"You're late." Yuuri scowled beneath her mask at Kiri and Natsumi as they joined the rest of the team beneath an archway, hidden in shadows.
"Look, I told you on the way over what happened." Kiri rolled her eyes. "That girl will be valuable once we get her back to the Leaf. The Intelligence division can go through her memories and find anything useful."
"I know." Yuuri turned her face away, furrowing her brows. "That's the reason I'm not going to lecture you much."
You kind of just did. Natsumi kept silent with an inaudible sigh. Still, she's being more gracious than I've ever seen her.
"Alright." Yuuri looked over her subordinates. "We hit the castle now. Remember, we don't know what to expect in there, so be on guard." She crossed her arms. "Now, Lord Hokage wants us to try to save as many people as possible. While I... respectfully disagree, we're going to follow his orders. Our goal is to secure the Lord and his family." Her eyes rested on Jiro. "Don't kill indiscriminately."
Jiro chuckled. "Yes, yes. I'll behave. You can trust me."
"...Right." Yuuri let out a short breath. "Additionally, I don't want there to be a lapse in communication. Set your radios on maintained mode so you don't have to keep pressing the button. If someone's found something, you say so right away."
"And, if we encounter resistance?" Jiro tilted his head to the side and shrugged. "Perhaps... some guards or mercenaries?"
"You don't have to ask for my permission to eliminate threats." Yuuri narrowed her eyes. "Kill whoever stands in the way of our mission. I don't care who it is as long as the mission is successful."
"Of course." Jiro smirked. "How silly of me."
Natsumi shuddered slightly, then focused back on the Captain.
"We'll each use a different point of entry and work our way through. Be as thorough as possible, and look for the missing staff and villagers as you go. Try to not separate from your partner if you can help it." She paused and glanced at Natsumi from the corner of her eye. "Oh. And, if any of you are wounded or fall behind, don't expect anyone to wait for you or save you. This is the ANBU. You pull your own weight, or you die. Any more questions?"
It's almost like she's hoping that I die. Natsumi clenched her hand in her pocket. Well, I definitely don't plan on it. She can't get rid of me that easily.
She let out a slow breath and relaxed her hand.
Besides, I have my special mission from Lord Third. She glanced at Kiri. I'll have to break off from her once I find the Prince, but there's no harm in staying together as long as possible.
"If there are no questions..." Yuuri paused, then turned the dial on her communicator to adjust the settings. "Move out."
The group separated immediately and Kiri and Natsumi slipped into the castle through a window on the west side. They glanced around the empty study and walked silently around to search for anyone, then glanced back at each other.
"Nothing." Kiri mumbled. "No signs of any traps, either. I guess no one was anticipating any company."
Natsumi nodded and looked around.
Now, if only I could figure out where the Prince was. If someone does realize we're here, and they become hostile, he could be in danger.
"Wondering where the Prince is?"
"H-Huh?" Natsumi glanced up at Kiri. "How did you...?"
Kiri winked behind her mask and bent slightly as she spoke quietly. "Lord Third told me about your special mission before the official briefing. My job is to provide support for you and give you the opportunity for a rescue."
Natsumi let out a short breath.
At least now I won't have to feel bad about trying to ditch her to go off on my own.
"Best way to figure it out is probably to ask someone." Kiri crossed her arms. "If we can find someone, that is."
It's been a long time, and I've never been able to do it since that trial, but maybe I can just...
Natsumi closed her eyes and exhaled, trying to clear her mind as she focused.
It was a lot easier when all my other senses were turned off. It's hard to focus with every small sound. Even my own breathing is irritating.
She sucked in a breath and held it, shutting her eyes tighter as she gradually slipped into a quiet mindscape. Her Chakra flowed and she exhaled slowly, then opened her eyes and looked up at Kiri.
"I can't tell how many, but there are people gathered in a room down the hall. They don't seem to be moving, though. But I also can't tell if they're dead or alive."
Kiri smiled slightly and patted her head. "Sensory ability? That's useful."
Natsumi shrugged slightly and bit her lip. "Not very. I haven't been practicing and it's hard."
"Why don't we go stop by and ask a few questions?" Kiri winked, then went silent as she approached the door, cracking it open quietly to scan the hall. She held up a hand, signaling that it was clear, and they carefully moved down the hall.
Stopping in front of the door, Kiri and Natsumi each stood on either side, then Kiri cracked the door open to peer inside. She frowned and opened the door wider, motioning for Natsumi to look inside.
What the...?
Several people sat around a table where tea had been served, though each one was slumped over as if in a deep sleep on the table.
