"Cat!"
Dave had been the first person he'd contacted. His house was blown apart in the front area. It had been instantly noticeable. The blood splattered across the tatami and the bloodied pile of wheezing fur told him that things had not gone well. But most of all, they were gone. Saiko and Shi weren't here. The ragged breath of the cat was the only sound in the room. Kashii swooped in on her, scooping her up in his arms, and took off at top speed, holding her tight against his chest. He ached to go after the girls, but at this very moment, Cat's life was critically more important. He wasn't about to lose another companion he'd grown to love, but she could also tell him about what happened, and that information would be crucial.
Kashii was exhausted by the time he reached Dave's place. He rammed the door open with his shoulder, not even bothering to knock. "Dave!" he called out. "Dave… I need you." The man appeared with a rather worried expression, dressed in his nightclothes. Kashiii never barged in like that unless something was desperately wrong. The last time it had happened was when the Nishimura girl… his eyes took in the sight in his entranceway. The boy himself was injured terribly, covered in strange lacerations and what seemed to be a chemical burn, among other injuries. But Dave's eyes traveled downward the the bloody mess soaking his abdomen, and it became all too apparent what Kashii's needs were.
"Damnit kid, I'm not a vet…"despite saying that, he took the creature from Kashii's arms and brought her to the kitchen, resting her upon the island counter. She'd been slashed open, it looked like her ribcage had been broken by a powerful blow. Dave got to work immediately on repairing the animal. At the end of the day, blood was blood, flesh was flesh. There really wasn't much of a difference. "What happened?" Usually, he didn't care much. But something seemed wrong, the boy looked panic-stricken. "I.. I found my house completely tore up. Cat was the only one there. The outer wall had been blasted out… I think that was Shi's doing. Someone took my student and my daughter." Dave's expression soured as he worked on repairing the cat.
"Go take a shower," he said. "Get cleaned up. You know where to find the spare things. I need to take a look at you too." Kashii begrudgingly agreed, trudging off to the deeper parts of the older man's home. It would do the girls no good to go after them like this, and he needed Cat to be okay.
By the time Kashii was dressed, in clothes that were slightly too large (Dave always kept things around, Kashii had a habit of showing up in the past all torn up), Cat was becoming more stable. Dave had set her rib bones in place, smaller animal bones easier to set than thicker human ones. She was conscious when he moved back to the kitchen. "Kashii!" she wheezed. "He took them!" Holding her down, Dave injected her with a sedative. "He took them!" He continued to hold her down until she stopped thrashing about. "He." That indicated that there was only one. He lowered himself to Cat's level, gently stroking her between the ears. "What happened, Cat?"
She wheezed, no longer looking upset, and stared at him with dead eyes. "He took them." Kashii stroked her again. "Who took them?" Dave continued working to mend the flesh, sprinkling powder into the wound to increase blood production. "A… a boy. White hair. Red eyes. Aburame." Kashii's eyes flashed, a cold yellow stare. No… "Did he say anything?" That Cat had been left alive meant it was on purpose. She coughed. "...north. Tetsumura." Kashii cursed under his breath, biting his thumbnail. Tetsumura village was a day's travel due north. It was a small village, abandoned many years ago, when Kashii was young. He had no doubt this boy had something to do with Hotaru, the woman he had been assigned to assassinate on his false mission.
When the skin on top was mended, Kashii pressed his nose against her furry head. "Rest. I'll take care of it from here." He turned to leave, but he found a big hand gripping his shoulder. Kashii was yanked back onto a stool. "Not so fast, kid. Shirt off." Tch. He didn't have time, but he did as told. With the grime from his previous mission washed off, the real damage could be seen. Dave walked around the boy's body, shifting the damp pony aside to get a good look at his back especially. Despite the calm face Kashii was wearing, it looked like half his skin had been put through a meat grinder. There was no way he wasn't in pain right now.
Spotting something black inside the wounds, Dave retrieved a pair of tweezers from his kit, and extracted a small, black beetle. Well, he frowned grimly, source of damage identified. When its legs wriggled, he dropped the creature to the floor, crushing it under his foot. Dave continued to peer around the wounds. He found about four other kikaichu ground into the wounds on Kashii's back, thankfully all dead, as well as removed some small shards of glass. He didn't really question how it had happened; the boy would often drop by straight home from missions for patching up. But this time was different.
When Kashii's entire body had been cleared of the foreign objects, Dave retrieved a salve from one of the shelves, applying it liberally to the bluenette's skin. Aside from the sharp hiss, Kashii paid no mind to the treatment. Dave was concerned, however. These chemical burns were highly corrosive. It could have been poisonous. He didn't know what kind of chemical he'd been burned with, but he rummaged through his supplies, finding a powder antidote. Grabbing a glass from the cupboard and filling it part way with water, he mixed the powder in, handing it off to Kashii. "Drink it." Kashii did as told, setting the glass aside. It had been bitter. "General antidote," Dave clarified.
When he finished, Dave tossed the borrowed clothes back at Kashii. "Get dressed and leave. But do not go in blindly. Return home and prepare yourself." Kashii nodded. "Mm." He stepped into the pants and pull the shirt over his head, shifting the loose clothes into place. They were really only a size or two too large, but on a compact frame like his, it showed. "... Do you need me to come with you?"Probably."No, I need to do this on my own." Dave's lips pursed. That never ended well. Despite his outward indifference, Dave really did care for the boy. He had no doubt that something reckless was going to transpire. "Watch Cat for me while I'm gone." Dave watched as the young jounin left.
