Author note
Someone tould me to continue so here it is. The infamous chapter four!
Konoha
The rain beat against the tattered feelings of konoha's shinobi, but each and every woman, man and child was present for the Hokage's speech. Anger was a common feeling flowing through many of the villagers. They wanted answers to why their lives had become broken, why they had to endure such pain and grief.
Dante ascended unto the podium clothed in a black military suit, the council shadowed him each veiled by a white robe similar to the previous Hokage's attire. He was an old sturdy man with a freshly shaved bald head and tiny dark eyes. His portico exhibited strength but it also expelled an undeniable wrath. A few brave voices shouted comments of resentment at his sight, yet even they quieted when he lifted his palm.
He spoke presenting them with a deep rumble fitting for his image, "My people you are angry, yes?"
The crowd erupted with a thousand tacit words. The pain they had to witness was inhuman. A few tears fell from the sullen faces of the angered mob. Dante's hand ascended once more and once again silence blanketed the audience.
"Indeed I have brought despair to my people. It is a despair that I too have embraced with sour feelings. I have had to watch my people suffer, but in doing so I have made you all the more stronger. I have shown you what it feels like to loose the pleasure of being civilized. I have renewed your eyes; I have Konoha's fire in your belly!"
The council behind the man applauded with approval at the man's choice of words and even some of the crowd unknowingly listened a little harder.
"My people we are on the very edge of war with the Sound village, a place whom has already been forgiven for trying to bring ruin to our home and people once. Do we let them walk away unscathed for their indiscretions," his voice found new body and he stood stronger than ever. The man looked fitting as a great general of a greater army.
"Where is that spirit that once made us the strongest ninja village in the Fire Country? More importantly, why must I ask that question? Why, do we ally with The Sand after they have been proven to be unfamiliar with the devious ways of the enemy? They are incompetent, yet we rally to their aid! We risk our own soldiers, which we are now lacking because of them, to make their lives all the more easier. I ask you why?"
His speech was trailed by silence. For sin needs only one opportunity to present itself before a host is shrouded in it. A person becomes a living being empowered by the lure of temptation, wrath, and revenge.
"I would like to, at this time, present a new forefront figure to my cause. He has seen the necessary evil of my plight. He understands what now must be done! I give to you, General Kakashi."
Elsewhere
The figure edged every closer to the two girls' position moving with both caution and haste. Just from that alone Sakura could tell their guests were skilled. If it were not for the luxury of Hinata's Byakugan they would have remained unknown. She didn't know her opponents strength but they definitely had greater numbers; there were twelve in total.
"What are we going to do," Hinata asked seeing the progressing crowd.
Sakura replied with silence. She did not want to engage any of the Sound ninja, especially before they reached Otogakure; yet, she knew her options were partial. Her hand instinctively caressed a small kunai knife dangling form her side.
"Sakura they're here," Hinata said peering to her right side. A deep shadow found life in the vacant corners of their refuge and a white mask dipped into the light. Sakura immediately recognized the mask as that of an ANBU operative. She did not know what to think of their situation anymore. If it were the enemy, twelve ANBU operatives would be far too many, however if it happened to be Shikimaru's own division it could mean help.
"Who are you," she called out bravely to the shadowed figure.
"You are Shinobi, yes?"
"So they don't know who we are," Sakura whispered to an intense Hinata.
Her eyes were locked on the frozen image of the ANBU operative as another mask dipped form the shadows a good six feet from the first.
"We need to do something and fast," Hinata said her eyes catching three more ANBU members silently entering the cave.
"Whatever happens just follow my lead Hinata."
The girl nodded showing she understood her pink haired counterpart. The ANBU members kept popping their heads into the open but they never advanced any further than that. Sakura knew her widow for opportunity was fast leaving and if she wanted to escape she would have to act fast.
"Where are you to from?" A second ANBU asked, this voice seemingly belonging to a female. She had asked the one question they wouldn't dare answer. The time for being settle had passed. Sakura charged toward the emerging ANBU with grace and agility. Her feet moved easily along the moss covered tavern floors. Two kunai knives erupted form the gloom but she parried them with her own favorite choice of weapon. The knives violently collided in mid sentence then fell quite easily.
"Hinata run!"
Sakura plunged her arms deep into the caves bottom causing the entire foundation to crumble. The floor was split apart and debris fell from the ceiling in an almost nostalgic way. Hinata headed to the cave's opening breaking into the light just in time to watch the entire grotto implode. She dived into the daylight her, eyes burned with the presence of such light. She closed off her Byakugan as her body hit the moist earth around her. The river banks had calmed and subsided a little now and the muddy terrain had cushioned her fall.
