"Kakashi!"
Did he hear right? Was someone calling his name?
Splotches of black feathered the edges of his vision as he stared at the world tilted on its side. Warm liquid pooled from his stomach and all he could think about was the staining of his clothes. About how he was in the middle of a foreign country, far away from home, and the only place he could wash it, was in a river. That wasn't going to be enough to remove the stains... Damn, he wished he was closer to a village where he could get it cleaned properly.
Blood started to leak from the crown of his head, down into his eye. The only way he knew it was blood was from the salt that stung, causing him to wince. The black splotches got thicker. Or perhaps the dense, sticky fluid was just too much for even the Sharingan to see through.
A dull thud reverberated against his ear that was involuntarily pressed to the dirt. Blinking slowly, his vision cleared enough with his dark eye for him to see his opponent facing him on the ground, a mere two feet away. It was almost a mirror image aside from the cardinal fluid leaking from the enemy's eyes, nose, and mouth. The man's body convulsed in violent spasms for a couple drawn out seconds resembling something less human. His mouth was agape in a silent cry as he stared, utterly terrified, directly at Kakashi's Sharingan. As if his final moments concentrated all his energy in trying to beg or plead—anything to release an animalistic wail as his life was torn from him.
The white-haired shinobi tried to stay conscious, tried to understand what was happening around him; anything to decipher what was being inflicted to his enemy, for he did not want to share the same execrable fate. But his awareness was unwillingly dipping into the dark pool of oblivion, until everything around him eventually became nonexistent.
Behind her, Akane could hear the leader, bomber, and sensory shouting curses and strategy after witnessing their second comrade collapse from an unforeseen strike. They were regrouping and preparing to attack her, but it was just insignificant white noise to the kunoichi. The act of meaningless ants wishing harm on a shoe, and foolishly thinking they could overpower the foe.
She didn't care. She couldn't at a time like that.
Sprinting to her fallen comrade, Akane dropped to her knees, skidding to a stop at his side. She could feel the ground eat at her flesh as it skinned her knees, but none of that mattered.
"Kakashi! Talk to me!"
His eyes were closed, body limp, blood steadily seeped from his injuries and stained his white locks. The site jarred her more than she could have predicted. Her hands seized his shoulder and side, turning him over to his back with a contradictory mix of panic and, after a second of realization, delayed care.
"Kakashi-wake up." Akane's voice was strained with her effort to remain calm. She shook his shoulders as sweat broke out from her pale skin. "Kakashi! You need to get up!"
The man remained motionless aside from the shallow rise and fall of his chest. She checked his pulse for good measure, the rapid drumming against her fingertips causing her to grow more concerned. Blood was beginning to pool at his back across the dirt, forming a thick, maroon sludge beneath.
What did I do wrong? How could this happen? Akane's shaking hands clenched, trying to quench her nerves as she glanced at the dead shinobi behind her, then to Kakashi. Oh, my God. There's so much blood. Th-that's too much…
Some form of practical thought flittered across her racing mind. It pushed Akane's hands to cover the wound on his stomach, applying pressure in hopes to staunch the bleeding. Warm scarlet pulsed beneath her palms with each breath Kakashi took, coating her clammy skin and gushing through her fingers.
What do I do—What do I do? It won't stop bleeding! Please—stop!
"What a fucking waste," tsked the leader a safe distance behind her. "All of this for a useless scroll that someone hoped retained the secret to a lost Kekkei Genkai."
Akane slowly turned her malicious gaze to the three shinobi standing behind her. The leader scowled darkly at the scroll in hand then swept his gaze across Kakashi and the slain man behind her.
"I promised you a slow death, kunoichi. Ready to join your comrade?"
Instinctively, her chakra reeled, obeying the pull from its master with an eagerness to create havoc. Logic was still at the edge of her control, holding fast as she took stock of her situation before it could fully be swallowed whole by her frayed emotions.
Kakashi was injured. He was bleeding out because of these men. If he died…. What would she do? What would happen with the mission? Would Tsunade blame her? Would it be for nothing? A meaningless death because all he accomplished were pointless missions that failed to get Akatsuki's attention? That would mean, in the end, his life was given only for Konoha to remain in danger.
