Okie doke, here is the next chapter!!! The fifth one, I know, OMGosh! This one is rather lengthy, and it's sort of confusing. But if you have any questions, just PM
Chapter Five: Moving On
Kaede handed another bowl of ramen to another woman, the movement being so familiar that it required no thought whatsoever. She nodded as the woman thanked her and carried her tray to the next family. Little hands and big hands reached up and gratefully took the rations off of the heavy metal tray and many voices said a variety of thank you's. It was nearly halfway into their second year in this underground prison, and the amount of people left had decreased over the long months.
Those who had been sent out to work on the plan were successful so far. A few minor attacks were launched on the Sound by the Sand, a few Konoha nin, and by the Grass. Merely a few had worked, but the victories were welcome. After losing many ninjas to begin with, and several older men and women and smaller children after the first attack, the remaining Leaf villagers were desperate for some hope to cling to.
Handing out the last bowls of ramen, Kaede weaved her way in between eating families to the door, heading for the kitchen. She placed her tray on top of dozens of others stacked in neat piles, grateful that dinner was over and that she could now settle in her own corner with her own food. Tsunade, smiling sympathetically, handed her a bowl of ramen, a pair of chopsticks, and sent her off. Kaede returned the smile best she could, slowly making her way to the room that she shared with Miki, Sakura, and the others her age. When she shut the door with her foot and plopped down on her blanket next to Miki, everyone glanced up and nodded a greeting.
She picked at her ramen, swirling it around in her bowl before nibbling at one noodle. Glancing around the room, she saw that no one else was eager to engulf the food, as they normally would have done. Even Naruto wasn't eating with his usual gusto. Miki placed her bowl in front of her, laying the chopsticks neatly next to it. The rest of them followed suit soon after, their appetites lost in their current condition.
Naruto cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. What would normally have been spiky, exuberant yellow locks was now sagging and dulled from the lack of light. He put his arm around Sakura's shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Well, I guess it's another day over here," he said quietly, his blue eyes directed at the floor, the spark that was usually present was now missing.
"Yeah," Shikamaru agreed, taking out a cigarette and lighting it. He took a deep drag and sighed, smoke billowing out of his mouth and disappearing into the air. "Seems like we've been here forever, doesn't it?" When murmurs of agreement came from every person in the room, Shikamaru shook his head and closed his eyes.
"Can you believe it has almost been two years?" Rock Lee mused, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.
"I know," Sakura said softly, nestling further into the crook of Naruto's arm. "When will we get out." It wasn't a question; it was more of a statement, Sakura being the only one brave enough to voice what they were all thinking. That this was never going to end.
"I wish it was over," Hinata whispered. All heads turned to stare at the girl. For months Hinata hadn't voiced more than a two words at a time. Miki had been there to help her, and interpret what she was trying to say, but this was the first time the quiet Hyuga had spoken without being asked to.
"We all do, Hinata," Miki answered, scooting over and putting a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "But all we can do is tough it out and wait, and help out in any way we can."
"How can we do that?" Neji suddenly snapped as he stood, his Byakugan turning on threateningly. Naruto leapt to his feet in a moment and stared sternly into the white eyes of the other man. "We're stuck inside here—we should be out there, fighting Orochimaru and getting our village back!"
"Neji!" Naruto said, his voice loud but not quite a shout. "What do you think we are doing in here? Letting Orochimaru take over everything? We have ninja going out and fighting for all of us down here. Think about it. Our village has suffered the greatest loss in history. Almost all of our ninja were killed nearly two years ago, and we still haven't recovered. Things like this take time. We need to let Orochimaru get comfortable, to let him put his guard down. We have to rebuild our society in secret. Sure, the Sand and the Grass are on our side, but the Sound has greatly increased its numbers, if by force or by persuasion. It won't be long before we are out there, all of us, celebrating our victory. But we have to wait."
Kaede stared in admiration at the blond Hokage. The way he was so easy about it, the way he spoke with such urgency and yet kept it cool was something she had trouble mastering in any situation. But as he spoke, she felt a growing guilt rise in her chest, and she struggled to suppress the unwelcome sensation. This entire thing was her fault. If she hadn't been negligent to her work, hadn't been dwelling on the past, then this would not have happened. She was the reason Sasuke had come back and been inside their underground haven. Knowing this, she figured it was why many of their attacks failed.
