Chapter 18: Unseeing Eyes

Kyo had reacted quickly when he heard the groan, and yet he knew that there wasn't much he could do. It would have been easier if he had been in one of the rooms, then he could have just leapt out the window. No, instead he was trapped in the stairwell because he hadn't wanted to risk hurting the two children by jumping. Now, as he dove to the landing below and covered the two children, he felt as though he had made a mistake that would cost all three of them their lives.

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Kimimaro made no motions as he watched the unstable apartment building finally crumble under the pressure placed on it's burnt out support beams. Finally he nodded slowly in acceptance. He had watched as the Haruno raced back into the burning building and, judging by his pace and the amount of time he had been inside, there was no way he could have possibly made it out in time. There was no denying it. Haruno Kyo was dead, and Kimimaro could now return to the side of his mentor and master.

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Horror filled the small clearing as both Konoha and Konoki groups stared off into the direction of the horrendous rumble that had sounded from the direction of the former Village Hidden in the Tree.

With trembling hands Neji formed several seals which he knew by heart. "B-byakugan." He stuttered slightly as his bloodline limit took effect. His young eyes quickly zoomed past the trees and debris that separated his sight from his destination. The remaining blood drained from his already pale face as he saw the cause.

"What's wrong Neji?" Tenten asked with a trembling voice. "What happened?"

"The apartment collapsed," he said softly. "And I think Kyo-sensei was still inside…"

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"Are they asleep yet?" Ren asked as she rolled over to face her teammates.

"Yeah," Kakashi answered as he lay back reading his perverted book with the dull light his glow rod provided.

"What are we going to do about them?" Kurenai asked as she propped herself up on her left elbow.

"I suppose we'll have to take it one step at a time," Obito replied. "But we won't be able to stay in one place for long. If our encounter with Mizuki showed us anything, it was that Orochimaru is perfectly capable of searching them out."

Suddenly Rin gasped and sat up with a jerk. "If they found out where the kids were do think that they would have gone to where they had been?"

Kakashi's face grew firm and he set his book aside as he sat up. "Whether Mizuki and his group had gone to Sunagakure I don't know, but even if he didn't I don't doubt that they are or were in trouble."

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Ichigo sniffed heavily as more tears threatened to fall from her eyes again. She had only just begun to think of this place as home and now…The flames before her reflected brightly in her dull eyes. It seemed that sometimes elements just couldn't be controlled.

"Ichigo," Gaara called softly. "We have to get away from here."

Ichigo paused for a moment before she nodded stiffly. Reaching out clumsily, Ichigo groped for her friend's hand. Slight panic filled her until she felt him grasp her rough, little hand with his own and squeeze it gently. Ichigo turned to him and smiled, though Gaara flinched as he noticed that she was looking about two feet away from him instead.

Anger once again welled up inside of him as he watched the girl's smile fade slightly. His only consolation was that the ones that did this to her were now dead, their tainted blood mixed with the pure blood of his friend Sakura.

Shaking his head to clear it, Gaara gave a slight tug on Ichigo's arm. "Come on Ichigo," Gaara said as he started walking. "We need to place ground between us and them."

Ichigo nodded and moved after Gaara slowly, her now sightless eyes darting back and forth aimlessly.

XxflashbackxX

It hadn't even been a day after the corner kids had left then did Ichigo sense an unsettling presence outside of Gaara's compound. A bit curious and more then a little wary Ichigo slipped off the couch where she and Gaara had been resting and moved over to the little glass covered window above the entertainment center.

"What is it Ichigo?" Gaara asked in confusion. "What are you looking at?"

"I sense somebody," Ichigo answered. "A stranger, he's outside the compound."

Gaara immediately leapt to his feet and raced over to where Ichigo stood on tiptoe trying to see out of the high window.

"Can you see?" Ichigo asked the slightly taller boy.

"Only a bit," he answered back. "I'm not big enough to see farther then just the sky."

"Oh," Ichigo responded, disappointed. "So what do we do?"

Gaara thought for a moment before he grabbed her hand. "We'll have to go upstairs to see. Besides Baki-sensei told us not to go outside while he went to get food."

Ichigo nodded in agreement and allowed her friend to lead her up the stairs to his room where they would have a better view of the front of the compound. As they entered Gaara's room the first thing Ichigo noticed was the gallon jar filled with her cousin's blood. Ichigo shuddered slightly. It sure was a lot of liquid.

