Chapter 11: Sakura, Sakura Not
There is a fine line between Me, Myself and I...
"You!" She pointed a finger at him.
The command in her voice jarred him, making Kyosuke completely still in his stance.
Sorry for his reaction, Sakuya softened the haunted look on her and sighed, "Stay low."
Then, she was gone.
In less than two seconds, four ANBU appeared from nowhere and leapt out of the window after her.
Kyosuke blinked his eyes. Everything happened too fast for his liking. He turned his attention to the two ANBU sprawled on the floor, unconscious.
Amazing was the only word that came into his developing mind.
The medics burst into the ward shortly after, and Shizune was the last one to enter, though she looked the most flustered. Why, she even shrieked upon realizing Sakura was nowhere to be found.
"Kyosuke-kun! Where is your sister!" Shizune demanded in a near shout.
"She awoke and leapt out of the window." replied Kyosuke anxiously, pointing his finger at the square exit. "Four ANBU went after her." He added as an afterthought.
Shizune let out a gasp but she was quick to recover from her surprise. She turned to the medics checking on the two unconscious ANBU. "How are they?"
"Nothing serious. Just knocked out." One of the medics replied.
Shizune started towards the window, and saw raging flames in a distance. She widened her unbelievable eyes over the fire consuming the forest. Kyosuke came beside her and clenched his hands over the edge of the window upon witnessing the scene.
That was hell big of a fire! All he can see was shades of red and yellow before him and he started to wonder…
"Are we being attacked!" Obliviously, he blurted his thought out.
But his question was blurred by the medics' concern that the Fifth should be informed about it, since she was somewhere out there entertaining the feudal lords, who was here on a visitation.
"Kyosuke-kun!" Shizune yelled over her shoulders as she raced towards the door. "Go to the underground and stay there until further notice!"
The medics hurried out after Shizune, carrying the two unconscious ANBU out with them.
Kyosuke frowned at the 'order'. Underground were meant for the defenseless and he sure doesn't belong in the 'defenseless category'! Hello! He was the number one rookie this year, for God's sake, hasn't anyone realize that! Though it hasn't been officially announced yet, for the graduation ceremony was still two weeks away.
"What are you waiting for, Kyosuke-kun!" One of the medics halted his tracks when he saw Kyosuke unmoved from where he was.
To hide and cower in fear simply wasn't a thing that a Haruno would do, Kyosuke decided. Besides, he doesn't want the reunion to be short-lived. And praying that everything would turn out fine was something girls like his childhood friend, Hisa do.
"I'm going after my one-chan!" Kyosuke announced and leapt out of the window before the medic could stop him.
-+-+-+-+-+-
The chaos came perfectly.
The fire in the distance, the location believed to be near the cenotaph, was causing everyone to be everywhere.
Rin kept her stare on the merciless flames swirling their way to the tip of the taller trees, and found a smirk forming at the corner of her pouted lips. (Fine work, Sasuke-kun. Fine work indeed.)
She averted her eyes to Gai. The jounin was making fast plans with the others about the situation. Now that everyone was distracted by the fire, no doubt anyone would bother with her. She turned to walk away as silently as a cat but felt herself suddenly being pulled into someone's embrace. And then, she was flying before she realized that Gai had grabbed her along with his team.
"Let me go!" Rin protested, and tried to struggle but to no avail. Gai proved to be stronger than she thought he was.
"Stay still, Hisa!" Gai ordered while whizzing in the air. "I have to bring you to a place of safety." It was an odd feeling, but Gai thought Hisa was somewhat different today…
Rin face-faulted with a twitch of her eyebrow, not forgetting to roll her eyes heavenward but Gai seemed to fail to notice her exasperation. He was fully occupied with his task at hand. Giving up, Rin released her cat claws on Gai's hands, which was clutching her waist, and closed her eyes instead.
If she had known anything about the man in green, it was his doggedness.
Then Gai came to an abrupt stop, signaling others to move on without him. Rin snapped her eyes open in response and caught sight of a red-haired boy two rooftops away, seemingly in search of someone amidst the chaos.
"Kyosuke!" Gai shouted over her ears and rushed forward. Rin had to rub the stinging sensation his shout caused her ears.
The boy looked their way and sprinted to meet Gai midway. Rin noticed then the clan emblem imprinted on his sleeves – The Circle, the Haruno clan's emblem.
"My sis went missing!" He blurted out worriedly as soon as he can speak.
"How the hell did that happened!" Gai exclaimed, shock evident in his voice. Subconsciously, he released his hold on Hisa…
Kyosuke then gave a brief elucidation of the hospital ward episode.
"She awoke by herself!"
The two turned to look at Hisa. It was her who made that statement. Realizing her inappropriate outburst, Rin quickly masked her shock and said, "I was..surprised. Tsunade-sama said her chances were slim after all."
