Chapter 4
(Wednesday, 11:08 A.M.)
Asuma blinked sweat out of his eyes, hurriedly wiping it out with the top of his right hand as he stared at Kakashi, mouth agape. Had he gone psychotic? No.. it must have been from that fall...
"Kakashi... calm down... you just had a rough fall..."
"What the HELL is wrong with YOU?!" Anko shouted in anger, her violet hair standing up a bit like an upset feline. "Hatake, I understand you've just had a nasty trip but that's no reason to stand up and scream like a maniac!"
Kakashi seemed to be ignoring the remarks of both jounin and looking for something, eyes darting back and forth. Mumbling incoherent words as his gaze finally rested on Anko's canteen.
"Rotten milk... rotten milk..." he muttered, snatching the canteen and quickly unscrewing the bottle.
"Rotten milk?! Why the hell would I have tha---"
Anko words stopped in her throat as she viewed upon the contents of her canteen, slowly surging out of the plastic shell... white frothy liquid dumped slowly out turning the tan dust a dark brown. How had he known? Unless...
"Oh...OH really funny Hatake! We're supposed to be setting an example for these children and you come up with this shit of sabotaging my canteen?!"
Naruto slowly looked up, guilt filling his innards as if he had drank the contents of the now empty, but ruined, canteen itself. "I... I filled the canteen Anko-san..." his blue eyes stared directly at the ground as she swept her gaze toward him.
"It figures. Uzumaki this is your last warning! Any more mischief from you and I'll send you right back to Konoha! Now, I'm going to gather up the rest of the group. We've got a long walk ahead of us and we haven't even crossed the bridge---"
"NO!"
All eyes swept toward Kakashi again, his eyes once again taking on a crazed look.
"I'm not crossing that bridge! None of us are! It's a deathtrap!"
Several genin, hearing the word "death" looked over toward the small group with fearful glances. Kurenai looked up, reassured some in the group, and jogged over toward the gathering. She walked quickly up, latching onto Asuma's bicep as she took a sharp glance at Kakashi and then toward Anko.
"What's going on?" She asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
Asuma tossed out his used cigarette and responded with "Kakashi bumped his head... he seems to be having delusions about everyone dying and---"
"THEY'RE NOT DELUSIONS! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" The silver-haired jounin erupted, tears welling in the corner of his eye. "I SAW IT! I FELT IT! THE BOARDS OF THE BRIDGE, THE WIND HOWLING... AND... and... all of you screaming... IT WAS REAL!"
"Real FAKE!" Anko retaliated. "Kakashi it was a HALLUCINATION! You fell and hit your head!" She walked up to Kakashi, face to face inches from the navy blue fabric which hid his, eye to eye, and spoke through gritted teeth. "I will NOT tolerate you jeopardizing this mission because of some delusion you had! You are frightening the genin with your wild outbursts and I swear Hatake, I know you want to be here, but if this keeps up I WILL send you home."
She then turned on her heel, bustling off to gather the now wide-eyed group. Kurenai patted Asuma on the back and whispered "Help him steady himself ok? I'm going to help Anko with the others..." She then followed suit.
As Naruto stared down at the dirt contemplating how to handle the situation, the bearded jounin walked up to the trembling frame of his friend and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm tellin' you man..."
"...that time of the month?" Kakashi finished Asuma's sentence before he could utter out the words, leaving Asuma a bit befuddled.
"Kakashi..."
"I saw it Asuma. I know it's true... if we cross that bridge it means death..."
"A-are you sure Kakashi-Sensei?" Naruto looked up at his sensei with a flicker of fright in his eyes, his lip quivering a bit from worry and the shock of seeing his teacher in such as state.
"Yes Naruto." He nodded curtly, "Asuma you have to stop Anko. You can't let any of them cross that bridge." He looked toward Asuma, his brown eye gleaming a bit in the sun.
The jounin still wasn't convinced. "Kakashi, I can't stop her and neither should you... it was just a dream you've got to understan---"
"Dammit Asuma then I'll stop her!" He sat up quickly taking long strides toward the group. Asuma and Naruto followed quickly, both frightened of what the silver-haired jounin was about to do.
