Chapter Fifty Three

Kasumi watched the darkness in a way that only a Hattori could.

To her the shadows were like light, a gift from her ancestors along with her ability to move through them and even take a passenger like Kotaro along for the ride.

She hoped Kotaro was grateful, though she didn't know why he should be. Her mind was a bit fuzzy, but somehow she felt like she was in danger of something . . . risking something.

But all she could remember was she'd made him a promise, it had something to do with his father and she had a strong impression that she knew where to look.

They reached an empty cell block, she emerged from her shadow and brought Kotaro along with her.

"Where is this?" He demanded.

"Dunno." Kasumi admitted.

"I thought you knew where you were going!" Kotaro said sharply.

Kasumi shrugged, "I know where I'm going but I don't know the names of the sights along the way. Do you even remember the name of the wing of the palace you live in?"

Kotaro was quiet for a moment, then he whispered, "You're right, I'm sorry . . . are we close?"

"You're close enough . . ." A voice said, Kasumi spun around and saw a tall blond man emerge from the shadows.

She hated herself, she should have seen him.

She reached for her shuriken but got an overwhelming feeling that there was no need.

"You two don't have a lot of time," The man said and he laughed, "I'm sorry, I just can't believe . . . I can't believe this worked."

"What?" Kotaro demanded.

"What do you want from us? What worked?" Kasumi demanded.

"I'm one of the ninja charged with monitoring your thoughts . . . we keep a tabs on your brains by keeping in contact with your bodies while you're in the channeling chambers, but we can also watch you through security devices. As long as we can see you and we're in range you're susceptible to our Jutsu."

"What are you talking about?" Kasumi demanded but Kotaro was a step ahead of her.

"You're the reason we can never remember anything!"

"No . . . Kabuto's the reason for that. We're in charge of stunting any thoughts you get that Kabuto can't erase, we're in charge of keeping you from trying to do anything treasonous . . . among other thoughts we're meant to plant."

"Like what?" Kasumi blinked.

"The only reason nobody's looking for you is because they think the two of you need . . . privacy right now." The man said simply.

Kasumi recoiled, "You have that much control over us?"

"If we did you'd be a glowing mother to be by now," The older ninja growled, "you can resist things that truly go against what you want . . . at the time I was ordered to breed the two of you neither of you actually wanted to and so I couldn't force the matter . . . nor did I really want to. It did however give me an opportunity I hadn't expected, one I know Orochimaru and Kabuto don't realize I've seized."

"What do you mean?" Kasumi insisted.

"The two of you are romantically entangled as far as Orochimaru knows. He's not happy about it, I don't completely understand whether or not the orders to breed you came from him or Kabuto or someone lower down the food chain, but the point is you two have been given a certain amount of . . . leeway so that you can . . . perform."

Kotaro looked intrigued, but Kasumi was horrified.

"Y-you would do that to me?" She demanded, "You would breed me like an animal?" She screamed.

The blond shinobi scowled at her, "What the hell do you think any of us are to Orochimaru besides animals? Anyway I told you the two of you were too resistant to it, and if I couldn't do it no one Orochimaru's got could have so don't worry about it happening ever again. I've had to tell them that you came around on your own, that once we put the idea in your heads you found it worth pursuing on your own terms. In that light Orochimaru has decided to allow it for whatever reason, but I don't think he knows what we're really doing."

"And what are we doing?" Kotaro demanded, but Kasumi was covering her ears.

She didn't want anyone in her head, she didn't want anyone making her do . . . anything, really . . . she wanted to make her own decisions.

"Not now!" Her mental assaulter snapped at her, "I know you've had a shock but you kids . . . no, you ninja deserve better than to be lied to any further. What are we up to? We're up to getting you to your father, I can't get there alone but with two members of the Sound Five it won't be any trouble."

"Who are you? Why do you serve Orochimaru and why are you betraying him now?" Kotaro asked.

"That's not important."

"It's important to me. I'm not going anywhere with you until I know the answer." Kotaro said.

The man lowered his gaze, he whispered, "My name is Inoichi . . . Yamanaka Inoichi. I was a Konoha Jounin, I was captured during the fall . . . they made me serve them because I thought they had my daughter, Ino . . . you knew her once, she was your Sensei's teammate . . . you probably don't remember either of them, and that's Kabuto's doing . . . they have about six of my clansmen, myself included monitoring you five . . . three of us at a time, I've been assigned to the two of you for a six hour window that we're already three hours into, and it's only out of loyalty to me that my clansmen haven't reported me away from my post yet; if someone comes by their list of excuses will be short and our time will be too so we have to move now."

