Kakashi opened his eyes feeling them a little heavier than usual. He expected the sun burning his eyelids through the tent's ceiling, instead there was shadow surrounding him. He blinked several times, wondering why on earth he was awake if it wasn't morning yet. The silver haired jounin tried to ignore this fact and resume his sleep, but something in the environment didn't feel right. Frowning a little he straightened up and stared to his partner, she was sleeping peacefully a little awkward but sleeping still. Kakashi felt how his chest weighted a ton, finding it hard to breathe he tried to fill his lungs with more air but apparently his mask was blocking the air supply. Confused he checked his partner again and after a few seconds he realized that in fact his mask wasn't blocking his lungs, the tent was running out of air.
The copy ninja looked to all the possible directions, there was nothing surrounding them but his loyal nose told him otherwise. Smothly Kakashi reached for his backpack and took out his loyal pouch and with a gentle squeeze he woke up Anko. The kunoichi opened her eyes lazily and frowned, she was about to speak when he covered his mouth with his left hand. Anko understood what was happening and copied her partner by dragging her backpack to her chest. With extreme caution, both shinobi unpacked their weapons, taking their bags on their backs and with a simple nod both jounin ripped the tent and jumped to the nearest hiding spot. A kunai with an explosive note attached dug on the ground near their shelter and blown up the rest of the tent. The logs that Anko picked mere hours exploded in million of pieces along with the threes that protected them from the weather.
Anko heard the explosion and was grateful for once that Kakashi had such a fine nose. Taking out six kunai from her pouch she jumped to next branch. A light shake on her back confirmed what she was thinking at the moment, before she had the chance to jump to the other three a kunai aimed to her right ankle made her change the way. Finding hard to maneovuer with the clothes she was wearing, she put a kunai on her mouth and summoning a little of chakra to her feet she started climbing the three to its top. Saving the other five kunai on her pouch she clapped her hands and started doing some hand seals, turning right on spit to whoever was messing with her sleeping time a vibrant flame dragon. Sadly the only thing the kunoichi got was to burn the three she was climbing. From the smoke clouds, a shurinken emerged aiming to her legs. Anko gasped and jumped to the next three, unfortunately the three she was standing was sloppy and the Chinese weapon managed to do a bruise on her right calf.
Kakashi saw the fire on the corner of his eye but was too busy dodging the twenty nails aimed to his vital points. Jumping backwards, he found shelter on a thick three. Hiding in its branches he pulled up his headband. Checking the surroundings with his sharingan, he found himself again in danger and jumped out of his hiding spot, landing on the ground. He started running through the bushes that covered most of the landscape. Kakashi aimed his kunai but the weapon only hit a trunk he left behind while running. Cursing under his breath, he tried to seek for a thick tree again, but confirmed that it was pointless. The attacker was aiming him from the branches, he was in great danger unless he changed the positions. The only thing that Kakashi wouldn't need is a hole on the nape of his head. Clapping both hands and taking extreme caution his seals wouldn't be revealed, he whispered the ninjutsu and avoiding nearly by a second, he was hidden underground.
The kunoichi was having a hard time to avoid all those weapons filled with Hokage-sama's -knows-poison, with her violet hair getting in the way. Anko tried to get her brooch out of her backpack, but the annoying bastard wouldn't let her do it. Instead Anko sweep off her face her hair with one hand and with the other blocked the murdering attempts from whoever was trying to get killed by a pissed kunoichi. Damn it! How does Kurenai fights with all her hair released!? Brushing away again her rebellious hair from her face and dodging a mortal slice that was aimed to her neck. Jumping to the next branch she released her hair and frowning she summoned an averagely sized white snake to the direction of her attacker. The snake made a muffled noise when it hit straight to the face to her attacker. Taking this as an opportunity, Anko took out from her backpack her beloved brooch and in less than two seconds, her hair was styled in her usual ponytail. She was glad she was able to have a clear view and that she was quick with her hair, 'cause three senbon nailed the branch she was standing on a fraction of a second after jumping of it. Now bastard, I hope you're prepared to be tortured in the most painful way you'd ever known.
