Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. This one is coming a little early today because I have a very early morning tomorrow and since I'll be busy all day, I'd rather post it early for everyone instead of late, so here it is! I'm sad that no one reviewed: whether new or faithful! So please, everyone out there, leave a review! I would love to hear your opinions and if you have questions and the like. Anyway, please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, just those of my own design.
Chapter 12
The following morning, as the first rays of sunlight began to peek through the drawn curtains of their room, Kikyuu began to stir. She sighed contentedly for she had had her first night of deep sleep in years that wasn't plagued by nightmares. Of course, being curled next to Itachi the entire night helped; his presence always served to comfort her.
As she shifted, she smiled softly as she felt Itachi's arm tighten around her shoulders, him unconsciously telling her that he didn't want to lose her warmth. Kikyuu lied there for a few more moments before slipping out of his grasp and into the bathroom. After showering then dressing quickly, she moved about the room quietly, cleaning up as best as she could.
A loud cough drew her attention from her task, however. The kunoichi turned and witnessed an alarming sight: a still-sleeping Itachi, now on his side, coughing hard, his body shaking furiously. Kikyuu quietly strode over and gasped softly when she saw the blood on his pillow. Fear grew inside her for seeing this symptom of a slew of serious illnesses was never a good thing. Knowing that Itachi needed to rest, she left him a quick note before stepping out into the hall and giving an inward sigh of relief that Kisame was standing outside, waiting for them.
"Where's Itachi, hm?" He asked, grinning down cheekily at her.
"He's still asleep. He needs to rest and I feel you should be able to handle this beast on your own. There is a message on the bedside table for him to inform him of our plan. Any objection?" She quirked an eyebrow as she looked up at the blue-skinned man.
Kisame chuckled deeply, "If that is your 'professional opinion', I won't argue. Besides," he began walking down the hallway, "I'm sure Itachi needs his rest after the ruckus you two caused last night."
Kikyuu shook her head, "I'm not in the mood for teasing, Kisame."
His brow knitted in confusion, in their brief encounters, she would banter with him much to his partner's displeasure:
"What's the matter? Hmm?"
The kunoichi took a deep breath then sighed as they stepped outside the hotel into the early dawn:
"How loyal are you to Itachi?"
"If you ask me to keep a secret, I will. I won't sell him out," he replied, inwardly growing very worried.
Kikyuu nodded, reassured that he wasn't lying, and began to bounce her concerns off of the taller man.
Itachi awoke not two hours after they left. He grumbled in frustration as he realized he had been left behind and quickly stood to catch up to them when, suddenly, a cough tore its way from his throat. He leaned against the wall before sitting back down on the bed as his body shook as he hacked repeatedly. When the coughs quelled, he removed his hand from his mouth and shuddered as he saw the sizable amount of blood staining the ivory skin. He remained seated as he waited for the tightness in his chest to pass before standing and making his way to the bathroom.
As he showered, he felt his lungs clearing and sighed as he pressed his forehead against the cool tiles under the warm shower stream:
'I need to see someone about this…this is quite serious…Kikyuu needs to know as well; I might need her help later on.'
He finished his bathroom routine and stepped out into the empty room to dress, but paused as he noticed the small flecks of blood on his pillow. Itachi's heart dropped a bit as he realized that wouldn't escape Kikyuu's keen eye; he discerned that she would be extremely worried about him and only prayed that she didn't tell Kisame. However, he feared that she did. Itachi wasn't one to easily trust a person, especially amongst the criminals of the group, but he figured there were worse people to tell. This was when he also noticed a note on the bedside table.
Crossing quickly, he picked up the small piece of paper and quickly read:
Itachi. We will need to talk about the blood. I figured that whatever the cause, it would fatigue you greatly. Kisame and I would have left already by the time you read this. Do not attempt to catch up to us. Instead, meet us at the old Kanabi Bridge. Pein wants the sealing to occur there in an old building, remember? We should arrive at a similar time provided everything goes according to plan. Be careful. -Kikyuu
After quickly dressing and taking the next-to-last of the soldier pills Kikyuu had given him previously, he contemplated disobeying her request in the note; however, he couldn't deny the tiredness he felt and chose to follow her suggestion. He left the hotel and began journeying to the ruins of Kanabi Bridge at a steady pace.
