“I told you to run,” Schue Sensei yelled, “You can’t take him, he’s one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist! He’s the strongest opponent I’ve ever faced!”
Kurt knew his sensei was right, he knew he was being stubborn, but he was tired of running, he was tired of always being the victim and no matter how horrible this situation turns out, and he’s not going to run.
“It’s alright sensei,” Kurt stepped forward releasing his hand from Blaine’s, “Were not going to leave you.”
Kurt looked towards Blaine’s emotional eyes with a small smile; the Uchiha returned his gesture with a light nod.
“Your plan,” Kurt asked tearing his eyes away from his team, locking them on Nick, “It better work.”
‘”It should, but we need to get it right, we’ll only have one chance.” Blaine pounced to the floor shrugging his travel bag off. He opened the top compartment and stuck his hand inside. He felt various ninja tools and medicines as his hand darted across the miscellaneous items. Blaine was in a rush. He had no idea when the assassin planned to strike.
“Hurry up!”
Blaine stopped his rummaging and looked towards Kurt, he had a frantic look in his eye, and his soft porcelain skin was frozen over. He never realized Kurt could look so beautiful even in a life or death situation. He shook the thought off and nodded swiftly and continued his work until he found it. He felt his fingers graze over a sharpened blade. He grabbed the round handle and jerked it out of his bag.
“I got it!” Blaine yelled in triumph, he swung the large four-bladed shuriken in the air.
“What’s the plan?”
Kurt reappeared at his side, far too close for Blaine to be able to think straight. His mind was swimming with ideas to free Schue and possessive thoughts of Kurt. He’d never felt anything possessive towards anyone, and it scared him. He knew there were recesses in his mind that were dark, but never sadistic. Blaine’s head was pounding and he realized he was being shaken by Kurt.
“I-uh,” Blaine shrugged off Kurt’s warm hand with reluctance and shook his head freeing him of all the inappropriate thoughts of his demon teammate. He had to keep reminding himself that, and returned his focus to the task at hand, “Do you have any jutsu that can distract him?”
He motioned towards Nick, he was maintaining the jutsu with intense focus, and Blaine could see that. From the way he never completely took his attention from Schue, and kept his right hand in a single seal.
Kurt’s face lit up, “Yeah, I have the perfect jutsu, what do you want me to do?”
Blaine pondered for a moment. He thought of all the ninja techniques his brother taught him. He surveyed the landscape; it had changed drastically from the moment they first set foot in it. In the middle of the space was an intense crater that showed signs of struggle, and the many swamp trees and vines were being shrouded by a thick veil of mist. The mist would be ideal for hiding except for the fact that it was the enemy’s jutsu. He wondered what the jutsu’s purpose was. The mist obviously hid the enemy pretty well, but that couldn’t be the only reason. Blaine’s eyes swept over towards Schue. His right eye that possessed the Sharingan was closed tightly, and he could see his Sensei struggling to break free. He looked towards Nick, he was focused on Tazuna, but he never moved his arm from the center of the Water Prison. Blaine focused his eyes, the muscles in Nick’s arm flexed and strained against the water, and he could see the seal he was forming in his right hand was distributing his chakra evenly between his two jutsu. They had to take up a lot of chakra. He couldn’t be free to do much in his position; he just needed to find his weakness.
“Blaine?”
The moment Kurt uttered his name it clicked. Nick couldn’t move, if he moved the Water Prison Jutsu would be dispelled, and Schue would break free. Nick was formidable but Blaine doubted even he could capture Schue in the jutsu again.
“Kurt, I found out the weakness to Nick’s jutsu, we just need to get him away from the prison!”
Kurt’s eyes widened, but as he opened his mouth to speak, Nick uttered a low guttural laugh from the pit of his stomach.
“I’ll admit your little team is more durable than I initially thought, but if you think you can just get me to walk away from my prize is laughable.”
He smiled revealing a large set of jagged, shark-like teeth, the sight made a cold shudder run through Blaine.
“Kurt,” Blaine whispered, “use your jutsu, you make clones right?”
Kurt nodded, “solid ones.”
Blaine’s head turned sharply towards Kurt, “real clones? That’s amazing!” He clamped his mouth shut, he rarely gave himself complements, much less anyone else, but he couldn’t help it. This boy was so amazing. He briefly wondered what other hidden abilities he possessed before he was brought back to real life.
He watched as Kurt formed seal after seal, his hands a blinding blur of white, as he initiated the jutsu. Eventually Kurt brought his left and right index and pointer fingers into cross towards his chest, he wasn’t prepared for what happened next.
“Shadow Clone Jutsu!”
Kurt had never used this jutsu in a life or death situation before; he didn’t even know if it would work. When he performed it in front of the instructors of the Ninja Academy it was a stroke of luck that it came out as flawless as it did, but what he did for his entrance exam was nothing compared to now. Before he made a single clone, though its colors were dull and the doppelganger couldn’t speak, it was a solid life form nonetheless. Now he not only made one perfect replica of himself, but at least twenty other works of art. He watched Blaine’s jaw drop and Quinn blink rapidly for at least a minute. He looked over to Nick and was surprised that even their enemy had a look of acknowledgment on his face. He couldn’t help but give a cocky smile, the battlefield was his, and he had everyone wrapped around his finger.
