A/N: I'm back from the dead baby! Well, only for a little while ^^; I was inspired by this last week's manga update, 604 I believe?
THIS IS A MEGA WARNING. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ UP TO THIS CHAPTER AND DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED AS TO WHAT HAPPENS, I SUGGEST YOU NOT READ THIS STORY EVEN THOUGH IT IS MY OWN PREDICTION AND INTERPRETATION. PLEASE READ THE CHAPTER NOW SO YOU CAN NOT BE SHOCKED. IF YOU AREN'T EVEN CLOSE TO BEING UP TO DATE, I SUGGEST YOU NOT READ. IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT SPOILERS AND JUST WANT A GOOD STORY, READ ON MY WAYWARD SONS AND DAUGHTERS. THIS HAS BEEN A MESSAGE FROM EPSILION.
Nothing like a little Team Minato to get back into the swing of things. Expect an update on Porcelain Marionette sometime in the future! Enjoy loves! X
The sun was beginning to set underneath the tree line and the need for steady tree branches was at an all-time high. Kakashi sped through the forest at top speeds, heart thudding in his chest with his teammate Rin close behind. Minato had told the two of them to rush ahead with their mission to reach a friendly Konoha camp. It seemed so simple, but with the forest covered in mysterious chakras and genjutsu coming from every enemy corner, it was hard to pinpoint even the slightest traces of friendly chakras. For all Kakashi knew, they were running in circles and would end up fighting with 50 rogues along with Minato and a few of the others that were put in their squadron.
"Kakashi, where are we?" Rin spoke quietly, her footing on the branches becoming just slightly louder with each passing branch. She was beginning to tire and her endurance was running low. The medic nin wasn't used to running long distances. When it came to healing, the girl could function for 72 hours straight (her personal record). Running on the other hand? The girl couldn't last three hours without needing a break.
The jonin let a sigh pass through his mask and shoved on. "We'll find out at this clearing Rin. We can take a break there."
Finally, the trees opened wide revealing a circle of open area, fallen trees and boulders creating a makeshift hiding place among steam geysers and other bits of extreme foliage. The tired girl fell to her knees, head resting against the side of a large log. The two purple painted stripes on her cheeks had faded slightly and were blurred along the edges from sweat pouring down her face. Kakashi kept to a low crouch and tried to find a sense of his surroundings.
The trees all seemed to block any traces of outside chakra movement that he could find. If there was someone within a 200 yard radius, he couldn't even begin to figure out who or how many there were. They were practically sitting ducks.
Rin rolled herself over and unscrewed the lid of her canteen, gulping down bits of a special soldier juice that she had created. She tossed the canteen to Kakashi who gratefully took a sip as well.
"You don't know where we are, do you Kakashi?" Rin let out weakly, her green eyes dulled in the steam of the geysers.
"It's not that I don't know where we are, it's just I don't know who's around," he muttered back in reply, handing the girl back her canteen.
"Why don't you activate your Sharingan then? Shouldn't it be able to help you find out if there are enemies in the area?"
Little did Rin know, Kakashi hadn't even tried to use the Sharingan ever since the incident with Obito. He kept it hidden under his hitae-ate from the sight of everyone. It wasn't out of shame that he had kept it hidden, but more of as a silent memorial for the friend who had given his life in order to save the people that he loved. There wasn't much more to it. He didn't want Obito's life to be tainted by something as stupid as the war that had killed him.
"Kakashi, did you hear that," came in the form of a choked whisper from Rin, her hands hovering over her Sensei's kunai.
Immediately, the jonin was on alert. The sound of gravel shifting among the hissing of the geysers let the two know there were at least three, maybe four ninja around their area. Kakashi could feel the chakras finally growing as they entered past the tree line. Their breathing was heavy and their voices were straind.
"Oh MAN. I can't believe the Yellow Flash almost got us. Boy that dude is QUICK," came a masculine voice from a close distance.
"Yeah, but he didn't. That's the thing. We'd better find those little brats he sent ahead while we have the chance. 'Shouldn't be that hard to find. After all, they didn't look like much more than a few genin," came his companion, a chime voiced sounding female with a hint of anger to her words.
"Yeah, but how are we going to find them?" an androgenous voice rang out, impatience laced in the tone.
"You're all so stupid," came the final male voice; as deep as an ocean, as calculating as a scientist, and as venomous as a snake. "They're right here."
