just gotta say, I'm very much enjoying reading everyone's different theories on why they think Ashley's trying to join the Akatsuki. I'm not giving any hints as to why she's actually doing it yet, but they're all interesting theories nonetheless! :D

Pic of Aki and Tiez  --->

In this pic, Tiez is still pretty young, but I don't have a picture of her and Aki together after the time skip. Aki looks the same though, pretty as ever :3

Third Person’s POV

Kiba’s eyes widen slightly as he leans on his hands and knees, a dull pain throbbing in his ribs from having Kai tackle him. A shiver runs up and down the brunette’s spine, though he can’t tell if it’s because of the cold water below him or not.

While he was beyond excited to have Ashley standing before him, safe and in one piece, the words that had just left her mouth had left him feeling somewhat confused. What had she just said? Surely he hadn’t heard the blonde right…..There was no way she’d said the Three Tails belonged to the Akatsuki.

“What’d you just say Angel?” Kiba questions, wincing and biting his lip as he pushes himself to his feet. Jet takes a step forwards and gives the Inuzuka a growl, warning him not to come any closer. “I don’t think I heard you right.”

“You heard me” Ashley sneers, throwing one hand on her hip and shaking her head, “And judging by the look on Kakashi’s face, he heard me as well. The Akatsuki are going to have that Three Tailed Beast!”

“What?....” Kiba asks in a hushed voice, his eyes widening, while Kakashi’s visible eye narrows. The Jonin’s suspicions were already growing, and he had a sudden feeling of trepidation. The tone in Ashley’s voice and the way her Wolves were baring their fangs wasn’t making him feel any better either.

“Akatsuki?” the silver haired man repeats lowly, gaze drifting between the growling Wolves around him. Despite the threatening looks on their faces, surely the creatures weren’t actually going to attack?.....Although, they had already attacked Kiba, Yamato and Sai, so Kakashi was certainly going to keep his guard up.

“That’s right” Ashley says with a sinister smirk, despite the fact that her face is covered, “You Leaf Ninja and those other guys are out of luck, because I’ve claimed the Three Tails already.”

“What are you talking about Angel?” Kiba asks, resting one hand on his ribs and giving Ashley a pained look. “Why are you speaking to us like this? Like we’re enemies or something!”

“I don’t know what you’re planning, or even what you’re doing here Ashley” Kakashi speaks up seriously, visible eye flicking to his side as the man senses movement behind him, “But we need to catch the Three Tails and seal it away as quickly as possible. Those other Ninja are with Orochimaru, and if we let them capture it we’ll be-”

“Milady!” Ace interrupts with a shout, as both he and Rei skid around Kiba and Kakashi, taking up defensive stances on either side of the Minami. “Do not come any closer Leaf Ninja, I am warning you…..”

Kiba and Kakashi glance back over their shoulders, as Yamato, Sai and Hinata run over, water splashing quietly beneath their feet. Sai rolls his shoulder, feeling a little sore from having Rei tackle him down from his ink bird.

Hinata’s anxious face breaks into a tiny smile at the sight of Ashley standing before her, but the smile soon falters when she notices the wide eyed, confused expression on Kiba’s face and the serious one on Kakashi’s.

Kiba, trying to ignore the growing ache of fear and unease in his chest, takes in the charred material of Yamato’s flak jacket and the few tiny drops of blood on his lower lip. Though Ashley’s Wolf had been the one to attack them, Ashley herself hadn’t done anything to them yet, and that thought alone was giving the Inuzuka hope. Surely she didn’t really mean any of the confusing things she was saying…..Something must have happened to her when the Akatsuki kidnapped her. That would be the only explainable reason for her strange attitude towards them…

“Don’t worry Kakashi, they won’t be getting the Three Tails” Ashley announces, referring to what the Jonin had said moments earlier and taking a step backwards. “Because, like I already said, the Three Tails is now property of the Akatsuki!”

“Why do you keep talking like you’re one of them?!” Kiba demands to know, sounding somewhat desperate as he takes a step forwards. “Just because you were kidnapped by them doesn’t mean that you have to-”

“Kidnapped?” Ashley interrupts, tilting her head. “You think I was kidnapped by the Akatsuki?”

Yamato and Kakashi exchange looks as Ashley suddenly bursts out laughing, with the brown haired ANBU member’s mouth pulling down into a sullen frown. Kiba can’t help narrowing his eyes at Ashley, feeling strangely hurt by her cruel, mocking laughter, when the blonde raises her head and sighs dramatically.

“Give me a break” Ashley says dryly, throwing her hands on her hips. “They didn’t kidnap me, I willingly went to the Akatsuki. As if I’d be weak enough to get myself captured so easily!”

“What?!” Yamato and Kiba cry with disbelief, with Kakashi straightening up and balling his hands into fists, eyes staring hard at his blonde student. What was she playing at here? What was her motive, her plan? Surely she wouldn’t proclaim something so dangerous and stupid without good reason?

Hinata is unable to suppress her gasp of surprise, one hand flying to her mouth, while Kiba’s head slowly tilts down, eyes now hidden underneath his hair as he stares into the dark water below.

Was this all a joke? A cruel, malicious joke? All this time, Kiba had been worried absolutely sick about Ashley, fearing that she’d soon be killed in some torturous way by the Akatsuki, only to find out that she’d gone to them of her own free will…..It just seemed too cruel and unfair to be true…..

“You weren’t captured by the Akatsuki?” Kakashi asks, to which Ashley scoffs and shakes her head. “Then why would you willingly run to them? Have you forgotten exactly who the Akatsuki are and what they’re doing? What they’ve already done?......Don’t you realise the danger you’ve put yourself in Ashley?”

