LIES, LOVE AND BETRAYAL

Greetings from the Void!

Welcome back to my very twisted world! Sorry for the wait. Had many problems to deal with it, but most of them are resolved and I can finish this chapter up.

I trust you're all having a good new year, If so, good shit! If not, hopefully this helps. It's got a lot of juicy goodness and is a major turning point in the story! Be warned this ones a big one, so...

Enjoy.

Chapter 9: Machinations

The sun glared high in the sky. The trio had been traveling non-stop since they spoke to the Forgekeeper the prior night.

Fū scoured her eyes over a map scroll that the Forgekeeper provided them, which lead them to a rather dangerous mountain range. "Well I think we are getting close at least." She commented.

"You ARE reading that right-side-up, aren't you?" Han asked from the front of the group, without even turning his head.

The mint haired girls forehead bulged a blood vessel as her eye twitched, "Shut up Han! Yes! I'm reading the map right-side-up!"

Naruko couldn't help but giggle, "Take it easy you two."

"Tell him to stop provoking me then." Fū retorted.

"You honestly think he'd listen to me?" Naruko asked rhetorically.

"Naruko's right. I wouldn't listen to either of you two if you paid me... come to think of it, you technically DO pay me." Han chuckled slightly.

"We aren't paying you!" Fū barked as if it were news to her.

"Han's right, he is gonna be getting a portion of the money we make on these jobs." Naruko said, "What? You thought we weren't giving him money?"

"I figured he didn't want it, being Mister Hates-society, and all."

"Anyway, we are almost in Iwa now so we should be careful." Han said.

"You mean YOU should be careful. They aren't looking for us." Fū said cockily.

"If you're found with me, you will be charged with harboring and aiding a known misssing-nin. A crime in Iwa that carries the death penalty." Han said grimly.

"Way to kill my mood, Tin-man." Fū sneered.

Little did they know, a small camera fixed to a high up branch of a nearby tree was watching and listening.

On the receiving end of the cameras footage, was a dark chamber with one massive monitor displaying several camera views of the mountain range. Two small shadowed figures stood watch of the screens. One of the two noticed the monitor feed displaying the Trio, "Ohhhh Master, you better take a look at this!" It said, turning around to face one much, much larger shadow that sat in the center of the chamber a few feet behind them.

Two large red eyes lit up and peered down at the monitors, "Oh? What's this? Guests in my domain? Why yes." Its deep, raspy and hollow voice was heard.

"Just any guests they aren't! Shinobi they are, Ma'lord." The second of the monitor viewing henchmen remarked.

"I know what they are you fool. I know all too well."

"Master, does this mean what I think means?" The first henchmen asked with an almost scared excitement.

"That you have the brains of a tin can?"

"Yes master! Of course Master!" The henchmen agreed just a little to eagerly, "But what shall we do?"

"This is a perfect opportunity. Initiate the first defensive protocol."

"Yes Master!"

"Yes Ma'lord!"

The trio of jinchuuriki continued through the rugged terrain, crossing over large stones and sheer cliffs until Naruko came to a stop when she noticed a vine on the ground had been severed. She looked around and noticed how little to no vines extended much further. All of them had been cut off and gathered. Now she knew for sure they were getting close.

"Who the hell would build in this kind of terrain?" Fū blurted out suddenly, breaking Naruko from her thoughts.

"Someone who doesn't want to be bothered, obviously. But I guess that kind of thing doesn't register in your brain does it?" Han stated.

Fū growled and gnashed her teeth.

Han suddenly came to a stop, drawing attention from his companions, "Whats wrong Han-san?" Naruko asked.

"Something doesn't feel right." He replied cautiously.

"Like what?" Fū asked, with much irritation.

As if on cue, a small hole in the ground no bigger then an inch in diameter opened up behind Han and in front of the girls, shooting a small sphere a few meters into the air.

"What the-" Naruko was cut off by Han.

"Get down!" Han shouted just before a bright light filled the area, blinding the trio.

"Ahhh my eyes!" Fū shouted as she cupped her hands over her tearing eyes.

As the light faded the trio struggled to regain any kind of vision they could muster.

"What the hell was that?" Naruko barked as she held her aching eyes.

"Flash bomb, used to blind and disorient us. Something much worse is coming. We have to move!" Han said as he grabbed the girls by their arms to pull them along as he started running, steam blasting from his joints.

Other holes just like the first began opening up in random spots all over the ground, each started firing spherical projectiles in the air.

The projectiles reached a few meters in the air and detonated all around them, Han barely managed to avoid the first two but the third erupted too closely and sent the trio rolling across the ground. Countless explosions rippling through the area.

Naruko shook her head as she stood up, her vision slowly starting to improve, as it did for the others.

"Did we trigger a trap?" Fū asked.

"It doesn't matter, we are gonna have to be more careful." Han stated strongly.

"Usually explosive traps means 'stay the fuck out' where I come from." Fū sighed, "Is Yoshimaru even worth this?"

"I'm getting a little irritated too, but we can't give up now." Naruko said as she cracked her knuckles then her neck, "Come on, lets keep moving."

