They're coming in fast."

The Musha Ookami kept howling. The villagers had started to notice.

"It isn't a full moon."

"Yeah, and I didn't think wolves are out."

"I don't like the feel of things lately..."

Akira knelt on the ground, pretending to adjust the strap of her sandals. Carefully, she coursed her chakra to the ground and true enough, she was able to isolate the 2 chakra signatures unique to shinobi.

"I sense two coming this way," she said to the brunette. "The others could be too far for me to sense."

Neji was silent. With unspoken agreement, they made their way to the forest border, at the spot where they would be reconvening with the wolves. Once out of sight of the crowd, the two ninja dropped all pretense and dashed swiftly from tree to tree. Akira saw that her pack had already arrived.

The five wolves bowed at their pack leader. Neji noticed the addition of two unknown wolves: one of pure black fur, the other a deep crimson.

"As you were," Akira commanded. Hastily she made introductions. "This is Kuroi," she pointed to the black wolf, "and Akai," motioning to the red one. "Ookami, this is Hyuuga Neji."

Kuroi, the dark one, bowed silently. The red one, Akai, gave the Hyuuga a deep bark of acknowledgement. Neji returned their greetings with a polite bow, keeping his distance warily.

If Yuudai was big, then Kuroi was huge. His head almost touches Neji's chin and his bulk alone could crush a man to death. He has pure black fur that glints under the moonlight. His eyes were of deep onyx, like the sky on a moonless night. His sharp eyes darted from the Hyuuga's lavender orbs, as if debating with himself whether the said shinobi was a threat or not. His stance was tense, a low growl radiating from his flanks. He was the largest of the pack, and easily the most intimidating.

Akai, the crimson-colored one, was slightly smaller than Kuroi. He has reddish-brown fur, with hints of black at the tips, dark brown eyes that glinted mischievously as if he knew something the rest of the world didn't. Just as how huge Akira's pack was, so is Akai. His strong paws left deep indentations on the ground. Sharp teeth showed how easy he could rip flesh in pieces.

Once within the confines of the forest Neji activated his Byakuugan. "Two figures are dashing towards the village. Are these the shinobi you meant?"

"Yes," said Akira. "What's our plan now?"

Neji looked at Akira then at the pack of wolves before him. They are severely outnumbered but he knew they have to get closer to the enemy to confirm the intel they have gathered so far. Using his dojutsu, he estimated the distance of the enemy with the coordinates he was given. Based from his observations, it seemed that the enemy are no longer just content with stealing Nadeshiko's marine resources. With their increased number, it appears that they have intentions of ravaging the village. Him and Akira should not get in caught in the crossfire. Neji surmised that the best thing to do now is to split up.

"We can't cover them all at once. We should split up." He turned to the kunoichi. "You and I will intercept the two shinobi inside the village. We'll lure them and extract information. I'll use my Byakuugan to locate them and once I give the signal, we move." Then he turned to the pack, assessing their features. "The rest of you will act as support." He knelt on the ground, took a stick and drew a rough map. "While Akira and I enter the village, Yuudai-san and Kishi-san will flank us on both sides, keeping a distance near enough to offer support if ever we encounter a fight, but far enough not to be seen by the Nadeshiko guards. By now they have already heard of the ambush at the north dock and would be on high alert for anything suspicious."

"I followed a small platoon of guards headed that way," Sachiko quipped. "It's surprising they haven't raised alarm yet."

"They will, shortly," Akira said briefly. She turned back to Neji. "Wait, instead of Kishi, put Sachiko in. She's my fastest, and if we need to escape by sea, we'll need Kishi."

Neji nodded in agreement. "You know your wolves better than I do. Go on."

Akira took the stick from him. "Alright, Kishi, stay by the south dock. Make sure to observe for everything, how they haul the reefs, where they hide their equipment, what kind of jutsu the shinobi guards use. Scout the south to west border. Sachiko, you go with Neji, flank his side. Kuroi and Akai, standby the north dock. That's where most of the enemy would be coming from." The two wolves barked in agreement. She turned to the blue wolf. "Kishi, I'll need you primed up for any suiton moves." Kishi bowed and acknowledged her orders. Akira stood up and turned to Neji. "Okay, my wolves are ready."

He paused to observe the pack. Sachiko had already stood by his side, Yuudai beside Akira and the three wolves, Kishi, Akai and Kuroi growling in excitement, their eyes glinting with determination.

