Naruto's POV
It had taken us a while but we had finally found a hint to this lady's whereabouts. Pervy-sage has been keeping me busy training in order to keep me from wandering off to get Akira. He said as soon as I master rasengan, this super awesome cool ninjutsu, and find his friend we'll go after Akira. But it had been almost two weeks, normally he would have escaped by now. What if something had happened? I paused in my training, chewing on my nails as anxiety set in. He can handle himself that's true enough but against those guys…I don't think he'd be able to pull it off.
"Naruto, listen kid." Pervy-sage said leaning off a tree and walking to me. "You need to calm down, chewing your fingers red won't get him back."
I nodded absentmindedly starring east as I had for the past 3 days. Would it be today? What would the signal even mean? Would he just appear from the east or what? My questions were answered as I saw a cloud of smoke reach into the sky, the resounding sound of an explosion ripped my eardrums.
That had to be him! I ran off before Pervy-sage could stop me but he soon caught up lifting me onto his back and running even faster.
Akira, we're coming.
Akira's POV
Child, child!
I lay still, my body hurt, I couldn't move. I tried to draw a breath but as a small cough racked my body I spat blood. I opened my eyes to see a few blurred shapes, coming in and out of focus. Large stones, wooden beams and the remains of the door lay around me. I felt my eyes closing again, against my will.
Do not close your eyes! Listen to me child, do not die! You can't die now! Listen closely, your friends are near.
I strained to hear but was met with nothing, my eyes had already closed. My breathing was slowing, even my heart seemed to be giving up but my mind seemed ever awake.
I don't want to die yet. I want to see everyone, I want to make sure Kakashi's safe, I want to tell Naruto my secret and I want him to at least know that my feelings are stronger than I thought. If I don't make it…will they be okay? Will Kakashi be mad at me? What about Naruto? Although, I get to see Gramps again…I thought as a silver tear made its way from under my eyelid down my cheek.
Please…please don't die, your friends are here. Answer me! Prove you have the will to live.
I tried to send out my thoughts but found I was too tired, too in pain to concentrate.
For heaven's sake! Move a finger, do anything! Just keep breathing. They're only a few steps away.
Could I? Could I move just a finger? I willed my mind to move my little finger, I was rewarded with nothing but the sharp pain of twisted nerves. A sharp intake of breath and I had an inkling of an idea. I struggled, sliding my body forward out of the small alcove created by debris.
Jiraiya's POV
We had just reached the base and Naruto was already furiously digging through the rubble throwing things this way and that yelling for his little girlfriend. To be honest, I was praying the Akatsuki still had her. There was only a slim chance she survived, that's if she was in this. I heard something to my left and saw the receding figured of the Akatsuki leaving. We're lucky, today they lost a base, they didn't want to fight and we might be getting Akira back. I hope.
I small sound in front of me and to the right caught my attention. It could have been my imagination but as an almost inaudible cry reached my ear I knew I was wrong. I walked carefully towards it, saying her name over and over. I heard shifting and the cry left her, this time slightly louder gaining Naruto's attention.
He rushed over and through back pieces of debris only getting more careful as he dug deeper. I moved a few of the heavier objects and eventually there she was. Naruto's expression was pained, sadness and anger seemed to well up all at once only to be beaten down by worry. Even I winced seeing the pain she was in.
"Akira," He said kneeling beside her. "It's okay we're here now."
He dusted off the ceiling dust, delicately moving smaller bits of debris off her. Once that was done he looked to where she was stuck. She seemed to have created a small pocket of protection but her foot had been twisted at a bad angle. He looked at me desperately, suddenly scared. I nodded before walking to her side and picking her up. Naruto had to plug his ears to at least muffle the scream that rang through the ruins.
"Be careful!" He yelled at me taking Akira's hand gently and stroking it, muttering soft words to keep her calm.
"Let's get him to the inn. We'll figure out what to do from there."
"Why not take him to the hospital?"
"This village is too poor to afford one. Normally they will travel miles to reach the nearest hospital."
He nodded, thinking it over in his head. "Should we buy a first aid kit?"
"Yeah." I said handing him the money before sending him off.
He kicked up dirt as he ran, leaving me with Akira.
I knew she was dying, I could feel it… Her breathing was too slow, her heartbeat was too faint. I stopped laying her on the ground.
"Hey, girly," I said hoping she had enough will to make it through. "If you can hear me, you better wake up… I don't know what he'd do without you…"
Akira's POV
I was slipping and I knew it. I felt numb, like I wasn't there. I heard a voice, no two voices?
"…I don't know what he'd do without you…" That one, that one was Jiraiya.
He's right…you have to live. I can't allow you to die, he'd call me a liar and Suffio, your female dragon, she'd probably try to tear me apart. Yes it's best if you live, so I will give you life again but…in return you will have to retrieve a relic for the King. It will be difficult to find, it may even take years…but if you do not find it within 3 years you will die. Do you accept these conditions?
Can I answer? I accept but will she hear me.
I struggled as a soul until finally a voice could speak, it rose from my throat along with blood giving a slightly gurgling reply. "I…accept."
Jiraiya's POV
She was gone, I sighed deeply. How would I tell them? She was important to so many…and now she's left them alone.
I was about to start back down the path, picking Akira up when a gurgling sound rose in her throat.
"I…accept."
