"HOW COULD HAVE THIS HAPPENED!? SHE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US DAMMIT!"
Lifting his head ever so slightly, Itachi who stood leaning against the wall silently regarded his best friend who was pacing back and forth the room angrily. Crossing his arms over his chest with a sigh, he turned his head to look at the leader who sat in one of the chairs in the room, his arms resting over his knees and his head bowed in contemplation.
"We have to go after her." Shisui hissed as he turned to Kakashi, "We have to rescue her! She could be-"
"Anywhere…" Kakashi cut him off quietly, "…We don't know where she is or where they have taken her. Also, right now, our priority is protecting the prince…" he paused to glance at the prince who stood by the window, a petulant pout over his face, "…we can't leave his side."
"So you are telling us to leave her is that is?!" The Uchiha demanded, marching forward and taking the ANBU by his collar and Maitake swallowed hard as his eyes bled into a dangerous crimson, "She is our teammate…DO YOU HONESTLY EXPECT US TO ABANDON HER!?"
The ANBU captain let out an exasperated sigh, closing his visible eye to express his thoughts. It was somewhat surprising that Shisui would react like this –he had assumed that the chuunin, despite his goofy exterior was as they rumored him to be, calm and collected in dire situations as this. He was far from calm –he was furious to the point he was ready to break someone's neck into two.
It seemed that he was one to prioritize teammates above missions for one –a wave of nostalgia washed over him at the thought and he reopened his eye to stare blankly into the blood-red orbs. "What do you want me to do then? Abandon the mission and have the prince killed?" He asked quietly and the Uchiha stiffened, "If Sakura were here, what would she say? Do you honestly think she'd let you abandon your mission for her sake?"
Shisui bowed his head in defeat and he let go of the copy nin, making him fall back into his seat roughly and he turned around, crossing his arms over his chest with a scowl. This was ridiculous –he would think that Kakashi was on his side to go rescue Sakura!
"…Kakashi-San is right Shisui..." The younger Uchiha finally spoke, breaking the long silence and Shisui shot him a look of disbelief, "Right now, we have to prioritize our mission above everything else. They'll be sure to come back for him soon. "
"But how can you just leave her alone!?" He retorted, waving his arms in front of him to express his disbelief, "Who knows what they might do to her!"
"Have some faith in Sakura…Shisui." Itachi cut him off, throwing him a frown of disapproval, "I understand your concern –I myself was worried about her safety but all we can do now is to trust in her. We are helping her by staying loyal to the objectives of the mission we were entrusted with. All we can do now is to try solving this case."
"…what do you mean 'was'?" Maitake muttered, shifting from one foot to another uncomfortably. He didn't like this tense aura in the room one bit –shinobi were damn terrifying when they became like this and hell, his father had to hire members of a special bloodline for the job. "You aren't worried about her anymore?"
"…Sakura is perfectly capable of taking care of herself." Itachi said without hesitation, tilting his head to the side slightly, "…She's crafty and sly…I'm sure she has something up her sleeve. Frankly, I don't find the need to be worried about her at all….knowing her she'd find her way back sooner or later. In any case…we need to focus on solving this mystery if we are to get a lead on where she is."
"…start from the castle." Shisui said quietly as he switched his sharingan off and they all shot him a curious glance. "…Itachi if it would help –the enemy nin whom Sakura- Chan fatally wounded disappeared the moment I turned my back on them along with the rest of those lying over the grounds. I attempted to track them in…but they disappeared without so much as a trace."
"…they couldn't have gotten further than the palace then." Kakashi said quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose and Itachi pursed his lips thoughtfully, "…what did Sakura say about the plot…something about the plot…it might just work even if it's stupid…"
"Plot…?" Itachi muttered blankly. "Was that what you were talking up on the roof about?"
"…she brings up the most…creative…of topics." Kakashi said carefully and the young Uchiha smirked.
"Oh!" Shisui snapped his fingers together, making them turn back to him, "The guy we were interrogating said that the one ordering them around was supposedly someone from the higher ranks from within the castle! It would mean that if they disappeared in such a short time they should either be inside the castle or below it! There's no way they can teleport themselves out of here –they are too many in number!"
"And if they take any prisoners…" Itachi's lips parted in surprise, "Of course…there's a possibility that she's still inside the castle! Judging from the number of victims found as well…and the location from where they were found…"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa…hold up!" Maitake hissed, interrupting the three Shinobi, his teeth gritting together in annoyance, "Look, I've been living inside his castle for the whole of my life and there is no one who knows this place better than I do! There is no way they can be kept inside the castle! It's absolutely impossible!"
"…we're going to have to brush past that one." Kakashi said quietly and the prince shot him a look of disbelief. "You've been locked up inside that place for a while now…anything could've changed within a period that long. It could also be possible however that the reason to keep you restrained was for that sole purpose."
"…hah?"
"Oh yeah!" Shisui whacked his palm with his fist as a look of realization crossed over his face –one which looked very stupid to the prince, "Since the brat knows the castle well, maybe that's the reason he was locked up in the first place! But won't that actually make the king the traitor or something?" At the look on Kakashi's face, he smile wryly, "….or maybe not. What about his advisor then?"
"…he's not within the kingdom now! Uncle would never do something so traitorous!" Maitake growled. "First my father and now my uncle….HOW DO I KNOW YOU'RE NOT FAKING IT ALL?! YOU MAY VERY WELL BE THE ONES DOING THIS! THAT'S RIGHT! YOU SHINOBI ARE ALL-"
"Oi…" Shisui turned to him slowly, his sharingan flickering on and the boys froze, "…shut up before I really lose it alright…? Sakura-chan has been kidnapped and we are forced to abandon her and watch over a brat like you. We Shinobi risk our own lives and the lives of our comrades every day over missions like this. As a stupid member of a royal family, what can you understand about losing someone precious?"
"…stop it, Shisui." Kakashi said quietly. "You are talking to-"
"…I won't." Shisui narrowed his eyes at the copy nin, his teeth gritting together tightly, "I don't care if he's some stupid prince or whatever. I won't stand for my friends or our line of work to be insulted."Turning back to Maitake, he scowled, "As for you, mind your manners. I don't care if you're the princess of the laughing fish village or whatever –I'll beat you up without a moments' notice the next time you act up. Got it?"
