Chapter 1: Cardioversion
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I don't have enough money to sleep nor eat
"Kakashi….", she muttered blood spilling from her lips. Her face was sickly, she coughed up another mouthful of blood as she slid off Kakashi's arm. His lone eye was crying as she fell. She could see the third tomoe bloom while it morphed into shuriken-like pattern. She hurt him, but the alternative was worse. A tragedy more terrifying than she could imagine, a rampaging Biju in her home killing everyone and everything she loved.
She had felt Kakashi's raikiri pass through her left lung scratching her left ventricle. She felt his hand touch her scapula. Whatever compulsion she felt to go home was gone, she was free of whatever Genjutsu or technique the Kiri shinobi had used on her. She'd take their weapon to her grave. Before she slipped into what would be her final rest, she heard a scream resound in the night.
'Probably a Kiri-nin fuming about their failure', was her final thought as she felt the dark wash over her like water.
"What am I doing here?", a large and rather timid voice asked. "Who are you?", it asked. Her eyes fluttered open; she was in a dim cave with water around her ankles. Behind ramshackle barricade was a three-tailed turtle with one ringed-eye looking at her with curiosity and anxiety. From what little she knew of Biju they were engines of destruction and often only Kage could stand their strength.
"Human why am I here? I don't remember being sealed. Tell me!" It roared and shook its feeble cage.
She shook off whatever shock was seizing her, besides the current running through her damaged heart, " I-i am sorry Sanbi-sama. My name is Nohara Rin, an Iryo-Nin of Konohagkure." She said quickly. "I believe that the village of Kirigakure Village sealed you inside of me." She answered meekly.
The beast shot her a confused look trying to process what it had been told. "Why would they seal me in a Konoha Shinobi?" It asked with perplexed look on it's face. "The last Jinchuriki they sealed me in was Genjutsu-type, why would they seal me in whatever you are?" The Sanbi thought aloud. "Are you rogue Shinobi?" It continued.
Rin looked in surprise as it tried to guess her and her previous captors' motives. She tried processing what was happening, 'It's a lot less angry than I thought it would be, I didn't know they could talk.' She thought. From the briefing she received as a chunin, Biju were thought to be raging animals that could kill the weak hearted with their very presence from the Killing Intent that radiated off them.
"Sanbi-sama," she began, " I believe they intended to use me, I am sorry, use us as a weapon against my home. I was sent on a resupply to South West of Fire Country before I was abducted." She answered honestly to the giant turtle. "I believe there was a Genjutsu or some other jutsu compelling to return to Konoha." The barricade before her and the Sanbi shuddered briefly. "I believe they wanted me to return so you would be released on Konoha."
The Sanbi muddled over what it had been told before it spoke again, "Why would they do that? Wasn't Konoha the ones who gave me to Kiri? The man who could use trees and that Red-haired woman with the chains were the ones who caught me." It stated as if this happened yesterday. "I was sleeping near Uzu and they woke me, and when I came up, they attacked me!"
"I believe you are speaking of Shodai-sama; I am certain he could use the Mokuton, but I never heard of him capturing any Biju only the Kyubi". Rin told the beast.
The Sanbi looked at her, "He got sealed, too? Did he cause us all to get taken by you humans?" It questioned her.
"I am sorry Sanbi-sama, I am unaware of such things" As she said this, she noticed the room darkening, she could scarcely see the sanbi's three tails, only it's single massive eye peering at her and jaw open.
"Oh," it announced with surprise, "You're dying. I wonder if I'll die like Shukaku did when he tried to attack Kyubi." It mused. Rin wracked her mind as she heard this. She was relatively calm when she woke up wherever here was. "I don't think I can get out before that. I wonder how long it'll take before I'm back?"
"Y-you die if I die?" Perhaps this wasn't the end. Biju had strong chakra she knew this much from the scant amount of information chunin where given in the event they ran into a Jinchuriki. She knew that Jinchuriki were known to be fierce fighters who could survive lethal wounds with ease at the cost of sanity or care for their comrades. Maybe, just maybe she could work out a deal with the Sanbi.
"Sanbi-sama!", she cried out. "As I have said I am an Iryo-Nin. I-if I could please borrow some of your strength, neither of us have to die today!" She said with utmost conviction. "What's an Iryo-Nin? And why would I all you humans do is try to make us swim in circles for you…" The Sanbi said coarsely.