The silver haired jounin tried to get out of his backpack the scrolls he carried for the mission, but the non stoppable attacks coming from the dark, made this an almost impossible task to accomplish. Kakashi was getting pissed and he had no idea where he was running to, the leftovers of his previous shelter for the night seemed that it was miles away from the spot now he was running, and each jump he made it only got farer than it used to be. The only thing he was glad of that when he was underground he managed to check with his sharingan that it was only one attacker following him. He was about to see his face when an explosive kunai landed next to where he was, the jounin cursed and got out of his hiding spot. Trying once again to find another place to hide until he was sure how and when to attack. Kakashi intent to climb a three, but the attacker was once again nailing his back and if he tried to jump higher than a foot, the silver haired jounin will be exposed. The only alternative he got was to persuade the attacker to jump off the branches. Yeah easily said than done.
Anko was running out of kunais, she cursed herself and wondered why she was still hitting the threes instead of the enemy. Is not like he was stronger than her, it only kept aiming at her poorly with poisoned weapons but further than that, nothing big to worry about. So why she wasn't able to kill the maggot in less than her record time for brats like him? Each time she tried to kill the bastard he got quicker and stronger and avoided all her attempts of murder. The kunoichi frowned and tried to figurate this out, but her mind was dozing. Even in two occasions she smothered two big yawns. But even though she tried to look though, her body was going numb and each second it passed her reactions were getting slower and dumber. Anko tried to think why her body wasn't responding, she was too deep in her thought to realize that a wire tangled up on her right calf, opening the recent wound and making her fall straight to the ground. The kunoichi cursed her stupidity and tried to stand up, but her body was too heavy, she couldn't even open her eyes. The only thing she could do was hear a couple of steps near her head. She managed to open her right eye a little before receiving a powerful kick on her stomach, blacking out her senses and hearing near her ears.
-Now we're even, bitch!
---
Anko felt a great pain on her stomach, she tried to ignore it but it was getting stronger. Frowning she tensed her eyelids, hugging her stomach or at least thinking she did. She felt a warm sensation on her back accompanied by some crackles. Wait! Crackles? Anko tried to straightened up, but her stomach protested and knocked her down again. The kunoichi panted and with a deep breath she managed to open her right eye. Finding the scenery blurry and unfamiliar, she opened her left eye too. Focusing and frowning she analized her surroundings. To her right as she thought was a fireplace, crackling happy towards her. In front of her was a desk, over it was her backpack along with other papers she couldn't tell who was the owner. To her left were the door and a chair, someone occupying the furniture already. She frowned and instinctively but stupidly she tried to reach it, catching only air with her left hand.
-Don't push yourself too hard, you were hurt pretty badly. I'm surprised you're even awake to begin with, after that beat up.
Feeling a little proud of the resistance of her body, she tried to smile but her face was too stiff so the only thing she could do was blink again. Confused she tried to focus but her vision was still blurry. Her head spun harshly, making her almost to throw up over the comfy spread that embraced her. The person next to her stood up and sat on the bed near inches away from her. Anko felt how a gentle hand landed on her forehead, rubbing it and caressing the few locks that framed her face. For some reason she felt at peace and sleepy, she wished this moment last forever. The mere touch of the stranger made her feel goosebumps but at the same time, her chest lightened up. The kunoichi smiled slightly and closed her eyes, making mental notes of asking who was the gentle man, that took care of her while she was recovering, when she was healed up.
---
Anko opened her eyes again however this time her vision was clear, too much for her dismiss. 'Cause in that moment the window to her right, the one she ignored the first time she checked the room, was open and letting the morning sun rays penetrate the room. Cursing under her breath, she curled to her left, trying to find some shelter under the spread but finding it pointless. Grunting, she frowned and kicked the spread. Turning around and punching now the pillow instead.
-I don't think that stabbing the poor innocent pillow will help to stop the sun from waking you up fully.
