Characters
Daichi/Kibo= Sakura's colleague with an obvious attraction to Sakura
Mrs Izumi= Older Nurse works at the hospital alongside Sakura, and is familiar with Sarada.
Itaru Fumetsu= Man missing, with a rare blood limit.
Hideki Fumetsu= Older man, rescued by Sasuke, also shares rare blood limit.
Lilly= Head Scheduling nurse
Mei= a young Nurse at the hospital
Chapter 26
Hospital
Walking down the hallway apprehensively as she held onto her right arm protectively, Mei the nurse that had retrieved Sakura earlier; due to the urgency with her patient. Found herself stopping after catching the site of Sakura suddenly leaving from her office, as she seemed to be accompanied by an unfamiliar male; as he was unrecognizable upon sight with his oversized cap and baggy clothing.
"Sakura-san?" the nurse found herself thinking, as she took a step forward in their direction.
However stopping herself after taking a step as she watched the two suddenly leaving, Mei looking down for a bit as she clutched onto her arm even harder; next turned around in opposite direction of the pair, as she began to leave abruptly without saying a single word despite desperately wanting too.
Outside
Elsewhere while carrying Hideki securely on his back, after hearing of his sudden worsening condition from Boruto and Sarada; as the children followed close behind. The Hokage knowing he could get the old man back to the hospital faster than it would take for them to wait for help to come, rushed urgently to get him the medical help he needed; since the man was unable to move on his own due to the amount of continued pain he seemed to be in.
"Ojii-san hang in there," Boruto yelled from behind his father, as he leapt from the building after him.
Sarada equally wanting to voice the same encouragement to Hideki as she didn't want him to stop fighting, found herself strangely mute in following the trio; as she felt responsible for causing such trouble for the old man, especially since she was aware that something wasn't quite right ever since her mother had left him in her care.
"Hideki-san." She thought to herself while keeping right behind Boruto.
Hideki's shop
Arriving shortly at his intended location since it took him little to no time to travel back too Hideki's shop on his own, Sasuke hoping to find clues in locating Daichi's whereabouts; after his initial disappearance from the hospital. Found upon arriving to the building that it had been deviously set ablaze in an obvious act of arson, as the lightly lit charred remains of the structure laid piled on the ground below; making him immediately suspect the doctor was at fault, as he kept on high alert while investigating the scene further.
However as Sasuke walked around the smoldering ashes in his attempt to understand where and when the fire had started; hearing the sudden sound of cracking wood, as it caught his attention immediately. Found next a sudden aerial attack taking him by partial surprise, as an unknown man rushed toward him quickly; before stabbing the Uchiha unsuspectingly in the stomach as he instantly fell towards the ground unresponsively.
Hospital
Once the small group had finally arrived to the hospital, with medical staff acting fast in attending to Hideki; Boruto conscious of Sarada's abnormal silence, as she hadn't said a word the entire time the trio had rushed over to the facility. Found her mind state easily readable, since it was painfully clear she had been remorseful over what had happened to the old man. Making the young ninja next cough into his closed fist tensely, before mimicking Sarada's earlier gesture of placing a hand lightly on her shoulder; as he had wanted to apologize since he felt he was to blame and not her.
"Ah Sarada… Sorry." He spoke quietly while keeping his own guilty gaze away from hers.
"Huh? For what?" She found herself questioning, as she had been more focused on watching the nurses taking Hideki away.
"About our fight earlier," he spoke somberly.
"Oh that…It's okay." She responded halfheartedly, as she felt their argument held little importance. However not satisfied with her simple acceptance of his apology, as there had been more too it; Boruto turning towards her sharply decided to elaborate on his meaning, since she obviously didn't understand his feelings of the situation.
"No really… With my mom being sick. It's hard for me… So I lashed out at you when you were only trying to help… and if I hadn't of done that it wouldn't have caused all of this…" He admitted, making Sarada finally give her full attention to him; since she knew he wasn't the one to blame.
"It's actually my fault… I knew yesterday that Hideki'san wasn't well and I should have told someone … And for the fight… I should have been more understanding of your feelings of how tough it is for you with your mom being sick, I honestly don't know what I'd do if something happened with my mama." She admitted while looking back at him sternly.
"Don't blame yourself …Ojii-san will be okay… and he has your mom, she is going to make sure nothing happens to him or my mom… We just need to have faith," He added in as he wanted to show her she shouldn't blame herself either.