"What do you think, girl?" He glanced at the sedated animal on his counter. "... go with him." That's what he thought. Cleaning up the mess, Dave started packing a travel kit. He'd shadow Kashii from behind. If he wasn't needed, fantastic. If he was, well, he'd be right there. It was late, but he no longer felt tired, merely concerned. He went to get dressed, then prepared a sling to carry the feline in, heading out into the early night. He'd take the cat to Akira's house, a fellow medic who lived nearby. Akira was a kind soul, he'd take care of the animal until Dave got back.
Kashii could do nothing but curse and berate himself. Yet again, because he had not been there when he was needed most, they had been taken from him. Dead? It was certainly a possibility. It was taking all of his willpower not to completely rampage. He had to save those girls. Now was not the time to cloud his head with rage.
When he reached home, Kashii merely entered through the large blast hole, hunting for his things. He changed into his more comfortable attire, retying the rust-colored band around his forehead, and retying a proper, tight braid at the base of his neck. Shuffling around, he located his wire spool, and prepared weapons to fit into the many holsters that lined his size-too-large jacket. He was going to go in armed at the teeth. Kashii snagged his two swords and affixed them to his belt. He'd take all his cards, even the joker. He'd do whatever it took to save those girls. He eyed the salve Dave had given him, but ultimately decided not to take it. It's not like he'd stop to rub it in. Affixing his knife to the small of his back, he set off, unwilling to rest from the day's hardships.
North. They had traveled north. Much to Kashii's reluctance, he stopped at the northern waypoint once he'd made it passed the mountain. He needed rest. He wasn't so stupid as to think he'd be any help dead on his feet. A night of missed sleep never killed him but he'd directly come home from a very trying job. He had to be smart about this. Rushing around blindly would not help anyone. Two lives that were very important to him were hanging in the balance, and he wouldn't let his own rashness be what ends them.
It had only been a handful of hours when Kashii awoke. It appeared that dawn had only just broken. He thanked the man who awoke him, as requested, and cracked his neck, setting out once more. It may have not been much, but it was enough to make him feel as if he could take on an army. Little did he know, however, that he may just have to.
The fact that they'd left Cat alive, and that she'd been told of the girls' whereabouts no doubt meant they were using them as bait to lure him out. The girls should be safe until he arrived. After all, they would need him to cooperate with whatever they wanted, and that would be rather hard to do if he had no incentive. He cursed at the thought. He just had to hope he was right. He took off at a fast pace, intent on reaching the small village by late this afternoon.
Dave followed him at quite a distance, barely bothering to keep him in view. He knew the destination, there was no need to stick close. The rest at the station had been ideal for both of them, but it was Kashii who needed it far more than he did. Dave's combat abilities were mostly a joke, his specialties lay in healing. He'd stay out of it unless there was truly a need to intervene.
When he neared the village, he nicked his finger, summoning his molerat. The startled beast was scooped up without explanation, Kashii never once slowing down. He needed to know where people were. "Stay alert." he hissed at the creature. Rufus grunted. Of course. He was only summoned for one purpose. He kept his whiskers alert, sensing the air for any hint of chakra. Luckily for Dave, he was outside of the molerat's range.
A breeze stirred up the dry dust when Kashii arrived. As expected, there wasn't a soul around. Rufus put his nose to the wind. He could smell nothing. But he could feel chakra stirring. "That way," he said, pointing a small paw towards a decrepit warehouse. Kashii took in the appearance of the warehouse. The wood had rotted away in some places. His eyes narrowed. Rather cliché, wasn't it? He slipped a hand into his pocket, shifting his weight to one leg. He couldn't really make a plan for things he couldn't expect. He had to expect the unexpected. He hated those kinds of situations. "Tch…"
He just had to march in with his head held high. He kept his senses alert, and shoved the small animal down into his jacket, zipping it up part way so Rufus could hide. He placed a hand on the wakizashi at his hip, and headed towards the warehouse. He could sense another person nearby, but the sensation was not aggressive. Probably a scout, waiting to confirm his arrival. The chakra signature disappeared as soon as he had felt it. He definitely was in the right place. Stopping in front of the door, he peered up at the wall. There was absolutely nothing remarkable. No signs of traps. That, of course, meant jack shit.
Taking a step back, he battered the door with a powerful kick, and the hinges tore free of the decayed wood, door flying into the dark space. He heard a string snap, an an array of kunai buried themselves at his feet in the entrance of the doorway. As if anyone would think a petty trick like that would work. Drawing his blade, Kashii stepped into the darkness.
Hotaru stood in the center of a darkly lit space. The man had entered the premises, the warehouse only a cover for the much larger underground cavity. He'd be forced to enter that chamber if he wanted to continue. When his figure appeared in the entrance, she smiled warmly over her dark frames. "Welcome, Namame Kashii."