Silently she had always admired Sakura for putting up with the pain for so long. Ichigo wasn't sure she would be able to make a sacrifice like that though she had always imagined that if the situation had ever come up she would risk herself for her friends without hesitation. Still, real life was way different then day dreams.

"Aren't you gonna come look Ichigo?" Gaara asked as he looked at the younger red head in confusion. "What are you staring at my jar for?"

"Just thinking," Ichigo answered as she moved towards the window positioned over Gaara's bed.

"Thinking about what?" Gaara inquired as he shifted so that he was sitting on his rear instead of his knees.

Ichigo was about to answer when the red bead necklace the boy wearing caught her eye. "Is that the necklace Baki-sensei made for you?"

"Yeah, he only gave it to me yesterday," Gaara answered as he fingered the little red beads. "He said it took him a really long time to figure out how to crystallize the blood but he made it work."

Ichigo nodded as she looked at the little beads in fascination.

"Hey," Gaara suddenly called. "Look Ichi-chan, someone's outside!"

Suddenly forgetting about Gaara's blood necklace Ichigo leapt to her knees and pressed her nose against the window. "Can you see how many there are?"

"I can see one," Gaara responded. "But there maybe-."

The sudden sound of breaking glass sounded from Ichigo's room.

"-More!" Gaara finished with a yelp.

"What's going on Gaara-kun?" Ichigo whispered in terror. "What do we do?"

Gaara pressed a finger to his mouth and slid off the bed slowly. Ichigo hesitated for half a second before she followed her friend onto the floor where he silently slipped under the low metal bed frame. Ichigo had just pulled her head under when the sound of heavy foot falls sounded outside of the room. There was a slight pause before the door flew open and two sets of black ninja sandals entered the large room.

"Are they here?" a voice called from out in the hall.

"I don't see anyone," came a voice that sounded vaguely familiar to Ichigo's ears. "But that doesn't mean that they aren't here."

A soft yipping sound came from where Ichigo assumed the man's chest was. "What Yamaru? You smell Haruno Sakura?"

Ichigo started. How could a dog smell Sakura even though she wasn't here and yet it didn't smell them?

"Hey," the other figure called; his voice deeper then his companion's. "What's that jar?"

"Hn?" the dog owner asked before his sandals turned and he walked across the room to stand by the legs of Gaara's low desk. Next to her Ichigo felt Gaara stiffen.

"It looks like blood," the first man answered in confusion. He paused for a moment to listen to the dog yip once more. "Yamaru says that it is Haruno Sakura's blood."

"For there to be this much blood the girl has to be dead, right Inuzuka?"

Ichigo had to bite her tongue to stifle the gasp that attempted to escape her lips. 'Inuzuka!' she though. 'He's from our village! No wonder he sounds familiar! He sounds almost like Kiba-kun's otou-san!'

"Should we take it?"

"Might as well," Inuzuka replied. "I'm sure Orochimaru-sama could find some use for it."

"Stay here," Gaara whispered harshly. He hadn't even gotten the chance to move, however, before Ichigo grabbed his arm.

"No," she hissed. "We're partners! Where you go I go!"

Gaara sighed but he didn't have the time to argue with her, Sakura's gift was being threatened. "Fine, but stay close and be careful."

Ichigo nodded.

The two men where completely caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the two red heads and didn't even have time to react before Gaara knocked them against the nursery's east wall next to the balcony doors. Yamaru was faster to recover then his human master and his companion. Shaking himself off he quickly lunged at the younger red head only to be blocked as the boy called on a barrier of sand.

Once behind the wall Ichigo set to work on a furiously fast set of seals. Then, gathering chakra into her feet, Ichigo leapt at the same instance the sand collapsed giving her a clear shot at their three enemies.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!" Ichigo shouted as the large ball of fire erupted from her mouth.

Inuzuka Kenji let out a startled yelp and dodged out of the way of the oncoming flames. His companion, Nashikano Rinji, wasn't quick enough and found himself caught in the blaze. His scream caused Ichigo to shudder lightly; she didn't like inflicting pain on others. Unfortunately her moment's hesitation was just enough time for Kenji to send a flash bomb in her direction.

Caught off guard by the little pellet neither had time to raise a defense against the unknown weapon. Shock filled Ichigo's system as a bright white light erupted right in front of her soft brown eyes. A sharp stabbing pain filled Ichigo's head as her young optical senses tried to adjust to the sudden change to quickly.