SHIT. Kakashi and Rin both sprang from their hiding spots at just the nick of time. A paper bomb had been attached to the log they were hiding under and was smashed to smithereens. Rin had thrown her kunai down by an outskirting tree, the red handle poking precariously from the dirt.
A woman with two katana on her back stood before the girl, her hand covering a laugh from her throat. "Oh my my little one. Someone suck at aiming?"
Rin gritted her teeth. A smaller man had surrounded her from behind. "Ne Amara, I think she's just a little frightened. After all, her sensei must have taught her that intimidation should be used first before combat.," he sneered while grabbing an axe from off of his back. "After all, Minato Namikaze isn't known to kill haphazardly. If he could avoid it, he will."
Rin stood her ground. Were these two going to attack her or just chow her ear off? She peered over to Kakashi who seemed to be holding his own against the two other men, one that reminded her of a bear and another that wore a long, black coat with dark hair. Kakashi's ANBU katana ran across the throat of the bear man. The man fell gurgling to the ground, hands grasping at esophagus as blood rushed like a river into the dirt below. His face fell upon a geyser. The Earth had begun to rumble. Rin tore her eyes away from the dying man. Make it one left.
The lady in front of her lunged for Rin's heart, a move which she dodged quickly in combination to the man with the axe behind her. She quickly flipped over them and grabbed a normal kunai from her pouch. The woman, Amara, came at her again, this time with blades dancing at incredible speeds. Rin did her best to doge and defend, but found herself backed against a tree after a few exchanged parries. Axe Man came leaping from overhead, blade high in the air aiming to chop her vertically in half. She looked down and closed her eyes as she held the kunai above her head in a feeble attempt to block.
Kakashi, I'm sorry… I'm just not strong enough for this… I wish… I wish I was Obito. I wish I was able to help you.
Only a slight ping of metal on metal was heard.
Kakashi's katana had made itself a home through the man's skull, the tip of the axe embedded into the tree trunk with the rest of the blade falling upon her kunai just above her head. Blood fell onto her face from the head wound, the turquoise eyes of the man already beginning to dull and sink to the back of his head as his blond hair was beginning to turn red. She slowly crept out from underneath him, her knees shaking and her lips trembling. A man had died literally in front of her. She could feel the life being torn from his body in one moment. She could have at least done something. Maybe eased the pain of his passing at least. She failed at her only job. She failed as a medic. Just another person that she could not save.
She could never do anything right.
Kakashi bounded past her, retrieved his katana and went back to back with his companion. "Are you alright Rin? You did fine back there. I'm sorry; I got a little tied up." Kakashi's hitae-ate was pulled up to his forehead, but his Sharingan remained closed. Rin shakily went to pick up a shuriken, only to find that her fingers wouldn't latch themselves around the piece of metal. Kakashi gently let his hand run over hers, his fingers latching around them and entangling themselves in one another.
Rin looked with wide eyes towards her companion as their enemies closed in. Kakashi could only put on a smile. "It's okay Rin, I got it from here. You just worry about backing me up. Just like old time's sakes, okay?" And just like that, his hand, his warmth, his comfort; all three were gone. She nodded her head quickly and placed her fingers together, disappearing all together to the dense foliage along the clearing. She hid her chakra and tried to steady her trembling fingers. She could do no good on the battlefield in this condition. She could only wait any hope to be of service to Kakashi some other way. She wouldn't allow herself to get in the way again.
Amara, now with tears running down her face from the loss of her fallen friend, charged at the silver haired jonin. "I'LL KILL YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Her swords flailed every which way, Kakashi able to dodge each one expertly, his eyes never leaving the sight of the blades. Of course, all of this concentration would be put on his foe and not on the surrounding area.
More specifically, a ledge.
Kakashi tripped backwards over a geyser and fell backwards about ten feet to the ground. The back of his skull ricocheted off the rocks below and his vision blurred and consciousness left with only one word on his mind.
Rin…
Minato didn't think he had ever run faster in his life. Rin had thrown her tracking kunai about ten minutes before, a bit late on his part since he was busy fighting a group of Rock ninja who had decided to ambush him and his team. The trees twisted and turned through the area and the heat was beginning to become unbearable. Something wasn't sitting right in his stomach.
