Artes animi.
Disclaimer :I don't own Naruto.
Chapter 10
The night was silent, not a noise was heard as the masked Anbu took his hand out of the heart of the now dead shinobi.
"Good job everyone" he said in a serious voice "You all did well.. Now let's hope at least one of you left one of them alive for interrogation" the captain turned toward were he last saw the young Yamanaka, his eyes closed in a smile "Are you ready Raven?" he asked only to freeze.
The body of the young Yamanaka was slumped over, right on top of a rouge shinobi he killed.
Panicked Inu ran toward the boy, hurriedly checking for vitals and finding none. Panic started to rise within the heart of the white haired assassin... Something here was wrong, he saw the boy alive and kicking just several minutes ago, and now...
He slowly checked him for injury, finding none which could have been the cause of something like that. He turned to the team who all quickly moved toward him.
"He has no vitals" he said slowly.
The team froze, true they were shinobi, true they knew death could come to all of them at any time.. But the boy was young and this was his first mission.
"Umm captain?" Tiger said carefully "I have something to say.. Which might be relevant".
Kakashi turned to him abruptly "What is it?" he asked, his eyes boring into the man in front of him, who in response gulped before answering.
"Well... The shinobi who tried to kill me?" he said carefully.
The silver haired shinobi just scoffed in irritation "If you have something to say just spill it!" he snapped.
The man nodded and took a deep breath, it wasn't like him to act so fearful.. But what he was going to say could very well be very bad for his captain.. Which he really didn't want to.
Finally he released his breath "The shinobi.. Why did he suddenly stopped? He could have killed me.. What made him hesitate?" he asked.
"Why does it matters now Tiger?" Kakashi asked, his irritation growing with every second.
"Well sir... Isnt the boy a Yamanaka? This looks like the result of his consciousness leaving the body sir.. I don't know much about it the technique.. But if he indeed did stopped the rouge nin..." he trailed off.
Under the mask Kakashi paled as he looked back at the shinobi he just killed with fear, his mind supplying him the rest of what his subordinate meant, and he felt revulsion spiking in his stomach.
Memories of different time, a different event and yet similar.. A dark night.. The brown haired girl.
"No.." he muttered slowly "No no no no no no" he muttered quickly "No no no no... I couldn't have.. Not again" he said falling to his knees "Not again.. Oh God please.. Not again.. Why me.. Why me!" he screamed into the air to the total surprise of the other Anbu.
He lifted his hand, looking at it with disgust, one word came out of his mouth "Rin"
Without them noticing the boy's hand twitched.
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Darkness.. He could see nothing, everything around him was dark.
Where was he? How did he came here? Was it really dark or were his eyes just closed?
Panic started to swell within the boy, but he controlled it and squished it back. He could not afford being distracted right now, he needed his full control if he to understand mm what's going on.
Straining his mind he truedtried to recall what happened... The last thing he remembered...
His head hurt, it was painful to concentrate.. But he was Yamanaka Sakurai.. He will not let some mental pain to stop him from his goal.
And finally he remembered.. The mission.. The ambush.. Tiger.
And pain, a lightning covered hand moving through his chest.
A small smirk appeared on his face as the picture started to brighten in his head. He was definitely back in his own body.. There was no other possibility... A Yamanaka could not stay in a dead body... This was part of the technique's limits so he could only be in his own body. And apparently in a state where his consciousness returned to his body but was so exhausted by his actions that he was unable to fully merge with his body again... Which meant he couldn't control his body at all.
The silver haired anbu sighed as he contemplated his situation, trying to find a way to fully merge with his body again.
As he was thinking, a thought acured to him, and he froze.
His teammates did not know about his condition or the failsafe, and as he was right now there was a chance there was no vital signs... Which meant that they will belive he was dead, which was definitely not something he could afford.
Straining his mind, he tried to force himself into the body.. He did not care if his conscience will slip again, right now he had more important things to worry about.
His head hurt as did his body, slowly he started to lose control over his consciousness as it slipped right through his hands, but he didn't give up.. He couldn't afford a failure.
Finally he was able to clench his hand, but as he did he lost his consciousness left him again, and he slowly drifted right back into his body.
XxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxx
Yamato looked at his captain with growing irritation.. It was one thing to feel guilty about probably killing one of one's freind and subordinate, and even more so when it was bt somone like Kakashi.. But this was too much.
He huffed before turning to the others "Tiger, go take care of the wounded shinobi which Raven dispatched.. We still need him for interrogation." he commanded shortly and the man moved without a complaint toward the near dead shinobi, not sure he would be able to save him.
"Turtle" the mokuton user turned to the other teammate "Go check the boy again... There is no guarantee he is dead... I will take care of the captain" he told her.
The Inuzaka nodded and moved toward her fallen comrade.
Before Yamato has the chance to say anything, the only female of the group gave out a startled voice "Bear, he is alive! All the vital signs are back!" she called frantically.
The man turned, but it was nothing compared to the sudden turn of the captain who leaped toward her, his body posture frantic.
"Are you sure?" he asked, moving by himself to check Sakurai's vitals and a smile appeared under his mask.
"Put him under a tree, he is alive... Tigar how is it on your side" the silver haired captain asked.
"He will survive.. But I doubt he will ever be in any shape to fight.. The Yamanaka is lucky he avoided the hail of projectiles" the older anbu said sheepishly.
Yamato sighed at his captain's polar change of attitude but said nothing.
"Very well.. We should rest for some time... But get ready to move at a moment notice.. We don't want another incident" the copy cat commanded, to which all the others saluted and moved away, scattering.
