A/N: Hey everyone. Sorry i didn't post yesterday or the day before i think? But i had to have my dog put down yesterday, her back end just collapsed and she was in pain but seventeen years isn't bad for a German Shepard is it? I love you my little Raine-pyon :') I hope you're running around with a big bone with all of my other lost pets.
Anyway, the poll at the moment is between one vote for a 'no' to the shipping so if you want them to win (or loose) get voting people, one week left (I think, i'm not thinking too well today) And thanks to helenGet for the review and always to SonOfObito sorry about my irrelevant posting, my life's just a little hectic right now, it should go back to normal next week. So, this chapter was inspired by four songs: These Eyes by Feint, Can't remember to forget you by Shakira ft. Rihanna, Wizard by Martin Garrix & Jay Hardway and Flute by New World Sound.
I hope you enjoy and remember R&R and drop a review by, they're always appreciated ( 1 more to go before i hit the big 50 for reviews!)
"We've found him Kasumi-sama." Pinku said, sitting on Kasumi's bed. She had only been asleep for two hours back home and sent her ninken out beforehand… He was playing as if he had won the little game already.
"His position?" Kasumi asked as she slipped out of bed and began to dress in her regular uniform.
"He's on the move and judging by this he's on his way into the village and towards the direction of the Tower, that general direction." Pinku explained and Kasumi scowled in thought as she placed her make up on and checked her pouches quickly.
"I wonder why he's still around after he saw I recognised him unless he's doing something for Orochimaru still." Kasumi wondered out loud as she finished her last touches to her uniform, fixing her high turtle neck collar and looking at the two different badges on her shoulders and remembering her ANBU tattoo underneath in the mirror.
"It's likely, spies aren't stupid enough to stay when they've been recognised unless they have unfinished business and then they would complete it right away… What are you going to do about him?" Pinku asked as he jumped onto her shoulder and she focused her chakra as she took a step to fall into the step of the crowd around her in the village's centre as Kaname and Nova joined her sides.
"I wasn't sure when I first saw him and to be honest… I'm still not sure. I want to speak with him before I decided and if he must die, he'll die today before he can get any further into this mess, he'll be one less thing to worry about." Kasumi said to Pinku who nodded.
"It's a shame really and all of this because of Danzo. He's a bright kid." Kaname sighed and Kasumi nodded solemnly, she knew her duty.
"The hospital?" Kasumi questioned as they followed Kabuto's scent inside by Nova and Kaname, her two trusty German Shepards.
"It's where his scent leads to…" Nova said with confusion also in her smooth voice. All three dogs stiffened up as did Kasumi when she sniffed the air with concentration. "The smell of death." Nova growled as her hackles came up with a growl and Kaname instinctually got to her side, also a bit unravelled. The sound of smashed glass reverberated through the hall as they all ran towards the sound. Dead ANBU covered the floor as Kakashi was checking 'Kabuto's' body.
"Who escaped?" Kasumi asked Kakashi who stood up and looked towards the broken window.
"Kabuto did." He said and Kasumi scowled.
"Don't loose his scent." Kasumi ordered her ninken as they jumped out of the window and Kasumi instantly moved to an ANBU's side and removed Itachi's mask, he was wounded but okay. "Get help, I have to go after him." Kasumi said as she formed hand seals as the twin Terriers appeared and ran off to get help.
"He's skilled, I'll be there with ANBU as soon as I can." Kakashi said, already watching as Kasumi ran for the smashed window and jumped out, landing in the trees as Kabuto did minutes before.
Kasumi knew how Kabuto got around Itachi and then Kakashi. He wasn't a spy for nothing but she wanted to see if he had been completely consumed by darkness already or not… and truly lost his ties to Konoha.
Kabuto stopped running through the trees when two kunai whizzed past either side of him, making a dull thud as they hit two trees and formed a barrier across them and he turned around with a smirk of surprise.
"I was wondering when you'd finally come after me." Kabuto said, infuriatingly calm as Kasumi stood there with calculating eyes as she looked him up and down, her arms oddly calmly defensive as her hands gripped her elbows lightly and her body turned slightly, her stronger side forwards.
"Are you really going to work for a man whose final aim is the destruction of the world? You know what Akatsuki's about right?" Kasumi asked and Kabuto put his hand on his hip as he leaned on one leg.
