The three of them stepped into the head quarters. Heads turned to look at the man known as the Black Serpant… for now. In actuality, this had been Venom and Blaze now combined into one. He looked around, as everyone stared at him.
“Shadow does not acknowledge those around him…” Xash whispered. Venom looked forward, as he began walking through the halls. He had no idea where to go at this point. Nishash slid from his arm and began to sliver on the ground. This was Venom’s cue to follow her. He did so, and they ended up going to the secondary mainframe. There, he saw the blonde haired man known as Eliot. He turned, looking as ‘Shadow’. He turned and looked at his crew and said to them that he would return. He walked up to the three. He first looked towards Christie.
“Can you keep an eye on these fools for me… I have to discuss something with these two.”
“I am the same rank as that one there… why do I have to stay out of the loop.” She began.
“Yes…” Venom began. “If you can say it to him… you can…”
“Shadow…” Eliot said. “It’s about that project we were working on. Remember… when we were Camouflaging the flash of the Blazing fire? The one that we had to induce venom to it somehow….” He said. All the was really heard was ‘Camo’, ‘Flash’,’Blaze’, and ‘Venom’. Venom paused for a moment…
“Ah yes…” he said. He turned. “Sorry Christie… nothing personal.” He said, as he walked out. Eliot followed. He pulled the two of them in the armory. He looked at Flash.
“I need you to relay this message…” he said.
“Who the hell…” Venom began.
“Shut it, Venom. Not right now. Flash… let it be known that his plan… there has been a small change in it. Christie has been betrayed.” He said.
“Ok…” he said.
Elsewhere, in the Mansion of the village leader, Lydeck Hayabusa, Camo had sprung from the floor, as Hayabusa has been resting.
“Hayabusa…” he said. He shot his eyes open. He sat up and looked at Camo.
“What…” he said.
“There has been an unexpected betrayal in Shadow’s plan…” he said. Hayabusa shooked his head.
“I didn’t even want this to happen… It’s wrong…” he said. He stood up. “What is it?”
“There are more than twelve guys. Picture… more like one hundred.”
“Shit…” Hayabusa said, as he began to get dressed.
“Eliot has confirmed that most of them are Rock Missing Nin that figures capturing the beast would get them back into their village.”
“Ok… tell him thank you. Tell Flash to flash near the lair so that the security that is on watch will become suspicious and spot these people.”
Back in front of Eliot, Flash looks at Eliot.
“He says for me to distract the guard to make him look in the right direction. That way you can have some people on stand by…” he said. Eliot nodded. Eliot walked out, and Venom and Flash looked at each other.
“How does he know, I wonder…” Blaze asked from around Venom’s body.
“He is the only person who stays connected to this mask at all times.” Flash said. “Shadow allowed him to see and know his secrets.”
“Hmmm… interesting…” Venom says. They walk out of the armory, but Flash disappears, and in a matter of a minute, does what he needs to do. As soon as Venom walks out of the armory, he hears from the mainframe room the words of surveillance.
“Sir… we have movement in the distance…” he said.
“Pull it up…” the man types a few things and the mask of the guard is pulled up full screen with thermals. He could see many people hiding in the bushes.
“There have to be about a hundred...” Eliot said. Christie’s mouth gapped open.
“That… bastard…” he said. She turned and walked out, storming to who she thought was Shadow. “It’s an ambush. Our plans have changed.”
“Ok…” ‘Shadow’ said. Eliot came out.
“Prepare for battle!!!” he yelled. “They outnumber us, but we are better matched…” he said. He looked at Venom, but really meant this to be for Flash. “Have Hayabusa brought here immediately…” he said. Everybody turned heads. People have began noticing that these two have never been seen in the same room. The grand brothers…
“Got it…” he said. “I have to get something from my office.” He said, as he ran to Shadow’s office. When he did so, Flash let Camo know that he was ready in the office.
Immediately, Hayabusa had transported to the office with Camo at his feet.
He looked at his alter ego’s creations.
“You guys sure did come in handy…” he said. Hayabusa stepped out of the room, pretending to look tired.
“What is going on?” he said.
“We are under attack…” a crew member of Gesshoku members yelled as they bowed. “Lord Hayabusa…”
“Where?”
“Shukaku’s Lair…” he said.
“Shit… ok… I will ready up. Immediately head out there.”
“Yes sir!” They all said. They ran out. Eliot moved to Hayabusa.
“What Phoenixes will we be needing…” he said.
“We are enough… the two of you and myself…” he said. Hayabusa looked on, looking into the eyes of Christie. There had been a moment of glaring. Of hate. Hayabusa walked past her, going to the summoning room. He summoned his copy puppets. He took his cloak off and revealed his exposed torso. “You guys go…” he said. They all disbanded. At that moment, Hayabusa transported into the lair to see the sleeping beast.