"Look," Neji said, his voice low, but his eyes flashing angrily. "There is one reason that we are here, underground, hiding from Orochimaru. It's because of the negligence of a Hokage, because she was too busy worrying about Sasuke, and not about the sake of the village!"
A collective gasp went through the small room, and Kaede stood, fists clenched, knowing just how she wanted to break Neji's jaw. Naruto stepped in between the two, but Kaede stepped around him, getting in the Hyuga boy's face, staring straight into those Byakugan eyes, unafraid.
"If you want to pick at my mistakes, then go ahead," she growled, prodding Neji in the stomach. "But I'm not the only one in here to have done something wrong."
"And yet yours seemed to cause us all the worst problems, didn't it?" Neji said curtly, visibly shaking from pent-up frustration. "It caused this war. It forced us down here for two years. It killed hundreds of people, and you still have the nerve to show your face and talk back. You're sickening."
"Enough!"
Startled, Kaede and Neji both looked at Rock Lee, amazed at his outburst. The green-clad man was on his feet, his brow furrowed. "Cut it out, Neji. If anyone in here is sickening, it is you."
"Yeah," Miki agreed, moving next to Lee. "You don't see Kaede picking on me because I sympathized with a Sound nin and didn't kill him when I could. She's not yelling at Naruto for being angry with her, and he forgave her."
"Only because she let him be Hokage," Neji muttered.
"Stop it, please," Sakura said, standing on the other side of Rock Lee. "That's enough out of all of you. Neji, apologize. Rock Lee, Miki, sit down. I'm tired of hearing you bickering. Sure, Kaede made mistakes, but the attack would've happened regardless of the time she received the message. Our ninja were in peak condition the day of the attack, and prepared despite the limited time. Orochimaru would not have quit until every single one of us was dead if we had pushed him back. He would've killed us himself. But we are here, and we're alive."
Kaede hung her head, ashamed. What Sakura said was true, but the weight on her shoulders would not be lifted until their village was back in their hands.
Naruto put his head in his hands and sighed. "Thanks, Sakura. I don't know how much more of this I can take." He looked up and glared in Neji's direction. Kaede followed his gaze, and found the Hyuga looking somber. He bent to his knees; his eyes closed, he bowed his head.
"Forgive me, Kaede," he said, and Kaede grabbed his hand.
She tugged. "Get up, Neji. It's fine."
Relieved, the Hyuga slowly got to his feet, his tired face painted with relief. Kaede smiled at him, and he returned the gesture. And then, surprisingly, he pulled her into a quick hug that lasted only a second before he turned away, looking slightly embarrassed.
Astounded and flattered, Kaede sat back down, picking up her long-forgotten ramen bowl and slurping up a noodle, suddenly finding her appetite.
"Oh, Kami," Kaede murmured, rubbing her temple and sagging against the wall. If she had to deal with this infernal woman one more time….Ugh!
Two days after the little outbreak with Neji, Kaede found herself once again caught in the wake of Mrs. Paylath, pronounced Pie-Lathe. This argumentative, hypochondriac, whiner of an old woman was getting on her last nerve. Every day, Mrs. Paylath came up with some new scheme to draw attention, such as the time when someone had accidentally bumped into her, and supposedly "taken out her back." Tsunade checked her over, dubbed her fine, and ultimately earning Mrs. Paylath's worst spite. This particular day, Mrs. Paylath was claiming that she had chest pain, pain in her left arm, and that she was going to die.
Kaede sighed and took the woman by the left arm, triggering a second too late shriek. She rolled her eyes and grabbed Mrs. Paylath's other arm and tugged. "Come on, Mrs. Paylath," she said in forced politeness, grinding her teeth. "We'll go see your favorite person, Tsunade!"
"Oh no," Mrs. Paylath resisted, digging in her heels. "I hate that woman. She shouldn't be a medic nin, or a ninja at all! You know, she ruined this country, and you, poor child, had to deal with what she left behind. It wasn't your fault this war started—it was that woman! And you know, she was on a team with Orochimaru. If she is such a good ninja, why didn't she kill him when she had the chance, hmm?"
Feeling her patience stretching to its limit, like a rubber band, Kaede said, "Ok, let's go see Shizune, then. You like her."
"Oh, I do! That is a perfect young woman. Now, she should have been Hokage!"
