Ok people. This is where my fun starts. We're finally getting into the war and all the action is now starting to take place. Prepare for yourself for non-stop action, conspiracy, love, hate, death, and terror. I've also included a small lemon in this chapter. It's nothing special. Just there.
Speaking of those. There will be plenty of them for all fans of any pairing to enjoy through out the entire story.
Now please sit back and enjoy chapter 7, The Escape from Yashimou.
Mitch and Naruto were standing on the water at the hot springs. The same place Naruto had met the late Jiraiya. Mitch seemed to be walking carefully, it was obvious he just got the water walking down. The day was warm for October. So Mitch could practice without the fear of catching a cold. It was ironic to the two that only Naruto was immune to ordinary viruses and disease. The blond walked on the water like it was no diffrent than solid ground. When he felt a little more comfortable, Mitch stood up straight. It had been three day's since he mastered tree climbing, he could feel his control becoming more developed. He had no doubt that Ryusuke was somehow behind his fast development but he couldn't complain. The faster he learned something the faster he could move on to the next.
"How you holding up" asked Naruto. Mitch gave him a thumbs up and started to walk around to get a feel for the way the water moved beneath his feet. "They definately didn't teach me this in the military" he laughed. "Might have come in handy one day." The two men started to get to know each other a little more recently. After Naruto found out about his training, his interest peaked. Slowly over the month it fell into a friendship. Naruto smirked and snuck up behind him. He used his left foot to push in the back of Mitch's right knee causing him to lose focus and fall into the hot water. Though the temperature didn't bother him, he didn't exactly like falling in. Mitch flew up out of the water with his right fist cocked back. Naruto laughed and caught his forearm when the fist came forward. He spun Mitch around and made him lose his footing on the water again. Mitch's face hit the water but Naruto kept spinning him so it kicked up a wave.
"Your going to have to try harder to land a punch on me" Naruto said. Mitch grumbled and laid floating in the water. Naruto said nothing as he laid down in it as well. "How did the mission go?"
"Like as planned" Naruto responded. Mitch grunted but it was to hide a laugh. "At least you don't get into the gorey details." Naruto turned his head and smirked, "I wonder when she became so weird. She was so innocent as a child. Now she's like a blood drinking feind."
"Ok, she didn't really drink the blood right?" Naruto laughed, as Mitch grunted again. 'Hey, I'm not catching a disease from kissing her when bloods been all up in her mouth. Fuck that.' Naruto chuckled again and rolled around in the water, giggling when he came up for air. "Your like a little kid" Mitch laughed. "Under that cold hard killer exterior, but on the inside is this energetic bursting little kid. It's really hilarious really." Mitch backflipped in the water and applied chakra to his feet and jumped back up ontop of the water. He walked to the edge of the pool and stepped out. "I got work man, I'll catch you later."
Naruto nodded and stood up, "I'm hanging with Sasuke at the Akimichi's resturant. Want to come by later?"
"As much as I love Sasuke, I'll pass."
"Why do you hate him so much?" Mitch smirked and started to walk off. "Me and emo kids don't get along so well." Naruto cocked his eyebrows at what he said. Then when he came back to his senses, Mitch was gone.
"I wonder if Baa-chan feels this way when we disappear? That's kind of annoying." He stood up in the water and flickered away.
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Sakura pulled off her elastic gloves and threw them in the trash. She stepped on a small pedal and water came out of the faucet. It was another long shift at the hospital. Another nurse named Senia came next to her and followed the same process. "If I have to re-attach another damn body part because somebody over does they're training, I'm going to but it back on, and tear the fucker back off" Sakura hissed. "Do you realize how many of these people are EAU? They're gonna permanently destroy themselves from this training" Senia pointed out. They both dried they're hands and walked out into the hallway and up to the nurses desk.
"So how's the boyfriend" asked Senia. Sakura smiled. "We're doing great. He's still living with me from the Iwa attack."
"So you have a live in bitch huh?"
"Something like that" Sakura said with a small smile. They delivered they're reports on the operation and returned to they're desks. Sakura had been in the hospital for about nine hours. She looked at the clock and sighed. "Two more hours" she sighed. She ran her hand through her hair as she leaned back in the seat. Senia smirked and looked out the window. "I hope you know that your flower boy is here. He's in the courtyard."
Sakura leapt from her chair and to the window. There he was outside in the courtyard trying to replant some flowers. He was obviously grumbling to himself. She tore open the window and jumped down into the courtyard. Applying chakra to her feet she landed silently behind him. She snuck close to him. She was within three feet when he cursed. "Stupid fucking plants! Why did I get a job as a stupid flower boy. What was I? Stupid? By the way, nice try babe."
"How did you know I was here?"
"I live with you. I know when your sneaking" he said. He turned around smiled at her. "How are you?" Sakura walked over and kneeled next to him. "I'm excellent" she said then gave him a small kiss. "And you seem frustrated."
"Me? Never! Plant's are my specialty!"
"Only if the flowers are shotgun buckshot" she said sarcastically. "Oh, someones educated" he responded rolling his eyes. "But true. Although, a slug is better." Sakura smiled and sat down. "Need help?"
"Please?"
They both kissed and went back to the flowers. She tried to show him the proper way to set it in and make it look pretty. The key word was tried, because Mitch's specialty at gardening was digging holes. When Sakura pointed that out and that it had to be a guy thing, Mitch smirked and started to dig a hole, kicking up dirt on to her. "Baka" she yelled and pushed him. He responded by pushing himself ontop of her.
From the top story window the Hokage watched as they rolled around laughing. Shizune stood next to her holding onto Ton-Ton. "Aw, young love" the Godaime mewed. Shizune nodded with a small smile. "They certainly have something" she said. Tsunade looked at her eldest apprentice with a sad smile. No one had known about Shizune sides relationship with Kakashi. It was the worst day in Shizune's life. After Madara's attack, she was working on patients in a medvac tent outside the village. Kakashi had been sent in, missing his left arm, left eye tore from it's socket, replaced with a bit of broken wood.
