Fun fact: One of the reviewers got it right 0.o You will definitely know by the end of the story if you haven't figured it out by now. Another fun fact: I just finished writing the story last night...just a few more chapters to go as far as updating is concerned.
Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites so far. Glad to have support for my sometimes terrible, sometimes mediocre writing XD
We want more than this world's got to offer
We want more than the wars of our fathers
And everything inside screams for second life.
"Old Man?" Honestly, Kaiya didn't expect all of the Hokage to be resurrected, although it made sense now that she thought about it. But seeing the Third Hokage again after so long…her heart wrenched as she cautiously took a few steps forward. She wanted to run into his arms and cry, but she knew she couldn't. She was too distracted by the immense power that was now in the room.
Holy crap, did these guys radiate authority.
Sasuke reached out and grabbed her wrist to stop her from moving any closer. As much as it annoyed her, she stayed put, observing the Hokage from a distance. She knew who they all were, what they were most famous for. In her battle with Naruto to see who became leader of the village (which fell off the wayside), she researched all she could about the four strongest shinobi in the village. She'd read a lot of material on them, but she never thought she'd be meeting them face-to-face—and all at once. She had so many questions…
But wait. They weren't there to satisfy her curiosity. Sasuke had something to ask them. She glanced at him to catch his reaction, but as usual, she couldn't read it. He released her wrist slowly, casually taking hold of her hand instead. Despite herself, her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.
The four men began discussing the reasons for being brought back by the Edo Tensei, assuming Orochimaru was going to use them to destroy Konoha—again. Kaiya didn't even know they were used a first time. But if the Third had been sealed within the Death Reaper Seal, along with Orochimaru's arms, she guessed it was that time when he attacked the village and the Third lost his life. In that case, he must have used Edo Tensei to resurrect the first two Hokage back then. Kaiya knew that the Fourth had been sealed by the Death Reaper on his own accord, the day Naruto was born and the nine-tails attacked the village.
They finally got down to business, and Sasuke was able to introduce himself. The Third was shocked to see him. "You're…really Sasuke?" he murmured. Then he turned to Kaiya, standing next to him, noticing her for the first time. "And Kaiya? Are you really with these people—with the man who killed your father in cold blood? But why?" She looked away guiltily, staring at the wall.
"It's a long story, but maybe we'll get to that later," she answered, her gaze averting to Sasuke. "I'm just here to support Sasuke. He needs answers to a few things, like he said. Honestly, I'd like to hear what the four of you have to say too." Sarutobi's eyebrows lowered in question when he noticed the two teenagers' hands intertwined. Sasuke looked away after the Third explained everything to him, confirming what Danzo and Tobi had told him before. Kaiya stared at the floor beneath her. As the Hokage went on, explaining things that went on in their lifetime, all revolving around the Uchiha, Tobirama said something that struck a nerve in Sasuke.
"As you know, the Uchiha are a clan possessed by evil!" Sasuke's expression darkened, but he didn't say anything for a while. He finally asked the Second what he meant by that statement, which ended in an explanation of how the Sharingan truly works. It shocked Kaiya, but in all honesty, there was no other explanation when she thought about it: "There is no clan that feels deeper love than the Uchiha. And that is why the Uchiha have suppressed and sealed it away."
"Hmm?" Kaiya caught another glimpse of the Uchiha next to her. He was listening intently to the Second, his free hand clenched into a fist at his side; he squeezed her hand with the other.
"When an Uchiha who has known love then loses that deep love, it is replaced by an even stronger hate that changes them," Tobirama continued. Kaiya clenched her jaw. Yeah. I can see it now. "…This is the phenomenon called the Sharingan—the eyes that reflect the heart." Kaiya's eyes widened. Eyes that reflect the heart?
"Madara cared intensely about his little brother…likely even more so than your brother," the First chimed in. When Tobirama hurled another insult at Sasuke, the First reprimanded him again. "Tobirama, will you quit saying such things?! You're speaking to an innocent Uchiha child!" That would've been almost humorous if it wasn't completely wrong.
Sasuke activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, stealing a quick look at Kaiya before turning back to the Hokage. "It doesn't bother me," he assured them. Sweat dripped down Kaiya's brow as she turned to see the Hokage's reactions. "I'm neither innocent nor a child." They didn't seem surprised or intimidated at all. Tch. What a showoff…he's going to get us all killed if he's not careful. Arrogant bastard.
