Chapter Two: Searching
The city changed dramatically the last time Anko and Kakashi had visit. The thought of her friend made her sad. Anko still felt horrible for leaving. With every step she wanted to turn back and pretend that she never wanted to remember. She knew that the Anbu would search the village first. In a matter of minutes they would know that she was no longer in the village. The thought in mind she hurried into a hotel.
The hotel was simple and elegant. Anko looked around in amazement. Such a beautiful hotel! Anko walked up the counter and ordered a room. The man gave her one good look before proceeding on giving her a room. With the money that she saved up and from she inherited from her family, Anko got the best room the hotel could offer. The room's walls were white, the furniture had expensive fabrics, the bed's sheets were made from the most expensive silk she had ever felt and seen. The Jounin glanced out her window. Anko was never use to the city life. Every minute she was in the hotel room the more she wanted to go back to her ordinary apartment and normal life.
She left the window and jumped on the bed. "First I need a ride. Second, I need to start looking for them." Her finger tapped on the picture she took out from her pocket. "Where are you guys?"
Three Days Later
Tobeo kept close to Tsume as they walked around searching for something to eat. The rest of the pack stayed with Cheza. The two wolves wondered out of the store with something on both of their minds. Tobeo took one last look at the sweets that they couldn't afford. Tsume kept walking, hands in his pockets, and his back straight. The macho Tsume had his mind full with thoughts that he couldn't put them in order. Too much has happened over the years and he wished he could remember the name of a girl that he met three years ago. What was her name? He said over many names but none had given him the 'ah ha!' feeling. He missed the girl that they found in the woods.
Another thought in his mind was the wolf hunter. There had been sightings of him but every time the wolf hunter had a chance to fire at the pack they disappeared or better yet blended in with society. The two wolves entered a groceries store that was suitable for the money they had. Tobeo and Tsume grabbed as much as they could afford. The clerk scanned the items while giving them suspicious looks then gave them the price. The price on the screen was more than they had in hand. The clerk rolled her eyes when Tsume gave a fit. "I'm sorry sir but that's the right amount. It's no mistake. If you don't have the money to afford this then take some items out and you will be on your way." The clerk said with a tone and attitude. Tsume tried to control his anger while Tobeo tried to reason with the woman. Annoyed by the young boy and the man she threatened to call security.
"You don't have to be a total bitch, you know." A woman said giving the clerk a glare. "I'll help you out since you are having trouble here. I'll pay their share and you can continue on thinking that your date will be on time. I mean if you have a boyfriend which probably you don't with that bitchy attitude and the way you treat customers says that you have no one in your life to give you the attention you need. So suck it up and treat people with respect you never know they might end up respecting you in return." The clerk's face turned red with anger and embarrassment. Tobeo and Tsume followed the woman who was kind enough to pay for their share. Tsume watched the unknown woman close. That attitude and voice gave him a pleasant feeling. Something he hadn't had in a long time. Tobeo was surprised that a beautiful woman would pay for them and defend them. It gave him the feeling that he was safe with her and Tsume.
Tobeo thanked the lady who helped them. The woman smiled in returned. Tsume had his eyes on her. Who was she? Her scent was sweet and with a hint of earth and spring water. "Yeah, thanks. Well we got to go." Tsume said. The woman nodded and waved them good bye. Tobeo and Tsume exchanged their thoughts when they were a few feet away.
"She's from one of those villages that everyone keeps talking about." Tobeo's voice was excited. They never been to one of the hidden villages due to the fact well they are hidden. "She smelled really nice." Tobeo blushed innocently. "I know I smelled that scent before. Did you get that feeling Tsume?" Tobeo asked. The other wolf nodded.
"Yeah, Tobeo I have. It was a long time though." Tsume replied. The two wolves kept walking and secretly sneaking peeks at the woman who waited to cross the street. A man passed through them. His hair was silver and in spikes. He wore his village attire and a mask hiding his face. Tsume and Tobeo watched the man half walking and half speed walking go up the woman. He called out to the woman. The medium brown eyes woman stopped and turned. Her eyes widen with shock.
"Anko, Anko wait up!" The man shouted. Both Tobeo and Tsume glanced at each other. Shock was readable through their faces. The name finally gave Tsume the 'ah ha!' feeling that he was looking for. The young wolf, with bag in hand, began to run towards Anko but Tsume pulled him back. Anko's shocked expression still caught on her face as Kakashi appeared from the bodies of people. Only one question came to her mind. "What the hell are you doing here?" Anko demanded when Kakashi was only a foot away. "I thought I told you not to come!" She growled, "I'm not five Kakashi." Her hands crossed over her chest. Kakashi placed his hand on her shoulder which made Anko suspicious.
