Kurenai woke up alone.
The smell of smoke was still lingering in the air; Asuma was probably smoking on the roof again, and Kurenai did have the window open. Kurenai reached over and felt the bed next to her; cold. Asuma had been gone a while, otherwise the heat from his body would still be trapped in the covers…
A frantic pounding on her door brought her attention to full focus. Kurenai grabbed a kunai, held it behind her back in case she needed it, and carefully opened the door for-
Tsunade.
"Kurenai! The Akatsuki came and took Asuma! We have to chase them! If they extract the demon-!"
"I know, I know!" Kurenai was already gathering her clothes and throwing them on, snatching up a bra and a pair of clean underwear. "He'll die!"
She ducked into the bathroom, leaving Tsunade standing in the middle of the doorway. A second later, Kurenai emerged again, a hair tie clenched between her teeth and both hands yanking her hair back. She seized the hair tie as she ran, wrapped it around her hair, and bolted out the door, Tsunade following her. Kurenai knew that now it was a deadly race; a race against time and the Akatsuki, but even more so…
For Asuma.
Kurenai shoved open the window, jumped out, and went up to the roof. She was tracing the Akatsuki from where they had started, knowing that if she could figure out where they were going, she could take a shortcut and cut them off.
"Shortcuts don't work."
Kurenai shook her head. "We have to try!"
"They have a plant-man as their spy!" Tsunade argued as they began to run. "He can teleport through trees and ground. If he thinks there's an enemy, he can go there immediately to check. He is the only Akatsuki member who can move his body during the sealing ritual, and from what I hear he's not exactly a puppy dog in battle."
"So we have to split up," Kurenai reasoned. He can only go after one of us at a time."
Tsunade shrugged. "What I'm worried about is being on our own. We are twice as powerful together, and our skills compliment each other nicely. So if we split up, we're at half power."
"It's our only chance for Asuma!" Kurenai cried.
"If we die he has no chance!" Tsunade screamed angrily. "What we need is more shinobi!"
"Somebody call me?"
Kakashi rose up next to them, looking smug. "Itachi dropped a line and ran, so I came up and waited for you."
"Itachi?" Tsunade asked curiously.
"Don't ask," Kakashi said grimly. "The bastard…him and bondage."
Tsunade got the picture and nodded. She brushed up against Kakashi, passing a large, green spark. Kakashi wordlessly nodded his thanks and sped up.
"Let's go, slowpokes!" he called over his shoulder. "Pakkun has the scent and he is far ahead!"
A slow smile crept across Kurenai's face. Maybe, just maybe, Asuma did stand a chance…
Tsunade began to match Kakashi's speed, so Kurenai sped up as well. The three ninja made their way silently through the night, watching the skies for any sign of attack. Kakashi waited for his dogs' next signal, and Tsunade scanned the forest for signs of the Akatsuki. Kakashi was on edge; he hadn't heard from his dogs in a while…
"Kakashi."
Kakashi glanced down; Pakkun was galloping next to him, looking excited. "We found them! Kitsune is tailing, but we have to go now!"
"Never mind."
Another dog ran up to Kakashi and gently licked his hand. "They just entered the lair. It's sealed."
"So?"
All eyes turned to Kurenai. "What, it's a false entrance. You can't tell that's genjutsu?"
"If I had the Sharingan I probably could have," Kakashi said slowly. Tsunade shook her head.
"I'm not a genjutsu type."
Kurenai shrugged. "This way!"
Kakashi and Tsunade followed her, trusting in Kurenai's ability to find the true entrance to the Akatsuki lair. Kurenai dropped low to the ground, darting back and forth into and around bushes and trees. Tsunade and Kakashi tried their best to keep up with her, but it was hard, sometimes impossible to see where she was. Kakashi was thoroughly confused by the time Kurenai swept under a wooden archway and into the Akatsuki lair.
Kakashi was impressed.
Tsunade thought that whoever had gotten in the first jutsu on Asuma was really in for it.
Kurenai held up a hand and began creeping along the wall. Kakashi saw that she was headed for a door set into the stone at the other end of the room. Kitsune, a German Shepherd of Kakashi's, followed her, fur standing on end and hackles raised. Kakashi held her back with a soft order.
As Kurenai neared the other wall, she was moving even more slowly, and occasionally moving away from the wall, probably to avoid traps. Kakashi watched as she cracked the door, staring in to see what was happening. After a moment, she opened it more widely and motioned to everyone else to join her. Tsunade and Kakashi made their way around traps to stand next to Kakashi at the door. Kakashi listened hard, relying on his dogs' hearing to help him.
"Chanting," he said slowly. "And…it sounds like…"
"The demon," Tsunade whispered. "It's half out…already? And God, it sounds angry-"
Kurenai nodded. "The Swallow is easily angered; that's why Asuma doesn't like using his Flying Swallow. It brings out the worse side of the Swallow; by the way, her name is Katsu-"
"A female demon sealed inside a guy?" Kakashi questioned. "That's…a little…"
"Off, I know," Kurenai said quickly. "But we still have Asuma to get to!"
Tsunade nodded. "Through this room and then the statue-Kurenai!!"
Kurenai had recklessly charged ahead, unable to withstand the shrieks of rage from the demon and the cries of pain from Asuma any longer. Tsunade sighed and charged after her, knowing Kakashi was right behind her. Kurenai kicked down the door and began forming hand signs immediately.
"Genjutsu: Eternal Darkness!"
