"You have to leave me, Neji-nii-san," the girl's voice choked out of her. It was already rasping and weak, especially now she had lost a lot of blood. Her voice was practically a whisper. Her purple shirt turned took a deep red shade, dripping with the life source Hinata needed. They left a trail for the shikabane to follow, but Neji couldn't even stop to wrap his cousin up to stop the bleeding.

Things looked grim for both of them.

Trees formed as some sort of blinds for the two ninja. Leaping from tree to tree made Neji feel safer, but when he saw the hoard underneath him, he felt his soul sucked out of his body and he felt sick to the pits of his stomach. An eternal night waited for him and they screamed at him with their beady ember-like eyes. If only this was a nightmare, Neji could just wake himself out of it. But it was all real. For the first time in the boy's life, he felt helpless. What waited underneath him weren't exactly monsters who could fight. They felt no pain, they were difficult to kill, and they were overwhelming in numbers.

The only thing keeping Neji on was the closing distance between them and the village, but they weren't getting any further from the shikabane. The boy felt he was out of options and the only thing left to save Hinata was to get to the others. Together, they would have a fighting chance.

"Just hang in there!" Neji yelled desperately. "We're almost with Naruto and the others!"

Hinata laughs.

"I'm sorry. . I'm so weak, Neji-nii-san. . I got hurt and got you hurt. I'm sorry I'm not strong when you need me to be. ." said the girl, but her voice sounded peaceful. "But we're only leading the shikabane to the others. ."

Hearing this made Neji's jaw tighten in anger, reminding him how true her words rang. But he refused to give up. Especially not after their brief scout mission. They had to warn them. Or else all their efforts would be for naught. But he couldn't help but feel fear's cold grip on his shoulders with the hoard of death's angels right underneath him.

He had to pick up the pace.

"We've been through worse. We'll make it through this! I'll save the both of us!" Neji woefully declared as he continued to carry his cousin on his back. But the tree branch he leaped on broke without warning, plunging the two young shinobis into the darkness below them where the shikabane waited.

By the time Neji woke up, he was surrounded by the undead. They towered over him like oak trees looming with their branches. Their burning ember eyes peered at him with soul-less expressions. Though the monsters were still, it didn't stop Neji from fearing for his life and, especially, for the girl beside him. He grabbed his cousin without even thinking twice, only that she needed to be safe. If he was going to die, he would die trying to protect Hinata.

The rumbling sound of feet stiffened him. Up ahead he could see and hear the shikabane move aside, forming an aisle for whoever was approaching. His arms wrap around the unconscious Hinata tightly never to let her go no matter what will happen. Neji wanted to leap off, maybe they'll have a chance of escaping. But the shikabane were too close around them.

"Seems like we have two lost birds. ." A mocking voice taunts Neji. "I'm sure you're wondering why the undead haven't torn to shreds or turned you into one of them. ."

His hands snatch Neji's chin roughly, and the boy could only do so much as a grunt to retaliate.

". . well, telling you will ruin plans. Good thing you can't read minds like the Uchiha shinobi. Those are pests."

"What do you want?" Neji managed to snarl through his teeth.

"Tell the woman samurai we're here. I need to bring her to my master."

* * * * * * * *

Lit candles were lit in a circle around her, and chimes tinkled against the wind. The god of fortune before Yoshie kept a gleaming smile on his face as if everything was alright. Legs crossed and arms rested on the knees, the lady samurai made no movement since the moment she began meditating. Her two katanas and kaiken lay neatly in front of her, one katana was white like the kaiken while one was the exact contrast of color. Yoshie kept a loose tie on her hair. Its incredible length made itself look like a bride's veil when it rested perfectly neat behind her on the floor.

The still face the woman had made her look like a statue, one that is to be marveled. Even when she heard the wooden floors creak so silently behind her, Yoshie did not flinch. She was quick to recognize the aura the disturber emitted, making her open her eyes.

"Do you have anything to say?" Yoshie's voice asked gently, making Hanzo flinch in surprise as he walked up to her.

"I wanted to congratulate you on keeping hold on your title as the unbeatable samurai," he scoffed. The man leaned right by the window closest to her, waiting for Yoshie to answer.

"Are you being sarcastic right now, Hanzo?" Yoshie's reply came out coldly. "I defeated him in a fair fight. He wasn't strong enough. Not like him."

"You'll have to learn to move on," Hanzo replied gently, realizing whom Yoshie spoke of. Then hesitantly he added, "You still owe me a duel."

Now this made the woman frown.

"Why are you all so obsessed with dueling with me! I kept saying over and over that I wasn't interested in marrying another man!" She growled with tightened her fists.

