Alright, the new chapter is up and I don't think I have too many left. I reviewed my original story map and I've deviated quite a bit, but I think I planned for more chapters that could really be covered in a couple of scenes, so I'll have to evaluate how much of what I originally planned for will need to be cut, how much gets saved, and how much will get reorganized into other chapters. Anyhow, let me know what you think of this one.
Chapter 34: Honor Your Word!
"But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep," - Robert Frost
There was only a brief second to spare. Taking the only opening she had, Hanami dove into the cover of a large oak. The base of the trunk was wide enough for two or three of her to stand shoulder to shoulder and not be seen. Of course, that only matters if the sudden cut to the left that she made moments ago threw her pursuers off enough to break their line of sight. If they saw her reach her new hiding spot then it was all over.
The snowy haired girl held her breath. She was about two thirds of the way home when a building a few blocks away was ripped apart by a fiery explosion. Several times she started to reach out to Yurushi through their communication seal, but she got a feedback warning. The warning was only given when the recipient was too far out of range. This was not to say that the message couldn't be sent, but that the amount of chakra needed to cover the distance was dangerous at best, or at least that was how Yurushi described it.
She heard a pair of footsteps hit the ground nearby.
"Which way did she go?"
"I couldn't tell. She passed behind that tree back there and just disappeared!"
"We broke too far off from the main group," the first voice said. Hanami prayed that they would just give up and let her go. She wasn't in the mood to try and test her luck against one chūnin from Otogakure let alone two.
"So what? This one was easy pickings," the second answered. "Besides, you heard the boss, the more genin we can take out the better."
"Man, I don't want to waste all my time playing hide and seek with some girl. Let's just ge- augh"
"What the?"
There was a solid sounding thud as the makings of a scuffle began filling in the unknown space behind her hiding spot. The definitive crack of bones echoed in her ears. She stayed frozen, breathless, when the sound dead weight hit the ground met her already frightened mind. It didn't take long for before there was the squelch of metal biting flesh. Hanami wanted to reach out with her senses and figure out if the pair that had been chasing her were the winners or if they had lost, but she didn't want to stop suppressing her chakra and give them the chance to find her. She wasn't going to make herself vulnerable. She wasn't going to be the victim. Not again.
Not if she could help it.
"Yukimura Hanami," a strange voice addressed her from beyond her oaken sanctuary.
Nervously, she stuck her head out to look at the man who called for her. She could see only an agent of ANBU wearing a rather distinctive mask, and a boy wearing a black shirt with a high collar. The crest of the Uchiha was featured prominently on his back. The two Oto shinobi that had been chasing her were lying on the ground, one had gaping wound in his neck from which blood was flowing freely. The other was obscured behind the ANBU, but his fate was obvious. At the very least, she figured, the two before her now were allies.
"Yes," the girl answered crawling out from her hiding spot.
The Uchiha turned to meet her gaze. He quickly sized her up and turned his head back to scan the woods for more threats. The dark and unseen eyes of the ANBU never wavered from her. The abyss of those eyes was unsettling, but he was no threat to her. He was an ANBU of Konoha, an elite among elites who would die before harming a comrade of the village.
"You are to join us immediately."
"But, what about my parents? I can't leave my family alone like this."
"Your mother and father are safe. Your skills are required elsewhere."
"My skills?" Hanami wasn't exactly the most promising genin in the village. While she knew she had some measure of talent the average genin didn't, she failed to see what made her skills more valuable than anyone of greater rank. Let alone what made an ANBU seek her out.
"Yes. There is little time to explain. You will be briefed on the way. What is your range?" The agent continued matter-of-factly. The question was so broad, but she quickly understood that he was talking about her abilities as a sensor.
"Um, about a hundred meters. A hundred and twenty if I really focus."
"Hmm," the ANBU paused in thought. "I'll need you to be one hundred and twenty meters minimum as we move."
"I rarely max out at a hundred meters while moving."
"You will exceed that limit."
"But, how?"
"You'll do it," the Uchiha boy broke his silence. "You'll find a way to push through your limits because if you don't we'll all probably die."
"The boy is right," the black-ops member broke her impending protest. "You'll find a way to succeed because you must. Your life, your comrade's lives, and the fate of the village hangs in the balance. You can overcome, and you will. You are shinobi. Shinobi are those who overcome."