It didn't matter what the Hokage thought, she decided. Akane would carry the blame herself. She promised to protect Kakashi, so he could finish his mission safely. And the idiot dropped his guard to help her instead. Now, these foolish missing-nin intended to kill her and let Kakashi bleed out. Their remorse for their own teammates had been temporarily set aside until they could ensure she was no longer breathing. While it was a dangerous notion for her, it remained a strategic one for them.
Handle the threat now, mourn later.
It was good practice. Sound. Sensible.
However, in that drawn out moment, Akane was anything but.
Something writhed within her core. A sickening, twitching, blood lust that tingled beneath her skin. Preening chakra simmering just below the surface of her hindered control. As she stood to face the remaining three members, Akane let her hands hang limp at her sides. Kakashi's blood dripped from her fingers to the earth below, as if an hourglass was counting down the fluid leaving his system. She couldn't put words to what she felt, the internal maladies turned ritualized forms of torment and torture. Her panic and blame clashed within, a cataclysmic birth to rage directed at the team before her.
Kakashi was still alive, and hell would collapse on itself before she let that change. There was still a mission to accomplish; technically, two. And her patience had run out. She would not be mourning, now or later.
Ants were just a trivial species.
As if sensing the change in the air, the darkening sky overhead, the thunderous torrent of a storm cell forming, the men charged with weapons eager to snap her life short.
The leader struck first with his blade twirling at her like a deadly fan blade. Akane shifted her weight as her feet danced to the side and her hands came up with palms open. She managed to drift just out of reach of his sword, but he turned, bringing her back in the range of the weapon. Her right hand darted out, piercing through the rotation of the sword, and colliding with his wrist. The interruption caused the blade to falter sloppily in his grip, but she followed it up with a swift palm to his throat.
Contact. Chakra inserted. The man fell to his knees as his hands came to his throat, pawing and choking as coagulated blood spurted from his lips.
"You bitch!" the bomber lunged with fire coating his hands.
Akane narrowed her eyes, ducking under the heated blow and skidding behind him. His eyes widened as he spun, trying to strike her first before she could get him. His swings picked up pace, growing in desperation and fury, feeding the fire until the atmosphere between his strikes bubbled with heat. Even through his vicious assault, the air remained the only thing affected as Akane dodged nimbly away from every blow. After allotting him the chance to hit her, Akane returned her own attack to end it. Two fingers pierced through the opening he provided, unwillingly through his distress, and jabbed his forehead. He immediately went limp and crumpled to the ground as clear, plasma-like cerebrospinal fluid leaked from his ears. His fire extinguished from his arms as if never existed in the first place.
The sensory's eyes bulged as he watched his comrades fall within seconds of attacking the kunoichi. As her attention landed on him, he realized he was the last one standing and had no hope of injuring her, let alone winning. Spinning on his heels, the man sprinted away with terrified whimpers leaving him beneath his breaths. Akane's lips drew back in a sneer, hand flying out as chakra swarmed through the air. The man gave all he had into putting distance between them but couldn't outrun what he couldn't see. The chakra penetrated his back, seeping into his pores, and destroyed his lungs-popping them like mere balloons.
She didn't even spare the man another glance, even as his limp body skidded across the ground from his forward momentum abruptly shut off. Instead, she simply turned to the leader who was hunched over in the dirt, eyes twitching as the last of his life ebbed from him. Leaning down, Akane plucked the scroll from his pouch. In a rabid attempt- a final act in retaliation- he swept a blade at her jugular, but Akane merely leaned back to avoid it. The man's body fell forward, still somehow keeping his knees under him, as he spat out blood and soaked slurs, just jumbled words indistinguishable. Akane merely swept a final gaze over the pathetic, threat-spewing shinobi. Had she been thinking clearly, she would have finished him out of mercy. But any kindness within her was stuffed far away from reasoning.
Without wasting any more time, she returned to Kakashi's side. His bleeding had slowed but continued to leak from the punctures. She had to stop it and soon.
Pulling out her remedial scroll, and the matching from Kakashi's belt, she unsealed the medical materials, knowing that she'd need nearly all the bandages available. For the next few minutes, Akane worked to suppress the bleeding by applying clotting powder and swathing his abdomen in white bindings that instantly stained burgundy. The rustle of leaves, the babble of the river, and strangulation of the leader's final moments were the tune Akane listened to as she labored over her partner. Emotionless and focused.