"We'll reconvene in the southwest dock." He activated his Byakuugan. "Let's go."

~~~~~~~~~

Akira breathed hard, dashing from tree to tree, her geta sandals scratching harshly against the trunks and branches. She and Neji had split up and now she's tailing the lone shinobi entering the village.

The said shinobi did not bother to hide his chakra which made it easier for Yuudai and her to follow him. They kept a safe distance of a few meters from him, and made sure to stop when he does, giving him a few minutes of a head start to maintain the distance.

After a few minutes of dashing, Akira and Yuudai stopped.

"He stopped, Hime. He seemed to be scouting the area a bit," said Yuudai.

"Has he noticed us yet?"

"I don't think so." Yuudai sniffed the air briefly. "We're nearing the village, Hime."

"Yeah. And I can sense that he has manipulated his chakra to that of a civilian." Akira performed a henge. "He must be entering the village. This is where we part, Yuudai. I'll go in alone."

"Hai. I'll be behind you."

Akira gave the wolf a small smile before walking. She paused to see Yuudai disappear in the forest.

Once inside the village she wasted no time locating the enemy shinobi. She had acquainted herself with his chakra signature and again, under the pretense of adjusting her sandals, she coursed her chakra to the ground, feeling the unique vibrations of her target.

'There!'

He was just a few meters ahead of her and Akira wasted no time in pursuing him. She got closer and saw that he was disguised as a peddler of some sort. She followed him silently, maintaining a distance. She saw him stop at a corner and placed his wares, a few hand-painted ceramic cups, on the ground. Akira knew this was her chance.

Communicating to Yuudai, she relayed his location. "Target number one spotted. 30 degrees north, bearing 15 degrees northwest. Target locked, disguised as a peddler of chinaware."

"Hai, Hime-chan. Sachiko is at the other end of the island, almost 90 degrees to your east."

Akira hid behind the crowd of women loitering about as she kept a steady eye on the enemy shinobi. The plan was simple: extract information from the two shinobi within the village by any means. Their top priority is intel, and Akira's wolves scouting the perimeter would make sure no one would interfere as Akira and Neji worked their way in.

Heaving a deep breath, Akira maintained her disguise and pulled on her kimono lower, exposing a bit more of her nape and shoulders. She also tucked her dagger into her obi, making sure it would be readily available if the need arises. Then, she made her way towards her target.

"Excuse me, how much is that tea set?"

Onyx eyes glared at her. The man was of slight built, approximately 6 foot 1, with tanned skin and slight stubble. He frowned openly at Akira.

"What?" he muttered harshly.

Akira kept her facade on. "The tea set, please." She pointed at the said items. "I'd like to purchase--"

"They're not for sale," he said gruffly. Akira noted his eyes dart quickly to the right before glaring back at her. She stepped closer and bent to pick a random porcelain cup, making sure that her kimono dipped lower and that he saw. She smiled internally as she felt his gaze on her skin.

"How about this one?" she asked, tilting her head a little to the side, satisfied to see that the man was following the soft line of her jaw, neck and shoulder.

She saw the man look indecisive for a split minute before barking a random price. "100 ryo."

Akira saw through the lie. She decided to play along. "Then I'll buy 6 pieces." As the "peddler" wrapped the cups in old newspaper, Akira stepped closer. "And 30 minutes of your time too."

The man looked up. On any other day, he would never pass on the opportunity to bed someone as tantalizing as this woman--what with her small waist and big bust that almost peeked off her thin kimono. But he's on a mission. And besides there's something off about the woman in front of him, her green eyes sharp and dark.

He smirked. "Just 30 minutes?"

Akira licked her lips subtly, amused that his eyes followed the small deliberate action. "I assure you, I can do a lot in 30 minutes," she drawled. She placed her palms on his chest firmly, slowly drawing them upwards as she observed the slight hitching of his breath, and the widening of his eyes. Tentatively, she pressed her body close to him, gently pushing him against the wall and effectively hiding them in the small alley, internally wincing in disgust at her actions and silently praying that the sexual innuendo would not have to escalate to the act itself. Despite being a kunoichi, she knew she's not ready yet for such.

"I know what you're doing, woman," he said in a low voice. Akira did her best to hide her growing alarm. "And I'm telling you, you'll regret it." This time, his smirk grew wider and she felt his chakra become more focused.

There's no point in pretending anymore. She stepped back from him, but maintained her calm. "Yuudai, be ready." "And what gave me away?" she said softly, all seduction lost from her voice.

The man backed towards the dark alley, and Akira could feel his chakra grow more pronounced. "The fact that you reek of metal and bloodlust."

Akira smirked. "Oh. That makes us even then. Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" She dispelled her henge. "There's only 2 ways that this will end. I kill you with a bang or," her smirk widened to a wolfish grin, "Or I kill you silently. Your choice."

The man laughed mockingly. "You think you stand a chance?" He has dispelled his henge too and Akira saw that he was of bigger stature than his disguise. He's a bulky man, wearing a strange-looking armor with spiked arm and shin guards. A scar runs at his left jaw. "No way in hell, bitch. Now I'll rip you to shreds for interfering with my plans."

Akira frowned, readying herself for battle. 'Shit.' She drew her dagger. 'So much for interrogation.'

