REVIVAL

Loving can cost a lot but not loving always costs more, and those who fear to love often find that want of love is an emptiness that robs the joy from life.

Merle Shain

Chapter XXIV: Coming to Terms

Hot blazing fury takes over Tenshi, her rapid heartbeat deafening. "Don't you dare lay a hand on her," she shouts.

"You don't get to call the shots here, Princess. Hmm!" The boy with the ponytail says, a smug smirk on his lips. "We'll let the girl go if you come with us. If you choose to be a problem, I'll show the entire Sand Village and your friends over here my true art, hmm!"

Kakashi backs up beside her, holding out an arm to hold her back. She exhales out a tense breath, her thinking grows clearer. "You need to keep a cool head, Tenshi. We can't save Ruriko-chan if we can't think straight."

Aoi carries Rubi in her arms, the baby dragon glaring at the men, tiny teeth bared.

"Say Senpai, that's the Princess?" The masked man says to his partner, Ruriko struggles in his grasp.

"What do you think, you idiot? I was just talking to her, wasn't I?" He flaps his arms about.

"She's pretty…" He giggles, waving his fingers at her. Tenshi glares.

The Akatsuki are supposed to be cold-hearted killers, at least, that's what she thought. But these men above them don't seem threatening. Comical, even.

"Prism Style: Luminous Sword," Gato shouts as he does a few hand seals on one hand. Blue light comes out of his body, forming a large blade around him. The ground shakes as he extends his arm towards the large bird, it comes at them in quick speed. His blade manages to slice the head of the bird, the people on board waver. "Now, Kaida-chan!"

"Hai. Wind Release: Gale Ribbon Dance!" A golden ribbon accompanied by a gust of wind stretches towards Ruriko. Beads of sweat drip down Kaida's forehead in intense concentration.

Tenshi holds her breath. She's got it! She smiles.

But the ribbon stretches past them like they are ghosts.

Everyone's jaw hangs, eyes wide. Gai runs towards the masked man at incredible speed. "Leaf Whirlwind!" But he misses again, his powerful leg swipes past him.

"Nyeh nyeh, can't get me!" The masked Akatsuki sways his hips, poor Ruriko in tears.

With his chidori, Kakashi's hand crackles with blue lightning. Tenshi rushes to his side. "Now, Kakashi!"

"Raikiri!"

But they're too late.

"Katsu!" The blonde man shouts as he falls off his bird.

"Wait, Deidara-senpai! I wasn't rea-"

Boom!

The giant explosion throws them off several meters, Tenshi's back hits the warm sand. The coarse grains of it scratch her in several areas, her head spins, ears ring.

A crowd starts to form behind them but reinforcements are too far behind. Tenshi sighs. Her hands grow clammy, she shivers. She has to do it, there's no other way. Not in these conditions, at least. "Kakashi."

"What is it?"

"I need you to listen to me," she says, staring him in the eye, "I'm coming with them in exchange for Ruriko."

The Copy Ninja freezes. "No, there's no way I'm letting you do that." He shakes his head, body already hovering over her.

"Look, if I don't come with them, they're going to kill all of us and harm the village. Without the Kazekage, no one can beat these guys. I can't afford to lose more people because of me." She lays a hand on his arm. "Gather everyone, we need all the backup we can get. Ask for Mira's help, she's an amazing tracker. But don't tell her I said that." She tries to lighten up the mood but the man before her isn't laughing. Not a hint of humor on his face.

Kakashi's brow furrows, still not completely sold on the idea. With a quick glance, he turns towards the reinforcements. He looks back at her knowing she's right. He squeezes his eye shut, debating internally.

She raises his chin to meet her eyes. "Don't worry about me, Kakashi. Like what you said," she forces a smile, "I'm much stronger than I look."

His visible eye widens then droops into worry. As she walks past him, he grabs a hold of her hand, sweat drips down his forehead.

She gives him one last nod and smile. "I know you can do it, Kakashi." Retracting her hand, her knees almost give in as she walks towards the masked man. "I'll come with you, just let the girl go."

"Yay! We'll ride off into the sunset, Princess." The masked man grabs her and pushes Ruriko towards their group.