Shocked she crawled out of the spread and was received by a mocking smile with a playful grey eye staring openly at her chest. However the kunoichi was too shocked to care, instead she sat in Indian style and crossed her arms over her chest, much to Kakashi's dismissal. The kunoichi scratched her neck and waited patiently to the jounin to say something, but seeing him only smiling and looking directly to her eyes she cleared her throat.
-Where are we?
Kakashi sighed and avoided her gaze, finding more interesting the window behind the ninja. The kunoichi noticed this and frowned, looking over her shoulder she gazed at the same spot her partner was looking. Encountering the morning sun rays passing through the branches of the larges threes that surrounded the place. Anko frowned and without hesitation she stood up and walked to the window. Getting a clear view of the landscape, there were many houses built over an emerald lake, giving the impression of them floating over the calm green water. There were some wood boats sliding gallantly, some kids jumping of their windows and landing in the neighbor's courtyard. Sellers were packing their products on their small rustic ships, waving to their partners and using an oversized straw hat, rowing smoothly through the deep waters. Amazed by the city's structure, the kunoichi left a sigh escape from her lips and placing both elbows over the window's frame she observed the rest of the fascinating town. Sadly she was interrupted by a knock on her back.
-Mr. and Mrs. Hatake can we come in?
Anko was about to say yes when she caught two things of the last statement, first she was addressed like Mrs and no Ms like she was supposed to be and the second and most horrifying thing was that they used the porn freak's last name as her own?! What the crap is going on here? Before she could get to the door and rip off the head of the funny one, who thought it was a good idea to call her like that, with her own bare hands a green cloth hit her face. Anko was about to shout why the copy ninja did that for when she realized that he was looking at her with a serious face. Blinking in confusion she looked at herself and almost faint instantly, blushing she wrapped the dressing gown the silver haired jounin threw at her, she jumped into the bed and hiding under the spread she nodded to her partner.
-Come in.-said and almost hidden kunoichi, while wrapping the spread over her chest.
The door opened slowly, revealing a couple of tall gentleman. One of them was wearing a dark green cloak with a brown scarf wrapped around his neck, he was wearing black tiny round glasses on his stylish nose, supported by a walking stick with a red orb on the top of it. He had average height as well as weight. Although he had long hair and stylized in a ponytail, there were few white hairs revealing his actual age. Next to him was a taller man, skinnier than the first one. Also wearing a cloak but a little paler than the first one. The scarf was pale yellow but instead of being wrapped around his neck, it was used like a belt. A ring shone from his right hand as well as and earring on his left earlobe. He was smiling and Anko could swore he was more than happy to see her. She frowned and ignored this fact, instead she waited patiently for them to come in and say their purpose in there.
-I apologize for waking you up in your condition, Mrs. Hatake, but we felt the urge to ask you something.-closing the door behind them and looking straightly to the kunoichi.
Anko twisted the spread a little with her right hand, frowning a bit and arching her right brow. Filling her lungs with a little of air and faking a little of patience she tried to smile but failed miserably by getting just a wince instead. Kakashi smirked but coughed a bit, making the kunoichi to realize that they were expecting a response of her so she nodded and saved the fury for other time.
The older man smiled gently to her and continued.-We'd like to know if by any chance you still had the message in your possession?
The sudden rush of realities and facts hit Anko's head badly, she now understood why she was there and what just happened. Her mind spun up harshly again, filling the blank spots on her mind with the flashbacks that the night sleep made her forget in matter of seconds. Anko felt how her body gone numb again and her senses losing up again to the pain in her stomach. Instinctively she embraced her body with her right hand and gulped. I failed… Kakashi noticed the sudden change in her mood and looked back to the couple of gentlemen a little molested by the harsh question but decided to calm down and wait for the explanation. Seeing that Anko was still confused he crossed his arms over his chest and rested his back on one of the four posts that decorated the bed.
-She used to carry part of the message.
Anko looked up astonished, blinking in confusion and shock, why he meant with his last statement? The other two gentlemen also looked shocked and now were staring at the silver haired jounin with the same question marks as the kunoichi. Looking directly to the older man he blinked lazily.