“W-We’ve all been s-so worried about you Ashley-chan” Hinata speaks up timidly, now very unsure of the blonde girl. “Kiba-kun especially……”

“Well, now you don’t have to worry anymore” Ashley chuckles meanly. “I’m alive, stronger than ever and on the winning side. I’m perfectly fine!”

Kiba’s hands slowly begin balling into fists at his sides, teeth gritted tightly together. Akamaru, sensing his best friend’s growing confusion and emotional stress, begins to whine softly.

“And as for what the Akatsuki have been doing” Ashley continues, turning her attention to Kakashi, an ominous tone to her voice, “I think I know that better than anyone, considering I tracked them for so long. They have no clue what I am, and they never will!”

“But why would you do this Ashley?” Yamato questions calmly, trying to reason with the girl. “You’ve got a home in the Leaf, and good friends who care about you. What could the Akatsuki possibly have that you didn’t already?”

“What does the Akatsuki have?” Ashley repeats, her lips turning up into a sly smile behind her mask. “I don’t believe I have to tell you anything Captain. My motives and intentions are only for me to kn-”

“Is this about Itachi?” Kiba suddenly asks, head snapping up and causing Ashley to pause. “Are you doing this just to try and see your cousin again?!”

Ashley remains silent at this accusation, her hands automatically curling into tight fists, lips pulling back into a silent growl.

“He’s a lost cause Ashley!’ Kiba shouts, the uncertainty of how to express his mixed up feelings causing him to yell. “I know you love the guy, but Itachi’s a murderer, and you need to just give up on him!”

“Shut up…..” Ashley growls warningly, though her voice is so quiet, she doubts that anyone heard her.

“Why would you leave all of us for him anyway?” Kiba inquires hotly, the hurt now evident in his voice. “He’s the one who killed your Dad! Why are you-”

“I’m not doing this because of Itachi!” Ashley explodes, making Kiba pause, though he continues scowling. “It’s none of your damn business why I’m doing this!”

“Seeing as I’m the one who loves you” Kiba retorts, eyes beginning to waver, “I think it is my damn business if you choose to betray everyone!”

“Well get over me!” Ashley snaps right back, not backing down. “The Ashley you knew at the Leaf Village wasn’t the real me! This is the real me, and it always has been! Why do you think I was with Orochimaru for so many years?! Being bad comes naturally to me, and the whole time I was in the Leaf…..It was all just an act! I don’t give a damn about any of you, or your stupid problems! The Ashley you love isn’t real! She doesn’t exist!”

Ashley’s chest rises up and down as she breathes raggedly, having worked herself up from shouting at Kiba. She glares right at the now wide eyed male, hurt and shock etched into his face.

As the boy drops his head, hands shaking, Rei’s fierce expression falls and her lavender eyes fill with warmth and sympathy. Despite what she’d promised to Ashley, the naturally kind Wolf can’t help feeling somewhat bad for Kiba, knowing that the boy really had loved the girl now standing opposed to him.

Quickly spotting Sai as he notices the change in her expression, Rei immediately flattens her ears and bares her sharp teeth, snarling at the pale skinned boy nastily.

Kakashi’s visible eye widens at Ashley’s words, before he tilts his head and sighs, watching the girl with a sad, disappointed look. He’d always known Ashley was strong willed and impulsive, but he’d never suspected she’d do such a thing as this…..And to shout at Kiba with such anger and hostility…..Kakashi couldn’t help feeling bad for the Inuzuka, though now he’d have to decide what to do with Ashley.

The silver haired Jonin knew for a fact that Ashley wouldn’t give up or come quietly, so he could only imagine that this confrontation was going to lead to a fight.

“K-Kiba-kun…..” Hinata murmurs softly, reaching forwards and placing a comforting hand on one of the tall brunette’s shoulders, which she can feel have begun to tremble.

“Look” Ashley speaks up flatly, having calmed down a little and causing everyone but Kiba to look up, “I have no interest whatsoever in you Leaf Ninja. If you all get lost right now, this situation won’t have to escalate any further.”

“We can’t do that I’m afraid Ashley” Kakashi states seriously, shaking his head and bending his knees, producing a kunai. “We’ll fight against even you to stop Orochimaru from getting the Three Tails…..But if you step down and come quietly, it won’t have to come to a fight. I’ll be honest, I’d rather not fight my own student in such a high stakes situation.”

“Hn” Ashley scoffs, smirking again. “Don’t act like you’re still my teacher. Your ideals about friendship and teamwork being the most important things are complete and utter shit. In the few years I’ve known you, you’ve taught me nothing.Power and blackmail win every time Kakashi……Guess who taught me that?”

Kakashi’s brows furrow at this, with Yamato and Sai taking up defensive stances, their eyes locked on the clearly uncaring girl. She merely pushes her long fringe back from her face, shoulders shaking as she laughs silently behind her Wolf mask.

“I suppose Orochimaru was a better Sensei than me then huh?” Kakashi questions lowly. “Maybe if I kill everyone close to you, you’ll hold me in higher regard?”

“That’ll be impossible” Ashley replies darkly, “Because I’m not close to anyone.”

“What about your Wolves?” the silver haired Jonin is quick to ask, quickly stretching out his arm and pointing his kunai in Chi’s direction, causing both Jet and Ashley to growl madly, the girl now fully alert and on her guard.

“Don’t you threaten him…” Ashley warns icily, seeing the unsure look in Chi’s eyes, as his growling stops and he shuffles backwards a little. “I’ll kill y-”

“You’re lying” Kiba suddenly announces in a decisive tone, raising his head and focusing his shining eyes on Ashley, brows furrowed. The Minami raises an eyebrow behind her mask at this and turns around to face the brunette, hands back on her hips.

