Akanishi-san: Hmm...I think this story will end in 18 chapters. So much for long story, lol.
Chapter10
I don't know how much longer we fell. Not long. But the next thing I knew, we had stopped falling, and I had landed on something soft, and I felt Kakashi's arm hug me tightly. I blushed, but there was no time to think about that!
I scrambled up, Akagane still in my arms. I dropped Akagane the next moment, to see that I had landed on Kakashi. I fell next to him, looking to see if he was wounded. 'Of course he is!' I yelled at myself. I felt my hands trembling. We had fallen for a long time, and he cushioning my fall from all that, he could be…NO!
I heard soft breathing sounds coming from Kakashi, and I felt a little more relieved. He was okay…hopefully. I was about to heal him, but a sound of crushing noise caught my attention. I turned, looking for the source.
'Aki!' I heard Akagane yell.
I quickly brought my dagger out, staring at a…demon? What was it? It was a large bulky figure in the darkness, but when I brought chakra to my eyes, I saw what it was. It looked like a large…plant? Um…how do I explain this…Ahem.
All I saw was large tentacle like vines all whipping the air, slashing at Akagane, who was snarling at it. There were about 15 vines, and one tried to get Akagane. Scrambling to my feet, I lashed at the vine with my dagger. The vine seemed to scream with rage. The next thing I knew, it was attacking me! I quickly picked Akagane up, and leaped aside.
What was I to do? My head was panicking. As an anbu, I should be able to think and do everything. But that's not always the case. I mean, can you think properly when there is something you don't even know attacking you when there is someone you care hurt?
Wait. Someone I care? Arg. I must be losing my mind. I shook my head, and I looked around myself. The room we were in wasn't big, not big enough for Akagane to change into his larger form without crushing us. I cursed, thinking hard. What should I do? What can I do?
Another vine was now rushing towards us, and I was forced to let Akagane go when it grabbed him. "Akagane!" I yelled, trying to grab him before the vine could take him away. But another vine had snuck on me, and I felt it grab my legs. I was forced to the ground, and another vine was crawling on me, and was now wrapped around me, my arms bound. "Akagane!" I screamed on top of my lungs. Tears were coming out, but I didn't care! I didn't want another of my friends taken away.
I felt the vine crush me, and I yelled in agony. I saw Akagane was also tightly wrapped up with a vine, trying to bit his way out. The dragon's teeth seemed to have some affect; the vine released him for a moment. But another vine had clamped the dragon's mouth shut, another holding his tail that had tried to lash at the vines.
It seemed that we were done for. There was nothing I could do, and neither could Akagane. Kakashi…I knew was unconscious. I felt my eyes tearing up from pain physically and internally.
The vines kept closing its hold, and I was losing conscious. Maybe even to eternal sleep…I closed my eyes, not fighting back anymore. I had accepted death; there was nothing I can do…
Just when I was about to slip away from my conscious, I felt the vine let go of me, and I heard another wail of sound of anger. I felt an arm catch my fall, and I opened an eye wearily to see Kakashi, looking at me and at the vine as well. He was panting heavily, and he winced as he put me down.
"Thank you." I gasped, trying to take in much air as I could. The vines were suffocating me, and I tried to relieve my lungs. But…the vine gave no more than a split second of relief, for more than 5 of them rushed at us, and I saw Kakashi stand in front of me, and attack the vines. Was he…trying to protect me?
I stumbled to my feet, drawing a dagger once again. "Kakashi, you're…" hurt, I was going to say. But the vines tried to get me once again from the side, and I brought my arm to defend myself, knowing that it would only seize me once more.
I felt my arms scream at me, and I gasped as I felt my arms literally being ripped open. I felt blood dripping from my arm, and I looked at the horrifying vines. The edges were sharp now, and now…it looked more like claws. Deadly ones. I saw Kakashi look at me, his eyes wide in panic as well.
I closed my eyes tightly when I saw the vines leap at me once again, the point aiming at me. This was the end...There was nothing I could do…
I felt it wrap itself around me, and drop its weight on me. Was it trying to crush me to death again? My knees buckled, and I fell backwards, the vines still on me. I suddenly felt warm drops fall on my body, and I opened my eyes.
And I wished I hadn't. My eyes widened to see Kakashi on me, and on his back there was a large scar blood trickling out so fast, I thought he might die from blood loss…assuming he was still alive.
I still heard sharp intake of air, and that told me he was still alive. If only I could stop the vines for a moment, I can at least heal Kakashi to stop him from dying from blood loss! I heard a muffled growl, and I looked up to see that the vines were retreating, Akagane still in its vines.
"Aka…gane…that's what…they want." Kakashi gasped the words out, breathing heavily. "I think…fire would…do the trick…" He started to cough, blood coming out.
