It was by the time the sun had reached mid point in the sky, Takashi, his oxygen starved lungs heaving and begging for mercy, reluctantly had to admit it was time to stop. The rock he'd landed on amidst the lazily swirling, flowing water gave lie to the calmness permeating the region. The waterfall nearby was a steady deafening roar. It enhanced the unnerving silence, almost as if it were trying to fill in the growing dread forming within the young Genin. The guilt wasn't there yet but Takashi felt its looming presence. He had tried to ignore it before, driving the beast into a corner, refusing to allow it to manifest in his thoughts. There was still so much to do. He could not let himself become distracted.
Having gained his wind back, more or less, he lifted his head a trifle, glancing across the river in Ichigo's direction. Bless the damn fool, he was still trying. He'd been ceaselessly searching underwater around where the waterfall pooled for hours on end - and nobody had the heart to tell him to give it up. Ichigo, you can't hope she's there. For her to be there - be where you're desperately searching…Takashi could not finish the thought, not wishing admittance to his feelings.
Kakashi exhausted from his own five hour-long efforts, sat on shore to rest, soaked to the skin. Even Takami-san, who gladly agreed to delay his arrival for Katana's sake, sat near him. The man was halfway lying down, fighting off sleep. Though tiring long before his ninja escort, he had no less put his everything into the search. It had been more than they could have asked for from someone like him. Takashi hoped the man knew how much they appreciated his help.
Not that anything any of them was doing was making much of a difference. Takashi could not escape this cynical thought. After her plunge into the rushing water below, the four had desperately raced against time, the river's rage and the bastard Atokata. Five man-hours later they ended up here, three miles down the same river at the end of this waterfall. So far the search had only yielded Katana's travel pack, her weapons pouch and her thigh holster, each piece found within either a mile or a foot from another. Mysteriously the dead bodies of Atokata began to turn up as well; their corpses either incinerated or totally burnt beyond recognition. Most of them were found either floating in the river, on shore or further inland. And there were a lot of them.
Katana was the only one of their team to use advanced fire jutsus besides Kakashi. More likely than not, this was her doing. That meant she was alive… right? She has to be alive! He could not accept her being dead. Katana being dead would mean…
No.
An ice-cold hand closed itself around the young boy. He lost the strength in his knees and slowly sank down, letting his legs dangle on either side of the rock. Unwilling to reveal his loss of composure, he set his face to stone. An ugly blackness bled inside his stomach, leaving him feeling polluted. Fearing it, he shut himself down and closed himself off from it. He didn't know how else to handle it.
Takashi closed his eyes and leaned heavily on his elbows, pressing his knuckles against his forehead.
"…I've been out that way and, well, it can get pretty rough."
Too bad Shinji wasn't here to appreciate the bitter irony of his own words. It would have been one of the few things the feuding brothers might have agreed on.
In a mild explosion, Ichigo's head broke the surface for the umpteenth time. He treaded water for several moments, breathing heavily, eventually reaching out to the nearest rock and holding on to it. Mouth opening and eyes squeezed shut, he gasped and sucked in oxygen. His lungs screamed, painfully dragging the air in and out of his aching ribs, connected to the rest of an already thoroughly exhausted system. The next dive would be his last if he kept this up. But he kept diving, kept scouring the river bottom, moving as a man possessed. He had to find her… even if a large part of him was glad she wasn't there, the tinier more shameful part of him was pained he wasn't finding her. Ichigo hated that tiny sliver currently knifing him. How could he want to find her dead and cold forever on the river bottom, her hair waving around in the rill like black seaweed?
I'm going to be sick. And he was. Mostly river water accidentally swallowed between rushes to the surface, drawn from the bowl shaped lake in his stomach, was what came up.
"She's not down there."
Ichigo looked up from his clutch hold on the rock. Takashi stood over him, hands leaning on bent knees to peer down at his teammate. Whipped, he just nodded wearily, head dropping against the cold, wet granite. Catching it from the corner of his eye, he saw a sight that surprised him: Takashi extending his hand. He stared at it and then at him.
Sighing, Ichigo brushed his hand away, the rejection of the aide only half-hearted. Instead he heaved himself all the way onto the rock beside Takashi, sitting and dripping. His head hung, hiding his face, his blonde hair matted against his skull. He exhaled loudly again, his shoulders twitching with the chilly spasm of his shivers.
"Hey." Ichigo glanced up when Takashi spoke. "We'll find her."
Mutely Ichigo gave a mild nod, the movement scarcely perceptible. He didn't have the heart to tell Takashi he didn't share his optimism. Funny, he thought he'd have been the one to hold the most hope. He wished they could trade places. Feeling so despondent like this made him feel like he was betraying her.
I said I'd catch her if she fell…
He bit his bottom lip and fisted his hands, knuckles white.
"Oi!" called their sensei. "Both of you, return to shore. We need to talk."
Kakashi watched the two boys rock-hop to shore, noticing they seemed to be in no hurry. Their movements were lethargic, and as they drew nearer, he saw the apathy in their expressions. They were thinking their teammate was dead, or at least fearing it, a feeling he could relate to even though he didn't dare show it. Five hours was too narrow a margin to assume the worst - he knew. Yet here they were, his team already straining at the seams. Most of it was probably due to exhaustion and worry. It was reasonable to assume that and not the beginnings of a downward spiral of despair. It was time for a pep talk.