Sasuke asked the First Hokage his next questions. Kaiya didn't know he was burdened with such deep queries, wondering how long he had truly been struggling with finding answers. She knew that ever since Itachi returned to the afterlife, they'd been pushed to the surface, but she had a feeling that deep inside, Sasuke had been searching for a long time. Her nervous expression softened.
"I'll listen to your words and find out the truth," Sasuke decided, "and then I'll make my decision." His Sharingan deactivated. "Whether to declare vengeance against Konoha, or…"
Tobirama didn't like Sasuke's resolve very much; he didn't even let him finish his sentence. His eyes darkened with a fierceness that Kaiya couldn't describe, and then her heart stopped as the entire structure began to shake, like a large earthquake was going to bring it down on top of them. The Second had only lifted a single finger, and yet…
Everyone was shocked at the power he was emitting. Sasuke gritted his teeth and tried to stay balanced; Kaiya did the same as they released their hold on each other. Hashirama tried to calm his brother down, while Jugo and Kaiya each stepped in front of Sasuke, just in case. The latter frowned in question, watching as Kaiya pulled out her sword, while Suigetsu cowered behind Orochimaru as he tried to control the jutsu. It didn't seem to be working so well, but Kaiya decided not to mention that. Her eyes changed from dark green to golden yellow, as she stared at the Second with sweat dripping down her brow. She prayed he didn't realize it was just a front, and she was really scared out of her mind. Her hands were shaking, and not because of the earthquake.
Once Tobirama calmed down, Kaiya lowered her sword, but her eyes remained gold. The four Hokage stared at her in awe, though Sarutobi wasn't shocked at all. He smirked. I bet she's got a handle on that power now, for sure, he thought. His smile faded quickly when he saw her sword. That blade…so, she received it after all, did she? Tobirama studied Kaiya promptly, annoyed at his brother for shutting him down.
"Hn. And you, little girl…just who the hell are you?" he wondered. Kaiya blinked, her eyebrows furrowing. Hashirama turned to her, also recognizing the blade she wielded and the eyes that burned like the sun. They all knew the frightening power she held at that moment.
"Ooh…this girl's a Legend host! And she wields Blackfire! What's your name, girl?" Kaiya smirked.
"Well, since you asked so nicely, Lord Hashirama." She slowly put away her sword, glaring at the Second while she did so. "My name is Kaiya Umachi." The First, Second, and Fourth's eyes widened.
"U-Umachi?" the First stammered. "As in a relative of Eiji Umachi?" She nodded again. Tobirama clenched his teeth.
"So you're Madara's…"
"You're Yasuo's daughter?" Minato cut in, his surprised expression turning to one of glee. "I can't believe it! You look just like him, actually." Despite herself, Kaiya managed a cheeky grin.
"Heh. And you're Naruto's father, eh?" She placed her hands on her hips, her eyes returning to their verdant hue. "He looks a lot like you, too." Minato chuckled.
"So, you know him, then?" he said. She nodded.
"Of course. He's my best friend, after all." Minato's grin widened.
"What a coincidence…your father and I were good friends." Kaiya gave him a thumbs up.
"Awesome!" Dad was close with the Fourth Hokage? Wow, he was cooler than I thought!
"I can't believe it…the Umachi clan has lasted this long," Hashirama muttered, almost to himself. "Not that I didn't believe in Eiji's ideals, I just…" Tobirama's glare intensified, even though Kaiya didn't think it was possible. She prepared herself for another burst of his power, praying she didn't wet herself when it came again.
"Hn." He averted his gaze to the wall. "The Umachi and Kurushima are just disgraced members of the Senju and Uchiha," he stated begrudgingly, closing his eyes. "You come from a defective clan, girl. You having that Legend inside of you makes no difference in that regard." Kaiya pouted, thinking about running her blade through him, but he'd probably kill her before she even unsheathed it all the way. She gulped at the thought. "Being a relative of Eiji makes you a descendant of Madara, which means that you are just as filthy as the Uchiha scum you're standing in front of." Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed as her eyes lowered dangerously. She clenched her fists tightly.
"Excuse me?" Tobirama opened his eyes and pointed straight to her.
