End Of a mission. Start of a friendship. (X, Zentsu, Ember)

Ryouta crouched down to Ember's level and whispered "Um... what up with the mutt?" Nightmare lunged at him which sent Ryouta back 10 feet. The dog chuckled lowly at Ryouta's failure. "Just wait dog... Just wait." he said, aggravated.

As he chuckled lowly, Nightmare sat back and thumped his large, bushy tail against the ground and drummed his long talons on the wooden floor, hissing."Oh I will be waiting, Puppet Boy. Ill be waiting in the shadows of the forest, and right when you start to relax and drop your gaurd," He jolted forward,"Ill STRIKE." Then he pulled back again after 'Puppet Boy' was up against the farthest wall, pressed with fear. With his teeth, he picked at the fur between the spaces of his pads on his paws."Your bones will work great as my toothpicks for your thick lining of intestines." He smirked and chuckled again, darkly this time. The whole while Ember was looking around the room curiously, ignoring them.

"Wait, why am I afraid of a freaking dog?" he thought in his head. After removing himself from the wall, he looked up at Ember and said "Hey Ember, does your doggy need his rabies shots...?" The dog's eyes bulged as the Luna puppet's palms opened and revealed a cluster of poisoned needles. "Oh, I'll be waiting for you, Mutt." he said with a grin.

Ember pinned Ryo against the wall and growled into his ear."Dont you touch my WOLF." She hissed between clenched teeth.Nightmare smirked."Thats right, boy-o.You arent growing a very good realationship with me. And I need to be friends with anyone Ember is friends with." He smirked and his tail thudded against the wooden floor then his eyes narrowed on the other,speechless boy."Staring is rude, dont you know? What has your mother been teaching you?" He teased, a playful smirk tugging on the sides of his mouth.

"Jeez, there are assassins in the house and you're freaking out because I called it a mutt?" he said as he lightly pushed Ember off of him. "Someone needs to chill out."

Zentsu watched the whole exchange his face never moving from the emoitionless mask he was focing himself to wear "So this is the wolf you talk about in your sleep" Extending his palm towards the wolf with a smile. Zentsu was still fighting for control and more improtantly worried sick about ember. "My parents never tought me much they died when i was young."

Ember stood back and watched Zentsu and Nightmare with weary eyes. Nightmare looked to her to see if this boy really mattered, to see if he should bite the hand he offered or not. Nightmare turned his head back to Zentsu with narrowed eyes on the hand."Hm." He muttered then leaned forward to sniff it cautiously. If he moved just a twitch, Nightmare would bite. Ember walked to Nightmare and placed a hand on his head."Nightmare is more than a mere mutt." She told Ryo gently."I wouldnt be here today without him." Nightmare raised his head in pride, smirking."Now both of you at least make aquantinces with him and you will both see he isnt so bad after all."

I like animals" Smiling Zentsu petted the dogs head gently trying to earn his trust. "You'll have to excuse ryo ill show you where he sleeps so you can pee on his stuff later"

Nightmare instantly growled and pulled his head away from Zentsu."Dont pet me. I should have more respect than to be treated like one of those lazy fleabags humans call 'Mans best friend'. Im much more than that. And I dont pee on stuff to get back at people. I use their bones as my toothpicks then I make a pyramid with them." He smirked, raising his paw to brush the top of his head, almost looking like a boy trying to fix his hair. Ember sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I'm starting to like this dog" Zentsu glanced at Ryo "Dude dont mess with the Wolf" laughing Zentsu fell back on the bed though watching the situation carefully.. "I didn't mean to offend you nightmare. I fully respect all you've done for Ember"

"Don't tell me what to do, you walking garbage disposal. Nightmare, my name is Ryouta Kuroki." he said as he extended a palm.

Snarling Zentsu got up to walk over to Ryo getting in his face "When this is over and Embers safe, Im going to kick your ass just for fun."

Ignoring the ignorance between the two boys, Nightmare reached out to sniff Ryouta`s hand."[/i]A Kuroki, hmm? Havent heard from one of those for a while. What happened to your clan? Im curious.[i]" Nightmare sat down and again his tail thudded against the wooden floor. It seemed as though the threat from the assasins were gone. Ember put a gentle hand on Zentsu`s shoulder and pulled him back softly."Dont."

Ryouta paused, confused as of how this creature knew of his clan. "There weren't that many of us to begin with. We were all in the Puppet Devision of Sunagakure, but slowly, we were all wiped out. Some by enemies, and others..." His eyes grew cold as he said "...by our own people... I'm the only Kuroki now, and possibly the last one in existence." The wolf looked up at Ryouta, confused about his village. "Sunagakure? I thought you were from Kirigakure..." Ryouta flinched. "I don't feel like explaining..." he said as he lowered his head.

