the sacrifice

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Neji, Hinata, Ino, Kiba, Kakashi, Chouji, Shino, Gai, Konoha Village, Kurenai, Asuma, Iruka, Hokage, the familiar techniques… You get the idea, right? The only things I own here are some characters (Rekka and others who'll be introduced later on) and this story's plot.

Note: There'll be no shout-outs in this chapter. Sorry for I can't wait for the other reviews (not that I'm actually expecting many more)… The fact that somebody has reviewed the chapter 4, I guess I should start typing the next installment. Besides, I have been thinking lately about this fiction – how it would proceed and how would it end… So, I got some ideas now, and I hope you'll all like it.

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 Chapter 5: 
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Naruto decided to stay. /*Wish I hadn't…*/ He thought glumly as Ino threw him many questions about Sasuke and Rekka.

"You're joking, right, Naruto?" Coming from the angry and jealous Ino, it sounded more like a demand than a question.

Naruto shook his head slowly. He would usually love this attention, but knowing Sakura was hurting with all of this information, he'd rather keep his mouth shut.

"What?!" Ino exclaimed. "That's not true!"

"It might be true," Nara stated.

Ino and Sakura gave Nara a threatening glare. "Shut up!" they said in unison.

"Why should I?" Nara replied in a teasing tone. "As I was saying, it might be true… Just think about this: Sasuke permitting a new student to stay in his mansion… As far as I know, nobody among us was welcomed there… Well, except for Rekka, that is… So, Rekka must be someone special in his life…" Nara said thoughtfully.

Ino would have gladly stabbed Nara with her kunai if she hadn't considered him as an ally or teammate.

"Nara!" Naruto said in a threatening tone.

"Fine, fine…" Nara said. "But I just want to advise to all of the girls who are so much in love with Sas-…"

Naruto dragged Nara backwards. (Naruto was holding the shirt of Nara at the back.)

"Hey baka, let go of me!" Nara complained.

But Naruto just let go of him when they were beyond the earshot… "You should learn to choose your statement, Nara," Naruto said.

"I think you should take your own advice," Nara replied with sarcasm.

"I was just concerned about Rekka," Naruto reasoned. "And I was so irritated with Sasuke's insensitiveness… That's why I couldn't keep my mouth shut…"

"So you really know about it? It's not something you just made up to provoke your insensitive teammate?" Kiba, who had followed the two, asked.

Naruto was caught off guard with that. /*I guess there's no use of lying right now.*/ Naruto sighed. "Yes, I know."

"How? I mean how did you know?" Kiba asked.

"Yeah Naruto, how did you know?" Nara seconded. "I mean, I bet that kind of information should be kept secret… And why you of all people know about this?"

"It's not like you and Sasuke are the best of friends," Chouji said.

Shino, behind his shades, eyed Naruto curiously, waiting for him to spill the details.

Naruto gulped. He really wished he hadn't stayed…

=====

Sasuke headed first for the grocery store. Along the way, he saw the scattered food items and paper bags, then he remembered what Rock Lee had said. From there on, Sasuke guessed that Neji and Rekka went to some place far from the public eyes.

And he guessed it was Rekka's idea. /*It's typical of her to do such things…*/ He thought. /*Now, what would Neji do during these times?*/

Sasuke tried to recall as much as possible Neji and his abilities.

And he resolved that Neji would probably lead the antagonist to a place he's very familiar with that he has some advantage…

/*Into the woods…*/

=====

Neji was so exhausted now. He had been fighting this masked man with all his might but somehow the man didn't show any sign of giving up.

Earlier on, Neji told Rekka that he could defeat this man by himself alone… But now he doubted that because he knew his chakra was gradually diminishing… Still, he knew he couldn't give up now.

The masked man attacked Neji with a kunai.

Neji, though (due to exhaustion) reacting slower than before, had avoided being hit.

Then, both guys engaged in a physical combat. Neji received many blows – from the back, on his stomach, to the face… - with his blood spilling from his mouth/lips.

"Stop it, you bully!" Rekka yelled at the masked man.

The masked man, knowing that he's finished with Neji, turned to Rekka this time. He stopped beating the bruised and poor Neji, throwing him on the ground (hard) as an added bonus.

"Good thing you accepted my invitation," Rekka said bravely as she strike a ready-to-fight pose.

The masked man slowly walked toward Rekka…

"Can you be any slower?" Rekka asked impatiently.

Suddenly, the masked man was nowhere to be seen from Rekka's view. He went behind Rekka to strike her from there.

/*Very predictable of men… To strike someone from behind…*/ Rekka thought. She elbowed each of the side of the torso of the masked man… Then, she did a 360-degree kick, aiming at the face of the man, which somehow lifted the man a few inches from the ground… Then, she positioned herself to where she calculated the man would land… She was about to kick the man's back but…

The masked man turned to face her… and he grabbed one of her foot… and…

There was a loud THUD!

Rekka was thrown to the ground just like Neji, except for using her right hand to lessen her impact to the ground… She was shaking when she tried to get up. /*I need to get to Neji before it's too late.*/ She thought and her eyes searched for Neji. She found Neji lying on the ground not moving a bit…

The man grabbed Rekka's hair.

"Awww!" Rekka yelled. "Don't touch my hair, you moronic mute!"

The masked man smirked and looked like a sadist.

Rekka draw her kunai and simultaneously stabbed the man's arm (which was used to grip her hair).