"…that's enough." His hands tightened into fists at his sides as he felt Itachi's hand over his shoulder. With a sigh, he turned to his friend wearily, "…Shisui, I understand how worried you are. But I think it would please her better if we trust her to take care of herself." the boy said quietly, "If we're going to get anywhere near her, we'll need to solve this case first. Please calm down."
"…Fine."
"Still…we can't just completely abandon her…" Kakashi stood up, earning blank stares from both Uchiha. Something darted in through the window and Maitake shrieked, hiding behind Itachi as he realized it was a dog. A DOG. How on earth did a dog jump in through a window?! They were at least six stories high! "Report?" he asked as he bent down and the prince made a face as the dog started talking.
"Why the hell is he talking to a-ULP."
"Shh!" To his chagrin, both Uchiha simultaneously slammed their fingers over his lips without as much as a thought, effectively cutting him off. He could only stand there with a scowl, fixed in position as the two boys listened in to the dog explaining about what he had gathered so far. After a good long five minutes, the animal disappeared into thin air and the silver haired nin stood up.
"Her scent is still fresh…she's definitely inside the castle. Pakkun says he can't locate where she exactly is though…for some reason." He frowned, "…the scent of those bandit ninja are nearby too…which could only mean one thing. She's being kept hidden using the same technique they are using to hide themselves…which in turn means she's currently immobile."
"…Her scent is fresh around the village though." Pakkun said quietly and Kakashi raised an eyebrow, "Suspiciously, Itachi's scent was too –only fainter. Didya two abandon your posts and just skip off hand in hand into the marketplace for some quality time? You smell of shrimp by the way."
"…I lost a bet." Itachi shifted on one foot the other uncomfortably, looking away from their accusing looks –particularly Shisui's who glared with a look of utter betrayal on the fact that his best friend abandoned him to suffer at the hands of the royal brat and instead went to show on delicious fried street food."She bought me some fried shrimp…I couldn't refuse."
"I asked you to NOT leave the castle! AND HERE I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE TYPE TO OBEY ORDERS!" Kakashi pointed into the boy's face, only to be promptly shoved away, much to his annoyance.
"We returned on time." He stuffed his hands back into his pockets. There was no need to reveal that they used shadow clones in their stead –if anything it would just annoy them further –Kakashi looked pissed off as it was. "Besides, we weren't needed then…and we got a good look around the village. In any case, I think we should just leave her be instead of giving chase."
"What?!" Shisui snapped and Itachi sighed exasperatedly.
"I told you. She can handle herself. As I said you should trust in her abilities more. I get you want to protect her but she did what she did to come help us. Anyone with lesser abilities couldn't have been chosen –it's not everyone who can bear the brunt of seeing the people they had loved and lived with, not know anything about them." Itachi said quietly and Kakashi looked down.
Of course…she had described how her teammates were all take from her in brutal fashion –one by one. Although it seemed that the odd tempered pink haired little girl was hard headed and strong, she did have a soft spot for all of them –and by how she had lunged at him with a cry of joy did melt his heart a bit even if he was annoyed initially. And after she had done with her explanation just made him realize how much she missed them. Still…that was not going to get in the way of her rescue.
"Even if she can deal with herself we're going to keep track of how she is. Pakkun will try to locate exactly where she is while we deal with the prince." Kakashi announced, turning to Maitake, "You…can you let us into the morgue and let us meet the undertaker? We need to inspect the corpses and the manner of their death. Of course…if Sakura were here that would make things a whole lot lighter…"
"…why do I have to help YOU guys?" he muttered.
"Because if you don't I'll stab you in the ass with this kunai and cause you a lot of pain. And trust me, the last thing I want to do is stab another man's ass with a long sharp thing that would probably cause bloody, painful outcomings for a long, long time." Shisui growled, holding his kunai up to his face and Maitake paled promptly, "…either that or I throw your out the window and blame it on accidental suicide. You pick."
"…I'm actually personal friends with the undertaker since I like studying corpses." He quickly walked out of the room, "Follow me."
"…You know…that was a wildly inappropriate for you to say..." Kakashi said quietly as they followed after the terrified boy. "…just saying, 'this concerns your father's kingdom and your life' might have worked better than stabbing him."
"Shut up." The genius of the body flicker jutsu scowled as he shoved his kunai back into his pocket. "He's leading us there isn't he?"
Perhaps…it would just be better if he didn't question what these three said or did spontaneously. That way he could…at least...stay sane.
"…looks like he's not here." Maitake said quietly, giving the place a cursory look as he walked inside. It was a dimly lit place–barely illuminating the large stone table in the middle and the shelves that contained numerous bottles –some filled with odd liquids and some that contained odd body parts. There were windows, but all of them closed and curtains drawn over most. "Cai, are you here?" he called as he closed the door behind them, pulling his hood off. "Cai?"
"Eurgh….this place REEKS…" Shisui grumbled as he waved his gloved palms in front of his face, trying to ward off the odor, "What's that smell? Anesthetic? It smells like the hospital AND dead people combined…."
"Oh is that so? We would have never known if you hadn't told us Shisui, considering we ARE in a MORGUE." Kakashi hummed as he inspected the bottles on the shelves and ignoring the annoyed glare Shisui shot him. "…How did you get involved with the undertaker of all of people? Aren't you, as a prince, supposed to stay away from places like this? You seem to know him well."
"He's my friend." Maitake said as he shifted across the room, "….my only friend."
"Friend?" Itachi echoed.
"I for one don't like being cooped up in the palace. My only interest is in studying corpses and complex formula…books." His lips turned up into a grin as he pulled out some books from the shelf, "When I was a kid, I ran away from home and I got lost in this part of town. Cai found me when I was crying in the streets…I didn't know how to go back home so…"
"You ran away and you lost your way while you were trying to go back…? Jeez…" Shisui muttered and Maitake shot him a glare.
