Chapter 16

Seals and Second Chances

Iruka had been through all kinds of dangerous situations in his lifetime. Heck, he had the scars to prove it, most notably the large one on his back. He'd seen more than a few A-ranked missions during his career as a shinobi of the Leaf Village, contrary to the belief of far too many jonin, in his opinion. He was even brave enough to teach pre-genin children how to use kunai and shuriken. Still, he had never in his life been as frightened as he was at this very moment.

He was on his knees on a cold stone floor within what could only be one of the Akatsuki's hideouts. His arms were still firmly bound to his sides by Zetsu's vines, and his fingers were starting to tingle from the lack of circulation. At the moment, he was surrounded by more than a few members of the organization, each one of them glaring down at him in a most unsettling way.

To the side, Iruka saw Kakashi was sitting on the edge of a bed while two other members of the Akatsuki were easing his shirt off. The jonin flinched when the clothing caught on some of his less-healed wounds, and Iruka was surprised to see actual concern in the faces of the Akatsuki as they continued their task. Meanwhile Kakashi's face was too filled with pain to read just how he felt about being back in the midst of them, and Iruka held on tightly to the hope that the Copy-ninja hadn't played Genma, Ibiki and the others for fools after all.

Itachi was one of those examining Kakashi's back at the moment, and every now and then the Uchiha would turn to look at Iruka. That gaze of sharingan eyes sent chills through Iruka, and he wondered if Itachi had already somehow figured out that he had no real clue how to remove the seals Ibiki had placed up and down Kakashi's spine. Of course, if Itachi hadn't figured it out yet, Iruka was going to do his best to make sure he never did.

There was a red-headed, heavily pierced kid standing in front of Kakashi, talking softly while he continued to check over various injuries. He looked a bit older than Naruto, but not by much. Meanwhile, it seemed that Kakashi was only giving nonverbal responses to the Akatsuki and was avoiding all eye contact with Iruka...ignoring him as though he wasn't even there. Iruka frowned and hoped this was just a way that Kakashi was hoping to protect him, rather than a sign that he was blending back in with the Akatsuki once more.

The feel of a hand fisting into the remnants of Iruka's ponytail snapped him out of his reverie, and the voice in his ear brought the terror up just a notch. "Do any of you really think this waste of flesh is worth keeping alive, hmm?"

Iruka tried to turn his face so he could see who was taunting him but all he could make out was the black and red robes and a flash of blond hair. Another voice joined the first. "We've already laid claim to his body once Pein is finished with him."

Iruka swallowed with a suddenly dry throat. That voice he had no problem recognizing. It belonged to the half-plant/half-man, Zetsu. Just what in the world the creature meant by that comment was something Iruka hoped he'd never have to find out. The blond tugged Iruka's head back sharply before letting him loose with a push to the ground.

"That's not fair, Zetsu! You always get the bodies, hmm!"

"Stop griping Deidara. Maybe if you had found Kakashi first Pein would have let you have it."

Iruka struggled to push himself back up to kneeling as the men continued arguing over who should get him when it was all over. While they were otherwise occupied, Iruka turned to look back in Kakashi's direction and was startled to see the three at the bed all had their eyes locked on him. He felt the faint heat of a blush color his cheeks from the unwanted attention, and he frowned. The young red-head crossed over to him and tipped Iruka's chin up with the tips of two fingers until their eyes met.

"You hold the key to bringing our Brother back into the fold."

Iruka glared at the boy, trying to ignore the strange black and white gaze. "So what if I do?"

The red-head tipped his head to one side and took one step back, never releasing Iruka's gaze. "You will release Kakashi's seal."

Iruka snorted and rolled his eyes. "I don't think so."

The boy shifted his gaze to the others and nodded once. Iruka felt hands roughly grab his arms and force him to stand. The red-head slowly turned and walked back to where Kakashi was silently watching. Iruka was forced to join them...half walking, and half being dragged across the room. When they reached the bed, he was unceremoniously dropped at Kakashi's feet.

Kakashi's voice was emotionless. "Just do it Iruka."

Iruka snapped his head up until he locked his gaze with the Copy Ninja. "I won't do it! I won't give you back to them!"

Kakashi's lips slid into a small smirk. "Open your eyes Iruka-sensei. They've already got me back. There's no need for your misplaced heroics. Just undo the seal."