Pulling herself from his grasp, Tenshi catches Ruriko and kneels in front of her. "You're such a strong girl, Ruriko. You did great." She smiles and gives her a pat on the cheek. She lets the girl run towards Kakashi before she rises from her spot and walks towards the men in cloaks.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" The yellow man takes something from his pouch and summons another giant clay bird. "I never miss the opportunity to show off my art though, so I guess it was okay, hmm!"

"Deidara-senpai, we look like a good couple, don't we?" The man beside her throws an arm around her shoulder. Tenshi stiffens.

"Tobi, stop being such an idiot and hop on. You're so embarrassing! Dammit, why did I get a partner like you?"

"I'm embarrassing? Senpai, your bird was sliced into half by that old man over there."

The young man named Deidara growls. "Just hop on, you idiot!"

Kakashi nods at her, concern in his eyes. She nods back, her smile droops to a straight line.

Kakashi

"What the hell was that?" Kaida shouts. With swift motions, she attempts to run after them as the retreating figure of the bird flies away. But Gai holds her back. "Let me go. We have to go after her. Tenshi isn't a fighter!"

Rubichan croaks in pain, Aoi strokes her head.

Gato frowns. "No, with our current state, Tenshi-san's departure is our best chance at going after her."

"What do you mean?"

Walking over to the little girl, Kakashi says, "We need to gather everyone." Kakashi bends down in front of the shivering girl, he offers her a smile despite the panic in his mind. "Ruriko-chan, are you okay?"

Tears stream down her face as Ruriko sobs. "Kairi-san, she's…she's…"

"It's okay, don't worry about her," he says as he lays a hand on her shoulder, "Tenshi is very strong. She's going to be okay." And he means it.

With big dark eyes, she looks back at him and jumps to him into a hug. She continues to cry into his shoulders. Picking her up, Kakashi nods at Gai. His friend assists Gato, Kaida on the other side. Rubichan flies above Aoi. Everyone looks at him.

"We need to gather everyone." Everyone nods. "Hurry!"

And they disperse.

People all around start to panic and scatter after Deidara's blast. Ruriko's grip around his neck tightens as she snuggles closer to his neck. To his far right, Ruriko's mother calls for her in tears.

"Kakashi-san," she says as he puts her down, "Bring Kairi-san home."

"You have my word." They give each other one last smile before she joins her mother, the woman pulls her into a tight hug.

"Things are really different without the Kazekage around," Aoi says.

"They're here," Gato announces as he waves an arm at Anzu.

"How did they know to find us, Gato-san?" Gai asks.

"We had these necklaces made from a piece of our respective prisms." He extends out a green crystal necklace hanging around his neck. "It helps us track each other from afar. It glows when we're nearby."

True enough, the pendant around his neck lights up.

Always a sharp one, Mira's purple eyes scan them and widen. "Where's Tenshi?"

Hari tenses beside her, curls messy. His lips part.

"The Akatsuki attacked us while we were training holding a little girl hostage," Aoi explains, "She went with them in exchange to spare us."

"Dammit," Mira curses, "Does she always have to

play hero?"

"We have to go after her," Hari says, fists curled as he closes his eyes. "Kakashi-san, what do we do?" Piercing green eyes gaze back at him.

The question catches him off-guard and the people around them. But he wastes no time, Tenshi's retrieval his top priority. "Aoi, stay behind with Gato-san and Anzu-san. That includes you Rubichan." The baby dragon frowns. "Everyone else, with me."

"Hai." Everyone choruses.

Sprinting towards the vast forest from the miles of sand, their group remains silent and hyper-focused on the task at hand. The memory of Tenshi leaving with the Akatsuki replay in his head on repeat. Each rerun stabs at his chest, more painful as they come.

Tenshi's confidence does nothing to keep him from the nagging voices in his brain. He needs to see her. No, he needs to see her unharmed and well. Hours must have passed because the once bright sky starts to darken, the sun setting in the far-off horizon.

"Kakashi-san," Hari calls out, "We need to take a rest."

But he doesn't want to. So he remains silent.

