Naruto: Lost in the Dark
Mission 7: when yesterday became today
=Hatake Kakashi=
It was over twenty years ago, just a few days after he'd graduated from the Academy, that he'd met her. She was just another one of those girls that he thought that he knew.
She was pretty, so she had to be shallow and stuck up. She was smart, so she had to be another one of those know-it-alls. She was physical, so she had to exercise and go on a hundred different diets a year.
Oh, he was wrong.
Her name was Shiori. Shiori Aoba. She was a year younger than he was, and she was starting the Academy when he had graduated. She had long, blonde hair and the most stunning crystal blue eyes. She had a laugh like bells, and she had a smile that could make the sun pale in comparison.
And Kakashi had been one of the many boys who fell at her feet. But she practically attached herself to his side, becoming one of his closest friends and greatest confidants. The two grew up together, Kakashi helping Shiori train after she got out of the Academy each day.
He'd been the lucky one of those many boys that she'd fallen for. Shiori chose him. She made that quite clear when she graduated, when she was twelve. He still remembered her exact words.
"I'm twelve, Kakashi. But we… we grew up together. You're my best friend. And… and I will always keep a special place in my heart just for you."
Those words made him happy.
After that, the two spent every moment together that they could spare. Of course, Kakashi became an ANBU pretty quick, but was put on a team with Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara, under Minato Namikaze. Then, Shiori was placed on a team as well, led by her older sister, Kiku Aoba, with two other Genin, Ryotaro Kiryu and Nobuyuki Okamoto.
They were then separated for a majority of their time. Kakashi was always off on high-ranking missions, while Shiori was busy training to become a Chunin and become stronger.
One day, he got a letter from Shiori when he came home. It'd told him that her parents wanted him to come for dinner.
So he did.
And there, at dinner with Shiori, he met her two siblings, Kiku Aoba, who was in her mid twenties, and Mamoru Aoba, who was only seventeen, but had already become an ANBU.
Kiku, as he found out, was considered a genius for her age. She was a Jounin who was able to create her own jutsus by releasing chakra from her body and using it to manipulate the world around her. She'd created dozens, but she'd never taught any other person how to use them, not even her siblings.
As for Mamoru, he thought that Mamoru Aoba was far too soft to be a shinobi, especially one who had to do so much, like the ANBU. The older boy had hated killing, hated blood, and hated war. But he wanted to protect his family.
Still, he'd bonded with the family, very happy with his newfound place in the small family. He'd even began to bond with Shiori's parents, Hiro, her father, and Hana, her mother. They'd both been civilians, but had brought three wonderful ninja into the world.
They were the closest thing Kakashi ever had to family, especially after his father had committed suicide years earlier.
=Orochimaru=
Of course, Orochimaru remembered Kiku Aoba, the young genius kunoichi. He remembered her just as well as Kakashi remembered his lover, Shiori. No human could forget the person they loved. And, as much as he denied his humanity, the Snake Sannin was still very much a human being.
He'd wanted her to live forever, live with him.
But human life was fragile, one of the many things that Orochimaru hated about the human race. Kiku was still human as well, leaving room for death to grab a hold of her and steal her away from him, just like it'd done his parents.
She died giving birth to their beautiful daughter twelve years ago, only a few weeks before the Nine Tailed Fox attacked Konoha. Orochimaru, in a fit of rage, continued his experiments, not wanting them to fail now that she was dead.
He didn't even visit his daughter after she was born. All he knew was that she looked just like her mother. Orochimaru wasn't even able to handle that, not at all. All he really knew was her name. Kiku had decided to name her Kayuki. It meant "Snow Flower," a name that both Kiku and Orochimaru had agreed on months before she'd been born.
Soon afterwards, Orochimaru left Konoha, abandoning all the memories along with his village. He wanted to leave everything that he'd ever felt behind. He wanted to become immortal, and to do that… he couldn't feel anything anymore.
His daughter had later been adopted by Kiku's family, and her care was given to Kiku's younger brother, Mamoru. He was a former ANBU, leaving the Black Ops, instead deciding to become a regular Jounin, to teach a team of new Genin like his older sister had done.
Orochimaru wanted to detest Mamoru, but found Kayuki growing up happily. Her last name was Akane, not Aoba. Kiku had wanted their daughter to grow up with Orochimaru's last name, but he'd revealed that his mother's maiden name was Akane.