Rin worried her lower lips. It was simply impossible for Sakura to awaken without her curbing the cursed seal for her. She had personally seen Yuya performing the seal on her, not to say she had played an active role in coming up with the formulation and all, and knew that the seal was deadly enough to send her straight to hell at any teeny-weeny signs of resistance.
(Just how she managed to do that… … …?)
"Hisa." Rin heard the name and looked up. She thought she saw a flash of suspicion across the emerald eyes of the red-haired boy by the name of Kyosuke. Why, his hands were already neared his pouches. As for Gai, he was studying her.
"Yes?" Rin answered, taking it all in her stride.
Kyosuke narrowed his eyes. "Activate your Byakugan. It will make it easier for us to seek my sister out."
(Testing me huh…guess game's over.) 'Hisa' stifled a chuckle. "You are a clev-"
Gai cut her off. "KONOHA WHIRLWIND!" and delivered a sudden swift life-costing kick at Hisa, who in a puff of smoke, turned into a brick…
"Replacement technique…" Gai muttered with widened eyes. "That was…"
"One of Konoha's ninjutsu."
Kyosuke swirled around at the voice behind him and there she was, standing smugly a few rooftops away from them. (That was fast.)
The imposter was wearing a weird kind of black cloak with red cloud patterns. Her face was masked with the exception of her brown eyes, or eye to be exact. One of them was masked with her scratched Konoha forehead protector, which in other words, she was a traitor.
"It's been a while, Gai." She said, looking at Gai.
Kyosuke could feel her smirking under her mask and he turned to look at the man in green. Gai was rendered speechless. His expression was frozen with shock that Kyosuke thought he might not even be breathing.
"Gai-sensei…" Kyosuke called out in gritted teeth, trying to hold the man together. Now was not the time for space out!
"Rin…" Gai stammered, totally blocking Kyosuke out of the picture. "Is that… you!"
"Yes and no." She gave a snort. "This is the new and improved me."
"…"
Rin spared Kyosuke a glance and taking the chance that Gai was still in shock mode, she charged right at Kyosuke, attempting to hold the boy hostage with a blow in his head. But the sharp boy saw through her ploy and it took a bit of a sparring before he was crushed right on her chest with a kunai pointing threateningly at his neck. Kyosuke tried to break free but the feel of the sharp metal pressed painfully against his neck stopped his struggles.
"What are you doing, Rin!" Gai roared, breaking out of his stupor at last with clenched fists. "THAT WAS ONE OF KONOHA'S PROMISING YOUTH!"
Rin rolled her eyes with a sigh. This guy never changed one bit! "Can't you see I'm trying to kill him?"
"Sakura!" Rin called out using the Utsusemi no Jutsu (Voice Projection Technique) before Gai tried to retort. "Show yourself or your cute little brother will die in your place!"
Teams of Konoha shinobis surrounded them in an instant, and Kyosuke lowered his head in disappointment when he peeked around to see that his sister was nowhere in sight. He cursed himself for being a burden to all and just as his thoughts raced from one to another, Rin jabbed his head up and swung him around, and true enough, the wanted pink-haired kunoichi was standing there, her piercing green eyes fixed on Rin.
Rin gave her the once-over and noticed that she was somewhat different. It was Sakura alright, but her aura, her chakra seemed to rise to another level. As ragged as she may seem with the green hospital gown, she looked perfectly normal... no… healthy is the more appropriate word. And by God, she shouldn't be healthy! She should be unconscious! And she should be needing her help to bring her out of the comatose condition!
Patience, Rin told herself. She would get her answers from her once their Act One was over, though the starting was not quite as expected.
"I see you looked pretty well, Sakura." Rin remarked.
"…"
Kyosuke started to feel afraid. His sister's stare was freaking him out. There was something in her eyes that he couldn't really put into words but it was sending shivers down his spine. And not just him, Kyosuke noticed that anyone who looked her way was having the same reactions as well.
Jounins and chuunins alike, started to fidget in their stances. Even his captor started to tighten her hold around him.
(Action!) Sakuya heard a voice in her head. "Nobody messes with me." She replied in a low voice.
"Kyosuke!"
Sakuya winced inwardly at the interruption. She glanced down and saw a motherly woman in desperate tears. Tsunade's attendant, Shizune was with her.
"Mother!" Kyosuke shouted back and tried to lean forward, but Rin slammed him right back on her chest. "Get away from here!"
(So it's THE mother.) Sakuya thought disdainfully. (Shizune is here as well… The Tsunade must be somewhere near… Guess I have to put up a real good show now…) She pretended to looked confused. "Mother?"
Kyosuke turned to her. "That is our mother, onechan! Don't you remember her!"
