Taisetsuna "Precious" - Version Two
by Aoikami Sarah
Chapter Fourteen
In a small, dark room the Hatake girls awoke surprised to find themselves bound and gagged. They were tied to chairs in a circular formation. Their eyes were blindfolded. Each struggled and tried to scream, but quickly quieted as a laugh like a crow cawing sounded from the other side of the room. "Little Chuunin girls," a man's voice cackled. "You think Kazekage will set you free?" he laughed again. "You're too valuable, little Chuunin girls. We're going to keep you. Our friend Mimizuku will make certain of that!"
"Karasu," a woman's voice barked. "Don't you think you should be outside? Our guests will be here soon."
"Hai hai Sempai," he said, cheerfully. "Though I don't think I'll get a chance to play with them with Washi-san guarding the first gate."
"Just take your position," she said gruffly.
"Hai, Tancho-sempai."
Karasu's light footsteps walked out of the room and another heavier set walked towards the girls. They straightened up in anticipation.
"You think you're so special," the woman called Tancho hissed. "Kazekage-sama is going through an awful lot to keep you here." She circled the girls and scoffed. "It doesn't matter. Soon you won't ever want to leave the Sand." The footsteps disappeared into the next room.
Hikari reached her fingers as far as they would go and brushed Yami's hand on her right and Yume's hand on the left. 'Escape' she said with her fingertip in Morse code.
'How?' both replied.
'Cut ropes first.'
'OK' both agreed and they concentrated on removing their bonds without alerting their captors.
.X.
Kakashi and Oururi bounded across balconies and rooftops. "Are you sure they're there?" he asked.
"If the Anbu have them, they've taken them to the stronghold. I'm sure of it. We have to get there before their Genjutsu specialist gets a hold of them."
They leapt over a high wall and hid in the shadows. Dawn was breaking through thick clouds on another scorcher of a day. Already it was 85 degrees and the usually thin desert air felt thick and heavy. Their hiding place wouldn't last much longer.
"I can see him," Oururi whispered.
"Who's that, the Genjutsu user?" Kakashi spied the huge form in front of the tall gates leading into the Anbu compound.
"No. He's Juuken no Washi; seven foot three inches tall, 450 pounds, stupid, but strong and surprisingly fast for a big guy."
"Juuken? 'Tenblades'?"
Oururi nodded. "Juuken is his sword. When you're dodging it, add another 20 yards on your assumptions. It folds out ten times."
Kakashi sighed. "I sure am glad these are your co-workers."
"Yeah well…" She bit her lip. "If I've been keeping some of my techniques from them for 10 years, I assume they've been doing the same."
Kakashi stared at her. "There are things about you they don't know?"
"Two very important things!" she beamed.
His eye curved with delight. "This is starting to sound like a fair fight."
A deep voice boomed from the enormous man at the gate. "Why don't you come closer so we can play, Oururi-san?"
"Well," Oururi groaned as she stood up. "Let's do this, Inu-san."
Kakashi blinked at her and snorted. She called him by the "dog-boy" nick name she had called him back when they were Anbu together. "Hai, hai, Neko-san."