"Of coarse I know, I was a spy for years remember?" He asked the rhetorical question smugly and Kasumi rolled her eyes.
"What were you doing in Sasuke's room?" Kasumi asked harshly and Kabuto's smirk grew slightly. "I know you Kabuto, even back then you didn't fully trust Orochimaru and foiled a few of Akatsuki's plans."
"You don't know anything about me Kasumi-senpai. But now I have to get going…" Kabuto said as he turned and began to walk off before another kunai whizzed past and hit another tree as the barrier expanded and he stopped with a sigh, turning his head back as he fixed his glasses.
"You were either going to kill or kidnap Sasuke… Why did you betray me back then?" Kasumi asked, her voice softer, asking for a reason as Kabuto stood there, still looking over his shoulder. His black eyes seemed calculative and defence but she could see a bit of vulnerability in there.
"It was a spy's job. Danzo-sama wanted you dead which is why he sent you with Orochimaru-sama plus you had the skills to get him over the boarders. He didn't expect you to live long after meeting up with him… I guess you could say I felt sorry for you and then well… Loyalties change, you're the perfect example of that." Kabuto explained, smiling at the end and Kasumi scowled.
"What did Orochimaru promise you?" Kasumi asked and Kabuto's smile stayed frozen on his face. Kasumi ducked to the side slightly, bringing her arm up with a kunai that deflected a scalpel and just had enough time to brace herself and block Kabuto's kick with her forearm.
"Nothing he hasn't already given." Kabuto said as he aimed his hand for her seal and Kasumi twisted but his chakra infused hand cut just above her naval. Kasumi grabbed his wrist and leaned to kick him but he jumped and twisted, pulling his arm out of Kasumi's hold and turning in for a kick which Kasumi ducked and tried to kick his legs out from under him. Kabuto jumped and flipped back, out of her range and Kasumi scowled as she stood in a crouch and began to heal the gash across her stomach as they eyed each other.
"And you're accepting it easily without a second thought of what he might want from you?" Kasumi asked as Kabuto fixed his glasses again.
"My services." Kabuto said simply before he launched for Kasumi again, faking a left hook as he tried to go for her seal once again but she knocked his hand away and turned her shoulder in as she hit an upper cut into his stomach, lifting him up from the ground. She twisted her hand around that knocked his away and grabbed his wrist again.
"Going for that move again?" He wheezed out.
"Nope." Kasumi smiled, pulling him across her as he stumbled with the movement, still bent over from her hit as she brought her elbow down on his back. Kasumi felt warm liquid running across her thighs as she jumped away and assessed her razor slash across them. Kabuto must have cut her when she pulled him across her.
"Trying to box me in huh?" Kabuto asked, getting up off of the ground he had landed face down on.
"You're quick like usual Kabuto." Kasumi said, depositing another kunai in the tree behind her as the seal around them was complete using her Hiraishin kunai. "Come back to Konoha Kabuto, what happened to you was unfair."
"My ties lie with no one."
"But yourself right? But what do you really want? Do you even know who you are anymore?" Kasumi half pleaded with him but there was annoyed defence in his eyes. "I know you still have a sense of right and wrong but your lines are blurring…"
"You don't know me." Kabuto snapped uncharacteristically.
"Danzo doesn't destroy his records but he keeps them locked up tightly if he has to and a seals expert like myself can get around them quite simply. Saved by one Yakushi Nono and taken in until he was old enough and taken into ROOT where you were a spy for years before your ties got confused and you were ordered to be killed. Am I missing anything?" Kasumi asked cockily with anger and Kabuto scowled angrily. "Come back to Konoha and we can stop Orochimaru together Kabuto…"
Kasumi had let her guard down and Kabuto saw it right away with his keen eyes, glasses not withstanding. He had rounded up on her left side and instantly stuck a poison soaked senbon into her neck as the poison worked straight away effectively as she crumpled to the floor and began to shake, her legs to the side as she sat on her hip and her hand shakily stabled her.
Kasumi managed to roll out of reach before she tried to sit up again and the poison numbed her whole body as she collapsed back against the ground, breathing hard as her thoughts became jumbled and hard to control through her fuzzy and warm mind and she briefly wondered if it was a pure alcohol based drugged poison because she could barely feel the pain from the poison.
