Chapter 5: In Comes Akatuski!!!
Hidden Stone Village: Normal POV
"Hidden Stone Village..." Kisame muttered under his breath, reading the kanji letters plastered before his face. The village wasn't as large as Konoha, nor did it have the mysterious air about it like the Hidden Sand Village. Instead, the village seemed quite plain, there were ninjas walking through the streets with calm complexions, mothers hanging laundry in the back of their houses, and children playing with dolls at the corner of the village entrance. The lines on Kisame's face thickened as he frowned; this was no place for the nameless shinobi to hide. There were no reasonably strong looking ninjas, nor were there and good places to hide.
'... not that I expect the nameless shinobi to hide...'
Itachi's strides stopped about 50 meters from the entrance, where they could most likely stall and plan the attack. The procedure of raiding a village was exceptionally easy, and often times Kisame wondered if it would be more entertaining to try and defend a raid, rather than actually raiding.
Itachi's gaze slowly landed on Kisame, but no words were spoken. The expression on Itachi's face was simple to see, Today's going to be a slaughter... Kisame grinned, he hadn't had a good slaughter in a long time, and he was longing to have some sort of blood shed, whether it be innocent or guilty.
"...I get right, you take left?" Kisame questioned aloud, anxiously waiting to hear Itachi's response, but it never came.
"--You there! Hold on! Yes you, state your business!" A higher ranking ninja wearing the Hidden Stone's attire pointed his finger accusingly at Itachi and Kisame, and when they didn't answer, he raised his voice in an attempt to sound more authoritative.
"Please state your business."
"... our business...?" Kisame questioned arrogantly, causing the ninja to recoil slightly.
"Yes, your business, our village is preparing for a festival and we simply can not accept visitors at the --"
"--... our business is for us to know... but if you really want to know..." Kisame fingered the blade in it's sheath with his finger, ever so lightly, before grinning at the ninja with the pure intent to kill in his eyes, ".. then by all means... interrogate away."
Within the next two seconds, several events occurred, that would be remembered throughout future generations of the Hidden Stone village. First, Kisame punctured the ninja's left lung, then picked up his body and hurled it into the sign welcoming people to the village, causing it to splinter and shoot across a 50 foot radius, where the blood from the ninja spewed across, staining the houses.
Kisame gazed with pride at his work; the entire ninja force of the village was emerging to see the commotion, only to be met by disaster. Mother's ushered their children wordlessly to safe keeping, and the elderly attempted to bring out any kinds of weapons that would be of use.
'... if this doesn't bring out that damned shinobi, then I don't know what will...' Kisame thought silently to himself. The ninja's looked up fearlessly towards Kisame, not even noticing Itachi's presence in the shadows; but it seemed one of them was educated enough to know who Kisame was, for he whispered it frightfully to the ninja next to him.
"Ah. You know who I am then, I'm honored..." Kisame's crooked grin slanted upwards, "Really, I am.."
... the clashing of blades... the cries of agony.. anguished shouts, and the silence that followed the deaths of the brave ninjas.
Kisame cornered one last ninja; she had the look of absolute defiance written across her eyes, as she lifted her shuriken for the last time.
"Nice village ya had here... too bad it didn't last." Kisame stated mockingly, causing the girl's breaths to become even more ragged.
"You. We have done nothing to you. You BASTARD!" she cried out before throwing her shuriken at him with her last reserve of energy, but Kisame merely sliced it in half with his blade, he scoffed, "That's the best this pathetic village has to offer? A lowly girl to be the last one standing?"
"GAHH!!!" she threw herself at him and readied herself for hand-to-hand combat, but Kisame caught her hand and began twisting her arm. She glared maliciously at him, tears on the verge of spilling, and her body elevated above the ground.
"Where is he." Itachi stated, his voice cutting through the girl's anger like a sharp winter storm.
"I-I don't know what you speak of!"
"Yes you do!" Kisame hissed, tightening his grip on her wrist, making the pain near unbearable.
"I swear upon my village that I have no idea who you speak of!" She cried out her response, biting her lip to hold back from saying anything more offensive. Itachi's eyes narrowed on her, making her feel even more uncomfortable than before. Kisame frowned, and pulled his blade out with his free hand, he lightly sliced her wrist, letting a thin line of the crimson liquid seep out. She squirmed slightly and bit her lip harder, so hard it began to draw blood.
"Kill her." Itachi turned his back and began to walk away, while Kisame's eyes glinted with blood lust. Her eyes widened and with renewed strength she fought back. She kicked Kisame in the stomach, and then grabbed his hand with her other hand, hate burned in her eyes, "Let. Me. GO!"