Genjustu?
Natsumi looked at Kiri and held up a hand signal. She shook her head, and Natsumi frowned as she looked around the table.
If it's not Genjutsu, then...
Kiri stepped inside the room, walking once around the table and then looking at Natsumi with a shrug.
They're... dead?
Kiri gently touched her fingers to the neck of one woman, then shook her head.
But how?
Natsumi stepped forward to examine the area and Kiri picked up a tea cup to sniff it. Taking a small scroll and dropper out of her pouch, she unrolled the scroll to reveal a seal, then dripped a single drop of the tea in the center. It sizzled and hissed and Kiri muttered curses quietly under her breath.
They were poisoned? But why?
Natsumi knelt beside a man and touched his shoulder, squeaking softly in surprise as his body slumped and fell to the ground. His body had started to bloat and most of the color had drained from his face as the blood had settled in his lower body. Dried blood and foam was evident on his face and Natsumi coughed slightly and held up her arm to shield the suddenly overwhelming scent of death.
Yup. They're dead, all right.
She looked to each of the other bodies.
Does that mean everyone in the castle is dead, too?
She looked down at the man, and his frozen expression of agony.
There's got to be some kind of clue here...
She unbuttoned his jacket to search for hidden pockets and her eyes widened as his shirt was covered in Paper Bombs.
"Natsumi!"
Kiri's eyes widened as she glanced over, noticing the other bodies around them activated now, and she quickly shoved Natsumi out of the room and blocked the doorway with her body to shield her from the blast. The ceiling and walls collapsed and Natsumi blinked against the wall, and her eyes widened again at the destruction.
"Kiri!" She lunged forward, throwing rubble aside until she found Kiri coughing under drywall and beams. "Kiri, are you okay?"
Kiri shoved a large piece of ceiling off as she coughed again at the dust. "I'm fine." She tried to pull herself out and only grunted and glared at the beam across her middle. "I'm just... stuck."
Natsumi let out a breath and pressed the button on her neck. "There were bodies rigged with paper bombs. Kiri's trapped under the ceiling, though."
"So?" Yuuri snapped, and Natsumi could hear the sounds of sword striking flesh.
"I can't get her out on my own. If someone else is nearby—"
"Weren't you listening? I said before that if anyone gets wounded, don't expect someone to save you."
Natsumi gritted her teeth and Kiri sighed.
"Look, I'm fine. I don't seem to be wounded at all. A little scorched, maybe, but that's all. I can get myself out."
"But—"
Kiri held up her hand. "Keep going without me and I'll catch up. I've been in worse situations before."
Natsumi bit her lip.
Once she gets an idea into her head, she can't be persuaded.
"Okay." Natsumi nodded again. "But hurry. I've got a bad feeling about this place, and it's better if I have backup."
"Don't worry about me." Kiri pointed down the hall. "From our intel, the Prince's room should be on the third floor. Start looking for him there."
"Alright." Natsumi bit her lip, then made herself turn around and run to the stairwell.
There's no one else so far... I wonder where everyone is.
She slowed as she neared the landing of the second floor and carefully looked around.
Despite that loud explosion, there isn't any activity. Maybe everyone really is dead?
Moving quietly, she turned and started up the next flight of stairs.
Please let him be in his room. The faster I find him and get out of here, the better.
She came to the next landing and let out a short breath.
Empty again.
Natsumi walked forward, looking from door to door.
Which is it? They all looked the same. It would be really convenient if one of them had a sign that said 'this is the door you're looking for' on it.
A door to the left opened and Natsumi froze and she watched as a young girl walked out, rubbing her eyes as if she'd been asleep.
A little girl? She's the only person alive I've seen so far.
The girl kept her eyes down as she stopped in the hall and stared at Natsumi's feet.
"Who are you? What was that big, scary noise?"
"It's okay." Natsumi exhaled and knelt down to the girl's level. "I'm not anyone bad. I'm here to help, actually."
"Help?" The girl repeated, then tugged at the small, pink bow in her hair as she continued to stare downward.
Something feels weird about her. Her skin looks too pale.
"Are you okay? Are there other people around?" Natsumi asked, and the girl bit her lip.
"I don't know. I just heard a scary noise..."
"It's okay." Natsumi paused. "What's your name?"
"My name?" The girl repeated, tugging nervously on her bow again. "It's Chouko."
"Okay, Chouko." Natsumi looked around the hallway, then back to the shy girl. "Do you know if there have been any bad people around lately?"
