Here's chapter twenty-seven for everyone. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers, and to all those people who added me to their faves and alerts lists. I really appreciate it.
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The Prince and The Slave.
Chapter Twenty-Seven.
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(General P.O.V.)
Pein had received all of Idate's information and he had made a decision. It was time to go and attack the slave market directly, and try and free all the slaves. However, Pein had also decided that no woman could go on this mission. His reasoning was that if a man was captured, they'd be tortured. That was fine with them. They took that risk, without any illusions. But now, if a woman was captured, far worse things could happen to them. That was a part of Idate's information, squirrelled to him from another source. Women were now being interrogated by the King, were raped, and worse. Pein wasn't willing to risk what could happen if women were captured. Pein was about to inform everyone of this new development, and he knew it wouldn't go over well with everyone, but none the less, it had to be done.
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Every fighter who could take missions waited in the mess hall for Pein to speak to them. The room was full to bursting and Sakura, Sasuke, Ten Ten, Neji, Hinata, Naruto, Ino, Shikamaru, Gaara, Temari and Kankuro, were all feeling quite squashed. That was when Pein arrived. Everyone waited for him to speak. "We received some information from our spies at the slave market, thanks to a pair of brave members. What this information tells us is that the slave market is being moved to a highly secret location, and that will be happening very soon. If we want to strike at them we will have to attack soon." Pein said softly.
"So, what are we waiting for un?" Deidara quipped. Ino shook her head, a soft smile on her face.
"We're formulating a plan. What I'm talking to you about is very important. I've decided that for this mission, there will only be male members going in to action." Pein replied. A lot of the females yelled out angrily, just as Pein had already known they would, and were silenced by Tsunade.
"Let him give you his reasons before you get angry." Tsunade stated. Everyone was quiet again.
"The reason I've decided this is because of new information that I have received. The King has given an order that any females that are captured, are to be bought to him directly. The reason for this, is that he has his own methods of torture for them." Pein said sadly.
"What do you mean, brother?" Sakura spoke up. Pein looked at his younger sister feeling more saddened. He had hoped that she wouldn't ask that question.
"It's because any girls that are captured, are not only tortured, but are raped as well. They are not killed, but are kept prisoners in the dungeons awaiting the torture of any guard that wishes to use them." Pein answered reluctantly. Sakura's eyes went wide, along with all the other women in the room. "This is why I've decided that for this particular mission, where capture is very possible, I don't want to risk what might happen to any woman taken into the King's custody." Pein stated. Not one woman argued. They knew exactly what their leader was saying. "I'm going to ask for volunteers. I don't expect anyone to just jump into this blindly. There is a big chance that you will die. If we fail there is an even bigger chance of capture. I won't force anyone into this mission." Pein ended his speech. Everyone stayed silent for a moment before the first volunteer came forward.
"I'll go on this mission." Sasuke stated. Shikamaru, Naruto, Neji, Kankuro, Gaara and Lee also stepped forward and volunteered. The girls were horrified at the thought of losing their friends. Deidara, Sasori, Zetsu, Kakuzu, Kyubi, and many others volunteered. This included Minato, Jiraiya and Shikaku. Soon they were all being given their orders and told to pack essentials. Then Pein was gone and the men started moving out.
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(Sasuke's P.O.V.)
I got ready quickly. I knew that I had to do this. I at least had to go on this mission. After all, I couldn't just sit and play it safe. What kind of man would that make me, let alone a Prince? I heard a knock on my door and then the door opened. I didn't have to turn around to know who was standing there. I could smell Sakura's natural scent of cherry blossoms. "Sasuke why did you volunteer?" Sakura asked me. I turned to look at her.
"Because it's the right thing to do." I replied. My pack was ready and I waited for Sakura to say something else.
"You could die on this mission Sasuke. You do realise that right?" She asked me. I nodded. Sakura bit at her bottom lip nervously. "Be careful Sasuke." Sakura whispered. I looked at Sakura carefully then decided I had to do this while I had the chance. I took hold of Sakura's shoulders and kissed her. It took only moments for her shock to recede and she was kissing me back.
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(Shikamaru's P.O.V.)
I had packed quickly enough when Ino came bursting into my room, in a fury. "You're lucky Temari isn't here, because she's mad at her brothers for accepting this mission too! She was gonna come and yell at you with me!" Ino yelled.
"Don't be troublesome Ino. You know as well as I do that if you could have volunteered for this mission you'd have volunteered too. Why aren't you yelling at your troublesome brother?" I asked.
"Because he's been doing missions like this for years! You're not as experienced and you're just a kid!" Ino yelled.
"Aren't you a kid too Ino?" I questioned. She glared and looked upset. I could see tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Ino?" I wanted to know what was making her this upset.
