LOL! Folly… your review made me laugh (Actually, a lot of reviews made me laugh). I've made a promise not to get engaged to someone before I've met them in person though, so I'm sorry, but I can't marry you. (Can you believe someone actually made me make that promise? Do people know me well or what?)
So I've been playing spy games on the original play station (Mission: Impossible & Metal Gear Solid) and I'm stealing missions from those games. (I know, lame) but yeah… if anyone played MGS… Solid Snake was like… my hero as a child. Right after Lara Croft. Hehe… I ran around hiding behind corners and crawling under things for weeks when I first played MGS. Such violent games… in the first two seconds of tomb raider a nice Peruvian man gets eaten by wolves, if I remember correctly…
Oh, the sex scene was loosely based on the scene in Great Balls of Fire! (1989) a biography of Jerry Lee Lewis, when Myra and Jerry Lee move into their new house (I think). If anyone isn't aware… Myra was his 13 year old cousin (once removed), he was 23. Fun fact: I've seen Jerry Lee Lewis play. Yes, people who don't know who he is, are like, "so, some old guy?" But it's cool, ok? He wasn't that good… but still, it's the idea of it that really matters.
"Sakura…" I smile, refusing to open my eyes as soft lips touch my temple, warm hands holding me against the oh-so-familiar chest beneath me. "Sakura, I know you're awake."
"No I'm not," I argue, snuggling into him with a soft murmur.
"You're voice is, that's all I need, do it again." I smile, knowing what he wants.
"Do what?" I ask with a grin.
"Say it," he practically whines.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I tease, grinning as I bite back a giggle.
"Sakura," he scolds sharply, pinching my hip softly. I giggle, kissing his neck softly and nipping at it playfully. "That's very nice, but that's not what I want," he sighs, twisting his head away from my lips. "Say it again, Sakura, I want to hear it."
I pout softly, but then smile, looking up at him sweetly. I contemplate addressing the fact that he won't always get what he wants, but he really hasn't so far in his life, why make him wait for this? "I love you," I whisper slowly, allowing him to appreciate every word.
He sighs happily, radiating content. "Again?"
"I love you," I repeat, wrapping my arms around him as far as I can. "I love you, and I always will. I'm ready to fully embrace being your wife and in the future the mother of your children."
"Children?" He asks, sounding overly confident.
"Of course," I say simply, "Zen, and then one of our own as well."
"Oh," he agrees with a nod. "Just one of our own?"
"We don't even have one yet, Kakashi," I laugh. "Let's just wait and see where things take us."
Kakashi smiles, hugging me tightly. "I love you," he whispers.
I'm about to respond when there's a knock on the door downstairs. "Sounds like Anbu," I sigh.
"You think they're for me or you?" He asks softly.
"It's my house," I edge.
"But everyone knows I'm here…"
"If it's for me it's probably medical. If it's for you it's probably not that important," I mutter.
"You're catching on to that, huh?" He asks with a small laugh as he rolls us over so he's on top of me. He smiles down at me for a moment, kissing me in what starts off as a soft goodbye and gets a tad too intense, until another knock at the door reminds him he was on a mission. He laughs softly before he pulls away and slips out of bed, pulling on his pants and mask and then disappearing out the door.
I stretch with a groan before slipping out of bed to find some clothes to pull on. I grab the rest of Kakashi's jonin uniform for him, heading towards the stairs. When I get to the top Kakashi is just reaching the bottom, Anbu already gone. "Well?" I ask, pausing.
"We need to go talk with Tsunade," he says, holding my gaze. "We've got a mission."
"Years and we never even cross paths, now we get two big-deal-middle-of-the-night missions in a few months?" I sigh, shaking my head as I continue down the stairs slowly. "How big of a deal?"
"They didn't even give me a time, so I'm guessing it's a life changing deal," he sighs, stopping me at the bottom step to take pieces of clothing from my arms and don them slowly. "Should I make you some tea before we leave?" He asks as he pulls on his vest.
I bite my lip, reaching out to zip it for him. "I don't know," I mutter hesitantly, "should you?"
He stares at me for a moment before he smiles slowly, eyes lighting up so obviously that I can easily watch the step-by-step change. "Are we trying for children now?" He asks; grinning wildly behind his mask.