That was stupid-I put too much chakra in those last attacks, she berated drearily, feeling the familiar fatigue behind her temple and ache in her shoulders. I should've restrained myself better. Damn idiot…
As she finished tying the last binding snug, Akane permitted a soft sigh. His bleeding had finally stopped but she couldn't be certain it would do any good. Brows pinching together, her gaze drifted to his resting face. If there was internal damage to his organs, then all the work she just done would be for nothing. She needed to find out, especially before she moved him. But applying her chakra to his system would only cause him further agony.
While the kunoichi pondered her options, she vaguely became aware of the man behind her finally falling silent. She hoped that wasn't an omen.
"Sorry, not that you can hear me," she offered weakly. "But this is going to hurt."
Hovering her palm over his injury, she introduced a small amount of chakra to his system to evaluate his organs. In her peripheral, Kakashi's face contorted in pain and his limbs twitched. Akane chewed on her lip, feeling the chapped skin between her teeth as she tried not to let his pain distract her. She couldn't afford to lose concentration of the chakra at the risk of causing more damage. His body was reacting to her abrasive introduction, feeling as if it was her own hands were prodding around his insides. After another long, drawn second, she cut off her chakra, pleased that the sword managed to miss his vitals.
Lucky bastard. But he was not quite out of the woods yet.
Pushing to her feet, Akane ambled across the clearing at a controlled pace, around the fallen tree to where her mask had landed across the floor. She didn't reach for it just yet instead frowning at the porcelain wolf staring back emptily beside a patch of grass. The blades brushed along the edges of the navy coating from the breeze picking up through the forest. Rain was on its way, and they'd be stuck in it for sure. There was no way they'd—she—would outrun the storm.
Leaning down, she picked up the mask and put it to her side. She had two options; hunker down and make shelter until the storm passed or get Kakashi to a village. Was she even capable of such a feat?
Does it really matter?
She knew that although she had two choices, there was only one sound decision. Despite his organs being untouched, infection was a real threat that could already be setting in if the enemies blade held bacteria. She had no medical ability, and her antiseptic was not enough for a wound like that.
The next part was not going to be fun.
After returning to Kakashi, she knelt down and pulled him to a sitting position by his wrists. Turning around, she draped his arms over her shoulders and hooked her hands beneath his knees. With strained determination, she forced her legs under her to straighten out, lifting them to a stand where it took her three short hops to readjust his weight.
The closest village was just under 28 miles away. It might as well have been days to her.
Starting at a brisk walk, Akane leaned forward a little further, trying to use gravity to help pull her headlong as her speed picked up. She couldn't push herself to break into a sprint, but a fast jog was better in her opinion. It wouldn't wear her down as quickly, though she'd cross the terrain slower. Then again, as she weighed the options of speed, Akane couldn't be certain what she was even capable of. She'd never needed to haul a teammate away before, much less someone nearly twice her size.
Heading west, Akane made it a mere 1.5 miles before she started to struggle in keeping her pace. Adjusting his weight was a near constant process as he kept sliding down her back and she lacked the strength to keep him supported. Slowing down offered a temporary remedy to her building exhaustion and his jostling, but in exchange, the distance was accomplished at a crawling pace. The storm clouds overhead was getting darker and at any moment, they were bound to open up. Sure enough. Two miles later, and the rain slammed down in thick, frigid sheets, drenching the duo within seconds.
Throughout it all, Akane didn't curse her luck. She didn't utter a complaint or hold a grudge against the weather.
Her little energy and strained chakra were wholly directed at getting them to a village where Kakashi could recover. The warmth of his body against her back was the only comfort offered to the drenched kunoichi. Her spine screamed, her legs ached and begged to stop. Her lungs heaved as she continued running alongside the river. She felt as if half her energy was aimed at just staying upright alone. But none of that mattered.