"…he bought me back here and helped me." He continued, ignoring the Shinobi, "I found myself fascinated with what he was doing…studying the human body and preserving it so that it lasts longer…preparing it for burial…it seems like a repulsive job but I found it intriguing. There is somehow great beauty in it and he was happy I saw it the same. So I began sneaking out of the palace and studying under his tutelage…one reason I was so upset when I was locked in here was because of that."
"How old were you?" Itachi asked curiously.
"It was three years ago." Maitake hummed, "…Since he's not here I guess I can provide an insight onto them but…I have little to no idea of how the victims were taken. He must've kept a record here somewhere…." He glanced at Itachi who was staring oddly at the shelves of oddly colored liquids and bottles, "…besides being an undertaker he also is a chemist. He likes making potions and stuff."
"…Do you know any?" Kakashi asked as he pulled out a couple of files, spreading them on the large table.
"A couple…I haven't had much training but he taught me some potions that I can use to interfere with the victims sensory abilities, to mask my scent to throw off hound dogs for a period of time…" He grinned with unrelenting excitement eagerly showing over his bright face, "I used the last one plenty of times to sneak out of the castle. He has perfected them but I have yet to reach that level."
Itachi's eyes narrowed imperceptibly at the boy before lifting his prying gaze to meet Kakashi's and Shisui's, both who nodded at him with quiet agreement. If what he said was true, that it could mean that the undertaker might have had a hand in the attacks –the fact that they were unable to properly trace Sakura's scent and the mention of the potion had now moved him into the clear spotlight of the suspicious.
Then again, what could his ulterior motive be?
His brows drawing into a frown, the silent Uchiha genius flicked his sharingan on and quickly glanced around the room, searching for any abnormalities. It was clear –there were no traps, no ridiculous gadgets or people nearby to be stalking them…then again with that mention of the potion to throw off the victim's sensory abilities…
"…Ya, Maitake…how good is your relationship with that guy?" Shisui startled the prince with a sudden question as he grabbed a random paper off the table to inspect it, wincing at the implicit descriptions and drawings of a corpse. "Is he the only friend you have?"
"He's the only person who understands me besides my uncle…my father's advisor." He frowned, "I don't have any other friends."
"Surely you should have friends your age…"
"I don't." The prince uttered with silent remorse, "…they don't like me. No one does really…they don't match with my line of interests. They are scared of me too…some of them…I don't know why but they wouldn't let me out of the castle most of the times and even if they do…the kids won't play with me. For a long time I used to think it was because I am a monster…"
"…kid. You may be an annoying ass but you are definitely not a monster." Shisui said quietly as he picked up a surgical instrument, inspecting it carefully, "In fact, I kinda like arguing with you. You're okay even if a bit of a pain in the behind."
"…Your pink haired friend told me the same thing while she was looking after me." He said after a pause, "...I can see why you like her so much…she's really fun and smart...and she's really lucky to have friends who believe in her. Having done lots of missions with each other and hung out with each other so much…you guys must be good friends."
"…actually…it's our first mission together." Kakashi corrected him and Maitake turned around with a look of surprise. "I haven't known her for long…just a few days. Shisui met her recently too. Itachi knows her better –she's been with him for a few days longer than we have. Our Hokage put us into the same group to protect you."
"Wait…so you all became friends just on one mission?" He blinked, "How is that possible? You work really well together….well…even if you keep on getting on each others nerves…"
The three boys stood quietly before exchanging looks at each other. With a sigh, Kakashi crossed his arms over his chest, "…Well…I suppose." He admitted grudgingly and Shisui rolled his eyes. "Teamwork is important in a mission; so whether we like each other or not, we have to work together to ensure the success of the mission."
"You seem to like each other." Maitake pointed out bluntly, "…Well at least...you seem to like the pinky." He pointed at Shisui who turned a bright red immediately and glared when Itachi and Kakashi shot him curious glances. "Since you always seem to be looking after her and saying stuff like 'she's so cute' or 'she's so awesome' or 'she's this' and 'she's that'."
"…..You're nosy. WHEN DID I SAY THAT I LIKE HER?!" He barked and the prince raised his hands in defense. "WHAT'S IT TO YOU IF I SAY THAT 'SHE'S THIS' OR 'SHE'S THAT'!?"
"Hey…I'm just asking. You say weird things all the time. But then when someone keeps saying 'she's this and she's that' its usually because they're infatuated with that her." He snickered. "Of course it has nothing to do with me…I'm merely curious because you look out for her so much despite it being your first mission together."
"…it's our first mission…" The chuunin admitted quietly as he backed down, crossing his arms over his chest as he averted his gaze, "…however, we have hung out a few time prior to this. She's a good friend and a good person. I look out for her because I want to protect her. That's all."
"…Hahhhh?" He made a face, "But why? She can punch in someone's brain in and not bat an eyelash. She doesn't need protecting."
"…You don't need to know. I'm not trying to say she needs protecting just because she's a girl but I'm a gentlemen, I'll have you know and it's my duty to look after her." He huffed, puffing his reddened cheeks out. "Now can we please get back on topic?! If your father finds out we're gone he'll start freaking out with the gas and everything. And the last thing I want is to topple down paralysed...oh hold on, is that the sharingan?" he squinted at the open page of the book Maitake held up.
"Yeah. Cai really likes studying about kekkei genkai." Maitake shrugged as he stuffed the book back into the shelf. "Why?"
"...Fuh...explains why he wanted to recruit 'special' shinobi for this mission." Shisui miffed as Itachi and Kakashi glanced at each other, "Now hurry up and continue searching! The longer I stay here the more creeped out I get!"
"Yeah, yeah…" Maitake mumbled as he went back to combing into the folders. As he engrossed himself in the excavation, the young Uchiha genius discreetly let his sharingan back on and gave a cursory look around the room. Out of the corner of his eye then, a flicker of a movement at the closed window got his attention and he snapped his face to it, his brows furrowing together.
"...Itachi." Kakashi said, tensing up and the boy narrowed his eyes, nodding in agreement. Something was clearly not right.
"...That's strange...there are no records of them here..."
