Chapter 20
"We'd have been flattened if Akamaru hadn't sniffed out that escape route." Kakashi states as we stare down at the whirlpool of sand and stone from our perch on a bolder that somehow was remaining sturdy against the rushing ground... Akamaru barks and Kiba laughs.
"Good boy Akamaru. So they did lay a trap after all." Looking over at Kiba I nearly tilted my head. I had wanted to ask why he rides Akamaru like a horse but I guess it's only fair from all the time the pup spent on Kiba's head.
"Not for us." Shino points out getting Kiba's attention and successfully causing Kiba to make a sound of question. "I doubt that the enemy has any idea we're even in the vicinity. I think that trap was set off to destroy the evidence. To destroy the hideout itself."
"But all those people that were still inside!" Hinata whimpers as I look down at her from where I was setting.
"They were all pretty much dead. There would have been nothing we could have done." I point out to her simply.
"That's just.." Her eyes quiver looking down at the rushing ground.
"Cruelty... is Orochimaru's strong suit." I cut her off if only to drive her thoughts home.
"Pretty ruthless alright." Kakashi says agreeing with me.
"Orochimaru, he's going to pay for that." Kiba growls out and Akamaru barks almost sounding like he was agreeing.
"It's slowing." I mutter standing up watching the ground.
"You're right." Kakashi says as he pushes off from the edge of the bolder so he was now standing instead of leaning against it.
It didn't seem to take long at all after the initial signs of the ground coming to a halt as what used to be the hideout fills up entirely. Leaving the ground soft and fresh enough I didn't want to chance standing on it. Kakashi jumps off the boulder to the side of the scene around us, making sure to land on a sturdy rock surface. "Well, in as much as we've located Orochimaru's hideout, we've achieved our mission." Kakashi says turning to look at us.
"But we can't really say it's been a success, can we?" Shino asks pocketing his hands. Kakashi utters out a sound of question as he looks more towards Shino's direction who was now standing behind him. "We can't return to the Leaf without having gathered any information about his current whereabouts and plans"
"He's right Kakashi Sensei." Kiba agrees with Shino before Hinata takes a step forward folding her hands in front of her chest.
"There is one bit of information that we've learned." Kakashi and the other two just seem to look at her. "Well, that was a timed explosion. Whoever set the timer had to of been here recently."
"What?" Kiba says in shock.
"You're right and if they're still in the vicinity, we should find out what we can from them." Kakashi informs us seriously.
"Good, then it's decided, let's get after them." Kiba declares brimming with determination. I cross my arms in silence as Kakashi looks at me even when Shino speaks.
"Leave everything to me." He raises his hands out from his sides. His bugs swarming out from his arms rapidly. "My parasitic insects are masters of picking up an enemy's trail."
"Hey, if anybody's a master of tracking the enemy, it's Akamaru here." Kiba argues making Akamaru bark.
"Yes, and don't forget me!" Hinata stutters to add herself in.
"Don't you guys get it? You were all chosen for this team because of your tracking abilities. Stop arguing for five minutes." I roll my eyes. "Even Kakashi has his fang pursuit team he can summon to track."
"Yeah, and you're the odd man out." Kiba laughs and I shrug.
"I wonder if that's true." Kakashi states causing the four of us to look at him. "Kira, you've been holding out." The other three utter sounds of question now turning to me making me openly sigh.
"You noticed." I shake my head. "With my energy blanket, I can feel any movement within a 2-kilometer radius. Be it birds, insects, people, or animals. I can feel a single breath taken or chakra infused. That being said. My energy blanket is almost useless due to Shino's insect swarms and the way they fan out. They cause enough movement that it becomes difficult for me to discern anything beyond them." I then turn so my back is now to them. "As for my input, Kakashi. I agree that our mission is complete. However, who knows when the next time will be that any trace will be found leading to Orochimaru. We should take this chance and track the enemy."
"Alright, Kiba, which direction?" Kakashi asks and Kiba laughs. Leaping onto the solid ground Akamaru begins to sniff around. He and Kiba seem to slowly disappear down the hill before we hear a bark.