Iruka's face flushed with anger at Kakashi's words. How could he sit there so calmly and say such things? Even though Iruka had gone through a training course on seals with the T & I unit in the past, the genius jonin had to realize he'd be lucky if Iruka could get even one of Ibiki's seals to budge, let alone release. What was he playing at?

"Go to hell, Kakashi!"

Kakashi leaned forward until his face was directly in front of Iruka's face. When the Copy Ninja next spoke, Iruka could actually feel the man's hot breath across his skin.

"What's wrong Chunin? Are you afraid you can't perform under pressure? Are you scared someone might find out if you couldn't release a single seal when it counted?"

Iruka closed his eyes and tried to reign in his anger before he wound up dead. It was in that moment that something about what Kakashi said caught his attention. The way he had emphasized certain words...could it mean? Of course! Iruka snapped his eyes open and saw a flash of relief in Kakashi's eyes before the Copy Ninja sat back up. Now, it was up to him.

Itachi watched the exchange between the sensei and the Copy Ninja and had to admit Kakashi's ability to manipulate the chunin was impressive. He actually knew very little of Iruka Umino outside of what his younger brother had told him after just starting the Academy back in Konoha. Sasuke had spent hours going on and on about how his sensei told him he was the brightest student in the class, and how he was sure to make his family proud. The boy had detailed all the various examples of jutsu his teacher had shown them in those first few days at the Academy.

Itachi narrowed his gaze at the dark-haired chunin. He'd managed to excite the mind of his little brother in a way that no other had...aside from himself. And it was part of why he had known Sasuke would survive in that village – even after what Itachi had done.

He walked over to where the chunin was still glaring at Kakashi and placed one hand on the man's shoulder, feeling Iruka's body tense at his touch. "Do not think that I am not aware of the fact your skills are far beyond the average chunin, Iruka-sensei. Sasuke spoke of many of your abilities while he was in the Academy."

Itachi saw a pained expression cross Iruka's face and he wondered why mention of his younger brother would affect the man so much. Iruka turned his face up until Itachi could clearly see the emotion in the man's chocolate-brown eyes.

"How dare you bring Sasuke into this? What would you even know about that boy's Academy days? Because of what you did, he never had a chance to truly shine!"

Itachi raised his eyebrows at the intensity of Iruka's words but gave no further reaction. He released the chunin's shoulder and stepped back over to where Kakashi still sat. "Regardless, Iruka-sensei, you still have to admit my assessment of your skills is accurate. It is time for you to decide if you will use those skills to release Kakashi from these seals...or forfeit your life for something as archaic as your belief that the Akatsuki's goals are any worse than Konoha's."

Itachi watched as the obvious internal struggle within Iruka played across the man's face. The chunin's inability to hide his emotions was likely the only reason he had not been invited to take the jonin exams by now. Still, Itachi found himself somewhat relieved when a look of defeat and acceptance settled onto those tanned features. For some strange reason which he wasn't quite sure of himself, Itachi had not looked forward to what he might have had to do if the sensei refused to cooperate.

Iruka let loose a sigh and lowered his head slightly. "Fine. I'll do what you ask."

Itachi shifted his gaze toward where the other members of the Brotherhood stood watching the exchange. He listened as Pein gave the order which would lead to the next phase of returning Kakashi to the fold. "Zetsu, remove the chunin's bindings."

While Iruka was let loose of the restraints by the others, Itachi turned his attention back to Kakashi. The silver-haired man looked tired more than anything else, and he kept his emotions firmly in check. With his pale skin, sharp features and absolute control, Kakashi Hatake was the exact opposite of Iruka Umino in all aspects. The two of them together represented all that was good in Konoha...the yin and yang of that very village.

Itachi frowned and pushed the train of thoughts away, unsure how his mind even went there. Instead he stepped toward the Copy Ninja and placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "Lie down on your stomach, Kakashi. This will be over soon enough."

Kakashi sighed and shifted until he was in position on the bed. "That's not the first time I've heard that, Itachi."

Before he had a chance to respond to Kakashi's cryptic comment Pein brought Iruka Umino over to the bed. "Release the seal or pay the consequences."

Itachi stepped back to give the chunin room to work and watched carefully as Iruka started to make hand signs. There was no doubt that the man was forming the string of hand movements needed for the removal of a seal, and a small part of Itachi was almost disappointed that the sensei had given in so easily. Itachi nodded to Pein that there was no subterfuge in the chunin's movements, and he found he was holding his breath when Iruka's final hand sign was formed and the tanned hand moved to lay flat against the small of Kakashi's exposed back.