"What do you mean there are no records you brat?! He's the undertaker isn't he!?" Shisui barked in frustration, storming up to the prince. "How could the undertaker not have records of dead people!?"
"...Cai is usually very meticulous...on top of that, it's strange that he's not here...he never leaves the place..." He stood up slowly in contemplation, "...I wonder-"
Before he could complete his sentence, something burst in through the window and Maitake watched as a small dark object flew across his face. The next thing he knew, he was pushed off into the ground with a heavy weight settled over him, just as a series of bright lights and exploding sounds echoed around the room. His lips parted in a frighted scream as he felt the burning heat crawl over his legs and face, and a ringing spread through his ears. "OJISAN!"
"...Itachi...psst...Itachi...wake up..."
"Ngnnn..."
"...WAKE UP SHRIMP FACE."
Itachi bolted up awake with a gasp, his shoulders tensing up when he came to face with total darkness and feeling metal clamps around his arms and legs. "...thank god..you're alive." His ears twitched and he slowly turned his face to the side. "...I guess they got you too eh. They knocked you out with the poison gas and bought you here. I heard from the bandit ninja who bought you here."
...Sakura?
"...Sakura...! Where are you?"
"...In the cell in front of you. As you can hear..." The pinkette rattled her own chains, "These things are sucking our chakra out so we can't exactly do anything yet. They've placed binds over your eyes too...so that you can't use your eyes. It's pretty surprising that they know about the sharingan..."
"...I see..." He shifted slowly to sit up straight, facing the sound of her voice. From how it sounded, it seemed they were in an abandoned dungeon -the smell of mustiness and oil burning indicated it was underground and lamps were used as a light source. "...Are you okay...?"
"...Other than the fact that I am chakra-less right now, I'm pretty okay. Also, my hair is a mess and I'm pretty sure my face is caked with dirt. I have a feeling I do not want to see my reflection right now." She answered with a grumble, "...What about Shisui and Kakashi? Are they okay? Did they miss me~?"
"...I don't know. After the explosion I really don't remember anything." He admitted, "...I do recall seeing Shisui protect Maitake from the flames however...he should be badly injured."
"...Damn it."
"...They did miss you though...Shisui was worried..." The young Uchiha tilted his head to the side with a contemplating look on his face, "...he wanted to come rescue you." He paused for a moment, taking in the silence while the pink haired girl pouted at the wall. "...I had them continue the mission, however seeing that you were capable of taking care of yourself."
Sakura's eyes widened with surprise and she let out a startled chuckle. "...you really are different from your brother." She murmured as she leaned back against the wall of the cell, "...I was half expecting you to be the one to suggest coming looking for me. Seeing how I'm a kunoichi with no special talents...Naruto and Sasuke always had to come save me back then. Sasuke especially thought really low of me as a kunochi...a shinobi..."
"...Someone who nearly pulverized my ribs and my skull isn't someone who needs saving." He joked lightly and she chuckled. "...Still...I'm ashamed my brother had to think of you like that...you are an amazing ninja."
"...Oh yeah? I only became serious in my chuunin years and even then I wasn't worth much...I let my teammates die in front of me." She pulled her legs up to her chest, scowling as the chains rattled loudly. "...I'm sorry I couldn't protect your brother." She buried her face in her arms, "...However...I'm trying to fix it now...somehow...so..."
"...As low as they thought of you...you're the only one in your team who survived the war." Her head snapped up as he interrupted her, "...It's not your fault you stayed back away from the battlefield...you were a medic nin and your duty was to heal those injured so that they may go back out there to fight. A single medic shinobi is worth ten strong shinobi. Remember that. If it weren't for you, they wouldn't have won."
She stared blankly at her feet, taking in his words and he shuffled forward slightly. "...Don't cry."
"...I'm not crying." She buried her face in her arms. "...I forgot how to cry long ago."
"...Tears are not needed to show that you are weeping..." he clamped one hand around the prison bar softly, his shoulders slumping. "...Shinobi are those wh cry silently...particularly those broken again and again through time, with all the sorrows they've been through. I can't cry properly either for the fact that I witnessed the war with my own two eyes when I was a boy."
Her heart clenched painfully and she tensed up her shoulders, cowering into a small ball. That was right...Itachi had suffered a great deal even up to this point...what was to come was going to be a living nightmare for him. He had no idea of the intensity of the words he spoke and she felt shaken inside; for years she had kept herself rigid and stoic, unwavering and cold in order to let no one into her heart. Losing her teammates and friends proved too much for her and she wanted nothing more to do with laughter. But then here was little Itachi already beginning to build tremors around those walls she had so carefully built.
"I'm sorry."
Itachi's ears twitched at her whispered apology. "...why?"
"...I just am." She said softly and he tilted his head to the side, confused. She didn't say any more to that and he didn't find the courage to pick up the topic again for he heard her troubled breathing. For all her cheeriness, she was really sad and broken. But that was how they all dealt didn't they? He, Shisui, Kakashi and her...they were all shinobi. And any shinobi true to their word was bound to get broken sooner or later.
Eyes snapping open, Maitake gasped in fright as he focused upon the face staring down at him and his vision clouded as he recognized it. "Uncle! You came back!" In one motion, he sat up to wrap his arms around the old man's neck and burst out into terrified sobs. "I had a nightmare...I was caught in a fire..." he wheezed out as the warm tears cascaded down his face, "I was burning..."
His words trailed off as a stinging pain made its presence known over his legs and he carefully let go of his uncle to stare blankly at his legs covered by the blanket. "..it was a bomb." his uncle spoke softly as he soothed out the boys' hair away from his face, gingerly, avoiding the bandages tied around his forehead."...it was an attempt on your life."
...so it wasn't a nightmare. If so..where were...
"...If it wasn't for that boy...you would've been lost.." the kings advisor moved to embrace him again, tightly, "...I'm eternally grateful to Konoha, young ninja."
The prince turned to give a cursory look around what he recognized as his room and he swallowed hard as he saw the grey haired nin leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and a passive look in his eyes. Both Itachi and Shisui were absent from the room. "Where are they...?" he asked timidly. "...are they alright?"