Han scanned the area silently, calculating the spots with potentially strategic traps. He then realized a line of several holes open, along the length of the cliff to their right. From each hole folded out compactable ballista's

"Watch out! On the cliff face!" Han shouted, just as the several dozen ballista's angled down and began firing their massive bolts, each reloading itself and firing again repeatedly.

The trio immediately began jumping, rolling and pretty much everything else in their attempts to dodge the weapons.

The jagged metal spearhead of the bolts plunged easily in the ground and through the trees. As Han dodged an incoming bolt and it impacted the ground, he noticed something, countless paper bombs were wrapped tightly around the shafts of the bolts.

"BOMBS!" Han shouted as the first volley of fired bolts all detonated, followed shortly by the second. Han was knocked sliding back by the explosions, and Naruko was caught between two. Fū managed to dodge the blasts by flying into the air at the last second. Explosions continued to echo out as some of the ballista's trained their aim up at Fū and continued their assault.

The young girl gracefully whipped and twirled around dodging the projectiles as she flew in, weaving hand signs, "Fire Style; Fireball Jutsu!" a fiery blaze shot from her lips and collided into a handful of the ballista's destroying them.

Fū smirked at her accomplishment, but was then taken aback by Naruko who came flying in from below, courtesy of a power throw from her clones. She smashed through one of the ballista's before rising from the debris and forming a clone whom threw her across to the next weapon, smashing through it as well.

Han pressurized his armor and dashed at the Cliffside with great speed before colliding his fist into its base, sending a powerful and destructive fissure tearing up through the rock and bringing several tons of stone and ballista crashing down as he jumped away.

Naruko jumped to the last ballista and smashed it with her large battle scroll. She turned and gave a thumbs up to her team as her clones dispersed.

"I think that's all of them." Fū called out.

"For now!" Han shouted from the ground, "Lets move before the tree's start shooting at us too!"

Naruko and Fū nodded before Fū retrieved Naruko and descended to Hans position.

"But how did those things aim and fire at us without people operating them?" Naruko asked as she looked down at some debris of a ballista.

"A good question..." Han said as he approached some of the debris and pulled a small tag with seal marking off the front end of the ballista, "I'm willing to bet it had something to do with this."

Naruko came up and he handed the slip of paper to her. The blonde looked it over, "Well I know the kanji in the middle means 'life'. One of these seal markings means and generates 'power' and another means 'balance' but I don't know the rest of these markings on it."

"Well, we can ponder about it while we move can't we?" Fū asked.

"Yeah." Naruko nodded and the trio resumed their course... all under the watchful eye of a surveillance camera.

In the dimly lit chamber, the two monitor viewing henchmen observed the trio.

"Oh my! Master, they yet live!" one stated.

"Survived the first defensive protocol, they have, Ma'lord!" the other chimed in.

The two red eyes lit up once again. "Hhmmm... As impressive as I expected. That red armor is similar to our machines."

"It would appear so, Master. Shall we initiated the second defensive protocol?"

"Yes... summon the Prowlers."

The trio trekked on, treading ever so carefully. Naruko continued to study the paper, "If I can figure out how this works, I have an idea to make use of it." she pondered inwardly.

"I'm getting hungry..." Fū sighed before pulling out her last apple and staring at her reflection in its shiny red surface, "Well, guess I'm foraging after this is gone." She said as she took a big bite of the succulent fruit, its citrus-filled juices revitalizing her almost instantly.

A warm smile and slight blush shot across the girls face, oh how she loved apples.

As the trio passed a group of trees, they failed to realize the circular seal markings carved in the bark on the opposite sides of the trees. After the group was far enough away each mark released puffs of smoke, summoning a pack of 6 large nin-wolfves. However, these beasts were all plated in black armor. Various mechanical weapons were mounted on their backs.

The wolves turned their attention in the direction of the trio, before silently darting into the brush, stalking their intended pray.

"All I know is if we don't find Yoshimaru after this, we should probably cut our losses." Han stated, "This is getting tedious."

"That's what I was saying." Fū said.

"Never give up!" Naruko said sternly.

"It's one thing to never give up, but only when its actually worth the trouble. Kuja-san paid us six thousand for this. We spent that and then some just trying to get in Baishu city." Fū sighed before taking another bite of her apple.

"It's okay, we can just squeeze more money out of Kuja-san for our troubles." Naruko said.

Fū's eye twitched, "Seriously? Have you met Kuja? That money grobbing prick wouldn't pay us any more even if we threatened his life."

"Loves his money huh?" Narkuo asked.

"Probably more than his own wife." Fū raised the apple up to her mouth and comped down, the only problem was the apple was shot out of her hand and stuck to a nearby tree by a kunai. Her teeth clacked together and pain shot through them, forcing her to wince, "The fuck?" She barked as she turned to see the apple stuck to the tree. Han and Naruko immediately readied themselves.

The mint haired girl slowly turned her anger filled head towards the direction the kunai came from, "No one... fucks with my apples!" she growled as she stomped over to the bushes, "Show yourself coward!" she ordered as she parted the bushes. The second she did so, a large black clad wolf lunged from the foliage, claws and fangs brought to bare.

Fū barely had time to widen her eyes in shock before her and the wolf were tumbling around on the ground as it tried to plunge its fangs into the soft flesh of her neck. Its claws scratching and tearing at her, "Ahhhh bad dog, down boy!" she shrieked, "Get this mutt off of me!"