Once he was sure he had their attention, he made his announcement. "Takami-san needs to be at his destination tomorrow. It's another hour to the village in the morning and two until he actually has to be before the village daimyo."
Takashi understood what he was saying. Slowly nodding, he swiped at his damp pants leg absently.
"But…" Ichigo protested weakly. One wearily stern eyelid warning from his sensei caused the rest of it to die on his tongue. He struggled inwardly and tentatively implored Minoru Takami with his eyes.
The older man shook his head. "I'm very sorry, Ichigo-kun. Your teammate is more important than my mission. It pains me to say this but… given the situation between our villages, I'm afraid I don't have the luxury of time." He sighed heavily. "Otherwise I'd tell them to go hang." He was honest in his regret. "I truly am sorry."
"What if we stayed behind?" Takashi knew his suggestion held no grounds for approval but he wanted to voice it anyway. "Just for a few more hours and caught up later?" He ignored Ichigo's stare.
Kakashi was surprised at Takashi's willingness to argue with him. Up until now the youth had gamely gone along with things without a word. But he supposed he shouldn't be surprised at all. And even though it wasn't fair of him, he was hearing Obito again -- and grimly decided this situation wasn't much different from that fateful day. Some extenuating factors decided this one though. They didn't know if Katana was alive with any certainty. Additionally given the nature of the corpses, he didn't want the boys dealing with whatever it was that had done it out there alone. He closed his one eye and opened it again, his decision made.
Obito, he thought surveying the young faces of his charges, maybe someday you can tell me what it was I did wrong.
Kakashi was a realist and didn't believe that everyone ever got a fair cut out of life. But for some reason he absurdly wondered why a stubbornly spirited kunoichi like Katana had to get caught up in a tragic thread like this. What the purpose of it all was. The burden weight of responsibility settled once again familiarly around the silver haired man's shoulders.
After it was said, Takashi simply nodded. From his bearing and his expression, he had accepted the answer in advance. He hated it - that part of himself, that part that easily accepted bad news. It came from a lifetime of waiting for the bomb to drop. Of waiting to be disappointed. People let you down. They always let you down.
Ichigo's lower jaw tensed behind tight, thin lips. His hard jade eyes seethed with a thousand screams of protest, his shaking fists at his sides clasped the raw emotion running hot in his veins between his clammy palms. Licks of orange swirled deep in the dark centers of his pupils as he fought the ravages of his outrage. Intellectually he understood what Kakashi was saying; he knew that, he wasn't stupid. It was selfish to ask Takami-san to give anymore than the amiable man had to give. There was still the mission and while no mission was ever more important than the life of a comrade…still. Still.
As his companions watched, Ichigo walked away from them and punched a tree trunk to splinters with one blow.
Fighting Orochimaru, Sasuke discovered, was like fighting against a demon. A twisted, depraved demon that moved with the grace of a teenager yet had the eyes of the old man he really was. A bitter yellow gaze full of power-lust mired in the darkness of his own perversions. What he could have been… and in some part already was… The Uchiha blinked hard to free his mind of the distraction. Now was not the time for a comparison-contrast analysis. Remember why you've come to him, risking everything you've gained. These were the missing pages. Only he was determined that this story ended the right way. The way it should have ended.
The Sannin's crazed-tinged laughter drew him from his slight reverie. "I'm disappointed in you, Sasuke-kun." They were both in battle-ready positions, only a yard apart from one another, each pausing for breath. "Even the Kyuubi brat has a better attention span."
Sasuke didn't react. Orochimaru was definitely losing it if he thought he could still use Naruto's name as a weapon. He understood first hand what it was like to stand still in time and his glimpse of it now made him remember why it was he was here and not where he really wanted to be. When he was fifteen the mere mention of his old rival's name would have been enough fuel for his fire; it passed through him now, leaving no trace of itself in its wake. He hid behind the stiffness of his lower jaw. The sweat poured down his pale heated skin; his whole body was burning. Orochimaru's curse was fighting to obey its creator's command while fighting against the containment seal valiantly holding its emergence hostage. At first he used the pain as an equidistant to keep him steady, to keep his mind clear.
He took a slow, deep breath through his nose, his eyelids twitching from the effort. Dammit even breathing was a chore, how the hell was he supposed to fight if he couldn't do a stupid thing like inhale air? You better catch up soon, dobe, or there's not going to be enough of me left for you to drag home.
"You're the most amazing person I've ever known…"
Sasuke almost laughed and if he had, it would have been a bitter, pained sound. Not amazing enough, apparently. Right now what was amazing was that he was still conscious. Then he remembered how the one who had said it had said it. And why she had said it.
It was enough to make him rise to his feet again without wavering.
"Then what's holding you back?" he answered the snake's challenge with his own. "You're just as out of breath as I am." He smirked, half-amused. "Don't tell me you still intend on taking me as a container."
Orochimaru frowned, appearing somewhat pissed by the accusation, although it told Sasuke it was a thought that hadn't entirely slipped the man's mind.
Sasuke continued. Asking at point blank range would likely prove futile… however he felt he had to ask for the sake of those who suffered. "What is it about Anzen? Where's your benefit?"