"You heard me, girl," he rumbled, his voice deep and almost dark. "And the fact that you'd throw yourself in front of him—no, the fact that you'd be here in the first place—just shows—"
"Brother, that's enough!" scolded Hashirama. The latter turned to the teens, an apologetic expression on his face. It quickly turned somber. "You'll have to excuse Tobirama. You see, a relative of ours fell in love with Madara and had twins—Eiji and Hanasu. But soon after, Madara betrayed the village and left them behind. The twins left the village and changed their identities to escape their heritage, but of course, it isn't that easy. Being Madara's relative puts a bad taste in Tobirama's mouth…he's a hard man to forgive."
Kaiya's hard expression softened, just barely. She nodded. "Yeah, I know all of that already," she admitted, taking a step back to stand at Sasuke's side again. He looked at her in question. To be honest, the news that she was a relative of Madara—or an Uchiha in general—shocked him to the point he didn't know what to think. "Eiji is my grandfather; I trained with him a while back, and he told me everything. And by the way, I'm not all that excited to be related to Madara either, you know. But enough about me. I'm not the reason you guys are here." She nudged Sasuke gently in his ribs, gently taking hold of his muscled arm as he asked the First more questions. Orochimaru requested that he make the answers snappy, because they were in the middle of a war. Kaiya was surprised at Orochimaru's push to have the Hokage stay and talk with Sasuke. He was even powerful enough to restrict their movement. Kaiya scoffed.
This guy…what a nightmare.
So the First Hokage sat down and began his tale of his relationship with Madara Uchiha. Kaiya had heard part of it from her grandfather, but she had to admit that hearing it all from Hashirama himself was even more amazing and eye-opening; it was much more personal. She could tell that Sasuke really was receiving what the First was trying to convey, which gave her a sliver of hope that he might change his mind about seeking revenge. After all of the leaders discussed their thoughts on why things turned out the way they did, Orochimaru asked Sasuke for his verdict. Kaiya hesitantly lowered her hand, which had been gripping his arm, into his hand once again. He held it back, though he neglected to look at her. He closed his eyes, and Kaiya could only imagine what he was thinking about while making his decision. No doubt Itachi is weighing heaviest on his mind, she figured, staring at the floor in silence. After all, it was Itachi that inspired Sasuke to seek answers and perhaps reconsider his revenge.
Sasuke opened his eyes, squeezing Kaiya's hand. She held her breath, praying that meant what she thought it meant. "I'm going to the battlefield," Sasuke declared. "I won't let the village and Itachi become nothing."
…
Tsuki finally realized it was no use and stopped her procedure. She wiped away the remaining tears from her eyes, sniffling as she looked down at Kaiya, who was fighting to stay conscious just a little while longer. Just…until she gets…here. Then…I can die…in peace. A messenger wolf had already been sent to find her. You idiot…you've never held any concept…of time. Despite the situation, she couldn't help but laugh, coughing up blood as she did so.
"You fool," Tsuki whispered softly, bowing her head. "I still can't believe that you'd throw away your life for a stranger." Kaiya showed her a bloody grin.
"But you're…not a stranger," she corrected weakly, wheezing as blood continued to pour out of her mouth in droves. "You're my…"
…
"Oh, great. As if Suigetsu wasn't annoying enough." Kaiya rolled her eyes in irritation as Karin appeared out of nowhere, kicking the cowardly Suigetsu so hard Kaiya felt it, and she continued to beat him senseless while berating Sasuke. She claimed she would never forgive him, but before she even finished her sentence, Sasuke (surprisingly) apologized to her. In which (to no surprise), she immediately forgave him. And proceeded to snuggle up against Sasuke's chest, much to his horror.
And Kaiya's chagrin.
A dark aura of jealousy and anger swarmed around her like a deadly perfume, making Sasuke sweat nervously as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. I didn't think she was the jealous type. He would've been amused, but Karin's presence was making him too uncomfortable. After a few seconds, Karin seemed to notice Kaiya's stirring mood, looking up at her in question, only to find that her expression matched the darkness around her. The redhead shivered, gulping as she finally took a step back. Though there was less than a foot between her and Sasuke, Kaiya managed to squeeze herself in-between the two. She was a couple of inches taller than Karin, having to tilt her head to stare her in the eye.
Glaring at the intruder, Kaiya poked her sternum and growled in her face. "You're too close, Four Eyes," she spat, her pupils turning gold. Karin's eyes widened, and she stumbled backwards when she felt the bright chakra inside of Kaiya flare like a wildfire. She gulped again, pushing her glasses up her nose nervously.
"W-what's your problem?" she stuttered, realizing her teeth were chattering. What dense chakra all of a sudden…it's even different from Naruto's and Sasuke's. Even different than the last time I saw her.