"Bad people?" She shook her head at first, and then her eyes watered and she nodded. "I remember... there were two strange men. But I don't..." She paused. "I remember hurting. And then not hurting. And the strange men were gone."
This isn't helpful at all. She's too young to be any real help.
"Chouko... do you know who Hasu is?"
"Ha...su?" The girl sniffed and rubbed her nose. "He's my cousin."
Cousin? Natsumi paused. "Do you know where he is?"
"Uncle said he did something bad." The girl muttered quietly. "He said Hasu was bad, and needed to be punished."
"Punished how? Where is he?"
The girl froze in place, and then broke into tears suddenly. "Are the strange men coming back? Are they going to hurt me again? I'm scared."
She clung to Natsumi and she blinked as the girl rubbed her face into Natsumi's chest.
Her behavior is strange. Just a moment ago, it seemed like she didn't have any emotion.
The girl cried harder and Natsumi bit her lip.
Maybe she was just traumatized?
"H-Hey... it'll be okay. I came here to help."
"R-Really?" Chouko sniffed again and wiped her face on her shirt, then looked up at Natsumi with a smile. "You're such a nice lady."
Natsumi froze and stared at the girl's eyes; bottle green irises, surrounded by darkened, grey sclerae.
What the...?!
She swallowed and stared down at the girl. "Y-Your... eyes..."
"You're such a nice lady." Chouko said again, still smiling. "I like your hair. It's a pretty color."
I don't understand... what's going on here? Her eyes... they look...
"Pretty, nice lady..." The girl's smile grew unnaturally and her head tilted slightly. "Do you want to play with me?"
"P-Play...?"
"Yes, play with me." The girl put a hand behind her back. "I like games. Do you like games?"
"S-Sorry, but I don't have time to play right now."
I don't understand. There's something very, very wrong with her.
"Too bad." Chouko laughed. "It would have been better if you said yes."
She moved her hand back into view, and this time, she was holding a knife and thrust it at Natsumi. Before it could make contact, the blade of a sword stuck through her chest and the girl stopped and trembled, glancing down at the wound as it bled.
"I-It... hurts."
Natsumi's eyes widened as the blade was removed and Jiro smirked beneath his mask at her.
"Y-You...!"
"You're welcome." Jiro flicked his Ninjato to the side, splattering the blood on the walls.
The girl dropped the knife and it clattered on the floor as she clutched her chest, blood pouring out. She fell into Natsumi's arms as she stared.
"W-What..."
"It... hurts..." Tears welled up in the girl's eyes as she looked up at the redhead. "Help... me."
Her body went limp and Natsumi's hands shook as she dropped the girl's body in surprise and looked at her teammate.
"You killed her!"
"I don't think you fully grasp the situation." He chuckled. "She was trying to kill you. I saved your life."
"She's just a little girl!"
Jiro narrowed his eyes, turning the switch on his communicator so that he couldn't be overheard.
"You saw her eyes, didn't you?"
Natsumi froze and a chill went down her spine. "H-How...?" She swallowed. "How do you know...?"
"You're not the only one who has a hobby of reading forbidden scrolls." Jiro smirked down at her, his voice sickeningly sweet. "Now, do you understand the situation?"
"But... she..." Natsumi swallowed. "I... didn't read the full scroll. There... could have been a way to save her."
Jiro bent down at the waist to meet her eyes. "Don't be naïve. The only proper course of action is to cull them. They're already dead, you know."
Natsumi shuddered again, staring down at the girl's eyes and then down at her own hands, wet with blood.
"Who would do something so terrible?" She whispered.
"Oh, quite a lot of people." Jiro straightened and chuckled. "The question you should be asking instead is who else had access to this forbidden knowledge?"
Who...?
She gulped.
Is it...?
"Of course, that's not what matters now." Jiro slid his finger gingerly along the blade of his sword. "Right now, we get to have fun and put these... unfortunate people down like the filthy mongrels they are."
"Y-You're twisted." Natsumi stood slowly and wiped her hands on her pants.
"I simply take pride in my skill." Jiro turned to walk back down the hallway. "If you don't enjoy what you're best at, you'll lead a miserable life."
Natsumi bit her lip and watched him walk away before he stopped and looked over his shoulder at her.
"Oh, little Red... If you're looking for the Prince, he's not here. But a little birdy told me that he's in a cell beneath the castle."
Natsumi's eyes widened and he chuckled.
"Well, don't stand him up now." Jiro turned his communicator back on, then continued to walk away.
I have even more questions than before now.
She shook her head and turned back toward the stairs.
But right now, I have a job to do.