"No," I say with a smirk, wishing away the blush that touches my cheeks. "We're just… not trying for no children." That sounded better in my head. He continues to smile, touching my cheek softly. "Come on," I sigh, pulling him towards the door. I expect more of an argument from him, but he just takes my hand in his, lacing our fingers as we head towards the Hokage tower. "You're ok?" I ask carefully, glancing up at him.
"I'm great," he says, a smile to his voice that throws me off. "I'm happier than I've ever been, which undoubtedly means something is going to go wrong on this next mission, but I'm trying to ignore that fact."
"Oh hush, you pessimist you," I say with a pout, giving his hand a slight squeeze.
"Come on you two," I glance up in shock to see an Anbu on the roof top to our right. "Tsunade's getting impatient."
I sigh, releasing Kakashi's hand to take to the roof tops, following the Anbu across the city towards Hokage tower. The Anbu disappears as we get to the tower, leaving us to slip in through the window. Tsunade sits on her desk, and Zen sits behind it, leg hidden from view and dressed in her normal red armor. In front of the desk stand Sai and Shino, both silent as they simply watch Kakashi and I as we take our place in the center of the room, several Anbu by the door.
"That was quick," Tsunade says with a smile as she turns towards Kakashi and I. "I didn't expect you for at least another hour."
"We could come back later," Kaksahi says with a smirk, earning a snicker from Zen.
Tsunade just rolls her eyes, drumming her fingers on the desk. "We've got info on Zenitha's… followers. We've found a small group of them, by no means all of them, but it's a start." she says slowly. "We would send Zenitha in to deal with this with a small squad, but technically she's only a genin, and on probation for deserting the leaf for so long." I realized belatedly that they're trying to hide her injury. I have no idea why, but Tsunade obviously wants every one believing she's healthy. "So instead I want to send you, Sakura. You know her best, and can interact with Kakashi believably. Kakashi has run away from the leaf before with her, he can do it again."
"She tried to kill me last time," Kakashi argues. "Anyone who has half a brain could realize I wouldn't run off with her again. Especially after my relationship with Sakura has gotten out, which I know every village in Fire, Wind, and Earth and everywhere in-between knows about."
"That was a mission," Tsunade says with a soft smile. "How many times has Sakura nearly killed you?"
"Not intentionally," I mutter softly, crossing my arms.
"Regardless," Tsunade continues. "While you are undercover as Zenitha, Kakashi will go with you, since obviously he would do anything to protect his beloved Zen. Sai will watch you from the sky; and Shino with his insects. You're to go in and dispose of Zenitha's remaining followers in the area, and as quickly as possible. A reported six are held up there, but there could easily be more. I can send up to eight Anbu with you; tell me what you need once you've figured out how you'll do this."
"Do they know we know where they're hiding?" Kakashi asks easily.
"Most likely," Zen says, leaning back in Tsunade's chair slightly.
"Then Sakura and I can just waltz in with the intention to kill them right?" Kakashi asks with a sigh.
"Remember what you told me earlier?" I ask, scowling at the idea of fighting with six of the things I had to protect Zen against only a few days ago. "Maybe we should take a bit more to plan this out."
"Right…" Kakashi murmurs, watching me for a few heart beats before he sighs. "Ok, so Sai and Shino will give us reports from the sky via radios. Sakura and I will circle around and heard them into the Anbu."
"Sounds good," Tsunade say with a nod. "If you're insane." I sigh, rolling my eyes. "You two can't take on six enemies at once, and they'll either withdraw before you get the chance to do any damage or they'll take you out before the Anbu can assist you, try again."
Kakashi glances up at the ceiling, then over at Zen. "You think we could do it?"
"She definitely has the control," Zen replies glancing over me. "It can't hurt to try. Worst case scenario they get away and you two get a little beat up. With the splendid Anbu guard," I don't miss her distaste for the ninja around the room. No doubt she's had a few run-ins with them since she stole Kakashi from their ranks. "You'll probably only have a scratch or two. Are you sure you want her to take that chance though?"
"What chance?" I ask, glancing back and forth between the two.
