Author's note: AHH! SO LATE! I'm sorry guys! College is a pain in the butt and takes all my attention! You'll forgive me, right? I really am sorry!

Chapter Ten: How to Save a Life...

Izumo stared at the Fox, his eyes wide. Kakashi was covered in blood, his mask down and jaws dripping. He shook his head as he watched Hinata run away from the battle scene. A soft cry made him lift his head and stare at the little blonde in her arms. "Sensei...!" the boy was calling, reaching towards the man. Kakashi snarled and tried to go after them, but Izumo jumped on top of the Jinchuuriki.

Kakashi howled and bucked as well as a man could, but Izumo wouldn't let go. "Kotetsu, now!" He shouted. The other proctor nodded and swung his massive shell at Kakashi. Izumo lunged off just before the impact. A cloud of bugs came to cushion Kakashi's fall. They weren't trying to kill the Jinchuuriki.

Izumo spun around and stared at Shino. The bug boy nodded and his partner hurled himself at Kakashi. One of the massive chakra tails spun around, throwing the dog nin to the curb. Shino lunged and caught Kiba before he hit the tree. Izumo cursed as Kotetsu hurled himself into the battle. Kakashi grabbed the proctor by the throat and squeezed. Izumo narrowed his eyes and ran at Kakashi, only to be shrugged off by a chakra tail. He turned away as Kotetsu's gurgling reached his ears. Shino placed Kiba on the ground and the two Team Eight members nodded at one another. Izumo shook his head, praying they wouldn't try anything, but that was too much to ask for. Kiba crouched and Akamaru jumped on his back.

"Fang Over Fang-" Kiba shouted

"-Raging Swarm!" Shino finished as the two partners started their spin and a trail of bugs spiraled around the Fang Over Fang. Kakashi threw Kotetsu as the attack narrowed in on him. He attempted to lunge away from it, but the bugs moved to make a sort of wall between Kakashi and his escape. Izumo could hear them feasting on the visible chakra. The attack continued as Kiba and Akamaru both took turns slashing at their opponent. Kakashi slashed back, tails spinning wildly and eventually, he hit. Kiba was thrown out of the ring of bugs, Akamaru followed shortly after.

But that wasn't it. Izumo himself hadn't seen it coming. Shino lunged through his own bug shield and stabbed towards the Jinchuuriki. Kakashi howled as the kunai entered him. The Fox backed away hissing and spitting as the bugs receded. Izumo smiled. Those two could really work well together.

But Kakashi wasn't done. The creature was angry and Izumo knew that no one was going to win this fight except for Kakashi. "Kotetsu! Get the kids out of here!" He shouted over one of Kakashi's infuriated roars.

"You're kidding, right?" Kotetsu asked. He had the same thought Izumo did. No one man could take on Kakashi and win...especially a simple proctor from Ishi. Izumo shook his head.

"Just go! I'll hold him off as long as I can!"

"But..."

"I'll see you later, I promise!" Izumo snapped and turned away. End of conversation. Kotetsu squeaked, but did as he was told.

"You heard him! Let's go!" he shouted to Shino and Kiba. Both looked ready to argue, but Kotetsu silenced them with a shake of the head. The three took off, Akamaru right behind them.

Kakashi snarled and started going after them. Izumo shook his head and threw a rock at the Jinchuuriki. "You want blood, Kakashi?" he asked. The man narrowed his eyes. "Then take mine!"

Kakashi roared again and pounced towards Izumo. The proctor snarled and rolled out of the way, thrusting his weapon in the air as Kakashi hurled himself over him. Izumo shook his head and stared at the monster, hissing slightly as Kakashi landed, spitting mad at the steady blood flow from his arm. Izumo slowly stood up, but was instantly knocked back to the ground. Hissing in annoyance, he rolled, kicking Kakashi off of him as he did so. The Jinchuuriki landed on all fours, lifting his head in an inhuman howl.

The Fox lunged again, this time catching the proctor off guard. Izumo screamed as the claws raked through his arm. Pain spread throughout his entire body, making him quiver, but he managed to avoid the next swipe. He narrowed his eyes farther as Kakashi came again, this time too quickly for him to move. Claws tore through his clothing and into his chest. Izumo screamed and dropped to his knees, feeling his entire body shaking with pain and adrenalin. "Kakashi..." he gasped, holding his chest, trying but failing to stop the bleeding. His eyes rolled and he hardly felt himself being lifted.