At the sound of that woman's voice, Kashii's guard raised like an iron wall, the hairs on his arms prickling. So he'd been right. He released the summon, the molerat disappearing in a puff from his clothes. He'd found his target, there was no need for Rufus to stay here. It's not like he'd be of any help. He flicked his blade when it reflected the poor light, falling into a stance that said he was ready to attack at any moment. "Where are Shi and Saiko?" he asked, venom in his tone.
She only smiled in return. "They're safe. It's no fun to put on a show without an audience, is there?" His teeth grit and his blade raised when the lights flicked on, temporarily blinded. "Shit…" When his eyes adjusted, he found himself in a room lined with dozens of individuals, male and female alike, of all ages from ten to forty at least. All of them were armed with weapons, and all of those weapons were pointed at him. He spared a wide, crooked smile. Things were certainly in his favor, weren't they? And across the way, held behind Hotaru, were his student and his daughter. They were safe, unbound, with the child held tightly in Shi's arms. A muscular man held the older girl by her arm, disallowing her her freedom. His cold yellow eyes regained their warmth when he saw them safe. But by what this woman said, that status may change very quickly.
Hotaru slipped her dark glasses off, sliding them into the pocket of her white-and-blue coat. Her crimson eyes bored into his own gold, and she extended her hand to him, palm out. Instantly he was thrown into darkness. The smell of blood permeated the air. He took a step back, sword lowering. "What…?" Suddenly, pain. Pain everywhere. Faces contorted around him. This was just like one of his nightmares. "No…" But he knew he wasn't asleep. He saw images of himself darting forward, running through his loved ones with a crazed grin on his face. His parents. His brother. Mari. Abe. Shi. Kotone. Saiko. With each thrust of his blade, he became more and more coated with their blood. When the last one fell, Kashii's image finally stilled before standing straight, slicking its hair back with the blood that coated it. "You see?" the copy said in Hotaru's voice. "Think of what could of happened if you didn't come."
More images coated his mind, particularly strong memories of sins he had committed. The frightened faces of children he'd crushed. The crying faces of women he'd run through. The disbelieving eyes of men he'd torn apart. Enemies were enemies. He'd turned his blade on former comrades before. The look of betrayal when he cut them down. It had been their fault anyway, right? "Now just imagine how your loved ones look at you." He clutched his head. "STOP IT!" he yelled. The images turned to Shi and Saiko, uncharictaristically terrified looks on their faces. "Do you truly believe they're happy to see you?" The darkness lifted, and he found himself in the chamber again, staggering to keep himself upright.
The sounds of bowstrings tightening brought his attention back to the girls. There was indeed worry. Saiko's face was red and puffy. She'd been crying. Kashii stalked towards the woman, intent on taking her out. She merely raised a finger at him, shaking it. "Tut tut." He froze in his steps, the archers pointing their arrows away from him and directly at the girls. Reluctantly, he sheathed his blade.
"Be mine," she offered to him, "Or lose them. It's your call." He snarled in response. He shot a glance passed her at them. Really, he didn't need to be asked twice. Stuffing his pride, he sank to one knee in the dirt, opposing fist pressing in beside it. He bowed his head in submission, eyes on the footprints in the dirt. "Such an obedient dog you are," she purred. He heard the archers lower their weapons. If Kashii did what she wanted, then they should be free to go. He could only hope.
Kashii heard a katana slide from its sheath, the woman had been hiding it under her long coat. The flat of the cool blade slid under his chin, tipping his head so that he'd look up at her. He bared his fangs but made no move. In this position, she could slit his throat in an instant. Hotaru studied the man's face with amusement. Men were such manipulatable creatures. Disgusting pigs. She admired her handiwork, the patchwork across his face a testament to the chemical burns he'd received at the lab. Shifting the blade to the side of his cheek, she tilted his head, the evidence of the damage he'd sustained from her kikaichu showing just under his collar. The blade shifted until the edge pressed into his skin, cutting in until the blood dripped from his jaw. Still, his expression did not change, eyes looking directly up at hers. Not so much as a blink. She smirked in amusement, pulling her blade back and cleaning it on his shoulder. "So well trained, too. Many men could learn a lesson from you, Namame Kashii."
He watched the silver of her blade as she sheathed it and growled. Toy with him all she liked, when would she release her hostages? Hotaru lowered herself so that she was eye level with him, gripping his chin through the sticky crimson that started to ebb its flow. She stroked her finger along the cut she'd made, turning his face to look directly back at hers. His gaze darkened further. He wanted to shred her. Cut her up in so many tiny, irreparable pieces. She seemed to be examining him. He steeled himself further, knuckles pressing harder into the earth floor. She could do what she liked to him. It didn't matter. He had to protect those girls. She rubbed a streak of crimson across his lip before withdrawing to look at the girls. He licked his lips, the copper taste of his own blood filling his mouth, and finally turned to look at them when Hotaru turned her back on him.
His body ached, wanting so badly to cut into that woman's exposed back and stain that white coat with crimson. Shi watched, jaw clenched, as that proud, idiotic man of a teacher of hers lowered himself into the dirt. She couldn't help but notice he looked injured before even coming here. What images had that woman shown him? Probably ones of a similar nature the Aburame had assaulted her own mind with, and no doubt Saiko's. Dormant memories of her past, some things she didn't know she knew. Memories of people teaching her when she was young, a time in her life that had been completely blacked out until now. Cruel, inexplicable things. She wondered what that idiot could possibly do in this situation. Though, he'd exceeded her expectations before. There was no doubt he'd be able to surprise her again.