Kotaro frowned, he put his hand on Kasumi's shoulder but not to comfort her, he turned her to face him.

"This is your chance to make them pay for it."

Kasumi didn't want to say anything. The mere thought that her mind was laid bare before strangers, that they could look at, laugh at, change or remove her thoughts and desires . . . it was . . . it was about the most horrible violation she could imagine.

It was practically-no it was exactly rape. She'd been mentally raped, psychologically violated and Orochimaru, her master, had not only condoned it he'd ordered it.

"If it makes you feel any better," Inoichi said, "if this works we'll get them back big time. If it fails you won't remember anything I've told you and I'll be put to death so at least one of the people responsible for doing this to you will be dead."

He offered her and Kotaro each a kunai, they didn't carry their own in their real bodies since the Emperor didn't allow it . . . he probably feared they'd harm themselves with them, and Kasumi was tempted to do just that . . . but she knew she didn't want to die that way, it wasn't worth it.

She didn't know what she wanted to do, she didn't know what she could do . . . she just laughed weakly and forced a smile as she took the kunai. "That'll do for now . . ."


Sakura leaned against the wall and watched Sasuke appraisingly. Sasuke didn't like it, it almost felt like she was judging him for all his sins.

Sins she shouldn't even know about . . .

Should he tell her?

What business was it of hers?

Part of him felt like the reason he'd come to her in the first place was to . . . confess.

To tell her everything . . .

He shook his head slowly and said, "Sakura, you . . . know how I feel about you?"

Sakura folded her arms, "You're pretty good about hiding that, actually."

"In Kumo we-"

"Kumogakure was four years ago . . . and we'd just survived a near massacre. That . . . event could have meant anything, what was I supposed to think?" Sakura asked in a tone that was neither harsh nor judgmental.

Still Sasuke felt as if she'd punched him, he supposed that really he couldn't blame her for not seeing it as the ultimate confession he'd meant it to be . . .

After all he'd been gone shortly after; he'd left with Endo and Hitomi sparing just a few words for Sakura, the woman he'd . . .

He lowered his gaze, "I do love you, Sakura."

Sakura's expression softened, and she whispered, "Yeah, I know."

"When I left I didn't think we'd be apart for too long . . . but we were. When I headed for the island I thought we'd be together again until the day we died . . . but I was pulled away."

"You let yourself be pulled away." Sakura accused.

"I . . . well I guess that's true . . ." Sasuke said. This didn't feel right, he didn't like this conversation at all . . . he was being too weak, he should just grab her by the hand, tell her the facts then leave, not stammer and apologize like a child who'd broken a window.

And yet with what he had to confess he felt about as defenseless as a child who'd broken a window with both his parents standing over his shoulders.

He lowered his gaze and whispered, "I've done many things for the sake of winning a war and I don't even know what side I'm on anymore . . . Sakura I did something that you might not be able to forgive me for."

"I've forgiven you for an awful lot." Sakura said and Sasuke felt the stab of regret that those reminders of his past brought on.

The years he'd spent serving Orochimaru, hunting his brother, causing trouble for Konoha . . . fighting against his friends . . .

He swallowed and whispered, "Karin offered to give me information . . . for a price." He looked at Sakura, "You deserve to know that I paid that price . . . and you deserve to know what it was."

Sakura folded her arms again and said, "Sasuke . . . you deserve to know that I don't care. I love you, whatever she asked you to do I don't care . . . and I don't want to know."

"I think maybe you should, it might change how you feel." Sasuke said.

"Honestly? What could you have done for Karin that would change my opinion of you? What can she have asked of you in the space of time since you left the island, that would damn you in my mind? Sasuke . . . no offense but you've done so much worse in the past that . . . for me at least, I cant imagine not being able to forgive you for anything, especially when you actually seem repentant, which is such a refreshing change of pace."

Sasuke frowned. He wanted to tell himself that she'd guessed, and she didn't want to accept it, or maybe she did accept it and it just didn't matter.

But he was an Uchiha. He was the last Uchiha; he couldn't be a coward.

He told her, "In exchange for some of the names that Suigetsu is hunting, and what I can only hope really is truth about the Mizukage's murderer . . . Karin demanded that I-"

Sakura silenced him with a kiss, as their lips parted she whispered, "I told you I didn't want to know."

"You deserved to know." Sasuke challenged, standing up.

Sakura didn't say anything for a while, then she said, "I don't think you need to say the words, Sasuke . . . I think I know where this is going and . . . I just think it'll be easier if you don't say the words."

"I'm sorry," He offered lamely. "Maybe this is something that shouldn't be easy or even possible to forgive."

"I told you already that I could forgive you for anything." Sakura said.

