He was in pain. He was lost. What ever numb he had felt before had worn off. Now was his chance to run. He could find somewhere quiet where he could try and think everything through.
But getting up was the problem.
The pain, it was at it's worse in his side and back. And a quick touch let him know of the metal needles that were lodged deep in his skin. Damn it hurt. Bad. But pulling them out was worse; it was one at a time. The tips were barbed and pulled at his flesh. If that wasn't easy to endure, then it was waves after waves of dizziness and nausea he was fighting back. And after that last needle was plucked from his skin, he took a moment to try and settle again.
"I'm alive... why, Obito?" He asked, looking up for a breif moment to see his teammate crouching beside him. He was smiling, goggles pulled over his closed eyes. Then he lowered his head back down on his fist and swallowed a few times to keep from vomiting.
"Kakashi, sorry I'm late!"
He looked back up to see Tenzō in Obito's place, his feline mask pushed up. He looked about sixteen or so.
But he smiled the same upon seeing him. "Tenzō... but where...?"
"Shh. Do you hear that?" Tenzō pulled the sword out from the sheath on his shoulder, pulled down his mask, and got in a defencive position. What was he staring at? A bush? He had to turn over, pain lancing in his side as he did, to follow his kōhai's gaze. There. Something was moving, he knew it.
"They're coming." Kakashi said in agreement.
It was then a man with a dagger came running out, green eyes ablaze, as he charged at Tenzō. The younger barely rolled out of the way before narrowly dodging a blow with the blade in the enemy's hand. But the second time around, he wasn't as lucky, he was quickly disbalanced and the dagger ran right through him as he laid defenceless on the ground. He screamed in pain.
"Tenzō!" He shouted with alarm. But no answer came as the enemy wiped his blade on the ANBU's vest and started to walk away. "Tenzō! No! No! No! NO!" He shook his head and let it fall back onto the ground. His hands on his face as he continued to curse and shout into his palms. But when all fell silent, the sound of Tenzō groaning gone, he dared to look.
He was alone...
It was dark, raining, and he was alone.
Upon getting up, he stumbled and reached for a tree for balance, then he breathed heavily. No. He couldn't just lay around here. Staying meant leaving yourself open to attack. He couldn't let that happen... but where to go?
As he started to walk, his bare foot kicked up a metal object in the dirt. Clumsily, he kneeled down and picked it up. That spiral sort of symbol engraved into a metal plate. Hidden Leaf. Whose ever headband it was, he could trust them right? His gaze went up until it rested on a blonde boy was was laying unconscious on the ground. His head was in the dirt and his arms stretched out in front of him. Did the headband belong to him then?
On unstable legs, he paced towards the kid and kicked him over on his back so he could see his face. Hmm... seemed... familiar. Like that pink haired girl was familiar. He learned to trust her because she acted like Rin, she didn't try to hurt him. But I hurt her, he reminded himself guiltily. And what about this boy? Would he be the same?
Well only way to find out was to wait and see. With what strength and balance he could muster up, he pulled the boy up and onto his back. And although he fell a few times in his search for a place to take shelter, he found himself settling for a space under a few rocks leaning against a tree.
He was cold and wet, but that didn't truly seem to matter at the moment. He just laid the boy down and sat against the tree. His silver hair matted down by the rain. He lurched forward as a fit of coughs shook through him. How long would he sit here? Well the answer to that was obvious: whenever the rain stopped. And what to do with the boy, he asked himself. Leave him here? Carrying him would only slow him down, but could he find it in himself to just leave some kid laying around in the woods? He shook his head to answer himself. Nah, he would bring the boy with him, at least until he's able to move on his own.
Although he knew at this point that trying to sleep was useless, he still sat back and watched the rain dribble down off the edge of the rock. Everything was quiet besides the rain. Only the sound of a crow fight above seemed to cut the near silence.
It was then he looked up as a figure was approaching the shelter. A lean man with short black hair. He was holding a katana, like the one he remembered being hurt with earlier. Rain left him soaked, but his black eyes were focused on him regardless. When he was within proximity of the rock shelter, he chuckled. "It's a shame Tsukiko will have to miss the moment our father's murder is avenged."
What was he talking about? He didn't even know this person.
This man blinked slowly when he realized that there was no sort of reaction from his soon-to-be victim. "What? You don't remember? I didn't think so with all that toxin in your blood at this very second. Did those pathetic ninja back in your village extract some? Well it will do no good, will it? This toxin is my specialty. I made it specifically so that even the slightest drop will generate more. The only way to cure it is the antidote."
It was when he swiped his sword at him, but Kakashi managed to twist away from the blade. Growing annoyed and impatient, he dragged him out into the rain and threw him in the mud. Kakashi shivered a little, damn it was cold outside.
This man smiled with bloodlust and swung his sword down, striking Kakashi in the back. Content to see the rush of dark red blood from the new gash, he replaced his katana. But he wasn't done yet. He sat down and pulled a pack off his side, opening it revealed its contents to be a bunch of needles. Then, one by one, he shoved them into his skin. "I know these are not poisoned, not like my sister's, but the barbs will make removing these absolutely painful." He chuckled darkly and licked a bloody finger. "Dear me, it seems you were hit by her needles. Don't fret too much, I'm sure she meant to hit that kid with you. But since we don't want you dying from that particular poison..." He pulled out a syringe, to which Kakashi unsuccessfully shrunk away from. This man laughed, a hand slicking back his dripping bangs out of his face. "Don't tell me you're a trypanophobe, that would be just pathetic coming from Kakashi of the Sharingan. Don't worry now, I'll make it quick."
He had to bite his hand to avoid screaming as the man dug the needle deep into his arm and gave him the antidote to one of the poisons. He shivered and trembled as the needle was then painfully pulled, being tilted so it scratched and made a cut with the sharp metal tip, from his skin.
"And so I must be off," this man said with a cheery voice. "Don't worry, I'm sure they'll put you down before the toxin does." With that as his goodbye, the black haired man was gone.
Cold, in pain, and trembling with fear of death that dared to creep in at any moment, Kakashi let his head fall down into the mud as the world around him went black.