"This way." Kiba calls and we move to meet up with him before following them up into the trees. I follow behind Kakashi. Lowering my head further behind my high collar I frown, nearly sighing. He didn't even question it. I lied. Majorly. The distance I can sense is much further. Not even in the same league as a two Kilometer radius. The day I saw them for the first time in three years. Itachi and Fishface were stationed more than 50 Kilometers away from the hideout in order for them to be an effective diversion.
A guilty feeling threatens to root itself deeply as I watch the back of Kakashi's head. I hate lying. It's my most basic principle, and yet, being in this world. I lost my way from it. Beginning with half-truths now to full-on lying. The art of a shinobi is deception. It's what we are meant to do. It just sucks. "Something on your mind, Kira?" Kakashi asks looking at me from over his shoulder. I jump up beside him.
"Just wondering if I'll have to administer medical ninjutsu on you before the mission is over, Kakashi." He drops his head and his shoulders slouch with his arms dangling in front of him dramatically. Sweat beading at his temple making me laugh.
"So harsh." He whines before I reach out and touch his arm lightly. Drawing his attention back to me. I give him a smile before looking ahead of us. It's definitely an act.
"Sorry." I tell him more seriously as I jump off the side of a tree because a branch was missing to only land beside him again. "I was trying to joke." I explain.
"Kira, a glacier of ice would be funnier than you." I roll my eyes and look away from him puffing my cheeks out, making him chuckle. He suddenly jumps over to me and leans over my shoulder close enough I could feel the heat coming through his mask. "Got ya." He pokes playfully making my eyes widen. Looking at him as he pulls back my cheeks flush red.
"You do realize, if you would have done that three years ago. I would have punched you, Kakashi." I poke at him making him smile. It was then I stiffen feeling the two behind us watching. My gaze moves back to Kiba to see him moving his head to look away from us. My smile falters. Great, now they're going to have the wrong idea.
"My insects have detected the enemy." Shino says as he stops on a branch upon his knees. Catching our attention. He then changes course. Jumping off the tree in about the same direction we had just come. Without question, we follow him. Our pace picking up as the others were in more of a hurry now. I nearly tilt my head at this. The tension in the air was different, thicker even.
Looking ahead I found that I had stopped. Putting a hand on the tree beside me. I felt something huge appear before it... Shattered. Leaving behind…. Sixteen solid objects where it had just been. Has to be.. 3 or more kilometers in the exact direction we are heading in. One person simply seems to walk away from what had just happened with a purpose. Shit. I breathe feeling her every movement. The smile on her face. What just exactly happened?! Those damn bugs. Even now it's hard to keep a feel on her.
"Kira?" Kakashi's voice echoes in my ears bringing me back as he places a hand on my shoulder. Looking up at him I can watch him frown.
"I'm ok." I tell him quietly before moving on. Making them start to move again in silence. I could feel them watching me. Looking over my shoulder at them I try to smile. "Sorry, I haven't slept. Been out training." With those words, the tensions lesson as Shino takes point again. I had given them something to cling on to so they can go back to focusing on the mission.
"Kira." Hinata's quiet voice comes up next to me. Bringing my attention to her. She then holds out a bag to me. " ." Taking the bag I look in it and raise a brow. Brown balls...
"Food pills?" I question and she smiles in my direction.
"Yes! You still need to rest but these will help you keep up for now." She always speaks so honestly. This girl wears her heart on her sleeve, a completely open book.
"Thank you." I tell her taking one before handing the bag back to her, if only just to be nice. I know these things are jam-packed full of ingredients that people otherwise would not let near their mouths let alone eat. They are supposed to boost chakra, and your own bodily energy to keep you going in a pinch. I've never tried them... I wonder if they will do anything at all for me. She continues watching me with a smile until I finally pop it into my mouth.
It's awful! I couldn't help but cringe at the taste. Like really awful! It's all I can do to not spit it out awful. Managing to chew and swallow the vile thing she smiles more openly. Happy she can be of help. I give her a smile in return before looking away and pushing forward. Taking my spot up back behind Kakashi in silence. He shakes his head and looks back at me. "You always push yourself too hard." His eye softens upon me.
"Always have." I tell him now moving up next to him. "Kakashi." I speak lowly to him causing him to look at me again. "Drop the act." I told him plainly. "I can play along all day long when you pout or poke fun at me. But we both know, it's not who you are."
