Confused, frightened cries could be heard coming from the main part of the village even before Kabuto could lead the dozen creatures over the rocky terrain. Random shouts for stretchers, medics, and the shinobi only proved the men who'd set out earlier had successfully delivered their poison mist over the area. He knew the powder would only affect a minor portion of the population, but he wasn't concerned with accruing a large death count with that short acting agent alone. It's purpose had already been served. As he stood atop the largest of his pets, overlooking the pandemonium unfolding below him, a cruel smirk twisted his features. Not a single person had yet to notice his presence and that was precisely what he wanted.
Kabuto's slitted eyes took in the borders of the village. While there was a wall surrounding most of the area, the people relied on the surrounding terrain for a large percentage of their security. The chuckle that escaped him was dark and filled with malicious glee. Weaving the appropriate hands signs while he gathered the needed chakra, Kabuto released his Inorganic Reincarnation on the rocky terrain.
The rumbling of stone as it jutted up from the earth was the first trigger that broke the frightened people from their frantic work. The few gaps in the border around the circular buildings began filling in as the stone met and formed impenetrable barriers around the hidden village. Dirt shook free and fell on the shocked townspeople as the jutting formations lifted high in the air. Their curious eyes followed the progress, roaming the outskirts of their home as it changed around them.
A panicked scream was soon heard as the first of many laid eyes on his form. The shrill sound irritated the creatures surrounding him and their thick nails dug into the hard earth where they stirred. He chuckled to himself, amused when the majority of those watching him with horrified eyes fled, knocking into each other in their haste to put as much distance between them and the ominous looking monsters as they could.
With a mere tap of his foot, the invasion began.
"Get down!"
Even over the terrified screams ringing throughout the village, the exploding sound of stone and wood, the desperate order could be heard. Chojuro leapt above the women who'd dropped to their knees and brandished Hiramekarei, calling the chakra forth and instantly changing the thin blade into a wide paddle - swiping the chunks of debris aside before they could crush the villagers.
"Hurry, this way!" the normally reserved shinobi called out and lead the women through the decimated streets. The large, main road traveling through Kirigakure was a haphazard maze of overturned carts, partially destroyed buildings, and fallen citizens. The untrained muscles of the civilian women shook as they pumped their legs, trying desperately to keep up with the fast shinobi. In front of them, the young man swept aside larger pieces of debris - pieces of their home - so they would have a path to follow. A wooden beam falling near their position had a sudden scream tearing from their throats. The young shinobi had barely heard their cries when his sword arm swung wide, almost incidentally, and cleaved the heavy object in two.
When he brought them to just beyond the kage's tower, he left them with the masses following an escape route long built into the city. The sight of his villagers, his own people, crying and clinging to each other as they pushed through the narrow opening into the mountain's base made his eyes cross in anger. Children clinging to their mothers skirts bit down on their hands, doing their best to follow the shinobi's order to stay as quiet and calm as possible. Another wave of anger surged through his body causing his hands to shake. Without taking another moment to speak to the shinobi leading the evacuation, the member of the seven swordsmen raced back through the town, leaping over piles of debris and heading straight for the battle.
A strangled cry of pain had the blue haired man quickly changing course. Leaping over the fallen form of a fellow shinobi, he raced up the side of a still standing wall - pushing his chakra down his thighs to leap high into the air once he cleared the crumbling brick. The distance separating them wasn't far, so the terrified look in the villager's eyes was easy for Chojuro to see. Futile though it was, the hands of the man beat against the dark scales of the creatures mouth as he cried out in pain. His legs dangled uselessly, caught between the razor sharp teeth. Every move he made cleaved away another piece of flesh. Fingers clawed at the hard exterior of the monster holding him, but nothing fazed the creature. The teeth wrapped around his middle met when the creatures jaw snapped shut. The anguished cries silenced as his life's blood showered to the ground.
