Chapter 45
"I never thought a place could have so much snow!" Remi said as they paused to survey their surroundings.
It had been several days and the three Shinobi had reached the Land of Iron easily. As they traveled the temperatures became lower and lower. A change that was only noticed when they stopped to rest for too long. The constant travel, and their ponchos, was enough to keep them warm through the bitter chill.
The further they went, the deeper the snow became. It blanketed the ground and trees. Casting a pristine white coat over everything in view. Remi rested her hand on the trunk of the massive tree as she stared out over the land. "I've never seen anything like it. It's beautiful!" Remi gushed in amazement.
Keiko smiled up at the younger Kunoichi from her place on a lower branch. Though she had been away for so long, her chest still swelled with pride at the praise of her homeland. She too was blown away at the magnificent view provided to them. It had been so many years since she had left. Since then, she had only seen this in her dreams and memories. It felt surreal to actually be there witnessing it for herself once again.
"It really is quite a sight." Iruka said landing on the branch next to Keiko. "This is the first time I've been to the Land of Iron. In all honesty, I wasn't expecting to ever get to come here."
Keiko smiled and laughed, "Happy to help."
Remi sighed, leaning against the tree trunk and wrapping her arms around herself as a large gust of wind whipped past them. "Only thing I don't understand is how people can be okay with it being cold all the time."
The two of them could hear Keiko's laugh easily through the wind. "Well, people don't usually travel long distances in the dead of winter like this. In the summer it is a lot warmer. Good news is, we should hit a town by tomorrow night. Then it should only be another half day to our destination."
"A warm bed and a hot chocolate sound amazing right now." Remi said wistfully. Her mouth was already watering at the thought.
"I'll be sure to get you the best hot chocolate available to us once we get there. How's that?" Keiko asked while in thought.
While Remi beamed and chattered to herself about the prospect of the delicious chocolatey drink, Iruka noticed Keiko's demeanor shift. Her eyes scanned the forested area around them and the growing mountains ahead. Mouth set in a tight smile and her eyes narrowing slightly. Iruka placed a hand on her shoulder, "You alright? You seem a little off."
Keiko shook her head to clear it before answering. "I'm fine. Just thinking about all of this has me a little overwhelmed. A lot of memories, you know?"
A soft and understanding smile broke out across his face, "I think I do understand. But, hey, everything will turn out right. You'll get to see your uncle, we'll finish the mission, and then we'll be back before you know it."
Before she could answer, Remi landed on the branch above them. Plopping herself down, she fell back and hung like a bat so her face was between theirs. She grinned widely, "Yes, we will be back soon, and then you can get back to your man."
A blush worked its way across her face. She cleared her throat, "While I can't exactly argue that, there is one other thing that is bothering me." Her tone suddenly grew serious, catching her companions off guard.
"What is it?" Iruka asked, suddenly looking around at their surroundings.
"Do either of you feel as though we are being watched?"
Remi and Iruka shared a concerned glance. Remi flipped off the branch and landed between them. Focusing her chakra in her nose, she inhaled deeply. "No, and I haven't picked up on any scents."
"Do you think we are being watched?" Iruka questioned uneasily.
"It's possible." Keiko said. "Maybe it is just my imagination, and I hope it is. But, be on the lookout for anyone or anything suspicious. If we are being watched, we can't be certain if they are friendly or not."
"But, they know we're coming." Remi protested.
"True, but that doesn't mean that everyone in this area is aware of that. Tsunade is keeping this exchange a secret from our people because of the delicate situation. With the Land of Iron being a neutral country, it is entirely possible that some might think we mean them harm."
"I suppose you could be right." Iruka said in thought. "I'd like to think that you're only over reacting though."
Keiko smiled wearily, "Me too. Even so, keep your eyes open and your senses alert."
Her companions nodded before they all seemed to disappear from the branch as they continued moving.
The leader of the trio spared a glance back at the two Chunin from time to time. Their lack of field experience was not lost on her. While Keiko had been able to get out on missions regularly, Remi and Iruka were not so lucky. They were both capable Shinobi, they had to be to reach the rank of Chunin, but the odd presence she would sense from time to time made her wish she had been sent with at least another Jonin.