~~~~~~~~~

A loud bang sounded in the distance, followed shortly by the screams of people. Neji looked up, brows knitted. A groan at his feet distracted him from his thoughts. He looked down and saw the shinobi he had defeated just minutes ago. His information gathering had taken a dark turn, with him confronting his informant and engaging in a brief but quiet battle. A well-placed hit on the man's vital tenketsu with the Hyuuga's Gentle Fist sealed the enemy's fate.

Kicking the man harshly, Neji left the unconscious man inside the small abandoned warehouse and made his way towards the direction of the explosion. Beside him, Sachiko followed.

"Yuudai-san tells me that Akira-hime had engaged the enemy. They are now battling not far from us," said the white wolf.

"Are they alright?" he asked. The wolf was silent for a short while before barking in reply.

"Hai. Akira-hime is now leading the fight to the ocean, away from the crowd."

"Let's go."

The pair dashed, not bothering to put on a disguise anymore, with Sachiko taking the lead. Neji had to agree with the Satsuna, the white wolf was indeed very fast that Neji had to muster more chakra to keep abreast with it.

Another explosion sounded but this time coming from the far north. As people panicked and ran around, Nadeshiko's guards have assembled and started the evacuation. Neji ignored them and continued to where Akira and her enemy was. As he and Sachiko ran, he could gather snippets of information from the crowd.

"...an attack at the North Outpost!"

"Kyoko-sama has been informed. She ordered a mass evacuation. Make sure all women and children are within the--"

"Quick! A platoon to the north. We will intercept the enemy!"

"Hyuuga-san! Akai-san and Kuroi-san said that the enemy had abandoned their post and are going for the village instead!" Sachiko reported. "Kishi-san also said that the boats with the corals have left."

Neji's frown deepened. That only means one thing. An all-out battle will soon take place between Nadeshiko's guards and the enemy shinobi. Regardless of who will win, it's a dangerous place for them to be stuck in between. A feeling of urgency crept within the Hyuuga. They are outnumbered, and even if they fought alongside Nadeshiko, it would mean going against the Hokage's orders and he can't have that, especially with his own mission. Neji focused his Byakuugan on a single target. He has to get her away from there, and take her back to Konoha.

He dashed faster, avoiding the civilians and guards alike. It wasn't long before he saw the familiar red hair out in the ocean, running on the water and moving at a fast pace. She seemed to be moving away from something.

"Akira-hime!" Sachiko called. The redhead looked at their direction and stopped. Neji and the white wolf caught up with the kunoichi.

She was atop Yuudai, her hair loose from its bun and kimono cut above her knees. She looked behind her shoulder, a satisfied smirk on her lips.

"Of all places, he had to take me to the ocean," she remarked to Yuudai. " Oh well. In spite of that, the arrogant bastard could not even come close." To this Yuudai barked in agreement. She then turned to the Hyuuga.

"I'm sorry. I know you said only to interrogate but..." the kunoichi shrugged. "I think I killed him. Didn't get anything informative too. Sorry."

Neji merely nodded. "It's fine, we have all that's necessary." Another explosion sounded. "We have to leave now. The enemy's in the village."

Akira's green eyes bored through his. "Okay. Kishi, Akai and Kuroi are out in the southwest dock waiting for us." She motioned to Sachiko. "Ride her."

