Chapter 4 – The Value of a Colleague

I get it now Sasuke…

Do it…

What's wrong?

Do it…

You're a person. But most importantly, you are a ninja…

Do it…

Sasuke?

Do it…

What are you doing there!

Do it…

Sasuke was startled awake, his breathing heavy and his eyes wide open in shock. He quickly tried to reassess his dream, contemplating on what he heard from it.

"Argh… That dream again." cursed Sasuke. He looked beside him to see if Sakon was still there. The sleeping mat the child slept on had been folded neatly on the closet and the sliding door was slightly ajar. "Oh right… He's gonna train with Yukimura today…" sighed Sasuke as he dressed on his usual gear and left his room.

At a mountainous near the Takeda Camp

"Yukimura huff wait!" yelled Sakon to Yukimura, trying his best to keep up with the teen. It was still hours before sunrise but Yukimura had dragged Sakon from his sleep for their special training.

"Come on! We won't reach the top in time for breakfast if you're that slow!" answered Yukimura.

"Showoff…" thought Sakon.

Yukimura sped up his jogging until he was completely our of Sakon's sight.

"Gah, Yukimura!!" shouted Sakon but Yukimura didn't answer back. He fell on his knees, overcome by exhaustion. "Maybe just a minute…" groaned Sakon as he desperately gasped for precious air.

"Hey kid!" yelled a voice behind Sakon. He turned to see who it was, spotting Sasuke sitting atop a tree branch. "You know, Yukimura's not kidding. At that rate you'll be lucky to make it to lunch." laughed Sasuke.

"And your jokes will help how?" retorted Sakon.

"Relax… here." said Sasuke, tossing a water bag at the ground. "Better hurry it up kid!" smiled Sasuke as he vanished into the thick foliage behind him.

Sakon grabbed the water bag and drank from it voraciously. He finished up the contents and continued his jog for the summit. A few more hours of intense running, Sakon had managed to reach the top. He saw Yukimura resting on a rock, a blade of grass in his mouth.

"huff Made it… huff at last…" said Sakon, his body and dress drenched in sweat.

"What took you so long? I thought you'll never make it!" asked Yukimura, a bored look drawn in his face.

Sakon resisted the urge to lunge at Yukimura and land a few punches at him. He merely sat down on the ground and rested.

"Oh that reminds me… Sasuke came by earlier. He asked me to carry you back to camp." said Yukimura as he stood up and approached Sakon extending his hand to the child.

"Thanks… That's very kind of you." smiled Sakon as he accepted Yukimura's hand and climbed behind his back.

"I can't blame him. I mean, we'd both miss breakfast if I slowed down to wait for you…" explained Yukimura.

"Gee, thanks for the concern…" said Sakon sarcastically. Yukimura started down towards camp.

"Hang on Sakon!" signaled Yukimura as he sped up his running, leaving a thick trail of dust behind him and Sakon.

"Ahhh!!" shouted Sakon as he almost lost his grip of Yukimura at the sudden boost of speed. He clung to Yukimura as if his life depended on it and shut his eyes tightly. The force tugging him backwards was so strong he felt that his hands were gonna snap off his torso.

"We're here!" said Yukimura as he made a quick halt by grinding his heels against the ground. Sakon lost his grip from Yukimura's hand and he was sent flying towards a pile of rice sacks. Fortunately for him, the sacks had managed to cushion his fall. "Oops… Sorry about that." apologized Yukimura sheepishly.

Sakon emerged from the sacks, his hair disheveled and covered in rice grain. "Ugh… Remind me to refuse you next time you offer help." groaned Sakon as he made his way to the bath house.

Sakon scooped a pail of warm water from the spring and poured it over his head, washing away the dirt and rice grain from his short black hair. He scooped another pail and washed his face with it. A loud clanging of metals suddenly emanated outside the bath house.

"Breakfast is ready!" yelled a masculine voice outside the bath house.

After the man said those words, a sound similar to those of stampeding cattle rampaged outside. Sakon dared to peak to see what was the commotion. Immediately after he poked his head out, he was dragged away by a tide of soldiers, all of them looked very hungry and excited.

"Ahh! Please just let me through!" shouted Sakon trying his best not to get crushed by the crowd.

His pleas were in vain as the crowd surged forward, ignoring him completely. He felt something hit his foot and he lost his balance. He fell on flat on his face his newly washed face now dirty again. Sakon felt a jolt of pain from his left hand as one of the soldiers stepped on it. He wanted to withdraw it from under the soldier's foot, but it wouldn't budge under the older man's weight. He felt another surge of pain when another solider kicked his left rib. Another soldier stepped on Sakon's right foot. Sakon tried to stand up only to be tripped on by another soldier. The soldier fell on top of him his head hitting on the soldier's hard helm. The blow knocked him unconscious.

"SAKON!" yelled a voice above him. The last thing Sakon saw before he passed out was a black bird hovering above him, circling him as if a vulture waiting for a taste of his corpse.

Moments later…

"I told you to wait for him Yukimura! You know that this always happens in breakfast!" yelled Sasuke to Yukimura.

"I did wait for him!" replied Yukimura.

"You waited for him?! You were the first one to arrive at the table!" scolded Sasuke.

"Hey, just because you feel a need to protect him doesn't mean I have to!" reasoned Yukimura.

"He's part of the army Yukimura! Do you have any idea what will happen when Shingen finds out about this?! Shingen said that this kid has shown the most promise of all the students he's trained. Do you think he'll just let it go when he finds out that his priced student was killed in a stampede at the second day of his training?!" shouted Sasuke as he grabbed Yukimura by the collar.

Yukimura merely looked away from Sasuke, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Damn it Yukimura, being a soldier you of all people should know about thinking of others. We don't fight for ourselves Yukimura." said Sasuke. He let go of Yukimura's collar and left Yukimura.

He made his way towards the infirmary where Sakon was lying on one of the beds, his body covered in bruises and bandages. One of the medics was feeding him with some soup. He sat on one of the vacant beds beside Sakon.

"You took quite a beating there kid." smiled Sasuke trying to cheer child.

"I'm never eating breakfast ever again…" sighed Sakon as the medic finished feeding him and went away.

"Hahahaha! From now on you're eating breakfast with me!" laughed Sasuke. "It may be cold, but at least you're not risking breaking your bones." said Sasuke.

"The medic told me that you were the one who carried me here…" uttered Sakon, avoiding eye contact from the ninja.

"Well… We have to stick together right?" smiled Sasuke as he scratched his head.

"You know Sasuke… No one has ever been this nice to me. Not even my step parents. Not even my siblings. Not even my own master." frowned Sakon, a tear sliding from his eye and down to his cheek.

"Sakon… "whispered Sasuke.

"I can't help but feel that you expect something in return…" said Sakon.

Sasuke stood up and approached Sakon. He placed a hand on top of the child's head and rubbed it gently.

"I don't expect anything in return kid. My job is to look after you and keep you safe." smiled Sasuke.

Sakon lowered his head.

"I see… It's your job huh." said Sakon, his voice sounding very depressed.

"Something wrong?" asked Sasuke.

"Nothing… it's nothing…" replied Sakon.

Thanks YaoiHeillian for reviewing my fic. I hope that my fic will gain more readers like you. R&R please.