*Trigger Warning*
See end of Chapter for details.

Chapter 46

Tsunade looked at the Jonin before her, taking in their grave expressions. Silence had settled over the room as they waited for the last person to arrive. She could see the agitation growing as the clock ticked by. The tightening of Guy's jaw, the flexing motion of Musashi's hands, Shizune's eyes darting from one person to the next, and Kakashi's singular dark eye staring daggers into her.

Finally, the door burst open and Anko stepped in with a bow before taking her place next to the others, "Apologies, Lady Hokage, I rushed over as soon as I could."

In reality, Tsunade knew that she was only a few minutes behind the others. She nodded to acknowledge the third and final shinobi before getting down to business. "Most of you are aware of the situation regarding the Land of Iron and the team we deployed. Anko, I trust you've been briefed with the information." She paused just long enough for the woman to nod in affirmation. "Good. Just an hour ago we received a message from the Land of Iron. Saying that Iruka was found gravely wounded at the scene of what appeared to be a battle."

A sharp intake of breath, "But, what about the others?"

The Hokage shook her head, "There was no mention of any female found at the scene. Only a lone male wearing the marking of our village. We can only assume it is Iruka. They are demanding an explanation as to why one of our men is on their land to begin with. So, we have our confirmation that it was all set up by an unidentified third party." Her nails drummed against the table as the weight of her words sank in. There was indeed another player in this game. A player they had yet to identify.

"Iruka's condition, as well as maintaining our neutral standing with the Land of Iron is our top priority. According to the information we have he is in stable condition, but has yet to regain consciousness. That is why I am sending Shizune with you. She will take over Iruka's healing and answer any questions they have that were not answered in the written reply I sent alerting them of your arrival. Once the situation is settled down, finding out what happened to Keiko and Remi will be your next objective."

"How do we know we aren't walking into a trap?" Anko spoke up.

"You don't." Tsunade said. The edge to her voice was unmistakable. "That is why I am sending the top Shinobi available to me. All others are out on their own missions. We are dealing with an unknown threat. At this time we can only assume they are trying to spark a war between us and the Land of Iron. Be on your guard. They are already on high alert thanks to this and we don't want to add any fuel to the fire. We are on thin ice as it is."

"No offense," Anko began again, "but why are we allowing him to come with us?" She cast a sideways glance past Guy and Kakashi to land on Musashi. "This isn't a family matter."

Before Musashi could respond, Tsunade cut him off, "Musashi is permitted to accompany on this mission because he knows the lay of the land. If I truly believed Keiko went rogue he would not be here, I assure you. As things are, he might very well be one of your greatest assets, Anko." She could tell the young Kunoichi didn't agree, but didn't sense that she would argue further. "You are to leave immediately, and I expect you to travel as swiftly as you can." Everyone stood at attention to acknowledge her order before they began to leave.

"Kakashi."

The man stopped and turned to look at her.

"A moment."

Kakashi nodded and stood before her desk as the door clicked shut. Leaving the two alone. Honey brown eyes softened only slightly at the sight of him. Kakashi wasn't someone who took much stock in appearances, but she could see he was more tired than usual, and his hair and clothes were more disheveled than they normally were. She sighed, "Don't make me regret sending you on this mission." She reached into a drawer and laid out the long section of hair that was now braided together, the pendant holding it together. His mental state was not lost on her. Had they not been as under-manned as they were, she would have tried to stop him from going.

For a moment he could only look at the hair. Slowly, he reached out for it and Kakashi hummed. Was this what she was stopping him for? "I believe your only regret might be putting Anko and Guy on the same team."

Her eyes narrowed though she could see his point, "Don't complain. I expect you back in one piece."

"Yes, My Lady."

~0~

"Slow down, will ya?" Anko shouted ahead. They had been traveling nonstop since they left the village. Save for a few hours each night for mandatory rest when Kakashi would have his ninken stand watch for them. By now, the constant pace was doing more harm than good and even she could see that. She cast a glance at the oldest in their group who was starting to have trouble with the consistent and rigorous travel.

Shizune looked behind her and then up to the sky to see dusk was beginning to settle. She could feel it herself, the constant travel putting a strain on her body. While she was still on active duty, it wasn't often she had to travel as fervently as they had been since leaving the village. "Kakashi! Let's stop and rest for a few hours!" She called a head.

Kakashi stopped, landing on the ground and it only took a few moments for the others to catch up to him. He had been in the lead since they began, and he set the pace. Already, he was going slower than he wanted them to. He turned toward them, "Alright, we'll pause for a brief time." Fatigue was the furthest thing from his mind. His body had been through far worse than this and he knew himself, Guy and Anko were fine. It was Shizune, but most importantly Musashi slowing them down. He tried to reason that they would have needed to stop to rest regardless, but he couldn't shake the feeling of annoyance from bubbling up within him.

Musashi seemed to sense Kakashi's agitation and tried to muster a smile as he whipped away the sweat from his brow. "Won't take me long to be ready to go again."

Kakashi only nodded and went to find a spot to rest and summoned one of his ninken to stand watch.

