A/N: I planned to have this up earlier, really. But after my rushed attempt at Iruka's bday fic, I kinda burned out all my energy to write this chapter. But well, I'm glad I managed it somehow. ^_^ Enjoy!!
Chapter 25: Rescue Mission
Hiruzen tapped his fingers against the table as he flipped through the stacks of files on the table, searching for anything that might give him a clue on where Mizuki could be so that those who had been sent to retrieve the academy teacher could act instantly instead of having to wait around helplessly.
He sighed as he slammed a folder close and pulled out another one. He was about to start reading through it when a tap came to his window. He turned around, displeased with the disruption.
But the moment he saw who was on his window sill, he was almost thankful for it. Now, perhaps, he could be able to send immediate assistance to Raidou and the others, instead of having to wait till Tsume is back.
He opened the window and Pakkun strolled in, giving him a polite bow. "Hokage-sama, I bring back an update from Kakashi and his team. They are on their way back to the village and should be able to reach the gates before dawn."
"Good." The elder said in a grave tone. "Pakkun, I need you to do me a favor. Go back to Kakashi and tell him to hurry back. I want you to bring him this message. Instead of having him come straight back to the village, I want him to launch an immediate rescue mission."
"Rescue mission?" The pug frowned. "Where?"
"That's precisely the reason why I need him to do it." Sandaime sighed. "I don't know exactly where and the team I've sent out has lost track of the person." He eyed the dog for a moment before shaking his head tiredly. "Pakkun, when you deliver this message to Kakashi, make sure he remains calm."
The ninken eyed the older man suspiciously. Then he nodded curtly. "Sure."
"Good." Hiruzen turned and paced the room. Pakkun eyes followed his every movement, having the feeling that something was very wrong.
"Pakkun, once Kakashi has entered Konoha's forest, tell him to head south. I need him to track down Mizuki and bring him back to the village for the interrogation team to deal with."
"Mizuki?" Pakkun frowned.
"Yes." Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe. "He disappeared three hours ago from the village after taking some form of concoction, which we believe has got to do with Orochimaru's forbidden research. And he did not leave alone." The older man eyed the dog solemnly. "He took a hostage with him."
Pakkun stared at the Hokage, a sense of dread overcoming him. Somehow, he knew this wasn't going to be that easy.
"He knocked Iruka out and took him away." Hiruzen continued gravely. "ANBU followed him, but they lost him in the forest and he managed to cover up his scent enough for them to not be able to pick it up. I've sent Raidou and a few other jounin there as well, but they weren't able to find any clues as to where Mizuki could have headed towards. That is why they require experienced ninken to do the job. Tsume and Hana are out of the village now. And I don't want to wait if I could help it. Any delay could jeopardize Iruka's safety."
The ninken bristled with rage. Before Hiruzen could say another word, he had stepped out of the window. "I will bring the message to the boss. And Hokage-sama, my brothers and I will bring Iruka back."
Hiruzen watched, mildly surprised at the protectiveness Pakkun was showing. Then he smiled as the dog disappeared into the dark at top speed.
"I will be counting on you then, Pakkun."
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Iruka stirred slightly, groaning when he felt his head aching. His hands were held up over his head and he tugged lightly, but winced when the chakra-infused wires cut into his wrists. He blinked his eyes open as he stretched out his chakra to feel out his surroundings.
He was alone. He didn't know if that was a good thing. The last thing he had remembered before he was being knocked out was that he was being tied up by Mizuki right on the streets of Konoha. Fear shot through him when the thought of the white-haired chunin came into his mind and he felt the tension in his body hiking. What did Mizuki want with him?
Slowly, his vision adjusted to the darkness and he could make out the outline of a small cabin. His keen smell picked up the scent of trees and shrubberies and he deduced he was being held somewhere in the middle of the forest. He took in a deep breath to calm his nerves as he tried to figure out where Mizuki could be hiding.
But other than the night creatures scrambling around and the sounds of crickets, Iruka could hear no other presences near him. He twisted around a little and managed to sit himself up. Flexing his fingers, he tried to loosen the strings secured around them to allow him to use some jutsu to defend himself.
The creaking of a door opening made him froze in his movements. A moment later, someone approached him and when the voice whispered next to his ears, he felt bile rising up in his throat.
"Hey Ruka-love, you are finally awake."
"Mi…. Mizuki…." Iruka swallowed hard as he tried to inch away.