"I should ask you the same question. Back. Off." Kaiya crossed her arms, leaning her back against Sasuke's chest possessively. He stiffened, hesitantly resting his hands on her shoulders. A sweat drop slid behind his head.
"Kaiya, this isn't really the time…" Kaiya realized that the Hokage were still around, and they were watching her. A sweat drop slid down her head as she straightened up, showing them a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her head.
"Oh, uh…sorry about that. Hehe." More sweat drops.
"Kaiya, may I speak with you a moment?" Sarutobi asked, gesturing for her to join him out of earshot. Kaiya glanced at Sasuke, who nodded, before following him—making sure to give Karin a warning glare before doing so. Once they were far enough away, the Third stopped, crossing his arms.
"What is it, Old Man?" Kaiya wondered, though she had a pretty good idea. Hiruzen sighed, the two of them neglecting to meet the other's eyes.
"Well, I wanted to tell you first of all that you've grown into a beautiful young lady," he began, lowering his gaze. "And from the looks of things, you've become a strong shinobi who has endured many hardships. I'm proud to see that." Kaiya's eyes narrowed slightly. She hated when people beat around the bush, and he knew it. "However…I'm a bit concerned at the fact that you're running around with the likes of Orochimaru. Care to explain?" Kaiya blinked, shrugging as she shook her head.
"Honestly, Third, do we really have time for all that? To tell you the truth, I didn't want to hang around these guys, especially when Orochimaru came back, but Sasuke asked me to, and…well, it's always been hard to say no to him."
He frowned in question. "You've changed, Kaiya. You're not the same little girl you were at the time of my death. Of course, you aren't a child at all now." Her eyes darkened as she remembered who she was before. It brought a bitter taste to her mouth. She nodded.
"So I've heard…and so I've explained to everyone else several times," she retorted, crossing her own arms. "You're right to say that I'm not a child anymore; I grew up. I'm done being a victim, and I'm done waiting on other people to make decisions for me. I wanted to be next to Sasuke because I love him, and because I want him to choose a path for himself." This surprised Sarutobi, but he didn't show it; he only listened.
"At first, I wanted to make sure he kept his hands off the village, so I followed him; but then, I decided to put my trust in him. That bastard Orochimaru and all of his freak experiments…well, their presence isn't up to me, and I'd honestly prefer them not to be around. But despite that…even if I have changed, Old Man, I'm still a Leaf shinobi. And like you and all the other Hokage, I will die protecting my home. That's why I'm going to do whatever is necessary to stop Tobi in this war. So there's no need to worry about me or what side I'd take if I had to choose. I inherited the Will of Fire from my father, who desired peace; from Uncle Asuma, who desired to look after the next generation; from Itachi, who desired to protect the village; and even from Kuro-sensei, who taught me to become strong in order to protect the people I care about. And I care about Sasuke, along with the fate of the rest of the world, and I want to help them both. That's my resolve. And it always will be." She smirked, and Sarutobi returned it.
"Heh. I suppose this old man was just worried for nothing, eh? After all, those people that came before you…they were all great men who put their faith in you. I suppose I should do the same."
When Kaiya returned and the Hokage went on ahead, Orochimaru dragged Suigetsu and Karin (much to Kaiya's delight) off to who-knows-where, while Jugo and Kaiya stayed with Sasuke.
"Sasuke, I need to speak with you before we go," she said, giving him a 'you'd better not say no' look. She turned to Jugo. "If you don't mind giving us some privacy…if you like, you can get a head start. We'll catch up." She smirked, and Jugo turned from her to Sasuke, who nodded curtly. Jugo turned.
"Of course." He disappeared, leaving Sasuke and Kaiya alone. They both stared out at the village from the top of the Hokage Rock for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Kaiya spoke.
"Sasuke…there are a few things I need to say to you," she began, lowering her gaze slightly. She was unable to look Sasuke in the eye at that moment, and he was unable to look at her as well. "First of all, I want to know why you changed your mind. You don't have to tell me, I just…I want to hear it, if possible. I know you have a reason." Sasuke stared out in silence for several moments before answering.
"I'm going to become Hokage," he replied, shocking her. She glanced up at him, but didn't say anything, letting him go on. She didn't think he'd be so straightforward with his answer. "I'm going to change the ninja world, so that no one has to suffer like my brother." Kaiya frowned in question as she turned her entire body towards him.