Kisame grumbled as he dropped the jinchuriki on the ground after several hours of hard travel. Fortunately, he remained unconscious after the battle and through the evasion of Iwa ANBU, but now, he was showing signs of waking up. Kikyuu landed beside him, panting softly as she looked back towards the towers of smoke rising from the ground: the only marker of her battle with the elite shinobi.
The jinchuriki groaned a bit, drawing both of their attentions to him.
"I could hit him again," Kisame stated while grinning maliciously.
The kunoichi shook her head and produced a seal tag from her kunai pouch. She strode forward and placed it on his forehead, wrapping to the back of his skull. The man's eyes shot open before rolling back into his head and then closing again.
"That," Kikyuu stated as she stepped back and brushed some hair from her eyes, "will take care of him."
"What is that?" Kisame inquired as he investigated the seal.
She chuckled, "An ANBU issue tag courtesy of the Yamanaka clan. The seal traps the mind and renders the victim unconscious indefinitely. We won't have to worry about him anymore." 'Unfortunately, my last tag of that kind.'
The shark-like man nodded but still produced a set of ropes from his own kunai pouch, "Excellent, but as a precaution."
She shrugged and watched as he bound Roshi's wrists and ankles before picking him back up and slinging him over his shoulder like a sack of flour.
"Are you rested enough to move again?" Kisame asked after adjusting slightly.
Kikyuu nodded, "Ready as I'll ever be."
They both nodded to one another before quickly leaping off, only a few hours now from crossing the borders into the Land of Grass: home of Kusagakure.
"Hey, Kikyuu, is Itachi trying to catch up to us?" Kisame asked.
She shook her head, "No. I haven't felt his chakra since we entered Iwa. He is, most likely, heading to the rendezvous point."
The blue-skinned man nodded before falling silent.
Itachi rested in a well-hidden cave near the Kanabi Bridge as he had done since arriving there a day ago. He was bundled up under several layers of blankets, but he still shivered. The signs were fairly clear that he was ill, especially with the onset of the fever, but he just had to hold on to reunite with Kikyuu. The Uchiha hoped that she would know what to do, and if he could get her alone, perhaps they could make it to Kusagakure to find an apothecary. However, he would have to put on an air of wellness until such a time could be set aside.
As he rolled over onto his back beneath the blankets, he felt Kikyuu and Kisame's chakras nearby. He stood, despite the tightness in his chest, and gathered up his belongings. Upon taking the remaining soldier pill, however, he felt much better and quickly headed to their location.
The shinobi pair arrived at the forest edge that overlooked the overgrown bridge ruins. The shark-man unceremoniously deposited Roshi on the ground before leaning against a tree and panting softly. He was astounded at how quickly Kikyuu pushed them to arrive here; the normally three-day journey was turned into a two-day journey instead.
It surprised him even more that Kikyuu, who was now standing a few yards from him seemed completely unfazed by the journey. In reality, however, she was near exhaustion. Her vision was blurring slightly and she had to blink rapidly every few minutes to clear it. If she didn't find a bed to rest in soon, she would collapse.
As the sun crested over the treetops nearby, she shivered and pulled her cloak tighter around her as the cool dew settled around them in the early dawn. She knew Itachi was nearby and would be arriving shortly. This relieved her; at least he was still alive. She would suggest they move to Kusa upon his arrival, check into a hotel, then sleep. She wanted desperately to help Itachi first, but in her condition, there would be no way.
"So, Kikyuu, where's Itachi, eh?" Kisame asked.
Fortunately, the aforementioned partner arrived in time to spare her expending any energy answering unnecessary questions.
"Itachi, thank Kami," she whispered as she turned to look at him.
As she examined the Uchiha with her eyes, she began to wonder why she was even worried in the first place for he seemed to be perfectly fine. His color was normal and he didn't appear to show any signs of illness for fatigue.
He simply nodded to her then Kisame before stating, "I've tried contacting Pein, but to no avail. I suggest we wait out his reply in Kusagakure. Warm beds and proper food seem to be most needed after our long travels. Kikyuu and I can secure two rooms, Kisame, and then you can bring in the jinchuriki through the window to yours. To avoid suspicion that is."
The taller man nodded, "But of course. The sooner, the better in my opinion, I could use a nice shower."
Itachi nodded and began to speak before pausing and looking off towards the East.
"That's odd… and interesting," he whispered.
"Hm?" Kisame hummed, "Something wrong, Itachi?"
The man shook his head, "No; it's nothing. Let's move."
Kikyuu mustered a simple nod before the three of them headed towards the nearby town; her eyelids were already beginning to droop.