"We'll have to use you as bait," Kakashi says roughly. "If you think you can."
I glance to Tsunade, who's staring out the window. "Of course I can," I say easily.
Kakashi nods slowly. "We'll have Sai keep watch on you from the sky, and Shino can send out his insects to keep watch on movements. Everyone will get radios, and we'll spread the Anbu out as far as possible in a half circle around the enemy. We'll find a place in the woods, set a trap, and you'll bring them into it. I'll be there to help you in the beginning while the Anbu close in the circle around us. As they tighten the perimeter we can take out as many as possible as quickly as possible, while the Anbu can take out any that breech the perimeter."
"Keep in mind Sakura will be holding up a transformation, Kakashi," Tsunade says with a frown.
"If they catch on that you're not me, Sakura," Zen says quietly. "They'll flee without a moment's notice, and they're quick little buggers. Kakashi can't even track their movements when they're trying to get away."
I look over to Kakashi in surprise, he simply nods. "If she dies, Kakashi, then you do too." Tsunade says roughly.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Kakashi says, catching my eye with a smile. "If things get too far out of hand we'll pull back. Our safety is more important than a remote threat to an individual."
"Gee thanks," Zen laughs, a smile in her eyes. He hand drifts down below the desk and she shifts, kicking Tsunade's desk softly.
"Right," Tsunade says with a sigh. "Kakashi, Sakura, stick around. Everyone else, prepare to leave… noon tomorrow?"
Kakashi nods, and once the Anbu are gone he visibly relaxes. "What's with the rush, Tsunade?" He asks.
"I just want Zenitha kept safe, that's all. If she's safe the village is safe," she sighs, pulling Zen back from the desk to look over her leg.
"Bull shit," Kakashi argues, hands stuffed in his pockets.
"I've been hiding for centuries, Kakashi," Zen laughs. "That's what the trade rink was for. I've been using that one for forty… fifty years now. Once it's… 'flooded'… they'll find me in seconds." She winces as Tsunade tugs at the stitches in her leg. "I mean, just a crack in the damn and they found me in a matter of months. I'm running out of safety nets."
"Who are these people, the people who are after you?" I ask cautiously.
"Descendants of my first father," she says with a small gasp and a wince. "My father was a great king, who had many sons with many women. I was the only child born to his wife, and therefore the legal heiress." She smiles. "My father's advisors didn't like that… so they had me killed; had me sacrificed, actually. The method in which they did so led to my immortality. They later realized their mistake and told my father's sons what had to be done, how to kill me."
"How to kill you?" I ask in shock.
She smiles through another wince. "It's the only thing I don't know about myself," she laughs. "If I could die for good, I'd probably do so… on my own terms though. I'm not going to die before this baby is born, and since the ninja out flooding my carefully constructed trade rink are coming dangerously close to completion, that Hyūga boy already finished his mission, I need to make sure all immediate threats are eliminated. These six cousins of mine are the biggest threat at the moment. I want them neutralized." We're all silent for a moment, watching as Tsunade heals some of the tissue on her leg. "Why are you bothering?" She asks with a scoff.
"Just trying to ease the pain," Tsunade mutters.
"Any hints on being you?" I ask carefully.
"Ah, yeah, close the shades would you?" Kakashi and I look at each other for a moment, but then do so, circling the room to close off the view from the outside. "Alright, get me up on the desk." Tsunade steps back, allowing Kakashi to step forward (after rolling his eyes) and help her to sit on the edge of the desk. "Come here, Sakura, I'm going to give you some of my memories. Nothing upsetting, just little bits that will help."
I glance at Kakashi, who shrugs, before I step forward. She reaches out with a soft smile and takes my hands in hers. After a moment of eye contact I feel my eyes slide shut, feeling as if I've fainted again. "Damn it," I mutter, trying to shake myself awake.
"Calm down, Sakura," Zen mutters, her voice echoing around me. "This is how it works. Don't say anything stupid, they can hear us."
"Good to know," I almost laugh, deepening my breaths. "What now?"