"I know but I was scared for you. Please come back." Kakashi sounded desperate another bell of suspicious rang in Anko's mind. When did Kakashi feared for her safety that he had to beg? Something was not right. She knew Kakashi wouldn't abandon his students or his village just for her. "Anko come home." His tone changed. The young man's voice was not his own.
"Who are you?" Anko took a step back. She pulled away from the man's grip. The man thought to be Kakashi smiled down at her. It was more of a grin than a smile. It was long and thin and it brought one face in mind. He pulled down his mask reviling what was underneath. She didn't need to see the rest of his face to see who it was. "O-Orochimaru," Anko whispered. Orochimaru laughed softly. Memories on how she feared and hated him surfaced. The man came close to her and placed his lips against her ears. Tobeo and Tsume saw how Anko's body trembled as the man got close to her.
"We're going home." Orochimaru spoke softly in her ear. Anko pushed him away, shaking her head as a response, and then ran. Orochimaru walked casually after her. He moved his head up and down once giving orders to the others to follow.
"Anko," Tobeo started, "its Anko! Tsume we have to follow her!" Tobeo, the young pup, hurried down the street that Anko took. Tsume's hand missed Tobeo's shoulder by inches. He cursed silently and ran after Tobeo. Tobeo ran as fast as he could with the bag of food in his hands. His best friend was back. He ignored Tsume's orders and followed Anko's scent. Before going any further down the alley that Anko took and the man after her, Tobeo set down the bag in a hiding spot where he can hide it for that moment. Thinking that he can stop Tobeo from going in further, Tsume reached one more time for the pup but was too late. Tobeo had entered the alley leaving the bag behind. Tsume settled the bag down and chased after Tobeo once more. Tsume wouldn't forget the look on Anko's face. It was the same expression she had when he and the pack found her eight years ago. Her face so filled with fear that it haunted him for nights. Why was she here? Better yet, who was she running from?
Anko kept running, crashing into several people before she entered the alley. She ignored the crude comments that were said from the people she pushed and shoved out of her way. She heard Orochimaru's slow footsteps after her. She needed to get away from him and from the Akatsuki that were surly around the area. How long did he know she was in the city? They alley was a maze, every turn she took the more she saw similarities in the buildings that she passed. Finally one turned lead to a dead end. The buildings blocked all sides but one and that was the one were Orochimaru stood.
"Stop playing around and let's go home, my dear." Orochimaru said. He extended his hand out to her. Anko shook her head. "Anko you always were an outcast in Konoha. The village knows you're a traitor. They never wanted you for the choices you made on your free will. You love me and your family and I can see that you still do. The Akatsuki filled the void that you had in your heart. With your family's death you had no one help you out. Who were the ones that brought you in their home? Who gave you something to live for?" Orochimaru stepped closer to his former student. His white hand stroked her cheek like he did when she was a kid. Anko found herself laying her head, her eyes closed, and on his hand remembering the 'family' that she had.
"What family Orochimaru?" Anko opened her eyes. "You took me in but for your own benefits. You used me to get information from Konoha. You taught me how to kill without remorse. You taught me how to be alone." Anko began to lose control over her emotions, "You lied to me. You and the Akatsuki are not my family. My family is the village Hidden in the Leaves. They took me in when I needed someone the most. You chased me down and almost killed me. What sort of a family does that to their family?" Anko exhaled out in anger. Why her? Why did Orochimaru chose her?
"I'm sorry Anko. I thought I could have convinced you but I see something is stopping you." Orochimaru sighed. A pair of hands clutched on to Anko's arms. Deidara tied her hands together behind her back with handcuffs that drained her chakra. Anko did not need chakra in order to do some damage to her enemy. She slammed her head against Deidara's face. The blond Akatsuki member fell back holding his nose that bled a river of blood. Anko slid away from his grip of her assailant and gave Deidara a side kicks with all her physical strength. The force of her kick caused Deidara to fall back. She gave him another blow taking another advantage of the moment. The Jounin knew that she only had a few minutes before Deidara would take control of the situation. She wanted the cuffs off her. Deidara stood up and caught Anko's side kick and threw her to a wall.