Orochimaru simply smiled, chuckling. He punctuated by extending his tongue and attempted a go for the younger man's throat. Sasuke instinctively moved backward, changed it to a flip and landed in a crouch out of range. He winced again and bit the inside of his cheek. The pain was worsening. Gray edged his vision and he silently cursed his body. I can overcome this…
He swallowed and closed his hands into fists, finding his focus again. Resolved affirmed, he looked up, the Sharingan ablaze, grinning sardonically. Orochimaru's triumphant smirk wavered, his incredulity too apparent for immediate dismissal. It pleasured him to see the fear pulsing in his former master. Yes, the Sannin knew what he was looking at. He smiled one to echo the many the Sannin so often threw his way.
This is the closest you're ever going to get.
In the end Kabuto was no match for the Kyuubi vessel. Whilst he was able to make the younger man writhe and occasionally cough up a couple of pints of blood, the mednin knew now as he'd known from their initial meeting his was a loss preordained. Years of carefully honed control and an endless amount of chakra coupled with boundless stamina and youth. All of these factors were on Naruto's side. The best he could do - the best any nin of his level could do - was take the Blonde Wonder down a few notches. Slow him up, keep him distracted, preoccupied and overall out of his master's way. Key to fitting Sasuke to the mold was to keep Naruto away from him. Orochimaru knew, had always known that Naruto possessed a most powerful influence over the malleable Uchiha. Even while the boy had been under their tutelage in Sound, his master sensed in Naruto's absence his aura's presence around the dark haired boy. Hell, every rebellious word out of the little bastard's mouth had the blonde's taint in it. On the outside he had been dyed to the color of Sound, on the inside the boy's cold heart stubbornly remained his own. It was rather enviable, really. Kabuto wasn't at all surprised when the kid suddenly up and vanished one day after a routine mission. The reasons were completely different from what anyone had expected however even those reasons weren't entirely shocking.
Naruto stared down at Kabuto's fairly bruised form crouched on the ground. The man was a self-healer so no one attack was enough to disable him indefinitely. He was miffed. The man dodged his attacks for the most part, scoring a hit only when he managed to find an opening. But he wasn't trying to kill him. It was almost like he was…
Naruto growled. "You're throwing it, Kabuto. I'd thought you'd give me a better fight than this. You're going to lose at this rate."
Calmly Kabuto wiped some blood off his lower lip. "What makes you think I'm fighting you to win?" The blonde stared at him. The mednin laughed. "Naïve as ever."
Plagued by a spark of urgency, Naruto let his gaze drift in the direction he heard the unmistakable sounds of battle. He couldn't see Sasuke or Orochimaru from where he was standing. The waves of chakra and the rank smell of sweat and blood in the air told him enough though. "Sasuke," he muttered. Dammit, I can't be wasting time on this guy!
A chuckle from the other man brought his attention back.
"What the hell's so funny?" he demanded.
Kabuto only shrugged. "Even though it must have been sixteen years since he left, you still refuse to give up on him."
"So what? It's none of your business." Blue eyes blazed with a fire that was all their own.
"You're right. It's not." Kabuto slowly stood up carefully; apparently he had finished healing himself. His stance told Naruto he was ripe for another go.
Suddenly the sound of a man crying out in pain pierced the air. Faintly, just barely, he heard a voice call out his name.
It felt like a dagger had been plunged deep into his soul, laying it to bleed. Naruto clenched his hands into fists and narrowed his eyes. He glared one last time at Kabuto, his eyes faintly reflecting Kyuubi's influence. He moved to go and stopped again briefly and looked back at Kabuto, who surprisingly hadn't moved. Eventually the gray haired older man relaxed, staring back at the other with coal black eyes, a slight simmering resentment tempered by reluctant acceptance. He wasn't going to stop him.
Shifting around on one foot, Naruto disappeared in a flicker, heading after his friend. If he hadn't been standing before his eyes just now, he could have sworn the man had never been there at all.
Kabuto waited until he was gone before sinking on his knees to the ground again. Despite his declarative stand to renew the fight, in reality, his chakra was spent and a bone tired apathy was beginning to overtake him. Lazily he fell back to rest, one arm slung over his bent kneecap. A tiny smile appeared on his lips, a vague hubris to his indifferent countenance.
Sneaking through Anzen's mountain pass went smoother than the second Konoha team anticipated. Each member had a specific position he or she had to maintain. Every glimpse of a teammate was answered to one another by hand signals and silent gestures; speaking out loud now so close to complete insertion would be a grave - and fatal - mistake.
From her position, Sakura caught her breath, taking air slowly in and out of her mouth. Up ahead she saw the usually unflappable Hanabi breathing hard as she scanned their surroundings with her Byakugan. A moment later she gave Sakura the thumbs up and slipped away once again. It was safe to cross that area. After Neji, she was the strongest of the Hyuuga clan and the most reliable. You could set your watch to her thorough and decisive concealment methods. She had been a prodigy in the Academy: she blew through those prelims like a summer breeze and defeated her opponent in two minutes in the final exam. Her fight went down as the shortest in the history of the exams - and the most brutal. Sakura had been the medic assigned to see to the young woman's opponent's injuries that had been incurred during the match. She prayed she would never see the like again.
But the mednin knew from a long sad train wreck of experiences, praying didn't do for much good in this world.