-I have the other part of that message.-unzipping his vest and taking out of it a little scroll sealed with a blue label with some characters printed on it.
The older man sighed relieved and smiled at the jounin. Anko was still confused and wondered why he had such thing with him and why didn't the Hokage told her about the message split in two pieces. The kunoichi was about to say something when the silver haired jounin interrupted.- Tsunade-sama thought it was a good idea to split the message in two, just in case this might happen or you were captured.
Anko was ready to complain of why Hokage didn't trust something as important as this but after remembering the recent events she decided to shut up for once and hear what they had to say, after all she failed her mission. The old man took the message from Kakashi's hand and saved it in one of his right sleeve. The younger man smirked and with a glanced to the kunoichi that was grinding and tightening the spread with both hands. The silver haired jounin noticed this also and zipping his vest again he cleared his throat.
-If you don't mind Chichiatsu-sama I'd like to have a little chat with my partner here so we can discuss the last events.
The older man smiled and fixed his eyeglasses on his nose while looking at the non existent dirt on the glass of them.-Not at all, Mr. Hatake. Take your time and feel free to use the castle as you might wish. When you're ready, we'll be waiting in the council room. If you need something, just ask the servants to bring it here. As for you Mrs. Hatake if you feel any incommodity, feel free to ask our private doctor, she'll help you with anything you might require.
Anko nodded and looked up again to her hands, ignoring completely the fact that she was called again with that name. The younger man opened the door and let the feudal lord pass first and before closing the door he glanced at the violet haired kunoichi and smiled, with a little wave he said his farewell and disappeared behind the wooden door. Once the door was closed Anko looked up and glanced at the jounin who was still standing and resting his back on the bed post, the kunoichi smiled sadly and stared back to the window. Kakashi saw written all over her face the sour and bitterness of a defeat, he knew how it felt like, not that he liked it or that it was common in him but he knew that the worse thing for a stubborn ninja as Anko was to fail in her mission, even though it was over.
Taking a deep breath he unfolded his arms and sat on the corner of the bed, looking directly at the brownish eyes of the violent kunoichi. Anko ignored his gaze and continue looking at the upcoming boats that floated smoothly over the lake. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes, watching and trying to get the other one by the gaze but failing in the process. The kunoichi sighed heavily and giving up to the deep stare of the jounin, she looked back and for the first time in long years she accepted her defeat Kakashi felt a little twist in his chest by the depressed stare she gave him. Kakashi ignored the sudden burst of emotion, after all she was his partner the best thing he could do was to cheer her up even though it wasn't his specialty. Faintly smiling under his mask he scratched the back of his neck and feeling a little odd and out of place he approached the kunoichi and embraced her with a big hug.
Taking out of guard, the kunoichi felt how the air left her lungs in the same instant his arms wrapped her thin body. Apparently she forgot how to breath, think and talk. The only thing she cared now was him comforting her and healing her inner wounds in the best way she'd ever known. Remembering how to breath, the kunoichi took a deep breathe, filling her lungs with his essence and finding it comforting she closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder. Both shinobi stayed like that for a couple of minutes more, just inhalating the other's perfume and trying to forget everything that haunted their minds. Anko felt how her chest lightened up a little with each second it passed. When she opened her eyes, Kakashi was still holding her tightly but staring at her with his penetrating grey eye. The kunoichi blushed and avoiding his gaze, she broke up the hug and cleared her throat.
-So what did you want to chat about?
Kakashi blinked a couple of times and taking this as sign of not pushing the kunoichi further on the last topic, he scratched his chin with his right index.-Well this mission isn't official over, so we're not allowed to get back.
-Duh! I know that already, I don't want Tsunade-sama slicing my ass and hanging it on the wall for not completing the mission.
-At least she'll have something good to show off for a change.