"I've been thinking Shizune. I want your opinion." Shizune nodded. "I've really taken to mind what Sasuke talked to me about the night after Iwa's attack. Mitch would be the best for protecting the stone. He's a civilian and least noticable leaving the village. But should I separate them. It's the only reason it's taken me so long. I can't decide this on my own."
"No. You shouldn't. But don't let your personal feelings get in the way. Your Hokage. You need to do what's right for the village. Not you." Tsunade sighed and watched the two go back to gardening. 'I need to talk to Naruto.'
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Click.....chink! The bullet flew out of the chamber and into Mitch's hand. He reached over, poured himself another saucer of sake and downed it. Setting the bullet back in the weapon and cocking it. The conversation forty five minutes before then still playing through his mind.
"I bet your wondering why I called you in here tonight" asked Tsunade. Mitch nodded. "I need something done."
Mitch took another drink. Mitch sat down infront of her desk and tried his best to stay attentive. He studdied the Hokage's face and didn't like where this conversation was headed. "I need that stone out of the village but in someone's hand I can trust."
"You want that to be me?" He caught the bullet again. Sighing, he took a chug from the bottle. "Yes. Your the only one with the knowledge of the stone on a civilian level. I know your can provide the perfect protection." Mitch sighed.
"You'll pick a place and move there until I deem the stone safe to be inside the village walls."
"How long with that be?"
"Undisclosed."
The bullet landed in his palm but his fingers closed late. Still a catch. He looked around the dark living room and wiped the sweat from his brow, then took another drink. "What abo-?"
"When she isn't on a misson or busy she will permitted to visit you. She can't come often, I'm sure Iwa spies are everywhere. I can't risk that stone. I can't risk Konoha's saftey."
Mitch looked at her. It wasn't a glare just a stare.
Another catch, another drink.
"I understand."
The bullet hit the floor and bounced once on the carpet. Mitch stared down at it. "Fuck" he muttered and leaned back on the couch.
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"I had a talk with Tsunade tonight" Naruto said. Sasuke took a sip of his sake but said nothing. "She said you came up with a great idea last meeting. I have to say, it's pretty ingenious. It's better than keeping it in EAU's vault. This way even an invading force wont find it."
"What did you two come up with?"
"We're going to do it. She should be talking with Mitch right now about it. I'm sure he'll comply with the order. When the war is over or it's safe, he'll be allowed back." Naruto put his feet up on the booth to have them pushed off. "Hey! What gives?"
"You have to make room for me" Sakura's voice said. She came around the corner and set a new bottle of sake down on the table. "Drink up. On me."
"Don't mind if I do" Naruto said. The three poured they're drinks and downed them. The nurse let out a content sigh and sat back in her seat. "I definately needed that. Our EAU have been killing themselves all week training. It's just operation after operation." Sasuke smirked, "At least they're not delivering flowers." Sakura sent him a glare. "I'll have you know I think it's cute that a man like him does it." Naruto laughed, "Well he should start training for the mission Tsunade's got cooked up for him."
"What mission?"
"She's sending him away to lay low for awhile with the pendant. Just until the war cools down. She doesn't want the stone to be at risk" explained the blond. Sakura cocked an eye, "Isnt the stone under EAU protection?"
"I ok'd the mission an hour and a half ago. I believe it's the best thing to do in a time of war. Especially when it decides the outcome." Sakura didn't say anything. She shot him a glare and stood up from the table. Sasuke stood up but Naruto grabbed his arm. "Let her go. He leaves tomorrow." Sasuke nodded and sat back down. He never saw the look he recieved from Naruto.
Sakura stormed out of the bar and down the street. She couldn't believe what she just heard. They were sending him away? Just when things were going great for them. To say she was pissed was only the beginning of the raw fury pent up in her system. She needed something to beat, a plastic bag, a ball, a small child, anything to take away the fury. She walked up the wall to her apartment, she stepped on the balcony and opened the doorwall. Inside was pitch black, the only thing she could do was listen. Nothing. He was too quiet if he was home. The pinkette walked in and looked on the couch and found him looking at the ceiling with a bottle of alcohol to his side. "Hey" he said lowly. "How wasss the resst of your.....night?"
"Your very drunk" she stated. Mitch sat up and rubbed his face. "I noticed." He looked up at her concerned face and sighed. "Sorry." Sakura sat next to him and put a hand on his back. "I take it you heard?"
"Yeah" she said. Her eye's adjusted to the darkness and she saw the dismantled gun on the living room table. "Tsunade ssssaid wh-when your not on misssions you can come andvisit me." Sakura chuckled, "You know I will. You don't want to do this do you?" Mitch shook his head. "I'd rather shoot myself than leave." Sakura smiled, "When do you leave?"
"Morning."
"That doesn't give us much time" she said. Sakura's hands moved across his back and around to his chest. She pushed him over and crawled ontop of him, pushing her lips to his. His hands gripped her waist and bit her lip. Her hands moved down his chest onto his stomach. She deepened the kiss and pulled on the waistband of his pants. She smiled into kiss. "A couch is hardly the place for this" he said. Sakura smiled and pulled him by the collar of the shirt. He followed her, stumbling behind her in a drunk stupor. As Sakura ripped the door open, Mitch grabbed her around the stomach and lifted her shirt above her head. He leaned down and kissed her neck and collarbone. She turned around and removed his shirt as well. They kissed more and Mitch picked her up. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he carried her to the bed.
Mitch fell onto the bed so she was ontop of him. His fingers unhooked her bra and tossed it across the room. Her own hands were undoing both her pants and pulling down his. Mitch helped by pushing them down her legs with his feet. They're lips never parted as they rolled over, naked. Mitch used his knee's to spread her legs. Her hand grabbed his erection and put it in herself. They both groaned into they're kiss. Mitch thrusted in and out of her. His lips traveled down her neck and to her chest. He bit her left nipple, his other hand massaging her right breast. Sakura moaned and grabbed his hair, pulling him back up into her lips. After another minute of kissing they parted and started to breathe heavily. Sakura said his name softly into his ear and he nibbled on hers, making her shiver. Mitch started to pump in her harder until he felt the end coming. He grabbed her ass and squeezed. A moment later he came. His release made Sakura scream as her orgasm came. They collapsed next to eachother and kissed eachother again.