Sakura moved along the face of a large rock, the soft sound of her back barely audible against the granite surface. Her sharp green eyes moved from side to side, warily evaluating her territory. Until the very last moment she failed to detect the form crouching above her. A mere ghost of his chakra touched off the alert centers in her body and she reacted instinctively. When he pounced, she moved to defend. With her arm across his collarbone and shoulders, ramrod locked with her impossible strength, she rendered the enemy ninja immobile. She frowned, a slight curving of the eyebrows. He was dressed strangely, in browns and reds, and his forehead protector etching clearly told her he was not of Sound persuasion or affiliation.
The information flitted through her thoughts. Hired mercenaries… one of the most wanted criminal groups in the bingo book… murderers…Her expression went cold. Sending chakra to her hands, she swiftly performed her duty before the surprised, stricken man could retaliate.
Shino appeared before her just as the enemy's body slipped to the ground in a lifeless heap. A small pool of blood formed under his neck and soaked rapidly into the mud. Nudging him onto his back with her toe, she pointed at his forehead protector. Shino nodded and held up three fingers. He'd already dispatched three. Sakura nodded back and together they moved in the direction she'd last seen Kiba and Shikamaru disappear in. They had to move through several treacherous passages and narrow pathways before they managed to catch up to the rest. Along the way they passed a few more bodies, mostly Sound nins. They had probably been killed when the rest had gone ahead, Sakura surmised. The stab wounds and blood spatters across the ground were fresh.
Anko surveyed over her team, confirming in one brief scan that everyone was present and accounted for. She touched her lips with one finger, indicating the order of silence was not to be broken yet despite their successful, stealthful maneuvering through the mountain pass. Pantomiming she instructed them on their next course of action.
Two fingers at eyes - "Keep both eyes open" - hands brought together - "Pair up" - finger tap to headset her fist smacking to center of her palm - "Radio only for assistance." Finally she made the universal clear-out motion with her arm. Each separated with their respective, designated partner into the strange misty region of the valley of Anzen no Chi Mori.
Sakura went with Anko, her pre-determined partner, traveling slightly behind her. Each pairing had valid reasoning behind them. Shino and Kiba had been teammates once so they knew how the other moved and thought without needing to say a word. Shikamaru and Hanabi because he was the only one whom Hanabi never second-guessed. As for Anko and herself? Well, she thought, to be perfectly honest, outside of joshing and trading sisterly banter, she couldn't think of any other reason for the pair up. Perhaps because she never argued with Anko -- it was rumored among the Jounin that Anko was difficult to get on with for a lot of subordinates under her command. That and Sakura was one of the few people the strong-willed Anko stopped and actually listened to. Yeah she could see where it all balanced out now that she thought about it.
Several uneventful minutes went by as the two women made it across the muddy terrain. It eventually led them down into a dense forest with thick moss, numerous vines and abundant flora and fauna. The upper canopy blocked much of the sunlight, rendering the forest floor into shadowed darkness. It forced them to stay to the treetops the only place visibility hadn't been reduced. The air was thicker here, humid, heated and enriched with the intense sweet smell of flowers and leaves. It was like breathing through a sponge. It was a subtropical environment; rumored to be one of the few places like it left in the world.
"I don't know how the natives here can stand it," Sakura spoke quietly to her squad captain, taking deep breathfuls of air. "Moving alone is difficult."
"I'll second you on that." Anko leaned on her kneecaps, watching Sakura mop at her wet forehead with the back of her hand. The bandana had dark damp patches. "It might help if you took off that head rag," she added sensibly.
The mednin disagreed. "Can't be seen."
"Huh. Do you think that stops Naruto?"
Sakura smiled gently. "No."
Anko grinned wide, a tad creepy, but honest in its amusement. Gradually she put, "You should, you know."
"Should what?" Sakura took the opportunity to sweep their surroundings, eyeing the thick green foliage with intense scrutiny. When Anko didn't answer, she glanced at the older woman curiously. Anko was giving her a you-oughta-know look she had seen on Ino's face on far too many occasions! She exhaled, recognizing the topic. "Is this really the time?"
Anko shook her head, still smiling. "No. But you should at least think about it."
That again… everyone keeps telling me that. Sakura lowered her chin, hiding the resignation in her diluted green depths. Thankfully Anko implied no more after that brief moment and the two kunoichi continued to carry on.
They were forced to a stop on a thick branch when a kunai hissed through the air and embedded itself the bark between them. At the same time Sakura and Anko took evasive action, parting in opposite directions. Their feet skidded across the slippery moss covered limb, forcing them to use their chakra as an adhesive to keep from a nasty plunge.
Barely just recovering, she checked on Anko. After determining her safety, Sakura took out her own knife and focused in the direction the attack had come from, bracing herself.
"Identify yourselves!" called a woman's disembodied voice from above. "Answer quickly or I'm throwing another one!"
"Konoha. We're the reinforcements." Anko called back, shielding her eyes to avoid looking directly into the winking rays of the sun above.
A woman appeared two tree limbs up, her hands encircling a bright ball of solar amplified chakra at heart level. Sakura squinted and eventually she had to look away lest the very sight of it damage her eyes. She'd never seen anything like this jutsu before… if that's what it was.
This news seemed to please the stranger for her tone was more pleasant with her next discourse. "Thank Kami, I was wondering if we were ever going to catch a lucky break." The chakra died instantly, winking out like a light bulb. Sakura shifted her eyes back and was finally able to take in the newcomer's appearance. She was nothing extraordinary or particularly intimidating -- at least based on physical features alone. She was young, attractive, maybe four or five years Sakura's senior. Her eyes were an interesting enough brown-red, she had shoulder length mahogany hair whipped up into a ponytail and her outfit was a pair of gray shorts with a light brown tunic with boots that went up mid-calf. When she smiled though it lit up her entire face, adding to her confident posture.
