Rin

My breathing was labored as I ran through the forest. I've been on the move for days with little sleep and hardly any food. I was currently running from my pursuers who had spotted me in a nearby village a couple hours ago. I've been trying to shake them, but there were 8 people, so you can imagine the difficulty I've been having.

I glanced behind me and only saw trees and branches, but I knew better. They were gaining and I was loosing speed. I pulled a map out of my pouch. I had originally torn it out of a book of mine. There were various markings for the places I thought I had been and what paths I needed to take. If I was correct my destination was about 5 inches from where I was now. I didn't know the conversion, okay? The legend had been torn in my haste from grabbing it out of the book.

I stuffed the map back into my pouch and pulled out a couple paper bombs. I stuck them to various trees a long the way. If my pursuers were where I thought they were I should activate it…..now! I pulled my hands together and weaved the signs, various explosions followed with dirt, dust and trees crumbling.

I knew that an explosion like that would never be able to kill them, but it should have caused them to split up. 'Divide and conquer' right?

I turned around and headed towards the weakest chakra signature. This one was a rookie, you could tell from his panicked nature of shouting his teammates names out to try and find them. I pulled a kunai my pouch and got ready to jump him. As soon as he turned his back, I lunged.

I quickly took 3 more people out after the rookie, the smoke concealing most of my presence. That was half of the squad sent to bring me back. The other team out there wouldn't be so easy. I knew those were probably the leaders of their little team. I couldn't find their chakra signature and I prayed I had hidden mine good enough.

I searched blindly until all the smoke cleared. I mostly crept cautiously. I jumped higher into the trees to get a better view. I couldn't see any sign of anyone for the next couple miles. I shrugged, maybe they took off in the direction they thought I had headed in. Pulling out my map once again I checked the direction I was suppost to head. If I hurried, I'd be there before the sun went down.

I took off through the trees, still cautious of anything suspicious. I stopped once I sensed someone approaching. I stayed hidden in the branches until I saw he silhouette of a person. I narrowed my eyes until the person came into view, it was an old man taking a walk. I gave a sigh of relief then in a flash I appeared behind him and knocked him out. I wasn't mugging him or anything okay? Just an extra precaution. I sat him under a tree nearby and was on my way.

A couple hours later I came by a little village. I used all the money I had left and bought a small lunch. Hopefully I'd reach the village before night. I ate my lunch quickly and headed back to the trail. I was jumping when I sensed someone coming…again. I hid in an upper branch when an old guy walked by on the path. The same old guy.

"Shit." Those guys were trailing me this whole time! I threw a kunai at the old guy who transformed into a ninja. I charged at him, but as I got closer he smirked.

"Wha—" my thoughts were cut off as I was tackled from above.

I fell off the tree and hit the ground. My head crashed with a solid thunk. I struggled to sit up, I took a glance at my pursuers and saw 4 ninjas all clad in black suits.

"You should've known better than to run." one said. I recognized him; it was guard that watched my room before I broke out. I didn't know his name but I recognized his voice.

I rubbed the back of my head while glaring at them, "Get lost. I've got nothing to do with you guys anymore."

"You little traitor." One shook his head at me, "How dare you go against us."

"I feel so bad." I said sarcastically, "Why wouldn't I want to be a prisoner locked in a room all day constantly going under experiments?"

They all got ready to attack and I gave a sigh.

"Actions do speak louder than words, eh?" I smiled.

The first guard charged me, I flipped over him, grabbing a kunai and aiming it at his head. He deflected it easily while I weaved signs.

"Water style: Tearing Torrent!" I held out my palm and a surge of water sprouted from it creating a spiral.

"Hah!" I shouted, water shot and hit each ninja, sending them crashing into trees and leaving the area drenched.

One of the ninja stood up and made his way to his friend. The glanced at each other and an understanding passed between them.

One stood up, "Fire style: Fire Wheel!"

"Wind style: Spiraling Wind Ball!" A spiraling ball of wind appeared in his hand and he threw it at me, his friend threw the fire wheel and together, they created a fire tornado.

Shit

"Water style: Snake Mouth!" A snake head made of water shot out of my palm, it flew towards the tornado and swallowed it, dispersing the jutsu.

'Now I remember these guys. They were known for their combos because each of them were masters of different elements. I must've killed one of their buddies earlier considering there were only 4 people, but there were suppost to be 5 elements. Well kudos to me I managed to get one.' I thought dryly.

