Akira smiled. "I didn't want to bother you," he said. He then looked at the fox. Even with it being dark like he could see the fox's white fur. Akira shrugged it off and moved on but stop. Something ws slicing through the air. Pulling two senbon he threw them into the darkness. The weapons clashed. "They're moving," he said.

Ziade stopped as she heard weapons flying through the air and pulled out a dagger on instinct. She heard Akira's weapons clash with others and turned in the direction the weapons came from. "And they're going to regret it," she said in response to Akira's comment. Ziade looked down at the fox for a moment, then back to where the ninja were. (Are you rping a few and i'm rping a few or what?)

(yeah)

Akira turned to Ziade. He could take three on. As footsteps beame audible he turned. "One from the left, two from behind," he said. "The one infront has lighter steps and is probably the leader. The two coming from behind more likly to be skill in ninjutsu because they aren't as fast." He said. He pulled a kunai.

(I'll take the two Akira'll take on and you can take the leader, how's that?)

Ziade listened to Akira's interpretations of each of the ninja. Since the leader seemed to be more skilled in movement, Ziade figured it'd be better for her to take him on. "In that case I'll take the leader." Sure it might've been risky in her condition, but she never said she couldn't fight, just that she'd prefer not to. A few seconds later flaming shuriken came out of the trees at Akira. Ziade looked at them, moving away. "Akira, piano wire," she said as she looked at the shuriken. She didn't want him getting caught by such a simple move.

(k)

Akira looked up at the shuriken. As Ziade said piano string he dunked under them and swiped the senbon across the strings. He then sent two senbon into the tree. He wasn't aiming to kill, he never did. It was against everything that was him.

Just as Akira had said the leader was fast and wasted no time. He came down at Ziade like a storm. Two kunai in his hand he slashed them at her while still in the air and went to land a kick on her wounded shoulder. He was persistant in his attacks.

(watch this guy b after revenge 4 sumone Ziade killed when she was an assassin, btw does Akira know she used to be an assassin?)

Ziade heard the leader before she saw him. She quickly turned and pulled out another dagger, blocking both the kunai's, then spun to the side to avoid his kick and threw one of her daggers at his midsection. Her first order of business would be to take out his legs. Quickly, Ziade pulled two more daggers and aimed the three at the leaders lower body.

(ugh I hate doing NPC's, they get so repetitive) One of the ninnins decided to be bold and came out from hiding, starting a jutsu as he did. Putting his hand to his mouth, he shot out a stream of fire at Akira. The other one decided that he wanted to stay hidden for the moment and wait for his chance.

(idk, should he?)

Akira dodged the fire style. The longer he fought the more he learned about a person and their style. Going forward he jumped up into the tree and kicked the guy down. Akira really hated fighting. "Is this fight necessary," he asked. He then looked to the other guy. He hadn't forgotten about him.

The leader wasn't happy at all that he'd missed. And when Ziade threw daggers at him he rolled across the ground. "Ninja Art: Water Shark Bomb." He used the water from the lake to for the jutsu. The shark went at Ziade snappin several rows of teeth at her. This guy wasn't joking around.

(*shrug* the way she fights kinda suggests it, but she never really said it aloud)

Ziade looked at the leader as he rolled then did a jutsu. Her eyes widened slightly as a water shark sped towards her. She didn't like using jutsu as often as she had today, but it was the only way she was going to avoid this. Ziade did a jutsu, and the water shark hit the newly made clone (yes, she likes those things), the real Ziade on the other hand appeared behind the leader with a dagger to his throat. "Do you have some kind of business with me or do you just enjoy pissing me off?" she asked, sounding irritated.

(haha, it's not a him) The fire ninja fell back off the tree and the other ninja looked at him with a look that clearly said 'You idiot.' She gave a sigh. "Never send a man to do a woman's job." The woman was in her mid twenties with bright red hair and an attitude that said 'I can be the leader if I want, but I just prefer tailing.' Looking up at the guy who'd just kicked her partner down, she started a jutsu. "Earth Style: Earth Spear Jutsu!" At that moment sharp rock spears came out of the ground and shot up to Akira's spot in the tree.