Eventually, biology won over willpower, forcing her to take a break. Finding an ancient boulder for refuge, she settled Kakashi's body down at the base which offered decent protection from the rain. Searching through his scrolls, she found the one with the water-resistant cloak; a newer, dark blue one that they had opted to not wear in favor of blending into their surroundings. Dark fabrics in the forest only worked well at night. Browns and dark greens were the better options during the day which was why he hadn't worn his new vest either.
While the cloak wasn't waterproof, it would help keep him warm. Judging by his pale skin and slight shivers, she knew the loss of blood wasn't doing him any favors in keeping his body temperature stable. Wrapping him tightly in the cloak, and storing hers away, she gathered him onto her back and set out for a few more miles.
Sweat mixed with rain droplets across her face as she focused on following the river. Visibility was difficult as she was pelted by water and a low-lying mist crept through the terrain from the moderate temperature drop. The break must have given her the second wind she needed because she made up nearly 10 miles before stopping for another break.
Panting, Akane gulped down water between breaths and forced herself to swallow a soldier pill. Kakashi's state was holding steady for now, still unconscious and wound successfully patched. She made a point to check his vitals regularly in the off chance the blade used to stab him was poison coated. So far, he had no signs of fever, vomiting, or difficulty breathing. All good things. If poison was a factor, she was certain she'd not reach a village in time.
After her muscles had their short reprieve, Akane repeated the process of gathering Kakashi and picking up her jog. The onslaught of rain had long since let up, leaving a drizzle that would stop and start again randomly. It didn't matter much. All the vegetation around was damp, brushing against her clothes and keeping her wet when the rain took a break. The mud stuck to her sandals, weighing her down until she found a rocky area and traction improved, though all temporary remedies.
As she continued at a determined pace, Akane reflected on the recent fight, the circumstances she found herself in now, and the unexpected panic that gripped her when seeing Kakashi injured. Where had she gone wrong? What had she missed when it came to warning Kakashi of the attacker behind him? Did she wish she never took that mission in Suna all those months ago? If she denied it, she'd never be in this position now, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be on the same mission. If he took the mission to infiltrate Akatsuki and she wasn't with him, then would he be more successful?
Akane bit the inside of her cheek realizing she was falling into a mental cavity that would leave her feeling nothing but doubt. Going over what-ifs was toxic to the mind and rarely lent the answers one sought. Even if the solutions were presented, it wasn't like she could go back to change it.
There were a hundred things she could have done differently, but that was all hindsight. Regardless of what she thought now, Akane would have made the same decisions because they were the best options at the time. Sometimes things just didn't work out. Part of being a good fighter was learning from your mistakes. Another part of it was knowing when those mistakes couldn't be avoided. Many great shinobi had dampened their skills by trying to correct every misstep. The greater ones accepted that mistakes were going to happen.
So, Akane accepted it. But that didn't mean she had to like it.
That didn't mean she couldn't question if she was foolish to use her chakra to kill the shinobi behind her partner, not knowing if it would leave Kakashi unscathed. That didn't mean she couldn't be shameful over the brutal killing of the rest of the team because she felt fury for what they'd done. Akane was just grateful for having her necklace to restrain her output. Had the pendant remained in Kakashi's possession, the carnage she could have left behind would have fed her nightmares for the next week. If that wasn't enough, she wouldn't have enough chakra left to help carry him to a village.
As the day continued to pass and the distance slowly gained, the kunoichi found the space of running between breaks getting shorter and shorter. She hoped she'd catch another wind to boost her energy, but her strength was reaching the bottom of the barrel. When Akane was running, she chanted in her head to think about anything but the pain in her legs and back. To ignore the way her lungs felt that they weren't getting any air despite her breathing in huge gulps. How it felt like a fire was igniting in her chest and burned her throat so much that cold water failed to soothe it. Even her ribs felt they were constricting in on her organs, refusing to expand any further to make room for oxygen.
But she pressed on. Even as her head pounded from dehydration, sweat continued to pour from her brow and drip from her chin in the chilling temperatures, she ran. The more frequent her breaks became, the shorter she forced them to last. At some point she was merely finding a tree to lean on with Kakashi, refusing to set him down for fear she'd not be able to pick him back up.
Frustration gnawed at her the more she realized how much she was struggling and how far was left to run. The inkling of fear settled in her chest followed by the whispers of being a failure filled her ears. As if the wind carried on it all the doubts in her abilities to accomplish getting him to safety. The unfamiliar stinging in her eyes sparked anger within her belly, causing her to draw her bottom lip between her teeth.