"In a moment," she laughs. "Be patient." I wait for what seems like forever before a soft light makes me squint. "This is him, the first cousin of mine who never tried to kill me," my eyes widen in shock at the face before me, and I take her lead in not saying his name, the name I know so well… Hashirama Senju. "He was taught how, and when he found me I was six years old, and still had not regained my memory," I try to close my eyes against the image of the naked child crawling through the snow in fear, but they're forced back open. "Watch," she demands. I do as she says, and actually feel goose-bumps rise on my arms as the child shivers, backing away from the man who follows her. The light flashes again as in a moment there is the first Hokage, grabbing at baby-Zen's wrist and pulling her out of the snow. Tears spring to my eyes as he pulls at her arm painfully, glaring.
"So, this is all you are, Lady Zenitha?" he hisses, hate radiating from his eyes.
"Do not judge him, he knew no better," Zen mutters softly.
"Pathetic, just a child?" He reaches out to grab the girl's chin, turning her head from side to side, but she bites him, drawing blood. He throws baby-Zen to the ground, shaking his hand as he watches her with amusement. My heart clenches.
"Zen you bit-"
"Shh," she mutters, "that's not all you have to see."
The image before me fades and warmth surrounds me; again a slightly older version of the first Hokage is the first thing I see. "Lady Zenitha?" He calls, looking in the general direction of Zen/me. "Princess?"
I swing in a moment, dropping to my feet in front of him. "You called?" Zen's voice surprises me, so light and easy. So free. I seem to take a step back, now able to see the first Hokage talking to Zen, who only comes up to his shoulder. They're both clad all in red, and he wears armor that reminds me of a masculine version of what Zen wears now. She wears only a thin dress in this memory.
"You're getting jumpy," he says with a smile, crossing his arms. "I brought you something."
Young Zen's eyes light up and she's bouncing on her heals in a moment. "Yes?"
Hashirama smiles, revealing a small box, holding the Neko-te she still wears today. "I thought since you didn't like to carry weapons, you might want these. If you have to fight another bear you'll actually have a chance now."
Zen smiles, throwing the box to the ground and jumping into his arms to wrap him in a hug far too affectionate. "I thought you said he was your cousin…" I mutter. Not to mention judging by his appearance the first Hokage was already married at this point in his life.
"Distant," she corrects. "And it's not what you think. He became my father, after all." Yeah, so will Kakashi. I pause, not actually aware if Tsunade's mother or father was the child of the first Hokage. If she was Tsunade's mother… "One more thing, Sakura," she mutters, bringing my attention back. I try to focus as a man lies before me, blood at the corner of his lips, red eyes darkening quickly. My heart clenches for the obviously Uchiha man I don't recognize, as Zen sobs over him.
"Let it go," says the voice of the first Hokage, his hand touching my… Zen's shoulder.
"How dare you," I hiss, releasing the man in my lap and lashing out at the first Hokage, Neko-te slicing into his armor, but not piercing the skin. He looks down at me with wide eyes, and tears pool in mine. "I see our paths have come to an end," I feel myself say, shaking with hatred. "I wish you luck."
The first Hokage just watches, eyes wide as I turn and walk away. "Princess," he calls, voice sounding broken.
"Either kill me now, or do not address me," I say over my shoulder, waiting for his response. When he doesn't respond I nod and continue away.
"Who was he?" I ask as the image fades.
"My brother, in that life," she says simply. "I found him only a few days before, and he was taken from me too soon."
"Why is… he… such a big part in your life?" I ask softly. "You're thousands of years old, surely," I shake my head as the room starts to appear around me. "Surely he couldn't have left that big of a mark on your immortality?"
"He did," she whispers. "Through him, I met her," Tsunade.
"She's your-"
"Yes," she mutters, eyes watching Tsunade carefully as she looks down at the ground, arms wrapped around her. As I shake my head, looking around for Kakashi. He's waiting by the door.
"Why show me that? Surely there are more important things," I say, rubbing my temples at the beginning of a headache.
"Very few men make such a difference in my life. Kakashi is one, he is the other," she says, her tone simple. "You will wear my armor, and wield my blades, as well as my nails. Everything else is up to you."