"I love you Mitch." He smiled and kissed her forehead. "And I love you Sakura."
Mitch laid his head on the pillow with a smile. In the back of his mind, he thought he heard something. It was faint. Like someone screaming down the street. A scream that said-
No
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Sakura never felt so awkward when someone left on a mission. Maybe it was because it was her boyfriend. Maybe it was because he wasn't even a shinobi and he was doing a mission that could mean the fate of the whole village. When he left, he had nothing but a bag, the stone, and a travelers cloak. He looked like a normal villager. She left him at the village gate with a long kiss and a promise to see him soon. He gave her a small wave as he walked north.
She walked down the streets not really knowing what to do with herself. She was pretty sure Naruto and Sasuke were out with hangovers from the night before and were probably still asleep. Ino was probably working, so that only left....
"Why are you here" asked Tsunade. Sakura shuffled her feet. "Um..I'm bored."
"It's only been three and a half minutes since he left. Don't tell me your that dependent?" Sakura shrugged. "Well since your here, you can help me with my paperwork." The medic sighed and sat next to the Hokage and started flipping through the files. "I took an extra security measure on the stone."
"What was that" Sakura asked. Tsunade smiled, "I put it in him, surgically of course. About an hour before he left."
"Where is it?"
"The base of his skull. If people find it, it wont be fatal if they remove it. See, I think of you all the time." The Godaime handed her a file and Sakura skimmed it. It was a fairly basic procedure. A quick incision and slide it in. "His long hair should help hide the small bump" she said. Tsunade nodded and stamped a few files. "By the way, that fact never leaves the room. I did it so it appears he doesn't have it." Sakura picked up a stack of papers and looked through them. They had battle plans that the council had run buy, a whole stack of missions for ninja, ANBU, and EAU. "When do we get to go on these?"
"When the council approves them. We're basically waiting for Akatsuki to finish they're job."
Sakura read the hit and runs, assassinations, infiltrations, and full on assaults. They even had a deck of fifty two, the Tsuchikage obviously the ace of spades. She set the files to the corner of the desk and started looking over tax refunds and insurance payrolls. The pinkette rolled her eye's. Why did Naruto want this job? A bundle of energy like him, sitting at a desk? The world was getting more depressing everyday. "Can we start drinking" Sakura asked after half an hour. Tsunade's eye's widened. "Sakura! Do you think that's all I ever do? Drink?"
"Yeah."
"...."
They stared at eachother for a moment before Tsunade shrugged. "Alright. It always makes the paperwork more entertaining." She opened a desk drawer and withdrew a bottle of her finest, her fist hit the top of the desk and a small compartment opened revealing four drinking cups. "No Hokage has ever been able to find out all the secrets of this desk" Tsunade said. "It's said to be a doomsday machine in it's own. But it gives me warm and cool sake so it's good by me."
The blond poured them both a glass and they sipped it together. "When does Akatsuki attack Iwa?"
"Tomorrow. Well that's the plan. Hopefully it all goes to plan. If it doesn't, Akatsuki is getting a little visit from you, Naruto, and Sasuke."
"Sounds like fun. Can we do it anyway? You know I don't like those guys." Tsunade laughed and took a drink. "That's a great possibility, if Iwa weakens they're forces enough, I'm having a team go in and kill the rest. Akatsuki is too dangerous to have around. Who know's if they're going to end up going after the tailed beasts again."
Sakura evened out a stack of papers but she obviously wanted to ask a question. Tsunade pondered why she held her tongue. "You know Sakura, this is the first time you and me have spent anytime together since you returned."
"True it has."
"How bout we take time out from the unnecessary paperwork and have a little spar? You and me, like the good old days."
"As I recall" Sakura said with a coy smile. "Your idea of a spar was taking out the effects from menopause out on me." Tsunade's eye's dangerously narrowed. The tension quickly tightened. The rogue lion was taking on the packs lioness. In modern day society, that means, Bitch your going down. They're eye's never left eachother's as they stood and walked calmly out of the door. Shizune, who was at the desk outside froze as soon as they came through. "Cancel all appointments Shizune. I have to teach this bitch a lesson."
"Bring it hag" the younger woman said as the walked to the nearest training fields. The village seemed to part away from them as they marched through the streets. Children were crying as they're parents covered they're eyes. Cat's chased dogs, it was pandamonium throughout Konohagakure. Sakura smirked when they stopped in the middle of the training field. She slipped her hands in her kunai pouch and retrieved her black fingerless gloves and slid them on. Tsunade cracked her knuckles as she watched the EAU. She bit her lip and cracked her neck to get the kinks out. After a contented sigh and a loose feeling, she got into a battle stance. "Terms?"
"Anything goes" Sakura said stretching her arms out. The Hokage laughed, "I'll let you call it to give you a headstart."
"Why thank you shishou. Go!" Before Sakura finished saying the word four kunai were thrown and deflected. Sakura stepped back to avoid the shunshin punch that Tsunade was about to administer. Sakura smirked seeing that her sensei's style hadn't changed at all. Still a form of kick boxing, using just the feet and fists. In her travel's, Sakura picked up a few new styles to add to her taijutsu training. Tsunade came with a right hook but Sakura easily ducked under it and grabbed her arm. She flipped the Hokage over her back so she landed on hers. Sakura came down with a quick jab to the Godaime's throat but Tsunade caught the fist. She tried to crush the girls bones in her hand but Sakura pinned her upper arm down with her foot and pulled her fist from the older woman's. During the pull back, Tsunade jumped to her feet and tried to round house kick the pinkette but she blocked with her forearm. They both jumped back away from eachother, but when Tsunade landed she ducked to avoid the kunai swipe from a kage bunshin.