On the field, the one man had stood there, in front of the lair. He could see that the bodies slowly poured from the leaves. He saw the leader that had been there, the one Christie had paid. He smirked under his Rock mask. He looked behind him at his small army. He lifted arm. Ten of them performed their own hand seals. He shot his hand forward, and there behind him, the ten men shot huge balls of fire and water. They were all hurdling toward the lair, and the one man. His eyes widened as he stood there. He put up his arms to shield himself, expecting to be hit. To his surprise, he had been alive. He opened his eyes to see a wall of sand had just protected him. Just then, the cries of the One Tailed Beast had come from inside. The wall pushed forward, hitting the same men who had attempted to shoot him.
The beast came creeping out of the lair, with his beady eyes and his master on his head, prepared with the two puppets.
“You promised refuge… that I’d be safe. But look at this…” he said. “One hundred men here, and there are just two humans here to my defence.” He said. Hayabusa allowed the puppets to stand, as he let the strings lift him into the air, as if to float in front of the beast.
“Trust me…” he said.
“I don’t trust humans.”
“Well, that’ll just be something we have to change…” Hayabusa said. He turned and allowed himself to jump down, with the puppets following him. A few men charged on the command of their leader. The first swung with a deadly axe. Hayabusa ducked and kept running, as his hovering puppet grabbed a katana and slashed his head. The second puppet grabbed the axe. Hayabusa performed a few seals, and dropped his hand down. He formed a flaming spiral, much like rasengan, of fire. He thrust it into the second man, making him spiral out of control, hitting and taking out another. Both puppets managed to take out one shinobi each with their wielded weapons. Putting his hands in his pouches, Hayabusa use chakra strings to take out 10 kunai, and shot them in all directions. It stabbed the remaining four in multiple spots, as well as the ones he hit, guaranteeing their death.
He pulled the kunai back and looked at the leader. They were now down to 80.
“You are out numbered…” the man yelled.
“Not by many.”
“Hah.. we have 80. You are three.”
“Guess again…” said a voice from below. Camo had been there, and latched onto the man’s feet. Christie came from out the ground as well, from the coffin. She immediately trusted her hand into the man’s throat and grabbed it. He had been alive still, as she stared at him.
“I was going to kill you afterwards anyway…” she said, before grabbing the money out of his pocket, and ripping his throat out. She backed up and looked at the remaining 79. The two that had followed this man prepared to attack, before, from behind, the fangs of two serpents pierced the necks of both of them. ‘Shadow’ had been behind them. He yanked them back, having them land on the ground at his sides. From his hands came black flames, which pierced them and killed them. He then spun like a dancer, letting the blade cut the heads of the three men closest to him off.
“Hmph…” he proclaimed. He looked up at Hayabusa, who returned the look to him. There had been a moment of pause, as those who were there finally witnessed these two in the same space. Just then, one of the remaining yelled.
“RETREAT!!!” he yelled. Christie, and Shadow, and the guard, all looked at Hayabusa. Hayabusa looked up at his beast.
“Let none escape…” he said. The beast dove into the sand, rumbling the ground beneath him. He shot up in front of the crowd, and slammed his head on the ground, smashing most of them. The rest, which were a little more than 50, began to run the other way. Just then, from the trees above, one man from the Gesshoku Akatsuki piercedone of the enemies. Everyone stopped and looked, not seconds before being barraged by more members in the trees. It was an ambush. In the end, there had only been three left. They had been surrounded by the whole crowd. Hayabusa stepped to the center of the crowd, followed by ‘Shadow’.
“Kill them…” Hayabusa said.
“Wait…” Venom said. Hayabusa turned and looked at him.
“Lord… Hayabusa… brother…” he said. “Let me keep these three… for experiments. It would be a shame to let these prisoners go to waste.”
“Very well… but they are your responsibility, and I am to stay informed about everything…” Hayabusa said. Venom, other known as Shadow, nods. He looks at Flash behind him. Flash nodded. Venom looks at Christie.
“Go with them, and lock them up where they need to be.” He said. Christine nodded.
“Camo…” she said. Camo made the Coffin raise, and Christie stepped int. They disappeared into the ground. Flash grabbed the three men and they all disappeared. Hayabusa turned to the crowd.
“You have all done this village proud… we have been victorious. I suggest some kind of reward.” He said. “All of you should be prepared to lead battles as generals in our war.”
“War, Lord Hayabusa?” one asked.
“Against those who infiltrated us. Against Iwa Village…” he said. They all looked at each other and roared with triumph. Hayabusa moved to the side, and went to Shukaku.
“I told you… you will be in no danger. For this attack, this village is going to war, for you.”
“Hmmm… I suppose we do make a good team…” he said.
“Yes… now you may rest. I will put more security here through the nights, if that is fine with you. I don’t want you to be tired of humans.”
“No… I think I can handle two more perhaps…” he said with a growl.
“Very well... sir.” Hayabusa said, as he began to turn and walk away.
“Good night… I await your call to begin training. And human…”
“Hmmm?” Hayabusa said, as he turned and looked at the beast.
“Shukaku is truly my name. I suggest you call it by that.” There was a small pause.
“Very well. Good night… Shukaku…” and with that, the small group of a large community headed back to the village.
[2028 Words]