"Do they know you well personally?" I ask softly, watching carefully as she begins to strip off her armor, leaving her in what is similar to the red dress she wore in her memory. Did the first Hokage really do so much in her life that she still carries his style? The mask she keeps from Kakashi's influence makes sense simply to hide the wound. I'm willing to bet that if she's really raised by Kakashi in her next life she'll continue to wear the mask. "Your cousins?"
"No," she says with a smile. "Simply that I'm cold hearted and a bitch. Say cool things in case one escapes, then I'll look cool in the future." I smile softly and shake my head slowly. "Put these on, they take a bit to get used to. This armor was specially crafted for me, Sakura, an order of that man. Please, care for it."
"Of course," I say with a nod.
"In fact, I have a request…" she glances gown at the bandages over her leg, tugging at the fabric of her dress to cover them slightly. "When I'm your daughter… would you mind displaying my armor around the house, make up a story about it. Tell me I'm not allowed to touch it."
"Of course," I say with a small smile. "Why?"
"It's a bit of a tradition," she says with a smile. "When I was his daughter he told me I wasn't a good enough ninja to wear it. I think he wanted to keep the memories from coming back. Or maybe he didn't realize who I was. Whatever the case, when I remembered who I was… I stole the armor and ran away."
"Will you run away from us too?" Kakashi asks, leaning against a far wall.
"Maybe," she says with a shrug. "Depends how awkward things get once I regain my memories." I nearly groan at that, shaking my head. "Kakashi, would you get her a mask, when you have the chance?"
"Right," Kakashi says with a nod.
Zen flinches, grabbing her leg, and then laughs slightly. "Maybe I should have let you remove it properly, eh, Sakura?" she asks through a strained laugh.
"Keep her alive while we're gone, Tsunade," I say softly, watching as she scratches at the skin around the wound. "Then I can make you promise to clear your room and such things once you're old enough." Zen laughs at that one, still wincing, and Kakashi smiles at me.
"You should get out of here," Tsunade says with a smile. "You two have a mission to prepare for."
"Right," Kakashi agrees, opening the door for me to exit.
"Kakashi," we both turn back to look at Zen, looking so frail in her small dress and useless leg. Dressed like this I can see a small curve to her stomach that she didn't have before. "Help her out with the transformation; make sure she's got me down to the freckle on my hip."
Kakashi sighs, but nods, pulling me from the room.
Kakashi shakes his head again, walking in a slow circle around me. "You're giving her too much muscle on her arms, and that freckle still needs to be darker."
"Any darker an It'll be black!" I protest, crossing my arms over Zen's exposed chest as I allow for the muscle to ease out of her arms and darken the freckle on her right hip. "Are they really going to notice?"
"Yes," he says simply. "They've got eyes that carry the same traits of the Uchiha and Hyūga eyes. Any difference and they might be tempted to look with those eyes, and then they'll notice. This is good, can you hold this up?"
"Yeah," I say with a nod. "If I can get some sleep now."
"Now hold on," he says sternly, pointing to the bed where Zen's armor lies, along with a red mask and her weapons.
I sigh, rolling my eyes and then slipping into the layers of armor, and then fastening on her iron nails. "Ew," I mutter, shaking out Zen's arms to feel the uncomfortable armor shift around me. "It's heavy… but shockingly light." Kakashi shoots me a strange look and I roll my eyes. "You two and your masks, I don't get it. How can you wear something so uncomfortable?"
"I resent that," he mutters. "It's very comfortable. Plus, I'm not affected by allergies."
"That's right," I mutter, "and your lips are so soft because of it too…"
"My lips are soft?" He asks; eyebrows high.
"As if you didn't know," I scoff, smirking and moving towards him slowly. "Softest lips I've ever felt."
He reaches up, removing his own mask to smirk at me, "You sure about that?"
"Absolutely," I smirk back, removing my own mask.
"Perhaps you should change back into the girl I love," he edges, "so we can go ahead and get some rest… big mission tomorrow."
"You don't want me to stay like this?" I ask, biting my lip. I didn't have the scar on the side of my face, since it was under the mask anyways.
Kakashi scoffs. "Why would I want you to look like her? You're much prettier." It's now my turn to scoff. "Think what you like, but it's hard to see someone who tried to kill you as beautiful." I smirk, dropping the transformation jutsu quickly. "Much better," he mutters, pulling at the strings of the armor and stripping it off of me. I giggle, reaching up to kiss him soundly.
