Without further introductions- part 2 of this story. Enjoy, luvs

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Autumn sun, rising slowly and sleepy, was casting long shadows in a forest, which was awaking from a silent dreams.

Small flock of birds leaped to the sky, surprised by the sudden move in the crowns of trees, as two figures were making their way through them, almost soundlesly jumping from one branch to another.

Taller of the boys was whole time few meters ahead, as other one kept on breaking monotony of run with occassional, completely not necessary, flips.

Midnight finally stop on one of branches and waited a moment, till Scarlet got closer.

"We should be almost there."

"Yeah. I suggest being extra careful from now and..." three fast hand signs and a perfect copy of him appeared. "I will scout around a bit. I really would feel better knowing positions of others and all."

"Ok. But let's move now. I want to finish this as fast as possible."

"Aye, Captain Osoi!" Scarlet saluted and then started laughing and jumped forward, avoiding a hit of the hilt of Midnight's katana.

On the west side of the forest, two other young ninjas were on their way too. Blue-haired girl, running in front, stopped suddenly and with a gesture ordered her partner to stop. Then pointed at a person, standing on a barely visible path.

Young, tall man, was looking a bit lost- seemed to search for something between the trees, in a point where two paths were crossing.

"Look at his clothes- I think it's a foreigner..." Azure whispered. "Maybe he need some help, what you think, Crimson-kun?"

"Hmm.. we're on a mission...but if that won't take long..."

"Let's check, come on."

Girl jumped off the tree and landed softly, few steps away from stranger. Much louder 't*' of the Earth-nin, had catch his attention, as he turned surprised face to them.

"Uhm, hello." started Azure. "Did you got lost or need some help?"

Stranger was starring at her for few seconds, then moved eyes on a boy. he then smiled, a bit troubled.

"Lost? Me? Oh...no, hahaha..." His laughhad a very nice sound. Matching his quite handsome face, aa Azure noticed.

"I supposed to meet with a friend here but I came earlier than planned and thought I would search for some nice place, under trees, to rest." He smiled again and run fingers through his short, blond hair. It was quite a long travel."

"Are you sure, you don't need any help?" Azure frowned a little, looking up at him and meeting a stare of dark-brown eyes.

Tone of his voice, when he spoke again, was almost magically soothing all of her sudden worries.

"Yes. It's ok. i don't want to trouble you. Sorry for making you worry, pretty lady."

Azure blushed a bit.

"Oh...ok then... Well, good luck and-" she paused for a moment, when Crimson tapped her shoulder, poiting at a place deeper in the forest, where one of ANBU members, accompaning them during mission, was giving them signs with hands.

"We have to go, sorry. Take good care!"

"Don't worry, I will."

Stranger farewell them with a smile, which turned into a smirk, as soon as they jumped away from his sight.

"Hmm...he should get to the point soon. better be prepared~" he saidto himself and to the trees around and slowly walked away, whistling like a bird.

In meantime, Scarlet and Midnight reached a place, which supposed to be the hideout of a group of notorious robbers, known for various small and bigger crimes in nearest villages..

Boys, hidden well in the bushes, were observing small, wooden house, very similar to the one they had spend last night at.one of their targets was sitting on a log near the front doors- half asleep and not giving impression of being interested in anything around him.

"Piece of cake, told you." said Midnight. "Just one here. we can get all the rest by surprise, inside the house. if they're even there."

"Na-ah. there's two more on the right, in shadows of trees and another one- there on left, my dear, shor-sighted friend."

Midnight squinted, looking at spots pointed by Scarlet.

"You should wear those specs whole the time, sheeeesh."

"Shut it."

Scarlet rolled eyes and continued.

"Ok, so- there should be 3 more. I checked area around the place- seems clear. Also- no signs of other groups yet. I suggest we wait till-"

"No. You takeone in front. I'm taking down others outside." other boy interrupted and put hand on the katana's hilt, ready to attack.

Scarlet closed eyes and sighed.

"Okay~ I will cast genjutsu as soon as I will get inside. Should be easy then."

"it's already too easy."

"Oh, and..." Scarlet started again, stopping other boy, right before he jumped into action. "We're capturing them- not making sashimi out of targets,"

Midnight growled quietly.

"And we gotta find that treasure thing. Hope that captain was right and it's still here."

Two men, standing on the right, a bit further from the house, were busy talking when Midnight jumped between them. Before they could even blink, powerfull discharge of lightning chakra, knocked them uncouscious.Sound of sparkles cracklingin the air, alarmed third man, who rushed toward intruder, unsheating sword of short but wide blade.

"Oh, please." Midnight snorted.

He jumped forward, swirled around, under the rised arm of a man, with great precision and force, hit the back of his head, knocking him out.

In the same time, Scarlet sneaked to the almost sleeping guard in front- he didn't seem to notice presence of the ninja, untill Scarlet patted his arm. Still only reaction were eyes and mouth opening wide.

"Tch, tch. You look tired." said Scarlet and formed a seal with hands. "Time for a nap."

Few seconds later, man fell on the ground, snorring loudly. Fire-nin patted his arm again. "Good boy, sleep well."

