Lost & Found
Floating... Explosion… Falling...
She groaned inwardly, as she felt pain lance up her body. Her senses, though dull, became alive as she took in her surroundings. The ground beneath her was cold. She could hear the ripples of the water. Her eye opened adjusting to the darkness surrounding her. She saw the moon shining in the darkened skies. Her mind was still registering what had happened to her. She lay on the ground as she tried to collect her thoughts. A few minutes passed before she carefully forced herself to sit up.
Groggily she looked around her. She had landed on the banks of a large lake and was surrounded by forests. Her mind cleared a bit as she sat in silence taking in her new surroundings. Her memory was hazed, and she tried recalling how she had gotten here. She closed her eye and remembered an explosion but everything else seemed to be blank. Slowly she stood up. She lost her balance and stumbled, her legs remained numb and disjointed from the rest of her body. Slowly she took small steps on the ground trying to gain back the control in her legs.
After regaining the feeling back in her legs, she glanced around slowly wondering where she was. The setting seemed foreign to her. She groaned as her head pounded against her skull painfully. Her hand went up towards it and rested on a smooth surface. Fingers trailed the mask she wore. Memories shot through her mind, each more confusing than the other, causing her to stagger back from the assault. Several more minutes passed before her mind eased a little. She looked around again. Deciding that finding someone was her only option she proceeded to make her way into the woods in the hopes that there would be a path on the other side. She pushed past the branches as quietly as possible and kept her ears open for any unusual sounds. Half way into the woods her ears picked up talk. She stood silently as she listened wondering if the person was friend or foe.
"Stupid idiot, how could you forget the dagger," a gruff voice replied.
"I thought you would remember to bring it," another voice replied.
"Shush, I think he's coming. Give me the arrow," the gruff voice replied.
She bent down and felt the ground. Her hand touched a smooth surface, as did her other hand. She picked up the objects and waited. Despite the darkness she could see outlines of the figures in the moonlight. Still she relied on her hearing, as the rest of her body was still adjusting the area. The exchange led her to believe that it was an ambush of sorts.
She heard footsteps in the distance and heard the soft crunches of boots against the forest floor. Her ears sensed the direction of the two men and she focused as best she could and listened for the crossbow to be drawn back. The footsteps grew closer and she positioned herself towards the two unsuspecting men from behind. A wave of dizziness swept over her and she paused to get her bearings back. The pause had cost her a few seconds and she had to act quickly if she was to save a life. She screamed aloud in hopes of warning the-would be victim and threw the stones at the two men. The man with the crossbow spun around in shock from the scream. The stone hit his head and his fingers released his arrow towards her. She hadn't anticipated the move and tried to dodge the arrow. She yelled in pain as the arrow pierced her right shoulder. She went into shock as her body hit the ground. Her eye closed and soon she slipped into a state of unconsciousness.
--
Mikoto sat in silence waiting for her personal maid to assist her out of her kimono. She sat in quiet contemplation, her thoughts focusing on the current situation.
'My husband, if only you loved us,' she thought solemnly. The hurried knocks on her chambers stopped all her thoughts.
"Enter," Mikoto replied as she faced the door. It was Reiri, her handmaid. She had worn a light yellow yutaka with a white sash going across her waist. Her brown hair was strung up in a neat bun and her green eyes were filled with worry.
"Forgive me ojou-sama, but we found a boy in the waters," Reiri began hastily.
"A boy in the waters?" Mikoto asked curiously.
"He had been taken to the medic nins, but they sent him to the temple," Reiri replied.
Mikoto's eyebrows arched.
"But only the family can enter the temple, Mimosa would not permit any outsider to enter," Mikoto replied as she glanced at Reiri and looked at her curiously.
"Who is he?" Mikoto asked as she rose up from her seat and approached her handmaid.
Reiri paused for a moment.
"I did not see him highness, but those who have, claim that he resembles you," Reiri replied.
Mikoto felt her heart constrict and released the breath she had held back. She was filled with so many emotions, but she would not allow herself to believe until she had seen.
"Quickly Reiri, we must go to him," Mikoto replied as she gathered the sides of her gown and walked swiftly out the door. Reiri was at her heels. Mikoto's heart fluttered as each step brought her closer to the temple. Her mind swirled in excitement and dread all at once. She feared and hoped, wanted to cry and laugh all at once. So many emotions ran through her as her hopes escalated. Her pace slowed down as she entered the temple through one of the palace doors. The temple was adjoined to the palace, because only nobility attended. Reiri remained beside the door and Mikoto smiled at her before continuing in.