She bit her lip, hard, to keep from saying anything she might regret. The last thing she wanted was to get grilled by Naruto. Eager to dispose of the irritating resident, Kaede quickly dragged her to Tsunade's office, intent on making both their lives worse for a few minutes. She jerked the door open, shoved the woman inside, and hurriedly slammed it shut again, leaning against it and wiping her brow. One task, done.
Today was her day to go around the rooms that housed the people, asking how they felt, what they did or didn't like about the meals and those who served them. If one more person approached her and asked her when they were going home, she would snap—or hit someone, whichever came first.
Reluctantly, she plodded back into one of the gymnasium-style rooms and walked down the row she had left at. The second person was a just-turned thirteen year old that lost his parents in the battle, and grandmother to sickness. Kaede wanted to pay special attention to him—she knew how it felt to be alone.
She plastered a smile on her face and greeted the boy with a happy, "Hi!"
The boy looked up, nodded in recognition, and looked back down. She frowned, taking the seat beside him on the floor, letting him take his time. When he did meet her gaze, she saw something that made her heart wrench—the look of being hopelessly lost and alone glinting in his eyes.
"What is it?" he muttered, his entire face blank save for those green eyes. Kaede had to collect herself before she answered.
"I'm just here to talk to you again on what you liked, didn't like, etc," she explained, though the boy knew exactly why she was visiting him.
"Oh." He moved his eyes to stare at his hands as he laced his fingers together, pulled them apart, and fiddled with his thumbs. Kaede let him think everything over, understanding that to go through so much in just a few years had to be traumatizing. Finally, he spoke. "I don't like that woman, Mrs. Paylath, or that yappy little dog of hers." Kaede grimaced, already imagining the small mutt on a chain and muzzle. "The other people here are OK, though, and so is the food." He shrugged. "And you're nice."
She smiled, and decided to push the boundaries a little more by putting her arm around the boy's shoulders. He leaned into the embrace, surprisingly.
"But another thing I don't like," he murmured, feeling a little hesitant, "is the fact that we've been down here for so long and it doesn't seem like we're going to get out." He looked up with pleading eyes. "I don't blame you, ma'am, but I just wish thing had gone a little differently. I mean, so many people died, and still die down here. The Sand may bring us supplies, but its not like they'll last forever."
"Don't worry," Kaede said, touched by the boy's efforts to explain his feelings. "It will all be right with the world soon enough." As she stood up to leave, she looked back one more time into those lost green eyes. "By the way, what's your name?"
"Itake," he replied, and she smiled.
"Alright," Naruto said, pacing back and forth, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Since it has been two years already, I think that a few of us should surface to see how things are handling out." When collective gasps spread through the room of friends, Naruto held up his hand for silence. "But, there will only be three allowed to go. Now, I have thought for a long and careful period, and have decided that those permitted to leave will be Kaede, Neji, and Miki. These three have been picked for their skills, namely the Byakugan bloodline, ability to predict opponents moves, and their speed."
Kaede and Miki stood, excited, while Neji was slower to get up. He wore his usual mask of impatience, which the two women ignored. Kaede was just happy to be leaving this place again, to be able run through the grass and the trees for the first time in over two years. She knew that Miki was looking forward to it just as much as she was, but the look on the faces of all her other friends was killing her. They ached to get outside just as much as she did. It broke her heart to see their disappointed expressions.
She walked over to Hinata, who seemed the most depressed, and gave the girl a quick hug. In the other girl's ear she whispered, "I'll bring you back a flower. Promise."
When she stepped away, Hinata's face brightened and she nodded, so surprised and grateful that she couldn't form words.
Naruto motioned for the three chosen to follow him out the door. He led them down a long hallway, through several rooms and doors, until finally they stopped at a wooden ladder leading up to a trap door. Kaede released the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and stared up at the small, square door. Neji and Miki followed her gaze, equally eager to climb out there.
"Look," Naruto said, giving them all a stern look that quickly melted into sadness and yet still held hope. "When you go up there, I expect you to act professionally, not like children." He paused and met each one's gaze. "Please, be careful. Don't get caught. If you are followed, take them on a wild goose chase, and do not allow them to find our hideout. It would make Orochimaru's day perfect if he could murder the survivors."
Kaede hesitated, then embraced the Hokage. He tightened their hug, holding them there for several long moments before parting. She wanted desperately to bring him along, but he was Hokage, and it would be too dangerous for him to leave. And then, suddenly, he grabbed her and kissed her.