Withdrawing a kunai from a holder in her coat, Hotaru signaled the man to let go and step far back, unless he wanted his fingers removed. She grabbed a handful of the child's blue hair, and tugged her head away from Shi's breast, the flat of the blade against Sai's cheek. "It would be a shame if something happened to these children, wouldn't it?" Kashii's fingers flexed in the dirt, resisting the overwhelming urge to rip that bitch into pieces. Saiko started crying again at the feel of the cold blade on her skin. Hotaru released the child, moving around behind Shi. Pulling the long midnight hair together as if to tie it up, Hotaru pulled Shi's head down backwards. Shi flinched visibly at the touch when the woman's cheek brushed her ear. "Has he ever told you how beautiful you are, miss Adachi?" Shi's teeth grit in response. As if that idiot cared to throw such superficial words at her.
Hotaru allowed the midnight mane slip through her fingers like silk. She tutted. "That's no good, girl. You should answer when spoken to." She turned to Kashii. "Tell me, have you ever felt how soft her hair is, Namame Kashii?" He, too, did not answer. "No? Then you should feel it for yourself." In an instant, the kunai tore through Shi's hair, halving it's original length. She threw the severed mass of hair at him, hitting him in the face. He shook his head, trying to remove the long strands without moving to brush his face off. She was still toying with him, showing him just how much control she had in this situation. "It's nice, isn't it?" she commented warmly, stroking Shi's jaw for no other reason than to increase her discomfort. "Indeed," he returned, smirking.
Putting her hands on the girl's shoulders, she turned Shi to face Kashii directly. "I'll give you your first order then, as my pet." He looked up, not really sure he'd be thrilled to hear this order. "Kill them." She shoved the pair towards him and stepped away. There was a sharp intake of breath, he felt his heart skip a beat. That wasn't part of the deal. Glancing up at the faces of the girls in front of him, he replied defiantly. "No." There was a signal, and the snap of a bowstring, and an arrow embedded itself into the back of his right shoulder. Kashii snarled, lurching forward, chest against his knee and both hands in the dirt. Breathe… breathe… he ran images through his mind of suffering much worse wounds than this, and returned to his original position, the sweat on his face the only betrayal of his stony expression.
"Will your answer still be no, Namame-san?" The pleasant ring in her voice as she said his name clicked in his head. There was one other person he knew with long black hair, red eyes, and a pleasant tone. Utsushii Kei, the head administrator at Kusagakure hospital. He cursed, the wound in his shoulder throbbing, the head of the arrow biting in with every breath. "My answer remains," he said calmly. "I refuse." Another arrow found it's way into his right bicep, and he cried out again, clutching his arm tightly this time. "Ahh!...ah.." Despite the urge to rip it out, he left it, sweat mixing with the blood on his cheek and dripping from his face. He breathed heavily through his teeth. Once he'd regained control of himself, Kashii started chuckling, going into full laughter. "Hm?" Hotaru hummed, clearly amused.
"Nice try, bitch," he said to the her, a wild grin on his face. Shakily, he got to his feet, ripping the shaft from his arm and clutching where the blood flowed. "Those girls are the only leverage you have over me. If I lose them, well, heh. I'll have nothing left to lose. Shoot me all you want, you won't win." He grabbed Shi by the neck and pulled her against him, just in time for an arrow to fly harmlessly behind her head and hit another archer. The woman fell. Now the others all had their sights set on him. "You heard him." Hotaru's hand raised in the air, and the sound of dozens of arrows leaving their bows filled the room.
Kashii didn't even spare the time for a curse. He kicked Shi's feet out from under her, knocking her heavily on her back. He dropped over her on all fours, protecting the child held between them. Most of the arrows clattered harmlessly overhead. Some, however, still managed to find their way into his hide. Kashii wheezed when one slipped between his ribs, the taste of blood filling his mouth. "I'll get you two out of here," he promised. Whether they heard him or not, he couldn't be sure. Between the cries of the toddler and the gasps of breath Shi had knocked out of her, they probably didn't.
But now what? The archers were already reloading. Hotaru raised her hand again, and they laxed their weapons, awaiting the next order. "You're an interesting man, Namame Kashii." He coughed to the side, droplets of blood spattering the dirt. "I've heard far better compliments from a sewer rat." He didn't even have the will to laugh. His chest burned and his head felt foggy. The adrenaline rush that usually masked the pain in the heat of combat was not present here. He could feel every puncture, the shape of the arrows in his flesh, the burn of the chemicals, the soreness of the flesh this woman's insects had mangled. Everyone had a limit. And he was getting dangerously close to his.
The warm smile adorning the woman's face fell. "You'll do well to remember what transpired here today, little puppy. If you don't want those visions to become reality, well, I'm sure you know what to do." Glancing around, Kashii saw the shinobi that surrounded them part, revealing the path to the way he had entered. "You may leave. I look forward to meeting you again," she said, the smile creeping back into her voice by the end of the last sentence.
