A/N: In case you guys weren't aware, all of the Grass OCs shown are from the companion novel, Colorless. Akito, Etsuko, and even the village elder are in the story (although he hasn't been completely introduced yet). 

The figure that answered the door about had Kazue's eyes popping out of her head. After all, the last thing she'd expected was a woman dressed in what, in Kazue's eyes, could be barely considered enough clothing to step into public. Her shirt was a gray tube-top that ended just beneath her chest, her pants a pair of soft black shorts that ended about four inches above her knees. She was, of course, barefoot, her navy hair hanging in long, loose locks past her shoulders. The only thing that actually indicated the woman to be a shinobi was the forehead protector tied loosely around her upper right arm and the weapon's pouch attached to her thigh.

With Kazue staring, Jin not about to offer unneeded speech, and the ANBU clueless about their mission, Neji was left with the job of introducing them. The second he opened his mouth, however, he was cut off.

"Akito! We've got guests from the leaf!" the bluenette shouted. "Put on some tea or something."

A muffled response came from somewhere in the house and the girl let out an impatient huff.

"I don't give a shit if you're sleeping! Go put on some damn tea!"

A thump came from beyond the doorway and the girl cocked a brow, spinning around to face the hall behind her.

"Seriously? Did you just fall off the couch?" she demanded, a grin crossing her face. "That's... that's hilarious!"

The woman burst out laughing, leaving the ANBU and leaf shinobi staring at her blankly. By the time they recovered, a yawning man appeared behind the bluenette. His shaggy hair hung in wild, crimson locks that almost blocked view of his mud-brown eyes. To the leaf shinobi, his appearance when combined with his slight frame (he stood a good two inches shorter than the bluentte) and freckled skin was as good as him holding up a sign with his name.

"You must be Miki-sensei's brother," Kazue observed.

The man blinked, his lazy eyes sweeping over each of them before focusing on the woman that answered the door. She was pretending to wipe away tears from her eyes, apparently still amused over her guess that he'd fallen off the couch.

"I'm sleeping."

And with those two words, the Akito shoved one hand in his pocket and turned back around. Kazue could see from her position outside the door that he ran his hand through his bed-messed locks as he started back towards whever he'd come from.

"Akito, come back here, dammit! These kids know Miki!"

And with that, the woman released the door. The gathered guests were left simply staring once again as the door fell shut in their faces and the sound of someone stomping down the hallway beyond it could be heard. One of the ANBU audibly sighed, dropping their masked face into one hand. Kazue looked to Neji, hesitation playing through her mind.

"Should we--"

"Eeep! Akito-baka, you can't just do that!"

Kazue stared at the door, her cheeks slowly heating up as the noise was followed by a series of shrill giggles. Even Neji seemed to be uncertain about opening the door at this point. It was Jin who stepped forward-- her expression blank as ever-- and practically ripped the door from it's hinges as she pulled the thing open.

"We're coming in," she announced dully as she kicked off her shoes in the doorway.

"Jin, you can't just--" Kazue began, cutting off as Neji followed suit. "Neji, not you too!?"

He shrugged and trailed behind Jin as the girl followed the sound of giggling through the house. Kazue glanced uncertainly at the ANBU, but upon discovering that they didn't seem to be inclined to move until she'd stepped inside, she sighed and tugged off her sandals so she could follow the other two. They found the owners of the house in a rather... strange position. Akito was seated on the couch, the bluenette's foot to his throat, his hands wrapped around the ankle of her other foot. The woman in question was barely holding herself up off the ground, both her hands pressed to the wooden floorboards, her eyes glowering at where Akito was seemingly relaxed despite the whole matter of her foot to his throat. One of his own feet was settled atop of the woman's stomach, most likely the cause of the giggles, given that when he shifted it slightly, she started off once again.

"Um..." Kazue began, her face once again heating up. "Maybe we should..."

"No... no..." the woman got out between giggles. "No, stay... we're...we're... Akito, stop that!"

Akito still wore a bored expression, although Kazue was rather certain the edge of his lips was twisted up in just the slightest degree.

"Stop what?"

"You... you know w- hehehehe, stop that! And let... let go of me!"

He shrugged.

"Alright."