A cold hand stroked his cheek and Mizuki chuckled. "We will be out of here tomorrow and then, we will leave the village behind and start our own lives. I'm so looking forward to that, aren't you?"
"Let me go, Mizuki!"
"Another three hours and it will be sunrise. Just hang in there for a little while more." Mizuki grinned and slipped off the bed. "I will go and hunt for some food, so you can have a good breakfast later before we move out. Wait for me here."
Iruka watched in fear as the other chunin stepped out of the cabin again, leaving him alone. When the footsteps faded away, he turned back to the task which he had been on before Mizuki entered the room. He was almost thankful as he felt around the knots with his fingers. It seemed that Mizuki had tied him up in haste and had overlooked some of the knots he had made around the tanned fingers. Iruka worked frantically, trying to ease his fingers from the chakra wires.
He had to get away from this place. Had to get back to Konoha and to Kakashi. He hadn't a minute of doubt that Mizuki would take him away by force even if he refused to leave with the white-haired chunin. And he didn't want that to happen, not when his relationship with Kakashi was just beginning to take off on a good start.
He hadn't got much time left before Mizuki gets back. He ignored the tears that rolled down his cheeks as he worked desperately to free himself.
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Kakashi had just entered the borders of Konoha forest when he sensed the erratic chakra signature of his ninken heading his way and behind the spiking of the chakra flow, he could sense distress and anger. Something had to be off for his dog to be reacting in such a worried manner. Frowning, he halted his steps on a branch and waited for the dog to appear.
Genma and Asuma landed quietly behind him as they watched their comrade's brows knitted tightly together. Genma was about to question the sudden stop, but Kakashi raised his hand, signaling for him to be silent.
The three jounin waited quietly in the foliage and a moment later, a dog flitted through the trees at top speed.
"Boss!" Pakkun skidded to a halt in front of the silver-haired man.
Kakashi crouched down in front of his dog and studied the pug intently. "What happened, Pakkun?"
"Iruka has been kidnapped."
Kakashi felt his blood run cold. Genma and Asuma exchanged stunned glances.
The copy nin clenched his fist at the side as he tried to keep his anger from overtaking the last bit of rationality left in him. He took in a deep breath and eyed his dog. "When did this happen?"
"Four hours ago." Pakkun flinched slightly at the cold anger that emanated from Kakashi. "Hokage-sama wants me to bring you this message; head south now to meet up with Raidou and the others. He wants you to go after Mizuki; have him captured and turned over to the interrogation team."
"Mizuki kidnapped Iruka?" Kakashi growled. Pakkun gave a curt nod.
"That was what Hokage-sama told me."
"Damn!" Kakashi spun on his heels and headed towards the other direction of the forest. "And what were Raidou and the others doing? They couldn't stop him?"
"They lost track of him." Pakkun kept pace with the man as Genma and Asuma followed them quickly. "Mizuki managed to clear off his scent enough to throw them off. They sent a message back to the village requesting for help from experienced ninken, but the Inuzukas are mostly out on missions."
Kakashi's eye narrowed as he picked up his pace. Asuma and Genma did not utter a word when they felt the killing intent unleashed from the man sprinting off ahead of them. Silently, both men pushed more chakra into their feet to aid in their speed, all the while fervently hoping that Iruka would be fine until they arrive.
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Iruka twisted his wrist, letting out a hiss of pain when the wires cut into the skin. After a moment of struggle, to his relief, one of his fingers slipped free from the binds. The sweat rolled from his brows as he worked his other fingers out of the wires.
Finally pulling one of his hands free, he reached around and relieved his other hand of the chakra binds. Once his hands were free, he bent down and began to untie the ropes on his ankles.
He casted the ropes aside and slipped off the bed, stumbling a little at the numbness that was running through the veins in his legs. He headed over to the door where he found his sandals and slipping them on, he pulled the door open and ran out into the night.
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Kakashi landed softly on the ground below. Pakkun took the lead and started running towards where he could sense the rest of their comrades waiting. They pushed through the shrubs to reach the clearing at the other side and startled Hayate who was searching the area.
"Hayate." Asuma nodded grimly.
"Hokage-sama sent us." Genma glanced around the area. "We heard Mizuki has taken Iruka captive."
"Yes." Hayate stole a glance at Kakashi and failed to suppress the shudder that ran through his body when he met the cold eye of the ex-ANBU. "Come with me."