“Oh?” she questions in an amused tone. “And just what am I lying about?”

“You’re lying about everything” Kiba informs Ashley seriously. “You don’t mean any of that stuff you said just before. All you’re doing is trying to convince yourself of that.”

“Heh, believe what you want Kiba” Ashley encourages wryly, shrugging in an uncaring way. “But it sounds to me like you’re the one trying to convince yourself that I’m lying. I hope you have fun living with your delusions.”

“They aren’t delusions” Kiba argues, though he keeps his voice as calm as possible. “I’m not sure why you’re doing this, but I know you well enough to know that this is all a lie. So I don’t believe you.”

Ashley blinks behind her mask and stares at Kiba curiously, taking in his serious expression and the confidence behind his words. The Inuzuka stares right back, silently struggling to try and understand why the girl he knew and loved so well was trying so hard to push him away. It just……Didn’t make sense….

“Stop pointing that knife at him” Jet suddenly warns in his deep voice, now standing in front of Chi with his head lowered and his golden eyes locked on Kakashi’s face. “I won’t hesitate to rip off your head if you don’t…..”

“Empty threats aren’t going to cut it Jet” Kakashi replies easily, having remembered the humongous creature’s name. “I’m not lowering this kunai until we have the Three Tails, or I’m dead.”

“That last one can be arranged” Jet growls deeply, now completely shielding Chi and rising to his full height, towering over Kakashi.

While Kiba continues to glare at Ashley, and everyone else focuses on the swiftly rising tension between Jet and Kakashi, Yamato slowly and subtly begins performing hand signs, wanting to end the fight before it can begin. Carefully turning his body to the left, eyes locked on Ashley to make sure her attention stays away from him, Yamato’s left arm turns into a thick branch. The ANBU’s now wooden arm stretches down silently into the water, disappearing under the surface and slowly bending around.

“Hey!” Tiez suddenly barks, before furrowing her brows and darting forwards. “Don’t think I didn’t see that! I’ll stop you in your tracks!”

“Tiez!” Aki cries, sapphire eyes widening as the tiny, purple Wolf runs towards a now frowning Yamato. “Watch out!”

Kakashi spins around quickly, now brandishing his kunai towards Tiez, as Hinata gasps and runs out of the Wolf’s path.

“Frozen Mist Technique!” Tiez exclaims, before focusing her chakra and blowing out a large cloud of yellow fog. The small Wolf smirks as Sai and Kiba leap out of the way of the cloud, while Yamato quickly retracts his wooden arm and flips around backwards.

“You thought you could grab her with your Wood Style Jutsu?” Tiez growls, ears flattening back against her head. “Well, I’m not gonna let you try it again!”

With a loud war cry, Tiez dashes forwards again, only to have the nearby Hinata reluctantly activate her Byakugan and bring up her hands, ready to stop the tiny Wolf in its tracks.

“Eight Trigrams” Hinata begins, now running to intercept Tiez. “Air Pa- Aaaah!”

Hinata is abruptly cut off, as an angry Kai charges forwards across the water’s surface and lowers his head, crashing heavily into the Hyuga’s side and causing her to rocket across the water. Hinata manages to flip around and places a hand on the water to steady herself, regaining her balance just before she’d slammed into a tree by the embankment.

“Hinata!” Kakashi calls, about to take a step forwards, when Jet growls lowly at him. “Are you alright?”

“Don’t touch that kid” Kai snarls viciously, shaking his large, muscled body and glaring at Hinata nastily, “Or I’ll break you little girl.”

Hinata’s eyes widen at Kai’s words, as Tiez merely smirks and leaps for Yamato, who is performing hand signs again.

“Thanks Boss!” the purple Wolf chuckles. “And now, Ninja Art: Poison Fog!”

“I don’t think so…” Yamato mutters, quickly throwing out his arm just as Tiez sucks in a deep breath. His arm swiftly morphs into that of a tree branch, with numerous wooden tendrils snaking away from it as well.

Tiez’s eyes widen as the incoming branches shoot towards her, yelping when they wrap tightly around her body and mouth, snapping the animal’s jaws closed before she can release her Poison Fog. Tiez struggles wildly against Yamato’s branches, both furious that she’d been caught, and a little afraid that he was going to strangle her.

Seeing his young friend flailing helplessly in the air, Aki hoods his sapphire eyes and glares at Yamato, before red and orange leaves suddenly begin swirling around him and he vanishes from sight.

“Tiez!” Rei cries, eyes widening slightly. “Let her go!”

Immediately, Rei’s body lights up with electricity as she races forwards, more wanting to free Tiez than actually attack Yamato again. Before the white Wolf can get too far however, she suddenly skids to a halt, as a large, Lion like animal appears before her.

It tilts its head down and growls eerily, most of its body opaque, with a thick, black outline. Rei’s eyes flick to the left, as Sai steps out from behind the Lion, an ink brush in one hand and a scroll in the other.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to step in here” the pale skinned boy informs Rei softly. “I do not wish to fight you, but I won’t allow you to attack the Captain again.”

“…..Are you threatening me?” Rei asks in a hushed voice, before sparks begin dancing across her fur again. “Do you not remember what I did to you before?”

“I’m ready for you this time” Sai replies easily, to which Rei lowers herself towards the water and growls.

“I’m not going to hurt you” Yamato sighs, trying to reassure the purple Wolf in his grasp, “If you’ll just stop trying to attack me….”

Tiez tries to shout something back at Yamato, though her words are unintelligible, seeing as her jaws are bound closed. Kai on the other hand, slowly approaches Yamato from side on, head held low and lips pulled up into a cruel smirk. The muscular Wolf quickly begins to pick up speed, until he is galloping towards the brown haired ANBU at speed. He was going to rip that man to shreds!

