Chapter Twenty: Loss.
Kabuto burst into the arena and leapt up into one of the viewing platforms. Orochimaru spared him a glance,
"Are they coming?"
"Of course." Kabuto shifted his glasses smugly. "That Hoshigaki is just too gullible." Down below he caught sight of Natsuki trying to lift herself up, but she fell back down pitifully.
"And the others?" Orochimaru ignored her.
"They're coming." Just then, the rock wall was broken through. Rubble flew everywhere and Chikakon leapt through followed by a fuming Kisame. He threw his fist into the wall and it cracked and crumbled. Orochimaru lifted his chin in satisfaction.
"WHERE ARE YOU YOU BASTARD?!" He roared. Kabuto chuckled but said nothing. Chikakon barked having already found Natsuki in the center of the arena. Kisame immediately forgot about his plight to catch the silver rat and dashed to Natsuki's side.
He fell to his knees and grabbed her by the shoulders. She grunted in pain, squinting up at him. She took hold of his arm weakly and whispered hoarsely,
"Run." Kisame blinked. He didn't understand- "Run. It's a trap." She coughed and collapsed. Kisame grit his teeth and stood his ground. He didn't know what that snake-scum did to her, part of him didn't want to know, but he couldn't let it go without consequence. He definitely wouldn't leave her here. Even if it killed him. He heard the grating of cages being opened and swung Samehada testily. Beasts, some skinless, others barely standing as they limped out on lopsided legs, crawled out of their hovels. Kisame could barely recognise them as human anymore and it sickened him to think that Natsuki might end up like them. He might end up like them. Then he forced a grin.
Like he'd ever let that happen.
Itachi and Sasori skidded around the next corner. There was no point hiding their chakra now. From the feel of it, Kisame had crashed through the lair and alerted Orochimaru to their presence. Now, as they sprinted through the base, Itachi could feel the fluctuating chakra of his partner. It wasn't chakra that was injured or in danger, it was the imbalance that pure furious rage caused. Silently, he cursed Kisame. This now inevitable fight would take a turn for the worse if he didn't control himself. Anger was never a good crutch to fight on. Itachi had to hurry; now he had two people to look out for. Beside him, Sasori sped up.
They were almost there. They were so close they could pick up the faint trace of Natsuki's chakra too. That meant she must still be alive, or freshly dead. Neither of them lingered long on that prospect. They could see a pile of rubble beneath a hole in the wall and leapt through it straight into a recreation of hell.
Mutated monsters swarmed and clawed at the two fighting figures in the centre of the arena. Kisame swung Samehada in tight arcs, trying to avoid the grabbing hands of Orochimaru's experiments. Chikakon roared and snapped at the creatures clambering up his legs. They tore at him and he was struggling just to keep them from enveloping him. Even from where they stood, Itachi and Sasori could see that the two of them where doing their best to keep the things away from a small section of the ground. Natsuki. It had to be.
They had been stood idly for too long though and the creatures had caught sight of them. Gurgling and clicking, snapping jaws at the pair, the monsters advanced. Kisame and Chikakon still occupied most of their attention though, but they felt the flow of attack lessen. That was all either of them needed to press into the offensive and force the invasion back. Far above them, Orochimaru sneered in disgust at their progress. He turned to the side,
"Kabuto, call it out." The boy smirked and adjusted his glasses once again,
"With pleasure Lord Orochimaru."
Deidara veered around. Finally he'd rid himself of the disgusting things tailing him. It had taken more bombs than he had expected, but at least he still had enough clay to complete the mission. Gaining altitude, he found his bearings and fell into a steep dive. He'd spent too long dealing with the snake-scum's pets and everyone knew how much his Danna hated to be kept waiting.
Chikakon fell down on one leg, thrashing to try and keep the beasts from tearing him to pieces. Kisame fell back against Itachi and they faced the horde together whilst Sasori's puppets flashed through complicated battle sequences in the background with the more skilled of the experiments. Kisame and Itachi's chests heaved and they fished through their chakra reserves. They were running low, even Kisame who had the most chakra out of all of them. Despite their lack of skill, these monsters had the advantage of vast numbers. They just kept coming. For every one they took out, three replaced them. Itachi's eyes were beginning to feel the strain and he swallowed in more air. He had to figure out something to get them out of here. Sasori's movements had begun to slow half an hour ago and his puppet body had suffered thanks to that. They had been locked in battle for at least two hours and he wondered what was keeping Deidara. Had he flown off? No, he wouldn't abandon Sasori like that. The rest of them however, he would probably leave behind without a second thought. Itachi grunted as another blow struck home, tearing through the muscle in his arm. Damn. At his back, Kisame stumbled and was pounced on by a pack of the creatures. He fell to his knees and struggled to throw them off. Chikakon howled beside the slumped form of Natsuki as he was swallowed up. Somewhere in the distance, thundering footsteps could be heard.