Eyes wide and face shocked, Kaede wanted desperately to pull away, but found that she couldn't, and that she was falling into the kiss. She heard Miki squeak in excitement, probably thinking that this day couldn't get any better.
When Naruto finally broke the kiss, she stared up into those blue eyes she had known for such a long time. He grinned crookedly, sheepish, and rubbed the back of his head, much like the way he used to do when they'd been kids. "Sorry," he apologized, shrugging. "I've just always wanted to do that."
Kaede laughed, and punched the Hokage playfully on the shoulder. "It's alright. I have to admit, Sakura's got you trained to be a good kisser." He chuckled too, and soon after, Kaede found herself climbing up the wooden ladder behind Neji and Miki.
Neji pushed the trap door open, and blinding sunlight illuminated the dim, dank room. All three automatically placed their arms in front of their eyes as they emerged into the world they hadn't seen for years.
The first sounds that reached Kaede's ears was the chirping of birds, and the breeze ruffling the leaves on the trees around them. She saw the sun for the first time in an extremely long time, glinting lightly off of the ground, lighting up the world. The grass was beautiful green, the trees tall and welcoming, the breeze like the gentle touch of a soft hand. She threw her head back and breathed in, closing her eyes and letting the fresh air fill her lungs. Reluctantly, she let out her deep breath, lifting her eyelids to gaze at the marvel before her.
Neji and Miki were having similar reactions, both lavishing in the feel of the air around them, the warmth of the sun, the tickle of the grass on their feet. Kaede moved a few steps to stand next to her friends, smiling giddily, unable to stop. She saw that Miki, and even Neji were grinning in the same way. A laugh escaped her lips, spreading to both of the ninja at her side, until they were all giggling hysterically out of pure joy.
That is, until Naruto's wavering voice echoed to them: "Be careful…"
They stopped laughing immediately as they exchanged glances and leapt off into the trees. Neji led the way, picking his way carefully among the branches, still as graceful as ever even with the lack of practice. His Byakugan was on, as was Miki's, who stayed towards the rear. Kaede ran between the two, her hazel eyes darting this way and that.
After years of being in the dark, her hair had once again darkened to a deep brown, but her natural highlights glinted in the dappled sunshine. It felt good to be outside again, leaping through trees, dashing across fields of wildflowers, on a mission that didn't seem as simple as it should have.
No matter how much she wanted to run back to Konoha, attack Orochimaru herself, and bring those people home, she couldn't. Her mission right now was to see what was going on in the world, to make personal contact with the allies. From where they were, the small field that she had spent many nights in, was close to the Sand village. Several years ago, before she was Hokage, she had left on a simple scroll-delivering mission to Suna, she spent a night in that field—two nights, really.
Knowing exactly where they were, she increased her speed until she ran easily next to Neji. The Hyuga looked over at her.
"Neji," she said, and he nodded for her to continue. "The Sand village is merely an hour from here. We can make it in half that if we hurry, and I am sure the Kazekage will be glad to lend us beds for one night."
"Alright," he agreed after a moment of thinking. "Which way?"
"South-east," she stated, and they took a sharp turn. Miki rushed up just as Kaede slowed down to her place in line.
"Hey," Miki called, reaching Kaede in a few moments. "Where are we heading? Suna?"
"Yup," Kaede said, staring straight ahead of her. The joy of being outside was gone, and in its place was a feeling of determination and anger. Out here, Orochimaru ran her village. Out here, Sasuke stood by his side. Out here, there was danger, real danger, unlike the imaginary danger they faced underground. And yet, fear wasn't present. This…this….thrill of fighting, the adrenaline rush replaced the once-constant fright that had captured each and every one of them at one point or another. But now that that feeling was gone, she and her friends could concentrate on what was important: Getting back Konoha.
In only thirty-some minutes, after traveling with bursts of pent up energy, Kaede, Miki, and Neji made it to the Sand village. It was more desolate than they had imagined.
Where there once would have been many, many people milling about, shopping, chatting, and playing, was now nearly empty save for a few women and a child or two. The buildings lacked their usual upbeat appearance, their owners having either forgotten to tend to them or were just too busy. Those who were on the street seemed flighty at the three who entered their village so easily. Only the children were unafraid. They giggled and watched and pointed, speaking amongst each other.
As the three walked through the quiet village, they each struggled with their own thoughts and emotions. By looking at their faces, Kaede could tell that Miki was anxious to get going and completely ready to attack Orochimaru head on, and that Neji was just itching to return home. She shared similar feelings, a little part of her nagging and pulling towards Konoha. But she couldn't comply with it. If she went now, it would give the entire plan away. And most likely, she would die.