The hard concrete wall cracked against Anko's body. The man let Anko fall to the ground. Then Deidara repeatedly punched and kicked Anko. Deidara and Anko never saw eye to eye. Both wanted the same attention and both wanted to be the best. He let all his frustration and anger with ever blow. Orochimaru looked away when Anko's brown eyes managed to open and stare at her sensei. "Deidara I believe that's enough." Orochimaru's voice stopped the blond Akatsuki from the next punch.
Deidara raised his hand in the air for another and final blow. Anko closed her eyes expecting the pain to come to her face but all she heard was a scream. Her eyes opened wide and saw a wolf biting down on Deidara's hand. Another wolf jumped on Deidara's back biting his neck. Both wolves attacked Deidara. The wolf that had a tight grip on Deidara's hand took several hard chomps then the wolf took one hard pull. Blood squirted out of Deidara's hand his blood washed over Anko and the wolf that threw the hand that it took from Deidara. He screamed in pain holding his arm that missed a hand. He forgot about the other wolf on his neck who wanted to do the same thing. In anger he threw the wolf on his back away from him The brown wolf growled blocking Anko from Deidara's rage. Anko managed to see the color of the other wolf, it was silver with a color x on its chest. The silver wolf went for another bite but Deidara kicked the silver wolf in its head. The wolf yelped and staggered back towards Anko shaking its head. When the silver wolf got back into focus on the attack he charged head on with Deidara.
Anko closed her eyes again. Her back felt cold against the ground. She turned her head to Orochimaru. Her sensei had his arms crossed watching the fight with the smirk that always sent chills down her spine. That smirk meant he liked what he saw. So much for family Deidara had trouble with summoning his explosive art with one hand and the wolf kept aiming for his other hand. The brown wolf poked his nose on Anko's cheek. When the brown wolf saw her turn her head a bit he knew she was alive. The brown wolf ran to help its fellow wolf and Deidara called out for help. Orochimaru shook his head in disappointment. Orochimaru's snake eyes glowed from the attack that he was going to use. The brown wolf was his target. From watching the two wolves Anko's old sensei knew who take out. Orochimaru's neck extended towards the unexpected brown wolf. His mouth opened wide for a bite. The three watched in horror when Orochimaru sank his teeth on a neck. Orochimaru's eyes opened when his lips touched soft skin not fur. Anko stood over Tobeo using her body as a shield. Anko knew Tobeo wouldn't survive the cursed mark. Orochimaru pulled back watching Anko fall on Tobeo.
The pain that Anko felt brought back memories of when she first received the cursed mark. Her neck burned when a new cursed mark formed. Her body ached as the new cursed formed with her old one underneath her clothes. All she could feel was the pain, the fire that burned her neck. The day were she was locked away, alone, her only company were her screams that echoed through day and night. She might not survive this time but at least she saved the wolf that came to her rescue.
Orochimaru slipped pass Tobeo and Tsume and took hold of Deidara. The snake eyed sensei watched to the wolves as he remembered them from the past. He let out a disgusted look at them. "If you protect her you will die. Anko, my dear, we will see you soon." Orochimaru gave one final glance at Anko then at the wolves that protect her. Orochimaru held on to Deidara as they disappeared.
Anko clenched her fists tight, her teeth grinned against each other. Sweat dropped down from her whole body. Tobeo and Tsume exchanged looks. What happened? Anko forced her screams in pain down her throat. She did not want to show her weakness to the unknown animals. Her neck turned to the pain trying to squeeze the pain away but she knew that did not help at all. Her heart went thump, thump in high speeds. Tsume bit at the cuffs. At his third try he finally cut broke the chakra draining item. Her hands shot up from her back to her neck. The young pup whined softly nudging at Anko's cheek.
Tsume watched his old friend tossed and turn. His ears perked up when another presence appeared out of no were. The woman wore a long black cloak the cloak had red swirls. Her eyes were dull with no emotions in them. Her blue hair was pulled back neatly into a formal bun. Her presence held no danger. She walked up to them and both wolves growled at her. She stopped her arms were folded under her chest. "I'm only here to help." She said. Anko turned her head. "I have to get close to her." The blue haired woman reached out to Anko but Tobeo snapped his teeth at her. "I won't hurt her I promise." Her tone was honest and Tsume gently pushed Tobeo away from Anko.
"K-k…" Anko began to say but she was hushed by the woman.