Han moved in and reared back his leg for a mighty kick, one that was not realized, due to a second wolf latching its jowls on his ankle. Han stumbled for a second and turned to see the beast, "Strong for a wolf..." He said, trying to yank his leg free, to no avail. "Okay fine, lets see you stop this!" he thought as his legs joints began to shoot out steam.

Han yanked one last time with his trapped leg but barely managed a few inches of movement. The wolf narrowed its eyes, as steam began shooting from the joints all over its body. With one mighty swing of its whole body, it yanked Han back and flung him into a tree trunk wit ha loud thud. Han shook his head clear, "Steam armor?"

Naruko-with the aid of a few clones-was trying to yank the first wolf off of Fū. Before she could manage to free her friend from its clutches, two more of the beasts lunged from the bushes on the opposite side of the road. They both plowed through Naruko and her clones sending the girl rolling into the bushes.

"Naruko!" Fū called out to her injured friend, just before sprouting four wings and launching herself into the air, the wolf still clinging to her, trying to maul her.

The mint haired girl continued to climb into the air, wrestling with the wolf, until eventually managing to push it off. The canine plummeted to the ground and impacted hard, knocking up a small cloud of dust.

The wolf that threw Han approached him slowly. A long sword like blade on a mechanical arm folded out from its back. It pounced at Han and swiped the steam powered blade. Han pressurized his armor rolled under the beast as it dove past the tree.

The wolf quickly turned around and readied for another attack, just as the tree fell over from the perfect cut it had made.

Han readied himself for its next attack, just as the beast began its assault once again, two metal wires shot from the bush to Hans right. Each wire had three pronged mechanical hands that latched on to him. One on his forearm, the other on his leg. The wires yanked hard, throwing him off balance just as he put his free arm up to block the teeth of the first wolf.

"A true hunt-pack. Guess I can't hold back so much." Han said as he dodged his head side to side avoiding the mechanical blade. Steam shot from his joints and even though the wires bound him he yanked his arm enough to drive a fist into the stomach of the sword wolf, sending it rolling back on the ground. This yanking motion also served to pull the other wolf that was binding him from the bushes and into a punch that sent it flying back.

Once the wires were taught, Han yanked on them again and swung the wolf to collide on top of the other.

Naruko and her clones were still fighting the two wolves that attacked her. She pushed a Rasengan at one but it jumped in the air before arching the launcher type weapon on its back which fired a volley of explosive charges.

Naruko was knocked down and slid back, trailing smoke. Fū took this opportunity to fly in at the wolf before it could land, ready to plow through it, but then to her pure horror the 6th and final wolf shot up from the brush, mechanical wings guiding it through the air. It collided with her and they both plummeted to the brush once again.

Naruko pushed herself up and pulled out her large battle scroll before running in at the same two wolves. She jumped up and reared the scroll back. one of the wolves trained its weapon on her and fired another volley of explosives. Their detonations revealing it to be a clone.

Naruko jumped from the tree behind the wolf and slammed the scroll down on its head, before swiping upwards knocking it off its front legs, she spun around and swiped at its exposed belly but steam shot from its joints and it dashed away in a blur, avoiding the attack.

With this distraction, the other wolf pressurized its armor and tackled her.

Han skillfully deflected the grapple wires from one of the wolves before stomping on the ground, "Steam Vent!" she shouted just as a geyser of steam erupted from under the wolf, knocking it into the air. Han quickly followed after it. With an almost unnoticeable flurry of steam fueled attacks Han attacked the wolf in mid air. The flurry was ended when Han spun around and delivered the most powerful kick he could muster, sending the unconscious beast skidding and rolling into the distance.

Fū and the winged wolf lifted into the air wrestling for dominance before the girl smashed the soles of her feet into the chest of the wolf sending it down, crashing through several branches. She formed a quick set of hand signs, "Hidden scale powder!" She shouted as she blasted a jet of the reflective particles at the wolf. She followed through with another set of signs, "Fire Style; Fireball jutsu!" The searing ball of fire collided with her scale powder and detonated fiercely, leaving the wolf unconscious.

Fū noticed Naruko fighting off the two steam-powered wolves with her clones. She was just about to fly in an aid her when she felt a sharp stinging pain in her back, then another and another, "Aahhhhh!" She recoiled from the pain, before reaching behind herself and yanking out a kunai, she whipped around and noticed the first wolf that attacked her was struggling to get to its feet, its kunai launcher locked-on to her. She sneered and flew in at the beast to finish it off.

The sword wolf was slashing violently at Han who barely managed to avoid the blade swipes. He found an opening and drove his fist into the snout of the wolf knocking it a few feet back but it managed to retain its footing. The wolf immediately began running back in at Han, who formed a quick set of hand signs, "Earth style; Clay Form" He said as he planted his palm on the ground, causing a muddy glob of clay to protrude from the ground just in time to block the wolfs sword. The sword sliced into the dense claw bringing it to a stop before it hardened into solid stone, preventing the blade from moving.