However in thinking of Boruto's comment about her mother, as her slight smile from his hopeful words dissipated quickly; Sarada needing to let her mother know of Hideki's condition, especially since she would be his best chance to survive. Next without notice darted off catching Naruto's and Boruto's attention, as the duo became concerned promptly; making Naruto run over to his son to try and get some answers first about what was going on.
"Boruto… Where is she going?" he asked his son, before seeing he had a similar expression to his of confusion.
"Oi…Sarada chotto…" he shouted, before following her along with Boruto.
Hideki's Shop
Elsewhere after receiving a surprise attack to his mid-section from an unknown object, as the man that had initiated the attack began to grin happily; Sasuke lying on the ground motionless, as the man seemed to quickly let down his guard. Had a grin come over his face on his own, before his silhouetted body suddenly dissipated; allowing him time to make his counter attack on the unsuspecting male. While effortlessly disarming him of his weapon first, before knocking him back a few paces; causing him to fall flat on his ass abruptly.
"You're way too slow." He spoke emotionlessly next, before looking down at the shiny tool he had caused him to drop.
However upon closer examination of the foreign object, as the man had obvious intentions of stabbing him with it; Sasuke seeing it had been a loaded needle which was probable cause for concern. Placed the sole of his shoe on top of the fragile glass, before braking it with little force; since he had wanted to insure himself it would not be used on him or anyone else, as he turned around to finally deal with his sluggish attacker.
"… So where is he…. I assume that man sent you?" he asked directly, as the man gulped after catching the Uchiha's dangerous eye contact.
Hospital
Rushing around the back of the hospital as she pushed passed various busy nurses and doctors, without apology, Sarada trying to locate her mother; found quickly a free nurse catching her eye as she tried next to see if she knew possibly, where her mother had been currently.
"Excuse me… Have you seen Uchiha Sakura?" She asked the nurse, before seeing her question seemed to catch her by surprise.
"Ah…." The nurse hesitated, before seeing the Hokage suddenly make his appearance as he quickly grabbed Sarada's shoulder.
"Hey, why did you leave, so suddenly?" Naruto asked Sarada right away after catching up with her, since he was responsible for her in her parent's absence.
"Please I'm her daughter, I need to know where she is... It's urgent" She pleaded to the nurse while ignoring Naruto's question; since her need to find her was more dire.
"I…I don't think she's here. Right now," The nurse finally answered; making Sarada frown her eyebrows at hearing this, as it was entirely unexpected to here.
"Sorry to bother you, I know you must be busy…Ido… Mei-chan is it?" Naruto spoke apologetically; after catching her name tag to address her properly.
"It's okay I need to get going now." She spoke before walking away quickly. Leaving Sarada with Boruto and Naruto, as the pair looked at her questionably about why she took off on her own unexpectedly.
"Nee…Hokage Sama… Can you sense my mama…?" She asked while looking down, since the nurse's comment made her apprehensive.
"Eh? Hang on." Naruto responded inquisitively, before closing his eyes; while she and Boruto watched him work.
"Huh? That's strange… Sasuke isn't here ? … Though I can still sense him not that far away… But Sakura-chan?" He thought to himself as he was oddly unable to sense her.
However before he could respond to Sarada's question, as she had waited on him patiently to respond. The Hokage seeing Shikamaru rapidly approaching the small group unexpectedly next, made him quickly refrain from revealing the truth; as the serious looking shinobi had obviously something on his mind, since he had come to get him specifically.
"You need to come with me," Shikamaru spoke after getting the trios attention.
Hideki's shop
Feeling his patience expire, as he was unwilling to entertain the man's silent stubbornness any longer; as he rejected to acknowledge or answer his earlier question. Sasuke realizing the man was far weaker than he let on, with his obvious lack of basic ninja skills and knowledge. Decided next to grab him by his shirt collar, as he wanted answers now to Daichi's whereabouts; without any further delay or games from the stubborn man.
"I allowed your friend to waste my time …This time I'm not going to be so generous…. " he spoke coldly, as he wanted him to be aware that his threat was a promise.
However noticing in response to his threats the man began fidgeting more, as he seemed to be indiscreetly reaching for something in his pocket; Sasuke easily removing the tool from the man's possession. Found quickly the item he had taken, looked identical to the one the man he had captured before had used; making him next look back alarmed he too was planning on taking his own life to cover up for the doctor.