Accepted what was the question. But it was soon answered, she had made some sort of deal with death or maybe the gods as she glowed for a brief minute before returning to normal. It was like I had watched a time-lapsed chakra treatment.
Her eyes blinked as she tried to sit up, her movements were slow and stiff so I helped her stand.
"So it was you, that means Naruto was there as well." She yawned as though she had just awoken from a good night's sleep. "So did you find what's her name yet?"
"Tsunade. And no we haven't." I watched as she took a few stumbling steps before chuckling and picking her up delicately. She showed no signs of injury but just to be safe.
"You seriously couldn't find her? I was gone for two weeks! How long does it take you numbskulls to find a lady, especially a childhood friend. If Sasuke or Naruto disappeared I'd find them in an instant."
"You know I liked you better when you were unconscious."
She laughed, "Yeah well you're stuck with me now."
I shook my head, thank god she's alive.
We made it to the inn, and Naruto was restlessly pacing out front. I placed Akira down who gave me a look that clearly read what's his problem? I smiled but shrugged, she was rather oblivious when it came to him.
Akira walked calmly to him with only a slight stiffness in her step. Naruto raised his head and I swear I have never seen a smile that genuine, any future smiles might never compare to this. He grabbed Akira immediately and hugged him close. Akira returned the hug before gently prying herself out of his grip possibly noticing the stares they were getting.
"Alright you two, we'll rest here for the night then move on to find Tsunade." I walked into the inn followed by the two chatter boxes exchanging information. I heard bits and pieces of Akira's story and some of Naruto's training but what interested me most was how Akira's stories humanized the enemy. It was dangerous for her to think that way, and it would only become a hindrance later but the stories seemed fairly harmless.
Akira's POV
The moment we arrived at the room, Jiraiya sat at the desk to write a letter while Naruto fell asleep immediately, I stayed up though. I had some concerns I needed to get rid of or confirm.
"Hey, Jiraiya?"
"What do you need?"
"Um Have you ever heard of a jutsu that can drain people's lives?"
His back stiffened as his pen froze above the paper, he swiveled around in his chair. "Why do you ask?"
"I read it in one of the books at the Akatsuki base."
"It's a forbidden jutsu, anyone who is caught using a forbidden jutsu will be considered a criminal and hunted down." He turned back to his letter. "But if you ever do learn a forbidden jutsu kid, I think you should tell an adult who can keep you out of trouble. Or get on the good side of the Hokage."
He was right of course but what if they turned on me anyways, locking me up before executing me. I shook my head before laying down on my futon next to Naruto's, I doubted I would get any real sleep tonight.
I was right, I tossed and turned in my sleep endlessly before waking up out of breath. It was that stupid jutsu and that stupid Tobi. Everything was his fault now, everything. I got up stepping over Naruto carefully and around Jiraiya to the bathroom where I promptly threw up. Why does the jutsu have to look so eerie when performed, why couldn't it be a swift death? No bodies, nothing to haunt a person's dreams.
"So, having nightmares now are we?" Jiraiya leaned against the doorframe, I swore I locked it but apparently locks are little defense against shinobi.
"It's not that bad, maybe I ate something funny."
"Kid, I'm not as stupid as I look. What's eating you? Cause I know it wasn't your lunch or dinner for that matter."
"It's nothing important. I'm going back to sleep. Night."
He sighed, "I'm going to have to rewrite that letter aren't I?"
"Probably."
Kakashi's POV
If I hadn't been staring out my window, now facing East, I would never have believed Gai's words as he rushed into my hospital room yelling about Akira and scaring every single person in the place. He was eventually dragged off the premise still screaming about the sign of greater things. I had to admit though upon seeing the cloud of dust rising in the sky I was worried she might not have made it out.
Though I felt slightly…proud? At her accomplishment, it's not every day a genin manages to make such an impact.
I waited a day before finally receiving a letter from Jiraiya, it read;
Dear Kakashi,
I have the dubious duty in informing you that we have Akira back with us, alive and unharmed although I must tell you that although she's alive, she died once. It's a rather strange story in which she glowed for about a minute after being dead for about two minutes.
I also should inform you that she has thrown up once, the night she returned, because of a nightmare. She refuses to confide in me but I think I can ease it out of her, or get Naruto to. She always tells him everything, except you know her being a female.
We have yet to find Tsunade and so we will be gone for another few days, I will keep a sharp eye on Akira this time. As an apology for losing her in the first place I have enclosed a signed copy of the next addition in the series, please keep it a secret as it has yet to reach the shelves.
Signed Jiraiya.
P.S Hey Dad, I'm writing this without Jiraiya knowing, but I have information on the Akatsuki now and about the nightmare it was really nothing but when we get back I need to talk to you. It's really important and please don't kill me for it. Oh Naruto says Hi. And I can't believe you are being appeased through bribery, I am very disappointed in you.
She called me dad, I smiled. But what is this about a nightmare, we've already gotten past her family so they shouldn't have returned unless something happened in the Akatsuki? And what would she need to talk about? Why would I kill her for it? I can't even tell if she's being serious or not due to the spontaneity in her writing, which isn't half bad for a thirteen year old. I just hope they get her home in one piece and not dead. Which brings up the first alarm bell, she glowed? What the hell does he mean, she glowed after dying then got resurrected? How could he have let her die in the first place!
Ugh…, I leaned back into the cot, he has a lot of explaining to do when they get back. For now though I might as well enjoy the complimentary book, even if it was a bribe.