Mimosa stood at the entrance of the temple. The healer wore white priestess robes and stood waiting to usher her inside. Her black curly hair fell to her shoulders and was pulled back into a loose ponytail that trailed her back. Her blue eyes twinkled as she watched Mikoto approach her cautiously. Mikoto's hopes and fears reflected in her violet eyes. Mimosa smiled as she held out her hands and took Mikoto's. The two shared a hug before Mimosa guided the lady inside. They entered a dimly lit room. Mimosa smiled as she watched Mikoto slowly gasp at the sight on the bed. Mikoto fought to hold back her tears of joy, as she slowly made her way towards the still figure, unable to believe what she was seeing. Her hands shook slightly as she reached down and caressed the cheek of her most precious being. Tears slid down her cheeks as her feet gave way and she fell kneeling beside the bed. She wanted to hug and kiss him, but the bandage on his head prevented her from doing so.
"Mimosa," Mikoto called out as her gaze was fixed on the boy's face.
"He has a mild concussion. It will leave a nasty bruise, but that should be all. We thought he might catch the fever because he was found in the water, but there seems to be no signs of that," Mimosa replied. "I will leave you for now ojou-sama. Should you need my assistance call for me." Mikoto turned to smile at her friend.
"Thank you Mimosa." Mimosa smiled as she closed the door. Mikoto bent forward and placed a kiss on the boy's pale cheek.
"My little firefly, how you have grown," Mikoto whispered happily. "I promise we will always be together." Mikoto stroked back the raven locks.
--
She groaned and stiffened as pain went up and down her body. She felt something being pushed up to her lips and took in the drink offered to her. The drink tasted bitter and she almost spat it out.
"Drink lass I know it not be the nicest thing you ever had, but it's good for you," a soothing voice replied. She looked up and saw an older woman looking at her. The woman smiled softly revealing her not so white teeth. She wore her hair in a bun. Wrinkles lined her face but her soft gray eyes seemed to hold such love and compassion in them. The drink was finished as per the woman's instructions. The woman placed the cup aside and gently wiped her patient's mouth with a clean cloth. She waited patiently to hear the voice of her niece's savior. She blinked her eyes rapidly and waited a few minutes for the girl to speak. Finally she leaned over and looked down at the girl and smiled, as she realized she had fallen back to sleep. Smiling the old woman pulled up the covers and covered her charge.
"How is she?" Came a soft voice.
"She should heal well, bit of a bump on her head. Should go in time," the old woman replied, as she looked up at her niece.
"You got the mask off?" Her niece asked slightly stunned.
"She woke up while you went for supplies and I asked her to take the mask off."
"And she just took it off?" Her niece asked, as her eyebrows remained raised.
"With ease," the woman replied further stunning her niece.
Her niece frowned; she looked at the girl asleep on the bed. She noted with sadness the scars and the black patch on her left eye.
"She's been through a lot, this one has," the old woman replied softly. Silence passed between the two as each looked at the girl wondering what had happened to her.
"Here sit here, while I get some water," the old woman replied and got off her seat beside the bed. Her niece complied. The old woman pushed aside the curtain in the doorway and then pulled back the curtain in place leaving her niece to watch over their patient.
A finger gently traced the scars lined on the girl's face.
'What kind of monster would do this?' she wondered as she tried to imagine a man who would fit the description. She shuddered inwardly, as it reminded her of the situation she was once in.
'Perhaps her father, brother or some strange man,' she thought as she looked at the eye patch as well.
'Such a pity, she would have been a real beauty,' she thought as she looked at the girl and tried to picture her without the scars. Gently she looked beneath the patch and then put it back in place. Sighing she sat back and continued her watch over the girl in the hopes that she would be all right.
--
There was a dull pounding in his head. He fought the grogginess and tried to open his heavy eyelids. He could hear something buzzing; he focused on his hearing and realized that someone was humming. The soft hums of a lullaby filled his ears and he reveled in the feelings it gave him. His mind, despite the ache, seemed to be at peace while he listened to the sweet tunes of his childhood. The sudden pain to his head caused him to recall what had happened.
He had been helping Sakura in the gardens. He had sensed killing intent and turned only to have something crash onto his head. The last thing he saw before falling was a cloaked figure. 'Cloaked figure,' 'Injury,' 'Escape,' 'Hurt,' 'Pain,' 'Naruto,' were all the thoughts that went flying through his mind.
'Naruto', he thought as his body froze. The figure was going after his friend. He had to warn her before it was too late. He had to find her.
'Naruto,' that seemed to be the only thing sticking inside her mind.