"Konnichiwa," the woman began cheerfully. "I'm Ashita Hikari, member of Anzen no Chi Mori's Special Forces, clan member and valley resident."
Anko grinned, very amused and responded in like. "Mitarashi Anko, Jounin serving under the Fifth Hokage, village member and resident."
Finding it silly but playing along, Sakura echoed. "Haruno Sakura, mednin and Jounin serving under the Fifth Hokage, village member and resident."
Hikari laughed and put both hands on her hips, staring at Sakura in an astonished I'll-damned manner. "No shit? Haruno Sakura?"
Sakura nodded, frowning lightly. "Have you been talking to Naruto?"
Hikari blinked. "Huh? No. He a friend of yours?"
"He is." Best to just keep it simple.
Hikari grinned again. "Awesome." She looked back behind her. "It's okay, Yuki, they're allies. Go report to Neji and Akira, will you? I'll be along in a sec. Arigato." She turned back to the Konoha nin. "Sorry you guys missed out on the party. We haven't seen hide nor hair of Sound flunkies or Chinmoku freaks. Frankly it's got everyone freaked out. But…" Her tone was somber. "We've… taken on a lot of losses. How many ninja are on your squad?"
"Six," Anko answered.
Hikari winced. "Ouch. Well, better than nothing. Follow me." She leapt off. Anko and Sakura exchanged looks and followed suit. Anko took the opportunity to radio the rest of their current situation and ordered them to rejoin them. Sakura remained silent, concentrating on getting to their location.
After reuniting along the way, the six, plus Hikari and Yuki (a purple haired kid with an easy smile who threw a flirty wink in Sakura's direction) reached the location of where the remaining valley residents were hiding. They were camped in a location not easily seen from either above or on the level -- a perfect hideout. The civilians were very quiet, most of them uninjured while it was mostly the Anzen nin and Tenten who needed to be seen to. Sakura was relieved to see that Neji, Lee and Ino were more or less unharmed. Neji scrupulously so, Lee looking just a little bit frazzled and Ino absolutely exhausted. The blonde woman grabbed her best friend's hand and begged her to take over because "I can't do this anymore, I haven't slept in twenty-four hours!" The bags under her near-teary eyes and her dirty face were testament. She looked ready to cry. Sakura patted Ino affectionately on the arm and urged her to rest. Gladly surrendering, Ino collapsed somewhere under a tree, two small boys who'd lost their mother tucked under both arms. They'd been distantly shadowing her since the evacuation until she gave in and let them sleep beside her. She pretended to be annoyed but Sakura knew better. She remembered how taken Ino had been with Ichigo when he had been smaller.
Now if she'd just settle down, she could have her wish, the mednin thought good-naturedly. Right, fat chance of that becoming reality.
Making her rounds, Sakura was impressed at how very little that needed to be done. Ino wasn't exactly the best-trained medic in the world but she did a good job with what little provisions she'd had. Intermittently between healings and chakra reserve assessments (who could fight, who couldn't fight), she chatted with Lee who brought her up to speed while Akira and Neji were off with Anko doing the same.
"Where's Naruto then?" Sakura asked, walking beside Lee, eye checking to make sure no one else was signaling for her. "I haven't seen him since we got here."
Hedging, Lee rubbed the back of his neck. "We-ell, he went after this Wolf guy last night after the man disappeared on his way here." Sakura's blank look prompted him to clarify. "Wolf is a masked shinobi these people had sent to Konoha to ask for help. Real quiet guy but snarky as heck whenever he opened his mouth. But eloquent when he wanted to be, ah, such poetry!" His round eyes shone momentarily before he shrugged. "Naruto and him hadn't been getting along up until then."
She frowned. "Then why would he go after him?"
Lee thought. "Well, Hikari said the guy got a sense of Orochimaru and made her come back here alone. Hikari said something to Naruto and suddenly he just went off, faster than I've ever seen him move. Anyone move," he murmured in afterthought.
A cold chill ran up Sakura's spine. "And Neji didn't try to stop him?" That seemed very odd and unlike the Hyuuga.
Lee shook his head. "No. Thing is, Neji let him go."
"We can't let Naruto go into this by himself!" Lee protested, arms gesturing dramatically. "At least allow me…"
"No." Neji regarded him with a dead-serious resolve. "You cannot interfere."
"But why? I don't…"
"Because Naruto," Neji spoke carefully, "is the only one who can bring him back."
When Lee stopped talking, he silently leveled Sakura with a meaningful look. Sakura's brow furrowed lightly, not comprehending his inference at first. She gazed off distantly at the hazy smoke trails rising from the forest below. A cold grip suddenly with great alacrity clenched at her and she dared not hope for what all logic spoke against. Wide-eyed she whipped around on Lee, her breath shortening. He merely watched her back, his eyes answering for her.
Sakura's fingertips rose to her lips, the agony ripping through her. She felt so torn. If she weren't what she was… She steeled and forced her legs to lock. My place is here, she told her conscience sternly. These people need me. There's nowhere in the world where I'm needed more than here. She shut her eyes and bit down on her bottom lip, fighting the hot sting blurring her vision. Slowly she sank to sit on the grass, faintly aware of Lee studiously giving her the space she silently entreated. She thanked him inside her head. Kami only made so many like him… she hoped she had it in her to keep them all with her for as long as possible.