Han clinched his fist tightly as steam released from his arm, before he punched straight through the rock. As soon as his fist was through he opened his hand and latched onto the snout and face of the wolf as he pushed forward, shattering through the stone and driving the wolf into the ground, dragging it through the dirt and rocks before raising it up and slamming it back first into the cliff-side. The massive impact created a crater around the unconscious wolf, who Han peeled from the rocks and let drop to his side

Han peered down at the animal, "Sit and stay."

Five Naruko clones piled on to the artillery wolf as her and a 6th clone formed a Rasengan. She jumped up as the wolfs steam shot out of its joints dispersing the clones, but not in time to avoid the Rasengan smashing down into the top of its head.

She quickly formed another Rasengan and dashed at the last wolf, "I don't know what kinda gimmick you've got on your back but I'm not gonna let you use it!"

As the Rasengan was closing on the wolf, the mechanical arm folded out in front of itself revealing a collapsible shield with intricate seal markings on it, just in time for Naruko's attack to collide with it. The wolf slid back a few inches but remained rigid, and the Rasengan shrunk down and faded, "What the?" she said in shock. She knew she didn't just cancel the jutsu.

The wolf retracted its shield as it lunged at her swiping its claw at her, on impact she faded in a puff a smoke. Before the wolf could react four sets of arms shot from the ground, gripping onto its legs. The real Naruko happened to be in the very same tree from earlier, Rasengan in hand. She smashed her jutsu through the thick tree branch and made it fall right on top of the wolf, pinning its shield in place on its back as her and her clone jumped down and formed another Rasengan.

She approached the pinned wolf and slammed the attack on top of its head, knocking it out cold.

Fū was in mid air spinning the kunai wolf by its tail before throwing it through some tree trunks with a violent crash. She descended back to the ground panting vigorously before she pulled the remaining two kunai out of her back.

"That all of them?" Naruko asked as she walked up to her friends.

"I think so..." Fū sighed with relief, "Thankfully. I always was more a cat person."

Han turned to her, "So you like the pussy huh?"

Fū slowly turned her angered gaze back to Han, her eye twitching.

Han shrugged, "What? It's a legitimate question." he reasoned.

"The only question we should be asking right now is why the hell these things have armor like yours." Fū said as she walked over to her apple which was still pinned to the tree. She pulled the kunai out of it and tossed it away before taking a bite of the fruit.

"Touche." Han said as he looked over the nearby grapple wire wolf, "I'm getting a very bad feeling about this."

"Oh no..." the first monitor henchman gasped.

"Not possible to do this, is it Ma'lord?" The second henchman asked.

There was silence from the overwhelming dark figure... until a calm twisted laughter began to echo from him, "Heheh-hahahaheheha. Calculations for improvement noted, yes."

"Master, what now? Third defensive protocol?"

"Enough of the automation's and guard dogs. They are stronger than anticipated, yes. Send in the brothers."

The Jinchuuriki continued on, unaware that high atop a nearby mountain peak a large chunk of rock moved itself to reveal an opening as steam shot from the inner workings of the machinery.

Two steam veiled figures approached the opening, "Finally! A chance to have some fun!" one said.

"Oooh, oooh! Nii-chan, does that mean I can finally blow something up!?" The other replied in a bit more psychotic tone.

"I don't know... can you?" he antagonized his brother.

"Can I? I'm not sure anymore! I just do what you guys tell me too!"

He sighed, "Yes, time to stretch our wings!" He declared. The figures, each sprouted wings and launched from the steam.

Down below, Han lead them up a zig-zagging pass, cut into the side of the mountain.

Fū took the last available bite of her apple and tossed it over the cliff, "Yum." she sighed happily, "Well I can take on the rest of the day now!"

"Sure you can." Han said blankly.

Fū yawned as she scratched at her lower back, "Go to hell Han." she said.

Naruko wasn't paying much attention. She was studying the seal paper. But as time went on, she did notice Fū was fidgeting allot. The mint haired girl sprouted her wings and began rubbing them, This prompted Naruko who turned to her friend, "Whats wrong?"

"I don't know, my wings feel funky." She replied.

"Funky how?" Naruko asked with concern.

"I don't know, I can't describe it." Fū answered.

"Little larva, what your wings are sensing right now is a disturbance in the air stream." She heard the voice of her tenant.

"A disturbance in the air stream? What kind of disturbance?" Fū asked in confusion.

"Your what hurts?" Han asked as he came to stop.

"Chō-chan, said its a disturbance in the air stream. I don't know what, though."

"Oooh, let me take a guess!" they heard an unknown voice echo, which brought their attention above them, to two flying winged figures, "It's us!"

"What the hell?" Naruko's jaw dropped as the two descended.

They were each plated in advanced steam chest plates and gauntlets. Their mechanical wings were comprised of large blade-like feathers. The joints of the wings were rapidly spinning turbine-like propellers encased in metal rings.

The man whose hair was longer and messier giggled insanely, "I'm right, right? I so am, aren't I? Right Senshi?"

"Yes Tsubasa, you're right." The other sighed

"That's some impressive gear you got there." Han glared at them.

"Indeed. We hear you're sporting some rather impressive gear yourself." The shorter haired man said as he crossed his arms and flapped his wings.

"And you would know that how, per-say?" Han asked cautiously.