Both men nodded at her. This was no mere vote of confidence. They were relying on her. Why her? Hanami didn't know, but the village was under attack. There wasn't time to figure out why it had to be her that accompanied them on this crazy mystery mission, but she wasn't about to turn her back. Not when she knew that Kenshi wouldn't hesitate to lend a hand. Even if he had no chance of success, Kenshi would die trying, and she would do the same if that's what it took. This was how she could move forward. This was how she could carry on Kenshi's torch.
"Let's move." The masked ninja declared before darting across the canopy of leaves.
Without another word Hanami took to the trees in lock step behind the ANBU agent, and the Uchiha kid was right behind her. She pushed out with her mind to see what was around them. She wasn't getting that great of a range, but as she found a rhythm to her travel she could feel her mind begin to focus. Steadily her senses were pushing out further and further. All the while she could feel Kenshi and Yurushi cheering her on.
The darkness was slowly abating as metal clashed off in the distance. Everything felt strange. Like the world was just beyond his grasp but as the light filtered in he could begin to make out the sensations of life. The last thing he remembered was the weight of exhaustion and insomnia crashing down on him. It rained down like a storm of feathers that lulled him into a comfortable sleep.
"Genjutsu!" He shouted as the realization brought him back to reality.
"Woah!" The masked face that filled his vision responded. "Calm down, I dispelled the genjutsu. You're safe for now."
"What about Naruto?" He asked as he tried to shake the cobwebs loose and regain his bearings. "I was trying to find a seat closer to where the finalists were waiting when I got caught by the genjutsu, is he alright?"
"Naruto's fine for now," the man's face was mostly covered. A mask hid the lower half of his face and his hitai-ate covered the right eye. "Right now, there are some slightly more pressing concerns."
"You must be Kakashi," the realization manifesting in his open thoughts. He'd seen the picture of Naruto's teammates before, but hadn't ever formally met the infamous Sensei of Team Seven. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Likewise Yurushi," the Jōnin gestured in a way that made him appear to be smiling, but it was difficult to know for sure with the majority of his face covered. "In fact both Naruto and your Sensei speak highly of your skills, so I have a favor to ask of you."
Yurushi looked around. He was seated in a hallway, slabs of concrete made up the floors, walls, and ceiling. The only exits were to his left and his right. Looking left he saw into the arena. Occasionally he could see a few shinobi darting by and several of them appeared bloodied, as if they had been fighting rather intensely. To the right was a set of stairs that likely led to the nearest exit. Slowly, Yurushi stood and withdrew a scroll from the kunai pouch at his hip.
"Already up, that's good," Kakashi continued as the redhead brought forth his master's old blade from storage. "There are several civilians and VIPs that are still trapped in the genjutsu. I just need help clearing them out of here before anything happens to them.
"I'm sorry Kakashi-Sensei, but I have my orders already," Yurushi answered, strapping the katana to his waist. He'd been a touch out of practice with such a long sword, favoring his wakizashi until it was broken during Kenshi's final battle. "I have to find Hanami."
"About that," Kakashi breathed seemingly exasperated. "I'm not really asking you for help on this. This is an order, and I am the ranking officer at the moment. Even Hayate would have to do as I say."
"Are you saying you aren't going to let me leave?"
"No, but what I am saying is that you'd be violating at least three laws of the village if you do," Kakashi warned. "I get it, really I do. I'm worried about my friends as well, but right now we have to do what we can to end this attack and keep people safe. Our friends, they're trained shinobi, so we'll have to trust that they can handle themselves."
"I'm already insubordinate to my Sensei's instructions as it is," the Uzumaki declared, undaunted by the words of his superior. He wasn't going to wallow in the guilt his admission brought. Rather, he'd simply take steps to correct his actions. He took the time, and relative safety to stretch and prepare for what was to be a long and arduous day. "How much more trouble can I get in if I ignore your orders to follow the one I was originally given?"
"I don't think you really understand what's going on here," the silver Jōnin replied. "We are in a state of war right now. There is a squad of ANBU covering us just so I can have this conversation with you. If you leave here and now, there's no way it won't be reported. No amount of explaining I do can protect you from the consequences."
Yurushi shrugged off the concerns. He knew the law, or at least the spirit of it. The consequences were dire at best.
"Listen!" Kakashi growled, punching the wall behind him. The impact left the concrete cracked in a pattern that spider webbed from the man's balled fist. "Stop acting like a selfish brat and listen! If you leave now, after receiving a direct order to stay, you get the death penalty. Desertion is not tolerated, even by the Sandaime Hokage. I need your help here, to protect the people in the arena. You need to just trust that your friend will be alright."