"Mom, you're a hero every day in my eyes."
She smiled, tiredly resting a cheek on one upturned kneecap. I'm trying, sweetheart. If I'm a hero, it's because of that smile of yours and the looks your father gives me when he thinks I'm not looking. And strangely… it's also because of one sad night long ago when the clouds covered the moon someone thanked me.
Palming away the wetness on her cheek, Sakura pushed to her feet and turned back to those just up ahead. She looked over her shoulder one last time.
"Baka," she murmured gently, the corners of her mouth quirking upward.
It didn't take long for him to catch up to where the snake and his former protégé were fighting. All he did was simply follow the trail of devastation - broken trees, branches, scattered leaves, crushed rock and shallow craters - and he was able to locate them in three minutes. An entire swath of forest was obliterated. The only space left to stand on was dry dirt in a half-circular dent in the earth. Orochimaru stood at one end while Sasuke…
"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, rushing to the fallen shinobi, fearing the worst. Before he knelt down, he shot Orochimaru a murderous promise with his eyes. Orochimaru sank down on one knee, sweating, his clothes stained crimson. He simply smiled. A minor setback, he just needed to recover. Thankfully these fools were giving him that needed space of time.
Sasuke was on his hands and knees. One hand was gripping at the mark, his nails digging down so hard blood was actually running down his neck. His face was screwed up in agony. Out of the cracks of his eyes he saw Naruto hovering over him, registered he needed to do something and with effort let his Sharingan fade.
"Naruto…" he breathed out hard. "I can't… I'm…" He couldn't finish his sentence and screamed; the very sound tore through Naruto. It was hard to look at his friend, see him in so much pain and know there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Naruto grasped the other man's shoulders to prevent his head from connecting with the hard ground, helping him sit halfway up.
Sasuke had been able to stave off Orochimaru's attacks, counting on the avoidance of his gaze to work to his advantage. But he underestimated Orochimaru… again. I should have known. The bastard never stopped seeking out new ninjutsus, never stopped experimenting and searching for ways around impossible Bloodline Limits and other abilities. Even with the Sharingan, the very thing his enemy sought so religiously, he couldn't fight against the brutal pull of the Cursed Seal. The containment seal still held but… it had used up too much chakra suppressing the mark's power. Now he could barely move.
Sasuke swore in his mind. He should have killed the Sannin when he had the chance…
"Sasuke!"
Someone was calling, no, screaming at him… oh right... In his throes, he wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulders, so hard he heard the other grunt in discomfort. It killed his pride to do that. Dignity no longer played a part here… he lost that back when he had called out for the baka.
"N-Naruto…" Sasuke spoke through clenched teeth, the words a breathy hiss. "You're not… hurt…?"
"No. Sasuke…" he insisted, his voice on edge. There was an odd look in Naruto's eyes that was reflecting in the fear he was hearing in his voice. He was scared his dark haired friend was dying and he realized he couldn't accept that.
"Y-Your turn. I… can't… now but you… you can. Just save some for me, usuratonkachi." His smirk was tight and for show but he had to make it for Naruto's sake even though it was killing him to do so.
Naruto smiled back with difficulty, wrestling with himself. "Can't promise you that but… heh, I'll buy anyway, okay?"
Sasuke exhaled through his nose. "Baka…" Then his eyes closed, his head fell against his friend's shoulder and he was still. Naruto shook him, calling out his name. He checked his pulse. Good, he felt a weight dissolve inside. He was just unconscious. But now that he was…
I have to move him somewhere out of the way. I can't leave him here.
Gathering his limp form in his arms, Naruto stood and spared Orochimaru (who had been watching the exchange with far too much amusement) another poisonous glare. Orochimaru ran a tongue along his bottom lip, daring him to try it. Naruto felt the attack coming and moved quickly, leaping out of the shallow crater and plunging into the forest. Trees made for cheap cover but any obstacle at this point was better than nothing.
"Dammit, Sasuke, you need to lose some weight!" he muttered under his breath. Carrying the man bridal style was slowing him down. He paused for a moment he didn't have to shift his burden onto his back. When he was settled, he moved on, just narrowly escaping Orochimaru's almost catching up to them.
The next several minutes were a blur to Naruto. Since he had to support Sasuke's weight, hand seals were out of the question and he could about forget gaining enough ground to put him down to execute any of his techniques. Every time he glanced over his shoulder, Orochimaru was practically right on his heels. Two rather large snakes appeared at some point and proceeded to flank the fleeing ninja, their long, smooth bodies flowing easily along the ground. Most of the time he couldn't even see the blasted things. Only the scrape of scales along dry dirt kept Naruto's fox tuned ears alerted to their proximity. When each struck at him randomly, he was quick to dance out of range of their strikes. Once or twice he succeeded in kicking them in the head, causing the purple-black creatures to falter and give Naruto more ground.
Naruto's stomach began to clench in urgency. There just wasn't a good place to stop to put Sasuke down. On top of that, he was running out of loam - he recognized their surroundings. They were close to that open field he'd raced across carrying an injured Tenten. He would be more open to attack and more able to defend himself but, yeah, Sasuke.