"And you're really willing to join this war and die for everyone else—even complete strangers?" She lifted an eyebrow as he contemplated her question. He turned towards her as well, taking a step closer to her. They were three feet apart.
"I'm not going to die," he assured her, his eyebrows creasing. She looked away at his declaration; he couldn't read the expression on her face.
"Promise?" Her voice had lowered, sounding almost desperate. He scoffed, a playful smirk appearing on his face.
"Hn. All the promises I've given you so far have been moot, so are you sure you want to take my word now?" he questioned. Kaiya finally looked back at him, her eyes full of melancholy, and what he might have mistaken for dread. She sighed, her eyes lowering to his chest.
"Just…just don't break this one, ok? All the others don't matter anymore, as long as I don't lose you." Sasuke's slightly amused expression faded, and he took Kaiya's hands in his own, pulling her closer to him. She blushed at the sudden action, pressed up against his chest as he held her hands tightly. He rested his forehead against hers.
"You're not going to lose me, Kaiya," he promised. "I'm not going to die. You have my word." She let out a breath of relief, but she couldn't relax just yet.
"Sasuke, be honest…" Kaiya took a step back, staring at her feet, though she didn't break away from his hold. "The Hokage you speak about…it's not the same one as Naruto, is it? Your intentions are darker than you're making them seem, aren't they?" She frowned, closing her eyes, disappointed. "And I'd go even further to say that you don't plan on anyone stopping you, which means that Naruto—or anyone for that matter—is just an obstacle to you, right? And that means…" Sasuke sighed, lowering his head, confirming her suspicions. She trembled, remembering that day on the hospital roof, when Naruto and Sasuke almost killed each other. She didn't want to see that ever again. But just like before, she was powerless to stop it.
No…I won't get in-between them this time. I'll be a bridge, and allow Naruto to take care of Sasuke when it comes to that. She knew that Naruto was the only one who could take care of Sasuke.
"I can't let any of you fight Sasuke. I'm the only one who can fight him."
"If we fight…both of us will die."
She didn't want that for either of them. She promised herself that she wouldn't let it happen. But to her, Naruto was someone that Death could never reach, and she prayed Sasuke was the same. "Kaiya, I no longer desire simple destruction," Sasuke explained, after thinking of how much to tell her in his head. He outstretched his arms, palms facing the sky. "My intentions are to protect the Leaf. I want to preserve what Itachi sacrificed himself for, and make sure that no one else has to ever do that again. And if Naruto or someone else stands in the way of that, then…" He paused, taking a deep breath. "If you had to choose between us in a life-or-death situation, would you still choose me?" Kaiya scoffed, gently prying herself loose from his grip. She jabbed him in the chest angrily.
"You bastard! I…I can't do that." She looked away, teary-eyed, hugging herself. "Both of you are equally important to me. Do you really expect me to pick one over the other?" Sasuke's lip trembled; his eyebrow twitched in frustration. He hated how affectionate Kaiya was towards Naruto. It made him sick. And maybe even a little jealous. "Although…" Kaiya smiled sadly, her mind going back to the night Sasuke left the village. "In the end, I did choose you back then, didn't I, Sasuke?" The latter's eyes widened slightly.
"Are you deaf, dumbass? I said I'm going with you. If you're not going to stay, then neither am I. I'm choosing you."
Kaiya sighed. "Sasuke…" He looked down at her in silence, lifting her chin with his hand so that she was looking straight at him. Her voice trembled for a moment. "I…just want you to find your own path," she admitted. A small breeze blew their hair around, sending dancing leaves across the mountaintop. "I have to be confident that one day you'll follow the right one. I believed in you once before, and then I lost faith in you…but now, I'm putting my trust in you again, because to be honest, I've made a lot of mistakes in my life—but loving you wasn't one." Sasuke's eyes widened at her confession. "Right now, it doesn't matter how things turn out later on…I'm just worried about stopping Madara. We'll deal with those other things afterwards." She grinned softly, and he unexpectedly returned it.
"…" Her grin faded slowly, and she removed herself from his touch once again.
"Sasuke, I know you." She chuckled humorlessly, clenching her fists. "I know that you choose your words carefully, and that you're still hiding something from me, something that I know I won't like." His eyes narrowed slightly. "You can't fool me, you know." He looked away for a moment.
"What does it matter at this point, Kaiya?" he wanted to know. She stared down at the village once more before laughing curtly.