Yamato sighed before approaching his captain "We need to talk" he said seriously.
"What for?" the captain asked.
"Well I don't know " the younger man said, annoyance in his voice "Maybe about the way you handled all of it?" he asked "Maybe about the way you've broke off because you thought you killed one of your own?" Yamato's voice changed into a hiss "Well? What do you have to say?" he asked seriously.
Kakashi looked surprised at the mokuton user.
"That's not fair of you Bear.. I know it is a weakness.. But as you saw it did not compromise my ability to act!" he defended himself hotly.
A snort came from the other man "Really captain? Are you really sure? Don't get me wrong we all have our issues, but as a captain you can't let it effect your judgment and actions! And it's indeed affecting you! If that would happened before all others were eliminated would you not hesitated? Can you really promise yourself that you would have finished the mission first before succumbing to your painful memories? " Yamato knew it was harsh, but he had to do something about it.
"You are wrong... I wouldn't have hesitated Yamato.. He acted recklessly and you know it! Why are you trying to fight me about it? I told you before as I told the hokage ;my problems would not affect my actions! That's has nothing to do with me! So stop this right this second!" Kakashis anger was audible from every syllabus.
"So you would have preferred him not to act?" Yamato didn't care much about his captain's ire and instead once again moved on the offensive "Would you prefer him not to act? You are aware that it would have spelled Tigers death right?" he asked accusing.
The captain huffed in irritation "Stop speaking nonsense! You know that not what I meant alright!? But he acted recklessly and from now on I will not let him out of my sight.. He will never repeat something so recklessly and.. " before he was able to continue he was interrupted by the younger man again.
"You moved the discussion into a different topic my friend.. But let me tell you, you should stop trying to babysit him! He is a child in age but he is an adult from the moment he picked up the hitai-ate and even more so when he put the mask on his mask! It is his choice if to sacrifice his own life for the sake of others! " Yamato nearly yelled at his superior.
" No it's not! He will not dare to defy a direct order from his superior, Do. You. Understand? "his eyes bore into the brown haired man in front of him.
Before Yamto was able to answer howere, another much younger voice interrupted them" Are you sure senpai? "
Kakashi looked down to see the uninjured Yamanaka getting up slowly, his misty gray eyes burning with fire.
"What?" was the only thing the captain could say dumbstruck by the boy's cheek.
"You've heared me captain.. Are you sure? Well technically you are right, I will never disobey a direct command from my superior officer.. But is this command coming from my officer the Anbu captain 'Inu'? Or is this just the command of Hatake Kakashi who sees in me himself and his friends and can't let go?" he asked bluntly" Because I have no obligation to listen to Hatake Kakashi" he looked directly at the white haired jounin, his own back to the tree for support, his body still to weak to fully support him.
"What do you even know?!" Kakashi said quietly, indicating on his turmoil "And why the hell is it any of you two business? It dose not effect my performance nor does it clouds my judgment..."
"But it does senpai.. That's exactly what we are saying... It's not my place to tell you how to feel.. But I will tell you something that my uncle told me.. If you are going to regret something than don't do it in the first place.. So are you regretting what you did for the village by stabbing her? "he asked darkly"Do you think you did something wrong? Or do you believe Obito's death is your fault!? No it's not! I know what happened yes, and don't ask me how just accept the fact that I know captain.." the boy took a deep breath before continuing with his assult "Its due time for you to drop those guilt feelings..I am sure they wouldn't want you to be like that.. And if they do? Their loyalty to the village is compromised " he finished before turning around and trying to walk toward where Tiger was working on the captured shinobi, leaving his captain to stare at him in shock, not only on how the conversation changed so drastically but even more so at the way the two just basically slapped him on the face, questioning his and his deceased friends loyalty to the village.
"He is right you know senpai" the brown haired man said before hurrying to help his young teammate who fell on his way.
Kakashi stood there, without saying a word his mind reeling at the implications. He needed to think, and the faster the better.
But right now he had a mission to finish and with that thought in mind he walked toward the prisoner as well, a frown under the mask.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Sakurai tried to reach the prisoner, but he was still weak, having spent to much chakra in his reckless move.
He stumbled, falling on his face and cursed lightly. He hated the feeling of helplessness which he felt right now.
A hand was extended to him and he took it gratefully.
"You should rest.. The prisoner can wait until you get some rest.. You are in no condition to try entering his mind" Yamato said quietly.
Sakurai shook his head "There is no time.. Every moment is important." he said "I just need my backpack.. I have a chakra pill there" he explained.
The older man nodded and went to fetch the pills, and returned several moments later he handed the small red pill to the boy who took them silently and swallowed them.
Closing his eyes, he felt the foreign chakra running through his body, giving him some more energy. He knew he did not have much time as his body will soon recognize the foreign energy and will expell it which only meant he had to use the reserves quickly and with that in mind he approached the still unconscious man and moving through a quick series of hand signs he dived right into the other man's mind.
The others of the group all stood there waiting.
As they waited, Kakashi stood there his eyes closed saying nothing,his mind occupied.
At the same time, Sakurai opened his eyes in a vast space and a smirk appeared on his face.
"Well.. Can't say I am sorry for intruding" he said before he started to walk toward the vast abys.
End of chapter 10.
An: I know that Kakashi acts a bit wierd here and Yamato and Sakurai pound him down , but seriously Kakashis attitude just annoyed the hell out of me in a large part of the series.. So sorry for that folks. Hopefully the wise shinobi will think about his actions and maybe.. Just maybe it will change the fate of team 7. What do you think?