A hand landed firmly on Musashi's back, nearly knocking the air out of him. "I think you're doing well keeping up with us! You're truly letting the spirit of youth shine through!" Guy lifted his thumb and grinned in his signature way.

"Here," Shizune had the older man sit as she tended to his legs. She too noticed Musashi's drive, but unlike the others she could see how hard he was pushing his body to keep up. Each time they stopped she would need to help his muscles to repair themselves. If not for her help she was sure that he would have been in too much pain to continue. Under different circumstances, she would have told him to stop, but she couldn't bring herself to. She knew that Musashi wanted to reach their destination just as much as Kakashi did.

"Thank you." Musashi said to the medic. He was faced yet again with the reality of his age and lack of practice. They were stopping too much for his liking, but there was nothing he could do other than tell them to leave him behind and that wasn't a viable option. He could only push himself and deal with the pain.

Once Shizune was done and they had settled down for some rest, he made his way over to Kakashi. He plopped himself down, feeling the burn from his aching muscles but did his best to ignore it. The two of them sat in silence for several long moments with their backs resting against the same tree. Finally, Musashi leaned his head back, "How are you holding up?"

Kakashi's hand was resting in his pocket, his thumb running over the braid Tsunade had given him. Musashi's words did little to bring him out of his fog but he answered honestly, "About as well as you would expect."

"At the pace we're going I would expect to be there before tomorrow night." Musashi stated in a hopeful tone. "She's a survivor, ya know. Always has been."

The man rambled on in a hushed tone to not disturb the others. Kakashi tried to listen, but he had heard it all before. The sympathy and the pity from all those who knew him. Sometimes he didn't even have to hear it, he could see it. Like with Anko. She never said anything outright, but the look in her eyes told him all he needed to know. At this point, Kakashi was convinced Musashi was talking more to himself than to him.

How many days had it been? How long since he had even seen her?

Too long.

His fingers caressed the braid, the one connection he had to her. Kakashi had never been one to pray. Living the life of a Shinobi and having most everyone he knew and loved die didn't help to build any sort of faith. Recently though, he would think quietly to himself. If there was something out there watching over them, all he asked was that she be safe until he could find her.

The hours ticked by until they started up again. Much like the environment around them, his heart grew cold. A weight seemed permanently fixed to him as he pushed onward. The whole time he couldn't shake that unmistakable feeling that his pleas fell on deaf ears.

~0~

Hard, steady footfalls echoed up and down the dimly lit hall. After hours of careful work he had successfully pulled Keiko from the brink. While he hadn't hit her heart directly, there was enough damage to affect it and her lung. It was far too severe an injury for him to heal fully, but as long as she wasn't injured again too soon, she might not even have lasting effects.

He paused at the end of the hallway in front of a door. Adjusting his glasses, he wondered just how likely that would be.

The door opened with a click and he stepped inside. The room was small, enough room for a few chairs and a desk that was cluttered with endless scrolls and letters and maps. The walls were adorned with similar content. No windows. Staying hidden had been the intention, afterall.

"The procedure went well. You'll be happy to hear that as of now she isn't in any immediate danger." He stepped to the side and didn't miss how Kyoryu didn't seem to notice him. The man stood just a few inches taller than him, his dark hair pulled back in a low ponytail that fell over his shoulder as he leaned over the desk.

It was several moments before Kabuto got an answer, "And what of the little side project I requested?"

Kabuto answered calmly, as if commenting on the weather, "All the preparations are in order. It will take some time for me to get it as perfect as you want. I expect you still plan to uphold your part?"

A soft chuckle shook Kyoryu's shoulders, "Orochimaru isn't the only one who wants her. Who would think such a simple Kekkei Genkai would cause such commotion?" He waved a hand, still having yet to meet the young man's eyes, "Yes, yes, everything as promised, so long as I get what I want. Don't forget, if not for me, we wouldn't even be in this situation."

Kabuto couldn't argue with that and stayed silent. It was true, Kyoryu's ability to gather information rivaled even his own. If not for him this opportunity never would have risen.

Kyoryu held up a document and smiled. The handwriting in the distinct dialect of the leaf village Kabuto knew all too well. Kyoryu finally lifted his gaze to meet Kabuto, "Doubt has already been spread throughout the ranks of the village. Once I have my fun, she's all yours." There was another long pause and the eye contact that Kabuto had not received before was all over him. "Tell me, is she ready to be seen?"

The smallest tilt of his head was all it took for the candlelight to reflect off Kabuto's glasses, making it harder to read the young man's expression. Even so, silence filled the room.

A laugh filled the silence, "Don't tell me you are feeling protective of your patient."

"Not at all." Kabuto adjusted his glasses, "I only advise that you be gentle since she is still just recovering."

Kyoryu smiled and left the small office. The base was small so it only took him a few minutes to get to where he was going. To anyone else it might be disorienting, but he had been there long enough to know the layout like the back of his hand. Before long, he was at the lowest level and standing in front of one of the doors.