"Well duh! They've been watching you! heyah-haha! Eye's everywhere, you know? Kinda creepy huh?"

"Shut up you idiot!" The shorter hair man barked, causing the other to flinch.

"Sorry Nii-chan."

"And who is they?" Han asked.

"Well that's a stupid question! Our boss of course! The great and powerfu-" The shorter hair man punched the other, knocking him off balance.

"The hell are you answering him for you, moron?"

"He asked us! Mama always said not to ignore someone one when they ask you something." He defended his case with his finger up.

"Goddammit Tsubasa." Senshi sighed

"Soooo... The fuck are you guys?" Fū asked as she crossed her arms, "The idiot brothers?"

"Hey shut up!" Tsubasa barked.

"Ah screw it! We are the Zokukaze Brothers!" The older brother replied.

"Okay... and why is the mountain trying to kill us?" Naruko asked.

"You are trespassing on ground you are not welcome on!"

"Yeah, Senshi Nii-san! You tell her!" Tsubasa cheered.

"You are also target practice!" Senshi shouted as he formed a set of hand signs "Wind style; Air Bullet!" He shouted as large pressurized blasts of wind shot out of each of his wings propeller turbines at the group.

The group jumped away as the blasts of wind collided with the ground, knocking up a large cloud of dust.

"Of course they are gonna try and kill us!" Fū barked as she flew into the air to attack the brothers.

"It seems to be our luck." Han said as steam shot from the joints of his armor., "Fū! Incoming!" He punched the ground and a slab of earth rose up for him to punch into the air, towards the brothers.

Fū nodded and took the chance to form hand signs and fly in behind the rock. "Wind style; Twin Gusts!" she shouted as she blew wind from her mouth and flapped her wings to create the dual vortex that smashed into the rock and shattered it to pieces that were carried along in the gale.

Tsubasa turned to his brother and clapped his hands, "Explosions?!" He asked eagerly.

"Explosions." Senshi nodded with a grin.

"Explosions!" Tsubasa shouted happily as holes on his gauntlet forearms folded open and launched several rocketing missiles at the tornado of debris. They detonated on impact and a spectacular light show radiated out with the ringing of explosions.

The trio took the fight to the top of the forested plateau as Senshi began to fly around to the right forming more hand signs, "Wind style; Air Bullet!" He shouted as two more large bullets of air shot from his turbines down at Han, who leaped into the air and spun around to kick the projectiles, dispersing them.

"Not bad!" Senshi shouted.

"You like that? Check this out!" Naruko shouted as two of her clones slingshot her into the air, a Rasengan in hand.

Tsubasa formed hand signs and held his arm out towards them as a small cannon like mechanism folded out, wind gathering its barrel, "Sonic Boom!" he shouted as he fired his projectile, wrapped in a condensed layer of turbulent air.

Naruko turned in mid air and smashed her jutsu into the projectile, causing a massive wave of swirling air to ripple out along with a small fiery explosion.

The shock-wave sent the blonde hurtling to the ground.

"Ha!" Senshi mocked her, "Lets try this!" he said as he formed hand signs, "Wind style; Turbulent Vibrations!"

A pressure bubble formed around him and then quickly faded, "Lets have some more fun, shall we Tsubasa?"

"Oh yeah!" Tsubasa concurred joyfully.

Senshi flew in at Fū, who took his challenge and charged him in return. Fū twirled around gracefully and kicked at him. He dodged the kick and slammed his palm into her back as she went by. Less than a second later, several small bursts of swirling pressurized air collided into her body from all sides, "Arrgghhh" she grimaced in pain, blood dripping from her new wounds, the air around her suddenly thin.

"Oh little lady, you're in trouble now." Senshi said with a cruel smirk as her turned to her and flapped his, propelling himself away from her as he formed hand signs "Vacuum Bullet" he declared before shooting a blast of distorted air out of his mouth at the girl.

The blast detonated on impact with Fū, causing a violent 20 foot diameter implosion of air.

Unfortunately Han and Naruko were too busy dodging Tsubasa's endless, trigger-happy, barrage of missiles to do much about Fū's situation.

Senshi smiled contently and as the smoke cleared, all he saw was a banged up log in the center of the blast zone. His smile faded and he began looking around.

Fū shot up, out of the canopy to his right and the two clashed in a quick flurry of kicks and punches. Senshi managed to get the upper hand by slashing his bladed wings at the girl forcing her to fly backwards several feet.

"Ha! Can't keep up with these wings, even with that kekkei genkai of yours" Senshi mocked her.

The girl merely smirked, "These wings aren't a kekkei genkai." her irises turned red, but Senshi didn't notice, "I'm The jinchuuriki of the seven-tails."

"Yeah right, you're no freak of nature like that, you're too cute for it." He taunted.

Fū couldn't help but laugh, "Gotta love how if its a kekkei genkai its okay. But if its a Jinchuuriki they are freaks? hmph... I'm going to enjoy breaking you."

"You're welcome to try." Senshi said.

Han came to a stop as the explosions around him began to cease, "Crap, he trapped me, I was careless"

"Oh you noticed that huh? Very nice hehehehehe, this is gonna be fun." Tsubasa held up his index and middle fingers, the dust around Han clearing enough to reveal a veil of black dust in the air.