A child with white hair materialized from behind her. Kashii and Shi craned their heads from their positions to look at him, both recognizing him from either experience or description. The complete apathy on his face was commendable. "But what of the plan?" the boy asked, looking up towards Hotaru. She patted him on the head. "He will come to us in due time. This was a good warning." She had made Kashii painfully aware how defenseless he really was against a woman like her. He'd come in fully armed, and wasn't even considerable as a threat. All for the sake of those girls. Perhaps some men had some redeemable qualities. A genuine smile curved on her red lips. Like that improved his chances against her.
Unable to even roll off her, Kashii fell hard to the side on his elbow. Never before had he felt such a wave of relief. As the girl squirmed from under him, and got to her feet, Hotaru said one last thing before he lost consciousness. "But the next time I ask you to roll over, dog, I expect you do so willingly."
Dave had been moments from bursting in himself when he saw a figure emerge from the door of the warehouse. Adachi came, carrying the burden of her teacher, with the small child toddling along and clinging to her sash. He couldn't help but smirk. That boy was always causing trouble for others, no matter what he did. "Oi," he called, waving his arm and heading towards them. "Bring him here." Shi looked up when she heard the voice, the vaguely familiar man waving at her. She shifted the load on her back and walked towards him.
As he approached the others, Dave realized that the boy on her back was riddled with bolts, feathers at the ends of the shafts. He cursed, jogging up towards them. He hadn't seen them from a distance. He took the limp jounin off the girl's back and kneeled, resting Kashii's weight and checking vitals with his free hand. There was a pulse, but it was weak. The ragged breathing and blood on the lips told him that at least one lung had been damaged. "Damn idiot can't keep himself out of trouble for a single minute, can he?" Saiko clung to the girl's leg, watching her daddy with interest, sniffling the last of her tears away. He slept funny sometimes. "He certainly has a knack for it."
Proper treatment would be impossible, as usual. Dave leaned for his medkit, and threw it open. Digging through some bottles, he withdrew spherical pills and a bottle of water. Tipping Kashii's head back, he forced him to swallow one of the pills. It was a soldier pill. It would increase his chakra flow. Finding another bottle, he next forced Kashii to swallow a blood pill. For the first time, he noticed indigo strands among the cobalt on the boy's head, and plucked one off. He then looked up to Adachi, and noticed that her hair was significantly shorter than it had been before. He merely blinked and said nothing. She looked unhurt, and that was as far as his care went.
Working quickly, he pulled each arrow out skillfully, careful not to rip new chunks of flesh out. Most were in his torso but there was a stray that had embedded into his thigh. What was discerning was that, despite the pain that must have been caused by removing those arrows, the man didn't flinch once. When the arrows were free, he stripped the boy of his heavy jacket, the weapons inside thunking loudly when it was tossed to the ground. Dave held him by the neck and peeled the bloodsoaked shirt away. Shi could see many injuries that patchworked his hide, all fresh and most not related to what he had suffered when he'd arrived here. Irresponsible. His face was streaked with blood, dirt, sweat, and even tears.
Dave wiped away what he could with the soaked shirt. There were still remnants of the salve he'd rubbed on before remained. He shook his head. This kid needed his own personal bloodbank. "One of these days I ought to force him into an early retirement," he said idly, withdrawing a rather large needle and grinning to himself. He squeezed a bit of the fluid out to remove any air bubbles, and injected it into the muscle of Kashii's uninjured shoulder. antibiotic and painkiller, who knows when the kid would wake up.
Saiko grew restless watching the older male work over her daddy. Letting go of Shi, she tottered over, crouching to touch his face. "Papa?" She shook his face when there was no response, but she was pulled away by Shi. "Your father is an idiot. Be sure to never grow up that way," she instructed the child. Sai looked up at her uncomprehendingly, then smiled. "'Kay!"
It took a good amount of time to close the wounds before Dave finished the job. It would take a long time for this to heal, as usual. His fingers traced along the patches of pink that covered the bluenette's skin. His face, torso, and arms had all been patchy. He'd have to create some kind of cream or it would never heal properly. He had some herbs in mind at home, he'd just need to stop by the hospital…
There was a meow from around the side of a building. Jun came tearing out once he was absolutely sure everyone was safe. "Shii!" he called, bounding up to her. "My Shi, you're safe." He butted his head against her hand, rubbing the whole of his body along her legs. She crouched to pat him, then looked idly at the male's discarded jacket. It sounded heavy when it was tossed. She pulled it closer, taking a look at the inside. On both sides, from the zipper to the sides, were many loops and sewn in pockets, lined with countless shuriken, kunai, and spools of wire. Many of the weapons had wires already attached, loops sticking out from the pockets. She found several tags as well. She'd never really seen how well armed he kept himself. She helped herself to a few tags and kunai, it wasn't like he was going to be using them.
But what really caught her attention were the swords he carried. Dave had removed the remaining weapons, the black knife and the two swords. She examined them, taking the shortest blade first. The sheath was simple, made of rough tanned leather, made to affix to a belt. The blade itself was about eight inches long, serrated by the base, and edged near the tip. The metal was a nice onyx color. A useful weapon, it could be used in a variety of situations. She set it aside, grabbing the next one. This one was the tanto. From what she had seen, it was hardly ever drawn. The scabbard was steel, but the tsuka was bound in black-colored ito. It was a far cry from the design on his largest sword though. She examined it closely. The tsuka was steel, bound in black ito with engravings. The tsuba was much more intricate, molded into ornate images of cranes. The scabbard appeared to also be steel, with decorative engravings around the mouth. She considered taking this with her as well, and set it on top of the other weapons she'd selected from the pickings.