"Kakashi, come on, we're going to get Tenshi," Kaida adds. "But right now, we need to take a break."

Mira wavers, Hari catches her. "You've overused your chakra. Don't force your genjutsu."

"It's alright, I can keep going. Don't mind me."

"Kakashi-san, we need to rest."

He stops on his tracks. Everyone follows. He stares them down. "If we stop, we're going to be left behind. They're flying. How do you expect we'll catch up?"

"Kakashi," Gai says, voice forceful, "Snap out of it. We can't help Tenshi-chan if you're too hotheaded. You need to get yourself together."

His eye widens, embarrassment takes over him. "I-I'm sorry. It's been a long day."

"Hey, I want to get my best friend back as much as the next guy. But right now, we need to rest, alright? " Kaida pats his back and offers him a small smile. "It's okay, Kakashi. I get it."

Hari continues to keep a firm hold on Mira, the woman's eyes slowly blinking. She's losing consciousness. His hands glow green as he treats her.

"Alright, let's camp here for the night."

Kakashi volunteers for the first watch, sleeping is at the far bottom of things he wants to do anyway. The campfire crackles as the rest of their team takes their respective spots to sleep.

"Can I join you?" A warm voice from behind him says.

"Sure."

Hari plops down beside him, the two of them keep their eyes glued over the dark forest. Crickets chirp, a few birds sing, the breeze is steady as the grass and weeds dance to its direction. The peaceful scenery a direct contrast to the chaos in his mind.

"Tell me, Kakashi-san," he says, "What do you do if the person you love loves someone else?"

Kakashi tenses. "What?"

But the man just chuckles. "Tenshi and I were together for four years. We've celebrated every milestone I achieved and she cried with me throughout my every failure. But I've done nothing but fail her."

"Why do you think that?"

"Right after she left and I found that note, I was so angry. I felt betrayed. 'Why would she do this to me? To us?' I convinced myself that I had no idea that she was feeling that way. She had all of us, we were a family. What else could she probably need," he pauses, lips quivering, "But looking back, I did. Tenshi has been unhappy for a long time. But I refused to see it. You know what she wished for on her last birthday?"

He remains silent, awaiting his answer.

"A home."

The two words break his heart. His fist curls into a pale ball as he stares at the ground.

"I thought she wanted a house at the time. But now that I think about it, that's not it at all. I'm such an idiot." A bitter chuckle escapes his lips.

"I just want her to be happy," Kakashi says, "Even if I'm not there, it's all I want." His words surprise him. They surprise him because he means them to an atomic degree. He wants for her to smile that smile. The smile whenever they used to eat breakfast together in his cramped dining table. Or the smile when they kissed for the first time, the sunlight outside barely touching her face. That beautiful genuine smile that lit up her features.

"That's why Tenshi loves you."

"I wouldn't say that…"

"Kakashi-san, I don't know you that well. And with our shared interest, I don't think we're going to become best friends. It's already painful enough to admit this." He pats his shoulder, a smile on his face. "But you have to let go of that fear that's holding you back. Or you'll regret it."

Looking into his green eyes, the man in front of him has no ulterior motives behind them. Kakashi has no words to say.

"I see the way she acts around you. It's almost unrecognizable. I've never seen her so…so unguarded. And free. And happy." He pauses for a moment, internalizing his words. The smile on his lips weaken. "I think it's time we all move forward, including myself."

He nods and smiles. "I'll do my best."

"You better. She's a great woman." He rises from his seat. "Good night, Kakashi-san."

"Good night."

The sun rises and everyone has already eaten their breakfast and visited the river nearby for a much needed bath. Kakashi is lucky to have listened to their group's reason, his energy levels much more stable, mind clearer.

Mira sits with her legs crossed, eyes closed in concentration. Everyone watches her from behind, silent.

"How exactly will she be able to track Tenshi?" Gai asks Kaida in a quiet whisper.

Kakashi's ears perk up at their conversation but his eye is still on the seated woman.

"She can tap into Tenshi's consciousness and see her surroundings. But it seems from yesterday that she's out of range so she uses animals or nearby witnesses."

"That's incredible."