Anko looked at the silver haired jounin in disbelief and getting a vivid flashback of herself and her best friend, she couldn't help it but laugh like a maniac. Getting a little contagious for the cheerful mood, Kakashi snickered a little then he smiled while looking at the kunoichi rubbing her stomach and hitting the mattress with her right opened hand. Letting her laugh as much as she felt like, Kakashi took a deep breath and continue smiling while staring at the funny gestures his partner did. Anko scratched her neck and grinned for the last time before stretching herself and jumping out of the bed. Walking to her bag wearing nothing but the long sleeve sweeter she used for pajamas the night before, remembering why they were there she combed her hair with her right hand and started pulling out her personal thing out of her bag and with a quick glance over her shoulder she told her partner that she was listening.
-The only thing we can do is wait for the pursuers to come and try to get the other part. Until then we have to escort and protect Chichiatsu-sama's family.
Anko unfolded her loyal coat and was thankful that even though it was a little humid she got it in her bag before they went to sleep. The kunoichi wondered why the attack took them out of guard, it wasn't natural and not even possible for them to miss all the attacks. Now that her mind was fully awake and alert, the ambush wasn't even lethal or threatening so two special jounin couldn't handle it by themselves. Biting the plastic extreme of her toothbrush, she let her mind wonder on the last combat, trying to find something odd or awkward in the battle scene. She remembered that her body was a clumsier than normal when she got a recent wake up call, even her mind felt disconnected and body wasn't responding at the speed she trained it to. Anko frowned and bit the toothbrush harder. Unless…
-We've been poisoned.
Anko's toothbrush fell on the wooden floor, making a clanging sound. Anko turned over and stared in disbelief at the jounin, he only stood up and fixed his clothes.-Nothing to worry, we've been healed already-. Anko felt how her chest lightened up a little and couldn't help it but left a little sigh of relief escape from her lips. Kakashi walked to the door, taking the doorknob with his left hand he glanced at the kunoichi for the last time and smiled.- You should get changed, I don't think Chichiatsu-sama will be delighted by seeing you wearing only that.
The kunoichi rolled her eyes and placed her hands over her hips and grinned mischievously.- Oh maybe not him, but someone else might.-winking at the silvered haired jounin, for her surprise he didn't look pleased.
-Just change.-stepping out of the room and closing the door with a silent thud. The kunoichi frowned and arched her right brow. What got into him now?
---
Anko didn't need to know where the council room was, because the minute she opened the door fully changed there was the same young man that visited her and Kakashi few hours ago. The kunoichi frowned but didn't complain at all, instead she glanced the man and analyzed the purpose of he being there, waiting for her arrival. Feeling a little suspicious she placed both hand on her coat's pockets and waited for his explanation. However the man just smiled and with a slight nod he walked towards the end of the wooden corridor. Taking this as a clear sign of her following this guy, Anko shrugged and walked silently behind him, separated by three foot of distance. Anko started taking mental notes about the place and how it worked like, she had a hunch that she and her partner will spend a lot of time in that building for the next couple of days.
Kakashi was checking his pouch and what weapons need a replacement, also the stuff they both lost in the past night when the young man arrived followed by Anko, for some strange reason this insignificant fact bothered him a little, but he decided to pushed back this thoughts for another moment. At the time the only thing that mattered is that they were safe and they didn't screw the mission completely. Chichiatsu-sama greeted the newcomers and with a simple hand wave he ordered them to come along, however Anko didn't take sit in the elegant round table, instead she walked towards Kakashi and stood at his right, both standing position near the feudal lord but not to close to bother anyone. Kakashi glanced her in the corner of his eye and thanked that at least he wasn't the only freak that didn't like to take part of someone else's business. After all they were shinobi not advisors and getting too familiar with someone, even though it was their ally, was out of the question.
The feudal lord cleared his throat and fixing his dark green cloak, he took out of his right sleeve the message Kakashi just gave him earlier. The silver haired jounin noticed that Anko felt a little bit uncomfortable by the sign of the message and what that thing represented to the mission. Glancing at her and trying to send her the message he was thinking, he was abruptly interrupted by the loud cough the old man gave after a few minutes of analyzing the single scroll. Kakashi looked at the surroundings and confirming that no one was around, he nodded at the feudal lord. Scratching his head and fixing his glasses on his pointy noise, Chichiatsu-sama looked at the two shinobi with something that Anko knew perfectly well… discontent.