"I won't take that chance," Yurushi responded with the same steel in his eyes that he found in Kakashi's. "Not again."
"Fine," Kakashi sighed. "Just know that I can't protect you from what happens. I just hope that Naruto will understand that everything that happens next is because of your selfishness."
"I'm sure he will," Yurushi smirked. Naruto didn't need him. He never really did. He was sure that in a previous life or some alternate world, he and Naruto had never met, and all of the successes that the blond achieved was far more meaningful, because they were gained solely by his own effort, will, and skill. "I made a promise Sensei. A promise I intend to keep."
"Dead men don't keep promises," Kakashi mused with a seemed to be a tinge of regret wresting free from his voice.
"True, but dead men are better off than cowards who abandon their friends," the redhead let those words hang in the air for a brief moment before dashing toward the stairs.
Caution thrown to the wind and the consequences be damned. He wouldn't live with the shame of having done nothing to protect Hanami. Kenshi would never forgive him if he had. Not after ignoring his Sensei's orders again. Kakashi had made a clear case for staying, and it was compelling, but Yurushi couldn't bring himself to care.
To him, Konoha was just the place where he lived. If it was destroyed, then he could find another place to make his bed. The only thing that ever made it home were the family and friends who lived there. Without them, this place meant nothing. Nothing at all.
'It can all burn,' Yurushi thought as he stepped out into the chaos of the street. The sounds and smells of war and death surrounded him. He tried to connect to Hanami through their shared seal, but got the safety warning.
'As long as you're safe, I don't care what happens. As long as my friends are safe.'
The mottled colors beneath his feet blurred underneath. If he hadn't known any better the scales could almost pass for mud or dirt. Power was crackling in his hand as he raced to meet his target. A short spasm of muscle mid-step sent him flying off course, but with his eyes he could see it. He knew how he needed to move to get back on track.
"Sasuke, kill it now!" The mask commanded. "We can't hold it down much longer"
Adjusting mid-flight, Sasuke brought his body into proper alignment. Arm outstretched he flew toward his target. The beast wriggled desperately, trying to steal away its freedom, but the Uchiha could see that wouldn't come easy. He only had one shot, and this one had to count.
Warmth spread across his hand and arm as his Chidori struck true. He pushed the remnants of his attack outward at the moment of impact giving the tip of the spear explosive destructive power. The jerking and reeling that was happening underneath him were little more than death throws now. Suddenly his footing vanished in a puff of smoke. It startled him, but only for a second as Sasuke touched down on solid ground again.
"That was the biggest snake I've ever seen," the white haired girl comment with exhaustion in her breath. "And a ninja can just summon something like that for a fight?"
"Not just any ninja," Sasuke answered in grim remembrance. "Orochimaru."
"There's no time to waste," their anonymous task master shouted from the trees. "The outpost isn't much further from here."
Sasuke turned to see his sudden comrade concentrating rather intently. She wasn't exactly the most skilled kunoichi he'd met up to this point, but she was proving herself to be a valuable asset to this team. A team cobbled together by desperation and circumstance, but it was working so far. She had displayed remarkable accuracy with kunai, creative uses of ninja wire, and had even shown off a Katon technique.
"There are only three shinobi in the area," she stated with a strained look on her face. She was at her limit, but Hanami had more than proven to Sasuke the usefulness of a sensory shinobi. Being able to know when an enemy was around made planning on the fly leaps and bounds more reliable than the style of improvisation the raven haired genin was used to. He was sorely tempted to try and get Sakura to try her hand at learning some techniques whenever he saw her next. "But they're not really doing anything. Kind of feels like they're just waiting for something."
"An ambush?" Sasuke wondered out loud.
"No," Hanami's rich violet eyes met the swirling pattern of his Sharingan. He could see by the slightest facial movements that his eyes unnerved her, but the thoughts were written on her face only for a brief moment. "I'm not sure they know we're here yet."
"They're about two hundred meters north by northeast?" The ANBU asked. Sasuke hadn't even felt him move before Tatsu was standing right next to them. The black ops forces were no joke. Their skill was definitely living up to the reputation that Itachi had built up for them. A reputation that Itachi tarnished with his lust for power. Hanami nodded her head in response.
"It's a reserve guard," the agent answered. "The enemy left three men and Orochimaru's pet to guard the outpost. We need to move quickly before they receive reinforcements."
Taking to the trees once more Sasuke pushed forward. He had used Chidori twice already, and that was pretty much his limit during training. Two uses before he lost the strength to stand. His training had indeed paid off, but even he knew that he was probably running on fumes now. One more use of that lightning blade and he'd likely pass out.