"Bastard!" Chojuro cried, swinging his sword toward the neck twice the thickness of a large tree, intending to sever its head. Pain raced through his arms when metal met scales so dense his sword nearly fell from his hand with the reverberations. He had no time to recover as the monster's long tail pushed through the remains of another destroyed house and collided with his body. The young shinobi was tossed aside, tumbling down the littered road before painfully crashing into an overturned tree.
"Chojuro!"
The young man took the hand extended to him, nodding his thanks as he panted for breath. He ignored the pain wracking his body and, following his friend's lead, leapt to the top of one of the oddly standing buildings. "Wha...What in the world are those?" Chojuro asked, absently wiping blood from his forehead. He ignored the dirt covering his body after the painful tumbling.
"I don't know," Ao answered, his visible eye sweeping the disfigured terrain.
Chojuro leaned his sword against his leg, easing the burden of the heavy weapon for the moment. He adjusted his glasses as his narrowed eyes watched the large form of the creature walk over the smaller carts as if they were nothing. The image of those massive jaws closing over one of his fellow villagers, the dark eyes, the long snout and massive tail..."Could...could they be...drag..."
"Whatever they are, they're proving to be hard as hell to bring down." Ao interrupted, fingering the edge of the tanto in his hand.
"So I found out."
Ao huffed a humorless laugh, cutting his eye to the shorter man before focusing once more on the path of one of the creatures. Even over the buildings, the flat head and scaly body were easy to spot. It stood taller than the second story of the buildings it strode past, the long tail sweeping behind it inadvertently knocking down everything it touched. Gaping jaws allowed all to clearly see the dozens of sharp, jagged teeth lining the long snout. For a moment the creature paused, its black eyes on either side of its head swiveling about. A dark, forked tongue slid past the parted teeth, slowly twisting side to side, tasting the very air around it. Without warning, it struck. The sudden movement of such a creature took the shinobi by surprise as it's head disappeared from sight. Not a second later a large torrent of water shot into the air followed by the battle cry of several men. Before the pair could rush to aid their comrades, a series of shouts were heard behind them.
A team of shinobi were racing their way, a second creature fast on their heels. For animals so large, their speed was impressive - and equally terrifying. With its massive body hurtling towards the pair, they had no choice but to jump from their perch, watching in dismay as it plowed throw the stone building they just stood upon with ease. They took shelter on the ground against what Ao recognized to be one of the restaurants of the town. The back half of the building was now gone, knocked aside as if its substances was no more than the wind. Ao poked at one of three holes - larger than the palm of his hand - spread out in a distinct pattern on the ground. A glance at the massive feet standing just a few meters before him confirmed they were made by the sharp, curling talons adorning each appendage.
The long body of the reptilian creature clawed at the ground restlessly, its large head trying to squeeze through a gap in the buildings. From their position, Ao and Chojuro could see two teams flanking the creature while it was otherwise occupied. The masks hid their identity, but Ao stepped forward alerting them of his presence. The jonin nodded to the team, running through a series of seals they easily copied. Ao nodded to Chojuro and flashed up to the team surrounding the creature. In tandem, they released their jutsu.
"Suiton: Suiben!"
A dozen long, coiling whips of water burst from the shinobi's hands. They wrapped around the creatures body, taking care to include the long tail as they tried to hold it steady. Its head jerked, sending one of the shinobi flying back into the decimated buildings around them.
"Now!" Ao screamed as he fought to hold his stance. The hunter-nins poured lightening chakra into the whips wound tightly around the large animal. The hiss of pain that shot from the animals lips overwhelmed the area - so great it vibrated among each man standing beside it. It bucked against them, thrashing around and clawing at the dirt, fighting to escape the electric current shooting through its scaly body. The men battled against its overpowering strength while pouring all they could into the thick ropes.
The dark tongue witnessed earlier lolled from its mouth, thick rivets of saliva dripping onto the piles of rubble under it. As Chojuro waited for his chakra to build within Hiramekarei, his stunned eyes took in the sight of those very bricks melting away. The thick liquid which fell from the dragon's mouth bubbled over the hard surface before the stone gave way under its toxic covering.