She scrambled to her feet looking around but she wasn't able to make out much. She once again called upon her eyes and in a flash of light, veins exploded from her temple and a silver glow was added to her prospect. She was surrounded by seven ANBU and there was not a sign of Sakura among the wreckage. However; she did spot the mangled body of two ANBU member and the bodies of three others trying to find an exit they surely would.
Two ANBU broke away from hiding and charged at the girl with full force. Hinata positioned her feet and kept her eyes on the quick images of the people. They whirled around her but she remained absolutely still. Her Byakugan would not so easily fall to shameful frolics. The first person came down on her left-side but she merely sidestepped the attack, letting the grass bend beneath her feet. The second came but his attack was aimed high, so she easily dipped below the punch and slammed her palm into the person's chest. A small flare of charka leapt from the figures back and he, a male form his build, stumbled backwards winded. The other person was either a small man or large female, but his or her construct straddled the fence. His/Her moves where two seconds faster than the partner's and came that much closer to contact.
Hinata watched her opponent's moves waiting for a chance to exploit an opening. His/Her form was rather good though. If they did in fact leave an opening the window to strike was very small. Yet the person's hands dipped a little too low and Hinata sought to capitalize on the mistake. She struck the person in their right eye and watched as blood trickled down.
"Screaming in pain jutsu!" The large man yelled. He opened his mouth wide and a great blast of sound torn apart the grass and hit Hinata with a great deal of force. She held her hands to her ears in agony. She couldn't even counter in a position like this. The other figure launched a kunai knife tied to an explosive note and upon entering the range of the attack it exploded burning the right side of the girl's face. She fell back from the force of the blast her face red and burned. Her ears bleed onto the morning grass. She wouldn't be able to win this fight, and after loosing two of their own she doubted they would spare her life, so now all she could do was wait for the final blow. The smaller of the two figures came toward her with a large hunter's knife perilously aimed at her; the right eye of her mask shattered and bloody.
"I'll kill you bitch!" A female's voice shouted in anger. Hinata managed a smile at the thought of the ninja being scared for life. If nothing else, this person would not soon forget her.
Then there came a flash of light. It sped through the surrounding woods and collided with the woman's body causing a decently sized explosion. The lady was engulfed in smoke and fire and fell unconsciously to the floor. Her partner nervously looked around for the source of the attack and the other five also stepped forward.
"Damnit they have caught up with us!" the squad captain, a woman by the sound of her voice, said with a frightened tenor.
"This girl should already be dead, kill her!" but before anyone could move another flash of light shot out from nowhere and hit the captain dead in her face. Her ANBU mask shattered into a thousand pieces which in turn tore at the lady's face and she fell back in pain. Her smoking body rolled on the ground in pain as one of the ANBU members sought to tend to her. Hinata edged further and further away from the stunned crown in disbelief at her own luck. She felt too much pain for her Byakugan to properly work but she guessed that her savior was Sakura.
But instead of a pink haired girl with emerald green eyes, a caramel character with brilliant yellow eyes came forward. The boy could be no older than Hinata with Sakura's height and a slim build. He had long spiky black hair that fell just past his shoulders with a gentle look about his face. He smiled into the terror stricken crowd, a long sword at his side with smoke coming from a whole at the tip of the blade. He wore a white hooded jacket over a bare chest with only a sleeve over his left arm, and a long black skirt that stopped at his feet revealing a pair of small brown feet in black shinobi sandals. The most distinctive thing about this boy's unique appearance was the fact that his entire right arm was covered in one huge tattoo.
"I'm sorry about the face Mirande, but you should have known better," He said speaking in an almost friendly tone.
"I'll kill YOU!" the woman screamed in dismay.
The ANBU soldiers all at once charged the boy, but he moved too fast for them. Hinata had only seen Lee move at these speeds. The boy blew past the crowd cutting them down one by one. In a matter of second he had slaughtered the entire group save for Mirande and her medic. He walked towards them, moving right past Hinata without even a second look.
"You are the devil!"
"Yes Mirande I am," and with those words he pointed the hollow end of his sword at the woman and Hinata watched as he jerked the hilt backwards and fire explode from the end. He blew the woman's head clear off leaving only a smoking stump. The medic was quick to surrender.
"Please don't kill me," A young man sobbed taking off his white ANBU mask. He still looked like a teenager.
"You're not worth killing medic, but then again neither were they, I'm just following orders."
For the first time his eyes caught Hinata. He looked at her with cold indifference.
"Bind her, heal her, and she comes back to The Sound. The Otokage might find her interesting."