"Tatsu-san, what's our approach?" Hanami asked.
Sasuke had wondered about the girl's heritage. Snowy white hair is a bit of a rarity among these parts. He could vaguely recall mention in some of the Uchiha historical records of a civilian clan named Yukimura that lived up in the mountains somewhere near the southern borders of Tsuchi no Kuni, but didn't know of any such shinobi clan having ever existed.
"Once we arrive, I will give each of you several seals, and I want you to place them above the entrances that you use to enter the outpost. It is important that you only place them once inside the outpost and only above anything that could serve as a direct exit to the building. You will keep to the shadows and close every entrance to the outside you see, and then you will wait."
"What will we be waiting for," Sasuke pondered. He assumed the seals would create a barrier preventing entrance, but wasn't sure why they were to wait around with three enemy shinobi so close by.
"I will deal with the enemy," Tatsu answered. "If I haven't finished them off by the time you have closed off the building, then you can engage whoever is left should there be an opening. It is far more important that the seals are placed and the building is closed."
"And what happens after that's done?" Hanami asked.
"I will seal myself inside the building and reactivate the sensory barrier in the chamber below the surface level," Tatsu responded without shifting his gaze from the direction of his target. Sasuke admired the level of focus the ANBU displayed. Nothing distracted the man as he went to accomplish his mission. His eyes forever fixed on his goals.
"Sensing barrier? You mean the one that surrounds the village?" Hanami seemed amazed by the statement.
"This outpost is only responsible for a portion of the technique, but all of them must be active in order for the barrier to work properly. Right before the attack, the barrier was deactivated and we lost contact with this outpost."
"Wasn't anyone guarding the building?" Sasuke sneered at the idea of leaving a critical piece of the village's defense so woefully unprotected.
"Two ANBU squads and the members of the Kekkai-Han stationed there today," Tatsu's voice sounded heavy. "Twenty souls in all."
Kakashi had told him after they returned home from Nami no Kuni that the barrier was able to detect when someone gained unauthorized entry to the village and where from. It was also capable of tracking every chakra signature within the village, so no one could enter in secret and nobody could stay hidden once inside.
The company ground to a halt as their destination came into view. Tatsu handed both him and Hanami a small stack of sealing tags. No sooner than when Sasuke had placed the gifts given into his kunai pouch did he notice that the ANBU had already vanished. Across the clearing he could see the man perched on the roof of the building with a finger pressed to the lips of his mask. Then he vanished from sight again.
"Can you sense if anyone is on the first floor?" Sasuke whispered to his temporary companion.
"Just Tatsu," she drew in a deep breath as if to calm her nerves. Sharingan swirling, Sasuke knew she was going to drop down to the earth below before she committed to it. No more words were needed now. They knew the job, and Sasuke knew that failure here was not an option.
Taking to the air with a small corkscrew, her hands let fly a few needles. The senbon itself wasn't deadly, unless you had inhuman accuracy, got lucky, or laced it with something lethal. Once her hands were free again she completed her rotation and landed on a debris cluttered street.
"Damn, couldn't hear contact," the battle was too loud, and the noises it created were too random and unpredictable as she darted down the narrowing road looking for another avenue of escape. Kin knew that her current fighting style was not well suited to this type of combat, but she was called to serve and serve she would. She saw something promising and made a leap of faith.
Landing on a rooftop she quickly noted where the obvious structural damage was before beginning the chase once more. Sidestepping as she ran, kunai knives whizzed past her. An ever constant reminder of the cost of failing now, she pressed forward. The battle was turning south. Konoha, while caught off guard, was still prepared enough to repel the invaders now that the shock had worn off. Too well prepared.
The pathway she was darting across was reaching its end. The ledge was approaching and the distance between this roof and the next was substantial, but not too great. Kin gathered chakra, channeling through her legs and feet, prepping to span the distance. Sidestepping again proved wise as another kunai pierced air rather than flesh. Foot stepping onto the end of the road she started to spring forward only to feel biting pain in her left hamstring, just above the knee.
Kin fell from the air, well short of her target destination having lost most of the power fueling her jump. Hitting the ground hard, the girl tried to recover as quickly as possible. Pain was shooting up and down her right arm and she couldn't put weight on it. Probably broken. Kin began dragging her body along the pavement toward an alleyway. The sound of two people landing on the ground behind her enhanced the sense of dread. She was out of time, and out of options. She could feel it.
She was going to die here.