Tsunade pushed her foot back into the abdomen of the clone and it poofed from existance. 'She's gotten better' the blond thought as Sakura stared at her. The younger woman wasn't even breathing irregulary. Tsunade damned her old age and tried to make it appear she wasn't winded. That flop on the back really knocked the air out of her lungs. "Your going easy aren't you" asked Tsunade. Sakura didn't respond, only a small smirk played across her lips as she raised a finger. Her body exploded into pink sakura petals. The wind seemed to pick up and carry the flowers toward the Hokage. The petals started to circle around her and soon she was incased in hundreds of dancing flower petals. "What trick is this?" She raised her hands into a tiger seal. "Kai." Nothing. "Shit."
Sakura formed all around the Hokage. Like she was moving through the flowers at insane speeds than disappearing. The girl formed out of nothing and her fist collided with the older womans jaw. Then she disappeared back into the flowers. 'Damn it!' She was hit in the back, then the side, and front again. It all felt like it happened all at once. Tsunade doubled over and a fist caught her chin, sending her out of the flowers and into a tree. The petals formed back together into Sakura, looking like it never happened. There was a peice missing off her cheek so the Hokage could see the sick smile of teeth. But a petal fell into place, sealing it. Tsunade growled and ran forward. She put a large amount of chakra into her fist and threw it at the pinkette's face. Sakura was blown off her feet and she skidded across the ground, then poofed into smoke.
'Another bunshin? Damn you Naruto!' Tsunade leaned back as an uppercut from underground erupted. The Godaime spun around and grabbed another bunshin's arm and threw her into the clone that popped out of the ground. Tsunade pulled two kunai from her robes and spun them on her fingers before stabbing them back into two more clones. It didnt take her long until she noticed more clones were showing up. 'When was she able to make a clone? I had my eye's on her the whole time!' Tsuande cracked her neck again and shook out her fists. With a quick jump and drop, she smashed her fist into the ground, "Doton: Doryuso!" The result quake from her punch broke the ground around them. The confusion of the terrains transformation made the perfect distraction as clone after clone were impaled by earth spikes. Tsunade caught the sight of one backflipping onto a spike and bounding off. "Hit and run? Clever." Tsunade jumped down where the ground was uneven and put her back to the earth. She breathed heavily and swallowed. Her mouth was dry and the end of this fight wasn't in sight.
"You lose" said a voice in her ear. Tsunade gasped and looked down, she had a kunai to her neck and one to her kidney. She turned around and saw Sakura hanging out of the uneven earth. She had went underground again and used the vertical walls of earth as an exit point right behind her. "I guess the position of Hokage is up for grabs if you can beat me Sakura" Tsunade said slyly. Sakura scoffed, "Please, like I'd want your job. I'd be so full of wrinkles by the time I'm twenty five. I need to keep my face looking young for Mitch."
"Oh and fighting isn't stressful?"
"Nope, it's relaxing" the pinkette responded. She then helped the Hokage to her feet and they walked off to the tower.
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"That's real gross Naruto."
"Please stop! Your going to make me hurl!"
"Kind of cute in a way."
"That's screwed up Hinata!"
Naruto giggled as he licked the beef from his ramen. Hinata laughed, Ino and Sasuke stared in horror. "It looks like you cut off a bad place" Ino said slightly cringing and hunched over.
"And your eating it" finished Sasuke. "Turn you on Teme?" Sasuke rolled his eye's and pushed his ramen away. His appetite gone. The blond laughed and stole the rest of his food. "No ramen goes to waste" he said. He gulped his own down and went to Sasuke's discarded bowl. Hinata smiled at the child like ways of her fiance. It was nice to have an outing like this with him. When they arrived Ino was already eating. They had no idea the girl had taken a liking to ramen. It was probably after she had rumaged through Naruto's head, a side affect of the most dangerous mind that ever graced Konoha. Sasuke had walked by and joined them. Naruto was finishing Sasuke's ramen when he felt himself being lifted out of his seat and set to the side. He looked over and saw Tsunade simply moving him. "You could have asked Baa-chan!"
"Pay attention to your surroundings brat! That's what I pay you for!"
"Touche" he mumbled. The flaps parted once more and Sakura walked in. "Well the gangs all here." She took the seat opposite of Hinata and leaned against the counter. Naruto set his bowl on the counter and smirked, "Were you two the ones making all that racket at the training grounds?"
"Possibly" Sakura said. Tsunade smiled, "Yeah, little Saku-chan sure as improved over the years." Sakura's eye's narrowed. "Call me that again I'll cut out your tongue."
"Ooo the sensitive side of her rear's its ugly forehead" Ino laughed. "That didn't make any sense" Sasuke pointed out. "So who won?" Tsunade growled at him and pointed toward the smiling Sakura. "She was toying with me the entire time. I'm sure of it."
"Your damn right I was!"
"Shannaro!"
"So did you see little Mitchy off on his mission this morning" asked Naruto trying his best to get on her nerves. Sakura nodded and ordered a pork ramen with hot green tea. "Where did he go" asked Sasuke.
"A small village to the north, Yashimou" the girl responded. "And as soon as we have no missions, I'm going to go see him."
"Does he have a place to stay? He will need a place."
"Just be sure it has extra sheet's and laundry detergent" laughed Naruto.
"Your dead, Naruto" yelled Sakura. She jumped up and slammed an empty bowl of ramen over his head. The china shattered and fell to the floor. Naruto smirked and tapped it head. "Hard as a rock!" Sakura smirked and cracked her knuckles. "I like breaking rocks" she growled. Ino chuckled, "It's true, Naruto. It's like her hobby." A small bead of sweat ran down his face as he looked at Hinata. His fiance giggled and took a sip of her drink. "Damn" he said. The next thing they heard was her fist hitting his face and him flying through the flaps of the entrance. "That takes care of that" the pinkette said while clapping her hands together. The rest of the resturaunt laughed except Sasuke. They didn't even notice he had left.