"Dammit!" he swore for the umpteenth time.
He reached the open space and raced across it before stopped abruptly in the middle. Slowly he let Sasuke's body down and gently lay him to rest on the long grass. Positioning himself in front of him then, letting some of the fox's chakra define his whisker marks and color his eyes red, he prepared to meet Orochimaru head on. I'm not letting you anywhere near Sasuke. He didn't care that he was essentially about to play a human body shield… he's owed his former rival this since that day on the bridge trapped behind Haku's ice mirrors.
"Naruto…" A faint voice from behind and near his feet whispered.
"Don't move, teme." Naruto told him without changing his posture, readying a kunai to launch it the moment he saw Orochimaru emerge from the trees. "I'll fucking kill him before I let him near you again." He gave Sasuke a peripheral flicker of his gaze. "You okay?"
Sasuke stared up at Naruto, his eyes widening. The dobe was a better friend than he deserved… he couldn't just lie there and let him do all the work saving his unworthy, traitorous ass. He would never understand his friend's stubborn, passionate devotion to him. Not even after all of these years he'd had to think about it. The least he could do was return the favor. Though still feeling dizzy, he began to push up with his hand, trying to get up. He was shocked when Naruto's foot connected to his shoulder and gently pushed him back down. He swore angrily and knocked Naruto's foot away when he attempted to get up again.
"That's your problem, you never listen," he heard Naruto mumble. Chakra began to swirl in his palm, the telltale beginning of his most powerful jutsu.
Sasuke finished getting to his feet and swiped away the hair that had fallen in front of his face. "Don't call the kettle black, dobe." Activating his Sharingan, he started to make the hand seals for the Chidori. He was surprised when Naruto's free hand shot out and grasped him by the wrist.
"Wait," the blonde told him, watching the snakes emerge first into the field.
Okay, that made more sense. Sasuke moved to intercept the serpents while Naruto waited for Orochimaru to arrive in their wake. He blinked when instead of repelling the snakes back with an attack Sasuke just stood there. What happened next completely dumbfounded him.
The snakes slowed and slid gracefully to a halt, both warily regarding him. Sasuke folded his arms and glared down at them.
"This is the thanks I get for not chopping your heads off last time?" he ground out.
"We're only obeying Master's summons," one snake argued lamely. "It's not like we want to do this," the other chimed in right after.
"Besides," the first one added shrewdly. "It's not like you have a cause to object - you haven't summoned us for years!"
Sasuke narrowed his black gaze at them. "You terrified a six year old girl. I couldn't get Katana to sleep in her own bed for an entire month." He let the implication speak for itself.
The snakes regarded one another. "True enough," the second one acceded at length. "Consider yourself fortunate you're still under blood contract with us."
With that, in two twin puffs of smoke, the serpents were gone. Sasuke looked over his shoulder at Naruto. The blonde's mouth was hanging slightly open, quickly closing it when he took note of the smug expression on the Uchiha's face. That baka still has pull no matter the situation! He internally ranted. What the hell is it about him? Charisma no jutsu!
"Sasuke…" Naruto began suddenly.
He knew. "Aa," he replied softly.
Like a shadow coming to life, Orochimaru appeared at that very moment, stepping into the field as if he'd been strolling along and not had been in hot pursuit. Both men tensed and automatically moved to flank each other. Naruto's Rasengan was at full strength now.
"Think you can do a Chidori without passing out?" Naruto muttered out of the corner of his mouth.
"Fuck you."
Naruto brought his gaze back up front and just grinned semi-wickedly.
"Agh!"
I grabbed a passing branch with both hands and hung on for dear life. The terrain going down hill was rough and slippery. Loose rocks and thick roots covered much of the topsoil, making the downward trek hazardous. Reynard said there was no other way around it so unless I wanted to extend my journey by another several days by avoiding this route, this was my only means of getting back to my team. Granted I was used to this kind of travel however it didn't mean I had any less difficulty with it. Tree travel would have axed out the trip factor except if I missed a branch it would be a long and painful fall. I'd had about enough of freefalling!
Reynard, that furry menace, navigated the treacherous turf with typical kitsune grace. He looked like he was having the time of his life - all grins, perky ears and swishing tail. Yeah easy for him, I thought, grumbling inwardly. He's in his element, me, I'm coming out of this with skinned knees and a bruised ego. Bad enough my ankle is still tender from before.
"Oi." I called to my mischievous guide ahead of me. "Do you think you could do something about my ankle?"
:What would you like me to do:
"Gee," I snapped, "I wonder! I'm favoring it pretty badly here."
:And:
"And…" I glared.
Reynard distended his nostrils, amused. :I'm not a kirin, human, I can't fix your injuries presto.:
"But you fixed my voice."
:Two different things, kit.: That matter of fact tone was starting to piss me off.
"Nani? How are they different?"
:That one was a defunct after-effect of a spell, this is a physical injury to the body made by physical means.: He looked back at me. :Get it: I glowered. :All right then.:
"I hate you." Frustration was taking the lead here.
:And you amuse me.: Laugh. :I haven't had this much fun in at least two centuries:
"Yeah, at my expense. Bastard." I untangled my arm from a passing vine, finally freeing it with a brutal yank.
:Tomato, tomahto.: He sang, twitching his whiskers gleefully.