She sat back and watched Dave wrap gauze around her teacher. Because of the irregular placing of the wounds, he merely placed the pads where they needed to be and wrapped his entire torso before taping it off. When the arm and the leg were bandaged as well, he wiped his tools, placing them back into his case and tidying it to close. When he stood and started to heft the bluenette onto his back, Shi stopped him. "I'll take him," she said, grabbing a hold of Kashii's limp wrist. She didn't like being in the debt of another. Let alone in the debt of this man, in particular. By doing this, she could return the favor. She gathered the weapons she'd selected and tied the wakizashi to her hip. "Are you sure?" Dave asked her, brow raised. Going by what the boy would tell him, she didn't seem to care much for Kashii.
Shi considered her options. Taking the jounin meant slower travel with a heavy burden. But it also meant the medic could take Saiko home to safety much faster. She looked Dave over, debating if this was a favorable option. She'd seen the medic accompanying Kashii on more than one occasion, Kashii trusted him. With reluctance, she guided Saiko over to him. "Take Saiko and his gear." She jutted a thumb towards his belongings on the ground. "Jun." Jun looked up to her. "Go with them and keep her safe." He nodded. "Of course."
Shi waited until they were on the move before looking down at the man on the ground, replaying the events in her head. She crouched, brushing aside some of the cerulean locks. He'd put his life on the line to protect them. He never once abandoned them to fight back. Never once did she ever think she'd see this man sink so low into the dirt to an object of hatred, just to ensure the child's and her own freedom. She knew he'd abandoned others in similar situations. Nobility didn't seem to suit him.
She wondered of the origin to the marks that marred his features. The patches on his face didn't belong there. Shi withdrew her hand when he wheezed. Time to get going. She shifted her weight to pick him up, the sharp gravel digging into her bare soles. She paused, thinking about it. Combined with his weight, it would be unpleasant to walk across the rough landscape. Peering back at the warehouse, she knew that she needed to move out. Shi sat in the dirt, pulling off one of Kashii's shoes and trying it on. Not like he'd have any need for these, either. A little big, but wearable. It was amusing how he was more useful asleep that he was when awake most of the time. She stole the other shoe and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him upright.
Somewhat awkwardly, she shifted his weight onto her back, pulling his arms and head over her shoulders, arms beneath to support his weight. With a heave, Shi stood, shifting to keep him from falling. Despite them being the same size, she realized he was lighter than she'd expected him to be, and gave a slight smirk. How could such a complete lightweight be so confident and dangerous? However, it didn't make the dead weight any less cumbersome.
Kicking the toe of the shoe against the ground to fit it correctly, Shi moved on, mind reeling about the last 24 hours.
The battle with that boy had been difficult enough. Seeing a child able to mangle another without any expression on their face. Well, she'd thought that skill exclusive to herself. Apparently it was a part of the training. 'Cat's tough, and he was supposed to leave her alive. Hopefully she'll be okay.' The thought of burying either of the felines was painful. People die all the time and it didn't bother her, but they also weren't hers. Had she known what awaited them, what she would learn, she would have taken the chance with the bugs. Now that she knew the objective, she wished she had. 'Stupid...'
Everything she'd known about herself had been a lie. Or at least, out of context. The woman she'd been fooled into believing was her Master had been, in a manner of speaking. She'd simply been one of many in the employ of the vicious bug-wielding bitch. Mother Goose. What was worse, every shadowy nightmare she'd ever had turned out to be real. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or disturbed. At least before she could pretend that the shadowy-faced monsters that haunted her in the night were just her imagination. That they couldn't hurt her. She could believe that the other children-Gods, those children, how many others had there been? So many tear-stained faces haunted her mind's eye, different ages, different faces, but in the end the same dead look was in their eyes. The same dead look that was in hers.
It confirmed one thing, at least. She wasn't an anomaly. She wasn't born this way. She was created, by them. What could she have been if they hadn't taken her? She could have been normal. She may have had a life. It made her hatred burn. The pain they had caused. The torture, the beatings, the starvation. The ruthless, unending training. They wanted weapons, and they made them. And she was one of them.
It wouldn't stop playing in her mind, the images of the things they'd done. Things that were still being done to other children, some not much older than Saiko. Gods, what would they have done to Saiko? That woman had done more than enough. Her cries as the genjutsu warped within her mind had been as agonizing as her own torment, being helpless to prevent the suffering. 'She was innocent! Why did they have to hurt her?!' She'd gladly have endured the punishment for her sake, if she'd been given the chance.
The real agony had been in the waiting. Enduring the sickening looks of those dogs was bad enough, but the mere thought of subjecting Saiko to the horrors they could subject her to… She wouldn't allow it. She would kill every last one of them if they tried to harm her, even if it meant killing themselves as well. It would be worth it. The only reason she hadn't done so from the start was the slim hope that Kashii would arrive with reinforcements to save them. That was their purpose after all, they were bait. If things went well, they would be safe until he arrived. If he arrived at all. Would he bother coming? Would anyone try to save them? Were two girls worth risking village resources? Apparently not. She was already well aware how little Iwagakure cared for it's children. No one had come to save them when she was a child, she doubted they would come now. Which meant that, unless she could get them out safely on her own, a doubtful prospect, their fate rested solely on the shoulders of Namame Kashii. In short, they were screwed.