Iruka was a teacher. He hadn't been on a real mission out of the village in years. Not since he started teaching. It was either the classroom or the mission desk. While he could dodge poorly thrown kunai better than some field Shinobi, they were children with no killing intent. His days were spent teaching children and pre-Genin the ways of being a Shinobi. While Iruka was vastly intelligent and had a good heart, she couldn't help but wonder how he would fare in combat after so many years.
Remi wasn't much better. She had the tenacity and senses of her clan, but she wasn't a fighter. Like Iruka, she was capable, but she was often kept busy doing paperwork or on missions that didn't involve much combat. Remi would much rather be peaceful and find a solution that didn't involve violence.
Her grip grew tighter around the scabbard of her sword. If the worst were to happen, she had to do her best and protect them.
As fate would have it, she wouldn't need to wait long before she would have to.
Much later in the day, Keiko and Iruka waited at the base of an exceptionally tall tree while Remi climbed to the top. Keiko had expected for them to reach the village by now and Remi had volunteered to survey their surroundings. After a few minutes, Remi landed in front of them. "I don't see a village nearby. Are you sure it is still there, Keiko?"
Keiko reached into her pouch and pulled out a map. "Of course. We should be right here," She pointed at a spot on the map surrounded by growing hills and trees. "It wasn't a large town by any means, but certainly not small enough to entirely vanish in the last thirteen years."
"Perhaps, we should keep moving. Maybe we will find a suitable place to rest if we don't happen upon it." Iruka offered.
The Jonin sighed and nodded in agreement. They had to find somewhere to sleep for the night and sleeping in the trees another night wasn't something any of them were excited for. Her eyes drifted toward the horizon where the sun was almost meeting the horizon. "Fine, we'll continue, but only until we find a suitable place to rest for the night."
"Great!" Remi said, clapping her hands and turning, beginning to head off once again.
Keiko's lips twitched in a smile at her upbeat demeanor. That was, until she heard an unmistakable whistling sound and a flash of light.
"Remi!" Iruka called out, throwing himself toward her in the same moment Keiko moved.
Her hands flew quickly through the symbols. So fast, they blurred from the rapid movement. She bent down, the snow around them erecting into a solid wall of ice just before the explosive tag could go off. The force of the explosion ripped through the ice, sending the three of them back into the line of trees.
Keiko landed on her feet, sliding back through the snow from the force. Her hand reached for her blade while her eyes searched frantically but didn't have to look far, "Iruka! Remi!"
"We're fine!" Iruka called back from several meters away. He stood, one arm still around Remi as she was regaining her footing. Unlike the two of them, she had been caught completely off guard by the assault. He looked down at her, "Remi, are you alright?"
She nodded, standing straighter and shaking her head to clear it. Now wasn't the time to be overwhelmed! She had to stand and fight!
Keiko nodded and her hand fell on the hilt of her katana. Their eyes scanned the area and the still settling snow. So, she was right. There was someone following them. But who?
"What a pity. I thought you were all off guard. My mistake."
The melodic baritone voice caught them off guard. Shortly after they could see a figure slowly walking forward as the snow settled. A man dressed in a white poncho and mask stepped forward. It took a moment for Keiko to recognize the mask, but when she did she couldn't believe her eyes. "Prajna?"
Iruka quickly drew a kunai, sensing the growing tension as he spoke, "Prajna? Weren't they wiped out years ago? This guy has to be an imposter!" He grit his teeth. Besides, what were the Land of Wood Anbu doing in the Land of Iron? It made no sense!
The man laughed. They were all certain this man did not share the same smile the demon on his mask was wearing. "An imposter? No, more like a placeholder. But, you're right, they were wiped out. You would know. After all, you were there, Keiko."
A memory flashed through her mind. Back to her first mission with Guy. When they were to make peace with the Land of Woods but they were betrayed. When she witnessed Kakashi and Itachi murder every last one of them. Her eyes narrowed, "Who are you?"
The man shrugged, his hands shifting under his poncho, "My name isn't important right now. Let's get down to business, shall we?" With blinding speed, he lunged forward. Throwing several shuriken as he did.