"Even this?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "You can't be serious . . ."

Sakura laughed softly and said, "Honestly? I might be so furious that I'm not thinking with my right mind . . . I suggest you take advantage of that, I mean it has been four years . . . for one of us, at least." The sentence cut Sasuke like a knife, but Sakura spoke on and wrapped her arms around him, "Just because I forgive you doesn't mean you wont have to show me just how sincere you are."


Kotaro followed Inoichi down the twists and turns of the cellblock-at least he was pretty sure it was a cellblock.

"We'll be there soon, we won't have much time. We'll need to rescue Kakashi-san, then the four of us need to get out of this city."

"I don't think I can do that," Kotaro said, "don't think I can leave my mother here to suffer alone."

"You won't have a choice, besides if we succeed in everything except getting you out then you may be forced to bring your father back in, is that what you want?" Inoichi demanded.

Kotaro didn't answer; obviously the answer was "no" but he just felt like he couldn't leave without his mother, like there was some reason that he at least needed to stay.

But he'd ask his father.

"We're here!" Inoichi whispered, stopping at a door.

"What's the matter?" Kotaro asked when the old Jounin didn't enter.

"No guards . . ." Inoichi grumbled.

But a voice . . . a distantly familiar voice called to them; "Come on in, it's not locked."

Inoichi's expression darkened, but Kotaro couldn't stop himself.

He practically tore the door open, he rushed inside to find not a damp, dark prison cell . . . but a well lit reading room.

His father, his father, stood inside, a book in hand and dressed in the finery of an Otogakure noble.

Kotaro didn't know what to think, but his father smiled through his oh so familiar mask and said, "Kotaro-kun, it's so good to see you here. I expected you sooner or later. Yamanaka, I'm a little surprised to see you here too . . . but it's a very pleasant surprise, my friend. We were wondering who would be leading the kids here."

Inoichi's shoulders slumped and he shook his head; "I tried . . ."

Kakashi smiled, "I'm sure you did. Don't worry, the guards will be here soon to take you away, you look like you need a very long rest."

Inoichi scoffed, "This isn't over, you-"

"Shh!" Kakashi hissed, "I'm trying to talk to my son. So, son . . . how have you been? Brought your girlfriend I see, that's pleasant. Are you helping your mother win the war?"

"I . . . yeah, I guess . . ." Kotaro said, he felt confused.

"That's good." Kakashi said, "You know she really has been fighting so long, it'd be so wonderful if you could help her finally get the reward she deserves; I hope you're working hard to bring Uchiha Sasuke safely to the palace so the Emperor can be reborn in him."

"I am . . ." Kotaro said, but he shook his head, "Why are you dressed like that?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Kakashi asked.

"You're not from Sound, you're from Leaf!" Kotaro said, he was sure of it.

"Don't be silly . . . I'm married to your mother, that makes me a noble of Hidden in Sound."

"You never married mom!" Kotaro protested.

Kakashi smiled but that smile seemed false, unreal, "Why would your mother and I have you outside of wedlock? She's was Lord Orochimaru's princess after all, it would have been scandalous."

Kotaro felt anger rising in him, Inoichi said, "That's right, don't believe him! You know he's lying!"

"Silence, Yamanaka, or things will be far worse for you!" Kakashi barked, then he gently placed his hand on Kotaro's shoulder, "Son . . . you were born a ninja of the village hidden in Sound, don't you remember?"

"No, no! Konoha! I'm a ninja from the village hidden in leaves!" Kotaro insisted.

"No, you and I and your mother infiltrated Konohagakure, that's why you have . . . memories of time spent there . . . but we were always ninja of Sound, we raised you to love and serve the Emperor, to serve Lord Orochimaru, don't you remember any of that?"

"No!" Kotaro said, "No, I don't!"

"Then it seems you've been much too distracted by your little girlfriend." Kakashi chuckled, patting him on the shoulder and turning to Kasumi, "And how are you? What brings you here? Conflict of memory of your own?"

"I . . . I promised to bring Kotaro . . ." Kasumi offered.

"Is that so? What a dutiful girl, you'll make a fine wife someday."

"No . . ." Kasumi shook her head, "He's just a . . . a comrade, he doesn't even like me."

"Oh? Well we can change that . . . we can change anything." Kakashi said with a smile.

Kotaro's eyes narrowed, "You're not my father."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, "Hmm? What are you talking about?"

"My father is Hatake Kakashi of the village hidden in leaves, he's no traitor he's no servant of Orochimaru! He's a prisoner the same as my mother, you can't be him!"

Kakashi looked unsure for the slightest of moments, and Kotaro knew.

