Chappter 11: Mom
Everyone lay low behind gravestones or trees. I was currently behind a tree. Stationed behind me covered by two gravestones were Sasuke and Itachi. Itachi peered over the gravestone, looking for an enemy sighting, I presumed. He gave a quick look to a tree about twenty feet to the right of me and smirked. Sasuke sat down, back against the stone, reloading his gun. With a blink, both of their eyes turned red.
Neji and Sasori were close together, too. Sasori was somehow on a branch in the tree that was twenty feet from mine. He had his gun concealed by leaves, but pointed at something behind a grave house. The soon-to-be puppet master had created a puppet and laid it next to him. With a few hand signs it stood up like a full grown, well, midget man. His puppets were rather deadly, or, so I heard.
Neji was against the right side of house looking up at Sasori for a sign on what to do next. A gun and needle were in his hand. I smirked. I forgot that was one of his specialties. With one flick of the wrist, he could send that needle into someone's neck and they'd be dead in an instant. I must remind him to teach me that move. It could come in handy for an assassination job.
The two blondes, Naruto and Deidara, were side by side, on top of another grave house a few feet away from the other house. Naruto seemed to be inserting a needle in both of his wrists. Through this weird and bizarre action, he would be able to flick them, sort of like Spiderman, his icon, and stab his prey. It was very deadly, not just to the prey, but to Naruto himself. One bad move and the injection could squirt into him instead. Plus, he seemed to have something in him already. A demon, I believe?
Deidara pulled out a sack from his jeans pocket. I never noticed this, but all the boys seemed to be wearing jeans. I guess I wasn't the only one who liked to be casual while killing. Deidara opened his sack and looked into it. He gave a huge grin. I knew, from rumors, that he had clay in there. Clay bombs, birds, everything. No one would know what had hit them when they exploded.
Last were Sai, Shikamaru, and Kisame. They chose to stay on the ground behind some gravestones like Itachi and Sasuke. Sai was currently sitting Indian-style with his back against the stone. After mixing up some paint, he used his brush and began to make a masterpiece on the paper. I knew this was common. The art he painted would come alive and attack. It was a beautiful show; bloody and with much gore…especially when he did the animals.
Shikamaru stood towards the moonlight. At first, it took me a while to comprehend what he was doing. He was stooped behind a stone, letting the light shine against him. Suddenly, I understood. His shadow was growing and combining with shadows of the trees and bushes that were around. As soon as his shadow touched where you stood, you would be doomed. No use in trying to escape.
Kisame lay behind a stone. He looked at Itachi. When he saw him smirk he got up and walked toward where the enemy was. Kisame has his brute strength, his gun that was as big as a log, and his teeth. His skin was as tough as a regular shark. Even tougher, actually. It's rumored that not even a pistol could penetrate through that rough skin. What a good thing to have.
Itachi pointed his gun to the sky, hand on trigger. With one move, he shot. With speed that I didn't know someone that big could have, Kisame ran toward the house and threw himself against it. Three men jumped out from both sides of the house, one on each side having a gun and ready to shoot at Kisame. The others spread out and looked for the rest of us. I readied my gun.
Six men in total. I wondered how much were hiding in the house. Aiming my gun for Kisame, whom was standing in front of the door, I waited.
"What are you waiting for?!" One guy called.
"Shoot the fish!" Another one said.
The two men who had aimed for Kisame found they couldn't shoot. I smirked as I saw what was stopping them. Shikamaru's shadow had reached them just in time. Slowly, he brought them toward him as he stood up.
"Shoot the boy!"
A gunshot was fired and heading toward Shikamaru. A couple of feet before it him, a small explosion was heard. Deidara had let a clay bird loose and was now jumping from the roof, attacking two more men.
I shot at the door when Kisame had moved and grabbed the remaining two men. I heard a grunt before the door open and fifteen more men flew out, weapons in hand. The men scared in two's in all different directions.
Naruto was next to jump from his hiding spot. Flicking his wrist, left and right, left and right, left and right. It shot four of the fifteen men. Naruto took two of the four on. Using his fists and gun. I guess he could be serious.
Neji was next, as he came quietly and slowly out from his hiding spot. Using his fingers like he was opening up a fan, he made two needles appear. He came close to the other two men who were hit by Naruto's paralyzing needles and stopped, few feet separating them. With a flick of his middle and index fingers he shot two of them out, hitting the men. A couple of seconds later they were dead. He proceeded toward them and began checking them for anything.
As I came from behind my tree, I heard two men scream my last name as they ran toward me. They didn't even have time to hit as a tiger ran out of nowhere and rammed into them. That was from Sai. I looked toward him and nodded my thanks. These men were just getting knocked off two by two. Speaking of two, I soon felt Sasuke and Itachi beside me, walking.