Undeterred, she spat back, "An Iryo-Nin is a Shinobi who heals others. I'm not much of a fighter. Please, please I did something horrible to my teammate, in order to prevent your release in my home, Sanbi-sama, I don't want to add any more weight to the burdens he carries" Rin bowed as she said this. "I don't care what happens after I apologize to Kakashi, I will release you or whatever you wish. Please Sanbi-sama let me try!" Rin sobbed.
Only the Sanbi's eye could be seen in the darkness now. Rin saw the eye close briefly before the Sanbi replied, "You will keep your promise? After you talk with the other human you will do as I ask?" "YES, THANK YOU SANBI-SAMA I WILL, I WILL" her cries her harsh against her throat. "Keep your promise, Nohara Rin, if you should succeed. I will make no attempt to escape, until if we speak again…." It spoke before closing its eye.
The water rushed out through the barricade. It toppled Rin, it felt like she was drowning. And then she felt burning, like salt on a wound or maybe one of Obito's Katon jutsu when his aim was off. She tried to stand and forced chakra to her body. It hurt, but she could…. she could feel her heart weakly beat in her chest, wherever her actions where affecting her real body. She could feel her damaged lung in agony as it repaired the damage from Kakashi's raikiri. Then she felt the water recede. 'No,' she thought as her mind blacked out, 'no, no, no. Please, I made a promise to Obito. I can't… I can't die, yet.' As the void took her.
Rin awoke for a second time, this time it was dark. It smelled musty, rusty, and like formaldehyde. She couldn't move this time. Her mind ached as she thought, 'Where am I? Am I dead? Is this my coffin? Is this what happens when you die?' Her mind was engulfed in questions.
She heard a voices, next. Rin tried to call out, but her voice would not find her as her chest seized in pain from the attempt. Too weak to even spasm in pain. Just weak breathing.
"….sorry for this to happen….so soon after the Uchiha boy…" She didn't recognize this voice. 'I'll see you soon, Obito…'
The voice grew nearer, "I just need you to confirm, as a formality, Hatake-san has already, but considering he was on the mission and with his state of mind after what occurred…" The voice left out the last part.
"I understand, I've done this more than few times considering the War." The familiar voice said solemnly.
"Her body is in drawer C-3, I just have to grab the proper paper work and I'll be with you in a moment to confirm the body is hers, if it is hers…" The unfamiliar voice said with a bitter-sweet touch of hope.
"It might be better if she was dead rather than in Kiri's hands." The familiar voice said. 'After all, if she was alive, she was no doubt held by the enemy, tortured for the information she knew in hopes of some edge on Konoha. For something to bargain with during peace talks, or to prolong the war.' The familiar voice thought bitterly.
Rin heard a zipper fall and flash of light fall on her glazed eyes. 'Too weak to blink', bitterly resounded in her head. She could see a blur of yellow and blue. But she couldn't place it.
"It's her, this is the body of Nohara Rin." She knew the voice, but she couldn't place it. She had heard it so many times in so many tones.
"I am sorry, Namikaze-san. It's always hard to lose a student. I just need to sign twice. Do you want to notify the parents? Or should we send a letter?"
'Namikaze-san. Who is Namikaze-san?' A face came to her mind. Tanned and smiling with a mane of blond. Her mind wandered. She recalled it saying, 'Thank you for helping Obito with his shuriken, Rin.' 'You might want to look into medical ninjutsu with your level of chakra control.' 'Kakashi has had a hard life, I know he seems arrogant, but he has a lot to live up to.'
"I can notify her parents. Do you mind if I can say my goodbyes?"
"There is no issue, Namikaze-san."
'Namikaze-san…Who is Namikaze-san?' the thought roared in her mind. Her eyes unblinking could see the shape of his head. The blond mane surrounded it.
"I am sorry, Rin. I thought this mission would be an easy one with War winding down. It was stupid of me to allow you and Kakashi outside of Konoha. With the way it's going anyone close to me will be a target. First Obito and now you, I don't know if it was bad luck or my failures as a Sensei. I promise you I will look after Kakashi now." Namikaze-san said.
However, her thoughts drifted on one word. 'Sensei….Minato-sensei.' She felt her diaphragm contract. It tore freshly grown fragile muscles as it did. It was agony. She wished to scream, but all that came was a weak, "Sensei….". As she rose out of the body bag slightly.
The mass in front of her shifted from casual to alert before disappearing. Not even a second later it returned with two masses of black with white faces. "Bear secure the room. Rat administer aid to my student." Was said in a quiet commanding voice.