Midnight was almost done tying down all three men, when fast foosteps and familiar voice approached from his right side.

"Uhm...are we late to the party?" asked Breeze, starring at uncouscious men. Masked ANBU member, who was her partner for this mission, stood beside her.

"What took you so long?" Midnight stood up and and pointed at house. "It's a little too quiet there, so i guess party's over."

"We found 3 bodies in forest. Dressed similar to them." ANBU member gestured at robbers.

"Other team took care of it." added Breeze. "they were heavy armed but didn't had anything else with them- for sure not the thing we are looking for. And... none really lethal injuries... we don't know who or what killed them."

Midnight frowned. Looks like they were the last 3 of the *. This all started to get rather not the best turn...

"Yo."

All ninjas turned to Scarlet, standing with hands in pockets and rather concerned face.

"House is empty. And I meanlike- really, totally empty.Not a single man and there's basically just big, fat nothing, beside bed and wardrobe- also being filled with nothing but stinky air."

"Maybe someone got here before us?" Breeze crossed arms on chest. "And those bodies in forest..."

"Hey, guys!"

Azure and Crimson, running from other side, waved at them.

"Sorry for being late, we got here as fast as possible. Everything ok?" asked Crimson, while taking small twig out of Azure's hair. "We didn't got the best roud to go through."

"Well, a little of this all is actually ok. I will try to get some information from our new friends." Scarlet walked back to the front of house, near the sleeping man.

It wasn't easy to wake him up but he finally opened eyes.

"Hello again." started Scarlet, holding man by the shirt and shaking him a bit from time to time, to not let him fall back to sleep.

"Would you be so kind to tell us, where is your loot from robberies? Especially one, shiny, crystal ball?"

Man was looking at him with lifeless, half-closed eyes.

"base...base...ment..." he finally spoke out slowly, with weird sounding, distant voice. "...bed...under..."

Scarlet smiled broadly.

"Thankies and man- you deserved a cookie today. Enjoy rest of your beauty nap". He let go of man's clothes and let him fall back on ground. Then stood up and made wide gesture towards door.

"Ladies first."

"Then what are you waiting for?" said Midnight, rising an eyebrow.

Scarlet gasped loudly, with shocked expression.

"Middy-chan joking around? This world is ending, I swear..."

Lightning ninja just snorted.

"You and Breeze go and check it. We will stay outside , in case of any troubles here."

After they moved bed away from center of the room, Breeze and Scarlet found a trapdoor in the floor, leading to underground room- filled with various chests. Most of them were open and empty.

After few minutes they found one, which, differently to others, was actually locked. it wasn't very big and seemed to be much older th*l rest in the room. Lid of it had a lot of weird symbols painted and burned on surface.

Scarlet had an odd feeling, that he remember most of them from somewhere.

"Locked. Won't go so easy but it might be the right one." Breeze put hands on hips and frowned. "Maybe you will try?"

Scarlet starred down at symbols on chest. One of them, very similar to upside-down kanji of 'fire', surrounded by 3 overlapping rings...

...there was that scroll...at old house...half burned and almost impossible to read...

He slowly pressed fingers on the symbol and almost immediately, whole chest started to gently vibrate.

Young ninjas were starring surprised, while the padlock on it shattered and turned into pile of dust on the floor.

"How did you..."

Scarlet didn't respond. he opened the chest and picked up crystal ball from inside.

"Bingo." he said, weighting it in both hands.

Crystal inside was cracked and shined with the beautiful reflections. Just like described on the mission's scroll.

"Let's go back to others but... it's a bit... weird"

Breeza gazed at the face of a boy, who was completely focused on the orb in his hands. Reflections inside of it started to gain the blood-red colour.

"Weird, isn't it, Scarlet?"

He looked up at her.

"Aha. I must find more about this thing! I think..." Scarlet paused for a moment, going back to all the hours spend long ago in old, ruined house, reading scrolls. Symbols and words, too damaged to read...

"I think, it belonged to someone from my clan."

Breeze opened and closed mouth.

Sudden loud noise from upside, made them rush back to rest of friends, before she could say anything.

All of them were standing in battle poses, in front of house and starring at the roof of it.

Scarlet looked up- there was a man standing there, dressed in bright, expensive-looking clothes and with a wide smile.

"Watch out, you two! He just attacked us out of nowhere." Azure warned them.

She had a weird feeling about this man but vision and memories of a stranger from earlier, were all blurry and seemed like a dream now.

Tall man laughed loudly and bowed down to them. Then, before anyone could even blink, he jumped down, in front of them.

Time seemes to froze. Everything around become blurred and still.

Crystal ball started to vibrate violently in Scarlet's hands and red lights inside of it became brighter.

"Excellent work." stranger smiled warmly at him.

Scarlet didn't even notice when that man got so close.

But he didn't have any time to move or even think.

Man rised hands- pointed one at forehead of the boy and other- at his chest.

"Be a good boy now, young Akiri."

Deafening sound of breaking glass filled the air.

And then came unfamiliar, cold darkness.