'And yet...' She glanced over her shoulder at the weight she carried. 'He did come for us. Alone, the idiot, but he came.'
She supposed she shouldn't have expected any finesse to his rescue operation. Not Namame Kashii. If it didn't involve running headfirst into trouble, it didn't have his stamp of approval on it. They were fortunate that it had worked, this time. It led her to wonder about the point of it. What did the bluenette blunder possibly have to offer their organization? They had plenty of muscle-bound idiots on their side. Hell, they had more than enough berzerkers as well. So why Kashii? Why was he worth coming out into the open and risking everything? Did that woman simply enjoy playing games that much? 'Foul, bug-spewing bitch...' The occasional tug of pain at her scalp reminded her of her new haircut, deepening the scowl. What was the point? She went to all that effort to catch him, and let him go. Sure, she'd be watching, and they would always have to watch their backs, but it struck her as odd. Whatever the evil wench was plotting, Shi couldn't wait to find a way to make it blow up in her face. Preferably with a good deal of shrapnel aimed directly at the eyes.
Darkness. No sound, no light, no smell. He couldn't even hear his own voice. It was deafening. The only thing he had was his sense of touch. He was uncomfortable in his own skin. His chest was on fire, his limbs were pins and needles, his head pounding. A few steps forward, and he felt himself hit the ground. The light was blinding. Light? Kashii opened his eyes, and was met with a field of white. Cold snow, so so cold. Numb, pain. The rocking feel of being dragged along by the massive beast. He screwed his eyes shut, then opened them once more.
When Kashii opened his eyes again, he was met not with white, but a blurred landscape of browns and greys. The ache in his head continued to blur his vision. The burn in his chest remained, and he wheezed when he breathed in deeply. The only sounds were that of crunching gravel. He blinked again a few more times, the landscape coming into focus. He merely watched the ground for a while, the rocking soothing to his dulled senses. The numbness he had felt had gave way, and his body ached.
Finally, it occurred to him that he was being carried. He shifted his head marginally to get a glimpse of who his savior was. There was surprise when it wasn't his medic, who'd always been there to pull him out of scrapes, but instead it was Shizu-chan. He blinked slowly, registering this information. He could see white bandages across his bare arms, dotted with red. Had she done this for him? Rather than speak, he opted to stay still, watching the path ahead. His head felt so muddled. Kashii just wanted to sleep more, but the throbbing in his muscles and the discomfort disallowed him the pleasure of doing so.
It was a while until she stopped, at the edge of a wooded area with a stream passing through. It was only ankle deep here, but it was good enough for her. She knelt near a tree, sliding her burden to the ground. Kashii closed his eyes when she put him down, propped up against a tree. The movement ached. When he opened his eyes again, he saw her with her back to him, at the water's edge, fussing with the uneven and choppy ends of her hair, inspecting it with a scowl on her face. He watched her idly, a half-smirk on his face. "So… even you can be… a girl sometimes." His chest ached when he spoke, wheezy breath making him cough, and he could taste the copper on his tongue. When she turned her head directly to him, eyes glaring, it clicked in his head. Where was Saiko?
He blinked, looking around, and leaned away from the tree, panic creeping in. Where was his daughter? "Where is my daughter!?" he demanded, choking on the words. He drew his arms behind himself, pressing against the tree and pulling himself to his feet, a surge of vertigo wracking his head from the speed at which he'd done it. He stumbled, and when he put weight down on the right leg, pain rippled through it. Startled by the unexpected pain, he fell backward, injured back smacking and sliding down the rough bark. He snarled, clutching his leg, which had started to bleed through the gauze, and curling his back away from the tree. The leg of the pants had been torn open to allow the wrapping. "What the fuck…"
Shi merely watched, slightly entertained at the misfortunate jounin. Should she tell him where Saiko was, or should she feign ignorance and claim to know nothing? As amusing as the latter sounded, she spoke. "Your medic took her." His… medic? No one had accompanied him here. But as he examined the wrappings that bound his torso, the smell of the herbal salves and the wrapping of the bandages was all too familiar. He let out a weak laugh. "That dick… I told him to stay with Cat."
Shi dipped her hands in the cool water, splashing some onto her face. "Is she alive?" The bloodied scrap of fur he found the night before came to mind. "Yes." She'd been left with Dave, but for Dave to be out here meant one of three things: One, she was recovering and just needed rest. Two, she didn't make it, or three: Dave found someone to care for her so that he could come after Kashii. He rather hoped for the third option. ".. She's going to be fine."
Shi watched him shiver and pant. Despite the pain medication Dave said he'd administered, it was clear that it either wasn't working or it wasn't enough. Not that battering himself against the tree helped his condition any. Shi dipped her long sleeve in the water, letting it run over her fingertips before withdrawing and squeezing the excess water out. Despite himself, Kashii could feel the sting of his eyes watering. He kept his eyes downcast. So much pain. Stress. And relief. He'd almost lost three important people in his life. Even Cat was an important person to him. Everyone was safe now. No visions of himself killing them. But the visions of the fear of him… how did people look at him? Perhaps they really did see him as the monster he always felt himself to be. Just because he had people he cared for did not mean they felt the same about him.