Keiko swiftly drew her blade, dodging some and blocking others. She heard Iruka and Remi call out her name, but couldn't take her eyes off of the masked figure for long. He rushed, his tanto slashing through the air with deadly accuracy. The sharp sound of metal on metal rang through the air. Whoever this man was, he was just as skilled as she was with a blade.
This wasn't a one on one battle though. Before Keiko or her companions had realized it their situation had gone from bad to worse. Iruka and Remi had tried to make their way over to help Keiko but were blocked by yet another figure in a white demon mask. From the corner of her eye, Keiko could see the two Chunin do their best to fend off the enemy Shinobi. He was playing with them. The man easily dodged Iruka and Remi's attempts, on occasion even throwing their weapons back at them.
These men were Jonin. Perhaps they really were Anbu from the Land of Woods. Either way, Keiko knew that Iruka and Remi were not going to last long against that man. When her blade made contact with the tanto once again, her chakra flared. Blue light exploded from her blade, sending the man stumbling back.
She would have taken her chance to land a fatal blow, but she stopped short. For a moment everything ran in slow motion. From the corner of her eye she could see Remi launch herself off a tree toward her enemy as Iruka rushed from the front. It was a move she had seen Kiba do, or at least it was a variant. She twisted her body like a screw, building momentum in an attempt to rip the enemy shinobi to shreds. What Remi didn't see, was the cleverly hidden clone ready to strike her down from the shadows.
It was an easy decision to make. She pivoted, sending a crescent chakra blade toward the clone and flying through the air to attack the real one. Keiko's attack hit the ground with such force that snow went flying into the air around them. Sure enough, the man moved out of the way and the clone dispersed.
Iruka came to a halt behind Keiko and Remi stopped just in time to land on her hands and flip into position beside Iruka. The three of them stood ready, watching as the two men stood and turned toward them once again.
"You two get out of here now." Keiko said in a hushed and commanding tone.
"You can't be serious!" Iruka growled out from behind clenched teeth. Despite the bleeding gash he was sporting on the side of his face, he had no intentions of leaving Keiko there alone.
"I can, and I am." The two of them had a better chance of escaping together. And, with them gone she might stand a better chance. Unlike Kakashi or Guy, the two of them couldn't fight efficiently within her blizzard. Iruka had nothing, and while Remi had her sense of smell it would take practice, just as it had for Kakashi and she didn't have the Sharingan to help her navigate it. Against two opponents of such skill, it might be the edge she needed to come out of this alive. "Once I start, both of you run, understand? Get to the nearest village and send word of this. Go!"
She didn't leave them any room to argue. In a blinding display, the wind picked up tremendously and snow whirled and whipped around them in all directions. Luminous blue eyes peered through the blistering winds and she rushed forward, expanding her reach even further as she worked to catch the two men within her growing storm.
The fight turned into a hellish barrage of snow and steel. Rarely did Keiko need to draw both her katana and wakizashi. But, with both men staying on either side of her it was a necessity. It was troubling how prepared they seemed to be for this sudden turn of events. Even if an enemy had heard of her and knew about her signature jutsu they were usually always taken aback for a moment when it all began. These two on the other hand… completely calm.
Finally she felt her blade run across flesh, but her breath caught in an instant when the flesh disappeared. A clone. No, that couldn't be! She was positive that both the people she had been fighting were real!
Using the moment of distraction, the remaining man lashed out, aiming for her face. Thankfully, Keiko had enough time to dodge the blow, but not before she felt the edge of the tanto run across her cheek. In retaliation, her wakizashi thrust upward, the very edge of it finding its way into the man's elbow. He screamed in pain and yanked himself back, ripping out her blade in the process. A sweet and nearly sadistic smile crossed her features as she turned almost effortlessly to deliver a killing blow, but a scream and a voice stopped her.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Normally, a voice wouldn't stop her in this situation. But, it was the owner of the voice that shocked her more than anything. That combined with a scream she recognized made her blood run cold. The blizzard died down dramatically and her head turned swiftly to see. The other man stood not too far away, holding a struggling Remi against a tree by the neck. A single finger pressed painfully upward into her jaw. Surely cutting off her airway and any protests she might have.
She had told them to run, and yet there was Remi. But, where was Iruka?