Kaida laughs, eyeing Mira. "Yeah, she can be a pain in the ass but she's one of the smartest people I know."

"She really is…" Hari adds, a soft smile on his lips. All eyes are on him. "What?"

"Nothing," the three of them chorus, stupid grins on their faces.

Hari shakes his head as a he takes a stick of gum from his pouch.

"Can I have a stick, Hari-kun?" Gai asks.

The man's eyes flash a terrifying glare at him, unusual for his normally kind-spirited nature.

A nervous chuckle emits from Kaida. "Never touch his gum, Gai. He's weirdly protective over it."

Gai gulps and nods.

"Alright," Mira announces as she rises up from her seat, "They went straight ahead. Tenshi's out of range, unfortunately. But I think someone can help us get there faster." A smirk emerges from her full lips, her eyes already looking behind them.

"Who?" Hari asks.

A light buzz sounds from the direction of her eye line, everyone turns to check who it is. Their eyes widen.

"Lead the way to Tenshi, Mira-san," the deep voice says, his shadow like a cloud over them, "I'll do what I can to help."

"You got it, Gaara-sama."

Tenshi

"Is that old man your boyfriend, Princess?" Tobi asks for the millionth time and Tenshi just rolls her eyes.

"You idiot. He's not old. That's Kakashi of the Sharingan, hmm!" Deidara adds.

"Why is his hair white?"

"Why are you stupid?

"That's too mean, Deidara-senpai. I was just asking a question."

"Well, your question is stupid. And so are you!"

"So harsh, so harsh," Tobi cries.

From the looks of it, they're still in the Land of Wind but far from the Sand Village. For a noisy pair, they are pretty focused on their task at hand. They barely even stopped for food or sleep. Bathroom breaks are seldom.

"Tobi-kun," she smiles, "Where exactly are we headed?"

The masked man wavers for a moment, contemplating whether to tell her or not. He crawls up to her and whispers, "We're going to the Land of Prism."

"What could you possibly want from there?"

"Your prism powers can make wake the ten-tails up faster," he says, excitedly clapping his hands together, "But that's just our secret. We're collecting all the tailed beasts. Isn't that fun?"

Tenshi tries to keep her anxiety at bay, forcing a smile. "What could you possibly use the ten tails for, Tobi-kun?"

He hesitates once again. Before he could answer, his partner interjects.

"None of your business," Deidara says, "Just keep your mouth shut and sit still, hmm!"

"That's no way to talk to a princess, Senpai!"

"Shut up!"

And the two bicker once again. Looking over to her side, a pair of ping pong-sized globular objects from a distance follows them.

She smirks. It's Kaida's tracking wind bombs!

"Guys," Tenshi calls out.

"What?" The yellow man shouts, scowling.

"I'm having a lady problem."

"What's that?" Tobi asks.

"You know…lady problem."

The bird they are perched on dips immediately, everyone grips onto their seats. "Don't you dare ruin my masterpiece," Deidara says, glaring at her.

"I still don't get it. What's a lady problem? Why can't I have it, Senpai? I'm so curious."

"Idiot."

Just as they reach the ground, Tenshi charges at Deidara. His eyes widen at her smirk, Tobi sits and watches the whole thing unfold. The yellow Akatsuki throws a spider-shaped bomb at her, she shuts her eyes close.

This is going to hurt, she thinks.

A red light emits from her body the moment the bomb hits it, slicing it up before it could fully explode. Deidara's bird is sliced right in the middle, poofing into smoke.

The floating globular spheres rush at them, Tenshi sprints out of the way. The spheres explode, the impact of the blast throwing her off. A large cloud of smoke surrounds the remaining two men. But once it clears, only yellow hair appears. She gasps.

Where is Tobi?

"Hi Princess, I'm sorry I had to do this," a playful voice says from behind her, her eyes widen. In his hand is a syringe filled with black liquid. He stabs her in the heart, a scream gets stuck on her throat. The pain too much to bear. All life leaves her body. Tobi's orange mask multiplies into two, the image wonky.

They stand still as the smoke around the area blankets them. All signs of his happy-go-lucky nature leaves him. He pulls her close to him, his mouth direct to her ears. "I'll make you pay, Kairi-hime." His voice is deep, a complete contrast to his former disposition.

