Kohaku closed his eyes and smiled at Kakumei's flattery, "Ah, Kyuuri-sama would say that celebrities make for poor ninja. He's been around longer than any of us, but few people recognize him when we travel together... As for me-" He patted his sword, and then began to rub it. Kakumei could have sworn he saw it jiggle in response, "There's no hiding Samehada here."<br/><br/>"But if you're looking for some insider information, I'm afraid I can't provide you with all that much." He said, shaking his head, "I haven't had my sword for very long and... to be honest, it's not like the other ones. It<em>chooses</em>its owner. There's only one reason it would choose a chuunin like me... Ah, we get along, though!"<br/><br/>He grinned, looking back at Kakumei before turning on his heel and taking a step back down the corridor to the main chamber. At the entrance, a tall man blocked their way, standing some ten feet away. He was silver haired, spiky and short with a small ponytail. His eyes were crystal blue and he wore a surgeon's mask over his mouth. He wore a black cloak, revealing only standard kirigakure sandals beneath. A silence lingered in the air.<br/><br/>"Ah, Kitano Ninjin. We were just talking about you." Kohaku said with a smile as he bowed his head.<br/><br/>"Is that so?" He answered, narrowing his eyes upon Kakumei, "...Is Kiku in?"<br/><br/>"Afraid not." The youth replied, shrugging, "Say, when'd you get back to the village?"<br/><br/>"Not so long ago." Kitano said, his gaze still focused on his would-be investigator, "Though I won't be staying for very long, either." There was one thing about him that seemed out of place... and that was that he didn't carry his sword openly as all the other swordsmen had. Even with all their weight, Rokurō and Kohaku refused to leave behind their blades. It was said that Kiku's sword was embedded into her body in the form of a chakra tattoo...<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Tetsura abruptly turned behind her in anger when she saw Kaede flicker away, and then glared at the Kunoichi when she appeared between her and her comrade. Yumi tilted her head to the side, "Eh? Don't tell me this one was giving you trouble?"<br/><br/>The iron kunoichi furrowed her brow further and clenched her fists. But when Kaede offered her terms for peace, she stood upright and narrowed her eyes. They were green... She took a few steps towards the Kumo nin and lifted her fist up, as if to strike the woman... but only instead snatched the skirt out of her hands, obviously displeased at the conclusion. Now up close and no longer in the chaos of a fight, Kaede was afforded an opportunity to assess the woman. She was muscular, not as much as she was herself, but the woman was built. She was not as tall as Yumi, but even without her iron technique, Kaede could tell she was tough.<br/><br/>Her breasts were large and bare, the bandages just tatters upon her form. She was, in fact, quite pretty to look at.. her lips supple and her brows strong, belying the woman's ferocity. She didn't have the same angular and sharp features that her comrade had. "Uh! What about my shirt?" Yumi said, putting a hand on her hip.<br/><br/>"What is the meaning of this?" Came a third voice, belonging to a man. He came floating from the sky, wearing rather simple Iwagakure attire. He had light brown hair, long and flowing behind his neck, with thick eyebrows and a tiny beard growing on his chin. His nose was somewhat large... "Were you going to kill this woman or what?"<br/><br/>Tetsura, for the first time, showed a hint of fear. Her eyes widened and she looked genuinely apologetic. Yumi, on the other hand, flapped her hand and closed her eyes as she smiled, "Oh, we were just having a little fun. While<em>you</em>were off talking to that swordsman...<em>we</em>found us a traitor."<br/><br/>The man, in his thirties, by Kaede's estimate, floated down to the surface of the lake not far from Kaede and Tetsura. "He had come to this woman for amnesty." Yumi said with a sadistic grin, "Afraid to say he never made it."<br/><br/>The third Iwa ninja looked around at the ruined gate and the broken up boulders all around them, looking none too pleased, "Looks like you used up a lot of chakra just to have a little<em>fun.</em>"<br/><br/>Tetsura closed her eyes and smiled. If Natsumi was unsettled by Kaede before, she was doubly so in the presence of Kaede and Tetsura. Even moreso with Yumi standing just a few paces away. Now that she was outnumbered four to one, she looked absolutely mortified.