Despite the seriousness of the situation Kakashi found it hard to hide his amusement. There were, he mused as he canceled his Chidori, definite advantages to being on those flee on sight lists the other villages had. The look on those missing-nin's faces when they realized who they had run into was one. The other was that if they did flee on sight, or at least once sighting his famous assassination technique he reassessed, he got to conserve chakra. Definitely a plus, he thought as he turned to face the worn out kunoichi whom he had just saved.
She was obviously exhausted and yet she tried to approach him. He only just caught her in time as she collapsed. Kakashi looked at her in mild concern as she seemed to struggle slightly. Then she spoke and instantly had his full attention.
"...Konoha...ha...scroll...must...kage..." was all she managed to communicate before falling unconscious. Kakashi however understood from this that the kunoichi was in fact on her way to Konoha. He also suspected that she had a message for the Hokage and seemed desperate that it be delivered.
However, Kakashi's suspicious side questioned, what if she was an enemy nin? Afterall, the villages allied to Konoha had messenger hawks. Could he just take her into the village? Kakashi studied the girl he held with his sharingan. While there was still no sign as to what village she was from he saw nothing suspicious. Also noting her injured state he decided she posed no threat to his village. With that decided he re-covered his sharingan and carefully picked her up.
As he leaped quickly through the trees intent on getting her to Konoha as soon as possible, part of Kakashi was mildly disappointed that now he wouldn't be able to finish his book until later. He thought about getting it back out and just carrying her over his shoulder, but looking at the kunoichi in his arms he re-considered. It would be rather rude, he thought. He sighed. He had been looking forward to the expressions on the gate guards faces when they questioned him on why he was a day late. He had planned to act quite confused and explain that he had gotten to a good chapter and lost track of time. Oh well, at least he was still late. And, he reasoned with a smile, he could always use that excuse another time.
Izumi and Kotetzu were surprised when Kakashi Hatake arrived at the gate a day late back from his latest mission. It wasn't the lateness that surprised them, that was common practice for the copynin, rather it was his companion.
To their bewilderment Kakashi was not carrying his ever present Icha Icha book, but a beautiful, if battered, girl. She had long black hair and obviously pale skin, despite the blood and bruises. She was wearing long black pants and a grey singlet that showed the two chunin that she had all the right curves. They also noted the shiriken holster on her leg and the weapons pouch on her hip. There was no hiate.
Izumi stepped forward as Kakashi reached the gate, "Whose your friend Kakashi? We were told you were on a solo mission," he was curious about the situation and decided to use his post as gate guard to his advantage.
Kakashi paused and smiled at Izumi, "It was," he replied.
Izumi realized after a minute that Kakashi wasn't going to elaborate. Slightly annoyed that his attempt to get some information from the jonin didn't work he pointed rudely at the girl in Kakashi's arms, "Then who is that," he asked.
Kakashi looked to where Izumi's finger pointed, "Oh," he exclaimed as if he had just realized what the chunin was talking about, "Her!" He smiled warmly as he answered Izumi's question, "I don't know."
Izumi stared at the jonin in disbelief as he tried to figure out if Kakashi was playing mind games. Hearing no further questions Kakashi waved to the chunin.
"Sorry," he said as he continued into the village, "Gotta go. We have an important meeting with Lady Tsunade to discuss gardening. Don't want to be late." And with that Kakashi was off in the direction of the hospital.
Kotetzu put his hand on Izumi's shoulder in a comforting gesture, "Don't think about it," he advised his confused friend, "Jonin are crazy."
"I guess," he replied slowly, "Still, I didn't know Kakashi was the type to save a damsel in distress." he mused, "It seems to be something you'd expect of Gai."
The two friends looked at each other and grinned. They settled in to wait until Team Gai got back from their mission that was due to finish later that day. Konoha's mighty green beast would want know exactly how noble and youthful his eternal rival had been. Izumi grinned again.
She better hurry, Kakashi thought as he carried the kunoichi to the hospital room where Tsunade would meet him and the girl. It wasn't that he was worried about the girl's injuries, he knew none of them were life threatening, he just hated hospitals.
Kakashi entered the room that had been assigned to the kunoichi followed by a medic. It was as he attempted to place her on the bed that Kakashi realized that the still unconscious girl was clinging to his vest. Uncomfortable he tried to carefully pull away, but the disturbance caused the kunoichi's chakra to fluctuate.
Almost too quick for his eyes to follow vines covered in thorns whipped out to surround the kunoichi, the bed and Kakashi. His senses instantly on high alert Kakashi pulled out a kunai to defend himself from the sudden attack. However, it seemed that unlike the first time he was witness to this technique the main objective was not offense. He watched as the vines created a dome around the bed, their thorns sticking outward in what was obviously a defensive gesture. Not wanting to be stuck in this protective cage he went to use his kunai to cut the vines. Then he stopped himself.
From what he had observed during the kunoichi's earlier fight, by damaging the vines damage was caused to herself. Considering how little he knew about this technique's effects and the kunoichi's current state of health he wasn't sure what damaging the vines could do. He sighed and put away his kunai.
"Stop," he told the medics who had been preparing to attack the vines surrounding their patient, "It's a defensive technique and," he observed the still sleeping girl, "considering that she's still unconscious I would say it's instinctive."
The medics backed off at his command and Kakashi observed the vine dome more closely. Using his sharingan he could see that the vines were infused with chakra. Kakashi had never seen a technique quite like this before. Though, he thought, it does have some similarities to Gaara's ultimate defense. I wonder, he looked at the kunoichi briefly, who this girl is.
After observing the technique closely for a few more minutes Kakashi still wasn't sure of how to get out without causing any damage to the vines. He considered just making a hole in the floor and leaving through that, but he knew Tsunade would have his head for that. It seemed he would have to at least wait for the Hokage to arrive before he could make any attempt for freedom. Perhaps Tsunade could heal any damage caused during an escape. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Maa," he sighed as he pulled out his copy of Icha Icha Paradise and sat on the floor, "I hate hospitals."
"What is going on here, Kakashi!" Tati was woken by the sound of an annoyed woman's voice. As she had been taught she continued to lay perfectly still, keeping her breathing even and chakra still. She wasn't sure of exactly where she was, though it smelled faintly of antiseptic. She could feel the familiar chakra of her thorn defense surrounding her and began to panic. Had she been captured by the enemy? What would they want with her?
"We were just waiting for you," a familiar male voice replied. Tati relaxed slightly. Where had she heard that voice before? He spoke again, "It seems to be a defensive technique connected to the users body. I was wondering if you had any idea of how I might get out, Hokage-sama."
Then Tati remembered. She had been rescued by a guy with silver hair from Konoha before passing out. That's why his voice was familiar. Now it seemed she was finally at her destination. She could give the Hokage the scroll and save her village. She sighed in relief forgetting briefly that she had been pretending to be unconscious.
"Well Kakashi. It seems our guest has woken up," the voice which Tati assumed was the Hokage sounded amused, "perhaps she can help you."
Tati flinched as she realized she had been caught. Slowly she opened her eyes and turned to face the direction of the voices. Her arms protested as she lifted herself into a seated position and her head spun slightly. She could see the stark white of a hospital room through her vines.
Standing there beside her, inside her thorn defense, was the man who had saved her. His silver hair sticking up in all directions as he stood with his hands in is pockets, slouched slightly. She looked at his masked face.
"Yo," his visible eye crinkled into a half moon as he smiled and waved, "My name's Kakashi Hatake. I was wondering," he gestured to the vines surrounding them, "could you ask your vines to let me out, please."