"Shizukani." I picked my way down a particularly difficult patch of roots until I was standing by the fox's side again. He beamed at me, I smirked back and we continued along. After a while, I spoke up again. "Forgive me for being curious, but where were we before that was so dangerous?"
Reynard did not look at me. :There are some things in this world you can't get a fox spirit to comment upon. This being one of them, I'm afraid I can't tell you any more than that.:
"'Kay." It wasn't but I wasn't in the mood to press him for more. He was my guide by virtue of his good heart; I couldn't repay him with an interrogation. "How did you rescue me then?"
:I assumed the form of a human and caught up with you when the current gentled. I had to kill about thirty Atokata before I was actually able to save you.: He whuffed. :Annoyances… they're nothing for something like me.:
"A human?" I was interested. "Oi, can I see?"
:Um, no.: He appeared uncomfortable.
"Why not?"
:Because.:
"Because why?"
:Because I don't feel like it.:
I heeled him in the ribs, knocking the hapless critter over. He barked peevishly and snapped at me. I danced to the side out of range by reflex. "What can it hurt?"
:A lot. I only take human form in combat or when I need to feed on life spirit.:
I fought another urge to kick him again. "All right," I allowed. "Why do you need to take on human form to feed on life spirit then?"
:Well: Reynard began, the feel of his voice too guiltily laced with satisfaction for my comfort area. :Generally different species don't like having interspecies sex so I have to change into something humans would want to have sex with. One good long session and I'm good to go for about twelve months.:
"WHAT!" I clapped both hands over my ears and turned beet red. The beast snickered heartily.
:You asked.:
And I would never ask again. "Ugh." I shuddered, hunching my shoulders together. Bad mental images assaulted the back of my brain and I quashed them forcibly to be rid of them. You reap what you sow.
I gasped when an arm went around my shoulders and pulled me in. "You're so upright, Uchiha, you need to relax," a dulcet female voice whispered into my ear before giggling.
Alarmed I pushed back and stumbled to the side (damn rocks!), back encountering the trunk of a tree, staring wide eyed with my heart in my throat. The hell…?
A young woman of about sixteen was standing where no one had been before. How had she…? Where had she…? Her hair was a rich red-gold spilling down in a waterfall to her hips. Her eyes were dark brown, her skin was flawless and her outfit was a bit too revealing. She had breasts that filled every inch of that leather halter-top and legs that went on forever. Everything about her appearance said Fuck me. Kakashi would have had a nosebleed, Takashi would have passed out and Ichigo would have died. But when she shifted her weight, I saw that she had a little red fox tail.
"Reynard?"
She smiled and I was completely convinced of her identity at that moment. "Yep." Hands splayed a waspy waist proudly. "But when I'm in this form you can call me Sakana." Wink.
"But you're male!" I exclaimed. "Why don't you turn into a man? And why the hell can you talk now?"
"Because kitsune turn into women. My fox form can't talk but my human form can talk." She grinned evilly. "Why? Got a reason?"
"Hell no." I recovered and stood up again, shaking off the disorientation. "I'm only thirteen, I'm too young for that."
The fox, ur, Sakana snorted. "Tell me this the next time you and your teammate are feeling each other up." Oh she wanted to die this one. Several days of travel with this cruel spirit and only now I was finding this out? Society preps and hammers logic into a human being's mind from the time they hit school age until pretty much the grave. When you're presented with something that goes up above and beyond what you know is true or possible, the brain has a bit of a time processing it. I'd seen a lot of weird shit but Reynard the Gender Switching Youkai from Hell took the cake and ate it. And I had a feeling things were only going to be getting stranger from here on out.
Suddenly the fox woman looked around swiftly, eyes narrowing. Activating my Sharingan, I slipped back to her side. We slid back to back, me with my kobun, her… with nothing. But being a kitsune, I bet she had something else at the ready.
"Don't these guys ever give up?" I muttered, shifting from one black swathed ninja to the next, each melting from the trees and bushes like they had been living in-between the shadows.
These Atokata creeps were almost unreal, I thought maintaining my focus. Their determination was mind-boggling. No matter how many were killed, several more always appeared. I had thought at first they were using shadow replications but a look-see with the Sharingan revealed otherwise. Every one of these guys was the genuine article. What they lacked in finesse they made up for in other ways.
Step down Akatsuki, you're officially number two on the Nukenin Badass Do Not Screw With Us list!
"Either these guys have advanced methods of reproduction or they have the best recruiting success ratio in history," I muttered, eyeing them as they advanced on us slowly.
"Well, you're definitely the one we're looking for." The man in front of me intoned with finality. "Same smart mouth. Even if you hadn't had those eyes of yours, I still would have guessed."
Same smart mouth…?
"Watch out for that slut with the tail," called another from somewhere behind me on Sakana's side. "Took out most of us back near Konoha a week ago."
"Who you calling a slut you fucking moron?" Sakana hissed. "I'll bet you stick your… umphf!" The fox shut up when I jammed her from behind with my elbow. This situation was already dangerous enough. We didn't need to add more fuel to the proverbial fire. Fire…
Oi, fox bastard, you know any fire jutsus? I sent.
:Please: Sakana laughed in the same kitsune voice in my head. :Who do you think you're talking to: I could have lived without the superiority riff.
Whatever. I didn't have time to be dealing with more of these idiots. I had some getting home to do. I formed the hand seals swiftly and inhaled.