As he strips the layers off of me I don't fail to notice that Kakashi doesn't even get near the leg guards. "Are you going to leave the leg guards on?" I ask as he leans me back onto the bed, kissing my bare chest.
"I always did have a thing for her leg guards," he mutters, one hand trailing down my leg to brush against the metal.
"So many things turn you on, Kakashi," I scold playfully.
"Pretty much just things you do," he says softly, kissing his way up to my lips. "Which worked out nicely, since I'm in love with you and everything."
I smile, pulling him in for a kiss. "I love you," I whisper just as our lips touch. He smiles into the kiss, trailing his hands down to nudge my legs up. I sigh in slight humor but follow his directions, wrapping my legs around him so the metal of the leg guards clink against each other.
We wake up late, a glance out the window tells me it's nearly eleven already. I sigh heavily, placing a soft kiss on Kakashi's chest and snuggling into him as his arm around my shoulder tightens. I feel him swallow before he gives my shoulder a little squeeze. "I think we shouldn't be so eager to have Zen," he whispers quietly.
I look up at him, my surprise, no doubt, evident on my face. "Kakashi-"
"I don't mean to say that we shouldn't have her…"
"We don't have a choice," I say sharply. "You don't want kids? Only a few weeks ago you told me-"
"That's not what I mean," he says quickly, moving so he can look at me.
"Is it just her then, you don't want to be her father?" I demand, feeling the tears sting my eyes as I sit up to look at him with wide eyes. "I don't mean to be a joy-kill, Kakashi, but she bit you, you have to be her father."
"Sakura, please," he sighs unhappily. "Just listen to me, that's not what I mean at all." I lean back a bit, willing him to continue. "If you get pregnant now, Zenitha won't die for another six months, at least. How do you expect to travel to Kinosaki at six months?"
"Kinosaki?" I ask, brow furrowed.
"We have to take Shinji's child to him once it's born," Kakashi says easily.
"Oh," I murmur, leaning back. "Then you…" I pause, watching Kakashi carefully as he watches me for my reaction. "That's probably a good idea."
He smiles softly. "I thought so."
"What if I'm already pregnant?" I ask slowly.
Kakashi watches me, eyes darting down to my stomach. "Are you?" He asks, his voice a small whisper.
"I don't know," I sigh, shaking my head. "If I am it's too early to know, but… I mean… I could be. Always a possibility."
Kakashi looks down at his hand on the mattress, expression tense. "Well then we'll just have Shinji come to us to get his kid, or perhaps we can send Shikamaru, he and Shinji got along all right, right?"
I smile. "We're kind of going to be grandparents before we're parents."
He laughs, pulling me over to lean against him. "If you think of it that way then we're great-to-the-umpteenth-degree-grandparents."
"If I think of it that way I'm Tsunade's grandmother," I say with a small grin, which fades when Kakashi looks down at me in surprise. "Oops, I think that was a secret."
"Tsunade is her daughter?" Kakashi asks. "But her mother… I've never met her… but I know who she is… I've heard of her…"
"Shh," I mutter. "Secret, ok?"
"I'm no good at keeping secrets," He mutters, rubbing the back of his head.
"You will keep this one," I say sternly, placing my finger on his lips. He nods. "Now, we should get going, we have a mission today, and we have to pack."
"Sure, sure," Kakashi sighs, stretching. "Shower?" I smile, slipping off the edge of the bed and practically dancing to the bath room. Kakashi follows me in a moment.
We're only half an hour late to the main gates. No one there seems particularly surprised, but Shino seems to give us a dirty look. Sai just smiles at us and states blindly that we're late. "Yes Sai," I say simply. "It's kind of his thing."
"I see," Sai says thoughtfully, glancing back and forth between us. "You two are married now?" Shino looks up, apparently unaware of that small fact. One of the Anbu seems to find this funny and gives a snort of laughter. I just nod. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, Sai," Kakashi says with an eye crinkle. I smile as well, accepting Kaakshi's offered hand happily. "Well then, let's go," Kakashi mutters, daring anyone to say anything. Thankfully no one does.