"...Shisui is in the hospital right now. Itachi has gone missing. I reckon he's been kidnapped. I'm afraid you will have to make do with only one guard for the rest of the mission your highness." Kakashi responded quietly.
The moment Shisui caught sight of the small explosives, he had attempted to use his technique to flicker them far away; it was thrown off when the first explosive made contact with his arm and so, was forced to shove them into the corner of the room where he made himself a human shield to protect the boy from the flames and flying splinters of wood and glass. The end result was him passing out from the pain of having the skin of his back and legs peel off in the flames and having the shards embedded into them.
...he was alive...just barely.
Kakashi had made his escape out not knowing Shisui wasn't able to come out ...and neither did Itachi. By the time the explosions had died down and he had run into the building, Itachi was gone and Shisui was critically injured. If it weren't for Zuka's prompt arrival and quick action...
"...I'm sorry..." The copy nin looked up to see that Maitake had burst out into tears. "...this is all my fault..."
"...we're just doing our job." He said quietly, "...it's not your fault."
"...How can you say that?! Two of your friends have gone missing and the one one is injured...critically..." he swallowed down heavily, staring at him with brimming eyes, "...Aren't you the least worried?!"
"...We're shinobi. We aren't allowed to worry. It would jeopardize the mission." Kakashi responded calmly, "...no matter what, I'm still going to complete the mission. You should just rest easy."
"...my brother and I are indebted to you." The advisor stood up slowly and the copy nin eyed him warily. The meticulously dressed man was of medium build -a pale face that had a few signs of ageing and mellow, sad hazel eyes that held many stories to tell. His white hair tinted with faint golden hues hair was kept long to his shoulders, neatly combed. He had arrived wearing heavy robes but now had changed into a simple yukata with a light coat over.
He was quite traditional unlike his brother who fancied sparkly jewellery even at rest.
"...we shall increase the number of soldiers to search for your friends." he declared.
"Use them to surround the palace instead and to protect Maitake. I have a feeling they'd come back tonight." Kakashi said, "...Itachi and Sakura can handle themselves and I trust they can take care of the situation they are in."
The hesitancy in his tone was not missed by Maitake who turned around in his bed to stare tearfully at the wall. It was his fault that this has happened. Even if for a short while, they had provided him with company -something he had dearly missed. Even if they were sometimes rude and blunt to the point, they were with him and appreciated the real him -particularly Shisui.
...perhaps he didn't consider it that way as he was a nin...but then he considered them to be friends. The first he had of his own age.
They were protecting him with their very lives while he sat hiding behind closed doors. Why is it that everyone he cared about eventually left him for good...? Even now, Cai was probably dead -all because he was his friend. Those bandits were not going to stop at anything to get to him...it was a fact now. And soon their targets would be his father, uncle and Kakashi...
"...where is the king?" Kakashi's voice got his attention, "...he hasn't yet come to see Maitake..."
"...my brother is currently very busy." He said softly. "It won't be possible for him to arrive soon."
"But it's his son!"
"I know...I tried to convince him." He stepped forward slowly, "...please watch over my son. I'm going to organize the soldiers to barricade the castle. I have to warn the civilians to take cover as well. Are you certain that they will attack tonight?"
"...I know they will." The copy nin said quietly and Maitake squeezed his eyes shut tightly. "...Also, I'd like for Shisui to be kept within the perimeters of this castle. I would like to keep a close eye on my comrade because we are now active targets as well. I can't protect them both if they are in two different locations."
"Understood. We'll instruct for the hospital staff to transport him here immediately."
Kakashi nodded at the kings advisor as he left the room before he turned to stare warily out the window. "...this is going to be a hard one."
As the clock struck eight, the lights within the many civilian homes began to flicker off slowly, one by one, until the whole village was soon enshrouded in darkness -the only light faintly illuminating the outlines was which was emitting from the moon. The night was calm and cool and the only sound heard was the shuffling of feet as people hurried into underground shelters. Watching over them, Kakashi stood quietly on top of the castle rooftop, his arms crossed over his chest and his face passive.
They were expected to arrive soon now and the whole palace was armed with guards -every corner was filled and every room surrounded. Thanks to the advisor making new reforms, the security had grown tighter and no one had been allowed in or out of the village since.
There was no way a hoard of untrained bandit ninja could get past this. Perhaps a trained shinobi, yes...but that's what he was here for. 'Itachi..Sakura...hurry up already and get here already.' He narrowed his eyes. He only had to rely on the guards now to protect the seriously wounded Shisui...without his help, handling this was going to be hard.
Especially when he had no idea where they were coming from.
His eye caught movement far off into the distance and he sighed as an explosion went off near the gates. He reached to pull his forehead protector up slowly and opened his other eye -the deep crimson gleaming in the moonlight. It had started.
Watching the copy nin from the shadows, the figure slipped from its hiding place and motioning to the other one who disappeared in a blur, quickly skirted across the roof to an open window. Small, lithe hands slammed down on the sill as the figure flew in, lips moving up into a smirk as guards moved from their spot, charging forward. Tightening the first and middle finger together, they slammed down repetitively over their nerve points, effectively knocking them unconscious.
One by one they fell with soft thuds as she flew forward, skilfully knocking them out without so much as breaking a sweat and her long hair flying behind her. Pushing the lights out of the last two guards that stood at attention in front of the large wooden door, the figure slipped into the room, lips turning up and the eyes gleaming the moment it gazed upon the sleeping figure on the bed, surrounded with medicinal equipment.
Humming softly, she pulled out a kunai and slowly made her way forward, twirling it between her gloved fingers. "Shisui of the body flicker jutsu..I didn't expect you to be taken down this easily, boy." she mused as she held the kunai to his bandaged neck. The sudden movement of having his hand slam down on her wrist made her gasp, nearly loosening her hold on the weapon and her eyes grew wide as the crimson red eyes glared up into hers.
"...I'm not." he sneered as he sat up slowly, tightening his hold on her wrist. "They fear me for another reason you know." At the curious look in her eyes, he snickered. "It's that pain...means nothing to me."