"I suppose it doesn't—at least not to me," she confessed, sighing. "But you know, our classmates and the rest of the villagers might not like your ambitions very much." She crossed her arms and shrugged. He scoffed.
"I don't care what they think. The only opinion that matters to me is yours." She blinked, a light blush appearing on her cheeks. "So…do you think I'm up to no good?" Laughing, Kaiya rested her head against Sasuke's chest, closing her eyes as she listened to his heartbeat, which calmed her own. She sighed, breathing in his scent. Oh, how she missed it.
"I guess I'm stealing the words right out of Itachi's mouth, but…no matter what path you walk down, I'll still love you, Sasuke. If you believe that your path is the right one, then I can't—and won't—stop you." That's why I have to leave it to Naruto. He let out a silent breath of relief, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her closer against him. He rested his chin on the top of her head lightly.
"Kaiya…you told me not to die, but can you make me the same promise?" Silence. Sasuke's heart wrenched. "Kaiya." She sighed once more, deciding that she'd better give him an answer, no matter how much he may not like it.
"To be honest, I'd like to say I won't die," she admitted, sighing again. "But death comes unexpectedly most of the time. Who's to say it won't come for me? We're in a war, after all, and my prophecy…" He hadn't thought much about her stupid prophecy until just now, with the two of them plunging to the frontlines. It was easy to avoid death when you were fighting against a few enemies at a time, but what they were up against now… Sasuke lifted his head, moving her to look up at him like before.
"I also know you," he retorted, giving her his standard 'I know what you're really thinking' look. "You're also choosing your words carefully. You mean to die in this war, don't you? There's no 'if' about it." Tears rimmed her eyes as she turned away, unable to answer at first.
"I…" She sighed, wiping the tears away before they fell. "I don't want you or Naruto to be any kind of sacrifice. I'd gladly take your place if I could." She paused, taking a deep breath. "It's better just not to think about it, so don't worry, ok? I won't throw away my life easily, if that's what you're concerned about." She closed her eyes.
"I want you to make a choice as well, Sasuke. Choose between me and your so-called revolution, because you can't have both. But…you already knew that." Sasuke blinked, but neglected to reply. This time it was he who turned away from her, as she opened her eyes to see his reaction. To be honest, he didn't know what to tell her, because he didn't have an answer for even himself. She chuckled lightly. "Well, there's no reason for you to make that decision right now." Kaiya shrugged. "When the war is over, we'll discuss it further," she decided, taking Sasuke by the hand. She felt like he was looking right through her as he stared into her eyes without fear. She grinned. "And if I do end up dying, maybe that will make your decision easier, right?" He frowned.
"…" Truthfully, that's not what he wanted at all, but even so…she was willingly to make that an option for him. Kaiya… Before he could stop himself—and while they still had time—he took hold of her chin again, angling it up to face him as he leaned in. He didn't want to waste any time, so he spared himself the slow, nervous routine that had allowed for an interruption before. Their lips grazed before yet another disruption appeared, literally out of the shadows.
It was a wolf.
"Kaiya, I have urgent news from the battlefield." They paused, both annoyed and alert. Kido blinked in embarrassment when he realized what he arrived in the middle of. "Oi…forgive my intrusion."
"What is it?" Kaiya wondered, regretfully pulling away from Sasuke to turn to her companion. She knew if he was here, it was important. The wolf bowed his head for a moment, his ears pulled back in distress.
"Several of your comrades have perished, and the ten-tails is close to awakening," he explained. Sweat dripped down Kaiya's and Sasuke's brows tensely. No…that's not what I wanted to hear. "Kuro sends me with a personal message as well." Kaiya frowned. Kuro-sensei is on the frontlines? Since when was he involved in this war in the first place? Kido cleared his throat before delivering the message: 'Kaiya, you idiot, what's taking so long?'" He even imitated Kuro's voice, which would've been quite funny if it wasn't urgent. "'I can only hold off dying for so long before you get here. We need your strength; mine has failed. I tried, but it just wasn't enough. This is your war too, you know. Hurry up, you fool. If I die before you get here, there will be serious hell for you to pay in the afterlife.'"
A sweat drop slid behind Kaiya's head. "Yep, that's Kuro-sensei alright." Her eyes widened as she stifled a gasp. "Wait, you mean he's—"
"Yes," Kido answered gravely, closing his eyes and bowing his head once more. "Kuro Kensei is dying. In fact, he may already be dead by now."
I can see it in your eyes, I can feel it in my mind
I don't care if you realize what you see in my eyes.