Well, better dead than suffering, she figured, and prayed silently for those who had perished in the war.
It wasn't very long before they were confronted by two Sand nin, apparently this country's ANBU. Since they were most likely unaware of Kaede's handing the position of Hokage over to Naruto, Neji and Miki moved to either side of her, their Byakugan activated, their stances protective and official. Only the Kazekage knew of the change in Kage's, and Naruto had made him promise to keep it to himself.
"What is your purpose here?" one of the men, a man with a cloth covering half of his face, questioned abruptly, his one visible eye narrowed.
"The Hokage wishes to meet with Lord Kazekage," Neji stated immediately, glaring daggers at the two ANBU.
Their eyes widened as they took in Kaede's solemn expression. Shooting quick glances at each other, the two men nodded and bowed their heads. "Our apologies, Miss Hokage," the one without the mask said. Kaede merely nodded to them, and as they stood, they requested that they be allowed to escort the Hokage.
With a shrug, Miki agreed, and all five of them leapt onto a roof. Kaede understood that she looked a little strange to be Hokage without the traditional Hokage clothes, but what did they expect for someone who had not been seen for over two years?
As they jumped, Kaede dug around in her pocket for that old, worn piece of leather string and tied her hair up with it. She tugged the knot tight and smoothed a few stray strands in place. It was a lot easier to run without her hair blowing in her face, and besides, she wanted to look somewhat presentable when placed in front of the Kazekage. From what she could remember, the Kazekage went by the name of Gaara of the Sand. And the man with the cloth half-mask was his old sensei. Gaara also had two siblings—Temari and Kankuro. Temari used wind-based jutsu with her giant fan, while Kankuro was a practiced puppeteer. Chills tingled her spine as she thought of the wooden puppets with their strange hair, limp limbs, and lopsided eyes. Those things were the epiphany of creepy.
Gaara controlled sand, she mentally reminded herself. So, since he was surrounded by sand at all times—hence the village name—he had an almost perfect defense system. She envied him. Her only defense was her speed and intellect—from what she had been told, no one could touch Gaara. Ever.
"Here we are," one of the men said, stopping in front of a huge, sand-colored building that was the Kazekage temple. It somewhat resembled the one in Konoha, Kaede mused, except for the coloring and slight structure differences because of the high winds and blowing sands.
She and her two friends were led out of the hot sun and into the temple. The rather large room they stepped into was brightly lit and dully colored. But Kaede didn't mind—it was more like home than their underground safe haven.
"Lord Kazekage is in his study," the second, facially visible man commented. Neji and Miki nodded. The layout of this temple was exactly like that of the one in Konoha, and they knew their way around pretty well. Besides, Neji had met Gaara before, and figured that if he had an office anywhere, it would be in the furthest, quietest place in the entire temple.
Up several flights of stairs, turning down a few halls, and stopping at a big, mahogany wood door. The brass knocker and doorknobs stood out brilliantly against the surface. Kaede reached out to rap on the door, but it opened slightly before she could, and a solemn blue eye gazed out at them. Recognition lit the eye up momentarily, disappearing as the door opened completely and an older, rather handsome Gaara of the Sand stood before the three.
In white and sky blue robes, his red hair in its usual unruly cut, and his blue eyes unblinking, Gaara moved aside and motioned them to come in, which they did, and he shut the door quickly, locking it.
When he turned, he looked earnestly at each of them. "I was unaware of a visit," he said, his low voice showing no hint of emotion, but his eyes betraying him. "Is this of an importance?"
"Yes, Lord Kazekage," Neji said, stepping forward. "We apologize for the intrusion, but we were also unaware of any trip we would be making soon. Lord Hokage sends us with a request that we gather information of the war that we have not been able to receive."
Slowly, Gaara nodded and moved to his desk. As he did, his eyes flickered to first Miki, then Kaede, lingering on the former Hokage. Kaede fought back the urge to wince, knowing that he knew this war was her mistake, and that he would probably be quick to rightfully place the blame on her shoulders. At his desk, Gaara dug around and pulled out several folders, which he handed to Neji before sitting down in his chair. He narrowed his eyes, resting his hands on the top of the desk, and stared at Kaede.