"God damn bitch, just die quietly." Kisame growled at her, "You do know why you're being killed...right? I love it when my prey knows just why they're dying." She was silent and he slammed her up against a building, choking her with one hand.
"You know the nameless shinobi. Your so-called hero has not shown..."
"Ghh-- n-no... y-you're be-being..." her sentence faltered as she struggled to break free of Kisame's iron grip, tears were now streaming freely down her sun-kissed cheeks.
"Let's end this now." Kisame unsheathed his sword again and slit her throat quickly, ending her misery surprisingly without suffering. Kisame dropped her to the ground, a look of peace passing over her once tense features. Kisame scanned the village momentarily, and being satisfied with his work, turned to follow Itachi. Kisame studied Itachi's posture and immediately concluded he was beyond pissed; his strides were no longer long and fluid, they were short and staggered, as if stopping almost every other step to scowl. Kisame let out a low sigh that could have easily been mistakened as a growl, '... whoever gets Itachi pissed is a dead man...'
Konoha Forest: Normal POV
Sora grinned happily while walking through the forest, the wind lightly caressing her skin.
"Ahh... I love being outside.." She stretched her arms gratefully and allowed the sun to radiate off her skin; making her have a mystical glow around her. Sora glanced down at her arm, the injuries she took on were beginning to close, so it was only a matter of time until they completely dissipated.
A sweet serenade of notes invaded Sora's ears, causing her head up to snap up and see what was singing, and to your surprise, it was none other than Sakura! She was wearing a large hat, and had a bag slung over her back. Her sweet tune seemed to linger in the air even after she stopped to pick up a fruit from the ground and place it into the bag.
"Hey Sakura!" Sora waved hi and smiled at her, and she smiled back at her, but her smile falters and immediately turns into a look of confusion.
"Sora-sensei? You're supposed to be resting right now..." she paused, and her look of confusion switched to a small frown, "So those were all your bandages around the forest?!" Sakura pulled her bag off her shoulder and shook it empty. A variety of things flew from her bag, including a whole pile of bandages that were freshly applied.
"Uh... heh?" Sora grinned and scratched the back of her head before standing up to help Sakura pick up all the things she had dropped on the ground.
Sora POV
"I don't understand Sora-sensei! You're inju--"
"SHH!" I clamped your hand over Sakura's mouth and pulled her over behind a tree. I glanced back and forth and then let go of her, "Don't say my name so loudly! They'll be looking for me by now…"
"... Sora-sensei... you mean to tell me you're not going to listen to the orders of your superiors?"
"Come on, life is short. Why should I waste it in bed?" I point up into the sky, "Look... If the sun is supposed to represent your life, or a cloud, or a star.. It's the same concept... Your life will hit it's peak, but all along the way down, you're not going to be able to go back and fix mistakes you've made. There's no use sitting in bed all day trying to heal a mistake you've made, so you might as well and live life as if nothing ever happened."
Sakura studied my face carefully, it was still full of care-free youth, yet it seemed like I possessed knowledge far beyond my age. I smiled warmly at her and started to pick up the remaining items that still lay on the ground, "You know Sakura... I don't think you should be so quick to judge people."
"What?"
"Well, sometimes people are really good down inside, it's just they can't express it..."
"Are you talking about Naruto? Because he is definitely not--"
"--hey, just hear me out alright?"
"... Alright."
"Naruto's a good kid, and he's got a good heart. I don't think he really means to act like an idiot, but did you ever think maybe he just acts like that because of you?" Sakura snorted, and shook her head, "He's acting like an idiot just for me? ... Thanks."
"No Sakura, not like that. Okay, let me try to make this clearer... Think of how many years he's worshipped the very ground you walk on, think of how many times he would have been willing to give all his dreams up just for you. " Sakura was silent, her memories of Naruto trying to protect her flew by her eyes, as if a fast replay of her life with Naruto was put on 'play'.
"In so many ways he's like you... Your name; Sakura, named after a blossom correct?" Sakura nodded dumbly and I continued, "The Sakura blossom isn't beautiful at first is it? No. No flowers are, they start out as small wimpy bulbs that appeared in trees... but they blossom. What makes you think Naruto can't blossom like that? He has talent beyond my comprehension, and courage like I haven't seen since a long time ago. Besides, could you really imagine life without him?"
I stopped, stood up and brushed some of the dirt off of my pants, "Ah.. I've gotta leave now Sakura-chan! I'm sure some of the Jounins are looking for me right now. I'll see you later then. Ja ne!" I waved goodbye and disappeared into a whirlwind of air.