"Please don't kill my son!" Sakuya heard her at the same time. She glanced down once more, meeting her green eyes with her mother's equally green ones. She saw her mouthed the name 'Sakura' and Sakuya suddenly felt this urgent need to soothe her, to tell her that everything was going to be just fine. But… but she was not her daughter! She was only pretending to be her! And she was here on a mission and the mission was going to be all it mattered.
She turned back to Rin and in a flash, Kyosuke collapsed breathlessly with widened eyes, feeling this jolting pain in his neck. He felt a short sharp needle in his neck and it was effectively blocking the air from his windpipe. Within seconds, he started to feel numb and darkness started to engulf him, and his last moments were spent refusing to believe that his sister had just killed him without a blink of her eyes…
Sakuya heard a shrilling scream and knew it was the mother. She heard the word 'No' over and over again and saw her collapsing in the arms of Shizune. Rin still haven't let go of her little brother, merely clutching his lifeless body as a form of shield from the agitated Konoha shinobis surrounding them. Sakuya knew they must be caught in surprise for her actions. But in time, they will know…
"That was your little brother!" Gai snapped, the first one or most probably the only one who dared to shout at her now. "How could you do that! What has the Akatsuki done to you!"
Sakuya remained stoic, simply staring ahead at Rin. The others had to hold Gai back to prevent him from doing anything impulsive.
"I don't negotiate hostages." Sakuya said, though her eyes were fixed on Rin instead of Gai.
"Impressive." Rin remarked, smiling as she turned her gaze from the agitated Gai to the indifferent Sakuya. "I see that Itachi has taught you well."
Suddenly, on top of them, they were shadowed by a huge bird's outline. Sakuya glanced up and knew that company has arrived.
She smirked.
-+-+-+-+-+-
"Godaime!"
The sannin nodded.
"It's-"
She waved a hand for silence, centering her gaze on the cause of commotion.
The feudal lords are safety tucked away and she, with her group of ANBU, were now situated in a convenient corner where they can watch and protect the feudal lords and their village at the same time, that is, if the needarises.
"They should be back any moment now." She simply said.
-+-+-+-+-+-
"What was that…?" Hisa murmured at the overwhelming sight on top of her. She had sneaked out of the underground compound when she saw a commotion ahead. She pushed through the crowd and her gaze wondered from the huge bird to the lifeless familiar body hanging in the weird lady's arms. It was then she realized it was Kyosuke!
She started to run towards him. "Kyo-HmmMM-" But she was suddenly yanked backwards with a hand gagging over her mouth. She was pushed into a corner and when she finally had the chance to see who had this audacity, she realized it was her eldest sister, Hyuuga Hinata.
"One-sama!" Hisa muttered unbelievably. Since when she was back! "I thought you were-"
Hinata placed her hand over her mouth; her Byakugan already activated and focusing on the uninvited guests above. "We have a very dangerous situation here. Go and hide yourself."
Seeing the killer look she had never seen on her eldest sister, little Hisa did obediently just that.
-+-+-+-+-+-
"KONOHA WHIRLWIND!"
Sakuya flipped her hair out of her eyes just in time to see a Gai look-alike sending a powerful swift kick at the huge bird circling them above.
The bird got hit and disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing the two passengers as they landed graciously side by side, flanking Rin. The Gai look-alike landed in front of her in a taijutsu stance, one hand behind his back and the other, in front.
(Rock Lee) Sakuya realized, creasing her brows together in slight irritation. She was supposed to be the heroine, not him!
"Pretty gutsy to come here and face death."
Sakuya turned her head right to see Yamanaka Ino flanking her side. It was her who made the statement. There was this fire in her eyes that Sakuya liked.
"Sasori and Deidara. Today will be the last day you walk on this earth!" Tenten flanked her left.
The two Akatsuki members scoffed.
"Sakura-san, are you alright?" Lee posed the question with his back faced her. It took a bit of a moment for Sakuya to acknowledge his concern. As much as she hated to admit, she liked the alliance of the three. It made her feel… warm.
"Sakura, are you alright?" Ino nudged her when she remained quiet.
Mission, Sakuya told herself to focus on the mission when she looked into the blue eyes filled with warmth.
"Who are you?" Sakuya asked deliberately.
Ino blinked her eyes. "I'm… I'm Ino. You really don't remember me?"
"I can only remember Naruto." Sakuya replied in a matter of fact tone. "Where is he?" Out of the corner of her eyes, Sakuya thought she saw Lee faltered.
"Well, well, well…" Deidara interrupted, taking a look around him, settling his gaze at last at the four of them. "What a reunion."
"Rin, who is this?" Sasori asked, poking the lifeless boy in her arms.
Hisa, all the while watching the scene from her hiding place, was enraged by the outrageous action done to her Kyosuke-kun. She came out of her hiding place but a fierce glare from Hinata sent her right back to her little corner.
"Sakura's dear little brother." Rin replied, yanking the lifeless little body up. "Dead little brother."