"Don't talk!" I almost yelled at him. I scrambled to my feet, and I reluctantly left Kakashi. I ran at the vines which were retreating with Akagane. I felt burning anger boil in my heart. I made symbols with my hand, my eyes fixed on the vines. "Katon Hou Tatsumaki no Jutsu!" I threw my arms at it, and from there, I felt fire leap, and I saw a large tornado shaped fire hit the vines.
I saw it release Akagane, and I caught him before he fell to the ground. I gently dropped him, and made more symbols. "Katon, gouriki senpu!" With that, I jumped and with a twist I kicked at the vine's core, sending fire.
True to his words, the fire engulfed the vines, and it screeched in pain. I felt my knees buckle, and I was on the ground, staring at the vines burn. 'Please let it end!' I kept yelling, I had no other strength to oppose it if it ever thought to attack again. My wish came true, and to my joy, I saw the vines drop to the ground, leaving black scorches on the ground.
I looked over to the right, and saw Akagane there, panting to catch his breath. Remembering Kakashi, I stood up groggily, forcing my legs to do as I wished. I ran to Kakashi, and kneeled next to him.
The wound on his back was large, 3 large lines tore his jounin jacket and his black shirt to shreds, drawing blood. With my trembling hands, I made myself focus on the wounds. Bringing chakra to my hands, I started to at least patch up the scar. I was trained as a medic for a while, and I knew the basics. But I had no strength to do a full healing for him.
I healed much as I could, and stopped the blood from flowing out. I sighed heavily, and leaned forward to check his breathing. He was breathing all right, but it was sharp intakes, and his eyes remained closed. 'Please…don't die…' I was crying again, and I grabbed his hand into mine, squeezing it hard.
'It wanted me…' A voice said, and I looked at Akagane, to see him behind me, looking at Kakashi. I glared at him to see that he was not wounded. I knew that this Lord man wanted the dragon, and he would not hurt it. But…all this occurrence left boiling anger, and I let it open.
"Why did you ever come to me!" I yelled, glaring at the dragon, tears still dropping. I knew that I didn't mean what I had said and that it was hurting Akagane. But my mouth kept moving on its own yelling at the red dragon. "Why! Because of you, my comrades have died, and now this!" I turned back to Kakashi, looking at his closed eye. "If you never came into my life…"
I heard a clatter noise behind me, and I whirled to see he was no longer there. There was a small hallway now I saw on the other side of the room. I heard the dragon's claws scrambling on the stone floor, running away from me.
I felt the tears still running. What was wrong with me? It wasn't his fault! My friends, and this…
"Aki…" A voice whispered, and I opened my eyes to see Kakashi. Behind his mask, I saw a small smile. How could he smile in this situation? "Go find him, I'll…be fine." He said, breathing heavily.
"But…" I didn't like the idea of leaving him. But I knew I couldn't carry him and that if I did, Akagane might get caught from the delay.
Kakashi brought a finger up to his lips. "Go." He said.
I squeezed his hand. "I'll come back soon as I can." I said. "Please don't die while I'm gone." I said, looking at him.
I heard a soft chuckle. "I won't." He replied. "Not when…I have to leave you. I'm not…going to let someone else take you."
At that moment, I only comprehended the words: I won't. and nothing else. I nodded, and with another tight squeeze and one last glance, I ran to where I had last heard Akagane go to.
"Akagane!" I yelled, running through the hallways. "Akagane!" Realizing that it might attract enemies, I yelled inside my head. 'Akagane! Pease, I'm sorry!' Akagane!'
"Be quiet." A soft female voice greeted me when I ran into a room with its door open. "You will wake the whole house."
I froze on my steps as I stared at a woman in front of myself. She looked aged, about 60 or so, but she radiated in beauty. She held a staff in one of her hands, and on the other, she held a glowing ball of white light. She wore a kimono like dress, and I frowned at it. The clothing she wore…it reminded me of traditional, OLD clothing used like…500 years ago.
Snapping out of my thoughts, I remembered what I was there for. "Have you seen a red dragon?" I asked, looking around the room. Then I realized…could she be an enemy? I turned to her, my hands ready for combat.
I saw her raise a hand after waving the small white light away, chuckling. "My dear, do I look like a fighter to you?" She asked. "No, I am a…what you call a Shaman." She spoke, her voice almost misty. "I can see things that others can not." She stepped towards me. "And…I see some around you."
I looked around frantically from those words. What? Ghosts? I looked back at the woman. "What are you talking about..." I was about to ask once again about Akagane.
But the woman had beaten me before I could speak more. She now had me paralyzed, my eyes wide, staring at her. From her mouth, the words hit me hard. "They are wearing your outfit, and it looks like they had passed away a week or so ago…3 men, and they tell me they are your friends."
My comrades…The comrades, my friends, who had died trying to protect the monk who had the egg…
Akanishi-san: Omg...so much OCC. lol. Sorry you guys...