Her body tensed to spring but the man shook his head, "Unless you want her to die sooner, I suggest you drop the weapons." To emphasize his point, his grip on her throat tightened and her struggles grew more frantic. Her hands grasped and clawed at his as she tried to pry them away. Her fingernails that were once claws were no longer sharp and Keiko could see how battered she was.
"No!" Keiko shouted, halting the man in his tracks.
"Go on." The man nodded, coaxing her to lower her weapons.
When was the last time she had felt terror like this? Her heart beat rapidly in her chest. Beating against her ribs as if it was trying to break free from its prison. Sweat dripped down the back of her neck and palms as she tried to keep her breathing even.
No, now was not the time to panic. She had to figure out something. The man who's arm she had incapacitated was slowly starting to move again. She could hear him cursing to himself as he stood and reoriented himself. Forcing herself to take a breath, she slowly lowered herself down, never taking her eyes off of Remi's captor.
"Kabuto, don't do this."
The man holding Remi stilled for several seconds before she saw his shoulders shake in what she assumed was a small laugh. He reached up and pushed the mask up with his free hand until it was resting on top of his head. "Well, I didn't think you would recognize me so quickly."
Still lowering herself, a ghost of a laugh passed her lips, "I've been told I have a pretty good memory. Now, let her go."
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Kabuto said. "It's part of our deal." His eyes flickered to the still masked man who now stood. Injured arm limp at his side but tanto poised to strike.
Keiko grit her teeth. She was crouched to the ground now, her hands still upon a weapon on either side of her. "What deal?" She demanded through clenched teeth.
"You'll see."
The next moment was a blur that all seemed to move in slow motion around her.
A wave of flame shot out toward Kabuto.
The masked man behind her moved to attack.
A scream of anguish.
And the blood that trickled down Remi's neck. Her body stiffening, before being left to fall to the ground in a motionless heap.
As if someone hit the play button on reality, she moved. Narrowly dodging the attack aimed at her, she grabbed the wakizashi and parried, throwing the man back with a swift kick. She couldn't even take satisfaction in the sickening crack she heard before running toward her downed teammate. The wall of flame that had nearly engulfed Kabuto had missed and now formed a barrier of sorts between the two groups.
"Remi!" Iruka screamed, hoisting the young woman into his arms, shaking her desperately.
It took a moment for reality to sink in for Keiko. Her heart was beating too fast, her ears were ringing so loudly she could hardly hear her friend's now soft pleas. The temporary barrier Iruka had erected offered more than enough light for her to see Iruka's bruised and bloodied face. It also allowed her to see that those pleas would fall on deaf ears.
Her hand rested on his shoulder, "Iruka. Iruka!" The man stopped, not even bothering to look up at her. Keiko could hardly recognize her own voice, flat and monotone, "She's gone."
Dull brown eyes were unseeing. The spark that once was there was gone. The color and warmth was fading right before their eyes as blood dripped from her lips, staining the white snow below. She would grow cold, until there was no reminisce of life left. When her head fell back, Keiko could see it. At least it had been quick. One perfectly executed attack was all it took. A small incision where Kabuto's finger was pressed painfully under her jaw, where he had used his own chakra to slice upward into her skull.
Iruka stiffened, his hands holding Remi in a bruising grip as he doubled over on top of her and screamed.
It was like a hand constricted upon her heart. Keiko had to look away. She couldn't allow herself to be riddled with grief. There would be a proper time to mourn, but that time was not now. Keiko raised her eyes to look back toward Kabuto and the other man. Through the slowly fading barrier she could see Kabuto working on the man's arm, an amused smile skimming his lips.
In all her years walking this Earth, Keiko had never felt such blood boiling rage consume her.
She had failed. Regardless of the mission, regardless of the ambush. She had failed to keep her team safe.
Iruka stood, his shoulders tense and his jaw set. There were no tears in his eyes when he turned to her. At that moment, she had to admire her friend. Instead of allowing that overwhelming grief or anger overcome him he was determined. She couldn't be sure that he was actually doing better than her but it would seem he was.