A hard stamp to her left hip was enough to make her gasp out in pain as her body jerked and rolled over onto her hip as she cradled it and knew she was in trouble because she couldn't feel her chakra anymore and the barrier faded.
"You know too much but I'm not surprised since I know your story too Kasumi-senpai. But now I want answers from you…" Kabuto said before he smiled and sighed with strain and his hand was shaking as he rubbed his forehead. "Only someone as powerful and pure could break a well trained shinobi down, a spy no less and one of the best… To his wit's end." Kabuto laughed shakily as he walked over to Kasumi, his fingers twitching as his green chakra lit up into a chakra scalpel and Kasumi's eyes went wide as he got closer but she could no longer move.
A genjutsu had taken over now.
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A new team of ANBU took their sweet time getting to Sasuke's hospital room as he helped Itachi to find a nurse so he could get checked over. Kakashi was storming down the halls, a man on a mission before he stopped, facing Minato and Hiruzen, standing there with worry.
"Is Sasuke okay?" Minato asked and Kakashi nodded.
"Did you see who it was who did this?" Hiruzen asked next and Kakashi's breath hesitated in his throat as he took on a calmer stance, hands in pockets.
"I didn't but Kasumi went after them… That was almost an hour ago." Kakashi explained with gritted teeth and Minato scowled while Hiruzen looked worried.
"We haven't heard anything or seen any type of battle going on. Either she's still after them or they've stopped fighting." Hiruzen said as realisation dawned on all of them.
"She's in trouble." Minato voiced and Kakashi's eye narrowed angrily and Minato's fists clenched. Kakashi formed hand seals as Pakkun appeared and gave them a lazy salute.
"What can I do for you boss?" Pakkun asked.
"Follow Kasumi's scent, she might be in trouble." Kakashi said, the pug didn't look so lazy anymore as he ran past Minato and Hiruzen with Kakashi following with Minato behind him while Hiruzen stayed there for now.
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Kasumi's breathing came raggedly, strung up like a puppet against a tree. The poison began to wear off but that made it worse, the pain Kabuto had been inflicting upon her during the genjutsu and even now afterwards was starting to sting.
Her hip stung, her face was bruising and slightly swollen with a small cut across one cheek and a split lip as she gathered the saliva in her mouth before spitting the blood stained saliva in another direction.
"You see now don't you?" Kasumi asked with a dry and sorely cracked voice as she watched Kabuto across the small clearing from her. "They'll bring war to the lands together and control them. It won't be a war between nations but against Akatsuki where Orochimaru resides with his little plans underneath it. You'll go down like he tried to take me down and we were suppose to be partners like you two are now."
"You put up a valid point there." Kabuto mused, surprisingly calm and Kasumi nodded, still panting her breaths. "But I need some more convincing." He said darkly, appearing in front of her as his fingertips trailed up her arms where her hands rested, hanging above her head from ninja wire and Kasumi gasped in surprise and tried to pull away.
"You and I both know Danzo needs to be taken out at some point. How do you intend to do it?" Kabuto asked in an interrogation style as his hands rested loosely around her bound wrists.
"I don't know…" Kasumi's words were broken off with a sharp and clear crack of bone as she screamed out, eyes clenched as tears slipped through them.
"You're going to need to know. Next question. How do you plan to counter the rinnegan?" Kabuto asked as she remembered he had delved into her mind easily with the loosening drug he had placed into her system and her seals broke easily in her mind.
"The sharingan." Kasumi said as she felt another stabbing warmth in her wrists as she cried out again.
"Not good enough. That was your ligament I took out. Next question. How do you plan to take out immortals?" Kabuto asked, looking harshly into her eyes but she could see in some sadistic way that he was right in every way but Orochimaru had just rubbed off on him.
"I don't know." Kasumi cried and cringed just before another pain shot down her blood loosing arms from hanging above her head for so long. Another shorter cry of pain escaped her mouth.
"Tendons. Next question. Are you strong enough to take this?" Kabuto asked and she felt his chakra in her wrists, readying to do something else she knew her next answer wasn't going to be enough.
"No that's why I came back here to get help and…" Her cry cut her words short.
"Vein number one. Next…
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Pakkun had his nose directly on the floor and Kakashi wondered if there was any space between the floor and his nose at all as a small dust cloud kicked up every time he had to breath out. They had slowed down into a walk when Kasumi's scent became fainter and Pakkun had to concentrate more.