-I must confess that I'm a little disappointed. Seems that since Sarutobi-sama perished the Konoha's reputation is declining rapidly.-glancing at the kunoichi, she felt like complaining but instead she looked down still feeling the bitterness of her fail. Chichiatsu fixed his glasses with his right index and staring at the message in front of him, he sighed.-However, not everything is lost. I spoke to my counselors and all of them agree that the descriptions you gave us, from the encounter you held while heading up here Mr. Hatake, fit perfectly with the profiles of some bingo shinobi that had been pestering our peaceful land.
Anko frowned and looked on the corner of her eye to her partner, wondering when did that happened. It must happened when I was knocked out.
-Like I said before, Mr. Hatake, we're not sure who is behind all of this or their reasons. The only thing we are confident in is when they'll appear.-taking his glasses from his nose and cleaning them with a small cloth, that he took out of his left sleeve, he continued.- As you might know already, in two days the Dragon Fly festival will be held in our country. This would be the perfect chance for them to come up and claim the missing part of the message. Giving us the opportunity to fight them back and take what is ours, however… since you failed your mission in getting the message here safe and complete.-looking straight to the kunoichi and making her tense, biting her tongue Anko calmed her down and regain composure.-You'll stay here and call for some backups for the upcoming mission, obviously this will be free of charge since you were the ones that failed in the original mission. I think you perfectly understand my reasoning.
WHAT?! You must be kidding! Anko wasn't sure if she thought that out loud or did she actually said that. And by the way Kakashi looked, he was as displeased as her. Not to blame, if Tsunade finds out, not only the cheap steak will nail our asses she'll beat the crap out of us with her chair! The kunoichi gulped by the mere thought of this and decided to interfere with this madness, however her partner was quicker than she.
-We understand your reasoning Chichiatsu-sama but calling for backup won't be necessary.
The feudal lord placed his glasses on his nose and looking a little displeased for being contradicted, he frowned.-And why is that?
-You see Lord Chichiatsu, if we call up for backups not only they'll drag too much attention from the enemy when they are heading here, we'll cause a disturbance in the festival.
The feudal lord still looked displeased but his face relaxed a bit. Understanding completely the reasoning of the jounin he scratched his chin and fixing his glasses for the fifth time in the half hour they just met, he sighed.-In that case, not only you'll protect the message and get the missing part, you'll also protect my son Akihiko here present.
Anko frowned and looked to the place where the young man kept smiling at her, however this fact was unnoticed until that moment. Arching her right brow she looked back to the feudal lord. You must be kidding… and confirming that he wasn't she sighed. Great what I needed… being nanny of a suck up prince.
-.-.-.-.-
A/N: Well I know I took another two weeks to update, same lame excuse so I won't say it ok? Anyway like I said in my profile the past Sunday now I'm able to update weekly like I used to, so no more worries in this part of "why the lazy brat of Lira didn't update like she promised?!" So stop threatening me with kunai and other shinobi weapons please, seriously I don't need more of that in my room. Well I just wish I have more time, but nope… life isn't like that so deal with it. And since I sucked it up many times I feel like repaying you back all those times you came in Sunday and you didn't find the promised chapter and the only thing that my crazy mind comes up is another sketch. You know the rules, vote for your fav scene but this time you'll tell me which one you want so the three most popular will be posted in my profile next week and so anyone can vote for them. Meanwhile I have to complete my stupid homework and fix my chaotic living place called room. Until then see ya next time and guys… THANKS FOR READING!!! ) Especially to Prophet, Mwezi and TwoTails. You girls rock my world so hard that I barely stand straight D
Lira W.M
Next Episode: Preparations for the Dragon Fly festival, prelude of a fight and more dense material of this two stubborn shinobi. Also why does Akihiko smiles a lot to the confused but rough kunoichi we all love?