Two more men ran toward us, shooting. I let my secret weapon become revealed. A giant fan was in front of me, Itachi, and Sasuke, blocking us from the gunshots. Sasuke looked at me quizzically. "I call it, Heraicos." Both men nodded. When I closed my fan I saw a puppet and Sasori fighting with the two men. A single gunshot was heard and both men fell to the ground, leaving Sasori and his puppet the victors. "One shot?" I asked. Sasori just smirked.
Five men were remaining. They broke off in three separate groups. Sasuke took the two on the left, and I, the two on the right. That left Itachi with the one who looked like the boss of this set up.
By time I had blinked Sasuke had already had his two men down. Itachi had his pinned against a wall. I only had one man left, and I felt like being gracious tonight. I wouldn't use a gun.
I began back flipping toward the man, who shot like crazy. His shots were easy to evade. When I was one back flip away from him I lunged. My legs were on both sides of his neck. He was beginning to choke and I wasn't even trying hard. I noticed everyone's on me.
"I know what move this is!" Naruto called from behind me.
With one flip, I crushed the guys head into the ground, killing me. I stood up on my feet, brushing myself off. When I stopped, everyone was staring at me. "I was being gracious."
Sasuke scoffed. We all turned to Itachi who had a gun at his guy's head. "Who sent you?" Sasuke asked, coming up next to Itachi. I opened my fan once again and went toward the two brothers and their captive.
No answer.
"Foolish, brother," Itachi said. "Father did." Everyone gasped. "Look at the sign on his shirt…and everyone else's."
I walked up to the man and got between Itachi and Sasuke. Itachi released his grip on the man. Before he could run I grabbed his neck and lifted him up. "Where's Miss Hyuga-San?" I asked.
No answer.
I brought my fan toward his neck, just above my hand. "I have no problem with decapitating your head," I said in a deadly tone.
…
…
…
"Sakura, you're choking him, yeah. How can he tell you?" asked Deidara.
…
…
…
My posed didn't change, just tightened.
…
…
…
No answer. I began to count.
…
…
…
"Five…"
…
Sasuke began smirking as did Sasori and Neji.
…
"…Four…"
…
Naruto and Deidara stood there, mouths agape.
…
"…Three…"
…
Kisame and Shikamaru smiled a bit. Sai merely looked bored as if he were ready for me to do it.
…
"…Two…"
…
"By time you get to one he'll speak," Itachi said in a bored tone as he leaned up against the wall, his arms crossed and eyes closed.
…
"…One…"
…
I brought my fan back to attack.
…
"The docks," he rasped out.
Itachi put a gun to his head, still not moving from his position or opening his eyes.
"What number?"
"Two," the guy rasped again. Itachi put his gun down and leaned up from his spot. Sasuke began making a phone call.
"Okay, Sakura," Itachi said. I released him. "Finish him."
…
…
…
…and off went his head.
The car came to a halt. Sasuke's car, which was in front of us, did the same. The person he had called was Gaara, who met us there with his brother Kankaro. This time Deidara opened my door for me and gave me a small smile. I smiled back. "You okay?" he asked. I furrowed my eyebrows a bit. I knew something was wrong in the car when he didn't say something, but I thought he was just overwhelmed by what had just happened.
"Why wouldn't I be okay?" I asked him in a whisper as we followed behind the others. I put some more ammo in my gun and closed it with a soft 'click'. Flexing my fingers I felt myself ready for whatever was to come next. You could never be too cautious in this business. That was something I had learned from, not just my personal experiences, but from my mother's death.
…
…
…
Maybe if she were just a bit more cautious she wouldn't be gone right now. Maybe she would still be here with me.
…
…
…
Maybe if Hinata were more cautious she wouldn't be—no. I gave my head an internal shake. I have to think positive thoughts. She was alive and well.
That was the bad part about being part of a mob or, in my case, being the boss of a mob empire. You were thought to always think the negative in matters like this. Nothing positive at all. How could you, especially if you never knew what would happen next. It could end your life, for all you knew.
…
…
…
…I wonder if mother knew that.
Deidara took me out of my reverie. "You decapitated that guy. That must have done something to you, yeah," he said in a worried tone. That was what he was worrying about? I guess he never hung around mob girls.
Too my surprise, I let out a small giggle. He looked at me worriedly. I stopped my giggling and saw how serious he was. Sighing, I explained. "To a regular girl that would have done something. Deidara, if you haven't noticed, I'm not that normal girl. On the contrary, I'm the opposite of those girls."