(oh whatever)

Akira had to move quick as the earth spears came up. Senbon wouldn't block them. Moving to the side one cut across his arm. He flinched in pain. It'd probabaly be useless for the rest of this fight, but he'd be fine. It was his right arm and he was left handed. Hopeing the ninja on the floor was don he pulled a senbon and threw it at the girl. Next to fighting, he hated to fight women. It just made him feel guilty.

The leader was surpised he'd been caught. "Yeah I gt a poblem," he said turning around and kneeing her in the shoulder. "You kill a friend of mines a few years back," he said moving away. "It took a while to get to you, but i found you when and your little group caused some trouble in the vallies a while back," he said with a smirk.

Ziade flinched and stumbled back as he kneed her injured shoulder. It was such an easy target. As the guy said that she'd killed his friend a few years back, she looked at him. "It was business, not personal. If you want revenge, you should find the guy that hired me," she said looking at him her eyes unwavering, watching for his next move. She'd wondered if Akira had figured out yet that she'd been an assassin before she became the leader of the Infamous Five. She wagered that he hadn't. Ziade'd give this guy a chance to back down before attacking again and taking him out.

The red haired woman gave a smirk as her attack hit him, even if it was barely. If she could hit him once, odds were she could hit him again. Too caught up in her hit, she didn't see the senbon coming and it peirced her side. Flinching, she quickly pulled it out and glared at Akira. "Hmm, you know," she said, her face lightening up some. "You're kinda cute. It's too bad that I have to kill you really," she said with a shrug, then started another jutsu. More rock spears shot out of the ground at Akira, but instead of just standing in that one spot like last time, the woman ran up the tree in an attempt to punch Akira while he tried to dodge her spears.

Akira jumped into a higher branch as the woman repeated the jutsu. He didn't fall for the same tricks twice. As she tried to punch him he side step and cut the senbon across her arm. He then knocked her back and jumped into a higher branch and looked to see where her partner was. If he was still down on the ground that ould make Akira's job much easier.

The guy wasn't buying it. "Already did that," he said as he pulled out some kunai and threw them at Ziade. "Now I'm taking out his killer." This guy had a one track mind and it was set on revenge. Nothing would stop him. He'd join his partner in death before he gave in.

Ziade looked at the man as he stated that he'd already taken care of her employer. Then he had no reason to be after her. She wanted to say that but knew it was pointless after his last statement. She had to admit, she had to give respect to this man for trying to avenge his fallen comrade, but that was the only thing she'd respect him for. He was a fool for coming after an assassin. Ziade gave a sigh as he said that he'd come to take her out. "As you wish." She took out several shuriken coated in her poison and threw them at the man. He'd soon be paralyzed as Bat had been a few hours earlier. But this time she'd be able to take her target out. He was no part of a powerful organization. Just a lowly ninja looking for revenge.

The red haired woman didn't expect her opponent to be so fast, and was cut by the guys senbon. With an angry sigh, she jumped to a different tree and threw three suriken at him, starting another jutsu and multiplying the shuriken into about 27. The woman's partner however, knew what she was going to do and from the other side sent another fire style Akira's way, this time a Fire Style: Flaming Dragon Jutsu.

Akira was prepared to dodge the shuriken and then they multiplied. Jumping upwards he sent senbon at them only to be caught in the fire style. Akira fell from the tree and hit the ground. He gave a caught and stood up after a moment. He needed to be more careful. Looking up he searched for the womans position. He had now formered a plan to her defeat.

The man took out a shuriken and threw it at Ziade. He then blocked a few of the senbons. He wasn' all that worried abut a few needles. But that would be his downfall. As the senbon hit him he wasn't worried at first, but after a few minutes, he noticed that something was wrong. He couldn't move anymore "What, what is this?"

Ziade looked at the man, more focused on rather he was hit with the senbon than on the shuriken he threw. She dodged a few of them, but the last one hit near her shoulder and she cringed. Dammit, she thought angrily. She gave a small grin as the man's movements started to slow and he asked what happened. She walked up to him, but not too close. "Your blood has been tainted with my poison. Soon you won't be able to move at all. You won't be able to breathe. But I can assure you, I'll take care of you before my poison reaches that stage. I admire your efforts, but coming after an assassin was foolish, especially without the proper knowledge on how to defeat her," she said looking at him. She then gave a small smile. "Any last words?" she said as she took out a dagger.