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Kira looked at the clock, "Only 9 am? This Kage job sucks." She looked at the letter that just came in and re-read it. "At least things are looking up." The map on the table in front of her had a pin through a small village in north fire country. It was a first place hit anyway. A small thump made Kira roll her eye's and go back to her paperwork. The window behind her shattered and a sword and head flew into the office. Kira looked down and her eye's lit up. "Oh this is new!" She pushed her seat back so it fell over, just as the window behind her shattered. A short haired man flew into the room and landed on her desk as she rolled to her feet. "Akatsuki" she growled when she saw his cloak.
She glanced behind her and saw her village was on fire. "Fuck" she grumbled. "I figured Konoha would hire you to do they're dirty work." The man looked at her but Kira felt a knee in her chest. She shot into the air and saw he was gone and below her. 'Shit he's fast!' She felt a foot hit her side, back, and mid-section all at once. While she was flying towards the wall, two punches collided with her face along with six stabs of a kunai. Her body slammed into the wall and fell to the ground. "Who are you" she asked as blood spilled from her mouth. "Names, Raigeki." Kira narrowed her eye's. She heard of him. Rumored to be faster than the Yondaime Hokage. From what she had experienced, it was true. Raigeki figured it was about time to eliminate the Tsuchikage when the door blew open. Raigeki didn't react in time as he felt something solid collide with his shoulder. He fell backward and out of the window. Whatever hit him was burning. It felt like his entire arm had fallen off. He looked up and saw a man standing in the window frame. He pointed something down at him and he pulled the trigger. Three loud booms came from the weapon and one hit Raigeki in the abdomen. He hit the ground with a scream. Raigeki grunted as he was picked up and thrown against a wall. The Iwa nin put a kunai to his throat and was about to kill him when Kisame's blade, Samehada came through his chest. The young nin looked at the end of the zanbatou with horrifed eye's as it ripped back out. The edges pulling most of his organs with it.
Raigeki started to go in and out of conciousness on his feet. "Oh kid" he heard Kisame's voice say. "What the hell happened to you?" The man responded too low for anyone to understand. Ao saw the hole in his shoulder and proceeded to check him over. His Byakugan came to life and he checked Raigeki's vitals. "He's fading. We need to pull him out. We can't afford to lose another." Kisame nodded and looked at the dead nin in the courtyard. "I think we caused enough damage. Let's pull out, our job is done." Ao nodded and flung Raigeki over his shoulder. As they sped off, Raigeki looked at the window of the tower and saw that man and the Tsuchikage. "Next time" he mouthed. "Your not getting away."
The village was in ruin. 10 minutes was all it took to decimate they're forces. Neji sighed as he dashed across the buildings to the rendezous. That's what Danzou had said. Decimate. Which meant that they didn't do that good of a job. They had lost Zetsu. He was on recon and popped up at the wrong place at the wrong time. His death was a fluke, nothing more. All in all, if it was a Konoha ANBU run they would have done well, but as Akatsuki, they had a reputation to uphold and they blew it. Iwa was stronger than previously thought. They had the advantage in numbers and strength. Neji slid through some mud and underneath the blown out section of Iwa's wall to avoid detection by the patrols. He ran to the foothills of the mountains, each step making him feel like the mission was incomplete. Danzou said that Konoha wanted Iwa annihilated. Blown away. A decimation was only a factor of one in ten. So Akatsuki took out 883 shinobi. Good but not good enough.
Neji slipped into a cave in the hills and instantly found a zanbatou at his throat. "Aren't we a little passed that at this point Kisame?" The blue man flashed his sharp teeth and chuckled. "I like to keep you on your toes." Neji rolled his non existant pupils and made his way into the cave. He stepped over Zetsu corpse and to wear Danzou and Ao were tending to the downed Raigeki. Suigetsu and Juugo were sitting on a rock, silent except for the slurp from Suigetsu's water bottle. Neji gave the guy a look. The once cocky assassin was now worthy of his title. He had grown up after a few years and rarely said a word to anyone except for Juugo. The oranged haired man had long since to control his bloodlust with the help of the Uchiha years back. It made Juugo and effective member of Akatsuki now that he could control his killing.
"Unless we pull those things out and seal the wounds, he's a goner" Ao said. Danzou pulled out a kunai and plunged it into the hole. Raigeki screamed and was flailing around but Kisame held him down. Danzou scooped the bullet out of his abdomen and Ao started to supply healing chakra to the wound. Raigeki took a large breath when the wound closed. "What the fuck was that?" Neji picked up the little peice of metal and studied it. "I have no idea" he said. "Is he going to make it?"
"He'll be fine" Danzou said.
'Good' Neji thought as he stared at Danzou. 'I need him.'
"We'll pull out and get to Amegakure" Kisame said. "We've done as much damage as we could without losing anymore men." Neji nodded and watched Kisame pick up Raigeki. A few moments later they were running back to Amegakure. Unknown to them a pair of eye's watched them. "Keep with them" said the female. "I want to make sure Danzou doesn't get into Raigeki's mind some how."
"Yeah, yeah" said the male. The woman grabbed his collar. "I didn't dig you out of your god damn hole so you can give me lip."
"Like I asked you to" he said as he walked away. He slipped his sythe onto his back and followed Akatsuki. The woman smirked and walked away. It was almost time.
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Kira groaned as the last of her wounds closed up. Anton watched the medic finish treating the woman's wounds and leave. "What was that?" Kira snorted and cracked her neck. "That was an attack from the mercenary group Akatsuki. Konoha must have hired them. I should have seen it coming but I didn't think it would happen so soon."
"That man, he was so fast" Anton said. She gave him a look. "Tell me about it. He hit me eleven times before I even hit the wall."
"I guess I can see why you need my weapons now. It's still a shame we don't have the stone."
Kira smirked, "Yeah...but I think I got the next best thing." She picked up a letter and handed it to him. "I can speak but I can't read" Anton said. She scoffed and took the letter from his hands and read it aloud.
"Tsuchikage. I know where you can find the man your looking for. He is in Yashimou, a small village in north fire country. There you will find Ishikano Ryusuke. He goes by the name Mitch Walsh. In exchange for him, I only demand one thing and it isn't physical. Meet me west of Yashimou in one week and I will deliver him to you."