The woman hit the ground within seconds, drawing a sharp noise of pain from her lips. He'd apparently taken her instruction to mean that he should drop her without warning. The woman instantly jumped to her feet, raising a fist in his direction.

"Dammit, I'm going to give you a face full of l--" her eyes caught sight of her guests and she instantly seemed to calm, clapping both her hands together in front of her chest. "Oh, right! Silly me, I can beat him up later."

Kazue sweatdropped.

"That's..."

"I'm Etsuko," the woman continued, a bright smile lighting up her face. "This idiot here is Akito, if you hadn't guessed."

The male rose his brow.

"I believe the only idiot here is you," he drawled.

"Why--"

"We're here from the Leaf," Neji interjected, not about to let them start up again.

"Right," Kazue added. "I'm Asari Kazue, and those two are Neji and Jin."

She only mentioned her last name, leaving it up to Neji and Jin whether or not they wanted to share their surnames. After all, a surname was a lot in the shinobi world. It could reveal your style of fighting, giving an enemy a head start in a fight. In the same manner, however, Kazue viewed it as a sign of trust-- something she would need when she was about to request that someone share their clan's ninjutsu techniques. Whatever their opinions on the matter, both of her companions nodded in greeting.

"Asari.. Asari... oh, I know that clan!" Etsuko announced, dropping her fist in her hand.

Kazue was honestly surprised by that announcement. Her clan wasn't all that popular, not like it had once been. It was usually shinobi in the medical field, or shinobi older than Etsuko who recognized the so easily. Within a second she realized the reason, however.

"That was Hisoka-kun's clan, right?" Etsuko questioned, glancing over her shoulder. Akito predictably shrugged, having already laid back on the couch, his elbow covering his eyes. "Oh, c'mon, Akito-aho!"

"Hisoka's my brother."

That brought Etsuko's eyes back to Kazue. She didn't seem all that surprised, her gaze sweeping over the blonde before she nodded firmly.

"Makes sense. Hell, the two of you could be twins if not for the age difference," she decided. "Well, no, I think your eyes a-- don't you dare start snoring!"

"Etsuko-san," Kazue said, distracting the woman from what appeared to be an imminent fight with the man that Kazue was beginning to question the safety of. "We've come here on business."

"Eeeh?"

"Here, I have a note from the Hokage," Kazue explained, offering it toward Etsuko. "You're from the Taira clan, right?"

"I wouldn't call us so much of a clan..." Etsuko replied, taking the paper.

"Still, you're one of them, right?" Kazue pressed.

"Hm, oh, yeah, I am... this doesn't say what you're wanting from me," she muttered.

"No doubt they're getting to that part."

"Shut up, Akito-aho!"

Kazue gave a patient smile, doing her best not to start yelling at this point. It would seem that adults less mature than her brother really did exist.

"The Taira clan has an extensive bank of anti-genjutsu ninjutsu, right?" Kazue prompted, receiving a nod from Etsuko. "We're interested in Taira's Demand."

Etsuko frowned, the hand with the paper in it dropping to her side. For a moment, the woman said nothing, simply studying them as her free hand tapped each finger individually against her leg. After several minutes of silence, right when Kazue was about to demand what was wrong, she cocked her head.

"What could you need with that?" she questioned. "Those jutsu aren't really useful anymore, you know. They were developed for a certain style that's not really worth the risk it poses, not anymore anyways." She pointed her finger at Kazue, something akin to a lecturing expression appearing on her face. "Strong techniques like those tend to require more than most are willing to give. They're not worth it."

Kazue's face lit up. Her response told all-- Etsuko knew the techniques, or at least knew of them. She was relieved beyond belief if she was to be honest. Beyond Ai and the clan itself, Etsuko had been the only lead they had. Her letter hadn't granted her passage into Getsugakure, so if she'd struck out with Etsuko...

"I don't care," Kazue replied. "I'm aware that there are risks. Like you said, there's risk with all strong jutsu. I'm willing to take them."

"... why, exactly? That clan is dead, you know. Well, basically dead."

Kazue opened her mouth, then shut it, uncertainty fluttering through her. Jun was their reason for traveling, but was it wise to tell a shinobi from another village about a weakness in their own? Kurai's hatred for being confined very well could be used against Konoha. With the state the village had been in when she left... well, she couldn't say that it could handle anything else thrown at it.

"Kurama."