"Then why did you duel Ieyasu? You should've declined!" Hanzo yelled angrily. Then his eyes widened upon realization, followed by a grimace--full of scorn and disgust. "You. . I should've known."

Yoshie narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you. . ?"

"You defended that ninja. ." the blond samurai began and walked up to the woman, "the one who gets weird red eyes. The older one. . the one who came after you. Obito Uchiha. Don't tell me you have feelings for this man!"

"You're being ridiculous!" Yoshie snapped, surprising Hanzo. "I. . I only did what I traditionally do. Fight those who want my hand. If you want a duel, fine! But let's reach the Land of the Rising Sun first. But I want to know why you all want to duel me so badly."

"Obviously to marry you."

"Why?"

"Because you're the last samurai of the Masashi bloodline," Hanzo replied. "Our four families have made a pact that we'll keep the Spirits of the Dragon alive. We cannot let the Goko the White Dragon die with you. I may not be in love with you like Ieyasu is, so you could sit tight about emotional setbacks. I'm simply doing it because it's my duty as a samurai of the Red Dragon. For the Ryuzoji clan as well."

"You forget about the Yellow Dragon in Tokei. Ryuunosuke serves as the holder of Gozu, which makes us five dragon clans," Yoshie corrected her companion.

"Their clan doesn't count as they serve the emperor and act as servants and advisers to him. Hell, our clans fight their wars. They don't dirty their hands."

"They, too, used to come to our villages every two years."

"But we never were invited to Tokei. I'm surprised you see them as one of us samurai. They don't even wield katanas as we do." His words made Yoshie sigh exasperatedly, the first time Hanzo had ever seen her too. "We should go on. Head back to the Land of the Rising Sun."

The woman nodded in agreement. "But we wait for their comrades."

"A waste of time if you ask me." Yoshie glares at Hanzo. "Every minute we waste, someone dies. That thing that Shiki showed us. . we have to find the truth quickly. Those two--"

A knock interrupts the two, and the disturber turned out to be Hirohisa but his expression seemed grim and anxious. The samurais glanced at each other right as the big man spoke. "The Hyuga nin have returned. . The boy gave grave news. The shikabane. . the Demon Samurai awaits you in the forest. And his companion has been. . bitten but--"

Yoshie didn't wait for another word. She flew right out through the door with her weapons in her hands; her immediate presence with the shinobi shook fear into them. They quickly shielded Hinata, remembering the woman's impulse on the mountain. Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke,  Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Rock Lee, and Tenten all formed a circle around their unconscious friend. And Neji, though he was red from all the blood did what he could to pose a threat to Yoshie's intent. Their captains Kakashi, Yamato, Guy, and even Obito prepared themselves to defend the poor girl.

If Yoshie was one to scoff at their effort she would have. But her cold glare resembled those of a dragon. Hanzo couldn't help but worry for the shinobi. Meanwhile, Ieyasu and Hirohisa could only watch anxiously for the scenario to unwind itself. They admired and respected the shinobis for their loyalty to their suffering comrade, but clearly, Yoshie wasn't happy.

"Was she bitten?" Her voice asked coldly.

No one dared answer. They only held their breath, feeling the fury build up inside the woman samurai.

"I asked a question. Was she bitten?!"

"Masashi-san, please," Sakura began. "If you could just--"

"You can't kill her!" Naruto yelled. "There has to be a way to help her somehow! W-We tied a band around her bite mark to stop the curse from spreading and--"

"I am sorry. But your foolishness will kill us all. Do you not think I've tried to help people who get bitten? I may be relentless against these monsters, but I have tried! I tried sorts of medicine, I've researched, and nothing works!" Yoshie sternly replied. "Now, I understand she is your comrade. And it is most unfortunate that she's been bitten. But unless you kill her--"

"What if we sever her limb," Kakashi suggested, suddenly taking everyone aback. "Maybe if we sever her limb that's been bitten, it'll completely stop her from changing."

This silenced Yoshie and seeing her calmed down relieved Hinata's friends. Yoshie gulped down her doubts, letting hope dawn in her eyes. "It'll change her status. You'll dishonor her. I don't cut limbs; where my fellow samurai and I came from, a missing limb meant dishonor. Samurai would rather perform seppuku than lose a limb that'll mark their weakness forever.

"But even if you tied her bitten limb, wouldn't the curse have spread far already? How is it possible that she hasn't been turned?"

"She's a fighter," Sakura answered woefully. "She's strong. . we all know she is."

Yoshie sighs. "Do what you want. I suppose a kind heart like hers has a fighting chance against the curse. But if she turns, don't say I didn't warn you."