The sword specialist led his friends towards the end of the clearing where Raidou, Hare and Hawk were talking quietly. When Kakashi approached, all of them turned and the three shinobi visibly flinched.
"Kakashi, when did you get back?" Raidou swallowed hard.
"Which way did Mizuki go?" Kakashi stared at the group.
"The last place I saw him was in this clearing." Hare took a step back subconsciously.
Kakashi pulled out a kunai and nicked his thumb. Weaving through the seals quickly, he slammed down hard on the ground and summoned the rest of his pack. When the smoke cleared, seven ninken stood attentively in their positions, waiting for the instructions that would come next. Having sensed the distress in their master's chakra, they understood the seriousness of the matter at hand and that immediate action was required on their part.
Kakashi took a quick glance at the dogs. Pakkun strode up to the front of the pack and gave the man a quick nod.
"You have five minutes. Track down Iruka's and Mizuki's scent and see where they have headed." Kakashi clenched his fists at the side. "Report back once you find anything."
At the wave of the copy nin's hand, the dogs dispersed among the trees and bushes. Kakashi watched as his dogs ran around the place, trying to pick up any residual scent that had been left behind by either of the two men.
Asuma and Genma stepped up on either side of the man.
"He will be alright, Kakashi." Asuma said comfortingly.
"I swear I'm going to break Mizuki's neck." Kakashi growled.
Genma clasped a hand on the silver-haired jounin's shoulder and spoke firmly. "Kakashi, whatever happens later, Iruka's safety takes precedence. Leave Mizuki to us. Your main task is to get Iruka away from the place and to receive medical treatment, if the need calls for it."
The jounin raised his fist and slammed it into a nearby tree trunk. The wood cracked from the impact and bits of the timber fell onto the forest ground.
Anko and Gai stepped into the clearing, back from their scouting, just in time to hear the loud sound of the cracking of wood. Their eyes widened when they saw the copy nin standing a distance away.
"What –" Anko stared.
"Hokage-sama sent them." Hayate coughed lightly as he stood beside the kunoichi. "And I guess it's for the best. After all, besides the Inuzukas, Kakashi is the other person with well-trained ninken."
"Probably." Gai said quietly. "But is it a rational choice to send him here?"
Hayate glanced towards the copy nin's direction and sighed. "Well, he has always been able to reign in his emotions. I'm sure there will be no exceptions this time. He will not allow his emotions to get in the way of mission objectives."
Anko snorted. "I sure wouldn't mind if he decides to not keep his mood in check. I am in favor of seeing Mizuki's blood splattered on the ground."
Hayate sighed and shook his head. "We are to take him back alive. Come on, let's join them over there."
The group walked silently over to join the rest of their comrades. They had just stepped up behind Raidou when two ninken came dashing through the trees and landed in the clearing.
"We've picked up Iruka's scent, boss." Pakkun glanced up at his master.
"Lead the way."
Pakkun nodded and turned on his heels, running back towards the direction he had came from, with the other ninken close beside him. Kakashi took off after them, keeping a focused eye on his path.
'Hang in there, Iruka. I'm coming for you.'
Raidou turned to the two ANBU. "You can go back and report to Hokage-sama. We will take it from here." With that said, the scarred jounin turned and disappeared into the trees followed by the rest of the jounin.
Hawk turned to look at his companion. "Let's go then."
Hare nodded. Before she took off after her partner, she turned towards the direction where her comrades were headed towards.
'Please be safe, Iruka-san.'
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Iruka stumbled through the forest, fear beginning to eat into him. He had no idea where he was and the trees were not giving away any clues on which part of the forest Mizuki had held him captive. The only thing he had now was his instincts to trust and he was hoping that it would get him out of this place safely instead of leading him around in circles and eventually back to where Mizuki was lying in wait.
Taking in a deep breath, he tried his best to push aside the apprehension as he focused on the path, dimly lit by the moonlight. He had no idea how long he had been stumbling around, trying to find his way out. But he knew, it had been long enough for Mizuki to come back from his hunt to find him missing and the pale-haired chunin is possibly tracking him now.
He parted the bushes and walked through it, ignoring the thorns that tore at his clothes and adding on to the scratches on his body. But he winced slightly when one of the thorns dug into the wound on his wrist and he immediately wrenched his hand away from the spike.