"Damn," one of the men that had been chasing her breathed. "She doesn't look any older than your sister."
"Yeah, yeah," a grizzled voice answered. Kin dare not look back. She wasn't going to let them see the tears starting to form. She wasn't going to let her enemies take pity on her. "This is some messed up shit, but she's the enemy, and this is war."
It was a strange feeling. Knowing that you were about to die. Desperately trying to escape, and all the while still coming to grips with the simple fact that it was over. Any second now. Still crawling toward the alleyway, Kin wasn't sure what she was going to do when she got there, but it was a goal. If she could make it there, she'd find another goal to achieve.
Tears were streaming down her face, and she didn't know why. It wasn't fear, or panic, regret, or even sadness that was making the quiet streams flow so freely. She was back. Here in the all too familiar place that she had been trying to escape for as long as she could remember. On the street, cold, and all alone in the face of death.
"Follow me child, and I can promise you will never again be alone," the words of her Sensei echoed in her mind.
Gritting her teeth, waiting for the inevitable, she cursed her Sensei. His lies, his manipulations, his empty words, and unfulfilled promises made her tears run hot with anger. Suddenly, a rush of wind blew by.
"What the," one of her pursuers wondered.
Opening her eyes, Kin slowly turned her head around to see a kunai from the corner of her eye, dangerously close to her face. It was held aloft in the hand of someone in a dark blue shirt with a white colored spiral pattern on the chest and a sword strapped to his waist. His eyes were closed, but his face was stern looking and his furrowed brows were slightly obscured by obnoxiously bright red hair. Fate had a sense of humor it seemed.
"Sorry to interrupt," the paragon spoke, "but she's mine."
"What are you talking about kid?" The grizzled man with a younger sister shot back. "Now's not the time to try and settle a petty grudge."
"Her teammates killed my best friend during the exam," the Uzumaki responded with a slight growl. "It's a score I swore I'd settle if I could. I have a chance to pay her back for what she did, and I can't let it go by."
"I say we let the kid handle this," the other guy murmured. "Besides, we need to regroup with the others. Besides, a student at the Academy could win this fight now."
Silent nods were exchanged and Kin could barely look away from the paragon. How the mighty have fallen. What was once an ideal of virtue and friendship had been soured in a desire for vengeance. The two other Konoha shinobi took off leaving the two genin alone in a narrow street right by the entrance of some random alleyway in some Kami forsaken village. Kin noticed the rubble that littered the pavement up and down the road. The din of battle was the only sound, and what had been a dull roar was growing further and further away. Like fires dying in the hours before dawn, this invasion was about over.
"Oh well," Kin thought. A small cough escaping her lips. "If anyone was going to kill me I guess it should be him. Almost poetic really."
The noise must have caught his attentions as his eyes met hers. His features softened as he studied her quietly. It was odd, but soon he was hoisting her to her feet and he slowly, gently led her into the alleyway she had been inching toward before the redhead arrived. Against the brick of a building he helped her sit down.
No words were spoken as he withdrew a scroll from a pouch strapped on his hip. From the scroll, wisps of smoke revealed the existence of some bandage wraps and meager collections of medical supplies. It was a rudimentary first aid kit for field dressing wounds. Silently, the Uzumaki cleaned and dressed the gash on her leg. Carefully he wrapped it, and once satisfied with his work he began to fashion a makeshift sling. Minutes passed and Kin could only wonder one thing.
"Why?"
His steel blue eyes met hers with a curious intensity, and Kin realized that she had actually spoken. "I had a chance to pay you back for what you did in the exam, I wasn't going to let it pass."
Kin was shocked. She knew that he was talking about how she had treated his wounds during the exam, but that couldn't forgive or make up for what had happened to his teammate. He had even admitted it earlier. "But, we killed your friend."
The whispered admission was begging to be met with proper justification. "Yes. Your teammates killed Kenshi, but you spared Hanami."
Kin almost laughed. He remembered that somehow. Whether he was conscious or it came to him as little more than a fever dream, he somehow remembered how desperately he begged her to spare his snowy haired friend. Here she thought that nobody had seen that, but not only did Orochimaru somehow know the girl survived, but the Uzumaki remembered why as well. A calm silence fell over them as Kin reflected on what was likely to happen.
Even if she could escape from Konoha and meet up with the rest of the Oto invasion force, there was no guarantee that she'd last long enough in Orochimaru's service to see Yurushi actually join Oto. One way or another, he would join Oto, willingly or by force he would join.