Anko was helping Hinata adjust her backpack and casually looked over her shoulder. "Oi Kakashi, you finally come to your senses then?"
"I've had my senses all along," Kakashi retorted, his Sharingan twitching more and more as each second passed, " and they all point toward not crossing that bridge! I won't allow you to lead this group to it's death!"
Anko fastened the last buckle and stood up to face him, dusting off parts of her tan trench coat. "Kakashi, I've warned you already and I'm warning you again. If you keep sticking to this RIDICULOUS story---"
"FINE! SEND ME HOME!!! ALL I ASK IS FOR YOU NOT TO CROSS THAT BRIDGE!!!"
Naruto took his Sensei's hand and lead him away from the group toward a group of rocks.
"Alright that's it." She shifted her gaze to Kurenai, who was helping Kiba gather his things. "Kurenai! I want you to escort Kakashi back to the village. Perhaps Tsunade can cure him of these INSANE DELUSIONS!" She turned screaming the last words with emphasis, fists clenched at her sides.
Kurenai's eyes went wide, her large crimson pupils filling with worry. She stood up quickly and walked over to the group. "An-Anko-san! This is probably the last time I can go on a mission like this before---" she cast a nervous glance at Asuma, a confused expression on his face. "... before I take a vacation. Please Anko, I've been looking forward to this for ages!"
Anko opened her mouth in response "Kurenai, I've had---"
"I'll take him."
Anko looked to the source of the voice and was met by the gaze of Asuma, scratching his beard non-chalantly. He put a large hand on Kurenai's shoulder and nodded solemnly to Anko.
Anko pondered it for a moment, and then curtly nodded. She walked off to gather the others as Kurenai's expression turned to bewilderment as she turned to Asuma.
"Asuma-san... you didn't have to do that! Anko assigned me to go! I know you've been looking forward to this trip as much as me but..."
"Kurenai it's ok." He ran a hand through her wavy ebony hair and met her gaze. "You've been wanting to go more than me and Kakashi needs help... I don't know if it's the anniversary of Obito or something else... but he needs me right now."
"B-but Asuma I---"
"No. It's ok Kurenai... you go." he gave her a smile. "You can't sacrifice all of our students to the wrath of Anko can you?" He winked, jokingly as she gave him a slug in the arm.
"Alright... I'll go." She leaned on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek. "When I get back... I'd like to take you out to dinner Asuma-san... there's some important things we need to discuss."
Asuma nodded. "Ok. I'd like that." He gave her a smile. She grasped his fingers for a few moments more, then jogged back toward the group. She turned yelling over her shoulder "I'll wave to you when we cross the bridge!"
Asuma laughed. "Ok! I'll wave back!"
Kurenai nodded. "See you on the other side!" she smiled and once again helped Kiba who had dumped the contents of his backpack on the ground by accident.
------------------------
Naruto lead his sensei by the hand away from the angry Anko as Kurenai and Asuma had what seemed to be a private conversation. He sat Kakashi down on a rock and looked him in the eye. Kakashi seemed to be in a sort of awed shock, his eye glazed over, lost in thought. The genin noticed the fabric covering his left eye twitching madly.
"Ka-Kakashi-Sensei... is it true? Is everyone who crosses that bridge going to die?"
Kakashi nodded, his stare unwavering. "I... I have to stop them Naruto."
"Maybe you just bumped your head a little hard Kakashi-Sensei... it could have been a nightmare... just a bad dream..."
"Give it baaaaacccckkk..."
Kakashi shook the rotting undead image of Obito out of his mind as he gazed up at Naruto's whiskered face. "No... it wasn't a nightmare. Trust me. I know the difference."
Naruto gulped and sat beside his teacher. "Kakashi-Sensei I believe you. I'll stay behind with you ok?"
Kakashi snorted. "You just want to get out of another assignment."
Naruto laughed. "Well maybe..."
A shadow fell over the two of them. Kakashi looked up at a bearded silhouette. "Did you stop them Asuma?"
Asuma shook his head. "No, I'm supposed to escort you back to the village Kakashi..."
Kakashi stood up quickly. "No Asuma! We have to stop them! I--" he paused for a moment and found he was unable to move. "Wh-what is this?!"