He sighed when he finally pushed through the prickling shrubs and he held his injured hand up to examine it. The spikes had torn through the still healing wound that resulted from the chakra wires, cutting deep in and making it bleed all over again. Iruka swiped the blood away and was thankful that the gash wasn't deep. He tugged at his already torn sleeve and pulled down a strip of cloth, wrapping it over his wrist to stash off the bleeding, until he is able to get out of the forest and get proper treatment for the wound.
He was about to take another step forward when he heard a creak behind him. He turned and froze instantly when he saw Mizuki's grinning face.
"Looks like you did not behave as you should, Iruka-love."
The chunin stepped back and eyed his opponent warily. "It's not too late for you to turn back now, Mizuki."
The chunin chuckled. The sound echoed through the forest and sent a shiver down Iruka's spine as he took another step back.
"Why should I? Once I leave this place, I will have all the power I want. Power, Iruka. No one will be able to stand against me and I will rule at the top of the world!" The white-haired chunin grinned. "And no one will be able to take you away from me."
Iruka shook his head disbelievingly. Mizuki was apparently crazy over power. But the tanned chunin had no idea what the other meant by gaining power after leaving the village. Where was he going? What was he going to do? Was he actually in cahoots with criminals outside the village and plotting destruction against Konoha?
"Let's go back, Iruka." Mizuki gave him a smile and stepped forward with his hand reached out for the academy teacher's.
"No!" Iruka clenched his fist as he clung onto his belief. He wouldn't leave Konoha, wouldn't leave his friends and he would never leave Kakashi. No matter what Mizuki says, his stand will remain the same.
"You don't have a choice!" Mizuki snarled and leapt forward, gutting the other chunin in the stomach. The blow knocked Iruka out of his breath and he fell to the ground, gasping for breath. Before he could even recover, Mizuki pulled him up by his hair and smirked into his face.
Iruka growled as he gathered chakra in his fist. He threw the punch forward, but Mizuki was too fast for him. The white-haired chunin grabbed his wrist and twisted it, giving him a feral grin and mocking at his helplessness. Iruka refused to give in as he gathered chakra in his other hand and punched Mizuki right in his guts.
The white-haired man loosened his hold on him and stumbled back a little. Iruka immediately shifted back to put some distance between himself and Mizuki. But his eyes widened in shock when the other chunin gave him a grin and stepped forward again, showing clearly that the chakra-infused punch did nothing to faze him out.
"I can feel the power running through me." Mizuki laughed. "I can feel it so well! See Iruka? Your punch doesn't even work on me!"
Before the tanned chunin could even assume an offensive position, he felt his arm twisted back and he cried out in pain. Mizuki pressed up against his back and chuckled coldly into his ears. "You are no match for me, Iruka. And let me tell you this. I am stronger than before. Even Hatake won't be my match now." The older man reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a syringe. "And you haven't been behaving, Iruka. Perhaps I should teach you a lesson to make you learn your place."
Iruka stared in horror as Mizuki pushed the syringe into his arm and drained the clear liquid into his blood vessel. He felt his body go limp and when Mizuki stepped away, his knees went weak and he crumbled to the ground.
Mizuki knelt down beside him and flipped him around. Iruka fought to stay awake even as the substance which Mizuki had injected into him was beginning to take effect and stealing away his senses. He grasped weakly on the other chunin's wrist when Mizuki moved to unzip his vest.
"You belong to me, Iruka. And I am going to mark you as mine." The white-haired chunin grinned. "And we shall see if Hatake will still want you after I'm done with you. That is, if you ever get to see him again."
"Stay away from me!" Iruka choked out, trying to keep his consciousness. He put up a feeble struggle when Mizuki tugged his vest off him and drew out a kunai. The metal blade glinted under dim moonlight and Iruka felt a shudder ran through his body.
"You won't be able to resist, Iruka. Now go to sleep. At least you won't feel the pain when you are sleeping. After all, this is your first, isn't it? I bet you haven't slept with Hatake yet. Well, the most you would feel in the morning is a lingering ache." Mizuki chuckled. "I really did not vision our first time to be like this and in this kind of place. But you left me with no choice."
Iruka tried to utter a protest. But his lids grew heavy and his vision grew dim. His grasp from the other man's wrist went limp and his hand dropped to his side. As he slid his eyes closed, he felt the sense of regret that overcame him.
'I'm sorry, Kakashi.'
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