Kakashi sighed in relief.

"Let's be optimistic then," he said and eyed Obito. But the man shook his head in response. "We'll--"

"Is that bastard here?" Yoshie suddenly asked. "The Demon Samurai. . is he here?"

"You shouldn't go," Neji replied instantly. "He's waiting for you. He said he wanted to bring you to his master."

The woman blinked skeptically. Emotions began to boil inside of her and thoughts began to cloud her mind. She had to blink several times to register what Neji just said. Silently she glanced at each face within her presence, including the priestess who decided to show up with Kiyo with her. The twilight sky was beginning to cloud and the easterly winds picked up the pace with a howl. The stars weren't as bright as they should be and the moon was dim. There was no sound of life, just the creaking sound of wood and rustling sound of leaves.

"Take care of your comrade. I'll face that samurai and end all this!" With this Yoshie turned on her heels to prepare, but Obito grabbed her by the arm.

"This is stupid. It's a trap!" He told her. "You cannot give yourself up!"

"I will not. I will return with his head after he gives me answers to whom his damned master might be. It would seem that rather than a curse, this is a conspiracy. Perhaps it was good that I came here to the Land of Fire after all."

"I won't let you!"

"I came here for my duty," the woman replied, yanking her arm away. "My duty is to protect the people of the Land of the Rising Sun. Everyone I have ever loved was killed because of this man and the undead he brought with him. He ravaged my home and now he's ravaged through this land. Facing him would stop ALL of this! I don't know how bad it has come to in my country. But I will no longer idle when my target now calls for me! Four years I have waited for this moment. Four years, shinobi! Perhaps the gods have indeed given me favor. . Now, your concern at the moment is to save your comrade before I'll be forced to kill her."

No words could swerve her because of her iron, Obito knew this. But the pain in her eyes was too obvious to ignore as she turned and walked away. The samurai followed her, Obito felt tempted to do the same.

"Let her be," said Kakashi, snapping Obito out of his thoughts. "We have to save Hinata first."

At this point, Naruto could no longer hold back his tears. He began to sob as his friends prepared to amputate Hinata's infected arm. Thankfully the band by her shoulder slowed down the process, but the purple skin and the burning amber colored veins were seeping through already. They had to bind another closer to her shoulder to cleanly remove every sign of the curse.

"I'm so sorry, Hinata. . I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Naruto repeated over and over again while he squeezed her pale hand. His friends fought to hold back their emotions, though the girls couldn't help but let tears stream down their faces. Neji grimaced at the pain of his failure, and no one could comfort him for that. Beside Hinata, Sakura prepared her knife but she couldn't stop trembling. The thought of cutting her friend's arm couldn't steady her hand. The one holding the light for them was Shino and Rock Lee; to avoid making anymore shadows the others were forced to stand back.

"Let me do it," Sasuke intervened and grabbed the dagger from Sakura's hand. "You don't have to do it."

"But you're not a medic," Sakura pointed out.

"It doesn't matter. You're suffering from just the thought of cutting Hinata's arm. And right now. . time is of the essence. You want to help Yoshie, too," said the boy. 

Sakura could not refute and gave up the dagger to him, with which he did what no one else wanted.

* * * * * * * *

"You don't have to do this," Ieyasu told Yoshie as she prepared for battle. Her katanas were wound tightly to their hilts. The black locks she usually kept in a loose tie was tied into a high ponytail. Black bands were wrapped around her forearms and shin, giving her a whole other look than she usually had.

Turning to her childhood friend, Yoshie gazed at him with gentle eyes. But they had a fire of hope. . and of hatred. Her hands fall on her hilt confidently, creating soft clangs as the katana's sheaths bump against each other. "Pray for a victory. Pray that the gods have mercy upon us."

"I know you're the most skilled samurai I know, but you might die fighting against that samurai. You can't risk it," the man replied earnestly as Yoshie walked right passed him.

"Every choice we make is a risk. I won't forgive myself if I let this chance pass."

"There will be other chances."

"I have waited four years. . it's a chance I cannot ignore."

Not another word parted from Yoshie's lips, and she joined the dark of the night to face the samurai. There was no fear in her heart, only anger and hatred for the character responsible for the deaths of many. Many questions should be answered tonight, but Yoshie was more eager to hack off his head.

But what waited for her by the village gates were the shinobis and samurais. They too prepared themselves for battle just like how Yoshie prepared. However, the determined look on their faces couldn't help but surprise Yoshie. It was beyond her comprehension even if their intent was merely out of obligation. The howling screeches of the undead could be heard throughout the mountain, the most natural thing they would have done was to avoid conflict with an overwhelming number of monsters ahead of them.