Kakashi stumbled in his step as fear constricted his breath as it hitched in his throat at the cry that echoed out through the forest and Pakkun picked his ears up as far as his little floppy ears would, his front leg curled up as he sniffed the direction of the sound.
"She's definitely that way." Pakkun growled uncharacteristically as Kakashi growled low in his throat.
"Lead the way Pakkun and quickly." Minato ordered, stress and anger high in his voice as the pug began to run and another cry was heard and then a shorter one after that, Kasumi wasn't doing well by her exhausted cries each time.
They pushed faster through the clearing and Kakashi's blood boiled at the scene they came to in a little clearing in the denser part of the forest. Kabuto's back was to them and he could see Kasumi facing him, looking like she was pressed up against the tree and Kabuto's green glowing hands covered her wrists, his voice low and commanding.
Kasumi's blue and pained eyes met Kakashi's for a second and pleading before they closed with another cry and Kakashi lost it and he blanked out in rage, it was the only way he could explain what he saw when he came to again.
He was crouched over Kabuto who was flat on the floor on his back, face bloodied, glasses gone and smashed.
"Kakashi stop! Don't kill him PLEASE!" Kasumi called desperately.
He felt hands tugging under his arms as Minato hauled Kakashi up and off of Kabuto and Kakashi stumbled as Minato's hands steadied him against his shoulder blades. Kakashi tried to uncurl his right hand and instantly cradled it as he pulled off the bloodied and ripped glove, he had been hitting Kabuto so much the knuckled were ripped on the glove. He had cracked his knuckles and Kabuto wasn't moving as he lay on the floor.
Kakashi turned his shocked gaze to Kasumi to see she was still hanging by the tree, ninja wire wrapped all around her and it was cutting into her wrists by how bloodied they were and her sleeves had been rolled down her forearm where the blood was disappearing down into. Her flak jacket was cut though, her shorts as well and her face was bruised and battered with a split lip, bruised cheeks and a cut across one. Her eyes were lidded and dull with pain shimmering in them from tears still falling from them, smearing blood from the cut down her face dramatically.
He should have killed Kabuto right there and hoped he wasn't for Kasumi's plea.
"Hold on Kasumi." Minato said calmly, dragging Kakashi over as he began to cut her down and Kakashi held her up, careful of his hand and her wounds he could see. Kasumi cried out with renewed vigour as she fell into Kakashi's arms and she had actually bitten the high collar of his flak jacket as she jerked silently with sobs and pain in her clenched eyes.
ANBU arrived while he watched Kasumi with scared worry in his eyes as he held her gently yet stiffly in his arms, he didn't know what other pain she might be in.
"Don't hurt him!" Kasumi called out suddenly in the direction of the ANBU surrounding Kabuto with Minato. "I promise, I'll explain later but I need him to survive please!" Kasumi shouted out pleadingly with her eyes as she gasped and curled into herself and into Kakashi's arms as she cried with soft sobs. Kakashi looked down to see what had caused this reaction from her when his eyes landed on her wrists resting on her stomach.
They were bruised black and red from the wire cutting into them. Broken, dislocated and sitting loosely as if they weren't real and turning an unhealthy shade of blue as Kakashi realised Kabuto must have done something when he was holding her wrists with glowing green hands of healing chakra.
"Was he…" It pained Kakashi to ask this as he wanted to kill the bastard. "Was he healing you?" Kakashi asked her and she looked up, eyes so pained that they seemed like a tsunami of emotions running through them and ripping her apart inside from the pain. Kakashi thought he saw a slight nod as her head lulled backwards and hung from her passing out.
"Get them both to the hospital, I'll seal his room but save him at all costs!" Minato ordered quickly with panic as everyone got into motion.
Kakashi quietly watched Kasumi sleep in her hospital bed as moonlight flooded through her window and a breeze floated through, moving the net curtain across as it waved in the breeze. She was curled on her side, off of her other hip, which had taken some bruising to the bone and her scratched cheek resting against the gauze against the soft pillow cradling her bruised face gently.
He rested his bandaged right hand on her bandaged hand, both hands were bandaged heavily, clean broken bone, ligaments and tendons no longer connected and her veins showed evidence of being healed but her veins running down her arms into her shoulders were still an unhealthy shade of dark blue and purple as were her wrists where the internal bleeding had been.
