Chapter 10: Team Kurenai
"Alright everyone, based on the building's layout, we should be getting close to our destination," Kurenai said.
"Right," Kiba said.
Inochi glanced over at Sasuke. "Hey, um, Sasuke?"
Sasuke looked at her. "What is it?"
"I was just noticing that you don't talk much, like Shino. A-And, you haven't smiled…Is everything okay?"
"I'm fine."
She tilted her head to one side. "…Something happened to you in your past, right?"
He twitched at her words. "What is it that you want to know about me?"
"I want to know why you seem to be hurting on the inside."
He turned his head. "Fine, whatever. My older brother killed my entire clan, and now I have to become the best so I can kill him. There, are you happy?"
She frowned. "Oh, Sasuke…I know how painful that must have been for you, but don't let it get to you, alright?" She put her hand on his shoulder. "You have to be strong, no matter what. Believe in yourself, and have faith…" She looked down. "I don't really know how to say this but, I know what it's like, that feeling that you're alone. I know how it makes people suffer. Airi, she feels responsible for the destruction for two-thirds of her clan and everyone from her clan feels the same."
"It's nothing like what I had to go though."
"But Sasuke-"
Sasuke held up his hand. "I don't really want to talk about it anymore." He walked up ahead with Kurenai.
"Oh, okay, I see…" Inochi sighed. I hate it when people suffer…
Kiba walked over to Inochi. "Inochi?"
She looked up. "Huh? Oh, hello Kiba."
"Um, I wasn't eavesdropping or anything, but I heard you talking about Airi. You said that the people in her clan blame her for what happened and she even blames herself?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"That's not fair though! Why do they have to hold her responsible! I heard the whole story and it's not her fault! She wasn't the one that killed two-thirds of her clan!"
"Kiba, please clam down. What you speak is the truth, but it's the weakness of people's hearts that blind them from the real issue. It was Airi's job to strengthen the protective barrier around her village, but she failed. Everyone was so quick to despise her, but when the Aburames attacked, they fully blamed her for it. People told her that it was her fault that it stuck with her." She shook her head. "It wasn't her fault, none of it. She was young and she didn't know. The only person that didn't make her feel guilty was her older brother, Aurion. Even her own parents were ashamed of her. I had to watch helplessly as she was rejected by everyone; I was a spirit with no body."
"That's so cruel! Why would they do something like that!"
"The Nozomi Clan expects a lot out of its Chosen Ones. It's a tough clan to live in; failure isn't tolerated."
"But that's not fair for Airi…"
"I know Kiba, but there isn't anything we can do to change their society. It's been like that for hundreds of years."
"Hey, Inochi and Kiba, come on," Kurenai called out. "We're at the lock mechanism." Kiba and Inochi nodded and ran over.
"Do you know how to work this thing Kurenai sensei?" Kiba asked.
"Well, I could give it a try…" Kurenai slowly reached for a button.
"Wait Kurenai!" Inochi exclaimed. "What if there's a trap if we operate it wrong? We need to make sure that what we're doing is right!"
"Inochi's right. We can't just press stuff like a little child," Sasuke agreed. "We have to know what we're doing."
"Can you operate any of this stuff Sasuke!" Kiba asked. Sasuke remained silent.
Inochi looked up at the ceiling. "Hey, there's a camera up there." She turned to Kiba. "Kiba, give me a lift."
He shrugged. "Okay." He picked her up.
Inochi reached for the camera. "Kiba, you'll have to hold me for a while longer, is that okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Do whatever you need to do."
She nodded and grabbed the camera. "Let's see who was here last…" The camera displayed a person that was in the room previously. "Hey, Sasuke, you're an Uchiha, right?"
"Yeah, what of it?"
"I think I found a way for you to disengage the lock. Kiba, I'd like to get down now."
"Okay." He gently lowered her to the ground.
"The way the man operated the machine is kinda hard to see from this angle, but I bet if you watched that camera and used your Sharingan, Sasuke, you could copy the movements of the last person that was here."
"Hey, that's a good plan," Sasuke said.
"There's no way I'm picking him up," Kiba said.
"Aw c'mon Kiba!" Inochi said. "In the words of Aurion, 'Don't be such a wuss!'" She smiled.
"I am NOT having a guy sit up on my shoulders, ya hear!"
"I won't do it either," Sasuke said.
"Fine, fine!" Kurenai said with an irritated sigh. "I'll do it!" She got on her knees and Sasuke climbed onto her back. "Now hurry up Sasuke!"
"Okay, okay!" He focused for a moment. "Sharingan!" His eyes turned red, his Sharingan was active. "Let's see what's in here…" He replayed the video and watched as a man disengaged the lock. "Okay then…" He jumped down from Kurenai's shoulders and walked over to the machine. "I just gotta copy his movements and…" He began to press certain buttons. With a loud 'click' noise, the lock was disengaged.
"You did it Sasuke!" Inochi cheered. "Way to go!"
"Well, it was your plan, but you're welcome!"
"We should probably make our way back now, right?" Kiba asked.
"Yeah! Let's go!" They ran in the opposite direction.