If she'd kept his last name, he knew that his daughter would've been tormented like crazy growing up.
Only Mamoru and Kiku's family knew that she had any connection to Orochimaru, let alone shared the same blood as him. It seemed that Mamoru knew this, and so, gave Kayuki the last name "Akane."
As he kept going, his mind kept flashing back to Kiku. All the memories they shared together, and even the ones that he wished that he never saw. From the day they made love to the day that she died, his mind kept insisting that he remembered all of those memories.
Half the time, it was complete and utter torture, worse than any Genjutsu that anyone could produce. The other half of the time, it was what drove him to make himself better and stronger.
And now, he'd returned to Konoha, twelve years later, for the revenge that he so deserved. He hated Konoha now. It held nothing but bad memories for him. It held the memories of his parents deaths and the death of his lover and the single most important thing to him… Kiku Aoba.
But he'd also put his most trusted servant, Kabuto Yakushi, on the mission of looking after his daughter. She'd grown up well. He wanted to reconnect with the missing part of his life once more.
He'd missed twelve years of his daughter's life. He was no longer going to miss any more.
The Snake Sannin had kidnapped his daughter, taken her back. She was now his once more… no one could change that. Or he would kill them. He would murder them, giving them a cruel and bloody end.
He cradled his small and fragile, yet still strong and beautiful, daughter in his arms as he approached Kabuto, who still stood in his ANBU mask. He held out her sleeping form to his teenage follower, who gently took her, holding her close to his chest.
"Keep her safe," he hissed, the tone in his voice barely concealing the hidden threat. Kabuto heard that threat and nodded warily, his grip on the girl tightening once more.
The silver-haired shinobi nodded solemnly, replying with every bit of seriousness in his tone, "I will."
Orochimaru nodded, his stare still piercing the young boy. Kabuto showed no signs of fear in the face of the Snake. It was that expression, that stoic expression that Kabuto had as he held his master's daughter, that proved to Orochimaru that his pupil would protect his daughter, even if it killed him. As long as Kayuki lived, the Snake didn't really care about Kabuto's life.
=Uchiha Sasuke=
"What if I killed everyone you cared about? All those precious people? What if they were gone, just like that?!"
"You're far too late, Sasuke. Those people… all my precious people are already dead."
Sasuke thought no one else knew how he felt, yet Kakashi had lost everyone. Both shinobi had lost everyone that they had ever cared about. He knew now that he was not alone in that feeling, the dreadful feeling of having lost everyone who meant something to someone…
It was a painful feeling, a stab to the chest.
There was nothing that anyone could say or do otherwise. The wounds would never seal themselves, not if that hurt was still there after all that time. Years had passed, but still, he felt bitter about his loss.
Damaged people grew attached to damaged people. They formed a deeper relationship than those who had grown up all fine and dandy. Maybe that was why Sasuke had always had a deeper connection with Naruto and Kakashi than he had with Sakura.
The damage done in childhood years stayed strong.
And then, there was Kayuki. She must've been damaged, too. Or Sasuke wouldn't have felt that kinship with her.
Perhaps that kinship was why he was chasing the Sand Siblings. Perhaps that was why he was fighting so hard for the village.
He wouldn't let anyone he cared about die anymore. Sasuke was done being a victim. He was done losing his most precious people.
Urging himself to his feet, he rushed after the three Sand Nin, one of them severely injured from the previous battle. Faster and faster, he went, flying straight out of the arena and into the forest behind the arena, running through the woods. He had to catch up to the Sand Nin. That was his only thought at that moment.
To fight for the village. To fight for his friends.
=Hatake Kakashi=
They were stopped. The Genjutsu had put most of most of the stadium's inhabitants in a deep, dreamless sleep. When Kakashi looked around, he could only see himself, Guy, and Sakura, along with a few other shinobi from the Leaf. That was irritating.
Of course, as they rushed to assist the Hokage, they were stopped buy an enemy, who had disguised themselves as an ANBU Black Ops shinobi.
Almost immediately, Kakashi knew who he was.
Outside, the battle had become an all out war. Every shinobi available was fighting against the enemy, the teamed villages of Sand and Sound. It was a rousing cry to Kakashi, one that was familiar. He knew that casualties were already happening.
He would not allow his students to be another name on the list of killed-in-action ninja.
"Kakashi, look over there. He's inside the barrier!" Guy ordered, tension clear in his voice.