“Water Clone Jutsu.”
In a flash there was a perfect clone of Nick in the middle of their makeshift Manji formation. He wielded his gigantic beheading sword in his right fist. He head Quinn scream as Nick slashed through one of Kurt’s shadow clones. The doppelganger dissipated into the mist leaving Nick standing directly in front of Kurt, giving that same evil toothy grin.
“You’re next.”
Kurt was about to close his eyes when he heard a shout, followed by the sound of wind being sliced.
“Demon Wind Shuriken, Windmill of Shadows!”
Kurt turned around at the exact moment he saw a shadow like figure graze across the sky. The shuriken started out high in the air, but then gradually came lower. Kurt followed the line in which it was traveling and if it hit its mark, it would stab Nick in the shoulder. He brought his eyes back to Blaine, his arm was extended and he was breathing heavily. Kurt could see a small sheen of sweat on his face.
As soon as the Demon Wind Shuriken struck Nick in the shoulder blade he collapsed with a scream and melted into a huge puddle of water, Kurt pumped a fist in the air in triumph, and turned to congratulate Blaine. Before he could get a sound out he saw a second windmill shuriken hurtling towards the real Nick. Kurt didn’t know what to think or say so he watched the whole thing unfold, mouth agape. The second shuriken flung past Nick as he moved at the last second. As Kurt was about to give up he saw the second shuriken transform into him.
“What?” Kurt uttered accidentally, he was still confused.
Kurt’s shadow clone smiled and attached himself to Nick’s back.
“Get off me you son of a-“ Nick struggled and growled trying to fend Kurt off with only one arm, he never got to finish his sentence because at that moment a third Demon Wind Shuriken flung itself towards Nick’s torso. Kurt could tell he was conflicted, if he stayed in his position he would get killed, but if he moved he would have to remove his arm, thus releasing Schue Sensei. It was a lose-lose situation and Kurt felt immensely proud that Blaine thought this plan up all by himself. The Uchiha’s certainly were extraordinary ninja, and it both scared and intrigued Kurt.
Nick chose the latter and thrust his arm out of the water prison. He moved just as the giant shuriken rotated past and struck a tree. The water that was entrapping Schue Sensei flowed off him and pathetically joined the rest of the lake water. Nick’s eyes were burning with rage or hatred, Kurt couldn’t tell, but if he had to guess probably both.
“Who-“ Nick got cut off again, this time Blaine’s voice filled the swamp.
“I bet your wondering where that all came from,” Blaine started smoothly, “as soon as you summoned your water clone I prepared a tangible Demon Shuriken, and transformed one of Kurt’s shadow clones into one. I figured out how to get you to release Schue a while ago so the rest was a guess of judgment. I used the first shuriken to destroy your water clone, and sent the disguised shuriken at you. As you moved to deflect it Kurt released the transformation and took control of your only free arm.”
Blaine paused to make sure Nick was listening, he was, and it pleased him even more, he gave a smug smile to Kurt making the demon return the gesture before continuing, “As you were wrapped up in defending yourself from Kurt, you left your only blind spot wide open. I threw the second tangible shuriken at you knowing if you didn’t move you’d be killed, or if you did move, Schue would be released. It was a win-win situation for me, and you made it easier.”
Nick was seething, if looks could kill every living organism in a ten mile radius would be decapitated. Kurt felt a wave of pride flow through him; Blaine was smart, perhaps smarter than a Genin should be, and that just added to the list of things that made Blaine Uchiha perfect.
Before Kurt could even dismiss the thought, Schue Sensei sped towards Nick with intense speed. He collided with the assassin and fought him off with a kunai, Nick’s took many lashes at Schue with his sword, but Schue Sensei dodged them easily with his Sharingan.
“Protect the bridge builder! We don’t know if there are more ninja lying in wait!”
Kurt followed Schue Sensei’s orders immediately and ran across the marsh to meet Blaine, Quinn, and Tazuna.
“Your plan was brilliant.” Kurt found himself talking before he realized it and hastily shut his mouth. The demon didn’t know why he lost his cool whenever he was around the Uchiha; it was starting to worry him. Was there something wrong with Kurt? Was the demon manipulating him now? He never got the chance to think further because Blaine was already responding.
“Thanks,” Blaine looked away, and for a second it looked like there was blush creeping up to his cheeks, but Kurt couldn’t really tell because the mist was blurring his eyesight, “ I couldn’t have done it without your help though, you’re really amazing, Kurt.”
Blaine stopped and realized to his horror that he was holding Kurt’s hands in his own, there was no denying he loved the feeling, the warmth his hand brought to Blaine’s cold heart, the way his snowy fingers fit in with his own, and despite all this he couldn’t bring himself to keep holding on.