"Well it seems they're willing to sell him out. He's obviously not that important to them."
"But he's important to us" Kira said. "Very important."
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Three day's of sitting in a room was all it took to snap. Three day's of staring at the ceiling. Waiting. Mitch felt awkward. Like his balance was off. He felt as though he was going to throw up. His sweat was cold. At the moment he was sitting on the bed of the hotel he got when he arrived in Yashimou. He laughed a little bit and laid back. Ryusuke had been silent for awhile and he was starting to wonder what the dark angel was up to.
Mitch had begun to expect an escape attempt. It's not like Ryusuke hadn't tried before. When he was seven, Ryusuke tried to force his way through the seal. Thanks to his father, the seal was resistant by itself to a forceful break out. The second time at age fifteen, Ryusuke tried a more subtle approach, he tried to slip through very slowly. He almost got away but Mitch was able to suppress and force him back into the seal. He wouldn't be suprised if Ryusuke found another possible way. Mitch stood up and stumbled into the bathroom. He looked like crap. He pushed the hair out of his eye's and frowned. One eye was Ryusuke's and half his mouth was turned into a sick grin. "Oh fuck me" Mitch whispered as he stared into his opposites eye. He felt like someone kicked him in the stomach suddenly. Crying out in pain he fell to his knee's.
"See, a little subtle tinkering with the seal is all it takes." Mitch realized that it was coming from his own mouth. "How were you able to touch the seal?"
"Oh little Mitchy, I'm not telling you my secrets. That would be way too easy for you." Ryusuke laughed and Mitch struggled to his feet despite the pain. He only made outside of the bathroom before falling to the floor again. "You see boy, no seal to contain something of my power is perfect. It may take time but it can be broken in time. These chains that hold my physical body in place are corroding. I'll be free in a matter of minutes and you will be dead. I'll be happy to drag your soul to hell when I'm out. It'll be a nice last bonding experience for the two of us!"
Mitch tried to scream but his voice wasn't responding. He crawled towards the door but when he reached up to pull it open, he collapsed to the floor. His eye's shut and it felt like he was falling into a pit of darkness. When he opened his eye's he realized where he was and jumped to his feet. The only light source was from what was like a hole in the blackened sky and white light shown down on Ryusuke. He was wrapped in barbed wire and the chains were connected to the darkness. The angel smirked when they made eye contact. Despite how he looks on the outside, Ryusuke looked completely diffrent in his physical body. His face was deathly pale with cracks in it. His hair was black and medium length. It was standing up and spiked. He had fangs, claws, and two multi colored wings which were wrapped tightly.
"So nice of you to join me" he said. Mitch said nothing but just stood there and stared at him. Ryusuke smirked and tucked at his bonds. Mitch grabbed his stomach in pain and doubled over. Ryusuke's arm was covered in dark chakra and with a yell, he disconnected the chain from the darkness. Mitch's eye's went wide as the angel used the chain like a whip and caught his leg. Ryusuke pulled back sending Mitch flying into the darkness. Ryusuke took the moment to drop the chain and attempt to pull the other free. It was about to budge when Mitch formed out of the smoke like darkness and grabbed him around the head. Mitch forced his thumbs into Ryusuke's eyes. The angel yelled and tried to knock his hands away. "Nice try Ryusuke. But I'm afraid you wont be getting out today!" Black blood started to flow from Ryusuke's eye's then Mitch laid a punch straight to his temple. He slumped over onto the floor.
"I'm going to have to find a seal master after this mission. This attempt was way to close." He reconnected the chains the same way he did last time. A good yank pulling the chain's tighter to another higher link. Mitch smirked when he heard Ryusuke's arm snap from the tension. Afterwards he looked at the chains and found they were indeed corroded. "Hm, looks like we're either going to exchange them or pour some coke on them." His vision came onto the angel. He sighed and turned away. "I still need you Ryusuke. Please be patient. I know it's not been easy being locked up like this for twenty one years but please, be patient." Mitch vanished from his mind leaving Ryusuke behind. He raised his throbbing head, cursing the chains, making him weak enough to fall to a human's punch. "I'm running low on patience boy. We're not playing on your time, we're playing on mine."
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Sakura walked into her apartment and pulled the pin on her EAU mask. She peeled it off and examined it. Blood covered the right side in little splatters. She tried to wipe the blood away and she went into her room to change. She had just got back from her week long misson. They believed Iwa was going to attack three villages on the borders of the country. She had been given control of defending the southern border. Her and a platoon of EAU defended the border, but only had a few engagements with low ranking chuunin. She had just got home so she would have to ask Naruto and Sasuke about they're assignments. Mostly Sasuke. Who had control of the north. Sakura showered and walked into the living room and stopped.
"Sasuke?"
"Sakura....I'm so sorry" Sasuke lifted his right arm. In his hand, barrel first was a blood stained pistol. Sakura stared at the weapon for a moment, not realizing what it meant. Her eye's seemed to water up instantly and she yanked it from her hands. "What happened" she yelled as the tears rolled down her face. Sasuke sat on the couch and sighed. "It happened five day's after we arrived in Yashimou. We were attacked and I had to help Mitch make a run for it."
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Mitch watched the EAU jumping building to building on patrols. Something was obviously up. It was possibly because they were the first village on the north end of fire country. He sighed and picked up his pistol and tucked it into his pants. The plan was now to skip Yashimou and head into Grass country undetected. That was the original plan if his identity was comprimised or Yashimou was attacked. Skip to Grass country and play the refugee. He was halfway out the door when an explosion tore through the street, sending the window into the hotel room. Mitch grunted and he ran down the hallway. He broke through a door and jumped out the back window, landing in the ally. Pulling his cloak over his head, he ran down the back ally into the street. As he neared the end of the ally, an explosion rocked the hotel, shooting Mitch out of the ally into the street.
"Shit" he cursed as he quickly got to his feet and took off full speed. He was just about to reach the village gate when someone pulled off to the side between two burning homes. "They're waiting to kill all those escaping" came a voice. Mitch looked up and saw an EAU with a snake mask. "Sasuke? What are you doing here?"