Of course, it was instinctive of the man to let go of Rekka's hair…

/*This is my chance.*/ Rekka thought. Then, she ran as fast as she could, throwing makibishi and shuriken at the man as she neared Neji. Rekka didn't waste the time, she knelt beside the unmoving Neji and sensing that he's still alive (just unconscious basically), she did a series of hand seals… Then, she positioned her hand above Neji's face…

PAK!

Rekka went flying to the other side of Neji for the masked man just kicked her face this time. It hurt her a lot but she knew that was just the start of all the pain…

The masked man hit Rekka with gusto… He punched and slapped the poor girl. Then, he would pull her hair and press her face on the ground… Rekka was slumped on the ground and when it seemed that there is no life left in her anymore, the man kicked her stomach… Again and again and again…

The masked man get tired of this routine, so he stopped messing up with Rekka.

"You're a hor-rible mons-ter," Rekka muttered. She got herself up and prepared herself to battle this man once again, even though she knew she was losing a lot of blood from bleeding… Rekka coughed, and coughed, and coughed, letting out splats of her blood on her hand (for she covered her mouth while coughing)… /*Oh god! Please help us.*/

=====

Neji opened his eyes and sat up quickly. He scanned the surrounding and saw that Rekka was being attacked by the masked man. He saw Rekka's appearance – all bloody and tired. /*But she's still standing--*/ His thought was interrupted as he saw the man quickly neared himself to Rekka with a dagger in his hand.

Neji moved fast towards Rekka. /*I can't believe I'm still this quick…*/ He thought. He quickly got hold of Rekka's worn-out body to shield her from any attacks…

But then, Neji was the person who received the stab.

"Neji!" Rekka said.

"Just stay behind me," Neji commanded.

Rekka just nodded and walk backwards. She admitted that she's no match for the guy and that Neji was the only one who could get themselves out of this mess.

Neji became more serious this time. Then, he fought with the masked man as long as he could. He made some hand seals and used his clan's unique technique – Byakugan. /*Good thing this man has lesser chakra than me.*/ He smirked, knowing that he has the advantage right now. Then with all his might and chakra, he strategically beat up the masked man…

Until the man was not moving…

Neji was very, very, very tired. He had used all of his energy. And besides, he had received heaps of blows and stabs…

He slowly back away from the body of the man, which was lying on the hard ground.

But Rekka did otherwise. She walked towards the body of the man. She cautiously touched the man's chest to see if his heart was still beating— to know if the man is still alive or not… /*Oh shucks!*/

"Neji! Neji! He's dead!" Rekka yelled in a monotonous tone. "Neji! What should we do with his body? Are we going to bury him now or are we going to report this incident first—hey! Are you listening to me?"

Rekka turned to see where was Neji was. "Neji?" She said as she saw Neji lying on the ground, too. She quickly went beside Neji. "Oh god! Don't die on me, you, you--…" She couldn't find any appropriate teasing word for the person who had just saved her life…

Shaking terribly, Rekka did some hand seals…

=====

Sasuke finally found the place. But with one look, he knew the fights were over. Seemingly, his went towards the scene where Rekka was kneeling beside Neji.

Sasuke appeared at one side of Rekka. He got hold of both of her hands… (Apparently, to stop her from doing what she had in mind…)

Rekka looked up to Sasuke and didn't say anything.

"Stop it," Sasuke said (in his very own cold style). "Somebody's gonna treat his wounds… And you need treatment, too…" he added as he noticed Rekka's bruises and scars…

Rekka hesitatingly obeyed Sasuke. She stood up, with her knees trembling. She just realized how much energy she had used up… /*I can't even stand on my feet, what a shame…*/ She would have slumped back on the ground if Sasuke hadn't caught her hand quickly.

"I'm f-fine," Rekka lied.

Sasuke rolled his eyes hearing that obvious fib.

Just in time, when Sasuke was deciding what to do next, Rock Lee showed up at the place.

Rock Lee, seeing how things were, asked, "What happened?"

Rekka opened her mouth to start explaining.

"No," Sasuke said to her. And to Rock Lee he said, "They need treatment now, more than anything else." With that, Sasuke carried Rekka (to Rekka and Lee's surprise) on his arms and started to run off as fast as he could.

Rock Lee, with Neji on his back, trailed behind.

=====

Rekka, for a change, didn't complain when Sasuke carried her. She was really weak and helpless. And it was only Sasuke who could help and protect her… She closed her eyes and decided to take some rest, knowing that she's safe in Sasuke's arms.

=====

Naruto and company were waiting in a pier. Their respective sensei told them to wait for a cruise ship named S.V. Marivella.

Flashback

Naruto had reported to Kakashi what Rock Lee had just told them.

"They'll be fine," Kakashi said in a calm tone. "Just wait for them in the pier."

Sakura asked, "And what if Sasuke didn't arrive there on time?"

"Then, you still have to board the ship without him… Remember that team 7 is already abolished and all of you belong to one team from now on…"

"But--…"

But Kakashi had already disappeared.

End of Flashback

All of the students were silent. No one was talking and each has something on his mind.

Then, there was the low sound coming from afar. A steady smoke from a silhouette of a ship could be seen.

/*Sasuke, get in here fast!*/ Naruto thought angrily for he knew that it was the ship they had been waiting for. /*You wouldn't miss your first class E mission, right?*/

And as if Sasuke had heard Naruto, Sasuke had appeared at the pier…

TBC

Don't forget to review. There'll be shout-outs next time, I promise. Paalam! (Good bye!)

Poprice
31 April 2004
1:33pm