"Han!" Naruko started to run in at Tsubasa, however he quickly began another volley of rockets, to deter her.

The cloud of black dust grew thicker around Han, and Tsubasa smiled sadistically, "You better be careful, this jutsu's a dangerous one."

"I'm well aware of this jutsu. I haven't seen or heard of the Black Powder style in a long time."

"Yo-you actually know about it?" Tsubasa choked a little.

"Yes, I've encountered one user on a mission a long time ago, when I was a chunin." Han responded as he formed the horse and dog hand seals and lowered himself to one knee as a dome of rock formed around him that was wrapped in a thin layer of swirling steam.

"Hah! That won't last long!" Tsubasa yelled as some of the powder started forming into small black pellets that launched at the steam covered dome, exploding fiercely on impact.

Han sat inside his protective dome and contemplated his next move.

Naruko sneered angrily as Tsubasa formed a javelin of black powder in his hand and threw it at her, some black powder in the air formed in to several shuriken that followed after the javelin.

She quickly summoned 8 clones to jump in the way of the attack. However the shuriken and javelin were flying with too much force and mere pierced straight through the clones, hardly phased.

Tsubasa smirked evilly. Naruko's eyes widened as the javelin stabbed into the ground at her feet forcing her to jump back as it exploded, its shock wave knocking her off balance. This left her wide open to the onslaught of exploding shuriken that collided with her next.

The winged menace turned his gaze back to his continuous onslaught against Han's barrier, "I'm getting tired of that zit so lets pop it!" he shouted as he formed a large hammer of black powder and slammed it down hard onto the dome. It exploded on impact and tore open a crater in the earth.

Vents of steam began blasting out of the ground and filling the air. One after another until 10 were erupting forth.

"What the?" Tsubasa whipped his head around trying to find his victims.

"That all you got?" Han's voice came through the steam and powder veil, "The last user I saw could make MUCH bigger explosions."

Tsubasa's eye twitched, "You want bigger boom? Tsubasa give you bigger boom! Now, Feel! My! Fiery! Wrath!" he shouted with joy as he clapped his hands together...

Nothing, "Wha..? My fiery wrath... wheres my my fiery wrath?!"

"You powder is useless, my steam has dampened it too much for it to ignite now."

"Ahhhh no fair!" Tsubasa ranted

"Life's not fair. Get used to it."

"hmmmmm then how about this?" Tsubasa formed hand signs, "Wind Style; Air Wave!" he shouted as wind gathered in his palm. He then thrust his hand down and release a pulse of high powered wind at the ground, causing all the steam and powder to be blown away easily.

"Thanks for clearing the air for me." Han said as he stepped a few feet towards Tsubasa's aerial position.

Meanwhile Fū was discreetly focusing her Bijuu chakra, as she dodged Senshi's attacks, but as she moved she kept getting hit with air pressure blasts and thinning air. Senshi continued to fire his Vacuum bullets at her.

"This is getting irritating, but at least now I know how his technique works." She thought inwardly, "When he touched me early he must of targeted me with something that forces the air in a twenty foot diameter to compress itself on me, creating a low pressure pocket of air, that when his vacuum bullet touches creates a twenty foot vacuum bullet blast range. But it leaves those areas unable to repeat that process for some time."

"You're getting better at this, Little Larva."

Fū smirked and began her counter attack, "Let's do this!" She shouted as she dashed in towards Senshi at incredible speed, "Strike of the Swarm!" Her image began to vibrate and flicker and then multiply, seemingly into to dozens, that surrounded Senshi on all sides and angles.

Senshi whipped his head around trying to find the real one, but she already started her assault. A flurry of kicks and punches from all directions rained on Senshi. He began desperate taijutsu struggle, clashing with and blocking only about half of the attacks.

All of the images of the girl all started flying up in the air after their last attacks and one by slammed into the man, the first driving her foot into his guy the next collided with her kick and fused with the first, until all of them collided and drove him into the ground, knocking up a cloud of dust.

Fū jumped back off on Senshi and landed a few feet away, satisfied with her feat.

Senshi grunted an groaned as he pushed himself to his feet, "Agh, damn that smarts." He cursed before turning back to her, "I'm gonna get you for that one brat."

"Crap..." Fū said under her breath, she was really hoping that would have put him down for good.

Tsubasa was growing irritated as he tapped his chin wondering how to attack Han next.

Han Circled around Tsubasa and formed a circular wall of steam around them "You seem to be having a hard time buddy, how about you just hit me with your best shot? no interferences from anyone." He suggested.

"Hehehahahaha, sounds good to me!" Tsubasa said as several compartments on his wrists opened up, letting black powder pour out. He held his hands towards Han and gathered the surprisingly large amount of gun powder, swirling and churning it, causing friction to ignite into streaks of swirling fire and black powder in his hands.

Han came to a stop and turned to him, "Well come on, lets have it then." he instigated

Tsubasa smirked, "I love explosions." He beamed with glee, "Ball of Cinders!" he shouted before blasting the sphere of burning powder.