He cracked open the small sliding peephole to peer inside. Sure enough, there she was. Leaning against the wall with her head resting to the side and chains shackled to her wrists. Her hair now cut short and rested messily against her face and neck. The garb she had arrived in was gone, replaced with a simple brown robe. He wondered how that would do to keep her warm. The cells got cold and that was a scandalous amount of leg he could see. Even her shoes were gone.

The peephole shut and he unlocked the door, stepping in slowly. Even as the door shut with a heavy thud, she did not stir. He paced the room, watching her intently, taking in every detail available to him. His eyes trailed up and down the sight of her. Long shapely legs fed into wide hips and a slim waist. An ample and shapely bosom he speculated some women would die for. Above that he could clearly see her slender and pale neck.

His fingers twitched and tightened into fists. He wasn't sure how long he had been pacing, but he finally stopped and crouched down in front of her. One of his hands reached out sharply, gripping her jaw in a bruising grip as he turned her face from side to side as if inspecting goods.

The motion roused her from unconsciousness and she tried to raise her hands to fight off whoever was touching her. As soon as she attempted to lift her arms she was hit with an intense wave of pain. She groaned, trying to get her wits about her.

"Can't say Hatake has poor taste." Kyoryu said, letting go of her. "Do you know where you are?"

He watched as her face twisted from intense pain to only mildly uncomfortable. As if she had realized her situation and thought it better to ignore him. He smiled, knowing full well she was awake despite not having opened her eyes yet. "Do you remember anything?"

Of course she did. How could she not. No amount of pain would ever make her forget the fight deep within the snow covered forest. Where she had nearly lost her life, and she had failed to protect those around her. Even so, she bit her lip. She recognized the voice now as the man accompanying Kabuto. There was nothing she had to say to him.

Silence was his only reply.

Kyoryu grins and slaps his hands on his knees as if to say he tried. He stood, looking down at her for another few moments before turning to leave.

The smallest, most microscopic, sigh left her lips. It would seem she bought herself a little time. Time to think, time to plan, time to try and figure out what she could even do.

Before he had taken one step away, he twisted his body around and with excessive force ground his heel into her shoulder. Digging into the wound he knew was there.

Her eyes snapped open, a short and shrill scream escaping her lips as pain lanced across her body. She quickly bit her lip to stop her cries. Blood spilled down her chin as the crazed man leaned over her.

His heel still pressed firmly against her. "Believe me, it's better if you talk." Blue eyes raised to meet him defiantly and the sight sent a pleased chill down his spine. He took away his heel to stand normal and tried again to ask a question. "Do you remember your mission to the Land of Woods? The one where you helped to exterminate the last of the Prajna?"

Again he didn't receive an answer.

A sickening crack reverberated around the room, followed by a scream. Keiko lurched forward and tried to pull her legs in to protect herself, but her shin was still trapped under him where he had broken the bones. The pain sent her reeling. Trying desperately to think of something logical or coherent, but as soon as a thought would enter her mind it would be flushed away by another wave of immeasurable agony.

Kyoryu smiled watching her squirm. "I warned you." He pressed his foot down again, earning him another yelp and a few whimpers as she tried to gather herself again. Something that was becoming increasingly more and more difficult. Even now he could see the thick gauze Kabuto had used were now beginning to seep crimson. "That day in The Land of Woods is why you're here. All thanks to that lover of yours, Hatake." He spat the name when he said it.

He let go of her leg and crouched down in front of her. Her eyes still as defiant as ever, though now he could clearly see the mixture of hate, revulsion and confusion in those icy blue depths. "I died that day." He reached out slowly, caressing the back of his hand against her cheek and she flinched away. "I vowed that I would not rest until I made him suffer that same pain. I was beginning to lose hope too, until I saw you there at the Chunin Exams."

Suddenly, her eyes shot open wide, as if seeing him for the first time. She could see it, a long scar stretching from one side of his face to the other. During the invasion, he had been there. Kakashi had pulled her out of the way of his attack.

His hand trailed down her neck, "It was by chance that I noticed, and I watched you, but now we're here. Soon I'll get to inflict that same pain on him." Finally he laid his open palm just above her breasts, his eyes sharpening and he licked his lips. "Oh, how I would love to carve out a whole in your chest like he did to my dear Junko." He ripped his hand away and stood up, "But not yet."

He walked toward the door, "I figured I should let you know why you're here and who you can blame. Also to introduce myself." His hand rested on the handle and he turned to meet her gaze with a sickeningly sweet smile, "I'm Kyoryu Nakatani. I hope you enjoy your stay."

With that, he exited the room, standing in the hall as he reveled in the aftermath of what had just occurred. "Was I gentle enough, Kabuto?" He tilted his head to the side to see the young man leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. A response wasn't needed, and he took off in the opposite direction, "Clean up here, I'll do my best to stay gentle next time."

*Trigger Warning* - Torture. Not the sexual kind.

Hello again! Thank you for being patient and I hope this chapter finds you guys well. I really hope you're enjoying it even though we are in a really dark spot right now. Hope to be back again soon with another update!

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Posted - 6/27/2022