“Watch out Captain Yamato!” a female voice cries out, making the man turn his head. “Gentle Step, Twin Lion Fists!”

Kai also turns his head, only to see a frowning Hinata looming beside him, huge amounts of concentrated chakra enveloping her hands. The girl had focused so much chakra into her hands, that it had become visible and taken on the shape of two fearsome Lion heads.

Before Kai can react to the girl’s sudden appearance, Hinata throws her hand forwards and slams her palm into Kai’s ribs, causing him to rocket backwards across the water, much like she’d done only moments earlier.

The muscular Wolf is unable to stop himself from tumbling painfully across the water at such high speed, thanks to the force behind Hinata’s hit. Kai grits his teeth in a pained grimace, before he rolls up the embankment and crashes into a boulder, cracking it and sending up a large cloud of dust.

Yamato blinks in surprise as the dust cloud rises into the air, not having expected such a powerful hit to come from someone like Hinata. He, along with Kiba and Kakashi, glance over at the still frowning girl, her chest rising and falling as the chakra fades from around her hands.

“I suggest you keep your eyes on your opponent” a silky voice suddenly warns, causing Yamato’s gaze to snap back to Tiez. The ANBU’s dark eyes widen slightly, surprised by the sudden sight of Aki sitting along his wooden arm, right in front of Tiez.

The Wolf stares at Yamato through gleaming, hooded eyes, tail flicking thoughtfully, when his lips suddenly pull up into a dangerous smile, revealing his sharp teeth.

“Although” Aki murmurs ominously, slowly rising to his feet and tilting his head back, “If you keep your eyes on me good sir, you’ll find that the world is suddenly burning.”

Aki continues grinning, seeming to enjoy the look of confusion on Yamato’s face, before the man is suddenly engulfed in a whirlwind, Autumn leaves swirling around him and obscuring his view. Yamato turns his head, closing his eyes and throwing his free hand up in front of his face. The ANBU grits his teeth, feeling the strong wind whipping through his hair and tearing at his clothes.

As suddenly as it had started however, the miniature tornado dies away, causing Yamato to crack one eye open cautiously. Both of his eyes soon fly wide open however, when the brunette finds that the world around him has turned red, his surroundings now alight with crackling fire.

Yamato turns his head left and right, wondering how the forest had managed to catch on fire so suddenly. Black smoke was rising high into the air, slowly causing it to darken and only making the fires around him burn even brighter.

Hearing a hissing sound in front of him, Yamato looks u, only to see that Aki and Tiez are no longer there. In their places are two fiery creatures, their shape somewhat akin to Wolves, with blazing red eyes.

The larger creature, sitting in the exact spot Aki had been, seems to laugh at Yamato, though its voice sounds more like that of a hissing snake. It rises to its feet and drops down from Yamato’s outstretched, wooden arm, causing the water below its feet to catch on fire, steam rising into the air.

“How can water catch on fire?” Yamato asks incredulously, narrowing his eyes as the tiny fire creature entangled in the branches of his hand begins to struggle, before managing to slip out of his grasp.

It also drops onto the lake, head lowered and tail raised high up, a low growl emanating from it. After a few seconds of growling at Yamato, the fiery animal darts forwards, leaving a blazing trail off fire across the water behind it.

Yamato retracts his wooden arm back, the bark swiftly transforming back into flesh, and takes a step back, only to glance back over his shoulder and see that the larger creature is now behind him.

“He’s all yours Tiez” Aki chuckles smoothly, strolling away from the frozen Yamato in front of him. “Looks like my Genjutsu worked perfectly….Not that I’d expect anything less of myself though.”

“Sweet” Tiez growls excitedly, using her claws to pull herself free from Yamato’s loosened grip now that he’s under the effects of Aki’s attack. “I’ll teach this dumbass to mess with me!”

Now standing a top Yamato’s tree like arm, Tiez vigorously shakes herself off, before lowering her head and racing towards the frozen ANBU, his wide eyes glazed over.

“Yamato!” Kakashi calls, sparing Jet one more look as he flashes away from his position, deciding that protecting the brunette is more important than glaring at Ashley’s Wolf.

Jet begins to see red, highly unimpressed as Kakashi turns his back and moves to attack Tiez. Though the black Wolf didn’t overly like Tiez seeing as she was always picking on Chi, Jet had decided that he didn’t like Kakashi the moment the Jonin had pointed a kunai at his young, caramel coloured friend.

After glaring at a Wolf for so long and challenging him, turning your back was really not going to make the situation any better. Kakashi had had the arrogance to challenge Jet, and the giant Wolf was not about to let this little man win!

Just as Kakashi is about to execute a Jutsu, Yamato suddenly gasps and begins blinking rapidly, having broken himself out of the Genjutsu as soon as he’d realised what had happened.

“Too late sucker!” Tiez sneers, leaping up and opening her little jaws wide as she glares at Yamato.

The ANBU blinks again as he notices the small Wolf lunging towards him, before raising his left hand and performing some quick hand signs.

“Water Style” the ANBU says quickly, facing his palm towards Tiez, “Hand of Waves!”

Just as Tiez is about to crash into Yamato, a large amount of chakra enhanced water begins to form and swirl around in the brunette’s palm. Tiez cries out as she is hit in the face with a powerful torrent of water that blasts her far away from Yamato. She skims across the lake’s surface for a few moments, before disappearing under it with a loud splash.

“Tiez!” Aki yelps in alarm, before turning his head and glowering at Yamato. “How dare you-”

Aki is abruptly cut off, when Rei rockets out of the sky and slams heavily into the black and white Wolf with a painful crack sound. While Aki is blasted straight under the water, Rei slides across the lake on her stomach, faint sparks flashing across her back.

