SUMMARY: It gets even worse.
Kurenai does not know how long she can hold them off.
She was at the tea shop with Asuma, Kakashi and Shino- was it?- before they realised.
Before they felt that familiar chakra.
Before they recognised the intruders.
She thinks she is going to die here.
Itachi Uchiha is a progidy and she may be a Genjutsu master but he is the Genjutsu master.
That does not mean she will not put up a fight.
Her Genin have been good for her in so many ways - have dragged her with them as they grew.
And it is not an out of practice Jounin that faces them, rather a Shinobi at a peak.
Her endurance has gone up - Ru is otherworldly in that aspect and she thanks him for it, even as she evades Itachi Uchiha's attacks.
She has drilled battle strategy into Ra's head and in turn has had it drilled into hers.
She hadn't been able to do much for Re in the way of seals but she has at least 20 deadly ones in her right now and the knowledge to make more, even if rudimentary.
But Itachi Uchiha has a Sharingan.
He will outlast her.
She needs to get him close enough to get a seal on him but how and which one?
His eyes try to latch onto hers again and this time she doesn't resist.
Kurenai has to be strong.
Kurenai is strong.
She slaps five seals into his blade in rapid succession, moving with the speed she's learnt from Gai.
And then there's a body on her, silver, spiky hair dancing in front of her eyes.
She curses and blesses Kakashi Hatake simultaneously.
He is stronger than her, she knows, and he has a Sharingan.
But he was supposed to protect Shino and if anything happens to him, the council will have all of their heads.
Kurenai turns purposefully to Asuma and together, they tackle Itachi's companion.
But - "Samedaha.", Kurenai breathes.
Kisame, it has to be Kisame, sends her a curious look.
She needs to talk to Zabuza.
At some unspoken signal, their opponents retreat but Kisame's gaze lingers on her back.
He's interested in her and that doesn't bode well.
Re's not exactly sure what's going on.
It feels a little like pass-the-parcel, except she is the parcel.
Everything is moving so fast - partly because it actually is and partly because she's still breaking down.
She remembers it all.
But she sees snippets:
Kabuto attacking Shino.
Herself attacking Kabuto.
Pushing Shino out of the way.
Kabuto picking her up.
Flailing.
Glowing green.
(Medic-nin huh?)
Shame Ru won't learn from him.
Then unconsciousness naturally - or she has to assume so because when she wakes, it is in the presence of two figures with red clouds on their cloaks and straw hats on their heads.
What is this - some sort of exchange?
Re doesn't know what they want with her.
They don't seem to know what they want with her either when she asks because she may as well try.
Then they ask if she knows Naruto or if she knows Gaara and she would lie except there's no point.
What will lying get her?
Clearly they will find the truth anyway - if the size and efficiency of their chakra is any indication and Ru will come for her sooner or later, good old Ru.
The air is almost lighter after that admission, as though it relieves a certain burden they've been carrying and the shark man smiles at her.
"Now", he says, "how do you know Samedaha?"
Re does not understand and she tells him so because boldness appears to be working at the moment and she's rather attached to her head.
Hasn't everyone heard of the Seven Swords?
"No.", that grin sharpens threateningly.
Re shivers.
She wouldn't normally but that grin is too much like his.
Like the man that was watching her.
Except his grin wasn't threatening.
She almost wishes it was.
Shino never expected to have any friends.
There was someone when he was younger but he was another Aburame and he's gone now.
Sasuke is gone now too but Shino knows he will come back.
Temari, Kankuro and Gaara are gone as well but he'll visit them when he can and there's a raven that comes for him every other week from the puppeteer.
Tenten, Lee and Neji have just left on a mission but he knows they'll be back too.
His teammate Kiba and Ino, Shikamaru and Choji are somewhere in Konoha. It is from Shikamaru that he knows (that they know) that the Hokage has sent Naruto out on a mission.
But Sumire and Sakura?
No one has seen either girl for some time and his kikaichu report that although Sakura does not seem stressed, she would not welcome the company.
Sumire is beyond his kikaichus' reach.
Sumire is beyond his reach.
And he cannot figure out why.
Kabuto took her yes but Sumire could defeat Kabuto and from what little he could glean, their paths swiftly diverged.
Sumire is missing.
But who will search for her?
Who will search for an orphan girl, a Genin with no influence, no strong ties to the village? Who will fight for her?
His fellow Genin (some Chunin) will try he knows but what can they do? What power do they have?
But Shino has to try.
He owes her, owes her the debt of his life, of one of his most precious things, of the thing that can be taken but not given.
He owes her this much: trying. It may be futile but he owes her enough to at least try, to not stop searching.
She saved him.
Perhaps it was out of duty.
He doubts it.
She saved him out of love because he meant enough to her for her to take the hit, for her to take his place.
More than for his life, he feel he owes her for the love between them, for all that they have shared.
He has owed her since she stopped one of his kikaichu from being crushed and he will not forget it.
Shino fulfils his debts.
I don't usually promote my other works but if anyone is interested in a non-graphic scene of Jiraiya getting beaten up, feel free to check out chapters 5 and 6 of A Butterfly Flaps its Wings… and I am from Uzushio.