"It isn't going to be that easy." Sasuke reassured before tossing the vial he had grabbed, to the ground; forcing the man's hand now that he didn't have his alternative option.
"Please…" The man spoke next as he began to tear up, making Sasuke instead narrow his eyes at the strange tactic, as he loosened his grip at something not being right.
"I'm not going to talk too you… So please…Do what you will to me or give me the needle." The man demanded while noticeably looking to his side, causing Sasuke to take notice as he next dropped the man to the ground suddenly.
"Don't move," the Uchiha spoke after closing his eyes, as he undetectably switched his positioning; before he soon was standing on a nearby building roof top; forcing the person whom had been watching from above to finally reveal themselves, since he had him cornered using the sharp tip of his blade.
"Wow… you really are as good as I've heard." The cornered man said, before pulling out and using his own kunai and largely powered strength; to push Sasuke back a bit, as his feet slid on the ground, before the pair were face to face at a brief standstill.
"Hum…" Sasuke smirked back to the comment, before quickly lowering his height, as he speedily and efficiently under swept the man's feet, while equally using his newly free hand after tossing his sword to punch the ground; as he watched narrowly the man escape the attack after he had caught him off guard, as he jumped back barely to avoid the blow.
"That was close…" The man spoke to himself, while wiping, some sweat from his head.
"Are you going to be the one to tell me what I want to know?" Sasuke asked the unknown man, once he stood back up on his own feet; before gradually undoing the ties of his cloak.
"I wouldn't be that presumptuous… I probably don't even know what you are talking about. I am only here because of the money." He spoke before rushing towards the Uchiha once again, this time in retaliation for the trip up earlier.
Sasuke unworriedly allowing the man to rush bullheadedly towards him, as he easily dodged a series of unconnecting blows; found however in dodging one particular attack, the man had also attempted to stab him with a new loaded needle, like the one he had destroyed just before. Making him smartly distance the space between the two, as from the look of things he needed to avoid being stabbed by the dangerous object.
"What's wrong are you getting scared?" The man taunted further, as he playfully switched up the tool in his hands back and forth. "It's simple really…One of us is going to die today, it will either be you or me." The man added with a smile.
"This is your only warning… Where is Daichi?" Sasuke asked in a grunting voice, as he would be putting a stop to things right here.
"Daichi?… Sorry don't know that name…." The man shrugged heavily with his shoulders. Making Sasuke recall that he most likely knew him under his true birth name Kibo instead.
However not having time to rephrase his question, as the man began rushing toward him yet again; Sasuke moving side to side to evade his continued various blows. Decided to end things as he threatened before by waiting for his chance at catching the man off guard, before laying an impeccably timed blow to his gut first; as he next threw a contacting punch to his cheek forcing him to plummet to the ground from the roof, in a loud thud and puff of smoke caused by the dirt.
"Enough…Where is Kibo?" Sasuke demanded after jumping down from the roof himself, as he made his way over to where the man had been knocked down too.
However seeing as he got closer the man had been strangely unresponsive and unmoving, Sasuke cautiously turning him over; noticed right away the man had died after being stabbed by his own needle he had carelessly held onto. Confirming his connection to Daichi, as the needle he had most likely contained a mixture of Fumetsu blood; causing even more frustration for him, since Sasuke now couldn't interrogate the man with his questions even further.
"Damn…" he cursed under his breath before recalling he still had one more, person of interest as he turned to see the man he had let go of earlier; crawling his way over to the vial he had tossed to the ground some distance away.
"Now talk," He demanded after picking up the vial into his hand, just shy of the man's labored reach.
"…I'll tell you under one condition." The man spoke making Sasuke intrigued by his need to make demands, especially seeing he didn't have any leverage to do so.
"After I tell you, you must give me that vial…" He spoke, causing Sasuke to look at the tool momentarily since the man was compelled to have it.
"It's not my concern… If you would rather die than know you betrayed this man. Then I'll give you this and you can do as you wish." He said before seeing the man wipe some remaining tears from his face, as Sasuke intriguingly lowered his height; so he was more face to face with the man.
"Just what is it he has on you, that makes you want to die for him." He thought to ask since he didn't understand his loyalty.
"It's …. My Family." The man spoke before completely breaking down, making Sasuke frown his eyebrows worriedly.
Like always still have some edits on this, but i wanted to get it posted soon. :P