"EAU's defending the north, west, and south ends of the country. I was assigned to the north." Mitch scoffed and pulled his arm from the Uchiha's grasp. "I know a way out. We'll get you to saftey, your my number one priority right now." Mitch nodded and followed him down the street. Iwa's forces definately outnumbered EAU but the assault units were living up to they're dreams. Mitch ran over the many corpses of dead Iwa nins. It was a complete massacre. EAU was definately something to be feared. They reached the north side of the village and Sasuke made a hole in the wall. Mitch made his way through it and took off north. He knew Sasuke was on his tail and he had excellent escort. Pumping chakra into his feet, he jumped and ran up a tree to stay clear of the forest floor.
Behind him, Sasuke's eye's widened as he followed. He was not aware Mitch was trained to use chakra. Last he heard, Mitch hadn't received any training. Sasuke took off after him and they ran for a few miles before he stopped Mitch in his tracks. "Somebodies out there" he said. Mitch nodded and silently crept forward. What he didn't expect was the solid punch to the back of the skull. His vision darkened as he collapsed to the ground in a heap.
Sasuke grunted and looked up to see three figures morph out of the forest. The first was woman, wearing a blue battle dress. She had swords and ninjato all over her body. Sasuke knew it was the new Tsuchikage. She had a reputation of ruthless kenjutsu expert. To her right was a man that stuck out. He was very tall, bald with a small beard on his chin. He wore a long leather trench coat with what seemed to be a dark red buisness suit underneath. On her left was ninja whose eye's were covered by they're headband. He was ghostly pale and wore pure black robes.
"You've brought him?" Sasuke nodded and pointed to him. "Who are you" the Tsuchikage asked.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
"Ah, a pleasure, I've heard alot about you, Uchiha. I'm the Godaime Tsuchikage, Ishikano Kira. Now for your end of the bargain, what do you want?" Sasuke pulled the pin on his helmet and took it off. "You are aware of the Kage summit's CR Protocol are you not?" Kira nodded.
"Well, the meeting for the CR Protocol to take on the Uchiha clan is coming up and he is currently in the way of me, getting what I want."
"Oh, he's got the girl you want to have your little Uchiha kiddies?" Sasuke nodded, "There's more to it but that's the main purpose. All I want is that if by some means, you take control of Konoha, invade, ect. I want her and my family safe. I know for a fact you have more power than you appear to."
"All the power to wipe Konoha off the map" smirked Kira.
"I just want safe passage, so my wife, family, and myself can restore the Uchiha clan."
"Deal" Kira said. "It's not like sparing one family will hinder any of my plans." She nods to the robed man next to her. He moves forward and lifts Mitch up to look at him. "Hai, it's him. No genjutsu." The man pulled Mitch to his knee's slapped his face slightly. Mitch shook his head as he came to. "What the fu-?" A punch from Kira sent Mitch spinning into a tree. He let out a small scream and tried to get up as he saw her approach again. "Hello cousin" she said as she kicked him in the jaw. His head snapped back and blood flew onto the tree's bark. Sasuke sighed and looked away. Kira dragged the barely conciouss Mitch back over to where everyone was and dropped him. She wiped some of his blood from her hands on her pants and took one last look at Sasuke. "Don't worry" she said. "You'll never see him alive again. Kira turned back to her cousin and reached down, grabbing him by the back of the neck. Everyone noticed her freeze when she gripped on the neck.
"Uchiha, where is the stone?"
"I have no idea. It was his mission to hide it."
Kira's mouth pulled into a full fledge smile. "He hid it quite well." She pulled him up to his knee's and pulled one of her ninjato's out. Leaning forward she whispered into his ear, "The stone is ours." Mitch seemed to snap out of his stupor and tried to force himself out of her grasp. "Sasuke" he yelled. He had been out for most of the time, being betrayed never even crossed his mind. "What are you doing?" Sasuke only stood there. Mitch looked from him to the grinning Kira. "No....Sasuke what the fuck!?" He struggled more against his captor but she held him tight. Kira took the ninjato and peirced the back of his neck. He let out a scream of pain and thrashed around. Blood ran down his neck and down his back. "I'm going to fucking kill you Sasuke!" The Tsuchikage wrenched the blade, scooping the stone out of the back of Mitch's neck.
Sasuke stared wide eyed at Mitch. The look Mitch gave him caused his veins to freeze. Soon, Mitch fell to the grass. Kira bent over and picked the blood staind pistol out of his pants. She held the stone and handed him the pistol. "Thanks again, Sasuke-kun for giving me what I need." The Uchiha seemed to unfreeze and pulled his Kusanagi from it's sheath. The man in the trench coat pulled another pistol and aimed it at him. The one in the black robes pulled his headband back to show he had no eyes, just empty pivots. Kira just smiled and held the pistol out to Sasuke. "Give it to her as a souvenier." The man in the black, scooped Mitch up and the trio disappeared back into the forrest, leaving Sasuke to stare down at the pistol.
'What have I done?'
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"There was nothing left of him" Sasuke finished. "Just a pile of blood and his weapon." Sakura paid no attention. She held the gun and sobbed into one of the couch pillows. It killed Sasuke to see her like that. It hurt him even more that he was the one that caused it. "Sakura...I-"
"Please Sa-Sasuke. Leave. I-I-I want t-to be alone!" The Uchiha nodded and stood up. In an instant he was gone. He had to tell the Hokage, Mitch was dead and Iwa had the stone. When he arrived he found Naruto standing by Tsunade's desk looking over maps and pointing out where engagement's on his part were. "Sasuke? When did you get back?"
"About half an hour ago" he said grimly. Naruto tilted his head and looked in Sasuke's eye's. "Where's Sakura?"
"She wont be joining us."
"Like hell, she's leader of the southern platoon" Tsunade said. He shook his head. "She wont be of any help and we have a bit of a bigger problem." Both nin looked at him. He was north leader. If it was bad it was bad.
"Mitch is dead and Iwa has the stone."