Walking through the hallways the King swallowed hard as he increased his fervent pace, his brows matted with sweat. The explosions were increasing in frequency outside and he could already hear the guards screaming in agony as they were slaughtered, one by one. Turning around into the corner, he stormed towards the large wooden door, swinging it open. "MAITAKE! LET'S GO-" His call was cut short as he saw that the darkened room was empty.
...empty!?
"MAITAKE?! MAITAKE!" He screamed as he shifted from corner to corner, upturning pillows, tables and chairs in a desperate attempt to search for him, pausing when he saw the open window...and the string of blankets. A stereotypical escape as it seemed..."Find him!" he demanded, turning to one of the two guards that had been by his side. "Alert the rest of the guards to find him! And you," he pointed to the other, "Follow me!"
His pace increasing until he was running, fast enough to make his crown fall over, he headed towards the Uchiha's room, his teeth gritting together tightly. "That bastard Zaku is no where in sight...if he had employed them...!" He paused as he saw that the guards in the hallway had been practically immobilised. "It can't be..." But when he swung the doors open and peered inside, his hands clutched at his sides tightly in fury upon seeing the sight in front of him. The room was in place...but there was splattering of blood over the sheets, the walls and floor and pieces of the bandage clippings scattered throughout.
And he was gone.
"Sir! What to do we do?" The guard called worriedly.
"...FIND THE UCHIHA!" He roared, "FIND HIM! HE COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN FAR WITH HIS INJURIES. FIND HIM! FIND HIM!"
As the terrified guard ran off, leaving the now dishevelled king standing all by himself in the room, he turned around to glare out the only opening in the room drilled in for ventilation-that too was barred completely. This used to be the room Maitake stayed him...whoever came here was clearly strong to have taken down all his guards at once.
...a shinobi.
'It couldn't have been those shinobi brats...' he thought as he walked out of the room, '...There must be extra shinobi here...the only person I'd know to do this...' He paused in his steps as a scowl made it's way to his face, "...My brother."
Screaming and dodging the flying weapons and bombs, Maitake flew through the crowd. Dressed in an oversized robe with a hood pretty much was a great idea -they avoided him for the most part because they thought he was a monk. And their village pretty much respected monks. The problem was he kept tripping over his own two feet. Not exactly convenient when you're trying to RUN AWAY.
"IIEEEE~!" He let out a scream and ducked to the ground, covering his head as someone threw an axe overhead "WATCH IT YOU BASTARD! YOU NEARLY CHOPPED MY HEAD OFF!" On cue, a disembodied head of a bandit ninja bounced in front of him and he stared blankly back at his fixed horrified expression. "...I hate the universe."
...running away was not going as planned.
As he moved to sit up, he caught sight of a small girl standing in front of her house, staring blankly at the destruction outside. He panicked and bolted up, running forward towards her. He thought his uncle had them all evacuated! "Little girl! What are you doing?! Get back inside the house!" He demanded as he tugged on her shoulder, pulling her back towards the door, only to let go with a hiss as something pricked his hand. "Ah..." he blinked as he saw a small drop of blood form over the middle of his palm.
What the...
Hearing the sound of a chirping amidst the screams, he looked down where he placed his hand to see a small cricket sitting over her shoulder. Oh great...not one of those buggers again. That was one thing he hated about living in a village named after laughing crickets -they were all over the place! "You one ugly bug." he said bluntly, scowling right at the insect, "Oi, aren't kids your age supposed to hate bugs?! What's wrong with you?"
She turned to look at him slowly, her eyes blank and devoid of any emotion and he swallowed hard as he recognized the look in her eyes. It was that same look all those kids shot him back then...she really wasn't any different after all. Then again, he couldn't just let her stay here when she could get killed easily! "Come on!" he tugged on her arm, "You need to get back inside! Now!"
Instead of following his order, the girl whipped around and began running away from him, into the chaos. "WAIT!" He called, bolting after her, panicking. "DON'T GO THERE! YOU MIGHT END UP GETTING KILLED!" He shrieked as he narrowly avoided an arrow, "I NEARLY GOT BEHEADED BY A FLYING AXE! COME BACK! OI!" No matter how much he screamed, it seemed as if she didn't hear him. She was running through the crowds...away from the village...
...to the gates?
"WAI-ACK!" His scream got cut off as something tugged at his collar and the next thing he knew, he was being suspended in the air, facing a grotesque looking man with a vile grin. "...you!" he choked out as he recognized him from under the heavy layers of bandages. It was the very man who had attacked him earlier and got his eye pummelled in by the pink haired girls fist. The one who had escaped then...! How was he still alive?
"I finally found you...brat..." he growled, "It's a good thing you ran away from that pesky bastard...you'll be happy to join your other two friends in the cell."
"Cell!? They're...still alive?!" He demanded, only to have the hand tighten around his throat, depriving him from air. His vision started to grow cloudy and he stared off shakily as the girl disappeared into the grounds. 'No...' he thought as he held his hand out to her. 'Come back...you'll die...'
"No use calling out for her." He sneered, "She's already under the power of the potion. The only thing she can hear now is the sound of crickets. Those who can't hear it are her sworn enemy. You're going to go back into your cell soon and this time, you're going to be locked away forever so there's no harm in telling you this; you were just a bait to lure in the Uchiha." Maitake choked as he threw him against the wall of the house, "Under the orders of the one you trusted the most. The crickets are the symbol of this kingdom...it would only make sense to use them to bring in the test subjects..."
"Test subjects...? What are you talking about?" Maitake hissed in pain as the man stomped his heavy boot down over his abdomen.
"Your ignorance annoys me." He said bluntly, "But then you have been cooped up inside the palace since you were a kid so it's only obvious. We serve under our master. The pitiful crickets of this kingdom are part of his snacks really...doesn't even fill up on his plate. The missing villagers were being taken to his lab to be experimented on and kept calm by the drugs infused in with the cricket wings. I wondered why he'd even bother with you lot...but then what the master says, goes. But after seeing who exactly he was after yesterday, I now realize his motives. And now he's interested in that pink haired brat as well." He hissed in annoyance, "She'll pay for what she did to me-!"