Senshi sighed, "Didn't want to have to resort to Tsubasa's primitive level of tricks. But I guess I will enjoy watching the fireworks at least." He said as compartments on his arms opened up and began pouring black powder out, "Pop quiz, what makes explosions more volatile, and is something humans cant live without?"

Fū didn't bother answering him, or playing his game, she merely sneered.

"Give up? The answer is is oxygen! And I can make the air around you very ripe with it thanks to my Turbulent Vibrations Technique that I hit you with earlier." Senshi smirked, "But hey the extra oxygen will make you feel all good and stuff at least."

The mint haired girl immediately began feeling the affect, as if on cue she began to get light headed, her arms and legs tingling and going weak.

"See? Now you're high as a kite." Senshi smirked

Han Narrowed his eyes and jumped to the side dodging the Ball of Cinders that blasted by shooting out of the steam wall dispersing it as it rocketed through the air.

Senshi finished his gloat and readied himself to finish the girl off, "Enjoy the fireworks brat-" he stopped himself when he turned to see the ball of cinders flying straight for him, he remembered all the black powder at his feet, fear gripping him, "Goddammit Tsubasa!" Senshi shouted, before turning and jumping to fly away but it was too late as the blast detonated right behind enveloping him in the fire and smoke.

Fū was sent rolling back by the blast, thankfully to high on oxygen to feel much pain. Senshi's body flew from the cloud of fire and smashed into the ground, causing him to roll to a stop on his back, his wings and armor trashed and broken.

Tsubasa lowered his head in shame and twiddled his thumbs, wincing at the sight, "Sorry Senshi..."

"Hey now don't forget about me, it rude you know." Han stated in a polite matter of fact way, standing right next to Tsubasa, who then realized he was there.

"Oh yes, my apologies, where were we now?" He asked.

Han put his hand on the smiling Tsubasa's shoulder, "I believe we were at the part where you fell for my ploy to get you attack your brother blindly and take him out of the fight. Next is where I do this to you." he said before slamming his other steam powered fist in to his face creating a shockwave of air to ripple out, sending him flipping through the air, eventually crashing and sliding to a stop face down in the dirt next to his brother, his right leg twitching.

Han wiped his hands together in accomplishment, "Problem solved, whats the next one?"

Naruko ran up to Fū who was get her oxygen level balanced. The mint haired girl rose to her feet and brushed herself off, "wow, if feeling like this wasn't a detriment to my survival rate I'd never be sober again." she said in her daze.

"Well at least you're not seriously wounded." Naruko sighed, "This is getting old."

"I tried to tell we should just give up." Fū said.

"Never!" Naruko barked, clinching her fist.

Inside the dark chamber the two monitor viewing henchmen cowered in fear, "Master, they have defeated the brothers!" the first said.

"To do this, great power, they must have Ma'lord."

"Aahahahehehehahahah, excellent, yes. I was hoping for someone or something of this level. I knew it was destiny when I saw that armor. It is time."

"M-Master do you really mean..?" the first henchman stuttered.

"Not necessary it is, Resorting to such measures, Ma'lord"

"I decide that, not you." The figure said as a steam powered platform beneath it began raising him up a elevator shaft in the ceiling.

The henchmen shared terrified looks at each other.

Tsubasa groaned as he weakly lifted his bruised face off the dirt and grinned, "Heheh-ow, it hurts to laugh, hey Senshi. Senshi, Hey Senshi you awake? Senshi?" He said to his brother who hadn't moved from laying on his back.

"Yes I'm awake Tsubasa. Also, I want you to know it was entirely your fault that we failed to stop them."

"Well we may have failed our mission but at least we had fun doing it. Right, Senshi? Senshi? Hey Senshi, you remember when they dodged my attack and it totally jacked you up?"

"Yes, Tsubasa, I remember, I was there." Senshi sighed with great irritation.

Tsubasa however sighed happily, "Ahh goood times, right Senshi?"

"God... dammit... Tsubasa..." Senshi sighed his curse.

After a few minutes of letting Fū catch her breath and patch up her wounds, the group continued along the path across the top of the plateau toward the the even higher plateau, both carved into the same large mountain.

Han walked cautiously, scanning the area with his eyes, it had gotten too silent, too quick.

"So what if Yoshimaru is already dead? What then?" Fū asked, crossing her arms.

"I highly doubt he's dead, either that or he has passed on his knowledge of steam to someone before dying. I doubt anyone but him could have taken it this far." Han said.

"How sure are you of that?" Naruko asked.

"No time to discuss it-INCOMING!" Han shouted as falling rockets collided with the ground, causing large explosions all over the lower plateau.

"Where the hell are these missiles coming from?" Fū barked as they dodged the hail of rockets.

"The upper plateau!" Han said just before a mortar went off between their group knocking them all down and across the ground.

The volley of explosives seemed to come to a stop, and the group all pushed themselves to their feet.

"Is that the end of it?" Naruko asked rubbing her sore head. As if on cue the they heard a large metal thud echo through out the mountain, then another. The group trailed their eyes up to the second plateau.

They heard another thud, and another. With each thud it grew louder, and soon a massive figure loomed over the cliff of the upper plateau, obscured by the sunlight behind it.

"oh... my... lord... is that a metal dragon?" Fū's jaw went agape slightly.

"I think it is." Han said.