"I guess I should warn you," Kin started. "That seal Orochimaru gave you, that makes you his. He'll come back for you."
"I won't join him," Yurushi resolved.
"Yeah you will," Kin coughed. She hadn't realized how out of breath and energy she was. Now that she had been sitting for a while she wondered if she'd be able to get back up. "Either you'll join him or he'll take you. That seal makes you his. It's for one of his jutsu, don't know how it really works, but the people who have it become like a host for Orochimaru's soul or something. Never really seen it play out, but I've heard some rumors."
The Uzumaki didn't respond. Probably didn't know how to. When she had accidentally overheard the truth of Orochimaru's technique she was worried that her Sensei would kill her for learning secrets that she wasn't meant to know, but he either blew it off or played into it as a calculated risk. Something in the way he studied her during the mission briefing for the exam let her know that he knew everything she picked up while eavesdropping.
"When he's ready, he'll send a messenger. If you don't obey, he'll come in force. My advice, if you want to protect your friend, what's her name? Hanabi or something?"
"Hanami," the paragon corrected.
"Sure, Hanami, if you want to keep her safe, then go with whoever he sends for you."
Yurushi stood slowly and tried out his sling, and once satisfied, began to fix it on her. Kin winced with pain, gritting her teeth as it was being secured. Seemingly pleased with his work, the teen fished out another scroll from the kunai pouch at his waist. Unfurling it, Kin caught the glimpse of some bloodied hand prints and names signed in blood beneath them. A kunai was drawn and Yurushi held out his hand.
"Your hand please," the redhead requested.
"What for?" Kin objected with empty words as she found herself placing her left hand palm up in his open one.
"I'm going to make a cut on your hand, spread the blood over your palm and you'll add yourself to my fūinjutsu," he half explained. Kin figured it made sense in his head, but she didn't know what that meant.
"What does it do?" She asked as the cut opened up her palm. The red essence began to flow slowly and coat her hand.
"The fūinjutsu creates a barrier that can identify chakra signatures in the area of effect. Anyone who has been logged in the key can be identified with the blood seal built into the key, and anyone else inside the barrier is labeled as a foe," Yurushi explained as Kin pressed her palm against the parchment. "Now let your chakra flow through your hand for a minute, and write your name somewhere close by."
It was pretty clever, and explained the scroll that she found among his equipment that identified his teammates and one intruder. "Why are you doing this? I'm not exactly your friend or anything. Hell, I'm with the group attacking your village."
"You spared my life, and you spared Hanami's life," Yurushi didn't elaborate after that. Those two actions were enough for him to warrant some measure of trust in her. That thought kept running through her mind. He trusted her. Even if it wasn't much, he trusted her. Even though it wasn't rational, or deserved, he trusted her just enough. Finished with the task, Yurushi began to dress and bandage the wound on Kin's palm.
"Tell Orochimaru when he's ready to collect, that you are to be that messenger," the redhead relayed. "If it isn't you I'll know, he was able to bypass the barrier before, but he can't erase you from the fūinjutsu key without me knowing."
"Okay," Kin nodded, wondering if this guy was actually planning on joining Orochimaru. She wondered if there was any hope of figuring out what friendship might really be about, and if Yurushi might be able to help explain it. For so long, Kin had been all alone surrounded by familiar faces. She didn't know if Yurushi's actions were an empty gesture born of the obligation of honor or guilt, but she was willing to take a chance for now. Maybe, just maybe, she could know what it means to have a friend. Someone she could trust, someone to rely on. Someone who wouldn't leave her feeling so empty and alone.
Tying off the bandage around her hand, Yurushi met her eyes with his. "Can you make it out of the village on your own?"
"Yeah, I'll be alright," she answered.
Suddenly, she could feel an overwhelming aura. One of chaotic rage, diluted only by the extreme distance from their location. She had never felt anything like it before. Was this the secret weapon that Suna was supposed to use against Konoha?
"I, I have to go," Yurushi stuttered for a brief moment. "Good luck."
"Thanks," Kin responded as the Uzumaki rushed off. "Be careful out there. Idiot."
This guy. He really was a fool. Treating her as a friend when she knew she deserved to be viewed as an enemy. Giving aid with no thought to his own safety or survival. Otogakure would see this foolishness as weakness. Kin couldn't help but wonder if maybe the redhead was the right kind of foolish. Maybe it was crazy, but maybe that was okay. Maybe, just maybe, she didn't have to be alone in this lonely world after all.