"What" Naruto said disbelievingly. "I tried to get him out of Yashimou! North to Grass country but it was only me and him, and we were ambushed by Ishikano Kira herself!" The other two realized why Sakura wouldn't be showing up. Sasuke must have went right to her. "Are you for sure he's dead" asked Tsunade.
"The biggest piece of him was the weapon he had. He jumped infront of the jutsu that would have killed me." That lie was the least Sasuke could do for Mitch after what happened. Naruto groaned and moved toward the door but he was stopped by someone grabbing his shoulder. He turned and saw the Hokage looking at him. She moved past him and out of the door. Tsunade knew more than anyone in the room at the time what it was like to lose someone that close during a war time. She would consul Sakura better than any of her teammates. Naruto shut the door behind her and sighed. "This puts a damper on things."
"Why wasn't I told that he knew how to use chakra?"
"Because Iruka and I have been training him for the past two months. He wanted to do it so he could suprise Sakura." Sasuke chest tightened with that statement. Never since he had defected had he felt so much guilt in what he did. If he could take it all back he would. But it was too late.
"I know, Sasuke."
"Know what?"
"Your true feelings for Sakura" Naruto said. "It must have hurt to have to tell her the news?" Sasuke nodded. Naruto smiled and walked over, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Give her time to get over it. Just be there for her and I'm sure she'll come around. Just be patient." The tightness in Sasuke's chest grew. He felt like he was suffocating. The rest of the time in the office was a blur. The next thing he that was going on was that he was walking in his front door. He stumbled into his bedroom and fell onto his bed.
And for the first time in years, Uchiha Sasuke cried.
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Knock knock
Sakura jumped at the sudden noise. She looked up and realized she had fallen asleep on the couch. Looking down at the pistol in her lap, she felt the tears come to her eye's again. The pinkette stood and walked to the door, still clutching onto the weapon. Not even looking through the peep hole she opened the door to see the Godaime. No words were exchanged as the Hokage shut the door and gave Sakura a reassuring smile. She broke down and wrapped her arms around the Kage. Sakura sobbed uncontrolably. Tsunade felt a few tears run down her face as well. She ran her hand through Sakura's hair and whispered that it was going to be ok.
Deep down inside, she knew she failed too.
Flashback
Tsunade stood next to the desk of Namikaze Minato as he stared at the brunette infront of him. The woman's eye's were puffy and red from crying. If Tsunade had paid attention she would have seen a few in Minato's. "I understand why your here" he said. The baby in Tsunade's arms cooed bringing her attention to him. She smiled and handed him her finger which he smiled and played with.
"I just need somewhere for him to be if it doesn't work. Do you understand?!"
"I do, Nakoya. I do" Minato said. He looked at the baby in Tsunade's arms and sighed. "Are you willing Tsunade?"
"I'll love him as my own." Nakoya smiled, "Thank you Tsunade. You have no idea how much this means to me." Tsunade tried her best to give her a threatening look. After all they were enemies from diffrent countries. But the woman had presented an opprotunity to Tsunade that she may never have again. "I'm only doing it for the child, Nakoya."
"That's more than I could as for." Minato smiled and stood up, hugging the woman. "For Ryusuke's sake, I hope you return."
"Me too, Minato-kun" with that said she disappeared leaving baby Ryusuke in the arms of Tsunade.
End Flashback
'She came back' Tsunade thought. 'Took her son with her.' She had long forgotten about the child until two months ago.
Flashback
"Alright alright, let's set this mystery aside. Who are you?"
"Mitch Walsh" he said with a small bow. "Son of Ishikano Nakoya, nephew of Tsuchikage Yusuke." Tsunade's eye's flashed red for a moment. "Did you say Nakoya?"
"Yeah, my mother had some stories about you" Mitch said smiling. Tsunade narrowed her eye's at him. "How is your mother these days?" All four saw him tense up. Mitch seemed to gulp and sigh. "I killed her eight years ago. Just like I did with the ones who killed my fiance and just like I killed the Tsuchikage."
End Flashback
'He came back on his own. I was so suprised when I saw him. One day a baby in my arms. A possible son to be. The next, infront of me twenty one years later, a fine man.'
The tears came to Tsunade's eye's and she was crying almost as hard as she. Soon they both fell asleep, too tired from crying to carry on the day.
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Naruto stood infront of the memorial stone and sighed. He wasn't a shinobi in the ranks. No matter what he did for Konoha his name would never be on the stone. For Naruto, that wasn't good enough. Something in some way had to be done. He thought of Sakura and Sasuke and smiled. After searching for an and a few kage bunshins later, a small rock, chisled into a square was in the grass at the memorial stones foot.
In Memory Of
That was all it said. In the end it wasn't about Mitch anymore, it was about all of the names on the stone. Kakashi, Kiba, Shikamaru, Sai, Chouji, Jiraiya. Naruto laughed a tiny bit as he put his hands behind his head and walked away from the stone.
No tears escaped his eye's because in the end it would be alright.
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A roaring applause woke him up. He jumped awake and found himself chained to a wall. Mitch grunted and tried to break free. There was no point, the chains were too tight. He looked around and saw he was in alone in a cell. On the other side of the bars were more cells, occupied with hundreds of people. Only he had one alone. Mitch grunted and tried to look out the only window in the cell. All he could see was Kira standing on a ledge of the her tower, holding the stone.
That thought made Mitch struggle against his chains. Iwa had the stone. Mitch knew that they would be coming for Ryusuke anytime now. If they had both, Konoha...no all the nations were doomed. He pulled on the chains and yelled.
He had to get out. He had to get the stone back. He had to get back to Sakura. And most importantly.
'Fuck Ishikano' he thought with a smirk on his face.
The next on his shit list was Uchiha Sasuke. And he was going to pay dearly.
Duh duh duuuuh. I bet you didn't see half that coming.
Ok, let me know what you think. Please R&R PLEASE PLEASE PlEaSE
Till next time,
Blood Rain
P.S. I will be trying to update the rest of my stories. For some reason I've got major writers block on all of them. They are not dead, They will be completed.
