A/N:
Disclaimer: I do not own the anime/manga, Naruto. I clearly enjoy writing fanfictions. Nor do I own the characters. The original character of mines, though, I do own. Naruto rightfully belongs to its creator, Masashi Kishimoto.
This is my first fanfiction, and I do wish to earn criticism, good and bad. I wish to improve my writing as well as my intellect with fanfiction writing. I do hope you as an audience will come to find my writing as entertainment.
Thank you for your support, and I hope you enjoy my fics.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
She tilted her head towards the open window, which presented a clear view of the outside. The gray clouds billowed over the sky and rain drizzled down the grim and grotesque village.
The shackles around her wrist rattled and jangled. The metal part of the chains scraped along her dirt-and-blood crusted skin. She tried many times to position herself away from the stone wall; the wall that she had leaned and curled against for so long.
…The wall that she had leaned to when she was longing for support.
She longed for someone to rescue her. She longed for someone to drag her out of her prison. She wanted to be outside. She wanted to roam out of her cell. She wanted to experience freedom once more.
But her last hope shriveled when her sixth month was spent in the damp and empty cell.
No one was going to get her out of this hell.
Brushing her greasy, matted, jet black hair away from her face, the female picked at the dried blood from her arm. Ever since the new master of the dungeon had come to visit her, the cruel man of a dungeon-keeper would always torture her until she passed out.
She longed to fight back, but it would only put her in more trouble for herself.
She curled in the corner of the cell, and her eyes gazed upon the window. She watched as the rain continued to fall upon the earth.
She remembered the chaos that she had gone through that they had put her into prison. The screams of the villagers and citizens. The rotting corpses of her close friends and family members.
She remembered the weapons. The cries. The blood.
She wished she was one of the ones that passed away. She wished that she wasn't the surviving one.
She wished she had died along with her loved ones.
The days where there was no hope; no joy; no light.
"Here we have a file over Etsuko Hikari; a female who is held captive Kuragari Prison."
The ANBU that was ordered into the room, listened intently to the information provided from their Hokage. Hiruzen Sarutobi was an old man with experience who is also respected by many citizens and villagers of Konohagakure.
The third Hokage, or the Sandaime, as most individuals would call their lord, was one of the strongest in the shinobi world. Respect for the man was at level one. Honor and pride for the elder was a whole new level.
"Five foot seven. Ninety-five pounds. Blood type O. Black hair and blue eyes. Hikari is held by the shinobi from Land of Darkness. She was the only surviving and remaining citizen of a small village by the name of Taiyo. The reason why she is held in the prison, she is dangerous. She was held in the prison for more than a year." The Sandaime skimmed through the manila file. His old eyes grazed and absorbed the report that was in his hands.
"Hokage-sama, permission to speak?"
The elder glanced up from the file to gaze at one of his most respected ANBU; a man with silver hair and an animal mask of a hound.
"What is it Inu?" The Sandaime asked, his eyebrow raising slightly. This particular ANBU member almost never spoke, even when given missions and assignments. It was surprising to see this particular man speak.
"Sir, did you explain why she's so dangerous? Most beings wouldn't be locked up in a prison and allowing themselves to be kept in a prison when there is a high chance of them able to escape." Inu frowns behind his ANBU mask, "Was she a threat to her previous village? Did she have any cursed abilities and she was forced into Kuragari?"
The Sandaime was quite impressed by the ANBU's evaluation. Only in ANBU for four years, Inu was one of sharpest and quickest among the members of the Black Ops squad. He was assigned into ANBU by the Yondaime, the Fourth Hokage, who had tragically died the day of the Kyuubi attack.
Inu had forced himself into the ANBU headquarters, burying himself within missions. Assignment after assignment, which was the only way to release himself from the pain of losing his former teacher and leader.
"The information has been suppressed by others. My special jounin squad had found this only information, and there is no other data that has been collected. All we know is that the woman held in confinement is treacherous for most beings. But, she is not guilty for anything that we know of. She is proven innocence." The Sandaime handed the file over to Inu, who scanned over the document, quickly.
"I want you all to accomplish a rescue assignment. Get Etsuko Hikari out of the prison."
All the ANBU members in the room cried out in unison, "Hai! Hokage-sama!"
The members had slipped out of the room, one by one. Inu was the last and remaining one, scanning over the file and staring at the picture of the female.
Jet black hair, and alluring cerulean eyes.
Inu memorized the picture and appearance of the woman before handing it back to his Hokage.
The Sandaime took back the document before gazing at the young ANBU officer. His grey eyes lowered towards the ground before he spoke, almost inaudibly.
"Minato would have been proud of you, Kakashi."
Inu tensed at his real name. Kakashi. The name rang a familiar sound, but it carried a heavy burden that he no longer wished for.
Ever since the death of his former teacher…
"The Yondaime is dead, Hokage-sama…" Inu's voice came out cracked, regretting, "He would never have been proud of a student that has stooped so low…"
"You haven't stooped low, Kakashi-kun. You just have worked for the wrong organization for so long… You can always leave ANBU; the ANBU corps is enlarging that hole in your heart…" The elder's eyebrows knitted in worry, "For your sake, Kakashi. As the Hokage, I worry for you. You're eighteen years old, still young and reckless. You should go out and live a little! You say you don't care about yourself, but I give a damn. Go out and-"
The silver-haired male's lips curve upwards slightly. It was nice to know that the Hokage himself was looking over him, even though they were truly not related.
This was why everyone paid their respects toward the elder. He had treated his people like family.
"… Are you listening to me, Kakashi?" The Sandaime frowned and placed a firm, but gentle hand on the younger man's shoulder, "Go and get your own family. Don't stash yourself in the ANBU headquarters and bury yourself with more missions."
Inu hesitates, but nods and bows. He adjusts the porcelain mask over his face before murmuring, "Sir, I think I'll stay in ANBU a little longer before I leave." He had made several comrades in the corps. He wasn't going to lie. He did bond with a few members of ANBU.
Sure, they didn't speak and bond in a conversational way. More of a bloody massacre over villains and targets they were assigned to kill. Bonding and talking nonchalantly was way too mainstream for him. Weapons, sparring, and gore are the sort of habits that he usually worked. Socializing was what he always tried to avoid. Talking to another person had made him deathly afraid. He never got used to speaking with others and making conversation.
"ANBU is my home, my family, Hokage-sama. Are you telling me to leave my own home?" Inu asks, he shifts in position of standing, "ANBU has made me feel normal all of these years."
The Sandaime seemed to pause at the younger man's statement before clearing his voice, "Think of it as making new family members and finding a new home. ANBU has worn you out. It's driving you to the edge of inhumanity, Kakashi."
Inu ponders at the testimony. A new home. What other home could possibly be comfortable than ANBU?
The more he thought, the more at loss he felt of leaving his home. ANBU had become a part of him. Four years meant a lot to him. Killing and missions had always taken his pain away from the harsh memories. He had to keep himself busy with missions.
Not wanting to argue anymore, Inu bowed, "Hai, Hokage-sama. As you wish."
"Good, now get started on that mission, Inu. You have work that needs to be finished."
A/N:
I hope this chapter will get you all rev up for the next. I'll be planning out for Chapter 2. So please tune again while I type the next chapter.
Thank you all for taking the time to read this fanfiction. I deeply appreciate it.