"Chojuro!"
Ao's call snapped him from the observation and he leapt at the creature. The wrappings of his sword broke free as chakra flooded his weapon. A wide hammer took the place of the thin blades and, despite its large size, Chojuro handled it with ease. With a loud cry of his own, he brought the hammer down upon the massive creatures head. Coupled with the injury suffered from the hunter-nin, the reptilian creature fell with a deep groan. Its large body shook the ground as its legs gave way, prompting the shinobi to jump back lest they be trapped under the beast. Blood poured from the side of the now slack jaws and no breath could be felt from the nostrils positioned at the tip of the long snout.
"We...we did it!" One of the young hunter-nins cried. Though the others didn't vocalize their joy as he did, the tension surrounding the group melted for a moment.
Ao took no part in the relief felt by his peers. With a small burst of energy, he propelled himself to the top of a nearby tree. Chojuro watched from the ground, curiosity filling him as Ao activated the Byakugan hidden behind his comrades right eye patch. It took but a moment for Ao's calm face to twist in fury.
"What is it?" Chojuro asked, watching as his sempai quickly leapt from the tree.
"Everyone to the Kage tower now!"
Though the others couldn't see the alarm etched on Ao's face as Chojuro could, the urgency was easy to hear in his voice. There was no formation to their ranks as they raced across the once beautiful village that now lay in ruins. Even through the crumbling dismay, the shinobi could see the edges of the Kage's tower – the tallest building within Kirigakure - standing proudly.
Ao took to the rooftops, sprinting across what structures still remained in the wake of this unprompted attack. Chojuro and the others quickly followed, desperate to know what brought about this desperation in the veteran nin. As they rushed through the skies, a series of loud crashes caught their attention. Chojuro looked to his partner briefly and, seeing the older shinobi make no notion to turn at the noise, realized he was already aware of the intruders. Another large jump gave the member of the seven swordsman the elevation he needed to cast a glance over the village.
They were coming from four different directions.
Though the distance separating them was still great, Chojuro didn't need to be any closer to see the terrifying outline of the four massive creatures all headed towards the Kage's tower. Their large bodies cut a path through the village as easily as children running through a field of flowers. As he touched down briefly atop a building, Ao's blue eye met his. Neither said anything, but they greatly increased their speed.
Terumi Mei stood on top of the tower, her long auburn hair tossing carelessly in the wind. ANBU surrounded the slender Mizukage, their weapons drawn and anxiously awaiting any enemy that dared to step forth. Chojuro and Ao landed near, but wisely kept their distance as the angered look on her face was one they had never seen before. Her deep green eyes watched over the last few villagers being ushered out the opening in the mountain – the only option of escape for them all.
While awaiting her orders, the shinobi glanced over the side of the building, taking a closer look at what they had seen only from a distance. The body of one of the creatures lay just beyond the structure. It's eyes were glazed over in death, though that wasn't the disturbing factor. Large sections of the beasts body were gone, eaten away by what the men could only believe to be Terumi-sama's Komu no Jutsu. The still dissolving portions of flesh were gruesome to witness – even to the battle hardened men.
Though the use of that particular jutsu was worrisome alone. The mist the Mizukage was capable of producing, while deadly, was impossible to contain. The risk of exposing it to allies was too great. There was no way she would have exposed her own village to such a fate had there been another choice available. The brows of both men furrowed as the realization of this hit them both.
"Ao!"
He was by her side in an instant, head bowed in respect. "Yes Mizukage-sama."
"You will escort the villagers out and ensure their safety."
His head snapped up, mouth parting and brow wrinkling in shock. "But Mizukage-sama..."
"You are the one of the best sensors in the five nations and an experienced and talented jonin. There is no one else I would ensure their lives with."
"But Terumi-sama..."
"Ao!"she screamed, bringing his argument to a halt. A soft smile flitted across her face as she beckoned him to the railing wrapped around the rooftop. "Look at our village, Ao. Look what he has done to us."Sadness, like lead, weighed down the words that slipped past trembling lips. "Look what I have allowed him to do to us."
