Chapter 8: Hiroki: A Desperate Fight
We walked for several days. Along the way, Kakashi would still add to our training showing us how to detect enemies or avoid being caught. For some obscure reason, and to Kakashi's biggest relief, I mastered chakra concealment and hiding jutsu beyond all reasonable expectations. I could literally disappear and, even with his sharingan, Kakashi couldn't detect me. As soon as I would move, the technique would be dispelled, but if I chose the spot well, no one would ever find me. It was not useful in combat, but at least I wouldn't be a bother.
The mission went smoothly and the scroll arrived safely in the hand of its recipient. It is only on our way back that Kakashi started to feel something was wrong. We were not alone. He turned to me:
"Hiroki... now!"
It was our agreement. If anything ever happened, I was to hide and stay hidden no matter what happened. I knew that alone he could probably handle any strong opponent, but as a team, they would probably attack the weaker genins to get to him…
…and I was by far the weakest of us all.
I went back into the wood and jumped on a branch that seemed to be too fragile to hold a strongly built ninja, I hugged the tree barely breathing and waited there motionless and invisible.
There was an incredibly loud noise. The ground vibrated violently. I could feel it shaking the tree I was in. Everyone on the ground covered their ears and closed their eyes in pain. If I hadn't hugged the tree so strongly I would have done the same. It's only when the noise stopped that realised that it only had been a diversion. Taking advantage of the noise, two shinobi had sneaked behind and had taken Naruto and Sakura as hostages. I tried not to move, but I couldn't stop my eyes from widening looking at the kunai pressed on their throats. In front of them a tall man dressed in white walked from out of the trees holding an impressive spear with three points.
"Where is your third team member Kakashi, said the tall pale man. Did the child chicken out?" He laughed.
"Takashiro…"
It was Kakashi's only answer. His posture had straightened. This meant that the threat was serious. The three shinobi formed a triangle around him but kept their distance. They had the upper hand and knew it.
At least, they hadn't seen me.
I was right behind Takashiro. The loud sound had made everyone back up except me and the white shinobi had walked right between us. Strategically, it was the best position I could hold… that was, if I had known how to fight. Now I was condemned to watch the situation and pray kami for a happy ending.
But Kakashi wasn't going to let the worse happen, not without a violent fight. He slapped the ground with both hands.
"Doton: Doryūheki!"
A tall mud wall appeared from nowhere between Takashiro and him, isolating the two weaker shinobi from their leader. Kakashi turned back to them to get their attention, then started to run in their direction. Both shinobi tensed and noticed too late that this had all been a faint
"Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu!"
Gloved hands emerged from the mud and pulled the shinobi's legs into the ground up till their neck, the surprise forcing them to release their hostages. Two kage bunshin jumped out of the ground and exploded in smoke.
Kakashi jumped over the wall to get to the leader, but Takashiro spun his spear and planted it back to the ground, stomping. The ground vibrated again crushing the mud wall to pieces that were projected far behind Kakashi. They had originally been aimed at Sakura and Naruto, but the members of team 7 had swiftly escaped the projectiles that now fell on the heads of the two enemy shinobi at the back. Without even a second thought, the leader had killed his teammates… I couldn't help but wonder if they hadn't been slaves just like me to be so disposable to the eyes of the white man.
Kakashi threw a quick look behind. Naruto was fine. Sakura was slightly injured but in no real danger. He pushed his hitai-ate up over his forehead revealing the red sharingan and jumped at Takashiro.
The fight was like nothing I had ever seen before. Kakashi moved with a speed and an agility that were totally surreal. The only time I saw him truly defend himself was when he got out of the prison, but at that time, he had been tortured for days. This was on a whole other level. In prison he had used bare strength alone, now there was a finesse and precision to his moves that made it look as if what he was doing was out of this world; as easy as a child playing in a sandbox.
He tried to get an opening, but the shinobi wouldn't let him get close enough controlling the rocks as if they were part of him. Naruto shouted and jumped into the fight with an army of clones. Maybe overwhelmed in this way, there was a chance…
There was another loud noise. I held frantically to the tree hearing branches break and fall to the ground. All of Naruto's clones had been projected outward with a violence that made them explode one after the other. Naruto and Sakura had also been smashed to the trees and were left unconscious. Takashiro stomped again forcing Kakashi to release his grip on the ground and crash into anearby rock but the impact was immediately followed by a puff of white smoke as a log broke into pieces against the hard surface.
I was worthless, I should be on the ground with them, but I wouldn't be able to do anything…
"Where are you Hatake!" Takashiro said in frustration.
He wouldn't wait for Kakashi to make his move, he just pointed his spear at the unconscious body of Naruto and ran toward him. I couldn't watch this. I knew there was no way Kakashi would let Naruto die if he could avoid it, but I had never seen someone as strong and focused as the spearman before.