"Oh? Then who am I?" He asks curiously just before Shino jumps down into a field. Falling pink flecks of rock still rain down on us. Looking around I take in the sight of people captured inside of the same type of rock formations. "A jutsu that imprisons the victims in crystals?" Hinata gasps.
"Earth style?" Kiba asks in wonderment and confusion. Whatever style, it's beautiful.
"I've never seen anything like it." Hinata continues from what she had been saying before Kiba had interrupted her.
"My insects suffered the same fate." Shino says as he looks at one of the small crystals raining down on us like snow. I couldn't help but look at the expression of fear frozen on a guy's face. A faint sound of cracking ebbs into the silence just before the large rocks shatter taking the people along with them. Tilting my head I kneel down to the ground and run my fingers over the shards of crystals. "Itachi told me something once." I whisper low enough just Kakashi could hear me as he comes up next to me. "Of a rumor.."
Kakashi looks down at me his eye still shaken with his own thoughts before he nods showing me that I was thinking along the same lines as him. -So it's not just a rumor. And here I thought Itachi only told me about this because he thought I would enjoy imagining creating crystals with my energy. It's actually what led me to developing my whip and energy blade.- Picking up a small crystal still intact I stand and walk over to Shino.
"One of your bugs didn't break." I tell him as I hold it up for him to see. "I wonder why. When even those men shattered." Shino takes the insect from me just as Kakashi glances over at the four of us.
"Let's get out of the open." He says before walking through the clearing towards the trees on the other side with us following him. Akamaru suddenly barks drawing our attention.
"Akamaru found footprints." Kiba informs us and Kakashi walks over to them. Kneeling down to get a better look. "Smells like six different prints." Kiba mutters and Kakashi nods.
"Yes, there are six sets." He says aloud as he stands and follows them into the trees. Under the cover of trees again I sit down and lean my back against one of them. I had told them I stopped due to fatigue so I very well should act tired.
"What's going on Kakashi?" Kiba asks as Kakashi stops, keeping his back to us.
"Shino, can I use that crystal?" He asks suddenly and Shino steps forward.
"I don't see why not." Shino speaks as he holds out his hand dropping the crystalized insect I had found into Kakashi's waiting hand.
Without wasting any time Kakashi's fingers fly through the hand signs before he bites his thumb and slams it on the ground as he kneels down. "Summoning jutsu." He says just before a puff of smoke appears. Revealing Pakkun.
"What can I do you for, Kakashi?" Pakkun asks as he sits down looking up at the Jonin.
Kakashi holds his hand out to him containing the crystal. "Take this to Lady Tsunade to have it analyzed.
"Huh? What on earth is it?" Pakkun asks looking at the pink crystal in Kakashi's hand.
"It's a jutsu that was cast on one of Shino's insects by a follower of Orochimaru. We think." Kakashi calmly explains it to him.
"Huh? Orochimaru again?" Pakkun asks looking up at Kakashi.
"Yes, by the looks of the footprints we seen. We're looking for five maybe six of them. Anyway, we're going after them." Pakkun holds his paw up as Kakashi reaches for it. Slipping the crystal into the pug's leg wraps he continues. "Get back to the village quickly."
"Leave it to me." Pakkun says as he stands and starts to run off.
"I know, I can count on you." Kakashi watches Pakkun leave and the others step up to Kakashi. "Alright, let's get after them. Whoever they are. But not altogether. We'll spread out, widen our search area. We cannot afford to let them slip through."
"Right." Hinata says understanding his orders as Kiba smirks. "Got it." And Akamaru barks. I get up off the ground with a nod.
Like Kakashi said. We split up. I could feel them moving in the same direction as I am though at a much slower pace than what I would have liked. No matter. I flip through the air from one branch to another slowing my own speed to match theirs. They were being cautious though I couldn't quite figure out why. As far as I can tell, there is no one out here but us. They were long gone.
I then shake my head at my own thoughts as I stop my childish movements and begin to move more carefully. There is always the possibility that Shino's insects have hidden them from my view, now that I think about it. In fact, I have no doubt, they couldn't have disappeared that fast.