Following his friend's gaze, Kakashi nearly shook in anger and anticipation. "It's him. Orochimaru," he nearly growled, his fists clenching. That only confirmed what he'd already known.
He leapt into action against the enemy ninja, other Leaf shinobi coming from all other directions, joining the battle in the stands. Genma and Baki stood on the field, each staring the other down. It was another signal that war had approached Konoha once again.
All the while, the disguised ANBU stood still, another cloaked figure hidden behind him.
Kakashi and Guy stood back to back, continuing to take out the enemies and lower their numbers. Guy and Kakashi alone were worth thousands of other ninja. He knew what he did, and he was back in action.
Meanwhile, in the back of his mind, he worried for the Hokage, fighting against one of his students, Orochimaru.
But the battle continued… both for Kakashi and for the Hokage.
They took out the enemy ninja, one by one, keeping their eyes on the barrier that contained the Hokage and Orochimaru all the while.
Backing up next to Sakura, Kakashi demanded, "Try to break the Genjutsu on Shikamaru and Naruto. I know Naruto will be excited. I'm assigning you guys the first mission you've had in a while." He grinned behind his mask. "Just tell Naruto to be careful. This is the first A-Ranked mission you guys will take on since the Land of the Waves."
He heard Sakura gasp, but didn't acknowledge it.
He flew back into battle, his weapons out as he sent Pakkun, his ninken, with Sakura. Kunai flew and jutsus were used upon the enemy and upon each other. Guy and Kakashi quickly explained the mission.
Find Sasuke. Stop Sasuke. Find somewhere safe. Wait for more orders.
Four simple steps.
The young Genin and the dog leapt from an opening that Guy created after knocking an enemy shinobi through the concrete wall. Kakashi didn't waste anymore time, jumping back into battle.
He didn't even notice Shino as the young bug-master disappeared.
=Orochimaru=
The battle against his former teacher, Sarutobi, the third Hokage, continued. Orochimaru would never admit it, but the old man was good. Although it would've been much too simple.
Although his battle was of taunts and of chakra, he was still, out of the corner of his eye, watching where Kabuto was standing with his daughter.
He growled as he leapt up again, continuing the battle with a continued ferocity that only another Sanin or the Hokage could match.
He was prepared for anything.
=Hatake Kakashi=
He watched as the other cloaked figure sat up. He raised a kunai in his own defense. "Ka… Kakashi… sensei…?" a weak voice asked. The silver-haired Jounin almost dropped his kunai in surprise. The hood fell from the figure's head, revealing their long, dark hair and surprised black eyes.
Kayuki…
The ANBU quickly turned and scooped her up in his arms, wasting no time with words. "Wait!" Kakashi yelled, an angry growl in his voice. Not turning, the hooded figure leapt from the rails, dropping into the arena.
Kayuki struggled in the ANBU's arms, turning and yelling, "Kakashi-sensei! Help!" Her voice was shrill as she clung to the ANBU for dear life, screaming as her captor stole her away and she dropped with him. "Let me go! Stop it, put me down!" she screamed, struggling even harder against her captor's strong hold around her small body.
"I'm sorry," the ANBU apologized lowly, his hold on the girl tightening around her waist. She frowned and continued her futile struggle.
Kakashi let out a growl, leaping over the rails after the ANBU and Kayuki. Guy followed with no hesitation, the two of them facing the ANBU who held the girl in his arms.
Still brandishing his weapon, he stopped in front of the ANBU, his one visible eye sparkling with dangerous anger. He gritted his teeth and ground out, "Let her go. Just put the girl down and walk away." He paused for dramatic effect. "Or I'll have no choice but to kill you."
His voice was but a low growl, fiercer than he'd ever sounded. The ANBU just shook his head, shielding Kayuki from Kakashi's view. Kakashi growled again, a feral sound. "I'm afraid," the ANBU started, "I cannot do that. Kayuki belongs to Lord Orochimaru. There is nothing anyone can do to change that fact."
"She doesn't belong to anyone, especially not Orochimaru."
The ANBU's voice was filled with anger as he sharply replied, "Oh, but that's not true. Her life pales in significance to Lord Orochimaru's, but he insists on keeping her alive." The mask on his face gave nothing away, even as he carelessly tossed a kunai at Kakashi, who dodged flawlessly. Kakashi just stepped forward again, Guy preparing for battle behind him.