Only a few feet away from his target, Kakashi appeared and took the blow meant to kill Naruto in his abdomen… but this too was a ruse. Kakashi held the spear solidly into his own body looking at Takashiro darkly. He was in range now.
However, the white shinobi wouldn't let him keep his weapon so easily. He twisted it violently into the jōnin's body. There was a loud snap followed by a yelp. But both men were stubborn. Still holding the spear with his left hand, Kakashi brought his right to his face:
"Gōkakyū…"
Takahata was pushed away as a tall fireball rushed toward him. The blood had made the spear slippery and Kakashi had to let go. His body bent forward. He was panting heavily. When Takashiro had retreated a fair distance away he raised his spear again. One of the three points was gone.
"What a mistake, said the man in white. Now a part of my spear is in your body..."
Kakashi backed up and took his kunai, but before he could do anything the man's hand closed into a fist. Kakashi let out a loud gasp and fell on his knees.
"Now you see... Do you feel it? This is true pain, a pain so intense you'll beg me to shorten your life." The man rose his fist slowly. Kakashi growled but still glared furiously at him.
"You can do nothing about it. That little part of my spear that's inside you, it's slowly making its way to your heart… Now tell me, where is the third one?"
He did not utter a word.
"If it is this way then..."
The man clenched his fist tighter. Kakashi who was still holding on his knees collapsed further to the ground clenching his side. His eyes opened wide and then he started to cough blood. He tried to at least get back on his elbows, but failed.
"Where is she!" Takashiro shouted angrily, his fist was so tensed that his knuckles had become white and the veins were visible in his arm.
But Kakashi stayed silent, struggling on the ground in a pool of his own blood.
Blood.
This wasn't a kage bunshin, it would have dispelled already. He was truly dying in front of my eyes. I couldn't accept the idea of his death. There was a raging pain inside my chest, a mixture of panic and rage. I did not care what advantage I would give the enemy if I came out, I did not even care if I survived. I needed him so much, he had to survive this! Everyday, I was surrounded by the traces of his existence. Even when he wasn't around, I could feel him care for me through Tsunade sama, Iruka sensei, Naruto, Sakura… I also saw him care through so many tiny gestures like the fact that he could sense when the practice had been too hard and forced me out of the house to make sure I wouldn't spend my energy on chores or the fact that no matter where I fell asleep, I always woke up in my bed. Even his very absence, when you could read through his intentions, was a form of caring.
His death would crush me to the point that I wouldn't survive it.
But I had no plan to help him… no plan at all!
While Naruto had worked so hard to become a hokage and Sakura could have had a bright future as a medic, I was just a failure who couldn't throw a kunai. I would stay alive, and they would die, just in front of my eyes. Watching them die… that's what I was asked to do…
…and I…
…I would stay alive.
A soft rain fell over the tree leaves. I could remember the day just before he left, I could feel the warmth of his house, of the tea cup in my hands…
When that kind of moment comes again, you will have the same strength, the same courage and the same resourcefulness you had on that day…
Kakashi did believe in me. He could have kicked me out of team 7 when I started to underperform but he never did. He left me alone most of the time, but he never once implied that I should leave.
Trust me, you are a shinobi, everyone acknowledges it…
The spark in his eyes when I received my hitai-ate right before we left, it was pride… he had thought I deserved it.
I looked at the ground.
Kakashi's breath was becoming more and more difficult, the pain was unbearable as the chakra enhanced point slowly moved toward his heart. He collapsed in the mud holding his chest, his body folded in two.
"Kakashi! Tell me where she is!"
"Ther… There's… no one else…" he answered chocking in his own blood.
My chest felt heavy. I forced myself to stay silent but I only wanted to cry. I couldn't live without him! My breath started to feel like small sobs as I watched his agony right in front of me. He did not deserve to end like this. He was so caring, not just for me but also for Sakura and Naruto… and now he was going away protecting my worthless life…
I still remembered the feeling of his warm hand on my cheek.
Just trust me… I won't let anything happen to you.
I felt what I thought were tears running on my cheek, but as I wiped them, I realized they were blood. I probably wouldn't achieve anything by getting into that fight, but at least I'd die trying…
…or maybe not…
Fear gripped me, pulsing inside my chest and spreading outwards. I was slowly going numb. I didn't want to die either. I just wanted to be safe in Konoha again, eating ramen, training or even washing dirty sewers. I wanted to hear Sakura gossiping about guys, I wanted to listen to Naruto complaining all the time, I wanted Kakashi's hand in my hair looking at me with this happy smile that reached his lone storm grey eye… I had been so happy but it seemed it was already over…
…and I had no clue of what to do.
I remembered Iruka sensei's words…
Listen to your instincts and you'll be fine.
There was no point in watching all of this from afar. No matter if I'd die or not, I'd lose it all…
I let go of the tree and fell to the ground.
::
Yep! I am cutting the chapter there.
I know, I am mean! XD
Hope you liked it. Please R&R!