The woman smirked as her partner finally came through. This was always why they made the best team. She saw her partner though, look over to their leader, who seemed to be paralyzed. "Focus you idiot, he can take care of himself!" she yelled. Their leader was probably only playing that foolish woman anyways. At least that was what she hoped. She looked back to her partner and nodded once, then she gave a quick glance at Akira before doing a jutsu. Earth Clone. Silently a rock clone of the woman formed behind Akira and attempted to grab him from behind to keep him in place, and at the same time, the fire ninja threw shuriken engulfed in flames at Akira and the clone.

(what happened to the fox)

Akira moved quickly as he saw the guy's attention go towards his leader. Akira appeared infront of the guy and put a senbon in a spot beneath one of the vital spots in his throat. He then looked at the woman. Her earth style would be a bit diffricult to escape without getting injured, but he hadn't earned his place amongst the Infamous Five for being a softy. Jumping to her branch he pulled out two senbon. He'd stop her with this last move.

The leader was couldn't move. But he cracked a smile. "Well, well, I'm going to get killed by a girl," He gave a small laugh. "Nice fight." He then saw that his two subbordinates. It looked like they were still fighting. He looked back to Ziade. He knew he was beat, hell, he had a good fight and he'd killed the guy who'd ordered his partners death. And he'd met his partners killer. All was good.

(It ran away, but don't worry, it'll end up coming back)

Ziade looked at the man, cracking a smile of her own as he said he was about to be killed by a girl. "Shinobi are not classified by gender, they're classified by their rank as a fighter. You should know better," she said with a small chuckle. "Yes, I agree, you did put up quite the fight. Maybe you'll have better luck in your next life." He could take that as a goodbye and good luck or something different, but it wouldn't matter in a few seconds. Without hesitation Ziade stabbed the man in the heart with her dagger. She hardly ever slit throats, although most people would probably think that was how she killed, it was brutal and heartless, as most people thought she was. She pulled out her dagger, bent down, and cleaned it on the grass, then got up and put it away, turning to see how her partner was fairing.

After he'd turned back from looking at his leader, he saw the white haired guy was in front of him. Before he could so much as gasp and step back there was a senbon stuck in his throat. As he saw the white haired guy turn away he quickly and panicked tried to take the senbon out. He couldn't breath. In only a few seconds, he started to turn a bit purple, then fell to the ground, unconscious. As the red haired woman saw this, she stepped back. "Damn idiot, I told him to focus," she said with a swallow. She'd seen the other woman kill their leader, and if she didn't act soon, her partner would be dead as well. She suddenly felt very alone. In that instant she decided that she'd take both of these two out by herself for killing her leader and her partner. On instinct she jumped down from the branch as she saw Akira jump on it. (Im giving her a random name) Jase started a jutsu and put her hand on the tree. She didn't only know earth style. Wood Style: Branch Assault. The branch that Akira was standing on started moving, then shot up and tried to wrap itself around Akira.

Akira saw Jase move and he came to a stop, pulled a senbon and went to throw it a her when something surrounded him. Wood style? So she had more than one element she was able to use. Akira had to think fast or he'd be vulnurable to attack. That's when he figured it out. Ninja Art: Destruction. This jutsu would cause an explosion near the user. He had to get away from the wood.

Ziade looked over to Akira. He'd had two ninja to face, and it seemed that one of them was already down. She'd wait for him to finish, afterall, she wanted to see what Akira was really made of. Then she remembered why they'd come that way to begin with. She looked around, but saw no sign of the small white fox. "Hm," she said as she turned to look back at Akira. If, and only if, he needed help would she give it. She would only give help if the woman was about to land a death blow, but other than that, Akira was on his own.

Jase's hand clenched into a fist as she saw her wood style explode. She was sick of waiting around and doing all these stupid tactics. Without much thought, Jase charged at Akira, aiming to land a punch on him. He'd killed both her partner and her leader, she would not lose to him!