He did however feel the impact with the ground. He whimpered and tried to roll away, but Kakashi was on top of him, digging his claws through his flesh. Izumo slowly began feeling sleep tug at his body. He struggled to stay awake. He promised Kotetsu he'd see him later... If only to say "good-bye."

The raking didn't slow and Izumo realized that he was going to die. Kakashi had torn through skin and muscle and soon he'd be ripping through his rib cage. The Kyuubi always liked to rip out the internal organs. He slowly closed his eyes and the attacks were no longer felt in his tired and confused mind.

A shout startled him awake and through clouded eyes, he noticed a man with brown hair tackling Kakashi to the ground. He gripped the Jinchuuriki around the throat in a sort of headlock and shoved a handful of what looked like herbs in Kakashi's face. Kakashi struggled, hissing and snarling, but the man held tight, almost choking him. Eventually, the struggling got weaker and soon, the man was able to release his grip as Kakashi dropped to the ground, panting, and the glow around him slowly faded, his eyes staring into nothing.

"You okay...?" the man asked. Izumo now could identify him as Iruka.

"Ye-yeah..." Izumo muttered. Iruka sighed and shook his head.

"I'll never understand him..." he muttered, staring at Kakashi.

"What... did you do to him...?" Izumo asked. He knew the answer, but his clouded mind couldn't wrap itself around it at the moment.

"The herbs... They have a calming effect... Oddly enough, they work on the Kyuubi for some reason... You know I always carry a bag with me... Especially when we go to war... The Kyuubi... It's triggered by the sight of blood. I'm surprised it took this Kakashi so easily. I thought this one would have more control than ours... But I guess he's just not used to having the Fox... And fighting the blood lust."

Izumo had stopped listening. He was staring at Kakashi. The man was panting and looked very confused. Like that, he could almost feel sorry for him. This man didn't ask for any of this. Everyone was beginning to understand that this wasn't the Kakashi they all knew and feared. This was a man from another world... And a man that might not have done anything wrong to deserve this. Izumo laid his head back down on the ground and stared at the sky.

Iruka sighed and walked over to Kakashi, shaking him a little. His glazed eyes slowly started having light to them. He turned to look at Izumo. "Oh, no..." he whispered. He scrambled over to the proctor and gently patted him. "You okay?" he asked. Izumo moaned in response. He held out his hand and Kakashi helped him to his feet. "Where are you going...?" he asked.

"Gotta...see Kotetsu..." Izumo gasped. He promised his friend that he would see him later. He stumbled forward and Kakashi caught him.

"Let me carry you... Please..." Kakashi muttered. Izumo knew he felt bad for what he did, but he couldn't allow Kakashi to carry him. Iruka trailed silently behind them. Izumo could hear his feet shuffling behind him. He knew well that Iruka never learned to pick his feet up. Izumo stumbled as he went, his eyes rolling. He could almost feel the guilt pulsing through Kakashi's body. As he stumbled forward he tried to figure out what he was going to say to Kotetsu. He had no idea how to tell him that he was going to die. Blood was pouring from him... There was no way he'd live.

He felt Kakashi's hand on his shoulder, steadying him... And Iruka's hand on his back in case he fell backward. Izumo just walked as if possessed. He didn't know where he was going anymore... All he knew was that he had to get there... And fast...

Kotetsu shook his head staring into the trees, praying his partner would appear. Kakashi killed him. That was all he could think about. Kiba and Shino were farther away, discussing things. Probably Kabuto... But Kotetsu was staring and praying. And then... His friend came stumbling into the area. "Izumo!" He shouted and ran towards him. He was shocked. The man was hardly recognizable as human anymore. Kakashi was covered in his blood and Iruka was standing between them, eyes warily watching Kotetsu. "What have you done?" Kotetsu growled.

"Please, Kotetsu... It's not his fault..." Iruka defended.

"I don't want to hear it! I'm sick of you always sticking up for him! Look what he's done!"

"It wasn't him!"

"Yeah yeah... It was the Kyuubi, wasn't it? The blasted Fox had nothing to do with it!" Iruka shook his head and began dragging Kakashi away. Kotetsu let them go and caught Izumo as he fell forward, eyes rolling.

"I...promised that...I would see... you later..." Izumo wheezed.

"Don't talk... We-we're gonna get you all fixed up, buddy..." Kotetsu muttered. He patted Izumo gently and lifted him, carrying him through the battlefield.

"I NEED A MEDIC!" he shouted as he ran. No one paid him any heed. "PLEASE!" he screamed. Still no one bothered to look up. "Hang in there..." he whispered to Izumo. The man merely nodded slowly and closed his eyes. "No! Stay awake!" Kotetsu snapped, but Izumo gave no sign of movement. "Somebody!"