"It's okay my darling. I'm going to make the pain go away." The blue hair woman kneeled down towards Anko. She brought Anko's head towards her; the woman's hand went over Anko's head. "She will go to sleep when I'm done with her. When she wakes up she must rest for a couple of days. I will make the pain go away but I can't take away the cursed mark from forming." She told Tobeo and Tsume. Her hand glowed from her healing chakra. "She survived it once but I'm not sure if she can survive it again." When she was done she leaned down and placed her forehead against Anko's. Anko groaned as she tried to call out her name. The blue haired woman stood up and she took one long look at the two wolves.
Tobeo watched in amazement as the unknown woman dissolved into millions of butterflies. "Please take care of her." She said before her upper body disappeared with the other butterflies. It wasn't long before Tsume transformed into his human form and picked up the unconscious Anko. Tobeo ran up to Tsume wiping away the blood that was on his face.
"What's the matter with Anko?" Tobeo asked his short wavy hair pulled out of his face. Tsume shook his head. He did not know what had happened. All he knew is that Anko was okay or somewhat and she was wanted by the freaky pale man.
"We have to take her back with us." Tsume said but the young pup felt uneasy. The grey wolf knew Tobeo felt that way but Kiba would have to suck it up.
In an abandon house, noises were coming from the main living room. The windows were torn and some boarded up. The inside was not as pretty as the outside. The furniture was ruined by the years of the people or wolves that came by. Lately the abandon house was occupied by a group of animals. No one had wondered in the house in a while and the pack of wolves was happy.
The wolves were waiting anxiously for their pack members to come back from the store. A blue wolf and a light brown wolf were huddling around each other. The pack leader, white wolf, had his head on a woman's lap. She petted him gently with her flower scented hand. Kiba's ears perked up when a noise came from a distance. He stood up on all fours, alarmed, but then went back to his previous position. Cheza smiled softly while petting him.
Blue and Hige touched their noses together.
"What is taking them so long?" Asked Blue, her azure human eyes went to Kiba and Cheza. The pack leader stood up again this time on two feet. "It wouldn't take them this long to get something to eat…"
"I know. They probably got into some trouble. They would return in a matter of hours or maybe tomorrow. If they return by tomorrow evening we'll go and search for them. Okay?" Kiba told Blue. He turned to his Cheza who had the same worried look as Blue.
"Do you think they will come tomorrow?" Cheza asked softly. Kiba nodded but he didn't know. Since they all are being hunted he just hoped that they are well. Hige rubbed his head against Blue's legs to calm her down. Blue sat back down on the floor.
Kiba was worried but he didn't let it get to him. He knew Tobeo and Tsume were good fighters. Maybe Tsume was better but Tobeo can still fight a decent fight. He just hoped that they would return soon.
The sounds of running footsteps came from the distance. Everyone stood up Kiba pulled Cheza behind him. Blue and Hige growled in their wolf forms. Tobeo burst through the door. His hair was a mess and his body was sweaty. The bag of food that he retrieved lay crumpled in his arms. He went inside putting it on the table. Kiba asked what was going on but the young pup ignored him and opened a door that had a bed. Everyone wanted to ask what happen but Tsume came in with a body. Kiba was furious. They brought a dead body? Great The leader thought. Her face was hidden because it was facing Tsume's chest. The whole room filled with her scent. It was pure earthy scent. It brought everyone memories.
Tsume placed the girl on the bed. He brushed off her hair from her face. Tobeo was going to close the door when Kiba pushed through. The others followed him. Cheza and Blue gasped and ran beside the girl. "Anko?" they both said. The unconscious Anko made several faces in her sleep. Her hands were on her neck which was later placed at her sides. Kiba growled at the girl but deep down he felt the feelings that he thought were gone a long time ago. Tobeo smiled as everyone was happy to see their long lost friend.
"Where did you find her?" Hige thought he should ask since Blue and Cheza were at Anko's side, Kiba looked like he was going to have an outburst, and Tobeo was smiling.
"I'll tell you later…" Tsume said, "We just need to give rest."
Anko mumbled words but no one could detect what she said. Tobeo touched her hand several times making sure that she was there. Cheza stroked Anko's cheek and Blue held her other hand. Tsume looked over at the Sleeping Beauty and he felt good inside. He was glad to see everyone together but he wouldn't admit it. He missed Anko maybe more than he should have. He knew that Anko would have to explain to them a lot.
Anko finally found the people she long looked for. Her search was over.
I'm sorry for posting this chapter so late. :D I hope you enjoy!