All eyes flickered to Jin. Her expression was as passive as ever, as if she hadn't just spoken up in the middle of an important conversation.

"What did you say?" Etsuko prompted.

"Kurama. Kurama Jin, that's my name," she answered.

Etsuko furrowed her brow, her gaze slowly raking over the three shinobi once again. This time, it almost felt measuring, as if she was reevaluating her opinion of them. After a moment, however, her full attention turned back to Jin.

"Kurama, eh?" she mused. "Well, that would explain it."

She fell silent. Kazue considered saying something, anything to break the tense atmosphere that had suddenly invaded the room (most likely the result of the rapt attention Jin was suddenly giving the woman), but decided against it. If she pressed Etsuko, she was uncertain of what the result would be. This was something they couldn't take chances with. After all... this was Jun's life.

"C'mere."

Etsuko beckoned them with her hand, starting towards the back of the room where Kazue could see another doorway standing. It appeared to lead into the kitchen, a sight which caused her to knit her brow in confusion. Still, she and the others followed.

"Don't do something stupid," Akito warned without budging from his sprawled out position on the couch.

"I'm not you, Akito-aho~" she retorted.

"Exactly. You're a moron."

"I'm going to kill you later."

He snorted, but said nothing in response. Kazue was beginning to question exactly how healthy these two's relationship was. Still, she remained silent as Etsuko continued her trek through the building. In the kitchen, she realized there was yet another door, this one leading to a yard behind the cottage. Etsuko drew open the sliding door, gesturing for all of them to file out into the yard. It was about this time that Kazue grew tense, unease flickering through her. What could they need to leave the house for? Any scrolls that Etsuko would have would lay inside, right?

Once she'd shut the door behind them, Etsuko dropped her hand to her thigh. Kazue's eyes followed the movement, noting how Etsuko's fingers began playing with the cover of her weapon's pouch.

"I want to see," she announced. "Let me feel your genjutsu."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Kazue ventured. "Jin's not..."

"Okay."

Kazue winced.

"Jin-chan..."

"What's the problem?" Etsuko question, glancing at Kazue and Neji, who looked just as uncertain about the idea. Well, as uncertain as Neji had the ability to look. Meaning, the expression was only obvious to Kazue who knew him well enough to read the expression.

"Jin isn't exactly... talented at not killing people," Kazue explained.

Etsuko cocked a brow, glancing at the girl.

"And here, I'd heard that kids that age were soft in the Leaf," she commented, then continued before Kazue could make a temperamental retort. "Either way, there's no need to worry. She can't hurt me."

Kazue hesitated once again and Etsuko flicked her wrist, sending four kunai burying into the earth around the Leaf shinobi. The Anbu, Kazue realized, had disappeared at some point. No doubt they were still watching, just not from a dangerously close distance given what was about to go down.

"A barrier," Etsuko offered in explanation. "Kurama genjutsu is dangerous, yeah?"

Kazue glanced at Neji, who nodded. She had to admit, after feeling Jun's genjutsu, she was in no hurry to feel Jin's. Jin was far more out of control than Jun had ever been, although Kazue had yet to see her use genjutsu up to this point. It was only then that she realized that-- and realized that perhaps the reason laid in the fact that Kurama genjutsu was so unstable.

Etsuko beckoned Jin forward and the girl stepped beyond the kunai. At that second, Etsuko flicked her hands through a number of signs, but paused midway.

"If you're gonna come out here, get in the damn barrier, dumbass!"

Yawning, Akito suddenly emerged from the sliding door, waving off his wife's irritation. Within seconds he'd joined Kazue and Neji, at which time Etsuko finished her signs.

"Taira's Demand: Shield."

She shoved her hand forward, the palm touching the air right above where one of the kunai laid. At that same second, a white light raised from the kunai, forming a barrier around the shinobi. Kazue was reminded of how Saichi had broken the genjutsu Jun had casted, especially when she realized that at some unseen moment Etsuko had pricked her palm, a thin trail of blood coloring the center of it.

What exactly was the cost of Taira's Demand?

"Ready?" Etsuko commented, drawing Kazue's attention back to the matter at hand.

Jin nodded, shifting into a ready position as her hands settled atop the hilts of her sai blades.

Kazue really hoped that no one was about to die, given the circumstances.