He suddenly spotted a young boy stand up from healing one of his own. Kotetsu noted the headband... Sand. He cursed, but he needed someone now, Stone or Sand. He ran up to the boy. "Please! You have to help my friend!"

The child looked up and spotted the headbands. He shook his head. "I... I can't..." he muttered.

"Please! He's dying!"

"Fi-find a medic from Ishi..." The young medic muttered.

"I don't have time!" Kotetsu snapped. "If you don't help him, he will die!"

The young medic looked at Izumo, clearly conflicted between helping him and staying loyal to his village. Finally he nodded. "In medicine, there are no enemies... Just patients... Let's go." Kotetsu nodded and followed the young medic through the battle and into a cluster of trees. "Alright. Set him down..." Kotetsu did just that and then positioned himself at Izumo's head, setting it in his lap.

As gingerly as he could, he stroked his friend's hair. "You'll be okay..." he whispered, as much for his own comfort as it was for Izumo's. He watched as the young medic did his work, but to no avail. "He's going to be alright... Isn't he?" Kotetsu asked frantically. The medic didn't say anything. He just waved his hand dismissively and continued working on the proctor.

After what seemed like an eternity, the medic rocked back on his heel and sat down, staring at the proctor. "I... I've done all I can..." he muttered. Kotetsu stared at his friend. He was sleeping peacefully. He gently patted his friend on his shoulder.

"You'll be okay, alright?" he whispered. Looked at the boy, he smiled. "Thank you so much..." he muttered. The boy blushed slightly and nodded.

"N-no problem..." he stammered.

"You should probably get back to the war, huh?" The boy nodded. "I don't want to get you in trouble..."

"Why...?"

"Because you hel-"

"No..." the boy whispered. "Why is there so much fighting? What does Ishi want?"

Kotetsu sighed deeply and stared at the darkening sky. "Ishi wants freedom..." he muttered softly. The boy cocked his head. "We don't control who we fight... Or when... Or even what age our shinobi go into war... We have no control over anything... And, well... I think we want freedom."

"So... You're shedding blood... Over something you don't even believe in?"

Kotetsu turned his gaze back to his friend. Izumo's breathing was calm, but he still feared for his life. His mind flashed back to the sight of Kakashi... Covered in the blood of his enemies and comrades... He gently rubbed Izumo's uninjured shoulder. "Yeah... I guess we are..."

Kakashi stared up at the same sky Kotetsu found so interesting. The blood on his body felt stiff as it dried on him. He felt tainted... Disgusting. He was disgusted at himself. He didn't even want to think about it. Iruka was sitting a few feet away. He was staring at the battle, not at Kakashi. "Is it your mission to make my life miserable...?" Kakashi asked silently.

"I only seek to control your body and escape, Kit..." Was the answer. Kakashi jumped. He hadn't been expecting that.

"Then what was that?" Kakashi growled angrily.

"You are not my vessel, fool! Where is he?"

"How should I know? I want to know what in the world is going on here just as much as you do!"

"Well now... Aren't we snappy, brat?" The Kyuubi hissed. Kakashi shook his head and blocked out the Fox as much as he could, trying to ignore the hatred radiating throughout his body.

"We're losing..." Iruka muttered. Kakashi jumped and nodded slowly. He knew they would lose. This wasn't a surprise to him. "Someone's gotta tell them that we need to call the retreat..."

"Who usually tells them?" Kakashi asked.

"You do... They won't hurt you like they'll hurt the rest of us..."

Kakashi almost asked why, but he knew why. He was their secret weapon... He was the only reason they lasted this long. He sighed deeply and shook his head, trying not to narrow his eyes in anger. "Fine... I'll tell them..." he muttered and stood up.

Iruka nodded. "Alright. Good luck and don't lose your temper with them. They don't like it when you do that."

Kakashi merely shook his head and sighed as he stood up, willing his exhausted feet to move.

"I think he's waking up..." a voice asked. Female...

"Really?" another voice asked. Male...

"Yeah! So... How do you think we should do it?" the first voice asked excitedly.

"I don't know... Maybe we should do it quickly..." a third voice entered. Male.

"Oh, you're no fun! Orochimaru said to have fun with him! I say we tear him apart!" First voice.

"Oh that could be fun! Or we could drown him!" Second voice.

"Or tear him apart and drown him!" First voice.

"You two are terrible... Can we just kill him...?" Third voice.