"How long should I hold him Sensei?" Shikamaru stood a few feet away, his and Kakashi's shadows connected, freezing Kakashi in place. Chouji stood behind Shikamaru, a solemn expression on his face.
Kakashi looked at Asuma with a look of betrayal. "Asuma what the HELL IS THIS?!"
The bearded jounin responded with a sad look filling his deep hazel eyes. "I-I'm sorry Kakashi. Anko thinks it's a combination of that bump on your head and the anniversary and all... and we know you won't go back by choice so I have to use force..."
"DON'T YOU GET IT?! WHY WON'T ANY OF YOU LISTEN TO ME?! IF YOU CROSS THAT BRIDGE YOU WILL DIE!!! PLEASE DON'T GO!!!" he cried feebly as he watched the last of the group move around the ridge toward the crossing, leaving Kakashi, Asuma, Naruto, Shikamaru and Chouji alone.
-------------------------
Kurenai walked with Anko toward the rickety bridge. Normally she would have felt edgy about it anyway, and after Kakashi's outburst she was even more nervous... what if he was right? She looked sideways at Anko who had a stern look on her face, as if she were trying to convince herself also.
She watched as Sasuke took the lead of the group, Sakura and Ino taking pursuit both trying to walk next to him. Shino and Kiba following close behind casting glares in Sasuke's direction and Hinata trailing behind, casting nervous glances back toward the ridge...
No...
Kakashi couldn't be correct... it was just the stress from Obito's death and that nasty fall. Tsunade could fix him up alright and then perhaps Asuma-san could catch up. Perhaps she could tell him about her big news. The fact that the two of them would soon be--
"Kurenai-Sensei..."
Hinata's voice, soft as a chime bell, brought Kurenai back from her thoughts like a gentle alarm clock. She looked down at the young genin and smiled. "Yes Hinata-chan?"
"I... I don't feel so good. I really want to go home. Can I head back with the other group?"
Kurenai let out a deep sigh. What did it matter now? Half the group was heading back anyway.
"It's ok Kurenai." Anko looked at her smiling. "I'll take Ms. Hyuuga back to the other group. Could you make sure these guys don't cause too much trouble as they cross? I'll catch up in a moment."
Kurenai nodded. "Yes Anko-san. Feel better Hinata ok?"
Hinata nodded with a bit of a frightened look on her face. "P-Please be safe Kurenai-Sensei."
-----------------------------
"DAMN YOU ASUMA! CALL SHIKAMARU OFF!"
Kakashi struggled to move from the jutsu but it was no use. Why didn't they understand?! He'd seen them die... all of them. He had to stop it! He tried to move again but to no avail...
"Kakashi I..." Asuma paused. He felt an odd cool breeze blow across the back of his neck, giving him goosebumps down his spine... "I..."
"You feel it don't you?" Kakashi looked at each person in the group, their eyes widening a bit. "It's here... that's how you know. That's why you stopped. Now let me go so I can stop them!"
"Shikamaru... let him go..."
"Asuma-Sensei...?"
"Do it."
Kakashi could move again and started sprinting toward the group crossing the bridge, but was stopped abruptly as he crashed into Anko, both of them tumbling toward the ground. Asuma and the others followed suit, but stopped at this inconvenience.
"HATAKE ARE YOU TRYING TO MURDER ME TODAY?!" Anko screamed, pulling herself out of the entangled mass of limbs.
The silver-haired jounin stood up quickly. "NO I'M DOING THE OPPOSITE! YOU HAVE TO STOP THEM ANKO!!!"
Hinata held her hands up to her face, looking at Naruto who gave her a worried glance.
Anko dusted herself off and grabbed Kakashi by his shoulders. "KAKASHI THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO WOR--"
"SNAP!!!"
Six head's turned quickly toward the bridge, as it snapped. Screams of pure terror were heard as the group of shinobi plunged to their deaths. Six eyes went wide in horror, mouths agape. Six people stood in disbelief...
One person fell to the ground, fingerless black gloves covering what parts of his face were visible as he erupted in sobs, his Sharingan eye twitching madly as if a wild rabbit had taken homestead inside of it. One person screamed in agony from his failure to save his now fallen comrades...