At first nothing much happened aside from a faint glow of chakra being infused into the complicated lines of the seals. But a moment later Kakashi's shoulders arched up as he tried desperately to pull away from the pain being caused by the chunin's hand. The screams torn from the jonin's throat echoed throughout the room until Itachi could no longer stand it. Without understanding it fully himself, he moved forward and pulled Iruka physically away from Kakashi's side...effectively breaking the flow of chakra from entering the seal any longer, and putting an end to the Copy Ninja's unnerving screams.

Kakashi was left gasping for air while Itachi held a struggling chunin with his grasp. Pein spun toward him with absolute fury shining in his black and white eyes.

"What have you done, Itachi! The chunin wasn't finished yet."

He released his grip on Iruka and absently noted the sigh of relief from the man's lips before others took hold of the sensei. Itachi furrowed his brow. What was he doing? He steadied his breathing and pulled himself together before responding to the leader of the Akatsuki with the first thing that entered his mind.

"It is too soon, Leader. Kakashi's body is not healed enough to survive the removal of the seals."

Kakashi's drawn out groan of agony drew the Leader's attention away from him. Itachi also turned toward where Kakashi was, and he was somewhat surprised to see fresh blood seeping from some of the Copy Ninja's wounds in silent proof of the words he'd just spoken. Itachi stepped over to the bed and took a closer look at the remaining seals still stretching along Kakashi's spine. If the removal of just one small seal caused so much pain, just what would the rest do to him?

His thoughts went back to his last time in Konoha. He knew that if anyone would know what was going on within the village it would have been Iruka Umino. After all, the man's skills at the intricacies of paperwork, and therefore the inner workings of Konoha, were well known throughout the Fire Country. But what had amazed Itachi was the level of loyalty such an average man had elicited from the likes of Kotetsu. It had taken Itachi far longer than he had expected to even get the fact Iruka was assigned as Kakashi's advocate out of the other paperwork ninja. And longer still before the knowledge that Iruka had gone missing at the same time as Kakashi was given up.

Itachi turned to face Iruka and was somewhat surprised to see a look of smug satisfaction in the chunin's eyes. He had the strange feeling he and the other members of the Akatsuki were being played, but he refused to admit that this sensei could possibly best them. Still, something in the set of the chunin's shoulders, and the look on his tanned face, made Itachi wonder about what he may have missed.

Itachi turned his attention back to where Kakashi was already being tended to by Pein. Perhaps he would need to spend some time with the chunin before they allowed him near Kakashi again. After all, Itachi hated having unanswered questions, and just why the chunin looked so pleased at the moment was definitely a question he would find an answer to...one way or another.

Ibiki cursed himself for not keeping a closer eye on Kakashi. It wasn't that he thought the man had gone rogue again...no, but if he'd been more diligent, then perhaps he wouldn't have allowed Kakashi and Iruka to be taken so easily. He scanned the area where Kensei swore she'd last sensed Iruka's chakra and hoped the fact that there was no blood around meant that both of his friends were still alive.

Ibiki was about to call for a full out search of the surrounding area for some sign of where the two had been taken when he felt a surge along his chakra pathways. That surge could only have been from one source...the seal blocking the ANBU tracking jutsu he'd placed on Kakashi's back must have been removed. Of course, while that meant Ibiki and his team would now be able to hone in on Kakashi's location rather easily, it also meant that the rest of Konoha's elite forces would also soon be hot on their trail.

Genma appeared at his side in a cloud of leaves and smoke. "Am I feeling what I think I'm feeling, Ibiki?"

Ibiki shoved his hands into his pockets and turned his gaze toward the senbon-chewing jonin. "If you're feeling that time is running out, then you wouldn't be wrong. Get the rest ready to move out in five."

Genma nodded once and disappeared to gather the others. It was left unsaid between the two that, if any of Konoha's remaining ANBU reached Kakashi first, things were likely to get out of hand...fast. Ibiki closed his eyes and let out a sigh. When had his life become so complicated that he had to worry about the ANBU...which he had trained...reaching a target first? He chuckled darkly to himself. It was probably around the time he stupidly agreed to Genma's plan to save their silver-haired friend. He had to hope they wouldn't be too late this time to keep the fool safe...for all their sakes.