It was time to confront the cold reality she faced. Pride and willpower alone weren't going to help her make her destination. All she'd end up doing was push herself to the point of exhaustion, leaving them defenseless if they encountered any enemy in the area. Whether it was recognizing defeat in her ability or not, she'd have to come up with another plan.
"One more set," she reassured as she pushed them off the tree. The idea of putting all she could into a final stretch before calling it rejuvenated her spirits enough to stir her confidence. "We'll go until I have to take a break. Then we'll rest."
So, Akane ran. She sprinted with a renewed sense of purpose and speed, knowing that it would drain her strength faster, but it didn't matter. Her body was at the point of no recovery until she had a proper break that consisted of hours, not minutes. It didn't matter if she tried to preserve her energy or pushed to make the most of it. She wasn't going to make it to the village with Kakashi.
As the miles dwindled, the sun sank, and hints of darkness began to creep over the landscape, Akane stumbled to a rocky outcropping just out of sight from the river she'd been following. Legs and back weak, her knees gave out causing her to fall to her hands. Kakashi's body rolled off her and into the damp earth, unbothered by the harsh impact. Akane was panting as she glanced around for any threats. Seeing none—at least in the direct vicinity—she forced herself to her feet and hooked her hands under Kakashi's arms. Hauling him backwards, she leaned him up against the sandstone wall and readjusted his cloak. As her panting started to subside, she opened another scroll with a dry blanket to drape over him after being satisfied that his vitals were as normal as could be.
"I'm just glad there's no witnesses seeing me struggle so much," Akane told him, her words coming out hoarse from the cold air. She wasn't sure what his reaction would be had he seen her embarrassing attempts to carry him around.
When she travelled alone, prior to Kakashi's mission and when she avoided her team, Akane's senses worked overtime. Being isolated and never knowing how far a threat lurked terrified her. It was strange. For someone who was always fearful of being caught unsuspected, she traveled in solitary quite frequently. Right now, she was getting that familiar prickly sensation at the nape of her neck, her imagination conjuring scenarios that would find her in trouble.
Biting her thumb, she opted for her usual tactic, and summoned Aki. Black vapor appeared in front of her as piercing eyes nearly glowed in the faint light.
"It's been a while, pup," Aki greeted as the vapor whisked away. His tail stopped mid-wag as a metallic scent reached his keen nose. "You're injured."
Akane's lips broke into a genuine smile despite the growl that enunciated his words. "I've missed you, Aki—but no it's not my blood."
Simultaneously, their gazes drifted to Kakashi's sleeping form. Aki immediately aimed his sharp eyes at his summoner.
"The Copy-nin? What've I missed? Is this why you haven't called on me in months? You've started more trouble again—haven't you?"
Akane opened her mouth to respond before clearing her throat. She spit out a thick glob of saliva followed by swallowing some of her remaining water to answer him. "It's a long story, but the gist of it is he's a missing-nin, we're partners now, and we're hoping to catch Akatsuki's attention."
Aki took it all in, attention unwavering as he mulled over her explanation. He probably was waiting for her to laugh and admit it was all a joke. But when she remained silent and took another sip of water with eyes never leaving his, he realized it wasn't.
"You're an idiot."
Akane coughed, bringing the back of her hand to her mouth to wipe the spray of water from her chin. "Me? That's hurtful, Aki."
"Why are you searching out Akatsuki still? You only need to confront the Uchiha for your answers, not the entire organization. You're kicking the hornet's nest, pup. You're putting yourself in danger by asking for a target on your back."
"It's complicated. Trust me, there's a reason behind it all." No sooner did the words leave her mouth, Akane sighed. It was unfair to tell him to trust when she was being so vague.
Recognizing it wasn't going to do any good to leave information from the old wolf, Akane filled him in on the events that took place in the past months. From ignoring him about confronting Akatsuki, to being captured, and forced to take on the mission for Konoha. He took it upon himself to pepper in his own insults to her mistakes, never having a filter when it came to his blunt opinion of her naivety. The rest of it he listened quietly. By the end of it, leaving at the events earlier that day, Aki understood her motivation.