"There's no running. That barrier's coming down, and when it does…" His hands clenched into fists, so tight he could feel the blood seep through his fingers where his nails dug into his skin. He hadn't been fast enough. They had tried to do what Keiko had asked, but out of nowhere they were ambushed. Their attacks did little against him. It was like fighting a one man army. When he had been thrown against a tree, he knew there was more to that hit than he thought. He had been rendered imobile for several minutes and even now he could taste his own blood in his mouth and his chest trying to constrict from a growing pain. He assumed it was due to the blow he had sustained, but looking down at Remi, he couldn't be sure anymore. Iruka turned toward their enemy, dark eyes hard and unwavering.
The two of them exchanged a long look as the last of the barrier disintegrated around them. There would be no running. They had to stand and fight, or meet that same fate.
With the barrier gone, they sprung.
And their enemy was there to meet them.
Keiko and Iruka fought back to back, unwilling to leave the other's side as the battle ensued. Dusk was upon them, and a furious wind whipped around them, howling and moaning through the treetops. It was nearly enough to drown out the sound of battle. Almost.
The battle was all she could focus on. If Keiko shifted her focus to anything else, she was done for. She couldn't think about the life they had just lost, or the mission they were now sure to fail. Her mind could, and would, only focus on keeping Iruka and herself alive while she tried to find a way around their defenses. Ice erecting from the ground in sharp spikes, snow attempting to engulf them whole, whatever she did they always seemed to find a way out of it. It wasn't long before she could begin to feel the strain upon herself. With every jutsu she made, with every clone she destroyed, with every cut she sustained, she could feel it creep up on her.
She watched as Kabuto suddenly made a beeline toward Iruka who faced away from them. She could tell he was faring worse than she was. His breathing was labored, blood and sweat dripping from his face as he readied for another attack against the masked man who was closing in for another attack against him.
Without a thought, Keiko moved. She was between them in a flash. Her sword raised, pulsing with chakra as she worked to block the attack now coming toward her.
A blinding light illuminated the area, accompanied by a sharp crack and Iruka's head shot back to see what had happened. His eyes widened, "Keiko!"
Even with her back turned to him, he could see Kabuto's chakra scalpel protruding from her back.
For a moment, Keiko wasn't sure what had happened. One second she had been bracing herself to block an attack, and then her own blade snapped in two. Wait, was she even still holding it? She tried to flex her fingers, but only barely felt the hilt fall from her trembling hands. The snapped blade falling to the red snow below. After what felt like an eternity, and with tremendous effort she forced herself to look down. His hand was embedded into her chest and shoulder, the snow at their feet dyed a deep shade of red. As the darkness seeped into her vision, she couldn't breathe, couldn't speak, couldn't even move.
Iruka was in shock as he watched Kabuto rip his hand from her shoulder. The man took one step to the side as Keiko fell forward toward him and landed in the snow.
Before he could do anything, an arm wrapped around his neck and a body was held flush against his back. He tried to pry the arm away from him when he felt the cold mask of the man against the side of his face. "Thanks for playing."
A flash of silver was raised before blinding searing pain erupted from his abdomen. The arm let go, and instead of trying to run or scream, he hunched forward and fell to his knees. Blood seeped from between his fingers as he frantically tried in his adrenaline filled mind to stop the bleeding.
The man stood behind the Chunin and laughed before kicking the young man out of his way. Iruka's body tumbled through the snow, landing on his back several meters away as he fought for breath.
Kabuto sighed as he crouched down next to Keiko. His hand began to glow a soothing green color as he held it up to Keiko's wound. "You're lucky I missed your heart." He said to himself. His eyes flickered up toward his companion, watching as the man chuckled and ran his finger along the edge of his bloodied blade. "Or, perhaps unlucky." Kabuto paused as the man approached, "Not going to finish him off, Kyoryu?"
"He'll be dead in a few hours if the cold doesn't get to him first. Besides, I'm more interested in this." He leaned down, grabbing her hair in his hand and brandished his tanto. With ease, he severed the dark raven locks and held the bundle up to the setting sun. The last ray of sunlight shimmered across the jeweled pendant and he smiled.
"This is turning out to be more fun than I thought."
*whisper*…I'm sorry.
If you're wondering what I was sorry about a few chapters back... this is it. So... Hope you like it... I'm sure it raised more questions than answers. But, those answers are coming! So, please don't hate me. TT^TT
PS - This fic is now one year old!
Don't forget to Favorite, Follow, and Review~!
Posted - 5/1/2022