Maiso's Trap! Days have passed since Team Kunoichi and their client's had been attacked by the Hitsugi trio and all were on there toes. The slightest sound would cause them to jump to action, expecting another attack to happen at any time. The fact the trio had yet to make an attack in so many days unsettled them. What were they planning, they wandered as they quickly covered ground. None of them noticed Tenten's worsening condition; not even Tenten herself. They were preoccupied with worrying over when their enemy will strike next to notice. Tenten passed off the weakness she felt everyday as exhaustion and overworrying even though it grew in strength every day. It wasn't until she woke one morning without the strength to move, let alone breathe that she and the others realized something was up. "She has a fever..." Hinata diagnosed after feeling the kunoichi's forehead. "I don't think we should move again until it breaks. Where did she get it from?" They had made camp in a nearby cave that turned out to be vacant. They had made it their top priority to insure that Tenten would be as comfortable as they could afford with all of their blankets stacked atop of her to help break the fever. "You remember that cut that she got from fighting one of those ninjas? Could the wound have gotten infected?" Barahime suggested. "But we cleaned that as soon as possible," Hinata said. The kunoichi looked at her fallen companion with worry. She wondered if Tenten would survive, praying that she could do something to help. "I hear that the best way to get rid of a cold is to pass on to your lover..." Sizume suggested with a shrug of her shoulders. "B-But we're not...!" Hinata said, her face turning deep crimson. She imagined her and Tenten laying in bed, comfortably snuggled into each other's arms. She shook her head violently to banish the image, find her heart beat quickening as she was unexplainably aroused by the thought. W-what's going? What is this feeling? I can't be- "On second, thought maybe this fever may be caused by poison..." Sizume said grimly, catching Hinata's attention with a start. "Poison?" Hinata said, surprised. If that was the case with all the moving they've done in the past few days, then- "Byakugan!" Activating her bloodline trait, the kunoichi looked at the Tenten's body seeing to her fear she saw that her chakra flow was greatly disrupted due to some ill effect in the her body. To the kunoichi's knowledge few things could cause such effects, including special types of poisons. "If it's poison, it must be a custom poison that slowly saps the victim's body of it's strength over a number of days, making quite subtle and deadly in the long run. At this rate, I'm surprised that she still lives. If not treated she may have a few days left to live..." Sizume said ominously. Barahime and Hinata looked at the warrior in shock and horror. Only a few days left to live! What could they do? "To makes matters worse, if this is a custom poison, general antidotes wouldn't have be affective. It's already to late to draw the poison out, leaving us one option: finding a cure..." Sizume said with a pain filled sigh. "We have to do something!" Hinata exclaimed in desperation. The knowledge that one of her comrades was on her deathbed, struggling to live though was bleak sent Hinata's hearting spiraling down into a deep, bottomless chasm of despair. If she died, Hinata would never be able to forgive herself especially now that she realized why the Hitsugi's hadn't attack in some many days; they were waiting for one of them to die to lessen reduce the number of enemies they had to fight. "It looks like there's nothing that we can do..." Sizume said grimly. "Unless... I've heard of some rumors about an herb that could heal any toxin in the body that grew in these parts. It's quite rare, but they're easily recognized upon sight. If we can get one of these herbs and give to Tenten-sama, then we should be able to heal her. Hinata looked up in surprising, finding a bright and shining hope at the end of a nearly endless tunnel of despair. "We must get it!" "Well, it will be dangerous, of any of us who goes out would most likely be targeted by the enemy..." Suzime began. "However we mustn't abandon the princess or Tenten-sama either. Since protecting the princess is more important than saving Tenten-sama's life, you can't go. Out of the two of us, you can protect her better than I. That only means that I am only person we can spare! Besides, I'm the only one who knows what this herb looks like!" Barahime was greatly shocked by this, but knew the warrior spoke the truth. Fighting back tears, she ran over and kissed Sizume. "Please be careful." Sizume