"Do you trust him?" Aki queried.
Trust was such a strong word. Hefty in its implications and emotions that followed with it. The vulnerability it opened someone to had led toward the downfall of many victims of betrayal. Akane knew that well. So did Aki.
Carefully, she picked her words, not entirely certain if she could ever fully trust someone again. But there was an inkling of the feeling there.
"After the past few months, and the events from today," she paused, "I trust him as much as I'm cable of. He saved me at his own risk. I don't think he's the type of person who'd betray me. He's nothing like the other's I've associated with in the past."
Aki must have predicted her response because he didn't hesitate long to respond; something she found slightly out of character for him. "I'll respect your opinion, but I hold the right to decide for myself."
Despite not taking the time to consider her explanation, she didn't expect any different response from the old wolf, knowing he'd seen his fair share of backstabbing among so-called allies.
"I understand. Maybe you can start tonight if he wakes up." Standing on her feet, she felt her legs shake under her weight. She reached for another soldier pill.
"Where're you going, pup?"
"I need to get to a village. He's going to need a medic, but I can't carry him the rest of the way. Plus, I don't trust someone not to try to cash in on a bounty if they see the state he's in. And it doesn't help that I'm not able to defend him until I can rest. So, I plan to go to the nearest village to get more medical supplies to last until he wakes up. Then we'll figure it out from there."
"You're not in a position, now, to defend yourself. How many soldier pills have you taken today?"
"…. Three?"
His amber eyes narrowed. "That's pushing the limits. The Copy-nin can wait until the morning. You need rest."
"I'll get rest when I come back. Running there on my own will be much faster than trying to carry him. Besides, it's not fully dark out, so I want to go before it gets too late."
Aki huffed as he stood and repositioned himself closer to Kakashi. Even with Kakashi being taller than Akane, he still seemed small beside Aki. By sitting next to him, Akane realized the old wolf was giving in. The grateful curve of her lips tugged.
"Thank you. I'll be back soon."
"What's the closest village, so I know where to go if you don't make it back?"
Akane glanced across the river, out into the shadow ridden landscape as if she could see the intended location through the twilight. "Amegakure."
Although Akane did not have to carry Kakashi, it took longer than she expected to reach the village. The last of the day's light had long dipped beneath the horizon and left her navigating, not by stars that were shrouded behind the thick blanket of rain clouds, but by perception. Given that Aki was watching over Kakashi, and he was still maintaining a stable condition, her sense of urgency had lessened, though only slightly. Like the lingering pulses of adrenaline after a sudden spike. Her earlier fears and temporary breakdown now seemed dramatic to her, but at the same time, she knew it was a justified response in the moment. Her jostling him around could have opened the wound again, causing him to bleed out. Perhaps the puncture had nicked an organ and it caused it to slowly leak acidic fluid into his stomach cavity. There were many scenarios that could have turned the situation from urgent to dire.
And still, she wouldn't have been able to haul Kakashi to the safety of the village.
One side of her wanted to blame herself for it. Why was she so weak that she couldn't help him in his time of need? The other part reasoned that she was small and lean. Her life on the run had trained her body for endurance and stamina rather than strength. Her medical knowledge was useless with her volatile chakra, and she didn't have the technique that his pink-haired student did to increase her brawn.
Akane heaved a thick sigh; exhausted, drained, and not in the mood to be in the bustling, lively city. The Hidden Village in the Rain was an accurate name. City That Never Slept was a better one in her opinion.
Having only been to Amegakure once before, it had also been at night. Just as it was then, the city streets were still painted in tones of grey. That was the best way to describe them. Steel and concrete structures that towered high above, constantly masked beneath overcast skies, and the steady fall of rain. What broke the monochromatic theme and reminded her she was not in a vintage noir film, was the bright neon lights of the downtown district, advertising a good time for alcohol, gambling, and intimate company. A popular attraction to the delinquent missing-nin that found refuge here.
One of the perks of the village being so generous to rogue shinobi meant that the downtown district was open all night. Besides the degenerative allures offered, the flexible shop hours included businesses that provided food and supplies. The downside to these stores, however, was that they were a hodgepodge of miscellaneous items, never specializing in a specific department. If she was lucky, Akane would be able to find what she needed in one location and not have to bounce to different shops in the late hours.