Her heart thundered in her chest as she met his gaze. Even against Zabuza she had not felt this nervous. Even though the threat was exactly the same, and she was equally unprepared to face it, the pounding continued to resound as she set in for what she knew she had to do. This time, she met the threat. There was no ground that could be given, no expectation of mercy or survival, but she couldn't sit on her hands anymore. Fear can't be an excuse anymore.
The burning hatred in his eyes were utterly terrifying. Still, she stood her ground. What else could she do? Naruto was swept aside like he wasn't even there. She was the only defense left. Even if she knew it wouldn't amount to much, maybe, just maybe she would be able to buy Sasuke some time. Time to get in a good counter attack. Hell, maybe even escape and get Kakashi-sensei to come help out.
"What are you doing," the raven haired boy groaned behind her. "Get out of here Sakura. You're gonna get yourself killed."
"I won't leave you open to attack like that," she bit back. There was no way she'd just abandon them. No way she'd just stand by and do nothing. Not again. Never again.
"Get out of my way girl," the sand covered beast growled out at her. His face, his voice, and his stance were all so animalistic. Like a predator out to kill. "Your disgusting blood won't be good enough. I need to prove my existence by killing Uchiha Sasuke!"
Drawing a kunai and holding it at the ready, Sakura prepared her defense.
"Sakura, just go. It'll all be okay," the voice behind her was confusing. It sounded exactly like Kakashi-sensei, but as she shifted her gaze it was still Sasuke's face. The nervous girl turned to see her classmate making an all too familiar hand seal. One that she'd seen Naruto make countless times, and with a sudden look of abject horror on his face, Sasuke disappeared in a puff of smoke.
The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she knew what was happening. She turned and tried to dodge as best she could, but the outstretched claw of compressed sand was already closing around her. Gaara was just going to go through her to get to Sasuke.
Crashing into a tree erupted pain all along her back. Even with the chakra that she had flowing through her body to increase her endurance Sakura was barely holding consciousness. Her vision was blurred and out of focus, and she had a hard time breathing. What air she could draw in set her lungs ablaze.
"Gah!" a crazed scream let out in front of her. She could feel some force squeezing what little air remained in her lungs. "Where is he? Where did he go? What did you do with him girl?"
Sakura coughed in response. Not understanding or able to speak. Somehow, the horrific monster resembling Gaara stood not far from where she once was, and she hung from the side of a tree and even as her vision flitted in and out of clarity she could feel the weight of his stare. She could catch brief glimpses of how brightly the fires of his rage shone behind those yellow eyes.
"Answer me!" He demanded emphatically screaming before drawing a deep breath and holding his and out. "Tell me where Uchiha Sasuke is or I'll kill you now!"
Sakura could feel the strain on her bones as the unseen hand grasped her even tighter than before. She couldn't find the air with which to breathe let alone the words needed to get the pain to stop. The pink haired genin couldn't hang on any more. Straining for breath her vision faded and consciousness went with it.
Shouting rang faintly, and the dull thud of solid impact arrived soon after. Her restraints loosened slightly, but not enough to keep her mind clear or focused.
"Sakura!" The kunoichi heard her name almost growled out to her. "Just hang on Sakura I'll get you out of-"
Another impact with a crash following soon after. The abrasive restraints shifted slowly. The grip tightened once more, but Sakura couldn't hang on any longer. Despite the best wishes of her teammate.
"Naruto please-"she whispered with all her might before passing out.
Rounding the corner she leapt with hand outstretched. Slapping the tag on the window sill, Hanami turned to see what the commotion was that she could sense while approaching. The scene was a real struggle. Sasuke was pinned up against the wall, feet above the ground, desperately trying to free himself from the hand clasping his neck. She didn't have much time.
Drawing a kunai, the last one she had in her pouch, Hanami drew back with practiced instinct and let the dagger fly. She hit her target, the outer thigh of Sasuke's assailant. With a shocked cry of pain, the enemy ninja released his would be victim. Her gaze met his and in a split second she saw the sudden surprise on the man's face when he realized what had happened, but by then it was too late.
Sasuke had dropped to the floor, grabbed the kunai pulling it out of the man's leg only to stab the inner thigh and remove it once again. Sasuke shoved the man away from him as he rose to stand, and the shinobi of Otogakure fell down. The Uchiha took no chances letting the blade fly and striking his opponent in the chest. Hanami winced slightly at impact. If their opponent wouldn't have bled out in mere minutes, Sasuke's brutal precision sealed the man's fate.