"I don't want you to go and die Shikamaru. When I had no one and nothing it was you and your family that took me in. You all treated me like a human being. You're all my family. I just..." Ino trailed off, tears fell down her cheeks. I couldn't help feeling a little bad. I hugged her and she hugged me back. "You're like my brother Shikamaru. Just... just promise me you won't take any unnecessary risks." Ino begged me. I hugged her a little bit tighter and gave her a smile.
"I promise I'll do everything I can to come back to all of you." I compromised. Ino nodded as she wiped some tears from her cheeks.
"Now I'm going to go and yell at my brother." She stated. I couldn't help letting out a little laugh as she left. Ino had always been overprotective.
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(Sasuke's P.O.V.)
I stopped kissing Sakura and I looked into her eyes, she looked straight back at me. I knew it was a now or never thing. If I died on this mission, at least Sakura would know how I feel. "Sakura this probably isn't the best time to say this, but I love you." I chose to say it bluntly and quickly. After all, what was the point of hopping around the issue? Sakura just grinned and pulled me forward, and before her lips met mine again she said the words I wanted to hear.
"I love you too Sasuke-Kun."
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(Neji's P.O.V.)
I finished packing. I knew Ten Ten would attempt to come and yell at me. I was sure she would be yelling at her cousin first. I couldn't help smiling at that thought. That was when I heard my door burst open and Hinata stormed in. Sometimes I forgot that I had a cousin of my own to deal with, despite her usually quiet nature. "Neji-Aniki! How could you volunteer for this mission?" Hinata yelled at me. I was shocked. After all, Hinata didn't ever usually raise her voice above a soft pitch. I couldn't help smiling at her.
"I volunteered because it was the right thing to do Hinata-Chan. Besides I won't go and die on you." I promised. Of course I shouldn't promise such things. However I didn't want Hinata to worry about me. Hinata sighed.
"Just be careful Neji. You're the only family I have. That and I care about what happens to you. So just stay safe." Hinata stated. She hugged me, and before I could even say another word, she had left the room. I couldn't help but notice exactly why Hinata would have made a brilliant leader for the Hyuga clan.
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(Naruto's P.O.V.)
I waited for Hinata to come and see me. I knew she would after she'd gone to see Neji. I wasn't disappointed. Not very long after my mother had been in here screaming at me, Hinata showed up. Surprisingly she was yelling too. I didn't catch most of it. "I care about you too much to watch you go and get yourself killed!" Hinata yelled at me. That was when the world totally stopped for me.
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(Neji's P.O.V.)
I wasn't disappointed by Ten Ten's arrival. I was shocked that after she slammed the door open she didn't say a single word to me. She just paced the floor. I could compare her to a tiger stalking around it's cage. Ten Ten looked at me after a few minutes and before I knew what was happening she had wrapped her arms around my neck and I felt her lips touch mine. It was barely for a second but it felt like a lifetime. "Come back, Neji." She said. Before I could even reply, she was gone, like a ghost that had never existed.
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(Shikamaru's P.O.V.)
As I was about to leave my room, having already been yelled at by Ino and my mother, I ran in to Temari, who had been standing outside. "Did you think I wouldn't come and tell you how stupid I think you are?" Temari asked angrily. She barged past me into my room and I sighed and went back inside. She glared at me fiercely. "Shikamaru this is a life or death situation, as I already told my little brother. You're deliberately and knowingly putting yourselves in danger!" Temari's voice got higher as she carried on talking.
"Temari, I'll be back. I already promised Ino that I'm going to take care of myself." I said. This seemed to make Temari even more angry.
"I can't believe you sometimes!" She yelled. Then she got up from where she had sat and stormed past me, out of my room. I thought she was going to leave but she turned around and glared at me. "If you don't come back here Nara, I'm gonna come and find you and kick your ass!" Temari yelled. Then she was gone. Sometimes Temari reminded me of my mother.
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(Naruto's P.O.V.)
Hinata and I stared at each other before she spoke again. "I want you to come back safely Naruto." She said quietly. She had a bright red blush across her cheeks.
"I care about you too Hinata. Don't you worry. I'll be back. I promise." I told Hinata. I found myself hugging Hinata and trying to reassure her. After all, she was the one person who understood me better then I understood myself, and I knew, even though I wasn't really mature enough to say it, that I loved her. I hoped that I conveyed that with my words.
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(General P.O.V.)
The male volunteers were all gathered and were setting out, many of the women watched as they walked away, most of them wishing for their safe and speedy return. Of course no one knew how this battle would turn out.
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Okay all. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Kinda a huge amount of mushy fluff in this chapter, but hopefully it was still worth reading. Anywho, please R&R and let me know what you think. I would really appreciate it.