Ao's hands clenched around the metal railings, knuckles blanching white as he turned his blazing eye upon her. "You did not allow this to happen Terumi-sama. This bastard..." She stopped him once again, a single slender hand held his tongue.
"I know you sensed his presence. You can feel him, can't you? He's leading the rest of those damn things right here."
He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to confirm what she already seemed to know. "Yes. He and another, a chakra I'm not familiar with."
"Whatever else may happen, we must get our people to safety. That is our top priority. That is why you have to lead them away from the village."
"But I have to..."
"I will stay!"
The voice was quivering, as was the small body it erupted from, but the determination in Chojuro's eyes was steadfast.
"You..."
"I will stay by Mizukage-sama's side and protect her." He didn't waver from the piercing look Ao sent him. Instead, his head lifted a bit higher and his shoulders squared. "I promise I will protect her."
Ao glanced at his kage's face, scowling when he saw the soft smile she gave the young swordsman. He seemed to weigh the boy's words before pinning in him place with a glare. "You will protect her with your own life."
"Yes!"Chojuro answered without hesitation.
"See? There's no reason for you not to hurry along now, right?" Terumi chuckled at the tutting sound her subordinate made. She caught his eyes once more and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Or will I have to kill you?"
Rather than shiver in fear, Ao almost felt his own smile trying to crack at the jovial way she said those familiar words. With a final nod, he strode past Chojuro, clapping a hand on the young man's back, before racing towards the narrow opening. When he and the last of the shinobi she sent as guards for her countryman passed through safely, Terumi stepped to the edge of the tower.
"Yoton: Yokai no Jutsu."
A thin layer of molten rock left her lips to cover the side of the mountain, slowly drifting over the opening to their escape route. In but a moment, the fiery orange glow had disappeared leaving behind a fresh new wall of thick rock – sealing the escape route for good.
"Mizukage-sama!"
She tossed her auburn hair over her shoulders and strode to meet her attacker head on. Though her guard tensed around her, Chojuro even unsealing Hiramekarei, Mei did nothing more than cross her arms and glare at the bastard grinning atop one of the creature's head.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Mizukage-sama."
"I'm afraid I can't say the same."
His raspy chuckle carried over the harsh winds and impatient growls of the beasts. "That's not very polite. After all, I traveled such a long way."
"You needn't have made the trip," Mei replied, the smile on her face contrasting greatly with the malice in her tone.
"Such a courteous Kage. It's almost a shame..." His features twisted, the markings surrounding his eyes crinkling as he watched the men around her tense with the implications of his unsaid words.
"What is you want, Kabuto?"
A gust of wind tossed the cloak back from his head and whipped the bright red hair of the girl standing just behind him. Unlike her partner, her eyes stayed trained on the thick scales she stood upon.
"I don't particularly want anything," he quipped in an odd, light-hearted tone.
Mei ground her teeth together, her chakra building in her veins until she thought they would burst. Her words were pushed past clenched teeth."Then what is your purpose here?"
"An experiment."
The outrage traveling through her people was palpable. "What?" she seethed.
"An experiment Mizukage-sama. Please don't delude yourself into thinking you hold more importance than that. I'm simply gathering as much data as I can."
Chojuro stepped before her, the chakra surrounding his blade pulsing with the desire to be set free. "Mizukage-sama..."
"You..."She was trembling with the force of her rage. Her hands flew through seals faster than could be seen. "You will answer for this."
A thick mist rolled in from behind, covering the Mizukage and her guards in a dense cloud before heading towards the ever impatient beasts. Blue sparks pierced the fog and the crackling of lightening filled chakra could be heard. Karin increased the hold she had on the large creature Kabuto forced her to stay upon. The release of so much energy was overwhelming her senses and she trembled in reaction to the sheer rage filling the area.
"Let's see how you fare."
His Kusanagi wasn't by his side.