Hanami stood ready for a moment, not moving, but waiting to see what or if there would be a response, just on the off chance there had been some trick to it all. Shifting her eyes to see what her teammate was doing she could see the spinning red slowly stop and fade to black.
"Was that your last one?" The boy asked choking the words out with shallow coughs.
"Uh," Hanami took a moment to process. Realizing the fight was over and the enemy vanquished took a second longer than she'd like to admit. "Yeah, that was the last one I had. How about you?"
"I had just placed the last tag when that guy got the drop on me."
"Well," Hanami pushed her senses outward only feeling the presence of their temporary Captain. "I guess that's all of them then."
"Good," Sasuke said with a bit of relief before turning back to the other end of the hallway that would lead to where Tatsu was. "And thanks."
"Of course, anytime," Hanami replied with mild confusion. She wasn't sure to make of the last Uchiha, but he seemed alright. Better than Naruto's inane ranting made him out to be that's for sure. Quietly, she followed behind him as they navigated their way down the stairs into a large open area.
The lower level was a bloody mess of bodies and limbs scattered throughout the large open room. Hanami had to make a concerted effort to keep from throwing up from the sight. As the pair of genin walked down, Hanami noticed Tatsu standing over a recessed area in the middle of the open space. The hole was partially filled with water colored with blood.
"Are the seals placed?"
"Yes," Sasuke affirmed for the both of them. "What happens now?"
"Now we-" Tatsu stopped his sentence cold.
A pit formed in Hanami's stomach and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Her every nerve tingled with danger. Never before had she felt such killing intent. That was the only way to describe it, but it felt almost like a massive release of chakra. Chakra laced with chaos, and bloodlust. Tepidly she pushed her senses outward and everything was awash in the ominous power emanating somewhere in the distance. She wasn't certain how far away it was, nor where exactly it was coming from, but what was left of it was radiating from out beyond the borders of the village.
Everyone stood silent as they adjusted to this tsunami of power and rage until its influence lulled back toward the source. Like the ocean at low tide, the power was no longer washing over her, but Hanami could still feel it just beyond the limits of her range.
"What was that?" She asked, breaking the silence.
"Not what," Tatsu replied his head turned to look at her over his shoulder. "Who."
"Naruto," Sasuke murmured. "Have you sealed the building yet?"
"Not yet," the ANBU replied.
"I have to go." The Uchiha declared.
"Do you know what you're walking into boy?"
"I've felt power like that once before, when fighting Orochimaru."
"That wasn't the traitor," Tatsu answered. "Again, do you know what you're walking into?"
"Yes," Sasuke answered curtly. "I've felt power like that before. It's Naruto. He used it when we fought against Orochimaru, but this time it feels different. Unrestrained, unfocused, but it has to be Naruto, and it means that moron is in trouble."
"You're sure that's your teammate, and not something else?" The black ops leader asked. His stance hadn't changed. Still peering over his shoulder, but his unseen eye was studying them and calculating. What exactly, Hanami couldn't tell.
"That's all Naruto."
"Do you know, I wonder?" The question hung in the air for a second. "You have two minutes to get out of the building before I activate the sealing tags you placed."
Nodding, Sasuke dashed away and Hanami stood there unsure.
If Naruto was the source of that wave of power, then what kind of monster was he? Then again, if he was in trouble, really in trouble, what kind of monster was he fighting? She wasn't coming up with any answers, but the phantoms in her mind left her with an uneasy feeling all the same. Hesitantly she stepped forward as to follow Sasuke, and froze suddenly. She wanted to help, but wasn't sure how much of a help she could really be. Turning to shuffle back toward Tatsu she found him still looking at her with that abyssal gaze.
"Go!" He commanded. "Your first instinct was the correct one. Now hurry and follow the Uchiha. He'll need your help."
Nodding, Hanami took a deep breath and rushed to make up lost ground. She didn't know why she was doing this, but the feeling in her gut was driving her forward. It wasn't fear of failure that drove her forward. It was a fear of loss. So much had been lost already, and she knew that Yurushi would be broken if Naruto was added to all that was lost so far.
With each step the fear gave way to concern. Concern for her friends pushed open the door. Quickly she closed it and took to the trees. Sasuke was a fair distance ahead, but Hanami pressed on. Concern gave way to resolve. The Uchiha glanced back and noticed her with a sly grin. Silently she resolved for the both of them. There would be no more loss. If she could help, even just a little, she was going to. For Kenshi's sake, she would protect their friends. Since he couldn't be there to do it himself, she would carry that torch for him.