Four of the most infamous of the group, the swordswoman Amara, the axeman Sanji, the sharpshooter Senry and the leader of the group, a man with an unknown kekkei genkai who went by the alias of Hawk, were not present in the body count of the clan. That could only mean that they had escaped.
And proceeded to high tail my students…
Minato felt himself flying along tree branches. His feet barely even touched the bark as he pinpointed the locator and darted for it.
It could only be a matter of time now. Those two were in grave danger.
Rin shot out from the bushes and moved towards Kakashi, her hands glowing green and gently resting on his head. Amara and the black clad man hopped down from the ledge and landed quickly in front of her. Amara began to move forward, but the other man blocked her way.
"Let her work Amara," he said coyly, his piercing gold eyes looking right at Rin. "Let her heal the boy. I want him at full power."
"He KILLED Sanji, Crow," Amara glared out, tears still glistening at the sides of her eyes. "He was MY pair. I deserve to kill the bastard."
"Now, now now Ama-chan," he said sweetly, turning towards his companion. "If you want to have revenge for him so badly, why don't you try to kill the girl once she's done? A mate for a mate? How does that sound."
Kakashi was conscious enough for that comment. "She's my teammate. Nothing more, Crow."
A pang shot through Rin's heart. Just a teammate. She would have to be content with that.
"Ahh, so you know who I am?" the man, Crow, let out with amusement. His hands applauded the young Kakashi, who was being held up by Rin. "Congratulations young one. I'm flattered to be known by someone such as yourself, Kakashi Hatake of the Sharingan Eye."
Kakashi had both of his eyes open at that point. One a cold black, the other a raving red with two tomoe beginning to spin rapidly, analyzing the situation for him.
"Kakashi, you aren't well enough to fight," Rin sputtered as he lifted himself off of her, a bit unsteady at first, but eventually finding solid ground beneath his feet.
"I'm well enough to wear him down at least. Rin." He didn't turn towards her. "If I go down, run. Don't stop. Don't EVER stop until you find sensei, got it? Don't stop. Just keep going."
"I'm not leaving you behind you baka!" she blurted out, her voice rising. "My job is to stay with you and protect you. What good am I at healing you if I'm running in the other direction like a dog with it's tail between it's legs? I will not be useless, Kakashi Hatake." Her fingers grabbed at a kunai from her pouch, this time her grip was in a vice grip against the metal. "I will NOT run."
"Oh, how touching. Let's kill 'em," Amara said as she lunged at Rin, who quickly continued to dodge. Kakashi focused his eyes on Crow, who's hands were tucked in his pockets.
"Are you ready, Kakashi? Are you ready to die?"
"Are you ready to shut your mouth?!" Kakashi's hand began to vibrate, a bright ball of blue chakra formed quickly in his hands. The sound of thousands of birds echoed through the night sky.
Crow smiled with his teeth a bright white, his legs carrying him towards the jonin who in turn ran straight for him.
Rin was able to dislodge on of Amara's blades from her hand and proceeded to turn to the offensive. She drove the swordswoman into the dirt with a quick sweep kick, her dark brown eyes hard against the pale silver pair of her enemy. Her kunai was pressed against the woman's windpipe.
"Well little healer, you won. Take your prize. My love is waiting for me anyway," Amara sighed, her eyes turned towards the skies. Rin looked down towards the woman below her. To take a life. Her hands weren't meant to do that. She wasn't able to kill. It wasn't in her nature.
"I-I can't…"
"Oh, don't bitch out of me," the woman growled. "You won you twerp. Just do it already before I do it myself."
But the only image flooding Rin's mind was Obito. Obito under the rocks. Obitio explaining why he was late to practice. Obitio running towards her with a bouquet of flower for her birthday. That sweet boy didn't deserve to die. Neither did this woman who wanted to either.
Rin threw the kunai to the ground. "No."
Amara pushed the girl off of her and flipped the position, her sword laying itself in a side position against her forearm. "Fine then! I'll just k-"
The words were cut off by Crow's fingers sliding against her pulse point. Amara fell to the dirt, convulsed for a few moments, and was no more; just another soul floating into the afterlife. Rin could only look at the man above her with pure fear in her chocolate eyes.
Kakashi was once again on the ground, his chidori fizzing out as he looked helplessly towards the man hovering over his teammate. No, his charge. He promised Obito he would protect Rin. Protect her with his whole life.
And that's just what I'll do.
"Crow! Let her go! Your opponent is me."