Kakashi grinned, although his mask hid his grin quite well. "I'm sure that she's worth a lot to Orochimaru, but you're not too willing to give her up either, are you, Kabuto?"
He heard the masked figure's breath hitch and then, he chuckled. One hand flew to the mask as Kabuto removed it, his laugh dark and, unfortunately, corrupted by the dark power that Orochimaru held over the young, talented Genin. "So, Kakashi Hatake, you knew this entire time, did you?"
"You were teamed up with Kayuki during the second part of the Chunin Exams. I watched your behavior around her. Once you revealed yourself and tried to kill Sasuke, I tried to figure out your motives. Kayuki was the only one you really acted genuinely happy around," Kakashi revealed, his kunai twitching in his hand. He was absolutely dying to embed it in Kabuto's gut.
The silver-haired shinobi just gave another dark chuckle, his mask dropping to the ground. From in his arms, Kakashi saw Kayuki making a few discreet hand signs. He then knew that he had to keep Kabuto talking, keep him from noticing what Kayuki was doing.
Kabuto suddenly shrugged nonchalantly, uncaring of Kakashi's words. "I suppose so. It's actually hard not to be genuine around this girl. Kakashi, you should know that better than anyone. Weren't you in love with her aunt?"
The Jounin froze, his fist tightening around the hilt of his kunai, another feral growl being ripped from his throat. "Don't you dare talk about Shiori." Kabuto grinned; he'd found Kakashi Hatake's soft spot.
He almost wanted to hit himself for revealing his weakness to his enemy so easily.
Even Guy looked at his friend and rival in astonishment. Kakashi had never revealed his affection for the younger girl, not even when she was alive. Sure, they had been close friends, but Kakashi had never openly admitted to anyone that he'd fallen in love with her. Shiori's crush was obvious, but Kakashi had ensured that neither of them were obvious, should an enemy shinobi use them against each other.
Only Shiori and Kakashi knew.
But clearly, somehow Kabuto had found out about their relationship. Kakashi had never told anyone. That meant that Shiori spilled the beans before… before she left.
Kakashi grinned dryly, his voice dripping with venom. "So, who did you find out from, Kabuto? Who did you have to torture for that bit of vital information?" he drawled, preparing to launch his attack as Kayuki slid her hands back into her lap, finishing her hand signs.
His grin only growing in both size and malice, Kabuto replied, "Oh, I didn't torture anyone for that specific piece of information. See, you remember Shiori's sister, Kiku, right?"
Kakashi froze; Kiku Aoba, a genius jutsu inventor. She'd achieved Jounin almost as fast as Kakashi had, but she and Shiori were pretty far apart in age, almost fifteen years, give or take a few. He knew that Shiori was close with Kiku. They were more like best friends than two sisters.
"So… who did Kiku tell?" he drawled again.
Kabuto once again grinned wider. "Lady Kiku and Lord Orochimaru… they were in love. Kiku had Kayuki. And then, she died."
Out of the corner of his eye, Kakashi saw the small, fragile Kayuki freeze, her hands stopping and her body beginning to shake. He saw that she was about to start crying again. He let out a growl and nodded to her.
"Now, Kayuki!" he yelled, his voice rising above Kabuto's cruel laughter. Kayuki snapped out of her trance and held out her hands.
"Fox Fire Jutsu!" she yelled.
At the base of Kabuto's cloak, a small, fiery fox appeared, mewling. It melted away into the black fabric, setting it on fire. The fire spread quickly, eating away at the cloak. The silver-haired Genin looked down and, with a cry, leapt back, dropping Kayuki. She let out a yelp before being swept up in Kakashi's arms. Kabuto had abandoned his cloak and spat obscenities at the Leaf shinobi and kunoichi.
She smiled up weakly at Kakashi, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "T-Thank you, Kakashi-sensei," she muttered, her fingers clutching at his flack vest. He nodded before kneeling. She stood shakily, one hand on his shoulder so she could support herself.
Kakashi stood, keeping one of his hands on her arm to steady her. "Keep safe, Kayuki. Now that you're here, we'll handle this idiot."
From a few feet away, Kabuto let out a bark of harsh laughter. "Ha! Like you could kill me! You failed once, White Fang of Konoha, and you'll fail again!"
The two shinobi exchanged glares before leaping into action. They didn't even bother with jutsus. They were just using their kunai and their fists. They weren't just trying to kill one another, the two were attempting to do as much damage as possible. Only when the other surrendered would they let up and then, only then, would they let the other die.