He was promptly cut off then and Maitake's eyes widened as something splattered over his face, making him squeeze his eyes shut. The familiar metallic smell of blood hit his nose as he felt himself falling and then, things came to a stand still. When he dared to open his eyes again, he was staring up at smiling green eyes that were partly obscured by pink fringes. "...Sakura..chan?" he mumbled slowly and she beamed widely down at him. He slowly looked around him as she sat him down and realized that they were up on the rooftop of a house -from here he could clearly see the destruction the bandit ninja were causing to the village.
But what was important right now was...
"YOU'RE REALLY ALIVE!" He blurted out screaming into her ear and she winced.
"I am aware of that fact.."
"HOW?! YOU GOT KIDNAPPED!" He pointed as she bent down next to him to wipe his face with a small cloth. "...stop babying me. I'm perfectly fine. But really...how did you get out alive? Is Itachi San with you? Shisui is injured! You have to get to helping him!"
"...that was stupid of you to attempt to run away." She ignored his many questions as she finished cleaning his face of the blood, tossing the rag down below before looking up to smirk into his face. "...I'm not saying you shouldn't have though." She added as she stood up, adjusting her headband. She was just little dirty but apart from that, looked perfectly in place -no injury whatsoever present over her lithe self. "Shisui! Protect the prince!"
"Shisui!" He whipped his head around as he heard a thud next to him and his eyes filled with tears as the Uchiha saluted him with a cheeky grin. He was wearing a ripped yukata for a shirt to replace the one that had burnt to crisp in the fire and from what Maitake could see, he was now free of any injury whatsoever. The burns over his arms and back were gone and it seemed his broken leg had been fixed. Relief washed over him and he found himself tackling the shinobi, bawling loudly.
"...jeez this kid..." Shisui rolled his eyes, only to succeed in making him cry harder. Sakura snickered at him and he pouted back at her.
"Get him somewhere safe!" Itachi appeared from beside her and lightly tapped her shoulder, "Let's go assist Kakashi!"
"WAIT! DON'T GO!" He screamed in protest, only to have Shisui pull him away from the sight and hurling him over his back, flew towards the castle. This was bad...he had to warn them! "SHISUI LISTEN TO ME! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE! THE KINGDOM IS UNDER CONTROL OF A CRAZY SCIENTIST WHO'S INTENT ON GETTING YOUR KEKKEI GENKAI! HE'S AFTER SAKURA CHAN TOO!"
"We know!" Shisui hissed as he jumped over another roof and slamming his foot down on the wall of the castle, began running upwards. "Sakura and Itachi sorted it all out! They've found out who's behind it!"
"...My uncle..."
"No...not your uncle..." His crimson eyes narrowed imperceptibly as they jumped on top of the roof of the building and Maitake's eyes widened as he saw a familiar looking robed man waiting for them.
"Cai...?"
"...Dammit..." Shisui cussed under his breath, "How did he get he-" his words died down in his throat as Maitake kicked himself off his back without so much as a warning and began running towards the undertaker. He screamed when the chuunin promptly used his technique to flicker them off to another rooftop before pulling them in through the window and into the open hallway. "Calm down!" He hissed, trying to calm the screaming prince down, "That's not the Cai you know!"
"What do you mean!?"
"...Look at him carefully." Shisui said quietly as he glanced back to look at the man who stood there, fixed in place as he blankly gazed down at the sight below, a faint smile over his lips. It was as if he were enjoying the carnage."...You must've seen the effect on that girl before. The one whose cricket pricked you. This whole kingdom is under the effects of a deadly potion. The one Cai was forced to manufacture. Sakura found it out while she was investigating the village this past few days."
"But she was kidnapped wasn't she?" Maitake frowned and the shinobi shook his head.
"I'll explain later. Our assumptions were right...they were all under the palace. That's why they appear and disappear so quickly." He said quietly, "They took her shadow clone deep beneath the castle and into the abandoned dungeons along with several other 'missing' civilians. They were all being used for an experiment...she said she has a clear idea who it is but she hasn't told us as of yet. At least that's what she told me after she snuck into my room a while ago and scared me into thinking she was an assassin..."
"...psh...what kind of a ninja are you...letting your guard down?" Maitake miffed.
"I WAS BURNED FROM HEAD TO TOE SAVING YOUR SORRY ASS YOU ROYAL BASTARD! SHOW SOME RESPECT FOR SOMEONE YOU NEARLY KILLED!" Shisui screamed in retaliation. "...besides...I had gained a good amount of chakra back so I was able to ward her off until I realized it was Sakura."
"How? You were still burned then weren't you?"
Shisui just smirked lightly before a look of seriousness replaced his expression. "He's here..." He said quietly, standing in front of Maitake protectively. Pulling his kunai out from his pouch, he held it out in front of his face, narrowing his blood-red eyes as a figure of a person made it's presence known from within the shadows. "...father..is he under a spell too?" Maitake whimpered as he cowered behind Shisui, frightened at the cold look in his eyes.
"...nah. That's pretty genuine." Shisui growled, making him blink in confusion.
"...hand the boy over to me." He demanded and Shisui took a step back, holding his arm out in front of Maitake. "...you dare defy me? Hand my son back over to me!"
His intended step forward was cut off with the entrance of Sakura and Itachi who flew in through the window, standing beside Shisui to cover Maitake away from him. "I didn't know you cared your highness." She spoke coldly, her eyes growing darker, glinting in the dim moonlight as they focused upon his shocked face. "You seriously underestimated us Konoha shinobi. Is it because you had other shinobi at your bidding? When you asked for the best chuunin team within Konoha to act as bodyguards, it's pretty obvious that Uchiha should be the first choice because let's face it, they are pretty badass."
"However, you severely miscalculated how much trouble you'd get into if you attempted to take our lives." Itachi added on quietly, "The chuunin of Konoha are more apt than Jounin of other villages. Especially if you are facing off against two elite Uchiha, an inhumanely powerful kunoichi with a scheming, cunning mind and copy ninja Kakashi."