Kabuto groaned and his eyes flickered opened, only to be met by none other than Kimimaro. He was looking down at Kabuto with sad eyes. A little ways off were Tayuya and Sakon. They were discussing ways to kill him. Kabuto tried to bolt up, but as he did so, a splitting headache forced him to the ground.

"Don't move... You've been drugged..." Kimimaro explained quietly, gently pushing Kabuto back to a lying position. The boy listened to his old partners as they discussed the ways they wanted to kill him. Their ideas ranged from simple stabbings, to beheading and just plain torture. Kabuto's least favorite was their rendition of a popular torture device known as the Aragon Wheel of Death, with smaller, but poisoned spikes that would embed thousands of milliliters of poison into his system that would slowly eat away at his innards while he bled to death.

"Guys! Don't you think that's a bit harsh?" he asked from his position. Tayuya laughed at him. He knew for a fact that she probably wouldn't do that to him... Sakon either, and definitely not Kimimaro, but the thought that they would even think about doing that him made him cringe. He looked at his old partners and shook his head. This wasn't how he wanted to die... and definitely not who he wanted to kill him.

"Harsh?" Tayuya sneered. "Harsh was you leaving us... Leaving Orochimaru!"

"If my memory serves correct, I was the one that got kicked out of Oto! I didn't choose to leave!"

"Well, you chose your loyalties!" Sakon snapped. Kabuto narrowed his eyes. "And for that, you must be punished with the worst and most painful death we can come up with!" He looked at Tayuya. "How about we slowly skin him alive?"

"Guys!" Kabuto snapped, but was ignored.

"That would be interesting! And burn the edges so he won't bleed out!" Tayuya added. Kabuto cringed and Kimimaro just looked disgusted.

Kabuto closed his eyes against the image they were forming, but it kept coming. "Ugh..." he groaned softly. "That's disgusting, guys!" They continued, more ways of death flying out of their mouths. Things that ranged from simple hangings to thing far more interesting and gruesome... Like ripping out his entire digestive track with a crank. His face paled at that suggestion. "GUYS!" he shouted. But they continued, now talking about ripping his throat out.

Kimimaro stared at Kabuto and shook his head. Kabuto looked at him. If he was going to die, he wanted to die quickly and mercifully, not like that ways they were talking about. It scared him to think that they might actually do that to him... And the more he thought about it, the more he believed that they would do that to him. They had obviously been lied to. To them, he was just a traitor. Orochimaru had poisoned their minds with all this talk. He had lied to them just like they claimed Kabuto had lied to them. He shook his head.

"Would you two lovebirds stop arguing and just kill him already?" Kimimaro snapped. Tayuya turned to stare at the bone-wielder.

"I don't like him!" she growled at the boy. Kimimaro shrugged.

"And I definitely do not like her!" Sakon hissed.

Kimimaro shrugged. "Okay... Whatever you say, you two..." he grumbled.

"And what's wrong with me, Sakon?" Tayuya snarled dangerously. Sakon returned her evil glare.

"You're selfish, your hair is disgusting and you're an all-around a terrible excuse for the human race!"

"Well, you're just a terrible excuse to all in general!" Tayuya spat back.

"Why I..."

"Do it, then!" Tayuya snapped. Sakon smiled and lunged after her as she quickly got out of the line of fire.

"You never seemed like the one to tease them, Kimimaro..." Kabuto murmured as he watched the two begin fighting about something else. Probably which one of them was better.

"I wanted to make sure you got to die with mercy..." Kimimaro explained. "They are easy targets when it comes to that subject."

"Do it quickly if you must..." Kabuto whispered. Kimimaro nodded slowly and pulled a bone out of his arm. Kabuto braced himself.

"Don't do that..." He muttered. "Relax... Your pain will end soon..."

"What about Naruto...?" Kabuto asked as he forced his body to relax so the weapon could slide in easily.

"I do not know what will happen to him..." was the answer. Kabuto shook his head and took in a deep breath, and suddenly sharp pain spread out through his chest. He released his breath as he opened his eyes to see Kimimaro staring at him with a sad expression. I'm sorry... he mouthed silently. Kabuto nodded and stared up at the sky, finding it very hard to breathe. Slowly his breathing slowed and his eyes began rolling. Everything blurred and his vision faded. After one last wheezing breath, Kabuto's body went limp. As his eyes slowly closed, images danced through his mind. I... I'm sorry... he thought as his mind went black, the images fading with the pain... And suddenly... He felt nothing at all.