Taisetsuna "Precious" - Version Two
by Aoikami Sarah
Chapter Seventeen
They leaned against the door and cautiously pushed it open. Even though the sun had now risen, the clouds looming overhead and the drizzling rain darkened the enclosure. At first, the space seemed vacant, but both knew not to let their guard down. The sand before them swelled and a figured emerged.
"Oururi-san," the man greeted them, sand spilling away from him as he was unearthed. "So good to see you, but not so much the famous Copy Ninja," he hissed, nodding his head in Kakashi's direction.
"Stand down, Karasu" she replied through gritted teeth.
Karasu worked his hands into a series of seals, settling finally on the shape of a bird. "Oh, but don't you want to see the special present I've gotten you?" The earth rumbled and they prepared for the attack. "Kuchiyose Edotensei!"
"He's calling the body and soul of a dead person…"
"How did he learn thatHHHhenifnkldsfklnsdfklnsfd!" Kakashi asked his partner.
Sure enough, the sand erupted a second time and a coffin shot up from the earth. As was traditional, a family name was engraved on the lid. The kanji read 'Tsuyuki'
A quick glance to Oururi told Kakashi the name didn't ring any bells with either of them. The seal cracked revealing the reanimated corpse of a man. He stood nearly 6'4" tall, just a bit taller than Kakashi, and had long, dark blue hair. He lurched forward at Karasu's command. Oururi's jaw dropped.
"Oururi-san, Daddy's home!" Karasu laughed and sent the zombie after her. Kakashi waited and watched as they danced around the enclosure. The zombie pulled a katana on her and slashed away, fortunately still a little stiff from just being awakened.
"Father, stop!" she shouted, desperately.
"I'm sorry, my little girl," his scraggly voice muttered. "I must obey,"
Kakashi watched and was getting tired of waiting, but knew that Oururi wouldn't let him intervene. The clouds rumbled. 'Oh no…' he thought. "Oururi, watch out!" he shouted and pointed to the sky.
"I know!" she barked back, but before she could even cut her cheek, she was astounded to hear the words echo back at her.
"Tsuyuki Ichizoku…"
"Otousan…" she screwed up her face and stared at him. 'What is he doing? 'Tsuyuki'? Even if it is the same attack, it can't affect me.'
"Lightning Call!" The dead man pointed his fingers coated with thick, black blood at his daughter. The bolt hit her chest and pushed her back a few feet. Her heels made tracks in the sand. When the dust cleared she was shocked to find Kakashi standing perilously close to her.
"What are you doing, Baka! Get away from me or you're toast! He charged me up!"
"I know!" he shouted back and threw a smoke bomb to the ground. Before the dust cleared a zap of electricity was heard from the cloud and Oururi tumbled out of it. The Zombie pulled his sword and went for her. Kakashi burst out of the dissipating smoke and headed for Karasu.
"Idiot," Karasu said calmly as he deflected the shuriken that Kakashi hurled as he ran. Karasu never expected the bolt of lightning to shoot out of the Copy Ninja's palm. At a distance of only 4 feet, the 2 inch thick bolt hit his chest at close to 20,000 amps.
"How did you…?" he asked as blood bubbled up into his mouth. "He can't copy an advanced bloodline…"
"Baka." Kakashi put his hand up and transformed back into Oururi. Karasu fell to his knees then face down into the sand. She turned around and saw that once Kakashi transformed back into himself, the Zombie had stopped chasing him. "Otousan!" she called and ran to the man.
"Musume," he whispered and reached out to her but just as their fingers would have met, his physical body turned to sand and fell to the ground.
Oururi stood still for a moment, dumbfounded. She rubbed her hand over her sternum and winced. Kakashi came up behind her. She stared at the sand, darkening with rain. "I want this over, Kakashi. I want my girls and I want out of here, now."
"I know." He clenched his teeth. Even though she had not called the lightning herself, the blast she received from her father had done the same stress to her heart. "You let me get the next one. You're almost out of chakra."
"You are too," she said without turning. Her jacket was soaked through. She sloughed it off and dumped it on the ground. The dry patch in the middle of her shirt attested to the power of the blast she took. The rain slowly changed that. She looked up at the sky and let the small droplets coat her face then wiped it with one hand. More than anything at that moment she wanted Kakashi to wrap his arms around her and tell her everything was going to be all right, but she knew that if he did she wouldn't have the strength to go on. "Don't tell me that freaky eye of yours doesn't suck chakra just as much."
"Got me there," he said and turned to open the fifth and final gate.
She breathed a sigh and followed him.