Kakashi knew; he would make Kabuto's death slow and painful.
He normally hated using torture just to cause his opponent to feel pain, to torment them, but he could make a special exception for Kabuto. That man had attempted to murder Sasuke in cold blood and had then had the nerve to kidnap Kayuki from under his nose.
The White Fang of Konoha was back, and he was angrier than most had seen him in years.
Sparing a glance back at Kayuki, who was hiding behind Guy, the older shinobi using his masterful skills in Taijutsu to protect her, Kakashi saw that she had both her hands clutched together, like she was praying.
He then looked back to Kabuto. The battle continued, the clanging of their weapons meeting ringing through the stadium. Finally, Kabuto got a hit in. Kakashi was knocked right out of the sky, his body slamming painfully into the ground. He struggled to his feet, only to feel the cool metal of a kunai at his neck. He grimaced and looked up at Kabuto, who had a rather sickly satisfied smirk on his face.
"Well…?" he demanded. "If you're going to kill me, you may as well get it over with now." Kakashi's voice was once more venomous.
Kabuto's sick smile grew again, proud of how he'd taken down the White Fang in a battle that the White Fang had needed to win. "Oh, believe me, Kakashi, I will. But first, I'll torture you, inside and out. Then, when you're on your knees, begging me for mercy, begging for me to end your pitiful life, I will. But until then, you'll be feeling pain."
He raised the kunai, preparing to make the first cut into Kakashi. The White Fang didn't flinch. He didn't look away. His eye was trained on the kunai, waiting for it to slash into him.
"No!" a shrill voice yelled from a few feet away.
Out of nowhere, a small blur tackled Kabuto, knocking him to the ground. A splash of blood splattered Kakashi's face, the crimson liquid beginning to trail down his cheek. His eyes widened as he saw Kayuki, straddling Kabuto's hips, his kunai embedded in her side.
Even Kabuto looked horrified at what he'd done.
Blood spurted from her side as he yanked the weapon out. She coughed, her voice painfully harsh, and more of that blood, her blood, trickled from the corner of her mouth.
Kabuto sat up, catching her as she weakly bled out. The wound wasn't fatal. At least, if Kakashi or Kabuto had been the ones to receive that wound, it wouldn't be. But Kakashi knew that Kayuki had a weak body. Her skin bruised easily and her wounds bled more than others.
If she wasn't healed quickly, she would bleed out and she would die.
It was that simple.
"Kayu! Stay with me, Kayu!" Kakashi snapped out of his trance, watching Kabuto kneel over the girl's bleeding form, the Sound shinobi seemingly panicked by her wounds. She was sputtering and coughing, her eyes trained on the blue sky above her as she huffed, gasping for whatever air she could get.
Kakashi scrambled over to the pair of shinobi, putting his hand on Kayuki's. He could feel a sharp glare on him from the man next to him, but he ignored it. All that mattered was Kayuki's life.
He muttered, "She's going into shock. She's becoming a vegetable!" His voice was hoarse from the shocking turn of events that had befallen. While Kakashi and Kabuto were in a temporary truce, both trying to ensure that Kayuki would survive her wounds, Guy and the large group of Sound ninja were still doing battle, clashing in the background.
"I can try to heal her, but I have to stop her bleeding first." Kabuto's hands began to glow with a green aura, signaling the healing jutsu that he was beginning to use. "Keep her calm," the younger shinobi ordered, placing both of his hands over the stab wound.
"Not going to be hard," Kakashi muttered. But he did so, holding onto Kayuki's hand and letting her squeeze it when she felt the pain of the wound in her side. She was whimpering pitifully, her eyes boring into his one visible eye.
She looked so much like Shiori did before her death. Shiori had that same fear in her eyes, fear of death and fear of leaving those she cared for most. Kakashi had held her hand as she bled out onto the forest floor, the life slowly leaving her. Although she was terrified of the fate that awaited her, she had accepted it. She'd just wanted Kakashi to keep a hold of her hand and wait with her until the end. That look, the same one held by her niece over ten years later, more than he would ever care to admit, would be what would break Kakashi.
He kept a hold of the girl's hand as his enemy from only moments ago attempted to heal the young girl, his hands continuing to glow. "I'm almost done," the younger shinobi reassured Kakashi. "Keep her calm for just a little while longer." Kakashi nodded, not breaking eye contact with Kayuki.