He smiled at me when he heard my explanation. Wrapping his arm around my shoulder he said, "As long as you're feeling okay, yeah. I don't want anything happening to you, yeah."
There was something underneath his tone. Something loving. I wanted to brush off his arm, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings. He reminded me of a puppy that had lost his way and was in a damp, dark alley.
For some reason, though, I couldn't help but feel nerved by his actions. He didn't like me, did he?
Naruto slowed down a bit until he was on the other side of me. He let out a sheepish grin. I smiled back. "We'll find her. Don't worry."
I nodded solemnly.
"Are you okay?" he asked. I sighed mentally. What was up with people asking me that?
"We just went through that, yeah," Deidara said a little gruffly. I couldn't put my finger on why he suddenly sounded like that. He was cheerful a second ago before Naruto came. "The decapitation thing didn't affect her."
Naruto gave a small glare back, but it went unnoticed by Deidara, whom still had his arm around me. "No, I meant the fact that she actually listened to Itachi when he told her to end him." Deidara smiled and that, as did Naruto. "I didn't expect that to happen."
They both began snickering until we stopped with the others. Sasuke grabbed my arm and brought me up with him and Itachi. "We'll split up," he said. "No one knows where dock house two is."
"Who made you the boss?" Kisame interjected.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. Before a fight could brake out Itachi spoke, "Kisame, you, Sai, and Naruto, will go to the left. Sasori, take Gaara and Neji to the right. Deidara, you, Kankarou, and Shikamaru go up top. Sakura, Sasuke, and I will go down."
Everyone agreed, except for me. "We need someone to stay on the main floor. You and Sasuke stay up here and I will go down stairs."
Kankarou was about to interject but I cut him off.
…
…
…
"End of story or end you life. You choose." When no one spoke I went down the stairs. "I'll call if I need anything."
As I walked down the stairs I heard Kankarou speak. "Uchihas, you have one rough girl on your hands. If you don't want her, you know, I can—."
I heard a smack.
…
…
…
Or was it a punch.
After opening a couple of doors I felt the feeling hopelessness come inside of me. It was almost three in the morning and no one had found a thing. If they did, they hadn't called me.
I was about to turn around when I heard a moaning sound from a door. Grasping my gun harder I went to open it. What I saw made me gasp.
…
…
…
My knees loosened.
…
…
…
My eyes rolled back.
…
…
…
"ITACHI!"
…
…
…
"Anko, when do you think he'll come home," I heard a voice ask my friend. For some reason, I was outside of my room window. When I looked inside, though, I was sitting there on a rocking chair I never knew I had.
…
…
…
How could that be?
…
…
…
Wasn't I just looking for Hinata?
...
...
...
I am me, right?
I saw Anko walk into my room and take a seat across from where I sat.
Or the me in the room, I guess.
She smiled at me and grabbed one of my hands with her own two hands. Looking closer, I saw her giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "Miss Haruno, believe me, Kakashi is on the lookout for him. We will find him and tell him of the gift you two made."
"Thank you, Anko," the me in the room said. It didn't sound like me, though. It sounded like me, I mean, but me when I was a little older.
…
…
…
"Do you know what it is yet?" Anko asked me.
I saw myself look up and smile at her. "Both," I answered, smiling back at her.
…
…
…
Something else that troubled me. The smile. That wasn't my smile. That wasn't my nose. But that was me, wasn't it.
"He'll be happy, Miss Haruno."
"He has to be," I said, looking down at my hands.
A knock sounded at the door. It was Kakashi who came in and, with my surprise, Mrs. Uchiha. She rushed over to me and gave me a hug. I watched from the window with confusion.
What the hell was going on?
"I have everyone in the Uchiha Empire looking for him," Mrs. Uchiha said in a reassuring voice. "We will find him, Sakura." She was reassuring me.
"What is it?" Kakashi asked.
I looked at him. "Girl," I merely stated.
"Oh, Mirage, that's amazing!" Anko and Mrs. Uchiha said in unison.
Looking from the outside, I put my head in my hands, a headache growing. It was both and now a girl? What was it? Why? Who am I looking for? And why did they just call me—
The me in the room turned and looked directly at me.
My eyes widened.
"Mom."
I'm back from a very, very, very long hiatus. I don't want to sound rude or anything, but it felt to go away. I needed to collect myself and my stories. They needed a change here and now. That's exactly what I did?
So, what do you guys think of this chapter. Was the last part confusing to some? Can anyone guess what's going on there? I can, but that's because I know what's going on. I'm just getting ready for what's to come and dang, it is interesting.
Anyway, review and tell me what you think. Hopefully, I can get Crimson Sanctuary out this week and maybe Onyx Waters. That would be nice.
Love,
Lady Anata