The entire room was instantly plunged into darkness for the Akatsuki. Tsunade ran forward, fists flying, and Kakashi's Raikiri blazing. Tsunade knocked Hidan off his perch on the statue of the God of Hell and simply kept going, intending to pull Asuma out of the deadly chakra enveloping him.
"Tsunade, don't touch that!" Kakashi called, still charging with his Raikiri. "I break, you get inside, grab Asuma, and get the hell out of there!"
Tsunade nodded and fell into step behind Kakashi, feeling the aura of the Swallow heating up the air. Beads of sweat began forming on her skin and dripping down into the small of her back. Kakashi's Raikiri wasn't exactly helping that...
"Genjutsu: Tree Bind Death!"
Tsunade glanced up briefly at the statue: Kurenai had just sealed off its mouth, halting the flow of the demon's essence. But then…what about the other half of it…?
Kakashi broke the shell over the Swallow and Asuma, spilling the demon out over the Akatsuki.
Fools!! Who has stupidly tried to disturb my rest?!
Three fingers pointed to the Akatsuki. The demon began to reform, yellow splotches of chakra coming together and reforming.
Heal him! The demon ordered, and Tsunade crouched down by Asuma's inert form. If he dies, so do I!
Tsunade drew up palm full of green chakra and immediately pressed it to Asuma's chest. The Swallow was still pulling itself back together, hovering over Asuma's form.
Little Yuuhi brat-unseal the statue. I need the other half of me.
If it hadn't been so serious a situation, she might have laughed; the Swallow was missing her tail, a leg, a wing, and half of her beak. Many feathers were missing as well, but Kurenai could still tell that Katsu was a magnificent creature-when she was covered in her golden feathers.
Kurenai released the tree branches, and the rest of Katsu returned at her calling. The bird filled out and began flapping its wings to lower itself to Asuma.
Well, he certainly is a good host. He tried to save me on the way here, so I helped him-unfortunately, some people know how to ruffle feathers!
Tsunade was still healing Asuma, Katsu watching. Well, I suppose I should take care of these asses. But they have gone through so much trouble to run, so I suppose I can get them later…after I help this human. Humans are so fragile…I will never understand how they can't even survive falling off a cliff.
Tsunade smiled and let the demon melt with Asuma, yellow chakra spreading over the man's entire body. Kurenai came trudging back to them, still looking violent.
"They all got away."
Sucks for you. But be consoled, child-I'll get them all later. Would you like to help?
A slow smile spread across Kurenai's face. "Why, certainly," she said. The demon's chakra melted away from Asuma, leaving him seemingly unscathed.
He will wake up shortly.
Kurenai nodded her thanks and held Asuma in her lap, staring at his bloodstained face.
"What they must have put him through…"
Tsunade looked on sympathetically as Kurenai began wiping blood from Asuma's face. Kakashi leaned over and lifted the edge of Asuma's shirt, checking for the seal of the Swallow.
"Damn bird…"
Kurenai looked down in shock-Asuma was awake already…!
"I love her," Kurenai mumbled, pressing Asuma' lips to hers. "She saved you, you know."
"But if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be in this mess to begin with."
"But she got you out of it," Kurenai breathed, and kissed him again. "She redeemed herself."
Asuma smiled and returned the kiss, leaving Tsunade and Kakashi staring at each other.
"Sure, why not?"
Tsunade jumped forward, crushing her lips to Kakashi's and wrapping her arms around him. Kakashi inwardly sighed, but understood Tsunade's need for attention at that point. He kind of felt like the third wheel, too…
Tsunade pulled back, blushing furiously. "Sorry."
Kakashi shook his head. "No, no…it's okay…"
Tsunade smiled and gently toed Asuma. "Um, excuse me, formerly-half-dead?"
Asuma gave her a not-so-half-dead glare, but Tsunade ignored it and continued, "We kind of need to get going so we can plot our revenge?"
Asuma rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine." He gave Kurenai one last kiss, this one a bit more chaste, and stood up. Kurenai stood next to him. "One last thing…" Asuma said slowly. He rooted around in his kunai pouch for his knuckle blades, slid them onto his fingers, and brought up flaming yellow chakra.
"Flying Swallow!!"
Tsunade watched, impressed, as Asuma and Katsu proceeded to tear the statue apart, stone being ground into dust and metal being disintegrated. Kakashi offered a lopsided smile.
"Well, at least he's okay…"
Kurenai sighed. "That's Asuma…"
"Hey, is he smoking?"
Kurenai peered at Asuma. Sure enough, she could see the smoldering end of a cigarette poking out of Asuma's mouth.
"Again," Kurenai said dryly. "That's Asuma."
The yellow flashing back and forth finally died down after another fifteen minutes, and Kakashi was stuffing down laughter by the time Asuma was finished. Asuma took the cigarette out of his mouth, knuckle blades still on his hands, and wordlessly flicked the cigarette into a pool of blood on the ground; obviously from where Kurenai had given someone a close shave.
Tsunade grinned.
"Badass!" she called across the room. Asuma offered her a goofy grin.
"At least now you know I'm okay…"
A/N: They actually cut that from the English anime…where Asuma flicks his cigarette into a pool of blood to put it out. SPOILER ALERT When Asuma save Shikamaru from the Sound ninja following him when Shikamaru is tailing Sasuke and Gaara, he kills all the Sound ninja and puts out his cigarette in a pool of blood…I was so sad when I found out that they cut that from the anime because Asuma is so badass, he needs his bloody cigarettes!! TT Review please?