Sachiko lowered herself to allow the Hyuuga to mount her but Neji refused. "I can manage."

"Idiot." Akira frowned, meeting the Hyuuga's glare. "You won't be able to catch up once they go at full speed. Trust me on this and stop being an arrogant asshole. Why do you think I'm on Yuudai right now?"

"Come on Hyuuga kid, we don't have all day," said Yuudai gruffly.

On any other occasion, Neji would've struck the gray wolf's and the redhead's tenketsu with his Gentle Fist, but seeing the urgent need to escape, he settled on the white wolf's back, albeit grudgingly and obviously uncomfortable.

"Hold on," said Sachiko. She transformed into her Alpha form and Yuudai followed suit. Silver streaks lined their fur and they had morphed into large forms. They howled in unison and soon were racing across the water as if it was solid ground. Their surroundings were a blur as the wolves' fast legs carried them off to their destination. Neji gripped Sachiko's fur tightly. The white wolf was indeed fast, faster than he credited her for.

They arrived on the said dock and the three remaining Ookami were already waiting for them. Akira hopped off Yuudai's back and landed gracefully on the water. Neji was close behind her.

"You alright?" she asked, a tiny smug smile playing at her lips. Neji only "Hned" in reply.

She took their gear that they hid in the forest the first time they arrived. She slung her pack on one shoulder while she handed Neji his. Behind them, more shouts and explosion sounded from the village.

"We can't leave by boat now," said Akira, looking behind her worriedly. "It's slower and there's a huge chance that they can catch up on us."

Neji cursed under his breath. The kunoichi was right.

"Not if you travel unseen."

The two kunoichi looked at the navy-blue wolf who just spoke. Kishi walked up to Akira. "Hime, there's a small river I had discovered at the back of this island. It leads to a small island. If you follow it upstream, it would lead you back to the ocean and from there you can head back to Port City."

Akira looked at Neji. "Well?"

Neji looked at the kunoichi and then at the blue wolf. "It's our best bet. Let's go."

Akira nodded and together, she and Neji pushed the small rowboat to the sea. She got in followed shortly by Neji. She turned to her wolves.

"We'll ride with you, Hime," Akai said in a deep voice.

"No need guys, we'll be okay," said Akira.

"But Hime, you could still be followed." Yuudai said. Sachiko, Kuroi and Kishi barked.

Akira looked at Neji who had already took a paddle. She then turned to her wolves. "No. It's better if we go on, just Neji and I. We have to be inconspicuous. Yuudai, Kuroi, Akai and Sachiko. Go back to Shizukana Yama." She took a paddle. "Kishi, give us a push then get back to the mountain."

Her wolves bowed in obedience at her orders. One by one they disappeared until only Kishi remained. A loud explosion sounded once again and the sky was slowly filling with smoke from the fires in the village.

"Now Kishi."

The blue wolf's eyes gleamed as he gathered chakra and with a bark, the small rowboat was propelled forward by the sudden current that Kishi had manipulated with his chakra. When they were far away, Akira turned back to see Kishi disappear in a cloud of smoke.

She looked at the brunette in front of her. "And now we paddle our way back to Konoha."

~~~~~~~~~

The travel back home was longer and more dangerous than they anticipated. First, they didn't have the luxury of a bed and three square meals that Yugito used to prepare when they were at his ferryboat. Second, they only took naps in turns and their meals consisted of dried beef jerkies, biscuits and water, as they left Nadeshiko in a hurry, and was not able to bring along more provisions. And third, they had to stay hidden until they are well away from Nadeshiko, and right now although both shinobi have great reserves of stamina, both are feeling the after-effects of the adrenaline rush. Fatigue was beginning to catch up with them.

Neji steered the boat towards the thick canopy of leaves, using the foliage to hide them from view. It has been hours since they left Nadeshiko and sunrise was approaching. The sky began to lighten up with soft, yellow hues. The air was silent, the sounds of explosions and screams gone, but thick smoke still rose from the village. He heaved a deep breath, trying to keep exhaustion at bay.

His shift ended an hour ago, but he had let Akira sleep in, wanting to enjoy this fleeting silence and peace. They had agreed to take naps to conserve chakra with Neji taking first watch. He glanced at the kunoichi sleeping soundlessly, the steady rise and fall of her chest indicating her deep sleep. Her hair was back in a high ponytail with strands framing her face, her deep purple kimono loose and tattered and cut above her knees. They didn't have the opportunity to talk about what happened with their respective battles for they were too busy escaping and staying hidden.

The girl started to stir and blinking sleepy eyes, she looked around, her green eyes finally settling at the Hyuuga.

"Hey," she grumbled drowsily. She rubbed the sleep off her eyes and took a paddle. "It's my turn now?"

Neji smirked, fighting off his fatigue. "Yes. It has been, an hour ago."

"What? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Hn."

Akira shook her head. "You let me sleep in when you obviously needed rest too." She sighed. "You really could be an idiot sometimes." She took his paddle. "Okay, go to sleep now. I'll wake you up when we're near."

She had barely finished talking when the Hyuuga closed his eyes, sleep taking over all his coherent thoughts and her voice lulling him to slumber. Akira watched as his head drooped off to one side of the boat. Carefully, she pulled the blanket over his form.

"Idiot." She muttered as she paddled gently, unable to stop the smile that had formed on her lips as she glanced at the sleeping man.