“Bleaghh!” Aki cries, spitting out water as his head quickly reappearing above the surface, though his face is contorted into a somewhat disgusted expression. The Wolf’s large feet splash around as he hurried focuses his chakra into them and heaves himself back on top of the water, his fur completely soaked through.

“My fur…My fur…..” the vain Wolf whimpers pitifully, shaking with despair. “My fur is ruined! You’ve wrecked my fur Rei!”

Rei rolls her eyes as she pushes herself to her feet, turning her head to glare up at a blank faced Sai, who is watching the pretty Wolf from his position a top another ink drawn bird.

“I’m fine Aki dear” the white animal replies hotly, “Thanks for asking.”

That said, Rei rises to her full height and increases her chakra, causing her body to swiftly transform into pure electricity.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you that it’s rude to kick a lady?” the electrified Wolf asks Sai, causing the Root member to shrug a shoulder.

“If the lady electrocutes me first” Sai replies smoothly, “I believe it is perfectly fair for me to defend myself.”

“You have a point dear” Rei chuckles, her voice riddles with static, before the sparking Wolf races across the water towards her target at an impressive speed. She wasn’t about to let him kick her down again!

“Rei!” Ace howls, having seen his precious mate receive a nasty kick from the surprisingly strong Sai. “He will not get away with this!”

As Ace moves to leave Ashley’s side and run to help Rei, Akamaru also takes a step forwards and growls threateningly, head lowered. Ace pauses at this and flicks his pale eye down to the young Ninken, a somewhat amused smirk gracing his lips.

“Oh, you must be joking me young one” the navy Wolf scoffs, shaking his head. “Challenge me, and you will die. Do you understand?”

“Grrrrrr…….” Akamaru continues to growl, not showing any sign that he’s afraid of the much larger Wolf. Seeing as Ashley’s other Wolves had been attacking the Leaf Ninja, Akamaru didn’t want to risk letting Ace get anywhere near Kiba. He would not allow Ace to harm his best friend!

“……I am unsure as to whether you are brave” Ace muses, sitting back on his haunches as Rei leaps for Sai in the background, clearly alright after the hit she’d received, “Or just incredibly naïve.”

Feeling that he is about to leap for Ace, Kiba places a hand on Akamaru’s head, silently asking the Ninken to stay in his place. While choosing to head the command for now, Akamaru continues to growl softly, not wanting Ace to think that he has backed down. The Ninken wasn’t planning on being intimidated by Ace today!

“Angel….” Kiba addresses quietly, a look of concern on his face, “You’ve gotta make your Wolves calm down, before things get really bad.”

“I’m not going to do that” Ashley replies flatly, waving her hand. “While they keep you Leaf Ninja distracted, I can try to find the Three Tails again. They’re just doing exactly what I told them to do.”

“Wait, you ordered them to attack us?” Kiba asks incredulously, that uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach growing even stronger. “Why?! We’re your friends!”

“Ugh, friends….” Ashley sighs, placing a hand to her temple. “They’re such an unnecessary thing for what I want to achieve. As for why I told my Wolves to attack you, it’s like I just said. They’re distracting you guys so I can keep looking for the Three Tai-”

“Stop lying to me!” Kiba bursts out, hands clenching back into fists. “I don’t believe any of this stuff you’re saying, so just stop! I don’t get what the hell you’re trying to do here, with all this lying and acting like you hate us, but I don’t like it! Stop blocking me out and keeping things from me! If you’re in trouble or you need help with something, tell me! I’ll help you Angel! Whatever it is!”

“Boy…..” Ace growls lowly, only for Akamaru to take another step forward and snap his jaws loudly, the fur on his back beginning to stand up a little. “Do not act so recklessly young one. I will overpower you easily….”

Suddenly, a loud roar catches Ashley’s attention, causing her to raise her head. On the embankment far to Ashley’s right, Kai appears, covered in dirt and an angry blood lust in his eyes. His chest heaves up and down as he breathes heavily, clearly enraged that Hinata had managed to hurt him like she had.

Seeing the furious creature’s blood red eyes locked on her face, Hinata freezes and squeaks with fear, before Kai explodes away from the embankment, racing towards the Hyuga girl as fast as he can. He was going to kill her for what she’d done to him!

Kai

Kai gallops across the lake water, chakra focused into his large paws to keep the heavy animal from sinking beneath the depths. He races right past Jet and Chi, not taking notice as the smaller Wolf whimpers softly, eyes and mind only focused on killing Hinata.

The Hyuga, now getting into a fighting stance, swallows the lump in her throat, veins appearing around her pale eyes as she activates her Byakugan. She was admittedly quite afraid of Kai, seeing as not only was he large and sturdy, but he was wild and blood thirsty as well. Not an enemy that she really wanted to be facing alone. While she’d managed to get a good hit on Kai before, she couldn’t continually input that much chakra into each hit if this were to turn into a lengthy fight. It would drain her chakra too quickly…

Hinata’s eyes widen slightly as she stares at Kai’s chakra network, seeing the way the blue aura is racing through his system in a flurry, as if enhanced by some sort of Jutsu.

“Stare at me all you like you Hyuga brat!” Kai laughs evilly, launching himself into the air with his paws outstretched, “You’ll never see what I’m about to do next!”

Hinata quickly throws herself backwards, narrowly avoiding Kai’s claws as he viciously swipes them at her, doing a back hand spring and landing on one knee.

Kai hits the water with a heavy splash, water spraying in all directions, before he turns his head and glances back at Hinata.

After a few seconds of warily staring back at the Wolf, Hinata suddenly lurches forwards onto her hands and knees, a sharp ache unexpectedly hitting her in the ribs.