For a few moments, she stared back, until her irritation could be held back no longer and she snapped, "Will you quit looking at me?!"
Neji and Miki's heads whipped around to glare at her reproachfully; no one, not even a former Hokage, should insult a village leader. She glared right back at them, irritated that they would look at her in such a way. The man was staring at her, and now there was this little smirk on his face. What else was she supposed to do by tell him to stop?
Gaara cleared his throat. "I get the impression that you don't like to be stared at," he said in that emotionless, scratchy voice of his. Kaede bristled.
"No, I don't," she said lowly, forcing herself to relax. If there was anything she wanted to do, it was keep calm, be levelheaded, and not overreact or cause any more messes.
"Then I apologize," Gaara said, bowing his head in Kaede's general direction. She watched him, appreciative, until he looked back up and, in his quiet, cool way, invited her to come in front of his desk. She complied, taking a few steps forward until she was able to lean against the wooden structure.
"We would appreciate if your courtesy extended to allowing us a room for tonight," she said smoothly, keeping her gaze locked on those blue eyes. For a moment, all Gaara did was tilt his head and stare back; he then nodded slowly and held out a hand for her to shake. She did so cautiously, earning a small hint of a smile from the Sand shinobi.
"My brother, whenever the idiot shows up, will take you to your rooms, and provide you with any accommodations you ask for."
With a short, curt nod, Kaede agreed to the act of kindness and took her hand out of Gaara's. They looked at each other for a few moments before Kaede built up the courage to ask, "How has your village been affected?"
It took a few minutes for Gaara to answer—he was obviously troubled by the question and by the losses to his home—but when he did, it was straightforward.
"Hundreds," he said simply. "Hundreds of shinobi gone, but not to the extent that Konoha was. The Sound have yet to infiltrate Suna, and I plan on keeping it that way." He paused, watching Kaede unblinkingly. "Don't think we blame you."
His words would have sounded more emotional had they come from anyone else, Kaede figured, but they still warmed her heart. It was a pleasant feeling to know that someone out there didn't blame her for the war.
"At least, we don't blame you completely," Gaara went on, and Kaede sagged. So much for the warm and fuzzy feeling.
Then, the doors opened and a disgruntled looking man stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame, his arms crossed. Neji lifted his chin in recognition, and the man tilted his head in answer. The man studied each one of them, and in turn Kaede looking him up and down. Face pain that looked more like makeup made lines across his face, his black outfit with the hood and cat ears was the same as the last time she'd seen him. Strapped onto his back, as always, without fail, was his stupid, creepy, icky, mean puppet. She shuddered at the though of seeing its face again.
"Kankuro," Gaara said, his tone suddenly sharp and no-nonsense. Kaede raised an eyebrow in his direction but said nothing. "Take them to the guest quarters and tend to their every need."
Wrinkling his nose, Kankuro motioned for Neji, Miki, and Kaede to follow them, which they did. When Kaede glanced over at her long-time friend, she saw a cattish look on Miki's face, and stifled a giggle. The young woman had her flirtatious face on, probably aiming to make Kankuro follow his younger brother's orders. Tend to their every need. Ha.
Kaede sighed and flopped back on the first real bed she'd laid on in years. It was so comfortable, with its feather pillows, soft mattress, and warm sheets. All she wanted to do was to climb under the covers and lay her head on one of those pillows and sleep.
But, once again, she couldn't make herself close her eyes. For some reason, she was too awake to take a nap. Even though a yawn crept up her throat and out her mouth, she wasn't tired enough. Besides, someone—she couldn't remember who—had told her a long time ago that yawning occurred because of a lack of oxygen. She didn't know if it was true or not, but it was a decent explanation.
Miki was bunking in the same room—she was currently in the bathroom on her second hour of shower time—and Neji was in the room across the hall. The bedrooms were pretty luscious, with tall picture windows, decorated wallpaper, polished wooden floors, and canopy beds. Two twin canopy beds, each on opposite sides of the room, were pushed against the walls, one for each of the two women staying there. Kaede loved how homey the rooms felt, almost as cushy as her room at the Hokage temple in Konoha had been. A chill went up her spine as she thought of Orochimaru sitting on her bed, in her office, looking out her window. No, she corrected herself. Naruto's bed, Naruto's office, Naruto's window, not hers.
It stung to even think of what might have happened if she'd never become Hokage at all. Konoha would most likely be still at large, Naruto would have been rightfully in her place from the beginning, and Sasuke would still be there.