~~~~~~~~~

"Hokage-sama!"

Tsunade looked up from the document she was signing. "What?" she asked rather rudely, her voice thick with irritation.

Shizune was unfazed. She knew Tsunade wasn't able to sleep fitfully last night after being up well past midnight. The brunette approached the Hokage.

"We have word that Hyuuga Neji and Satsuna Akira are back from their mission." Shizune paused. "I had them checked up at the hospital for injuries."

Tsunade nodded. "Good. Send them to me once they're through."

"Hai."

A few minutes later, a knock disturbed their silence. Tsunade looked up. "Enter!" she called out.

The door opened to reveal the two shinobi. Tsunade could not help the amused smirk that had crept on her lips. Hyuuga Neji and Satsuna Akira looked a little worse for wear but otherwise fine. The Hyuuga's right hand was covered in bandages while a long laceration graced the Satsuna's left cheek. The Hokage was more concerned for the Hyuuga's hand rather than the Satsuna's wounds. She knew that the jinchuriki would heal in no time.

"Ohayo Gozaimasu, Hokage-sama," the two shinobi bowed in greeting.

"Ohayo," Tsunade returned. "Tell me what happened at Nadeshiko."

The two shinobi looked at each other before Neji spoke. Briefly, he recounted their arrival at the said village and what they found out from their sleuthing. Akira was generally silent, interjecting only from time to time when Tsunade asks. They told the Hokage of their narrow escape, how they were sidetracked from their route by the numerous whirlpools they encountered, resulting to a broken wrist by Neji and a deep gash on Akira's cheek made by the splinters of their paddle. They told how they were able to gather information and how their cover was blown on their last night. They recounted the battle that erupted between Nadeshiko and the rogue shinobi, and how the reefs played a major role in the whole thing.

Tsunade was silent when they finally finished, and there was a moment's silence in the room. The only sound was Shizune's pen across a scroll where she was documenting the debriefing. After a while, Tsunade sighed and nodded.

"Well, that was quite a mission," she remarked, her brown eyes regarding the two shinobi carefully. "I expect a full report not later than tomorrow, Neji."

"Hai."

"You both will have two days off from missions," she looked at the redhead. "As for you Akira, I had Iruka cover for your classes. I'll have him endorse to you after your two days' rest." The Hokage's eyes rested for a while longer at the two shinobi before resuming reading the document on her desk.

"If that is all, you may now go," she said dismissively. The two ninjas bowed and left.

As they were nearing the door to her office, Tsunade distinctively heard the redhead grumble, "I am not going on a mission where oceans are involved next time."

And the Hyuuga muttered in reply, "Hn."

When they have left, Tsunade closed her eyes briefly. "I'd say it went well," she remarked. "What do you think, Shizune."

The Hokage's assistant placed the scroll on the Godaime's desk. "Umm, I think so too. I mean, they did gather the necessary information, and now that we know that Kiri is not involved in this, we could use this information to help Kirigakure in repairing their strained relations with Nadeshiko and vice versa."

Tsunade looked at Shizune. "Hmm. You're correct. But I was actually talking about the Hyuuga's other mission."

Realization dawned on the brunette. "Oh! That. Umm...well, yeah...things look...good so far."

The Hokage smirked. So far.