"He deflected when his mom died came to kiriakure to Get away from his problems. If i remember right Whining about how he was going to kill sasori one day.. He couldnt do it. He missed his chance." Zentsu Explaned lowly backing off of Ryo when Ember touched him. "I'm Zentsu Kurai by the way Rogue from Kiri Ex platoon member of Ryouta's Though close enough to be a platoon now"

"She was murdered for no reason, and even when the real murderer was killed, there was no apology. If it was your mother then you would do the same thing." he said, eyes filled with rage. "Also, the only reason I missed my chance was because it was my mothers last request to get away from Sunagakure. If I didn't then maybe Luna would still be alive... Either way, you have no right to criticize..." He pulled another poisoned kunai out, flashed behind Kurai, and held it to his throat. "Don't fuck with me... got it?"

Snarling when he felt the kunai to his neck Zentsu grounded his elbow into Ryo stomach making him drop his arm enough for Zentsu to face him. "I will if i want. Maybe everyone would be alive if you weren't so weak" Pushing Ryo enough to make his stumble Zentsu was losing control and fast

Ryouta laughed and said "You're the one who left us to die, you wimp." Kurai punched him in the stomach, sending him to the ground. "You really need to stop letting your guard down." As he was falling, he pulled his palms backwards and latched Heizu onto Kurai's back. "Move a muscle and the needles will shoot into your back. I don't think you wanna die just yet, do you?"

Ember got to her feet quickly, picking them both up by the collars of their shirts and throwing both of them against either wall of her room."Stop it, stop it, STOP IT!!" She snarled, a black chakra circling around her."Both of you are ignorant fools that need to learn to shut their mouths!" Came a low growl from her throat, that sounded almost nothing like her. Nightmare, who had been watching this all up until now, got up and splitted through the black chakra and touched his muzzle to the palm of her hand, whimpering softly. Soon the black chakra fainted and Ember almost looked like she was gonna faint herself. Her eyelids drooping, Ember let out a small, tired sqeak and collasped, thankfully on the bed. Nightmare went over to check on her.

After squeezing out of the crater in the wall, he rubbed his head. "Ugh... Yea. With all of the noise, I'm sure the enemy is coming up so Kurai, we'll finish this later." he said with a cold stare. "Kurai, make sure she's okay. I'll check downstairs."

Nodding Zentsu was beside Ember before Ryo had even spoken Silently checking her vitals and forehead. Looking worried for a minute Zentsu looks at Nightmare for help

"Nnngh?" She muttered softly, her eyes finally rolling back into her head and blinking a few times before she sits up and holds her head wearily, shutting her eyes tight for a moment, then opening them again and blinking a few times more.She looked around."Dang." She muttered, getting up weakly onto her feet.

Zentsu stood silently behind her. Making sure she was safe from falling. Placing a hand on the small of her back looking worried when her knees shake, "Wonder whats taking Ryo. I'll go Check." Zentsu whispers quiet before slipping from the room.

When he let go of her, she grabbed her dresser, trying to keep balance. She stood there for a moment, to shake it all off, then she walked downstairs to meet both of them, Nightmare silently at her heels.

As he walked down the stairs, he noticed something odd. There was a new painting on the wall that wasn't there the night before. "Looks like it's time, Luna... Now!" he waved his hand and sent the puppet at the painting, its arms were armed with poisoned needles. Suddenly, a ninja flew out of the painting. It was a Sunagakure ANBU. "Ryouta Kuroki... I've finally found you..." Ryouta called back his puppet. "You... I recognize that mask..." He was petrified. "You're the one who killed my mother..." The unknown shinobi readied his blade. "Yes, and now I have come for you." Kurai and Zentsu flashed to Ryouta's flanks and nodded their heads to signify that they were ready to fight. "Guys, stay out of my way..." he said, his eyes growing cold. He looked at his Luna and Heizu puppets sadly. "Luna, Heizu, this isn't your fight..." he said as he sealed them in their scrolls. He pulled the scroll from his belt and summoned his mothers puppet, Hakai no Kurōku. "She gave that thing to you? Even more proof that you could have information on the death of the 3rd Kazekage." Ryouta yelled "You know that Sasori was the true murderer now! Why are you trying to arrest me?!" "Because you could have more information as of how Sasori was able to sneak into the village without us knowing. Either way, if you resist, then I have no choice but to eliminate you..." Ryouta grinned and said "Well then I guess it's time for you to die..." Suddenly he flashed behind the ANBU and sent his puppet flying at his front. "Die!" The puppet raised its scythe and slashed down to reveal that it was a suna bunshin. "Crap! Where is he?!" he said, looking around for the enemy. The shinobi then revealed himself behind Ryouta and whispered in his ear. "I'm right here, Kuroki." A smile grew on Ryouta's face as he said "And you're an idiot." Suddenly, he flashed a hand sign and switched places with the puppet. "Wha-" The puppet raised it's scythe and put it around the shinobi's neck. "Time to die- Ugh!" Ryouta looked down in horror as the sword used to kill his mother was sticking out of his stomach. "Behind you..." He laughed as Ryouta fell to his knees. "Now you're gonna pay..." he said as he pulled a poisoned kunai and sunk it deep into the shinobi's thigh. "What the hell-" Ryouta laughed in triumph. "It's a fast acting poison... You'll be paralyzed like this for at least three days. Until then, you're stuck here... Welcome."