"You don't have to come," said Yoshie when she walked passed them and to the gate. The red Torii gate remained a bright red like it was newly painted. It reminded the woman of the one where she met the priest with a strange garden and now she's met a petite priestess with soft pink hair.

"You won't do this alone." Naruto, even with his tear-stained cheeks seemed determined. He approached the woman, and she saw the passion of a hero. His eyes were narrowed resolutely, just like the rest of the young youth behind him. "This is for Hinata. . and everyone else who've suffered because of them."

Silence was all she gave him. There no need to say a single word. They followed her into the shadows for the faceoff they've been waiting. They walked past the tall trees that loomed over them, and towards the edge where they could see the river rushing down the mountain. And there waited a hoard of hundreds of undead before them. And right at the front, the samurai all in black with a bright red demon face.

"You've come," a deep, hoarse voice called almost immediately at their arrival. "And you've brought company."

"You will die today. This madness has met its end," Yoshie replied strongly.

"You've yet to reach the climax," the demon samurai replied. "I won't die today. I won't let you die either. But that doesn't mean your comrades will live."

With the snap of his fingers, the hoard came running at them wildly--gnashing and grinding their teeth as they pined after the living souls in front of them. They screamed and screeched with their fingers reaching out hungrily, ready to rip them all apart. Their beady eyes were lifeless and yet they still drew breath with only the hunger that shall remain unquenchable until they die.

Cries of valor rang as the warriors of the living fought back. With all their might they threw their brawns at the enemy, doing everything they can to hold them back--both Neji and Hinata waited for them back at the empty village. Even the samurai began performing jutsus to help themselves fight better, meanwhile, Yoshie chased after the demon samurai who retreated to the dark. Clearly, he was mocking her--as if he was telling her it was all futile. The way he seemed to anticipate her told Yoshie that he waited for her. However, hatred and anger clouded her judgment, thus not even her own fellow samurai could stop her from blindly chasing the samurai.

"I'll go after her!" Obito told Kakashi who fought by his side. "I can't let her be alone!"

"Go then!" The gray-haired ninja replied immediately. He watched his friend disappear after Yoshie, and he prayed for his best friend's safety.

* * * * * * * *

Leaves rustled and branches snap under their feet. Even in the dark, the forest seemed clear as day. But the trees grew thicker as their eerie atmosphere changed by the distance. Only the moon was their light that illuminated their path. Then a shower of rain began to drizzle as clouds slowly gathered in the sky above them. 

The two went farther and farther, ignoring the shikabane as they dashed through the forest. And once Yoshie knew she was close enough to the samurai, she unsheathed her black sword and swung at the samurai in front of her. He dodged it with ease, but the trees in front of him were cleanly cut in half. Yoshie swings again, but this time a boulder was split into multiple pieces instead.

Yoshie swung again and this time her nemesis was forced to draw out his sword. Their blades crashed as a fierce and lightning-speed fight. Afterimages briefly appeared with each clash of sword, but sometimes the two would disappear completely. Then when they reappear, gashes bled out. Yoshie's white outfit became marred with red, whilst the samurai's wounds couldn't be as obvious. But blood dripped from his armor and blood oozed to the mucky ground. Yoshie's garments grew redder and redder as their battle cut down the trees around them, and her anger grew hotter and hotter by the moment.

"How do you like the blue roses I left for you?" The samurai suddenly asked as he clashed his sword against Yoshie's. His mask nearly nuzzled against the woman samurai's face, and Yoshie could practically hear the muffled echoes of his pants.

She doesn't answer and simply pushed the man back with her relentless attacks. Her tactics involved martial arts like kicking and punching, though both her blows and blade was deflected. But seeing a sudden opening, she kicked him right at the side of his head, sending him crashing into the trees.

"If you're not the mastermind, who's your master, bastard," Yoshie growled.

The samurai laughed.

"You got me there," he chuckled as he rubbed the side of his head. "And it hurt--?"

"Answer me!" Yoshie roared and swung her sword with all her might. It cut through the Demon Samurai's blade and struck the porcelain mask he used to hide his face.

The shining blade sliced right through the porcelain mask, cutting it perfectly in half. A look of victory lit up the samurai's face as she panted for breath, feeling so eager to reveal the identity of the samurai she sought after for years. But when the mask's pieces fell, so did Yoshie's heart. The sunset in her eyes grew wide with pain as her lips parted into a gape, letting a gasp escape.