Regular POV
"SORA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Iruka's voice rang clearly through the forest the moment Sora disappeared. He, along with two other ninjas crashed through the clearing, only to come face to face with Sakura, who looked deep in thought.
"Oi.. Sakura, it's only you here? I heard Sora's voice…" Sakura finally snapped out of her trance to glance up, only then realizing that they were looking for Sora. ... don't tell them where Sora-sensei is!!... make something up girl!..
"Ah! Right, heh! I was only talking to myself!! I-I had a- a rigorous training session today!" Sakura's seemingly innocent disposition was fading fast.
"... Well, alright then…But if you do happen to see Sora-san, tell her she needs to get back to the infirmary, now."
"Hai Iruka-san." Sakura muttered softly, desperately trying to keep her eyes from meeting Iruka's gaze. Sakura didn't dare to look up until she could safely assume that all of the ninjas had followed Iruka out of the forest, and ventured back into the village.
"Whew..." she let out a sigh and leaned against the tree, the wind had stopped blowing, and her clothes were becoming stuck to her skin. Sora's final words still replayed in her mind,
.. besides... can you really imagine life without him..?
Sakura sighed and swung the bag back over her shoulder, "... I guess I couldn't.. It'd be slightly weird without Naruto…" She shook her head sternly, "I do not like Naruto! He's an idiot! Always will be." Sakura nodded forcefully at her last statement, and walked strictly back to the village, still struggling futilely against her thoughts.
Jounin Room: Normal POV
"They massacred the entire village."
"But why? There's nothing worth their time!"
"... You're wrong... there must be something..." Kakashi sloshed the tea around in his cup, and then gazed emotionlessly at it.
"It still makes no sense Kakashi, the Akatsuki have much better things to do then to--"
"--no. There must be something... someone..."
All of the Jounins in the room stared gravely at Kakashi; this afternoon tea had suddenly turned into a grave discussion. Kakashi had pointed out several times that the S-ranked criminals were becoming reckless since the arrival of the nameless shinobi, but everyone simply called him paranoid. It wasn't until later in the discussion did most of them find out about the Hidden Stone massacre.
"Thank the spirits only half of the ninjas stayed behind..They can rebuild their village within the next few months, and we can help them at the Spring festival!"
"We have far more important matters at hand, than to try and rebuild the hidden Stone village."
"So you'd rather ignore them in their time of need, than help them?!"
"... Stop arguing... the point of it all, is that the Akatsuki are becoming insecure. We have no choice but to help the Stone village rebuild, and then strengthen our own forces."
Everyone stared at Kakashi, he didn't look the least bit distressed, but from the tone of his voice, it was apparent he didn't like the situation. Maito Gai stood up and stared directly into Kakashi's eye, who in return also stood up. "Kakashi, you know we can't afford to try and help the Hidden Stone village right now, Konoha is having enough difficulty with our own affairs."
Kakashi was about to answer, but paused, and turned to the door, "Sora, get in here now. No use having you out there..."
Sora let out a mental sigh and then slid the door open, "... Sora... you should be resting..." Kakashi scolded gently, but she merely shrugged her shoulders and took a seat next to Yuuhi Kurenai. She was stiffly holding onto her teacup, and forced a smile in Sora's direction. She smiled back warmly, and then scanned the room to see everyone staring at her; even Kakashi.
"... Sora... the Hidden Stone Village... has been massacred…" Soras nodded her head gravely, and allowed Kakashi to continue. "The Akatsuki are becoming restless... if they don't get what they want..." Kakashi stopped and allowed her to finish the sentence mentally, we're all doomed...
"Well, we still have a week until the festival, and a few days before the Chuuin examination, so we'll have to send a team or two of qualified shinobi, I don't think it will be too high of a ranked mission, but we'll have to ask the Hokage." Sora smiled at the people in the room and then stood up, "I'll have to check with him now, but please... if you have students entering in the Chuuin examination, your place is here in Konoha, do not try to leave the village on this mission. Good bye!" She bowed and wave goodbye before sliding the door open again and leaving for the Hokage.
The room was silent after Sora left, but Kurenai was the first to speak again, "...That girl... Sora... what was her mission in these past few years?"
"You know we're not allowed to speak of past missions with--"
"I know that rule very well, but it's for the best of Konoha! If we don't know what each and every one of us has been doing on missions, we're most likely going to have problems!" Kakashi glanced up and seemed to argue mentally before finally answering, "Her mission... was to bring S-ranked criminals back... and try to change them... and if they wouldn't... kill them."
A wave of silence washed over the room, and everyone's gaze gravitated to where Sora sat, and all feelings were numbed as they got up and began to leave. Yet one thought seemed to cross all of their minds, ...could she really be... the one... to succeed...