Hinote looked up at Joshin. "I'm not sure. Some sort of Seal or something..." She looked at her arms and legs, the azure chains apparent on her pale skin. She lifted her head up to show him his neck. "And this thing is weird... I can't get it off." She rubbed her neck where she had accidently scratched herself.

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"Perhaps." mused Rin in a grumble. "housing is free for villiage ninja." he added. He paused, thoughtful for a moment. He moved behind Haka and said in a small voice, "Consider it a small repayment."

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The truth is that the ancients never really leave. We've only just stepped out for a moment.

Takumi was equally, if not more, shocked at the woman exploding. He didn't move and was temporarily paralyzed with a fear bubbling up from his gut. But when Rai began to speak he came to from his trance.

When the words, "You die here," were uttered, Takumi became excited, very very excited. He followed suit with his leader jumping from the tree bring his foot down towards the other ninja with a force that seemed to be able to stop a train.

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Takumi's foot hit something smooth and round. He was able to push backwards and when the smoke cleared, they saw the ninja had punched the ground. He was surronded by a smooth orb of earth which had been fortified by chakra, allowing it to withstand both Rai and Takumi's attacks, creating only a few holes. The orb cracked and it crumbled into dust. The ninja stood up and cracked his neck. "C'mon! Both of you, fight your hardest. Hmmm?"

The bushes rustled and Erimaki crawled out. The scarves had burnt away but it had mostly protected him. However, a few spots on his body were severly burnt. He spoke in a weak voice "Rai, this guy is a distraction. The woman that blew up was some kind of an advanced clone. The guy who took her is still running. Remember the mission." He took out a pouch and ate a soldier pill that he had stored there. "I'll be fine."

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Haka put his head in his hands, looking like he was pondering. "What do you mean by, repayment? I can't think of anything that you'd have to repay me for."

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"Don't bother trying to remove it by hand. It is a very powerful seal. Damn it, why did he have to take notice of this convoy." Joahin said. He looked back at Hinote. "Which way did he go? Only the real one could do this." He said, pulling his blade from its sheath. He wouldn't be able to undo the seal at this moment, but he could at least catch up to the one that put it on her.

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Haka's question hung in the air without reply. A gust flickered the paper lanterns around the ramen vendor. Rin had once again vanished. unfortunately the sun was sinking below the horizon, painting the villiage in pastel oranges and shadows. The mission was about to begin.

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The truth is that the ancients never really leave. We've only just stepped out for a moment.

"He went off into the trees. He had a scroll of some sort..." She looked down at the ground. She caught the deep azure colored chains on her arms in the corner of her eye.

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"Oh god damnit." He said with a groan. "Ah well, better get going to the meeting spot." He payed for his Ramen and went to the meeting spot, waiting for Rin and the others.

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It was time to make a decision, and Rai knew it. He trusted that what Erimaki said was true, however he couldn’t help but wonder why things had gone this way. Rai looked towards Erimaki, a somewhat serious expression upon his face. It was his fault that his teammate was injured, even if the woman was some kind of an advanced clone, he should have seen through their trap.
“Takumi… you stay here with Erimaki… try to keep this guy off our back for as long as you can…” he turned his head over to the Aori guy. Rai didn’t know very much about any of his teammate’s abilities, but he knew enough. He only hoped that there was only one other enemy ninja, however that seemed unlikely.

“Aori… we’re going to get back the woman…” he said in a solid voice. His attention had never left the enemy ninja standing just ahead of them, even when he turned to look at the others, he was still focusing on their enemy. Rai suddenly through a small bundle of needles forwards and aimed at the ninja’s chest. He was expecting another shield, however even if that didn’t happen, the man would have had to move in order to dodge the attack. This should have given both Rai and Aori enough room to escape and pursue the woman.
“Let’s go.” Rai said, leaping towards the forest.

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"You got it boss." Takumi said, taking a few steps back from the clone, "I'll give you all the time you need." a cocky expression was on his face as he removed a knife from the pouch on his side.

"It takes two to tango," he chuckled, "lets dance." Takumi stared at the clone, thinking up a some small strategy that could either kill or keep the clone from following Rai.
'Man, I'm so very lame.'

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((OOC: Souon has asked to be taken care of, so this will cover it. Say your goodbyes.))

Zerus had been making good time when he was brought up short by an exploding tag hanging from a Kunai sunk into a tree in his path. "Hnn... You are slightly more of an annoyance than the others were." Was his cold remark as he located the figure chasing him.

Checking the Scroll was still secured in his belt, he turned on the pursuer, his image blurring and shifting as he created two clones to either side of him. "I suppose I'll have to arrange something more permanent.

Several minutes later, Souon was on her knees on the forest floor, Chains of deep sienna burning their way painfully across her form from a pentagram seal on her now bare stomach. Her arms hung limply at her sides, and twitched slightly every few moments, as though she were trying to raise them but could not.

"I would suggest you stop trying to move. The more you struggle and tire yourself out, the faster the seal will spread. Even now, you are beginning to have trouble breathing, right?" He continued, his cold impassive tone relentless. "A cruel fate, but ultimately, unavoidable. You might last long enough to make it back, but unless you dispell the seal soon, your body will give out long before any help comes. Sayonara, Konoha-nin-san."

With that, he turned and continued his escape, leaving the Blind ninja there struggling to breathe and feeling each breath become harder and harder as her lungs began to fatigue. Soon, her legs finally gave out the last of their strength and she collapsed to the forest floor, Her eyes open, the sound of her breaths slowly growing weaker, until they were almost inaudible.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Back with Joshin and Hinote, there was the unmistakable burst of chakra that indicated a Major chakra technique, before silence came to rest on the forest again.

Hinote's chakra still refusing to be used, like all of her tenketsu had been closed.

Joshin had a flash of memory, -="If my sword was channeling Chakra right now, your head would be from your shoulders..."=-, and then the 'Clone' tossing a Scroll into the air, which vanished in a puff of smoke, followed shortly after by the 'Clone' itself.

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Syaoran and Sakura "Meant to be"

Hinote felt the major chakra technique and looked off in the direction towards were she thought it came from. She felt useless now as she raised her hands and placed them in front of her. She formed some simple hand signs, but the final result was disappointing. Nothing. Nothing happened. Her hands shook as she could feel herself loosing it. She couldn't believe that she had let her guard down. She kicked a nearby tree, wanting to scream at the top of her lungs. She turned back to Joshin, sighing. "Shouldn't you go after Souon?" She asked with a hint of hopelessness. She didn't want to be pitied or seen at the moment. "I'll go see if everyone is alright..." With that, she began walking towards the wagons.

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