Why hadn't there been guards outside? Because the guards were inside.

He sprang forward towards his opponent but suddenly the reading lamp came to life and reached out for him.

He felt the arm that grabbed him even though he didn't see it. He knew he was in a Genjutsu, and he acted accordingly, drawing the kunai Inoichi had given him and stabbing at the hand he couldn't see.

Blood seemed to appear from out of nowhere, the lamp shuddered and fell over, with it the entire illusion shattered.

The shinobi who had so expertly portrayed the lamp hadn't fallen over himself, but he had taken his bleeding hand away from Kotaro.

Kasumi seemed unsure but Inoichi was by Kotaro's side the moment the illusion failed.

Kotaro glared at the two sound ninja before him, especially at the one who'd pretended to be his father.

"We can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way," Kotaro told them. He could see his father in the cell behind them, he was dressed in a gray prisoner's robe, a leather mask covered half his face-or more importantly, his Sharingan eye-but Kotaro still knew it was him, the real him.

His free eye was set firmly on Kotaro and in that eye Kotaro knew backing down was not an option even if Orochimaru himself arrived. He was so close to being reunited with his father . . .

The enemy ninja both laughed, the one who had impersonated his father said, "We only need to hold you for sixty seconds, then our reinforcements will be here along with the Emperor himself to handle you."

Kotaro smirked, "He'd have to be pretty stupid to come here. There's three of us and soon there'll be none of you."

The guard smirked, Kotaro saw in the corner of his eye Kasumi, shaking and looking confused melt into her shadow and back away into the darkness.

He wasn't pleased, but he had to admit she was right.

He didn't like her as a girlfriend or even a friend, she was only his comrade among the Five; she'd taken him to his father and now she owed him nothing, it was really better for her to leave before things got too messy.

The ninja who'd impersonated his father smiled at Kotaro, it was a friendly smile, "See? She knows where her loyalties lie. It's two to two and you have even less time now . . . so, care to do this the easy way or-"

Kotaro didn't let the man finish his sentence, he sprang and slammed his fist into the older ninja's stomach.

The shinobi doubled over, there was nothing around to use for substitution and he hadn't been a clone, he'd taken that hit.

And Kotaro quickly took his kunai and slashed out, hoping to end his enemy's life, but he settled for drawing blood as his foe leapt back.

The other ninja rushed in but Inoichi sprang forward and thrust his hand out, snapping the man's gaze from Kotaro to him, the two Jounin struggled against each other with rapid Taijutsu, Kotaro needed to trust that Inoichi would handle his battle well enough alone because Kotaro still had his own to worry about.

He rushed forward and struck a few blows, but he fought the desire to use Orochimaru's cursed mark.

He didn't know if using it might somehow alert Orochimaru, and if the guard had been bluffing about help being on the way-and Kotaro hoped he was-then Kotaro didn't want Orochimaru to know where he was or that he was fighting.

Besides, he was pretty confident that he could kill this man himself.

He fought, his kunai in one hand sweeping, slicing and stabbing at his opponent, keeping him off guard while his other hand formed hand seals by itself, not an easy task but one that Okatsu-sensei had insisted-quite painfully-that he learn.

His Jutsu complete he stomped his foot and saw a stone from the floor behind his opponent shoot out of the ground and strike the man hard in the back, throwing him off.

The man staggered back and Kotaro charged again.

Kotaro noticed a blue flash as his opponent drew a katana and shouted, "I am one of Orochimaru's elite guard, I am privy to all that goes on in his inner circle and I know him to be a living god! I will hold you here, even if I have to beat you half to death, I will not fail the Emp-"

He fell silent unable to finish his sentence or even scream as his chest suddenly exploded outward, a hand shrouded in lightning protruding from the gaping wound.

The man's eyes hazed over and he fell to the ground dead, behind him stood an unchained Hatake Kakashi, supported by Hattori Kasumi.

Kotaro quickly understood that Kasumi had retreated to the shadows to fool the other ninja, then snuck past them while they fought, probably using their own shadows to help avoid detection.

She'd gotten to his father's cell and with her shadow stepping ability had pulled him out leaving behind the manacles that held him. The realization made Kotaro dislike Kasumi a lot less.

And Hatake Kakashi, after four years of imprisonment, had been all too ready to jump right into the fight, the flash of blue light that Kotaro had seen hadn't come from his opponent, but from his father preparing to end the fight in a single Jutsu.

Well, half the fight, there was still the matter of Inoichi's opponent to defeat, and time was running short.

Hatake Kakashi, the real Hatake Kakashi, removed the mask and opened his Sharingan eye.

To Be Continued . . .