“Wh-What?” the pretty Hyuga whispers, wincing in pain as a drop of blood falls from her mouth. “What did you?.....”

“You don’t know me” Kai chuckles nastily, suddenly looming right in front of Hinata and making her gasp. “And I’m gonna kill you before you get the honour to.”

As Hinata raises her head, Kai spins around and lashes out with his foreleg, pounding Hinata in the chest and sending her violently somersaulting backwards across the lake.

Before Kai can blink, Hinata has collided with a tree on the other side of the lake, causing the Wolf to grin nastily, red eyes gleaming.

Clearly this little girl didn’t realise just how strong Kai was, and he was more than happy to show her……Though he didn’t think she’d manage to stay alive lone enough to see much.

Cracking his neck, Kai uses his spectacular chakra control to focus it into his fangs and cause them to become enveloped in a blue casing, stretching a few centimetres longer than his actual teeth.

With a low chuckle, Kai throws himself forwards at speed, now focusing his chakra into his leg muscles, upping his speed quite considerably. While he’d previously been one of Ashley’s slower Wolves, Kai had been doing strenuous training over the years to improve his somewhat mediocre chakra control.

Ashley had been a great help to the muscular Wolf, and now his impressive chakra control enabled him to become faster and stronger than he’d ever imagined. Even Ace would have trouble fighting Kai head on nowadays.

Dropping down from the tree trunk she’d crashed into, Hinata exhales sharply, landing on her hands and knees in the grass. She coughs a little, causing a few more drops of blood to splatter onto the ground below, before the slightly dazed girl raises her head. Her pale eyes widen as she spots Kai barrelling towards her like a mad bull, his vicious fangs bared in a scary grin.

Hinata hastily, although shaking a little, rises to her feet and pulls her arms back, bent at the elbow, until her hands are on either side of her chest. Taking a deep breath, Hinata focuses her chakra and turns her hands so that her palms are facing Kai.

“Eight Trigrams” the Hyuga announces, brows furrowing, “Vacuum Wall Palm!”

That said, Hinata speedily pushes her hands forwards, sending out a powerful wave of visible chakra from her palms. She immediately runs after the wave of chakra, wanting to try and get a hit in while Kai is stunned from her attack.

Kai skids to a halt on the water when he sees the chakra blasting towards him, focusing even more of his own chakra into his feet and jaws. If the girl thought she was going to defeat him so easily, she had another thing coming to her…..

Sucking in a deep breath and puffing out his chest, Kai throws his head forwards and roars loudly, sending out a strong shock wave of chakra.

Both his and Hinata’s attacks collide, before bursting with a loud boom, causing Kai’s fur to blow back wildly.

“Gentle Step” a voice calls out, causing Kai to pause, “Twin Lion Fists!”

Turning his head, Kai is just in time to see a determined Hinata scowling at him, her chakra covered hand aiming for his chest. Snarling angrily at her brazen move, Kai opens his mouth and dives towards Hinata, happy to meet her head on.

As Kai tries to snap his chakra covered teeth over Hinata’s hand, he finds that the sheer density of her own chakra is too strong to bite through, and before either of the two can react, the two colliding chakras explode.

Both Hinata and Kai are blown backwards from the unexpected blast, with the Hyuga being blown back across the dirt and Kai skidding backwards across the water’s surface on his side.

After coming to a stop lying still for a few seconds, Kai groans with annoyance and raises his head, only to see that Hinata is already standing on the embankment with her arms up, though her legs are shaking quite a lot.

She glares at the Wolf determinedly, not wanting to give up, but also not wanting to kill him. Despite the things Ashley had said and the way her Wolves were acting, Hinata was a kind girl, and she didn’t have the heart to try and mortally would Kai.

Kai on the other, scowls at Hinata, rising to his feet and growling softly to himself in irritation.

“The girl’s stronger than I thought” the brown and cream Wolf mutters, ears lying flat against his head. “You may have gotten up quicker than me this time, but next time I’ll make sure you stay down!”

As soon as the words leave Kai’s mouth, a small group of people suddenly bound out of the trees, causing the Wolf to growl viciously, teeth bared.

Two of them, a familiar girl with pink hair and a young boy, remain on the embankment beside Hinata, while the others flash past Kai, clearly in a hurry to get to the others.

“Well, well, well” Kai chuckles, shaking his head. “Look who it is. Long time no see Sakura.”

“I’ve told you before Kai” Sakura retorts, smirking as she tugs on one of her black gloves, “You don’t scare me anymore. Yukimaru, go and hide over there okay?.....Hinata, are you alright? Shizune didn’t really have much time to explain the situation, but I’m here to help……”

“Just b-be careful Sakura-chan” Hinata warns softly, glancing back over at Kai. “He is very powerful and very fast…..”

“Hah!” Sakura snorts, throwing a hand on her hip. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen from him before. He’s just a one trick Pony!”

“You’re really one to be talking little girl” Kai sneers meanly. “All you can do is punch and yell. Your bark is far worse than your bite.”

“What’d you just say?!” Sakura demands to know, growing an anime vein and clenching her hands into tight fists. “Why you-”

“Unfortunately for you Sakura” Kai laughs lowly, red eyes now hooded, “Both my bark and my bite are going to kill you.”

Aki and Tiez

Aki stands on top of the lake water, his tail between his legs as his fur drips and he shakes miserably. The black and white Wolf’s sapphire eyes are wide as he stares over at the unsure looking Yamato, who switches his gaze between Aki and the spot Tiez had disappeared under the water. Who knew where the small creature was going to come from next?

“I hardly think a Dog such as yourself that has been trained for battle” Yamato begins, rubbing his chin as he sweat drops, “Should really be worrying about his fur…..”