(He did not kill her partner! Ziade did. T-T )

Akira didn't have a killer instinct like most ninja did. He thought people could change and that there innocence had yet to show. But sometimes people wouldn't change, so he had to do what was best. Especially when it meant protecting someone who meant something to him. As Jase charged him he pulled a senbon. When she went to punch him he stepped to the side and planted the senbon in right below the side of her arm. He then pulled several more senbons and began placing them near vital spots. He then backed away. "You've lost."

(Sorry, typo. I thought her partner was dead. Ziade killed her leader. The fire dood was her partner)

Jase looked at Akira as he dodged her punch. She then felt many sharp pains along certain spots in her body, spots that she knew to be just next to vital spots. Why had he spared her? She looked at him as he said she'd lost. How could she have lost so easily? She was one of the best fighters around! But she didn't dare move to contradict him, because then those senbon would move and hit the vitals they'd been placed near. Her muscles relaxed only slightly. "Fine. I've lost," she said, her eyes downcast.

Ziade watched as Akira took down Jase. Well, if you could call it taking her out. He'd only immobilized her. Ziade walked over to Akira and looked at the fire ninja, then to the woman who seemed to have admitted defeat. Obviously Akira wouldn't finish the job, so she'd have to do it herself. Ziade took out two daggers, throwing one at the man's throat (who seemed to have been unconscious anyways) and the other one at the woman's throat. Akira would think her cold blooded, but she was really protecting herself. And the other four too, if one wanted to give her that much credit. She looked around for the fox, who seemed to have disappeared, without a word.

Akira wasn't palnning on killer her. Nor was he planning on killing her partner. But he realized quickly that that would all change as Ziade came up and ended both of their lives. He looked at her. His eyes hidden by shadows. Why was she so cold. Taking lives even when the opponent knew they were beaten. When they'd given up. He turned away from her and jumped down from the tree. "Shall we finish what we started?" He asked. "I believe the fox will be waiting." He carefully avoided telling her how he felt about her spilling blood. Did she have to kill everyone? Though, she probably already knew anyway.

(Maybe this thread contradicts its title a little bit.......)

Ziade looked at Akira as he jumped off the tree and turned away from her. She knew his thoughts without him having to say anything. As he asked if they should finish what they started, she only shrugged, figuring moments too late that it was a bad idea. She flinched as her shoulder twinged painfully. "I suppose we should. Granted, we have to find the creature first," she said, taking a look around. It wasn't too hard because after a moment of looking, Ziade sighed and gave up that, then whistled sharply. The fox came running out at Ziade a few seconds later. It curled around her legs, looking frightened. Ziade's expression softened as she looked at the poor thing. It wasn't used to such situations. Ziade picked it up and scratched behind its ear a little. "What a frail little thing," she said almost quietly as she started walking past Akira. She realized that she may've looked soft at this point, but she didn't have to be cold-hearted all the time.

(lol, yes it does)

Akira watched as the fox came running up to Ziade. How could such a graceful creature take a liking to someone so heartless. Though, it was a fact that they could sense things human couldn't. Was he wrong to judge Ziade and not truely know her as well as he though. Who was he to judge her in the first place. He felt he had betrayed himself in a sense. Forgetting the ordeal he followed after her as she began to walk away. "How many other foxes like him do you think are around here," he asked. The chances were slim to none. How could a fox of his color have survived, or any other like him. What choice would Ziade make if the fox had no home to go back to.

Ziade looked at Akira as he asked how many foxes of this color were around here. Her expression was still softer than normal as she stroked the still shaking fox. "I'm not sure. He might be the only one. He probably wandered away from his family over by the Snow Valley," she said, for the first time referring to it as something other than just a creature.

Akira stayed silent. He could feel the weather changing. They were getting close to the Snow Valley. As they walked he turned his gaze to the ground and began to think about his life before the Infamous Five. That was a while ago, but he still had the same intintions as before. Growing up as a loner was not a kind life to him, but he'd made the best of it. Looking up he could see Snow had started falling. Looking to Ziade he wasn't sure if the cold would be good for her wounds.