The large metal beast let out a chilling metallic roar that filled the mountainside. When its roar subsided, its voice replaced it, "What's this I see in my domain? Ahh, yes... victims!"

Refer to song 5 in my Profile.

"Well... we're boned." Fū said, her and Naruko were frozen with shock and awe.

The large bi-pedal metallic beasts segmented tail swayed behind it, large metal legs with razor sharp claws that dug into the ground. It's left arm adorned with three scythe like claws. The other arm with a three pronged triangular claw hand. and wings like the brothers, but on a much larger scale

The beast raised its right arm and aimed it down at the trio, the triangular claws rotating once, as the lights on its fore arm turned red. The claw opened up and fired a blazing rocket out of its palm.

"Dodge!" Han shouted as he tackled the stunned girls out of the way as the blast exploded violently where they once stood.

Steams shot from the back of the mechanical beasts right shoulder, it then fired another blast at the group below, "Heheheh-ahahaha." it's calm laughter rumbled.

Han quickly formed a set of hand signs, "Water Style; Wall of of Water!" he shouted as he planted his palms on the ground, causing a large wall-like wave of water to burst from the ground in front of them.

The blast of fire collided with the aquatic barrier, detonating on impact, launching fire and steam everywhere as the water wall evaporated.

The shock-wave rocked the trio a little but the wall had done its job. Han whipped his head towards the girls, "We need to focus here!"

"So let's see how you fair against this!" The dragon roared, as it straightened its posture before its chest plating folding open revealing dozens of launcher holes which quickly began firing a volley of explosives hurtling towards the trio.

Han and the girls began dodging the numerous explosions, riddling the lower plateau.

An explosive detonated right in front of Fū blasting her back, rolling on the ground.

Naruko stopped in her tracks and turned to her friend, "Fū!" she shouted.

"We need to retreat and regroup to plan how we are gonna deal with this... thing!" Han shouted

A red pulse of chakra rippled off of Fū's body and she sat up, her expression more feral, "FUCK THAT!" She screamed in fury as she launched in the air like a red comet, flying towards the metallic beast.

"No, you idiot!" Han shouted at her, to no avail.

The beast observed the Jinchuuriki as she flew in, "So you ARE Jinchuuriki! How wonderful, yes, a chance to to put THIS to the test!" The dragon chuckled just before some metal plating on its forehead folded open revealing a dark red crystal covered in seal markings. The gem lit up and a sustained wave of blue, red and purple energy shot forth colliding with Fū, stopping her in her tracks as she reeled back, "Aarrrrrrghhhhhhh." she screamed as the demonic chakra was literally ripped off of her body by the wave of energy.

Han's eyes widened, "What in the world?" he asked in shock as the mysterious wave faded and Fū plummeted to the ground as her wings vanished. Han quickly jumped up and caught the girl before she hit the ground.

"What... what just happened?" Fū muttered as she shook her head.

"you just got your as handed to you because you rushed head long into an enemy you didn't understand. Can you walk?" HE asked

"Yeah." The girl nodded before jumping out of his arms and landing, "So what now?"

"We run!" Han said, with that the trio began dashing through wall little remained of the forest.

"Heheheh, this is excellent, the sealing gem actually works, yes. Let the games begin!" He roared as the turbines in his wings began revving up. With one mighty flap of its wings it lifted off the upper plateau and descended to the lower one, taking chase after his intended prey.

It began launching more fire blasts from its claw as it pursued them, laughing maniacally the whole time.

The trio jumped down to the path that lead up and down the mountain side, then to the forest below. The dragon followed suit, never ceasing its attack.

As the Jinchuuriki dashed through the forest Han formed hand signs quick before he stomped on the ground. Steam vents began erupting throughout the woods, filling it with steam to cover their retreat.

The dragon stopped in mid air and rose up to look for them, "Hmmmm where did you mice run to?"

The Jinchuuriki continued to run, until Han spotted a cave at the base of a small mountain next to the plateau's, "There! Inside the cave, NOW!" He ordered, the girls nodded and followed him into the cave.

Little did they realize that the dragon had flown high enough to see their retreat, "Heheh, Yes that's right, scurry into the dark like the rodents you are Jinchuuriki." it chuckled as a large pointed spear like device folded up from its back and over its right shoulder, splitting apart just slightly as electricity began to flow between the two segments of it, "It will not help you. Ask any good rat catcher... The chase is half the fun!"

The device began to spin as more and more electricity built up between the prongs, "MASS DRIVER!" The beast roared as a thick bolt of light and electricity shot into the mouth of the cave, causing a massive eruption of voltage and fire.

Han's eyes widened as they continued to run deeper into the cave, he stopped on a dime and turned around, tossing the girls behind him as he held his arms to the sides, his armor shooting steam out in a barrier just before the blast ripped through the cave and enveloped them all and demolishing the cave floor.

Han was knocked off his feet, his armor shattered, its pieces flying everywhere as his Kasa fell from his head.

"Han!" Naruko screamed, that was the last the girls saw of him as they all plummeted into the darkness below.

NEXT CHAPTER

What will happen to the Jinchuuriki?

Is this mechanical dragon too much for them?

'Til next time, this is Damiad signing off from the void!