We travel until nightfall in silence, at which point Kakashi stops us. "Shino, Sai," Kakashi says simply. They nod, putting on their radios. "You two go ahead and scan the area, find our targets." Shino flickers away in a moment, and after a moment Sai takes to the sky on one of his ink animals. "Now we wait," he mutters, snuggling into a tree and pulling out the little novel I hadn't seen since he started staying at my house.
"Wow Kakashi," I mutter, watching the Anbu settle into the trees around us. "Haven't seen that in a while."
"My favorite one," he says with a wink, holding up the book so I can see the cover.
I smile, biting my lip, and blush slightly. It's a while before Kakashi looks up, turning up the speaker on his radio. "Sai, what's up?" I can't hear Sai's voice, but what he says makes Kakashi smile. "They know we're here?" Kakashi's smile widens. "Ok, first Anbu squad, north, second Anbu squad south, stay within range. Shino…" He seems to wait for a reply. "Go ahead and set the traps would you?" Kakashi smiles at me. "They're talking about you, Zen," he mutters. I nod, pulling up the jutsu and changing into Zen's armor quickly. "They're surprised you came to see them so soon after your injury."
I nod at that, wrapping a bandage around my leg quickly. "We ready to go?"
"We still have to wait until the Anbu form the horseshoe," he reminds me. "Then I'll loop around and herd them towards you, eventually they should start chasing you, just make sure you leave room for the Anbu to close the circle before you start any fighting."
"Seems to me you should start looping around now," I say with a scowl.
"I didn't want to leave you yet," he admits sheepishly.
I smile, pausing before putting on my mask. "I'll see you in a bit, Kakashi," I promise.
"Right, bye then," he sighs, taking a step backwards.
"No kiss?" I ask, raising Zen's eyebrow. He looks away shuffling his feet. "Oh you big pansy, it's still me," I mutter, reaching up to remove his mask. He sighs, leaning down to kiss me.
"Yeah," he sighs, pulling away. "That was weird, your kiss, her lips."
"Get out of here," I order with a scoff, pushing him away playfully. He smiles, pulling up his mask and then stepping backwards into the trees. I turn up the speaker on my radio and snuggle into the tree Kakashi had been reading against to wait for any further directions. I bite back a yawn as the members of the two Anbu teams whisper back codes way past my field of understanding. It sounds like their speaking in another language and it just makes my head hurt.
I have to force myself not to jump as Sai lands beside me silently. "Lady Zenitha," he mutters. "If you wish to get some sleep I will wake you up when I leave."
"Thanks Sai," I say with a soft smile. I lower my voice. "But I'm not sure I could keep up the jutsu." He nods in understanding and looks back to a mouse that has just scurried over a nearby tree branch to stop before Sai. "What's he say?" I ask as the mouse flattens onto his scroll in words.
"He's found another of the targets, they seem to be meeting all in one spot, which was our plan anyways… but it's odd that they would do this without our interference." He glances over his shoulder at me. "Perhaps it's not the best plan."
"It's good enough," I correct, pulling my mask up over my nose.
"You and Kakashi…" I sigh, rolling my eyes. "I don't understand, Sakura, you always seemed to respect him more than Naruto, but I never thought…"
"It's complicated, Sai," I mutter. "It's not something you can learn from a book, or I don't think so anyways."
"I see," he mutters with a nod. "I've heard that this happened before… with Mitarashi-sama and Orochimaru… is it-"
"It's nothing like that," I cut off quickly, blushing. Who had gone and told him about that?
I pause as Kakashi's voice comes through the intercom. "Zenitha, you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," I respond in Zen's voice.
In seconds Sai draws out one of his birds. "I'll have an eye on you," Sai says softly. "If you need my help, just let me know. I'll be there."
"Thank you," I mutter, watching as he takes flight.
I bite my lip, counting my steps as I head towards the center of the circle of Anbu around us. It's not long before those dark figures make their presence known. Two of them within sight, but I can feel a few more beyond my sight. I swallow nervously as a shadow flicks above me, from one of the dark figures above my head. "Laaady Zzzenitttthaaa…"
I close my eyes against their hissed whispers, hoping Kakashi will be here soon. Back when I had last encountered them I hadn't done anything… of course I had been focusing on saving Zen back then. Even Shikaku had seemed to have trouble getting rid of the thing. I look up in shock at a rustle ahead of me on the path. "Kashi?" I call; Zen's voice foreign on my tongue.