A gash across her stomach just above her naval had evidence of healing as well as the gashes across her thighs. Kasumi's arm underneath her across her body as her hand rested on her hip, almost like a seat belt and Kakashi realised this was her subconscious protecting her seal as she slept. Her brows were furrowed and her lips pulled tightly together in grimaced pain as her breathing stayed heavily and careful, an obvious indication she probably had bruising there as well.
"How is she Kakashi-taicho?" A voice asked as the silhouette entered the room and Kakashi gave a grim smile under his mask.
"You know I'm no longer your taicho Itachi." Kakashi stated, lifting his gaze to look at the Uchiha heir as he gave a slight smile.
"I guess not but it's a force of habit. You gave one hell of a beating for your hand to come out like that." Itachi said, eyeing Kakashi's bandaged hand as he took it off of Kasumi's and hid it on his lap, hidden by the bed.
"It was nothing. I should have killed him." Kakashi growled and Itachi grimaced.
"And you nearly did. A fracture in his cheekbones, the back of his skull and damage to his sternum where you apparently landed on him with your knees. Minato-sama says you just carried on hitting him even when Kasumi-senpai called for you to stop." Itachi explained. Kakashi balled his left hand and gritted his teeth as he looked down at the bed with narrowed eyes.
"I shouldn't have lost my temper like that…"
"You were quite restrained." Itachi said pointedly as he looked up at Itachi's face and saw he was staring far away and slightly haunted. "If I were you, I probably wouldn't have stopped even if Sasuke begged me to. He'd be nothing but shattered bones and skin in a pool of blood around his body."
"That's pretty dark don't you think?" Kasumi asked weakly but her voice held loathing amusement to it.
"Where do you think you're going?" Kakashi asked as he watched with panic as she hooked the blanket onto a finger, strain already on her features from picking up her arm, pushing the blanket back slowly. Kasumi ignored him as she sat up suddenly and took a few deep breaths through her mouth, her eyes closed with pain as she swung her legs out and began to hobble. Itachi tried to step forwards to help her but one look at his sling he was wearing had her hand up to stop him.
"Kasumi-senpai?" Itachi asked after her as she flicked the switch to the bathroom.
"I need the bathroom. There's no way in hell I'm using a bedpan, they're disgusting." Kasumi deadpanned with slightly tired angered annoyance before the door closed and both Kakashi and Itachi looked at her bed and found the bedpan sitting there, still sparkly clean and they both couldn't help a little chuckle that escaped… Only Kasumi would risk going to the bathroom so injured so she didn't have to use something so demoralising to her.
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Kasumi took great pride by her smile as she tackled the familiar man to the ground with a winded 'oomph' from him as she landed on his back and instantly had his hands behind his back and tying them up.
"Kasumi, it's me!" Jiraiya hollered from underneath her and she smiled even as her bandaged wrists complained with the movements as she tied the last knot.
"Yeah, I know." She said with a smile and continued to sit on the perverted man's back until the onsen's door opened to a mob of angry half dressed women who began throwing bath accessories at him like bars of soap, bottles of shampoo, body brushes and even rubber ducks, shouting angrily at him as Shikaru and Shisui watched the crowd control. Jiraiya curled up on the floor as he took the assault and Kasumi could not stop her helpless giggles as it went on, both Shikaru and Shisui had smiles on their faces, trying not to laugh at the Toad Sannin's pain.
"Why Kasumi-chan?" Jiraiya cried as the ladies were escorted back into the onsen and Kasumi watched the man with disinterest, her arms crossed gently.
"Shouldn't you be training Naruto right now? There's only two weeks until the final round?" Kasumi asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Kakashi took him today." He said to her, pleading in his eyes but Kasumi flat out ignored it.
"I thought Kakashi was with Sasuke today?" Kasumi asked and Shisui stood next to her.
"No, Itachi wanted to have a one on one session with Sasuke, it's why I'm on duty today as well." Shisui explained to her as Shikaru stood uninterested, cleaning out his ear with his pinky finger, leaning on one foot and with a hand on his hip.
"Does sensei know you're back Ero Sennin?" Kasumi asked Jiraiya with an eyebrow raised.
"Don't call me that Kasumi-chan!" Jiraiya cried animatedly and stopped right away when a spark of lightning hit next to his face. "He doesn't and neither does Sarutobi-sensei but I'd like to keep it quiet for now. Please! I'll do anything."