"Why Ita-chan that's so sweet~ calling me a scheming, cunning kunoichi~" Sakura cooed and said Uchiha just stared on ahead, with a hint of a smile as she threw off the serious aura with the bat of an eyelash, all while Maitake twitched, deadpanned. "...that aside, you best drop your guard right now because we have scoured the entire kingdom. Selfish as you may be...using your own son to bait us in...and turning his only friends against him..."
"...Tousan..."
"...Alright, fine." He shrugged after a moment of silence, "You got me. But it was crucial...he came along and offered to strengthen our army and prolong my life...it was a offer I couldn't resist. I forced Cai to manufacture the potions to put the villagers into a trance like state once I discovered he was a potent chemist...thanks to Maitake running off back then." He frowned as Maitake's eyes clouded up with tears, "You don't understand. Our kingdom can be so some better than this! We need his services! Maitake, don't you want to serve your kingdom?!"
"...Where's my uncle...?" Maitake asked quietly, ignoring his question.
"...My bratty brother Zaku...I found him while he was searching the grounds for you. With a little of potion, he's now wandering the battlefield outside." He sneered, "Whether you like it or not he's going to get ki-" Following a loud 'twack' sound, he fell forward, face flat into the ground, unconscious and there stood Kakashi, holding said man over his shoulders with a deadpanned look on his face.
"...So it became that the king was the criminal after all, sensei." Sakura beamed at him and he rolled his eyes.
"...just shut up and go take down the bandit shinobi and dispel the potions effects.."
"...We are indeed indebted to Konoha for saving our village. I'm sorry my treacherous brother had cause you so much trouble..." Zaku bowed, his tone a pleading one and the team stared down uncomfortably with the exception of Sakura who beamed. "If I had known things were this bad I would've come back earlier...I didn't know the measures he had gone to..."
"It's fine~ just make sure he stays locked up in jail~!" Sakura waved her hand in front of her face, making him raise his head, "...Still...to think that guy would go as far as to infecting those poor crickets..."
"...I hate bugs." Shisui grumbled, "...seriously...to think this kingdom is named after a cricket whose chirp sounds like laugh- OW!" He winced as Kakashi promptly elbowed him in the gut to shut him up.
"...do you really have to go?" Maitake who was standing beside his uncle asked quietly, staring at them pleadingly. They had, after all, only stayed for just a few days but during that time had bonded together well. He didn't have any more friends his age -not yet anyway and the thought of his new ones leaving so quickly."...Can't you stay here for a few more days?"
"Sorry...we were told to return to the village as soon as we finished our mission." Kakashi looked apologetic, and Maitake sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "...We'll try to come by during vacation period though."
"...I thought Shinobi don't get vacations." He blinked slowly.
"Of course we do! And we need them!" Shisui snorted as he poked through his ear with his finger with a scowl, "How can you expect us to work seeing dead people everyday? Of course we need vacations you brat."
"...Aye...your kind would Toto."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY KIND YOU BRAT?! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL DEFINITELY KILL YOU!" Kakashi sighed, pulling the Uchiha by his collar as he attempted to charge forward, clawing at the air with rampant fury. Waving a light goodbye, he proceeded to drag him away and Sakura and Itachi followed suit, walking out of the kingdom gates, walking for a distance before they began running.
Maitake silently waved at their back with a faint hint of a smile on his face and his uncle placed a hand on his shoulder. "...Don't worry Maitake, you'll get to see them again."
"...Yeah...I'll go visit Konoha from time to time." He stuffed his hands into his pockets, "...there's something I still don't understand about last night though." At the confused look his uncle shot him, he frowned up at him, "...Father said he laced the kingdom with the potion after he found out Cai was a chemist..through me...but the crickets had been that way since I was born. He seemed severely disorientated don't you think...? He was fine all the way before this..."
"...If I were to tell you something important right now Maitake, it would be that your father was crazy, but he wasn't ruthless." He said quietly, "...I would've never expected my brother to do something like that. He did love you Maitake...the fact that he tried to hurt you has shaken me." As the boy looked down in contemplation, he placed his hand on his head, "...we'll figure it out eventually Maitake. Right now, let's go inside. You're late for class with Cai."
Sakura glanced back briefly at the kingdom which slowly grew further away as they ran. "Sakura?" Itachi's voice made her turn back around, her eyes narrowing imperceptibly.
"We're not done here." She said quietly and they nodded curtly. "Let's go back home for now."
Q&A section/Authors notes
...I apologize..I am severely late in submission. But truth be told, I have been busy; immensely. Getting into a good college is quite a tedious task, really.
~I know some of you may be thinking I might be rushing things a little with that little cutesy scene in the prison but rest assured, they are just good friends for now. Itachi was able to understand Sakura's pain, mainly because he had gone through several himself. Raised from the cradle to be highly analytical -a genius, it's only obvious that the future heir of the Uchiha clan should maintain a constant image on him and so, isn't allowed to display his emotions.
Unlike Sasuke, Itachi never underestimated anyone and realizes the full potential Sakura has -he knew he could handle herself perfectly well and she would want the mission to continue. He couldn't abandon the mission either.
~ I know it didn't seem at all that they did function as a proper team in accordance to several reasons -one being abandoning Sakura and Itachi when they got kidnapped and then continuing with the missing despite Shisui being critically injured. But in a way, they did work well together; they trusted in each other's abilities to function well to ensure the success of their mission.
Trusting in each other's potential is an important step for a team to function, especially in highly stressful missions as these. Of course, Kakashi still recognizes the importance of looking over your comrades over the success of the mission -however, he had several reasons to try finishing the mission as quickly as possible -which would be discussed later on.
~Yes, I am aware that large pieces are missing on how they escaped, what they found etc, but I'll soon get to that. This won't be the last we'll see of the 'royal bastard', hopefully. ^.^
~...aye, it was pretty blunt how the King got taken down. But come on..he's just a civilian~
~The bandit-ninja were taken down by them -majority of whom they killed and some locked away in prison for interrogation. Should be fairly obvious considering their backgrounds. I think you all should have a fair idea of who exactly we're dealing with here with the crazy experimentations.
Well rounded reviews motivate me to keep writing~ Please don't hesitate to point out any mistakes within the story or bombard me with questions. Thank you~