"Tobi?" Her voice cracks. Her vision blurring, the liquid in the vial slowly running into her body. A teardrop streams down her cheek, her vision tunneling.

"Tenshi!" A familiar voice calls her out. Kakashi.

With all the strength left in her body, she grips his collar and makes him face her. "Get. Away. From. Me!" She screams and pushes him away.

The body of the syringe starts to glow brilliant colors as Tobi pulls it back. Bright red light surrounds her and as Tobi steps back, she clutches at her chest. On all fours, she coughs up blood. The vial in his hand glows. It's her prism. Her eyes widen. A sting of pain hits her in the gut once again, she screams.

"I'll meet you once again very soon, Kairi-hime." Tobi swirls into nothing just before her red chakra reaches him, a giant tree behind where he once stood instead takes the hit. It splits right in the middle, limp and lifeless.

A flash of colors atop a cloud of sand whizzes past her from a distance, she smiles.

"Hari, Mira Monster, look for Tenshi," Kaida shouts as she shoots down to the ground below.

"On it!"

Mira, Kaida, and what looks like Gaara fends off Deidara. They exchange explosions and shouts. A stinging pain hits at her once again, she wails in pain, arms giving in and she topples onto the ground.

Is this what dying feels like?

Two pairs of footsteps rush toward her. Hari and Mira.

"Tenshi," Mira rushes to her side, the most panicked expression she's ever seen on the usually cool-headed woman.

"Hold still," Hari orders, his hands grow green. So does Mira's.

The pair hover their hands over her bleeding chest. Their combined chakra create a powerful force, but a really painful one as well. Tenshi struggles, tears stream down her face at the burning pain. She coughs up more blood.

A large blast explodes a few meters from them. But the two Medic Nins stay in place, not wavering.

"The Sand Village will regret ever ruining my masterpiece, hmm!" Deidara says.

The sound of large flapping wings and a blast of wind hit them. The cloaked man no longer in the vicinity.

"I've gathered intel on the Akatsuki, I know what they want." Tenshi winces.

Mira glares daggers at her, but spite doesn't cloud her eyes. In fact, it looks to be of worry. "We'll talk about that later, Tenshi. Right now you need to lay still and not strain yourself. You're dying, for crying out loud!"

"Mira-san," Hari calls out, shaking his head at her, "Let's try to be more gentle, okay?"

"…fine."

"Tenshi!" Kakashi shouts from a distance.

Her ears perk up at the familiar sound. Relief floods her system. "Kakashi." She almost cries.

"It's okay, I'm here. It's okay." He holds her hand, a gentle smile on his face. "You're going to be okay, alright? Just keep your eyes open."

"They…" She struggles, wincing at the pain. "They have my prism. Tobi took it."

"Where is the other Akatsuki, Tenshi-chan? I shall retrieve it for you."

"It's no use, Gai-san. He's already left." She smiles. "But thank you anyway."

"You look like crap. Sit still."

"I know you love me, so I'll let that slide, Kaida."

A thin layer of sand forms around them like a carpet, carrying them. "Gaara-sama," she says, "Thank you for your help."

"A friend of Naruto's is a friend of mine, Tenshi-san. There is no need for thanks."

They soar through the forest, Tenshi in silent tears. Whether its because of the throbbing pain in her chest or the loss of her prism, she has no idea. Kakashi's grip on her left hand grows tighter, pity written in his eye.

"This is the best we can do for now," Hari announces, "Mira-san, don't overexert yourself again, please."

"I can do it."

Laying a hand over hers, he shakes his head. "We managed to close up the wound and fix up the damage over her pectoralis muscle, it will do until we arrive."

The world around her blurs, the adrenaline wears off. Darkness consumes her.

Beep…beep…beep…

Heavy lids open, a sanitized smell hits her system. The room is dark but a bright white head of hair catches her attention. Kakashi, with his arms crossed, sleeps on the chair beside her bed. His head swings every once in a while. With all her strength, she stretches her hand to poke him awake.

He jolts up, eye wide.

"It's okay, it's just me," Tenshi chuckles.