"Gaara-kun!" Ichigo yelled in fear.

"Hold on Ichigo!" Gaara shouted as he turned to face the only remaining threat.

Kenji smirked. "I'm afraid your young friend might have a little problem for a while."

"You!" Gaara yelled as he summoned his sand. Kenji flipped out of the way and landed behind the short desk that held Gaara's jar; he was certain that the sand boy wouldn't destroy it. Unfortunately he didn't realize that Gaara was to far gone in his rage; he didn't even notice the jar in his way.

Kenji's dark eyes widened in shock as a spear of sand shattered the jar scattering glass and blood in what seemed to him as slow motion. Suddenly time returned to normal as the spear finally met its mark: his heart.

Yamaru whimpered in pain and fear as it felt its master fall victim to the painful clutches of death. Finally it let out a sorrowful howl and lay next to its master's feet, paying no attention to the flames that had begun to swarm the room.

Gaara was near frantic as he reached out to aid his fallen friend and partner. He didn't care that his sand lay spread haphazardly around the room or that it had begun to soak up, not only Inuzuka Kenji's blood, but also Sakura's blood that had spilled from the shattered jar.

"Ichigo?" Gaara asked as he lifted her and began to pull her from the burning building. "Can you hear me Ichigo?"

"G-Gaara-kun?"

"Oh good!" Gaara exclaimed. "You're alright."

"Wh-where are we?" she asked. "Wh-what's happening?"

"Your fire got out of control and it's burning the house," Gaara responded even as he was helping her down the stairs. "We're almost to the front door."

"G-Gaara-kun?" Ichigo's voice was shaky with fear.

"What is it?"

Ichigo paused as she heard the door open. "I-is it dark outside?"

"No," Gaara responded confused as he brought his friend to a stop several feet into the sandy desert. "Why?"

"I-I can't…Gaara-kun, I can't see."

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They had spent the last hour trying to help Ichigo regain her sight but it was a futile attempt; nothing they did helped. She had tried to stop the fire from spreading but with out her sight she couldn't see how to control it, instead she had ended up making it worse. Finally Ichigo had stifled a sob and the two of them sat in silence as the compound continued to burn.

Now as the fire smoldered Gaara and Ichigo turned their backs to the compound and stumbled their way towards the setting sun, hoping to put plenty of ground between them and any other potential enemies.

"What'll we do now Gaara-kun?"

Gaara paused for a moment in thought before he turned to face the girl who couldn't tell. "I don't know Ichi-chan. But whatever it is, I promise I'll help you."

Silence.

"Thank-you."

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"What are we gonna do Kaemon!" Mitsu shreeked. "We have to help Kyo!"

"What can we do?" Kaemon shot back. "If he's in there then he's dead! No question!"

"You don't know that for sure," Kin responded.

"So what do you suggest?" Kaemon demanded.

"I could fly over the sight," Kin said contemplatively. "Maybe I'll see them and be able to help."

Silence reined in the small clearing before Kaemon nodded. "Alright, but be careful."

Kin said nothing but nodded all the same as a bizare change began to over take his body. His lips began to harden and poke out while soft golden feathers began to erupt from his bronze skin. Finally a set of large feathery wings erupted from between his shoulder blades and his transfortmation was complete. He had become a five foot seven inch tall eagle/man.

"I'll be back soon," Kin said though his nail hard beak before he beat his wings and lifted from the ground.

Mitsu and Jeiken clasped their hands to their chests in hope as Kin flew off over the trees.

End chapter 18

Kaliea: Hey guys, in case you're still wondering the pain Sakura felt in the last chapter was Ichigo's. BTW, I seem to have been mistaken. The NEXT chapter will be the last of this time period. I realized after I wrote this that I left Kyo trapped under a ton of rubble while you guys didn't know if he was alive or dead...sorry 'bout that. Anywho, I'm not going to be able to update for a while because the cord of my computer sucks and I have to get a new one. Till next time, ja ne!

Review Answers:

Kawaii-Hisui: I'm glad you're feeling better!

Jays Arravan: and light and dark and spirit! Hehe…

Susakuru: Thanks on all accounts! And I'm glad you like my story!

Zemaru: I would really like to do that but my schedule is way to full for that. Maybe on another story.

Danny-171984: I didn't erase it and when I looked it was there. Maybe it's your computer?

Dragon Man 180: (Chuckles) Sure, and as for the scrolls, well, I'm glad somebody likes them. : )