smiled at the princess and said, "You'll have nothing to worry about me!" Without another word, the warrior left the cave. "How long is it going to take her to kill them!?" Hissed the male voice impatiently from the shadows of the Hitsugi's lair. "Worry not. Maiso-imoto may like to get carried away when fighting the enemy, but when forced to play a role, that she keeps a calm head," spoke the gloomy woman. "In fact she should be setting her plan into action anytime now..." Once she was sure that she had escaped from the sight of cave, Maiso dropped her disguise with great relief. "What gullible fools! Like such a herb would exist!" Biting into her thumb hard enough to draw blood, she drew a summoning contract onto the ground and placed her hand on it. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Teikoku no Yomigaeru (Summoning Technique: Imperial Revival)!" Summoning a number of coffins, Maiso took an interest in one particular, petting and saying "An Itamu-oneesan masterwork; time for your great debut Sizume-san!" A mischievous grin crossed the kunoichi's face as she watched that particular coffin open along side the rest of the others. Hinata and Barahime watched the area outside of the cave, awaiting the warrior's return. Neither knew the truth or expected to see a number of hopping dead to be coming towards them. "They so finally attack..." Hinata said. "Barahime-sama, take Tenten and hide her!" "Right!" Barahime said, grabbing the poisoned kunoichi and dragging her deeper into the cave. I must protect them! Hinata watching the corpses near. Activating the Byakugan, she readied herself for the swarm. They're relying one me so I can not fail! I will not give up! Once the dead reached the cave's entrance, Hinata made her attack. Meanwhile, deep within the cave, Barahime hid, clutching the barely conscious body of Tenten to her. Praying that Sizume was safe. Hearing foot steps behind, she spun around, surprised and confused to find Sizume behind. At first she was overjoyed, thinking that the warrior had found the most precious herb to rid Tenten of the poison, but then realized something was wrong. How could she have gotten behind them let alone into the cave without either the swarm of undead or Hinata noticing? Sizume raised her naginata into the air and swung down at Barahime, forcing the princess to flee the attack. Luckily it had missed Tenten by inches, but as Sizume turned away, Barahime realized she was focused on her. "Sizume-chan what's going on! Why are you attacking me?!" Barahime demanded, but received no reply, making the princess's fear to deepen. "Please explain yourself!" Without speaking, the warrior pressed on her attack, striking at the princess with deadly precision, forcing the princess to flee more and more. To make matters worse, the warrior maneuvered and attack in a fashion that directed the princess deeper into the cave which was surprising deep for what it was. With each attack, the princess was forced more and more farther back into the cave until she finally realized that the warrior wouldn't stop or listen to her and decided to run for her life. In a tear filled flight, she ran as quickly as she could, unable to comprehend why her loyal lover would suddenly turn on her. The worse came to her mind, but she refused to believe it. Instead, she tried to rationalize it, which was quite difficult concerning how much little thought she could spare on the matter. She was so preoccupied with this that she never realized that the cave continued for what seemed forever, gradually leading down below the surface at such a subtle pace until she saw a light before her. Unsure of what the source light was, she had no other direction to turn and ran towards it. Quickly, the cave opened up into a large, faintly lit room with clear signs of being made by mortal hands. With the change of surroundings, Barahime realized that this was no cave, but a hidden passage to some sort of safe haven. As she turned back to the cave passage she saw Sizume enter into the faint light and saw for the first time the paper talisman that gave her body life. Falling to her knees, the princess cried hysterically staring at the warrior's lifeless face. She heard footsteps behind her, but ignored them, spellbound by the undead warrior before her. "I should be angry that you're still alive, but I think I'm more grateful. I get to see the face of my beloved sister who stole what should be mine by being born of the opposite sex die!" Said the male voice of the Hitsugi's client, for once stepping out of the shadows to reveal his face; a more mescaline version of Barahime's face.
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