"How come I'm always the last to know about these things?" Kasumi sighed and Shisui scoffed.
"Tell me about it."
"So you're here for Orochimaru then?" Kasumi asked, sitting on Jiraiya's back again as she undid the rope around his wrists behind his back slowly.
"I'm here for research which you just ruined right here brat." Jiraiya growled and Kasumi took it as a defensive point of view, which means she hit the nail right on the head.
"Okay then. We'll let this one go but I'm warning you… Don't let me catch you again Jiraiya-ji chan." Kasumi warned as the Toad Sannin stood like a naughty child before disappearing in a shunshin.
"Shouldn't you have rather said 'Don't do it again'?" Shikaru asked and Kasumi shook her head.
"Nope. He's just going to spy again anyway. I have no reason to blow his cover as long as I don't catch him and he knows that." Kasumi explained and Shikaru shrugged.
"Let's get back to our rounds." Shisui suggested as they got to the again.
XXXXXXXXXX
"So you're finally awake huh?" Kasumi asked as she entered the heavily guarded hospital room, Kabuto was sitting up with bandages still wrapped around his head and torso.
"Some how I don't think I should be." Kabuto responded dryly and Kasumi gave him an apologetic smile as she sat down next to his bed on a small stool.
"Yeah sorry about that. My brother and sensei are extremely overprotective of me." Kasumi said sheepishly and Kabuto shrugged gently.
"I did entice him quite nicely in Sasuke-kun's room, I wouldn't have been surprised if I was reduced to nothing right now with no trace." Kabuto said and Kasumi smiled with the dry humour. "I'm not surprised they're so protective of you, counting the number of times you've died on them."
"Yeah, I'm surprised I'm not reduced to a padded white cell filled with bubble wrap to protect me… What made you change your mind?" Kasumi finally asked and Kabuto stared straight ahead, his glasses having been repaired as they sat on his bandaged nose.
"I've had a lot of thinking to do…" He began, seriousness in his voice as Kasumi listened closely. "You took care of me after Orochimaru-sama saved me and gave me a place to belong and treated me with care. You both offered me power and we even did some experiments together, politely keeping your thoughts to yourself when I showed a less…Desirable side of myself…"
"Everyone has a less desirable side to themselves. I was in no position to judge." Kasumi said firmly, leaning forwards slightly, her harsh yet kindly understanding persona from back then shining through with understanding yet harshly trained eyes on him since he was the on who caused the currently healing damage to her and Kabuto smirked at the thought.
"You've given me an interesting challenge Kasumi-senpai… To snatch Uchiha Itachi back from Madara's grasp, you intrigue me as well…"
"If you're staying that means being a ninja solely belonging to Konohagakure Kabuto, no more playing around as you please and you'll be staying far away from Danzo and the council as well as Sasuke and Naruto unless I'm with you. I'll be keeping an even closer watch on you than I did back then and what I'm doing now on the Uchiha clan and the rest of the village… I'm sure you know what I mean?" Kasumi half threatened and Kabuto laughed.
"You Hatake's are so controlling." Kabuto laughed and Kasumi knew to take it as a yes with his twisted mind. "You have a whole village wrapped around your finger, even the Hokage's but I hear Sunagakure is unhappy at the moment." Kabuto said, his face loosing all emotion once again as he stared forwards and Kasumi scowled as she opened her mouth.
"Kasumi-san, your time is up." An ANBU said from the door as Kasumi ordered a private conversation and even had seals around Kabuto's bed just in case.
"Guess you're going to leave it up to me to figure out… Be good Kabuto." Kasumi said as she straightened her uniform as she stood up and Kabuto smirked humorously.
"Always am senpai."
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Kasumi sat quietly in the empty and darkened police station, the only light coming from one light on the other side of the office but it was bright enough not to hurt her eyes as she had left the make up off for once but it was sitting in her pocket like the well-prepared ninja she was.
It was the week before the exams and she couldn't sleep with an uneasy feeling sitting in her stomach. Minato was getting too close to the truth, Kabuto's ties weren't straight and she didn't even completely trust him and never would most likely. What did he mean about Suna being unhappy? What did it have to do with anything? Konoha had a strong tie with that village because Minato had worked hard for that little bit of peace.