Aki’s face becomes clouded over at Yamato’s words, a deep growl beginning to bubble up in his throat. It begins softly, and soon grows louder and louder, until Aki’s head suddenly snaps up, blue eyes blazing.

“How dare you call me a Dog?!” the usually calm Wolf snarls angrily, lips quivering as he bares his sparkling white fangs. “How could you possibly mistake me for such a lowly and domesticated creature?! I’m far too beautiful to be one of those filthy mutts! Granted I am sopping wet, there is no possible way that you could mistake a creature as majestic and well bred as myself as a Dog! Again I ask, you atrocious brute, how dare you?!”

“Uhhh…..” Yamato stutters, unsure of how to react to a Wolf with its feelings hurt. He watches as Aki lowers the front half of his body to the water, eyes glaring up at him furiously. It was clear Aki hadn’t appreciated the ANBU’s comment, and if anything was going to make him angry in this situation, it was a jab at the Wolf’s pride.

Aki suddenly leaps to his feet and streaks towards Yamato in a graceful, zig zag pattern. The Wolf wanted to make himself as difficult as possible to hit, should Yamato launch an attack.

Eyeing the incoming Wolf carefully, Yamato slaps his hands together and performs a swift set of complicated hand signs, before throwing out his right arm.

“Wood Style” the ANBU shouts, “Silent Strangle Jutsu!”

As Yamato’s arm rapidly stretches out towards him, flesh morphing into bark, Aki pushes himself up into the air. Thinking he’d cleared the branch as it passes underneath him, Aki begins to smirk, only to feel something hard wrap around his waist.

“Huh?” the Wolf asks naively, eyes widening as he sees a wooden tendril curled around his middle, having shot out Yamato’s branch like arm. “Oh, heavens above!”

“You’re not getting close to me again” the brown haired ANBU informs Aki, the corner of his mouth turning up. “And just so you can’t look into my eyes and cast anymore Genjutsu on me…..”

Aki’s white feet are quickly incapacitated, with wooden tentacles binding them together, before yet another branch curls up past his neck. The branch wraps itself tightly around Aki’s head, covering his eyes like a solid blind fold.

“There, now you won’t be any more trouble” Yamato sighs, glancing around as the others all continue to fight. “For me or any of the others…..”

“You think you have me all figured out then?” Aki asks ominously, mouth curling up into a Wolfish grin. “You think I am merely some Genjutsu user with no other powers?....How wrong you are good sir. My blood is almost as high quality as my fur. Genjutsu is not my only little trick I’m afraid.”

Yamato narrows his eyes at Aki as the Wolf begins chuckling in a prideful way, teeth sparkling in the light.

“What are you-”

“I already told you my good man” Aki sneers, unfazed by the fact that his vision has been completely obscured, “Look at me, and the world will burn! Fire Style: Flame Oscillation!”

That said, Aki exhales sharply, blowing out a thick stream of chakra enhanced fire. Yamato’s eyes widen slightly as the flamethrower begins encircling his wooden arm, almost like a snake slithering around a branch.

Not stupid enough to release Aki as the Wolf had hoped, Yamato creates another wooden tendril out of his arm and makes it abruptly wrap around Aki’s throat. It curls around the animal’s neck so tightly, he is unable to continue blowing out the flamethrower and instead begins coughing wheezily, though his grin remains.

Yamato quickly brings up his free hand performs some one handed signs, eyes focused on the swirling fire still spinning towards him.

“Water Style” the ANBU says easily, “Hand of Waves!….I’m afraid you’re going to have to try harder than that to get me. I’m in the ANBU Black Ops after all.”

“Ooohhh, a-aren’t we sp-special?” Aki mocks, hacking out a laugh as the stream of water from Yamato’s palm easily dowses the Wolf’s attack.

“Seems like you’re going to be more of a pain in the neck than I first thought….” Yamato mutters, sighing lightly. Despite only really having got to know Ashley in the past month or so, Yamato was feeling very conflicted about the situation he had found himself in.

While his ANBU training made him think that killing Ashley and her Wolves right now, before they became big time troublemakers, was the smart thing to do, he also knew how close Kiba, Kakashi, Naruto and the others were to her. The ANBU Black Ops taught you only to think of the mission and do everything in your power to complete it, but Yamato was a sensible and intelligent man. He wasn’t about to be the one to cause an even bigger rift between the confused Ashley and her emotional teammates…..Well, Yamato could only hope that the girl was confused, because he’d certainly never expected this sort of thing from her. She hadn’t seemed like the evil type, despite her sarcastic attitude and sharp tongued personality.

“I’ve gotcha Aki!” a rough voice suddenly calls from behind Yamato, causing his eyes to widen. “Poison Darts Technique!”

Yamato glances back over his shoulder, only to see a dripping wet Tiez standing a few metres behind him, long fringe plastered over her right eye.

Having managed to swim her way back to the surface and sneak around behind Yamato, Tiez grits her teeth together and sends the man a nasty grimace. Aki was her best friend, and seeing him dangling there so helplessly, and about to be strangled was making Tiez feel even less friendly than usual.

“Ahh….T-Tiez….” Aki breathes out tightly, his body beginning to grow uncomfortably hot due to his lack of air. Quickly glancing to her incapacitated best friend, Tiez scowls with aggravation. She’d free Aki if she had to kill everyone on this battlefield!

Taking a deep breath, the small, purple Wolf focuses a large amount of chakra into the back of her throat and exhales, causing thin needles of pure chakra to pierce through the air towards Yamato, the tips dowsed in poison.

Unable to manoeuvre properly with such heavy weight on his arm, Yamato releases Aki and retracts his wooden arm back towards him, before darting backwards and sliding to the side.