Crow looked blankly towards Kakashi, his golden eyes held a dangerous boredom to them that could be comparable to that of a school boy who didn't like the lesson he was being taught. As if it was to bothersome to even fight Kakashi. He kept his back turned to Kakashi. "I've had my fun with you boy. I want to try your little friend here. She seems like she could be… Fun."
The man's long fingers tangled themselves in the roots of Rin's hair, lifting the girl to her feet with a scream. Kakashi shot to his feet, his chidori once again rumbling at his fingertips. "I said let her go!"
He charged.
Crow kept his position with the girl in front of him with Kakashi charging at the rear. He spun Rin to face him and gave her a gentle smile before disappearing into the cold dusk. What that smile was for, Rin would soon find out, for the next thing that she knew, a bright blue light was coming towards her.
Kakashi's chidori planted itself directly into Rin's heart.
"And one more thing Kakashi. That jutsu you used? You shouldn't use that jutsu again. A thrust all concentrated at one point… Of course you have the destructive power and speed, but because the speed of your movements are so fast, you can't see your opponent's counter. Because of that, it's an incomplete jutsu."
Minato's words rang in his head as he head the crumbling form of Rin in his arms, cradling her head against her chest. Her breathing was ragged, and she could only mutter his name.
"Ka…ka…shi…"
"Shhhh," he sobbed back, tears beginning to flow down his Sharingan. "Don't speak. You're going to be fine, I promise."
"You've always… Been bad… At… Keeping… Promises…" she sputtered through blood and constricted breathing, her eyes beginning to slide closed. Kakashi placed his forehead against hers.
"Rin? Rin, look at me. There you go, don't stop looking at me, okay? We're gonna get help. Don't you worry. Sensei will be here any minute. I know he will, I know it."
"He's… Calling… Me…" Rin muttered quietly, her eyes dulling from their vibrant emerald to a shade of kelly green. "Right… There…" An arm reached itself towards the orange sky of sunset, bloodied fingers grasping for something that Kakashi couldn't see. And suddenly, the arm dropped to the dirt. A quiet breath was taken in and never let out.
Kakashi's screams did all the rest.
A single red eye peered from beyond the foliage. Tears poured from it's duct while the other remained perfectly dry. Would Rin be upset to find that he wasn't there with her? To find that she was all alone in heaven? I wouldn't be there anyway, he thought. I would be in hell.
His form drifted back away. The white clone he was attached to let a breath out from his mind. "Sorry kid… We were just too late. I mean, I can't believe that Kakashi kid would kill your girl in cold blood! What kind of son of a bitch would do that?"
"Someone who doesn't like to have anything holding him back," Obitio growled out. Kakashi ruined his one chance of life. His one chance of actually finding happiness with Rin. She had only the kindest of feelings for their former teammate, but he did just what he had intended: he crushed her dreams and tore her heart right from out of her chest.
For that, he was going to pay.
No more nice Obito. No more treating you kindly. Kakashi, you are the enemy. You will die. And I will have my revenge.
Minato rushed through the sulfur fields of the geysers. He came across a clearing and found his kunai dug into the ground. The locator was still intact, but the area around him was nearly destroyed. Two bodies of men, Sanji and Senry he supposed, were littered across the battlefield with blood scattered across the field. But where were Kakashi and Rin? Where were his students. His heart thudded in his chest. Oh no. He wasn't going to lose both of them this time.
Kami-sama, why do you test me so?
The form of a man clad in black appeared before the Hokage's eyes. Minato stood still in the presence of the lanky man and did not falter from his view. The smirk on his face said it all.
"Go to them. Find me later."
Just like that, he was gone from view. Was that Crow, the leader of the rogues with the strange kekei genkai? He had no time to question.
Minato jogged to the edge of the cliff and peered down, finding only dust and smoke to be in his way. He leaped down quietly as to not startle either of his students. Only the sound of soft sobbing greeted him with the smell of iron mixed with dirt.
Kakashi held Rin in his arms, her head tucked into his shoulder and her body limp. Blood was still draining from her body and her skin was turning paler by the second. And her eyes. Those eyes would be something that would haunt Minato until the day he died.
Pale green with pinprick small pupils, she stared aimlessly into the air. Confusion was riddled all over her features. Her lips were parted in disbelief. She had seen something before she had died. What it could have been? Minato would have never believed her unless he was in her body dying with her.