I really would have posted this two days ago but FanFiction was having some sort of problem and wouldn't let me log in!! Eek right!?
Oh well, now I'm here. I was originally going to make this chapter and the next one chapter, but it turned out to be way too long. It might even have to be three. We'll see. I don't really like this chapter- I mean I do but it was troublesome (thank you Shikamaru).
On with the chapter!
Another scream pierced the air just as the two shinobi ran inside the house. They looked around frantically but could see no one.
"Where are they!?" Kaori yelled while reaching for her sword.
Kakashi concentrated for a moment. "I think they are in the next room, it's quite large. It seems to be those same rouges that attacked us before, but there are more this time, six or seven."
Kaori cursed under her breath and ran into the large room- a family room. Kakashi ran swiftly after her, keeping a close eye on his surroundings. The six rouges that were visible were scattered around the room, smirking. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kyo hiding behind a chair. He looked at Kakashi with scared eyes, although he still held his kunai tight in his hands.
"Kaori." The masked ninja whispered.
She looked at him, ready. "What should I do?"
"The leader, the man I fought before, has the little girl. He is over in the corner holding a knife to her throat. I don't think he will kill her just yet though." She took a sharp breath in, but stayed composed. "I will fight him and get the girl away while you take care of the others. Do not let the rest of the family get hurt, do you understand?"
Kaori nodded, and motioned for Kyo to come to her. The boy stood up tentatively, and walked beside her. As he did this, Benjiro and his wife ran into the room. Chihiro, still being held by the rouge ninja, let out another scream.
"Damn it!! Chihiro." Kyo yelled, jumping away from Kaori's grasp and running toward the ninja, knife in tow.
"Kyo, no!" Kakashi yelled, running after him.
He grabbed the boy's arm and pulled him back. "Let me go!!" Kyo yelled, squirming in Kakashi's grasp. "They have Chihiro! I need to get her back…"
"Listen Kyo, I know you want to help your sister but for right now you should let me and Kaori handle it, okay? We will get her back, I promise." Kakashi said, and the boy stopped struggling. "Kaori, let's go."
She nodded and they both ran forward. Kakashi ran straight toward the lead rouge, but was stopped by two of the others. Pulling three knives out, he lunged at them, managing to cut one on the shoulder. Both turned and went for a kick, but Kakashi dodged it easily. He looked over for a second to see Kaori and one of the ninja locking swords with a metallic clang.
Suddenly, he felt someone behind him and quickly ducked out of the way of an oncoming kick. 'I'm fighting three now?!' he thought, sighing.
He took out two more kunai and fought two of the three ninja at one time. He managed to knock one of them unconscious, and went to fighting the other two. One of the ninja, a brown haired kunoichi, started making hand signs. "Splitting Earth Force!" She yelled, pounding her hand to the ground.
"Dammit!" Kakashi yelled as the ground under the house began to shake. "Kaori, look out! Get them out of here, the house might-"he was cut off by a large piece of the rock wall nearly hitting his left eye. "Get out!!" He yelled again. She stopped fighting, nodded and ran off, grabbing the family and running towards the door as the house started to collapse. Kakashi cursed under his breath again and looked to see where the other ninja were. He saw one of them, the one Kaori had been fighting, running towards the door and quickly attacked the man, knocking him unconscious with one kick.
"Where is he?" he asked himself, looking around amidst the chaos for the leader and Chihiro. He coughed in the thick, dust-filled air and realized it was no use and that he had to get out of the house. Willing chakra to his feet, he ran out of the house at record speeds just as it collapsed, dust flying everywhere. . The earth stopped rumbling slowly.
Kakashi put his hands on his knees and panted heavily, covered with dust. Kaori and the family ran up to him, and Kaori put her hands on his shoulders. "I thought you were going to-"
"Save it for later." He coughed violently, "Is everyone else okay?"
"Yes, we are all fine. I managed to kill one of the rouges as we ran past her; I think it was the one who started that jutsu." She answered.
"I also knocked one unconscious in the house, but now I don't think he will be coming out. That leaves three more and the leader to deal with. Did you see any come out?" Kaori shook her head.
"We didn't either." Benjiro said, while his wife gaped at their ruined house. He looked at her and put his arm around her.
"What about Chihiro!?" Kyo yelled, running over to them. "I mean, what's gonna happen to her?" He looked extremely worried.
Kaori smiled down at the teen. "We will try our hardest to get your sister back, Kyo."
The boy looked down. "I saw them." Kakashi and Kaori focused their attention to him. "They were jumping away from the house into the woods behind us, just as it collapsed. There were four of them, and they were yelling… I couldn't understand what they were saying…"
"Where were they heading towards exactly?" Kakashi asked.
Kyo turned and pointed to the trees directly behind them. Kakashi sighed and looked at Kaori. "I'd say that they are trying to ambush us."
"Why would they do that?" Kyo asked, looking around.
"Well, their target is your entire family- they aren't going to just leave here without revenge. They also probably know that we will not leave you guys to go find them." Kakashi explained; then sighed. "We are at a disadvantage by not knowing the area." Kyo crouched down and picked at a piece of grass.
"No we aren't." Benjiro stated, getting confused looks from everyone except his son. "This is my home. I know the terrain around here like the back of my hand."
"Guys…" Kyo murmured, pressing his palm to ground.
No one seemed to hear the boy; they were too busy trying to figure out where the ninja could be.
"Over there are some rocky hills, there are tons of boulders left over from when a cave collapsed in during the war.
Kakashi tensed again, getting a weird look from Kaori. He composed himself and nodded. "Yes… I know the place."
"There are spaces in between some of the boulders. That could be-"
"Guys!!" Kyo yelled, startling everyone. He still was crouched on the ground with his palm on the floor in front of him. "I think… I think I can feel their chakra. It's like…they are underground."
Kakashi narrowed his eye and looked down at the boy. The boy could sense chakra? He too crouched down, resting his palm on the dirt. "Kaori, brace yourself. They are underneath us somewhere."
"They have Chihiro with them!" growled Kyo.
"She's alive, don't worry." Kakashi said while trying to pinpoint where they were. He didn't want to use Sharingan if he didn't have to.
Kyo noticed this and smiled. "I can get 'em out."
Benjiro knelt next to his son, putting his hand on his shoulder. "Kyo, I know what you want to do and you're right; it would get them out but it would also possibly kill them. You're forgetting that they have your sister!" Kyo looked away from his father at the floor.
'A jutsu?' thought Kakashi to himself, just as Kaori gave him a knowing look.
Suddenly, two of the ninja burst out of the ground behind Kakashi. He turned around, only to have four kunai thrust into him. Akina screamed and Kyo took in a surprised breath; Kaori and Benjiro just narrowed their eyes at the falling ninja.
Kyo, pushing away from his father, ran up to the copy ninja who, with a puff of smoke, disappeared leaving a log behind. "What the hell?"
Sorry for the semi-kind-of cliff hanger. Just review!!!! Suggestions, predictions, anything is welcome and I recommend it!! Haha. Thanks!!!