Aki drops down onto the water and lands on his side, breathing raggedly as he tries to catch his breath. He’d been a little worried there for a moment, but he knew he shouldn’t have worried. He and Tiez always had each other’s backs.

“Bastard!” Tiez shrieks angrily, ruffling her fur and growling. “I’ll teach you to hurt Aki! Torpid Needles!”

Dashing forwards as she takes a deep breath, Tiez exhales a barrage of thin, bright yellow needles, glimmering in the light as they shoot towards Yamato. The ANBU frowns at the incoming attack, before doing a serious of skilful back hands springs and managing to avoid most of the needles.

“Ugh…” the brunette groans, feeling a faint stinging sensation as one chakra needle pierces the skin of his left calf, before another jabs into his left shoulder. The man immediately tugs the needles out and drops them into the water, brows furrowing as Tiez continues racing towards him.

“What the…..I can’t…..” Yamato gasps, as his left calf swiftly grows numb, the feeling spreading up and down his whole leg, causing it to give out beneath him. “I can’t feel my leg!....Or my arm for that matter…..What were those things?”

“Heh” Tiez smirks, “My Torpid Needles are made out of pure chakra, which I can turn into any kind of poison I want! Those ones induce numbness and paralysis, so you won’t be going anywhere!......Poison Darts Technique!”

As Tiez once again blows out a barrage of poison tipped needles, Yamato uses his right hand to pull out a kunai, spinning it around in his now shaking hand as he somehow manages to counter each needle with it.

“Hmph” Tiez grunts, pausing for a moment. “While you may have only gotten hit with two of my Torpid Needles, those toxins are strong and they’ll soon spread throughout your whole body. Give it a minute, and you won’t be moving at all….”

A drop of sweat runs down the side of Yamato’s face as he glances up at Tiez, his body beginning to sway a little as he starts to experience a strange tingling sensation. It seemed that the young Wolf wasn’t lying. Those needles were strong, and he certainly was losing feeling in his entire body. Pretty soon, Yamato was sure he wouldn’t even be able to hold himself up anymore.

“Heheheh…..” Tiez chuckles, striding towards Yamato with a proud gleam in her eyes. “Time for a slow and painful death…..Ninja Art: Poison Fog!”

Yamato’s eyes widen, as Tiez breathes out a thick cloud of toxic, purple smog. She is soon obscured from Yamato’s view, as the poisonous fog billows closer to him.

“Ninja Art” another female voice calls from behind Yamato, “Poison Fog!”

“Huh?!” Tiez barks with outrage, before abruptly turning her head and squeezing her eyes closed as another, more powerful cloud of toxic smoke collides with her own, pushing it backwards.

“You must move Tiez” a silky voice whispers in the purple Wolf’s ear, causing her to blink and look up. Her violet eyes widen at the sight of Aki sitting behind her, his eyes hooded and a warm smile on his face.

“Aki…..” Tiez breathes, eyes wide. “You’re okay!”

“This cloud is not your own” Aki continues with a wink, as red and orange leaves begin to swirl around the two Wolves, “So it will be toxic to you.”

In a whirlwind of Autumn coloured leaves, Aki and Tiez disappear from the toxic cloud’s path, instantly reappearing a good thirty metres from where they had just been, with Tiez grinning up at Aki, her tail wagging.

“Good timing Aki” Tiez barks happily, head tilting to the side as Aki looks down and gives her a closed eye smile. “Though I probably could have totally outrun that cloud….”

“I would rescue you even if I were dying Tiez my darling” the black and white Wolf purrs, to which Tiez gives him a closed eye smile as well.

“Are you alright Yamato?” a strong female voice questions, causing the two Wolves to look over, their ears pricked up and alert.

“Sh-Shizune?” Yamato questions slowly, having trouble moving his mouth properly. “Wh-Where did you….”

“I went back to get the others” Shizune explains shortly, brandishing a kunai as the poison cloud dissipates, allowing her to now see Aki and Tiez ahead of her. “I don’t fully understand the situation, but looks like Ashley’s Wolves are the enemy…….”

“If you morons would listen to us and get out of our way” Tiez snaps with annoyance, “We wouldn’t have to attack and be the enemy!”

Shizune narrows her dark eyes at the loud mouthed Wolf, studying her closely, before flicking her eyes back down to Yamato.

“That poison would have been potent enough to kill him in seconds” the charcoal haired woman states. “Quite impressive.”

“I don’t need your praise” Tiez retorts coldly, rolling her eyes and turning her head away. She’d never admit it, but Shizune’s toxic cloud had had more power behind it, and it felt to the Wolf that Shizune was mocking her.

“What did she do to you Yamato?” Shizune questions, not fazed by the Wolf’s attitude. “Looks bad.”

“P-Paral…Paralysis….” the ANBU manages to say, to which Shizune sighs and momentarily closes her eyes.

“Well, before we take care of the Three Tails” the Jonin says seriously, opening her eyes, “It looks like we’ll have to incapacitate these guys first…..”

“Try it Leaf bitch!” Tiez is quick to snap, leaping to her feet and baring her teeth. “Me and Aki will take you down!”

“Language Tiez” Aki trills, rolling his eyes good naturedly. “I have no problem with you killing the Leaf Ninja, but let’s do it with ladylike language, okay?”

So, just a heads up. The fight between Aki, Tiez and Yamato and the one between Kai and Hinata are happening at the same time, it's just a bit difficult to write multiple fights at the same time lol.

Looks like the Wolfies have some hidden abilities I've yet to expand on ohhhhhh how interestinggggg.......Yes.....Not really.........Ahem...

Annnnyway, next chapter I will continue with the Wolves fights, and then we'll see what happens afterwards ^-^

Hope you enjoyed! Please don't forget to vote and comment! Ciao :3