"Naruto!" He shouted as he sat up abruptly, unaware of the presence beside him. He recoiled back from the pain in his head and leaned onto his side refusing to lie back down.
"Shh, my baby. You're safe now," came a soft calming voice. Sasuke was unable to register what was happening. He felt arms around him, cradling him, and heard soft whispers. The smell, the feeling, the hold was all so familiar to him. His mind stopped functioning as his breath caught in his throat. Slowly he lifted his head and looked at the woman who cradled him so lovingly. Sasuke's hands reached out towards the raven hair and gently touched it. Tears fell as he looked at the woman.
"A dream?" He voiced causing the woman to smile softly.
"No my little firefly," the woman replied tenderly as she stroked back the raven tresses of her son. Her pale hand rested on her son's cheek lovingly. "I promised we'd be together and destiny has brought you to me." Sasuke choked as threw himself into his mother's embrace and hugged her tightly not wanting to let go for fear of losing her again. Sobs wracked his body and he realized that he was finally reunited with his mother.
"Oh my precious baby, my darling. I missed you so much."
There was a knock on the door and Mimosa entered.
"My lady is everything all right? I heard a shout," Mimosa replied worriedly while smiling inwardly at the tearful mother/son reunion. Sasuke released his grip of his mother and looked at the healer.
"Naruto," Sasuke replied as he tried to gathered words for his thoughts. His brain seemed clogged up and the words came out slowly.
Mimosa and Mikoto looked at him curiously.
"Naruto? As in a fishcake?" Mimosa asked not understanding what the boy was trying to say.
Sasuke shook his head sideways.
"What is it darling?" Mikoto asked as she looked at her distressed son.
"Girl," Sasuke replied the words difficult to come by. The ache in his head grew.
"Was there a girl with you?" Mikoto asked and Sasuke nodded his head up and down.
"Mimosa was anyone else found?" Mikoto asked.
"No. But then no one thought it necessary to go looking for anybody else," Mimosa replied.
"Well tell the others to see if they can find this girl," Mikoto stated. "They will need to scour the woods."
Sasuke felt the room spin as he tried to focus. He rested his head onto his mother's shoulder and soon succumbed to the exhaustion and pain.
"Sasuke," Mikoto replied worriedly as her son collapsed in her arms.
Mimosa was by her lady's side and checked on him. She let out a sigh of relief.
"He will be all right," Mimosa replied. "He must not exert herself, I'll get him some medicine." Mimosa nodded to Mikoto before leaving.
Mikoto hugged her son and sighed deeply.
"Please be all right," she whispered as she thought of her son and the missing girl.
She hugged her son waiting patiently for Mimosa to return. A search party needed to be sent out before nightfall if there was any chance in finding the girl.
Silently the lady prayed to whomever was listening in the hopes that her son is spared of any more tragedies.
--
Kushina sat in the communications room. The conversation had ended an hour ago, yet she remained in the room taking in the information that her husband's sensei had given her.
'Oh sweet Kami, thank you for protecting him,' she thought softly as she wiped away the tears from her face.
She shuddered as she thought about the assassination attempt on her beloved. Luckily he had refrained from taking his leisurely stroll in the woods that night. The rest of the details faded away, as the word 'failed assassination attempt' kept on repeating in her mind.
'How many attempts have there been?' she wondered absently. Her heart held her in contempt as she realized that this would have never happened if she had accepted him back. She placed a hand on her forehead and rubbed her temples slowly.
'You cannot do this,' her mind shouted. 'You need him, as he needs you.'
"I know," Kushina replied softly. She rose from her seat and sighed deeply. Her mother had warned her when she was younger about love, but she had chosen this life. Her stubbornness led her to lead this life. What did her parents know? It was her life to live and now she wondered how her life would have been had she chosen a different path. She stopped her thoughts.
'There is no point in living in the what if's of life. You chose this you deal with it,' she replied as her resolve hardened.
'Beloved,' she sighed as she yearned for him. 'It hurts to be so alone,' her heart felt so empty. Her friends had their loved ones and their children. Her shinobi had each other and their families, and she... she had all of the them, yet no one at all. No one who would truly understand her; there was no one whom she could talk to casually. Her shinobi perceived her as their lady, her friends could only offer sympathy and that was something she didn't want.
She took a deep breath and pushed aside her tears and buried her feelings deep inside. To top all of that all her shinobi had found nothing but debris of the city Remoras. There were no chances of any survivors. Luckily the city was uninhabitable. She thanked Kami inwardly for small blessings.
Edited: Sep. 18, 08