"Thirty seconds." Sakuya said in a low whisper, keeping her gaze ahead.
"Huh?" Ino cocked an eyebrow while Tenten frowned at her. Lee turned to look at her from the corner of his eyes.
"We've got thirty seconds before the boy is really dead." Sakuya explained, taking every ounce of her discipline not to laugh out loud. They are starting to take in her words and she has her superb acting skills to thank for! Ha! Deidara and the others were not bad too! But at the back of her mind, her heart went out for the boy…
"I see what you mean." Lee said, changing his stance. "I'll take the bird one." His feet shifted wider and Sakuya could tell he would be launching his attack any time from now.
"I'll take the middle one." Tenten said right after.
"Then what was left for me? The ugly one!" Ino exclaimed, face-faulting everyone.
"Appearances don't matter in battles, Ino-san. Victory is." Sakuya retorted.
"What do you mean, appearances doesn't matter!" Ino retorted, pointing a finger at Sasori. "Just look at him!"
Sasori twitched an eyebrow.
"Just looking at him makes me want to puke!"
"Then by all means, puke all you want, you Ino-pig!" Sakuya burst out, trying to control her hands to stay away from her neck. "If you're not going to take him, then I WILL! Now what are you looking at?"
"You just called me Ino-pig, you wide forehead girl." Ino uttered with a smile.
"Ok, we still got fifteen seconds left." Right after Tenten informed that, a razor-sharp chain came crashing down on them, ripping the part of the rooftop they were standing. The four of them parted instinctively, effectively dodging the attack.
Tenten began to rain kunais from the top while Lee charged right at Deidara.
Deidara released some poisonous spiders from his hands to slow Lee down but was effectively dispelled by Shino, who got his poisonous scorpions to fight it out. Tenten's kunai did some of them too. Lee took the chance and increased his speed. Deidara dodged one of his swift attacks directed at his face with crossed arms and the two were engaged in a bit of taijutsu before Deidara was flung away by one of Lee's famous kicks.
Sasori's chain was about to hit Ino when it froze itself right in front of her face. Breathing, it was then she realized it was caught in Shikamaru's Kage Mane no jutsu (Shadow Copy Technique).
"Pretty gutsy of you to come here and face death." Shikamaru said, coming out from a corner. Ino smiled at his imitation of what she said earlier.
Sakuya headed straight at Rin. There was a voice inside her that kept telling her to get to the boy in time. (Nine more seconds…) She told herself. The two sparred each other with the kunai in their hands before crashing down the hole that Sasori made a while ago.
Inside the dark room, Sakuya knew she had broken one of her ribs but she still managed to smack Rin's hands away from Kyosuke and pulled the needle out of his neck just in time. The boy remained unconscious. But to play safe, Rin pressed the part of his neck that will send one in deep slumber.
"You're pretty concerned about the brat." Rin remarked, arching one of her knees while sprawling on the ground.
Sakuya looked around to make sure they were alone before she turned to Rin. "He's my brother, in case you've forgotten that." Sakuya snapped through gritted teeth. "I've got to keep him alive for credits. You can go now."
"Not until I got my answers." Rin murmured, cocking an eyebrow at her. "But I can wait." Rin stood up, walked towards Sakuya, gave her a punch and thrust a kunai right into her stomach, careful to miss her vital organs. "See you in full moon."
Sakuya grimaced from the pain, felt her blood trickled from her mouth as well as from her abdomen, and returned the blow with a kunai thrust right at Rin's chest, careful to miss her heart. "See you then." And she delivered a hard blow to her cheekbone, sending her flying backwards.
The two were gasping for breaths when Shizune, Hinata and some others burst into the room a moment later. The room was blood-spattered and so was the two adversarial kunoichis. Sakura was holding an unconscious Kyosuke dearly in her arms while Rin lay sprawled at a corner of the room. Upon seeing them, Rin immediately did some hand seals and got away in a puff of smoke.
The ANBUs tried to pursue but Shizune raised a hand to stop them. "Let her go."
"Sakura!" Hinata knelt beside her alongside with Shizune, who was as concerned. The mother whom Sakuya saw earlier was crying nonstop in front of her.
Sakuya held out a hand to her. "He's alright now. I got the needle out just in time…" She started to see two, three images of the mother. "Naruto…" and she felt herself falling backwards…
More, coming up!
A/N: Hey! Hey! Just to inform you guys that I have changed my penname from Jestina to RedAngel06 and I have edited some of my chapters...hhmm.. mostly Chapter 1 I must say. In this chapter, you can see that Naruto and gang are back (Thank Goodness!) and things got a little rollercoaster ride somewhere in the middle where all started to fight! I'm quite bad at fighting scenes so I hope I didn't lose you then and there. Anyhow,hit the button and tell me what you think!