One of them came at me aiming a kick at my head I ducked and threw a punch at his stomach. My fist connected, but went straight through him. His stomach merged to clay, then hardened, effectively catching my hand in his clone.

"I can't believe I fell for a trick this stupid." I muttered.

"Guess princess isn't as high as she thought she was." The guy who had made the clone taunted.

I smirked, "Bet I can still kick your asses though." I sent chakra through my hand and broke free from his clone.

The wind user charged at me, "Wind style: Blade of wind." He pointed two of his fingertips into the air and attacked.

He swiped at my abdomen and I stepped back, but I felt like a blade cut me. I looked down to see a gash in my stomach. I narrowed my eyes at his fingers, they emitted gust of winds that acted like long-range swords. I kicked the clone that was holding my arm hostage, shattering it into pieces. I didn't have enough time to recover as the ninja charged at me again. I kept dodging, but it wasn't of much use, and I ended up getting severely cut in several different places including my leg, arms and one really deep one on my shoulder.

I flipped back and ducked under a barrage of earth needles.

'I need to end this before I run out of chakra.'

I looked around noticing the area was still soaked from my first water jutsu. 'Got em.'

"Lightning Style: Lightning Surge!" I slammed my palm into the ground, a wave of electricity shot into the ground. The water amplified the effects and sent it even further. The ninja, who were still drenched, got the worst of the jutsu. Lightning surged through their bodies like you wouldn't believe. They all screamed in pain and slumped to the ground.

I walked to one of them and nudged him on the head with my foot; yup he's out cold. I took one of the ninjas katana from his back.

"You should've known better than to underestimate me."

I killed all the ninja in less than two minutes and headed down the road. My breathing turned labored and I got dizzy. Stumbling I placed a hand on a tree to steady myself, the other on my shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding.

'Strike what I said earlier about making it before night. I need to make it there before I pass out.'

I pulled out the map one last time to check the direction. Finding it too difficult to place back in my pouch I just dropped it on the floor. I'm almost there I don't need it anyway.

I tore some of my shirt and wrapped my shoulder the best I could. I need to move faster if I want to make it. I forced my chakra into my legs and took to the trees once again.

I hopped as fast as my body would let me. After about 15 minutes I finally saw it, the village gates. I dropped to the road and staggered towards the entrance. My chakra was dangerously low, and I was loosing blood rather too quickly for my liking. My vision was beginning to get fuzzy. As I approached I noticed some guards at a table by the gates. When I got closer they took notice of me.

Alert, they jumped to their feet and took out their weapons. One of them had a bandage across his nose and two swords strapped to his back. I think he yelled something I couldn't quiet hear it. My ears were tuned out, but I saw his lips move. He looked like he was about to yell something else, but my vision faded and I fell to the ground.

Kotetsu

It was a normal day for Kamizuki and me. We went through our everyday routine: run errands for Lady Tsunade, who insists on using us like messenger boys, then we took our shift at the village gates.

I yawned and stretched in my chair, thankful for the shade the booth provided.

"I'm so bored." I complained.

Kamizuki rolled his eyes, "You always say that."

"We always get the boring missions, deliver these papers for Tsunade, get food for Tsunade, guard the gate. Nothing interesting ever happens!"

"Yeah, but when we do get an assignment you always complain that they're too trivial, and tiring to do."

I slumped in my chair, "I still get them done though." I muttered.

"Hey look at that!" Kamizuki shouted. I turned to the direction he was pointing and saw someone approaching the village gates. They weren't in a team and we got no notice of a solo ninja coming through today. I got up from my chair and Kamizuki did the same.

"Hey! You there!" I shouted, "What are you doing here?"

They didn't reply, but continued making their way closer. I exchanged a glance with Kamizuki and we both drew our weapons. As the figure approached I noticed it was a kid, she looked about 13 and she was…..injured?

I lowered my weapon, concerned, "Hey are you oka—" before I could finish my sentence she collapsed to the floor.

Kamizuki panicked and ran to her. He examined some of her wounds. Superficial scratches, multiple stabs, a deep one on her shoulder and there appeared to be some type of trauma to her head.

"What has this girl been doing? Fighting war?" I asked.

"She looks pale, and her pulse is weak, lets get her to the hospital!" He reached for her but I slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch her, you could hurt her more. Go get a medic ninja!" I pointed to her head, "If we move her now it could kill her."

He took off in the direction of the hospital.