The instant he awoke Sasuke realized he missed the reassuring weight of his weapon– he also felt the presence of someone else in the room. Unsure where his blade was, Sasuke reverted to grabbing the hidden kunai he always kept on his person. His eyes sprang open, muscles tensed, and blade at the ready to attack whoever was foolish enough to try and catch him off guard.
All this took less than a second.
It took five more seconds for Sasuke to realize his Kusanagi was in his traveling seal – where he'd placed it earlier, the shinobi before him was an ANBU – who did not have his weapons drawn, and he wasn't in his home.
Sakura remained peacefully unaware of the intruder into her house. Her head leaned back into the plush cushions of the couch while her body relaxed into Sasuke's comfortably. The scroll a messenger delivered to her while they ate dinner earlier that night lay forgotten in her lap. Sasuke's own book on a jutsu he was perusing was now on the floor at his feet – haven fallen when he sat up to face his unknown 'attacker'.
The ANBU standing before him said nothing, merely inclined his head at the Uchiha, indicating he should follow him outside. Sasuke watched him trek silently through the darkened home before leaving out the still open door. Only the street lights which dared to illuminate the village at the late hour filtered in through the narrow opening. A deep sigh past the Uchiha's lips as he swiped a hand down his face. This was a rather odd situation he found himself in and he wasn't entirely sure if he should be upset with himself.
Sakura had been enthusiastic when the messenger handed her the folder containing all the latest results from Juugo's examinations and blood tests while they ate at a nearby restaurant - so much so, that she couldn't even wait until they arrived back at her home before she opened the thick folder and began pursuing the data. More than once Sasuke had to steer her back onto the main road before she ran into a civilian. He should have returned to his own home once he had her safely behind doors, but a discussion they had over dinner about a particular jutsu had his curiosity peeked. He retrieved the book she spoke about and joined her on the couch, quickly becoming involved in his own readings.
Sasuke never remembered becoming sleepy, though he recalled when Sakura repositioned herself on the couch - her body turning slightly so she could lean against his hard frame. He had only smirked when a yawn passed her pale lips and continued to read his own material.
He took in the sight of her now. Long lashes flush against pale cheeks, mouth parted slightly as she breathed easy, her vibrant hair fanned around her - truthfully, he would rather stay where he was and join the sleeping kunoichi. Knowing the ANBU member was waiting outside, probably impatiently, for him, Sasuke withheld his groan of frustration and stood from the couch. He wrapped his hands around Sakura's shoulders and gently laid her body down, covering her with a nearby blanket to make up for the loss of his warmth. Surprisingly, Sakura did nothing more than wrinkle her nose at the movement. Her lack of reaction was surely due to her fatigue over the day's events.
A smirk of pure male satisfaction covered Sasuke's face at the recollection of his part in her exhaustion.
Recognizing the growing reluctance he had at leaving her peaceful form, he forced himself to silently exit her house, being sure to lock her door behind him. The ANBU was in fact waiting just beyond her front door for his arrival; though, the Uchiha was unable to sense any impatience coming from the quiet individual.
"Hokage-sama wishes to see you immediately."
An ebony eyebrow lifted at the notion of being summoned to the Hokage's office this close to midnight, but Sasuke nodded his head in understanding and dutifully followed the black ops shinobi as he took to the rooftops. The streets of Konoha may have been dark and empty, but the kage's tower was most certainly not in the same condition. The lights shining through the windows were clear even from their distance. Once he entered the large building, Sasuke found himself growing more confused at the large number of people bustling around the hallways at the late hour. The faces of those scurrying down the corridors were haggard and they made no attempt at pleasantries.
The ANBU led him into Tsunade's office, but made no attempt to introduce his presence. With a curt nod, the masked man quickly left the area, leaving Sasuke to stride towards the desk piled haphazardly with scrolls. Tsunade sat behind the oversized wooden workspace, Shizune looking over her shoulder as they both mumbled over the folder within her hands. The door swung open before snapping shut with a loud click that garnered neither woman's attention. Nara Shikaku swept through the room, nodding to Sasuke as he took a seat in front of the cluttered desk and pulled a notebook from a pocket of his vest.