Deidara squinted against the wind tearing at his face. Both his fists worked on moulding the C-4 clay into one of his more powerful pieces of art. Getting closer and closer with each second was Orochimaru's lair. Smoke was rising from a wide crack in the rock and Deidara aimed for that, presuming it to be the remnants of a fire jutsu. He finished moulding the bombs and swooped low over the base. He threw the bombs and climbed higher and higher into the air. Lifting his hand to his face, he yelled,
"Katsu!" The sound of the explosion, the light, the scattering debris, all of it was art in its purest form.
The group coughed as the dust cleared. Most of the crumbling roof had crushed the snake-scum's experiments. Even the giant, lumbering thing that had been summoned up had been knocked out. They were silently thankful for Deidara's timing. Had been any later, they wouldn't have survived. As it stood though, Deidara was hovering above the whole in the ceiling on his clay bird.
"Come on, un!" He called out, waving for them to hurry up. Sasori released the jutsu holding his puppets and they all puffed back into their scrolls. Gathering up the last of his chakra, he leapt up onto the bird. Kisame tore off his cloak and grabbed Natsuki in it to cover her up whilst Itachi snatched up Chikakon who, in his exhaustion had reverted back to his normal size. Itachi and Kisame leapt up onto Deidara's bird too and before any of the creatures could shake off the shock and come after them, the group climbed higher and higher into the air until they were nothing more than a speck. Just out of harm's way, Kabuto cursed. Already he knew Lord Orochimaru would be displeased with him.
Kisame gripped Natsuki's hand and wrapped her tighter in his cloak. He could feel the blood seeping through the fabric to stain his hands and arms. They needed to get back to the base as fast as possible otherwise she wouldn't make it. Pressing his palm to her forehead, he could feel her fever. She had obviously had it for a while. What the hell had those bastards done to her? He held her close to him and prayed that she would live.
It felt like an eternity before they finally landed back at the Akatsuki base. Kisame leapt down with Natsuki as fast as he could and took her inside, yelling for Kakuzu. Sasori followed after quickly to start analysing the vials his clone had returned to the base with. If they had poisoned, her, it would most likely be with one of the substances found in that room. Itachi walked after them. He had exhausted nearly all of his chakra and energy so running was not an option. Deidara released the jutsu around the clay bird before casually entering the base. What was the big deal about that girl anyway? He huffed, blowing his fringe out of his eye. Whatever.
Kisame waited anxiously outside the infirmary. Kakuzu was still inside with Natsuki, inspecting her wounds and stitching her up. Sasori had holed himself up in his room to start the long process of analysing the various substances found in Natsuki's holding cell. Picking at the blood underneath his fingernails, Kisame tried to think about the better outcomes of this situation. It was hard. He strangled a sigh and rested his head in his hands, this was all just so messed up. He ran a hand through his hair and tried to settle down for the long wait ahead.
The day gave way to night and the doors to the infirmary remained shut. Another day passed by like the first and Kisame endured outside, head in his hands, silent. Itachi came and sat beside him for some time before getting up and leaving again. Sasori worked sleeplessly without consequence in his room, testing each vial meticulously. Then as night fell on the second day, Kakuzu hurled the doors open.
Kisame leapt to his feet and tried to look inside, but the doors swung shut on him.
"Get Sasori, now." Kakuzu barked.
"What-"
"Now!" He pushed Kisame down the corridor and flew back through the doors. The urgency in Kakuzu's voice stopped him from storming into the infirmary and demanding to know what was happening. He cast the doors one last glance before sprinting off down the hall.
"Brat what have I told you about-" Sasori stopped short when he realised it was Kisame who had just took his door off its hinges. He frowned and stood up. Kisame caught the puppet master's wrist and yanked him out in the corridor.
"Kakuzu needs you." Was the only explanation he received but it was more than enough. The two dashed through the base, winding through the web of halls and passageways. The infirmary was in sight now and Sasori ran ahead through the doors. Kisame fell to a walk and then stopped as the white doors swung shut on him once more. Through the glass all he could see was her feet, purple veins webbing her skin. Sasori and Kakuzu ran around her, stitching her up and injecting her with vials of clear liquid as her organs began to fail.
Kisame could feel his feet going numb, but the scene playing out in front of his eyes, out of his reach, enraptured him and he stood frozen. Was this really happening? Was she really going to...
This one has actually been on my laptop since CH19 was uploaded, hehe... I was going to upload it on Monday so yeah. I liked writing all the fighting (though there probably isn't that much haha). But I also really want to write something funny which I can't. I must keep it serious (serious faces now!), but next chapter! There will be some humour next chapter!
Anyway, thank-you FozzyOzzy97 and chomp0 for reviewing!
FozzyOzzy97 you won last chapter's competition (sorry if you felt that I forced you to enter the song in, I didn't mean it like that *grovels*)! Request anything you like (rated T or under XD).
Pfft, you know what, I uploaded this chapter onto the document manager but not the actual story. Oops, haha.