Jiraiya being back in the village was interesting as well, especially since he wanted it on the down low and only a select few knew about him being back… Kakashi, Itachi, Shisui and Naruto.
Kasumi licked her fingers to grip the page as she separated them into different boxes crowding her desk as she yawned inconspicuously and blinked away the tears. She picked up the next stack of paper and the stapler remover as she fought with the stubborn stapler but it was just helping her to get the muscle back into her hands slowly as she ripped the staple out and began to separate the paper… One of the most tedious jobs ever but it had to be done as Kasumi listened to the soft radio Shikaru still had in the office and she had turned it on for some company.
"Do you want any help?"
"No sensei, it's fine." Kasumi smiled up at the man who had just arrived by Hiraishin. "I should have known you'd have a mark in here after the attack on the Uchiha clan those few years ago."
"It was four years ago already." Minato said as he perched on the desk in front of hers and crossed his ankles and arms.
"Time tends to fly by when you're so busy sensei. You're what… thirty-eight already…"
"Ssshhh!" Minato flailed helplessly and Kasumi fell into a fit of laughter and Minato smiled tenderly at his old student. "Besides, you're twenty-eight now? I was married and had a kid already at your age…"
"Oh so this is what this visit is about huh?" Kasumi asked, putting down her papers as she leaned back in her chair crossing her arms, unknowingly giving Minato a defensive warning. They both regarded each other for a while and Minato sighed.
"I don't want to butt into your life when you seem to have so much going on but don't you think it's time to wind down slightly? Even Kakashi has by taking a genin team." Minato said reluctantly with concern and Kasumi shrugged.
"I won't let my skills drop if that's what you're worried about and besides… I have a desk job now isn't that winded down enough? I'm practically just like you." Kasumi laughed at the indignant look on Minato's face at that comment. "I know how this works sensei…" Kasumi said, turning serious again. "I'd like to find someone but my head and heart just aren't into it right now and I have other things to worry about, Kakashi has a higher chance of passing on the Hatake gene than I do right now."
"That's not what I meant…" Minato said, feeling sad that this is where the conversation had led.
"I know but I'm putting it out there. Shisui is a bit young for my taste and he's in love with someone right now and I'm not particularly fond of anyone around my age group… It was only Obito." Kasumi said, her arms falling limp from their crossed position as she looked longingly down at her desk. "Don't get me wrong, it's just that I haven't found anyone who makes me feel remotely close to what he use to make me feel."
"I understand." Minato smiled and Kasumi gave him a sad and tired one in return.
"What are you doing up so late anyway sensei?" Kasumi asked and Minato's brows furrowed as he shrugged.
"I couldn't sleep after training with Naruto today for once. I told the council they could get screwed if they think I'm not going to take an interest in my own son's development like I did with the academy. His rasengan isn't taking a lot of shape and he can barely use his hand anymore from the chakra burn." Minato sighed and Kasumi nodded.
"I'll come and check him over in the morning if you would like?" Kasumi asked, getting back to her papers and Minato smiled.
"That would be nice… Thank you." Minato said and Kasumi nodded.
"Now go home and get some sleep, I'm sure Kushina could tire you out." Kasumi laughed and Minato blushed and cleared his throat.
"That's none of your business… Good night Kasumi." He said and with a yellow flash, he was gone and Kasumi grinned.
"Too easy sensei."
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"You've got some nice chakra burns there Naruto." Kasumi smiled, her hands hovering around Naruto's burned and shaking hands as he held them out for her to heal.
"Yeah, the rasengan is a tough technique ya know." Naruto grinned brightly, still sitting in bed wearing a beaver like sleeping hat and white pyjamas.
"Yeah, I know. Sensei gave me the steps to doing it to train my large chakra capacity, I never quite got the hang of it and my concentration on a battle wavers, I can't have that." Kasumi smiled. She opened up her medic pouch and took out a bandage as she wrapped it thinly around his hand with some cooling gel so he could carry on with his training still.
"I see. Thanks a lot Kasumi-sensei, my hands feel better now." Naruto smiled gratefully.
"You're welcome, just try to take it a little bit easier. Get some more sleep." Kasumi said as she tucked him back in and closed his door behind him. "It's just a little chakra burn but he should be fine if he takes it easy and is careful. Do you need anything else Sensei, Kushina?" Kasumi asked them, sitting at the table.