The jounin relaxes, visible eye on her. The silver hue of the moon from the window touching his skin makes Kakashi look like he's glowing. Tenshi pulls his hand towards her, guiding him to her bed as she scooches to her side.

"You need proper rest."

"Tenshi, y-you don't have to. You were just-"

But she pulls him anyway, the man knows better than interfere. With the absence of his vest, Kakashi's warmth calms her. They're a little cramped on the single bed but they make do with it. She turns towards him, he follows. They stare at each other for a few moments, both hesitating.

"I thought I lost you," Kakashi admits, dark eye wavering.

Tenshi sighs. "I thought I was a goner for a while there too."

A warm hand makes its way to her cheek. "Don't scare me like that again, Tenshi. I don't think I can take it again."

She doesn't meet his eye. She says nothing.

He raises her chin to look into her eyes, he brushes her hair back. He smiles, visible eye a curved bow.

As they lie like this, it's like nothing can hurt her, an effect only he has on her. Warmth and calm overtake her normally anxiety-riddled brain.

"You don't have to be scared, Kakashi." She takes his hand in hers. "I'm not planning on dying anytime soon."

"That's good to hear…"

They fall asleep once again.

A bright golden light attacks her lids, a warm strong arm around her, a solid surface beneath her. Memories from last night enters her mind, she smiles.

"Good morning," Kakashi says, laying still.

"I haven't slept that well in a while." She stretches.

"Me neither. I think I've gotten too used to having you by my side for too long."

The hospital door jiggles, their eyes jolt wide. Tenshi pushes Kakashi off the bed, the poor man luckily finds his footing and sits on the chair.

"Sorry," she whispers.

Gato and Anzu enter, Aoi and Rubichan in tow. The group questions and prods her about her encounter with the Akatsuki, Rubi lays on her lap. Tenshi fills them in on the events that occured, the intel she gathered, and Tobi's extraction of her prism.

Anzu lays a hand over her chest, shutting her eyes closed. "It's still there, but a portion is missing."

Tenshi sighs, forcing her tears back. "I underestimated him."

"You didn't know any better, Tenshi-san. Don't beat yourself up," Gato says, "Honey, which part of the prism is lost?"

The older woman frowns. "It's the core, I'm afraid."

"What does that mean?"

Gato rubs his eyes with his thumb and index finger. "The Royal Prism is an octagonal shape, Tenshi-san. One side for each of the colors you have control over. But taking the core of it, the middle, not only weakens the rest of your abilities, but it's the key to the Land of Prism."

Her breathing stops, her heart skips a beat. "What…what do you mean?"

Kakashi's eyebrows furrow, his expression pained. He hangs his head.

Hands in fists, Gato shivers. "Tenshi-san, I believe they are waiting for the next solar eclipse."

"What does this have to do with an eclipse?"

"The last ray of the sun before the eclipse hits will determine who gets control over the Power Prism. With this new information, if it's true, I believe the Akatsuki are planning to use the Land of Prism to magnify an enormous amount of chakra."

"You mean to say that the land itself can be weaponized?"

The man nods. "Lord Riku's secrecy, although paranoid, wasn't completely crazy. It's for this exact reason. The Power Prism is merely a steering wheel to the much larger ship, Kakashi-san."

Their eyes widen.

"But that's not exactly what worries me at the moment, the solar eclipse is within two weeks, anyway."

Anzu's eyes tear up.

"What's the problem?" Tenshi asks.

"The Royal Prism, although powerful, is highly unstable, kind of like a tailed beast in a sense. As the container for it, Tenshi-san, you need to learn how to work with it." He pauses, hands in pale fists. "But with the core gone, there's a high probability it will start to try to find other sources of stability. Usually, the body that holds it."

A shiver runs down her spine.

With a shaky voice, Anzu says, "Tenshi-san, you could die if we don't retrieve it soon."

Her world stops. "What?"

Author's Note: Tenshi just can't catch a break, can she? Stay tuned this week for the continuation! :)

If you liked this story, please post a review or add Revival to your Favorites and Follows. Thank you so much to everyone who previously have already.

'Til next time!