Gold eyes raised when he saw her crouch beside him, but he shied away from her fingers when she tried touching his face. For just a moment, just one moment, it felt like that woman reaching for his face. "Hold still." But it wasn't Hotaru, it was Shizu. She pulled his face back to look at the cut the sword had made. Upon eye contact, Kashii averted his gaze, wincing when the cool cloth rubbed against his cheek. "You… don't need to do this," he said quietly to her. Shi ignored him, rubbing away the dirt and dried blood. "It's not the first time I've had to." If anything, that made him feel even more bitter. Someone always had to pull him out of the bullshit he got himself in to. It wasn't fair to her.
Kashii reached towards her hair, pulling some between his fingers and rubbing his thumb across the uneven ends. "I'm sorry," he sighed, dropping his arm back to his side. She, naturally, said nothing. So he went on, "...For always being a burden to you." He could hardly recall a time where she seemed to actually enjoy his company. And, Kashii couldn't really blame her for that. He didn't exactly make himself the most enjoyable person to be around if he wasn't trying to gain something. He could also hardly recall the last time someone made him genuinely smile. "Thank you," he said warmly, "for helping me, even so."
Shi stared at his face for a few long moments, trying to gauge the sincerity in his expression and voice. She'd never seen him make such a kind face, let alone towards her. It made her feel rather uncomfortable, and she stood, returning to the stream to rinse the filth from her sleeve. "No… thank you for coming." He laughed at that response, then coughed. "That's… not something I need thanks for." He took a wheezy breath and grinned when she looked back with a raised brow. "Just expect me to be there when you need me." Shi didn't know why, but him acting this way made her discomfort increase.
Shi shook the water from her sleeve. She'd rested enough, they needed to keep moving. Thankfully, Kashii would be easier to carry now that he was awake. His display not ten minutes ago attested that he couldn't walk unsupported, and it would be faster to just carry him rather than let him use her as a crutch. Crouching at his side, she turned her back to him. "Get on." Somewhat awkwardly, he obeyed, arms around her neck when she lifted him from the ground. Frankly, he didn't enjoy being carried, let alone by a girl. But he didn't really get much of a choice now, did he? That was usually why he let people carry him. Kashii shifted his grip on her shoulders when she crossed the stream. "Watch your hands," she warned, "or you'll be finding your own way back." Ooh, that one hurt. "Pfft… you don't trust me at all.. do you?" A hidden smirk. "Not in the slightest."
The rest of the journey back was spent majorly in silence, with occasional and mostly unsuccessful attempts of conversation on his part. Kashi didn't really look forward to getting home. On top of recovering from his latest escapades, he'd need to care for Cat, and care for Saiko, care for himself. He needed to repair the damage done to his home, look into better security options. The kitchen was on the other side of the large house, walking back and forth for meals would be irritating. He had an assortment of crutches put away in the closet though, it wouldn't be too bad. And then there would be something for Shi too. He owed her something as thanks, because she was right, this wasn't the first time she's had to pull him out of a scrape. Dave was one thing, it was the medic's job to take care of him. But Kashii didn't need to be continually putting this girl into that position. It was his job to look after her, not the other way around.
There was a sense of despair when they finally reached his home. The debris of the blast were scattered into the front walk, a large hole with light filtering out from the inside. It would cost him a lot of time and money to repair that. Kashii started to squirm when Shi stepped onto the walkway. Okay he was home he could walk now. "Ow!" He was rewarded with a pinch. "Stop moving or you'll have an intimate date with the floor." Luckily, the resulting pout was hidden behind her head.
Dave was sitting at the table drinking tea when they came inside. Kashii was impressed to see that the majority of the blood had been cleaned up; that was one less thing he'd need to do. Saiko was asleep in Dave's lap, head nestled into the white folds of his coat, and Cat was curled on a seat cushion at his side. He took a drink before speaking. "I'll take that idiot from here, Adachi." Dick. "Heey! At least I went with my head held high. What did you do? Hide until the coast was clear." The two made a living of jabbing at each other. Dave took another drink, unfazed. "Toss 'im in bed, Adachi, and go home. I'll deal with him tonight." Dave just loved to make Kashii feel indignant.
Kashii hissed when she did, quite literally, dump him onto the mattress, rolling her shoulder and walking out. "Gee, thanks." "You're welcome." Kashii could hear her conversing with Dave down the hall, but they were too quiet for him to hear what about. Everyone was safe. That's what mattered most. Sitting at the edge of the bed, Kashii pulled his gloves off with his teeth, tossing them on the side table with a loud thunk. Next went the headband and the hair tie. He shook his hair loose, lost in thought about how tomorrow would be. Dave would probably stick around just for tonight to monitor Cat and himself as well as make sure Saiko doesn't wake, but he'd be gone by noon. Daily tasks were going to be a pain in the ass. So would be repairing that wall. It was a problem for tomorrow. For now, he laid on his stomach, willing himself into sleep. It was what he needed after the last few days he'd had.
Some Shi parts written by KatSin. (Mostly during the part Kashii was unconscious.)