"Nope, that's all Kasumi. Thank you. Would you like to join us for breakfast?" Minato asked and Kushina was beginning to stand up when Kasumi stood behind her and pushed her to sit back down.
"No, thank you sensei. I must be going and get back to duty, I'm already a few minutes late." Kasumi said sheepishly as she walked over towards the door.
"If Fugaku has any problems, send him to me and I'll sort it out." Minato shouted before Kasumi was gone in a flash into her office.
"Hey Kasumi, squad four's captain is out on a mission this morning, could you take them for their rounds?" Shikaru asked as she sorted out a few files dumped carelessly on her desk.
"Yeah, what the hell. I'll do it, are they waiting for me?" Kasumi asked as she checked her pouch quickly for duty.
"Yeah, they're in reception." Shikaru pointed over his shoulder with his thumb towards reception. Kasumi nodded and headed to reception where she found the squad already waiting as they set out straight away as the sleepy village began to wake up. Kasumi shivered and stopped in mid jump with the cry of a crow… They always symbol something bad.
"Taicho, look up there." The rookie said, pointing to a rooftop full of crows and Kasumi scowled… There was a reason why something told her to take this specific early morning patrol.
XXXXXXXXXX
No one bothered Kasumi at her desk. They never knew one person could sit so still and in one position for the whole day that not even Fugaku, Shisui or Itachi approached her when they had entered the station. The exam was just being attacked left, right and centre and the news about Hayate was shocking to most after it was her squad that morning who found him.
Kasumi usually took the afternoon to evening patrol times as it was the busiest and required her sharp skills and mind. Hayate had put up a fight and ripped apart by a wind jutsu by his wounds but he was inevitably dead… Kasumi had spent the rest of the morning with ANBU where she was secretly comforting Yugao as they were lovers and she was the first ANBU to report to her distress call.
No one questioned the quiet sniffing or the way Kasumi would dry her hands every few minutes or go to the bathroom and be seen fixing her make up… They would have never thought it would be anger feuling those tears… Self-loathing anger. She even visited Kabuto in a bout of anger but it had faded after it because Kabuto was right… Orochimaru had many men at his disposal and it could have been anyone in the Otogakure who did it, maybe even Orochimaru himself but highly unlikely… Then as their time came up, he made the same comment about Suna again even after Suna's possible betrayal came up in their meeting that morning when Hayate's death was announced.
The office went deadly quiet as everyone left, giving quiet good byes to Kasumi and she finally focused enough to get back to sorting paper again. She wanted a distraction otherwise she'd go to the training grounds and rip her body up in a way that wouldn't be conducive or productive right then… Orochimaru was a snake still hiding in the grass.
"Two visits in two nights… That's rare." Kasumi deadpanned at the presence walking into the office after being buzzed in.
"Itachi said you looked a little down… Is it because of Hayate's death?" Kakashi asked, straight to the point as he leaned against a desk exactly like Minato had the night before when… Hayate was killed.
"I guess you could say that… I didn't get any work done because I've been distracted all day." Kasumi said, swiping her hand against her nose as she stayed focused on the paperwork at hand. Kakashi watched her work, hands in pockets as he regarded her… She was distracted and numb and who wouldn't be when you'd been working closely with the man for the past few months.
"You can just talk if you want…"
"Dammit Kakashi, there's nothing to talk about." Kasumi snapped, practically throwing the papers onto the desk and glaring up at him. There wasn't sadness in her eyes as he realised now… It was pure rage, Kasumi was ready to kill anything that got in her way right then.
"You shouldn't be blaming yourself. There wasn't anything anyone could have done." Kakashi said and Kasumi's still bandaged hand hit the table, her clenched teeth showing through as she shook with anger and the stupid tears welled up in her eyes again.
"I came back to prevent useless deaths like this happening…" Kasumi growled, her hand still on the table as the other wiped furiously at her still red eyes.
"Tomorrow is D-day as everyone is calling it… You need to get some rest so you can stop anymore of these 'useless' deaths happening if anything is coming tomorrow Kasumi." Kakashi said, holding his hand to her as she gritted her teeth further and took his hand… Kakashi would comfort his sister because he knew what it felt like to be useless after failing to save Rin and realising over the last month that his skills had dropped dramatically after not being able to go up against Kabuto.