Really, it was all Sasuke's fault for leaving to go on Orochimaru's side. The black-haired Uchiha was just…him leaving killed her inside, and only losing him for a second time seemed to heal her. Of course, that didn't lessen her need for him at all—if anything, it upped the constant urge to hold him, to have him kiss her, hug her, entwine his hand in hers…
"Stop," she said out loud, just as the shower shut off.
"Huh?" Miki called from the bathroom, apparently thinking Kaede was talking to her.
"Nothing, Mik," Kaede said, shaking her head at her own stupidity. "I was just talking to myself. Nothing to worry about."
"I definitely think that's something to worry about, Kaede," Miki said seriously, peeping her head around the bathroom door. "Seriously, hon, it's been two years. I know you still hurt, but thinking about it isn't going to help you any. Just let it go. Go find some other guy to get involved with, like Neji, or Lee, or even Gaara. He seemed to like you somewhat." When Kaede snorted, Miki held her hand out. "Gimme my clothes, will you? There on my bed."
Shouts and loud, urgent footsteps woke Kaede from one of the best nights of sleep she had had in a long while. Aggravated that someone would wake her up like that, she threw the covers back and reluctantly got out of bed to open the door. What she saw immediately sent her ninja instincts haywire.
Dozens of fully dressed Sand ANBU were rushing up and down the hallway, calling to one another, their conversations mixing together. Kaede strained to hear what they were saying, only catching a few phrases, like "…attack on the…gates…" or "…spotted heading north-northeast," which frustrated her even further. But she understood basically what they were saying—that someone, most likely Orochimaru, was attacking the gates of Suna, and probably one of his Sound Four were heading north-northeast. Feeling a tingle go through her at the thought of fighting those wretched villains, she dashed over to her bed and quickly changed into the clothes she'd traveled in.
In the other bed, Miki was stirring and sat up as she saw Kaede moving around like a edgy cat. "Wha…?" she said groggily, getting up out of bed and changing only because Kaede was. Then, she too heard the noise and immediately sensed what it meant. A sharp glance in Kaede's direction later, Miki was blocking the doorway just as Kaede was about to reach for the doorknob.
"No, Kaede," she warned, pressing her back against the door. "You can't go out there. If it is an attack by Orochimaru, the chances are that one of his men will see you, recognize you, and tell him. And then our entire underground fortress will no longer be secret, and they'll come looking for us. For you. We're just lucky that Sasuke didn't say anything yet, or if he did, that Orochimaru hasn't acted on it, which is totally not his style. You know him as well as everyone else does, sister, and when he goes after something, he normally gets it."
What Miki was saying made sense, yet it had little effect on Kaede. She scowled and grabbed her friend by the arm. "Miki, move. I have to go out there, OK? There is nothing that can stop be."
"Please, Kaede, don't do this! I'm begging you, don't ruin it for all of us!" The pleading tone of Miki's voice halted Kaede's actions. She let her hand fall off of Miki's arm and land limply at her side. If she went out there and threw herself at Orochimaru, the most likely outcome was her death. But that wasn't the only thing that could and probably would happen. Everyone else would be affected. The sight of the former Hokage would spark an interest in Orochimaru, and he would follow through with it, searching relentlessly for the place where they were all hiding. All those people would die after such a struggle they'd been put through. It wasn't right to make them suffer even more than she'd already done.
"I'm sorry, Miki," Kaede whispered, looking shamefully at the ground. "I didn't think about how it would affect the rest of you. It was selfish." She turned and gazed longingly at the window. "I won't go."
A deep sigh came from tiny Miki, and the Hyuga put a hand on her friend's shoulder, squeezing lightly. "Look, you can go. But…" She hesitated, glancing at the door. "You'll have to dress up like a Sand shinobi. That's the only way you won't be recognized. Alright?" When Kaede nodded, she went over to the closet and peered into it, reaching in and taking a few things out.
She held them up for Kaede to see, and the Taijutsu specialist nodded in approval. The Sand ANBU outfit was made for a woman, and looked about her size. And there was a cloth that went over her entire face, save for her eyes. The leather string she normally used would keep her hair in a neat bun, and, since the color was dulled since the last time she was seen, it wasn't easily recognizable.
In a few moments, Kaede was ready, dressed from head to toe in Sand gear, including the Sand headband, which she momentarily protested wearing.