Blaine dropped Kurt’s hands frantically and muttered a ‘sorry’ before moving towards the opposite side of Quinn, away from Kurt. Blaine didn’t know what was happening to him, a month ago he had complete control over his emotions, and as soon as Kurt walked into his life all of his defenses were shattered. It amused and terrified Blaine that Kurt could alter the Uchiha’s emotions so easily. Blaine couldn’t bring himself any closer to Kurt; he had to slowly drift away. Ninja’s get killed on missions, if Kurt was to die at this moment, Blaine in the state he’s in would go insane. He has to have no feelings towards the demon at all; he needs to sever his bonds. It’s not going to be an easy task, but Blaine has to pull through.
Will thrust the kunai towards Nick’s abdomen again, the assassin dodged easily and counterattacked with his own sword, gleaming silver crashed down towards the expanse of water below them. The waves crashed towards Will, forcing himself backwards, away from Nick. He slammed his hand against a fallen tree to steady himself, and stop him from drifting out too far. Will looked up towards Nick and could see him weaving hand signs; he quickly rebounded and ran across the water to meet his opponent.
“Ichi, nee, san, shi, go, roku, shichi, hachi, kyu, ju...” Nick chanted as he formed signs at blindingly fast speed. Will realized he was preparing for a jutsu, he studied Nick’s movement’s and mannerisms with his Sharingan, and started copying him. The seals came to him unconsciously; he started weaving at least forty hand signs. When his hand stopped he looked towards Nick, he gave a devilish smile, and opened his mouth-
“Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!”
Will yelled the jutsu’s name in unison with Nick, and immediately the giant expanse of lake water rose and formed two twin dragons; they crashed with each other sending the two ninja flying. Nick collided with the marsh, skidding across the mud painfully until laying in a fetal position on the edge of the swamp. Will rocketed backwards hitting his head on a tree, he was still conscious, but he knew there would be a huge concussion. He rubbed his thundering head and his palm came back smeared with blood, Will swore and shakily rose to his feet to finish Nick. He approached the assassin’s body slowly and looked into his dark eyes. He considered leaving the body, but realized that if he did, Nick would come back stronger, and more acute with their abilities. Will pulled out a sharp kunai and pulled his arm back.
He heard a whizzing sound and immediately jumped out of the way. As his feet hit the soft marsh two blindingly fast senbon struck Nick’s neck leaving small red gashes. Nick’s eyes responded and fluttered shut, leaving his body limp and cold. Will spread his index and pointer finger and pressed them to unto Nick’s skin to check for his pulse. When there was no response the Jonin didn’t know whether to be relieved for Nick’s death, or on defense for further attacks.
“He’s dead.”
Schue Sensei’s words echoed in Kurt’s mind for what felt like years, before he came back to his natural thought process. It took a Jonin level ninja, and a whole Genin squad to as little as wound Nick, and this mystery person killed him with two senbon. Who can accurately pinpoint someone’s throat from a distance? Kurt looked around the trees until his eye set upon a masked ninja on a tree limb, ironically it was the same tree limb they first noticed Nick on, as indicated by the giant gash beneath the limbs.
The ninja’s white and red stripped mask had the Hidden Mist Village symbol etched into the middle above two slender cutouts for eyes. The ninja had a blue and red thick kimono top with big sleeves, and a red ribbon tied around the waist. He or she wore loose baggy gray shorts and beige geta footwear. The masked murderer looked no older than Kurt, and that angered him.
“What’s your name?” Kurt called out rudely gaining attention from Schue Sensei and the rest of his cell.
“They call me Jeff.”
The voice was definitely male, although the vibrato had a hint of femininity hidden beneath it. Upon closer inspection he could see short blonde hair from behind the mask.
“The Hidden Mist ANBU eh?”
Schue Sensei walked towards the boy; he stared into the hidden face with his Sharingan, obviously trying to intimidate him. When he failed, he sighed and released the ocular jutsu, returning his eyes to the regular soft brown hue.
“Yes, we’ve been hunting Nick for some time, thank you for stalling him.”
The ANBU’s voice was firm. It held no emotion, like a message that had been repeated over and over, not quite a lie, but you could tell the ninja kept secrets well. He jumped down from the tree, kicking up clouds of dust as he landed.
“If you don’t mind,” he continued as he put an arm around Nick’s lifeless body, “we need to take his body in for autopsy. Thank you for your cooperation.”
The ANBU ninja formed a single seal and vanished from the swamp. Kurt was confused, he didn’t know what the ANBU was, and he was still shaken up with adrenaline. It took Kurt a moment to realize the mist was gone from the area, and the air returned to its sticky, hot state. Kurt smiled as he realized the first sight his eyes set upon were Blaine’s warm and inviting, he didn’t realize he missed them so much.

~

Jeff landed at a clearing not too far from the Hidden Leaf ninja he encountered. He was out of earshot, but not far enough for his taste. It didn’t matter; he had to tend to Nick before his body gave out. The masked boy laid Nick’s lifeless body softly against a tree before taking out the blood stained senbon forcefully.
“Now to drain the blood.”