Hot tears formed at the corner of her eyes, streaming down like the emotions that overwhelmed her. The numb cold of the surprise brought Yoshie down to her knees. Everything around her became a blur; everything became silent; everything became numb. The only thing she could hear was the beating of her heart, and the only thing Yoshie felt was the hard handle of her katana still in her hand.

Before her very eyes, the face of her late husband stole her eyes. Pale under the moonlight, Takashi's face was as handsome as ever. The tall nose that used to nuzzle against her face, the lips that used to express the passion the man had for her, and the eyes that used to shine brighter than the sun was all the same. Only that they have grown cold in comparison. Visions of the past flash through Yoshie's eyes almost immediately. Cries of anguish echoed through the valley, breaking the hearts and the ninjas who have allied with Yoshie. The woman screamed so loudly the heavens began to cry with her.

Thunder rumbled across the skies as clouds began to loom. Lightning quickly illuminated the sudden darkness, and the wind howled like a pack of wolves. The candlelights in the temple were blown out, plunging the abandoned village into darkness.

"Why?! Why?!" Yoshie bawled her eyes out. "Have the gods forsaken me?! Are they mocking me??" Turning to face her beloved, the samurai began to shake her head, denying the truth in front of her. "Takashi. . you're supposed to be dead! How is this possible? How dare you come to me! You're not him! You dare use his face!" 

Suddenly she felt his hand caress her cheek, silencing Yoshie instantly. Sobbing, the woman grabs his cold hand fondly and lets her sad tears flow down her face. With a broken voice, Yoshie called his name again and again. But the man only replies in silence, tearing harder at Yoshie's heart. His stone-cold face expressed nothing of the memories they shared in the past. The love he had was no longer in his eyes. 

Several meters away from the two samurai, Obito came running as fast as he could and seeing the moment the two samurai shared filled him with dread. Obito wanted to grab the woman and take her as far away from this nightmare as possible. He would take her someplace where he could see her smile just like back in Konoha. Maybe she'll play the shamisen for him again and sing of her adventures or of the seasons she had seen.

Takashi raises his sword, ready to cut down the distracted Yoshie, and immediately Obito ran for her blindly. He roared as his tired legs ran with all their might, feeling the adrenaline coursing through his veins. In lightning speed, he shoves the woman samurai away and they both tumble and roll across the mud.

"Yoshie! Wake up! It's not the man you used to know!" The man shook the broken-hearted Yoshie awake, and her realization made her cry continuously. Rain poured down like tiny pebbles and lightning was the only form of light aside from the teasing glow of the moon. It flustered Obito that they had to fight in this circumstance, and the dark made it difficult for Obito to see how the other ninjas and samurais were doing. His eyes squinted in the looming gloom around him, but his attention switched. Grabbing his hardened hand, Yoshie's slender fingers held onto his tightly. However, their brief moment was ruined by a blade that suddenly stuck out from Obito's chest.

The woman screamed in horror but her voice was cut short with a hand against her throat, while Obito got kicked into the river's angry waters.

"You'll have to come with me," said Takashi as he strangled Yoshie's neck.

She spat at him.

"Never." Grabbing her kaiken, Yoshie swiftly unsheathed the blade before sticking it into the black samurai. An agonized cry escapes his lips and immediately he released Yoshie right there. Wasting no time, Yoshie jumps after Obito. 

The water was cold, as though winter never left. It both wakened Yoshie's senses and numbed them at the same time. The prickly pain in her skin screamed for warmth by the hearth. But seeing an unconscious Obito ahead of her along the rushing river took Yoshie's attention instantly. With every ounce of strength she had left, the samurai swam for the ninja and grabbed hold of Obito's hand with fierce determination to keep him close to her. Though weakness seeped into her bones, the woman kept Obito afloat with his head resting against her chest.

Screams of terror and rage rang strongly in her eardrums. The clash of blades tore at her heart. With every flash of lightning that lit up the sky, the woman samurai could see the other samurais and shinobis battling with the shikabane, especially those who swung scythes and katanas. Before she could see anymore, the water swallowed the woman samurai.

Don't close your eyes, Yoshie. 

Stay awake.

Don't close your eyes, don't close your eyes.

Stay awake.

Be strong. . Yoshie.

~~~

Number of words: 4719

This was a pretty long chapter, omg. Which was unexpected?? I wanted only around 3.2k but I guess I poured my heart into this chapter to much, hahahaha xD

Please tell me what you think! Yoshie and Obito split from the others by accident, Takashi turned out to be the bad guy, and we have no idea if the others are okay, hahhaha ;; Please give me some of your thoughts, even the most violent ones! Gawd, thank you all. Love you all. And have a good day :)

- R