"Why would I want to take off my headband?" Kaede whined, glancing at the door every few seconds. "It's my honor."
"I know, but wouldn't it look a little strange to be dressed up in Sand shinobi clothes and wearing a Konoha headband?" Miki argued, and Kaede reluctantly agreed, swapping her usual one for the unfamiliar one.
Just before she leapt out the window in the streets, Miki placed a hand on her shoulder. "Be careful," she reminded Kaede, who smiled slightly under the cloth and jumped away.
The cool night air whipped in her face, the sand billowing around her. The clothes she was wearing were specially designed to keep the sand at bay, and were working rather well. She didn't feel free, though, even if in a sense she was. Orochimaru was ahead of her, in the very near future, and she wasn't about to let the sense of being released from that underground prison distract her from killing him.
It wasn't long before she caught up with the rest of the Sand shinobi, who didn't give her a second look. The dark night sky, and the tension in the air combined to keep them from noticing that they'd never seen her before. Up ahead, she could see small flashes of fire, faintly hear the lilt of a flute, hear the screams that bounced off the buildings and echoed down the streets.
Another chill swept through her back; she ignored it, focusing only on getting to those flashes of light, those screams and destroying who was causing it. It was close, she knew, only a few leaps away. As her vision of the battle became clearer and clearer, Kaede became horrified at what she saw.
Men and women alike fighting, children hiding wherever they could, crying and screaming for their mothers and fathers, people lying dead or wounded on the streets, a huge, gaping hole in the wall surrounding Suna. The high desert winds were not discouraging the evil Sound ninja, thought it was an advantage to the Sand. They knew their territory, and knew how to work around it and make it more of an advantage than a worry. But that didn't bother Kaede very much. She'd seen war before.
What caused her to halt in her tracks and stare was a figure on the top of the wall, standing stiffly with his chin lifted in the air, his dark hair framing his face, his narrowed eyes scouring everything before him. A sword was attached to the belt around his waist, loosely slipped into its sheath. Red and black eyes scanned the scene, until they reached Kaede. They halted on the female Sand ninja frozen in place by the horror before her. She felt that he could see right through her disguise, right into the very soul that still ached for him. Her heart thudded in her chest, threatening to pound right out. Her hand flew up as if to still it, knowing that her hazel eyes were what was giving her away.
And then, anger and determination overtook the sadness and fright she felt, and she focused her chakra into her feet, disappearing and appearing almost immediately across from Uchiha Sasuke.
A smirk spread across the man's face, and he let out a soft chuckle. His eyes held no more passion, no more fire, just a hateful, angry glint that was barely visible at all. If she hadn't been looking for that spark, she would've called his eyes dull, listless. Black hair blew away from those slanted eyes in the fierce wind. Slowly, Sasuke turned to completely face the ninja before him.
Kaede stiffened and shifted into position, bracing herself for the attack that came a few seconds later. Quickly, she blocked Sasuke's punch, ducking her hip to the side to avoid the knee to the stomach she would have suffered. Retaliating quickly, she turned so her back was facing the Uchiha, elbowed him in the ribs, and spun around to kick him in the side of the head.
Her leg was caught in a firm grip, and she was swung into the air. She let this be an advantage to her, readying for his second lunge. It came in a moment, Sasuke appearing in front of her. Focusing her chakra into her fist, she slammed him in the nose, hearing the brutal crack with satisfaction. She then rolled in mid air, maneuvering so that her leg was above the bleeding Sasuke. Loosing a mighty yell, she slammed her leg as hard as she could onto his shoulder, feeling the bone snap at the force of the impact.
The ground rushed up to meet them more quickly than she would have imagined, and, forced to halt her attack, Kaede landed on her feet, whipping around to face Sasuke, or, rather, where Sasuke was supposed to be.
"Where did he—oomph!" The flat edge of a sword connected with her back, and she fell face forward towards the ground. She felt the mask around her face loosen slightly, but not concerned with it, she pushed off her hands to flip back to her feet. But someone grabbed the back of her shirt and hauled her up. She yelled as something sharp hit the tie of the mask. It began to fall off; she grabbed at it desperately, pressing it against her face, trying to prevent anyone from seeing her face.
And then, a warm, but yet cold hand tore it from her, turned her around, and before she knew it, someone's lips were pressed against hers.
OMGoodness! A cliffie!! I know, you'll all hate me for life, but the next chapter will definitely be worth it. :D Keep on reviewing!
Nicola