"Sasuke."
His obsidian eyes slid back to the Hokage. The dark circles and heavy bags lining her tawny eyes told of her exhaustion, but he could see the pure irritation keeping her body going. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes," she answered, tossing a photograph to the far side of her desk, uncaring that it landed face down before him. "We need to have a conversation about a former team mate of yours."
While he didn't show any outward reaction to her request, his interest was peaked. He knew Juugo still had his condition under control and enjoyed the job given to him by the village; therefore, she could only be referring to one of the two other members of Taka. Pale fingers reached out and grasped hold of the photograph. The flaming red hair stood out like a beacon the moment her face was revealed.
"New information has come to my attention which I have no doubt you will be eager to hear as well." Her gaze slid to Shikaku's before focusing on the avenger's steely countenance. The edges of the photo were crumpled in his tight grip. "Let's talk."
The sights and smells of a battlefield were nothing new to her, but the gruesome picture painted was turning Karin's stomach.
Bodies - and the occasional severed limb - lay strewn across the once picturesque mountain village. Smoldering piles of rubble were barely avoidable as they littered so much of the landscape. The red head had to hop over the large, severed tail from one of Kabuto's favored pets in order to continue on her way. The deep green, scaly appendage lay over the unmoving form of two Kirigakure shinobi. Even indirectly, the creature had done its job in taking out the enemy.
Kabuto sat atop a section of the still standing wall that surrounded the village - his slitted eyes taking in the result of his attack. Karin didn't need to see his face to know a malicious smile held firm during his inspection. The stillness of the once bustling area was testament to his victory.
Was this what she wanted? This death and destruction at every turn?
She knew the answer to that question, but did her best to push the answer to the far corners of her mind. Second guessing herself at this stage in the game was useless. Besides, why should she care about these people's lives? No one had ever cared about her besides Orochimaru - and she no longer had him.
She had no one anymore.
It only made sense for her to ignore the suffering of Kabuto's victims. Hadn't she learned long ago to only worry about herself?
Why then...why was it the sight of the young man's body, who held fast to one of the swords belonging to the famed seven swordsmen, caused her to pause? Could it be because she watched his death? Paid witness to the sight of him dragging his critically injured body across the dirt, nails bleeding with the great effort it cost him, to throw himself over the Mizukage's unconscious form in a last attempt to save her life? It was a scene one rarely saw - even in the shinobi world.
And one that had been futile in the end.
Kabuto had showed no mercy as he stood over the pair, even went so far as to tell the blue haired man his actions were in vain, before thrusting his own hand through their chests in one fell swoop. The vibrant eyes of the Mizukage opened wide, riddled with pain and confusion, before slowly closing again with the weight of death.
"We're leaving."
Karin knew she had not hid the jerk of her body that came with surprise at his silent arrival, but she dared not turn her head to meet his stare just yet. Some emotion was showing itself on her face, one she couldn't possibly wipe away so quickly. She didn't acknowledge it, didn't speak its name - even within her own mind, she simply kept her somber eyes averted from his knowing gaze.
The sound of his footsteps walking away allowed her to follow his orders without betraying the unfeeling facade she was desperately trying to hold together. With a final look at the morbid image of the young shinobi's last act, she forced her weary feet to follow the red cloak before her.
A/N:
Yoton: Yokai no Jutsu –Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique.
Suiton: Suiben - Water Release: Water Whip
Komo no Jutsu - Skilled Mist Technique
Well, I missed the update by a bit, but there was a personal tragedy in my life which had me out of commission for a while.
Sorry for the lateness, but hangmeuptodry gave me a good laugh and a big smile at their review! Thanks for that 1000 mark love!
Hope you enjoy the chapter – even if we had a bit of a sad note in this one. Thanks so very, very much to you all for the encouraging reviews and PMs!
Til next time!