"Zen," he responds, stepping into my path and smiling softly at me. He's not supposed to be here yet, and since Kakashi doesn't screw up missions the only possible reason is because this is indeed, not Kakashi.
"I'm not sure I can do this," I say softly, glancing around for the others. "They're just people… misguided as they may be… it seems wrong to kill them like this."
"It's your choice, Zen," he says softly, stepping towards me. His walk is off too, damn, these people suck. "But if you want to stay safe…"
"I have to kill them," I agree with a nod, running my thumbs over the iron fingernails as I had so often seen Zen do. The thing steps closer to me and I follow suit. The next moment there is a tall figure, clad in black, writhing on the ground before me, hands held up to his yellow eyes as he screeches in pain. I immediately removing his hood and cut his throat, staring in horror at the prickled skin of his face and toothless mouth. His eyes fade from the shining yellow to a dull gold as I watch him die. What are these things? I don't have much time to think about that, for in the next moment I'm inches from the ground as an axe flies through where my body had been. "Kami," I grunt, slipping away quickly to dodge any further attempts on my life. Ink falls from the sky and in a moment the man with the axe is swallowed in it, drowning. I move to the side slightly as a kunai flies past me and draw Zen's dual tanto, spinning just in time to stop the sword that threatens to break through my skull.
I distantly hear Sai's report of the enemy's position to the Anbu, and one of the Anbu responding saying they'll be there soon. "No!" I cry roughly, throwing the man backwards. "Sai and I can handle this, keep to the plan!"
"She's right," Kakashi says after a moment of the Anbu arguing, "Tighten the circle, if you meet any along the way either heard them in or kill them." He seems to trail off at the end there, which probably means he's fighting someone as well.
Shino, thankfully, says something when Kakashi stops and the muffled sound of Kakashi's voice can be heard through his radio in the back ground. "I'll send some of my insects your way, Sakura. They can be a good distraction, if nothing else."
I mean to mutter my thanks, but in the next second I'm dodging attacks again. As I back up I only get one quick glance over my shoulder before an ink-covered figure wraps his arms around me, holding me still as the other comes towards me. I kick back my feet to hit the man holding me in the shins, and bring my head back against his face, but his grip only tightens, making me a little light headed.
A second later the man coming towards me lurches as a blade comes through the fabric of his cloak and Sai appears behind him. He throws him to the ground as more of his ink animals crawl up my captor's body, but he hardly seems to notice them as he flies backwards, still holding onto me. My vision begins to tunnel as we fly backwards and sounds seem to echo. A faint buzzing keeps me awake as Shino's insects descend on my captor, seemingly eating him alive. My captor drops me in a moment, leaving me to cling to the nearest tree branch. Unfortunately Sai's ink is slippery, and in a moment I crash to the ground, hearing, more than feeling the snap of my arm, and then quickly passing out.
I know this took a while too, but I've started school and work and more typical excuses. Plus I'm busy being a full time internet groupie now. I can't tell you for whom (my computer said that was the correct usage of that word, I believed it) though, because then I'll have internet groupie competition, and he already has quite a fan club. But he's a great singer, and an amazing guitar player, and he has the voice of an old black man (think… Ray Charles… except sexier) but he's a skinny white boy (boy, I'm not making him out to be groupie-worthy at all, am I?) But anyhow, I had him sign a shirt for me and I went crazy for a few hours because he put a heart next to his name. Which is silly, because he probably does that for everyone. If I had any bit of fame I know I would.
Um, I can feel I'm losing you guys (not a big deal, it's a long story for not really having a solid plot line…) so I'm going to try to wrap it up, one or two more chapters, I think. With a few time jumps I should be able to get it done. Good to know you all are ok with Shika-Kurenai… I thought it was a little weird myself, mainly because I'm a big fan of Shika-Temari but I'll see if I can make it work for my next story. Same one that has Genma not being a pervert maybe…