She was still breathing, panting heavily. Her eyes were no longer wide with fear, but they still shone with a sparkle of terror of what was to come. Kakashi's visible eye widened as hers slowly closed and her head lolled to the side.
"Kayuki!" he yelled, grasping her hand a little tighter. He felt Kabuto tense next to him, but the Genin continued his healing on the black-haired girl.
=Akane Kayuki=
It was very dark, wherever I was. Perhaps I was dead. Perhaps I was just in the back of my own mind, in the darkest place of my heart. But all I knew was that there was no light in that place.
Wherever I was, it was cold. It was dark. And I was alone.
Shivering a little, I called, "Hello?!" Only my echo came back, returning my desperate call. "Is there anybody out there?!" Once more, my echo was the one that returned from the darkness.
There was a moment of silence, in which I struggled to accept that I was the only one in that world at that time. I had to understand why I was there, I wanted to know. I trembled a little in the place that I stood, turning frantically. I wanted to find any sign of life in the dark, lifeless world.
Suddenly, there was a voice, one that was warm and familiar.
"Kayuki."
I turned to see a man, who stood a few feet away from me with a smile. He was transparent, the darkness seeping through his image. He stood with messy, clay red hair and a soft smile, a Jounin flack vest on his figure. He had a short-sleeved shirt underneath, his ANBU Tattoo showing, contrasting against his pale skin. He wore long, black, baggy pants, boots tightening around the bottom half of his legs.
He held a hand out, and my eyes widened. My voice wavered. "Mamoru… you're… you're here…" Mamoru nodded, his look softening and his brown eyes sparkling with pride.
Mamoru Aoba stood before me, five years after his untimely death, protecting me from a group of bandits that had threatened to kill both of us. I almost sobbed, choking back my pained cry and instead staggering forward, falling into his open arms. It was like he'd been waiting for that for a long time.
His arms wrapped around my small form, and he nuzzled my face into his warm chest. "Oh, Kayuki. I'm so very proud of you, my lovely child."
"I missed you… I missed you so much!" I sobbed, clinging onto him even tighter. I didn't want to let go. It'd been years since I was last able to feel his warmth, to feel his arms over my figure. "After you died… I never… I just… I'm so sorry, Mamoru… You died because of me!"
He shook his head, squeezing me tighter. "No, Kayuki. Stop blaming yourself. That blame, that's what's keeping you from becoming stronger. You're scared that if you become too strong, you'll end up hurting those you care about, right?" I just nodded. "But if you stay like this, more will end up dying to protect you," he finished, his voice still soft.
I nodded once more. "I want to protect the people I love, but I can't get any stronger, or I'll become a killer, too," I breathed. "My father… he's… going to kill Sasuke, he's going to kill the entire village and take over our lives."
Mamoru gave a soft frown and pulled away, sitting on the floor of the darkness. I sat with him. He rested his cheek on his hands, his eyes flying deep into his own thoughts. It'd been a long, long time since I'd seen the lost look in his eyes.
"Orochimaru has returned to Konoha, I suppose," he breathed lightly, his eyes narrowing in hatred. "That man is the one who is responsible for your mother's death." My eyes widened. "He's the one responsible for Shiori's death… and, to an extent, he's responsible for mine." He frowned, his eyes going soft once more as they trained themselves on me. "Just be careful. He's powerful, and he's merciless with his power."
I nodded again, my own thoughts consuming my mind. "I don't know what he did to Sasuke, but something happened to connect him to my friends. And Kabuto… he's manipulating Kabuto… I need to help him."
The brunette man's frown grew deeper. "Kabuto Yakushi…? You made a connection with him?" I nodded again, this time in silence. All Mamoru did was frown, and pause for a moment. Then, he opened his mouth and spoke once more. "He's much more powerful than most Chunin, and some Jounin. He's dangerous. Kabuto Yakushi has followed Orochimaru for years."
My eyes widened in horror and disbelief. He'd tricked me. He'd made it look like he was another victim, but he'd been in on it the entire time. It was why we'd had to return from training so soon, and why he seemed hate Konoha at so many times.
"No…" I breathed, feeling tears forming in my eyes once more. I shook my head furiously. My mind just refused to believe that Kabuto had betrayed me. No… I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to believe that Kabuto hadn't ever cared about me. He'd used me for his own selfish ambitions and to help a power-hungry warlord who didn't care about anyone but himself. "That's not…"
Mamoru nodded once more, frowning deeply. I could see those creases on his forehead, the ones that I constantly told him made him look older. "That's why Orochimaru had me killed by those bandits. They weren't… normal bandits. They were a group of highly trained Sound ninja."
I sobbed a little. "Kabuto… he can't be a traitor to the Leaf! He was so… nice to me! He cares about me!" I cried, still refusing to believe that he was the one who had completely discarded my trust. "He… he…"
"He betrayed the Leaf years ago and became a spy for Orochimaru. I found out by accident while tailing him one day… and Kabuto confronted me. He went to his lord and signed my death warrant."
Another sob escaped me.
Orochimaru, my own father, the one who helped me become a part of this shallow, warring world, was responsible for stealing away everyone I had ever begun to love. My mother, the woman who had given birth to me, died. I never even knew her. My aunt, my mother's sister, died over ten years ago, protecting the village. Mamoru, my caretaker and my protector, the one who had practically raised me, had died because he had found out something that Orochimaru didn't want him to know.
Now, he was going to attempt to steal Sasuke away from the village, where he had people who cared about him and who wanted more than anything for him to stay where he was needed. He wanted to take me away from my friends and my grandmother, the only family I had left, because of his desire to see me in his clutches for some reason I couldn't figure out.
"Why…?" I choked out, my words caught in my throat. "Why is he ruining everything that I care about?! Why does he want me so badly?!" I sobbed, clutching my face in my hands, letting my salty tears seep through my fingers.
Running a hand through my hair, Mamoru shushed me. He didn't answer; he just hummed a tune to me as he pulled me to his chest. I clung to him once more, my tears soaking into the green fabric of his vest.
His voice hit my ears. "You need to wake up now, my dear. I love you, Kayuki, I always will. Just make sure you stay safe, too… I'm always with you whenever you need me."
And then there was nothing again.
There was no warmth. There as no light. There was just me and the darkness of my own heart, dragging me back down into nothingness. I was going to be swallowed once again, and I knew it.
I let out one more sob.
"I… Mamoru… I'm sorry, but I'll have to disobey you this once… I know Kabuto still has some good in him."
=Yakushi Kabuto=
His mind was completely in a panic. His kunai had embedded itself into Kayuki's side without him realizing. That alone sent him into a craze. He was angry that he failed to protect her. She'd just been trying to save someone she cared about, but he'd tried to stop her.
And so, she'd ended up taking a kunai to the side, and now, she was bleeding out onto the ground of the arena.
Kabuto's hands were glowing, radiating a soft green aura as they pulsed with healing energy from the jutsu he was performing. It was one that would stop Kayuki from bleeding and seal the wound back up.
She coughed a little as the skin sewed itself together over the wound, leaving only a faint, pale scar that would disappear with time.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Kabuto swept Kayuki into his arms, holding her close to his chest. She nuzzled closer to him, one hand still attached to her Jounin teacher's, while the other was unconsciously placed on Kabuto's hand. He squeezed her hand, smiling softly down at her as he did. Her eyes opened slightly.
"Kabuto…"
She muttered his name. He let out another sigh of relief, standing and bringing her with him. Kakashi stood alongside the two of them.
Kakashi looked a bit bitter. "I hate to admit it, but you saved her. Thank you for that. But you should leave. I'll spare your life this time… but the next time we meet, we'll be enemies once more."
With a small frown, Kabuto backed up and nodded. "Very well… Kayuki. Take care of yourself now." He sent her a soft smile before fleeing Konoha, leaving without Kayuki with him, as they'd planned.
It was a sad thing, indeed.
He looked down at the two figures, seeing Kakashi kneel before Kayuki, his back to her, and she clambered on. Her arms wrapped hesitantly around his neck and he stood, walking off with the girl on his back.
Kabuto let out another sad sigh before looking away.
Perhaps one day, he'd get another chance.
A/N: Sorry for taking so long, everyone! School has been kicking my ass. I won't deny it. I've been lazy on updates. But haha... um... I hope this chapter makes up for it, although it probably won't. /bows.
I made Orochimaru and Kabuto human. /shrugs. My bad. I love them too much to make them totally evil assholes. I wanted to establish emotional relationships, because no matter what they do, they're still human beings with hearts. They aren't completely gone from reality. Kiku, Shiori, and Mamoru are also three of my original characters, ones I've been tweaking for a while. They're going to become bigger parts as the story continues.