With the mask firmly settled to hide her features, and cloak snug around her body, she entered the first, and hopefully only, store.
His broad shoulders carved a path through a stumbling group of shinobi heading to their next bar. The man was hazily aware that his blond companion followed behind him until the loud group passed, using the larger man's intimidating statue to ease his way through. Once the intoxicated rogues were a few paces behind them, the shorter, lean shinobi stepped back beside him, picking up the conversation after the pause.
"This liquor is shit," he griped before taking another sip as if to verify before wincing. "Yup. Total shit. How'd you drink this?"
Offended, the taller man ripped the bottle from him and curled his lips. "Has no one told you its rude to insult a free drink?"
"Just because it's free, doesn't mean it's good. I could offer you some of Sasori's poison for free, but that doesn't mean you'll drink it, yeah."
The taller man scoffed, taking large gulps of the clear liquid, watching as the air bubbles floated in the bottle and shimmered from the lights of a nearby bar sign. As if he made a point, he pulled the bottle from his mouth with a toothy grin. His index finger uncurled from the neck of the bottle and aimed at the blond. "That depends, though. If it's a paralysis type, I think I'd still drink it."
"The fuck? Why?"
The Mist-nin tilted his head back and barked out a laugh. "Imagine how long you could last with a whore if you lost some feeling."
Deidara's bemused stare directed at Kisame with a level of appalling terror that went entirely unnoticed. "You—you do realize that's not how that works, right? I mean, I'm not claiming to be a genius, but I've been Sasori's partner long enough to know you're way off your mark!"
"I don't know about that. It sounds logical to me."
"Probably because you've been drinking that shitty alcohol all night and it's turned your brain to mush, yeah! You'd be paralyzed, Kisame. You wouldn't be able to move, much less get it up!"
"You underestimating me, little man?"
"Wha- Who are you calling little?! I'm normal size, you dick! You're the freakishly tall one around here!"
"I think you mean handsome."
"No. Freakish."
"Freakishly handsome?"
Deidara groaned, wishing he was at the same level of intoxication as Kisame. They'd have to stop at another bar before heading back to the tower if he wanted to find humor in Kisame's ridiculousness.
Before a sarcastic response could be shot back, Kisame froze in mid step as he stared across the street with wide eyes. Had Deidara still been walking behind him, he would have collided into his solid back by the abruptness.
"Why'd you stop, Kisame? I know just the bar we can go to next."
"Hold on."
Before Deidara could question him, the bulk of the Mist-nin darted across the road with elongated, tip-toeing strides, as if he was afraid the pounding of his sandals on the pebbled road would give him away.
What the hell is he doing now? Dediara deadpanned as he watched the spectacle take form.
Once Kisame reached the other side, he darted around the corner of a shop and into the dark alley. Still Deidara didn't move as he stared from the across the road, wondering if he'd be better off just going to the bar without his companion or stay and be associated with him.
"Pst!" Kisame waved at him before he had a chance to decide. Still, Deidara didn't move which urged Kisame to start waving his hands and pointing at the shop in some strange, unspoken language.
A look of reluctant disgust pulled at Deidara's features. His arms went out to his side and his shoulders rose in an exaggerated shrug. "What?!"
Kisame had the gumption to look impatient at him before he repeated the motions with his hands. Growing annoyed, Deidara gave in and stomped across the road to meet him in the alley, not caring if it attracted others attention.
"Repeating the same motion doesn't fucking help me, Kisame. What?"
"Did you see her?"
"See who? There's a bunch of women around, yeah."
Kisame rolled his eyes and the paw of a hand clamped around Deidara's shoulder as he turned him toward the shop. "Not the usual women. The one with the mask? The Nori one. I think I saw her go in there."
Deidara wasn't sure if Kisame was being serious or hallucinating, but it unnerved him regardless. "What are you talking about, un?"
"For fuck's sake—why're you so slow, Dei?"
"Because I'm talking to a moron."
Grumbling something about keeping bad company, Kisame searched his cloak pockets, patting and digging until he found a book and shoved it at Deidara. The bomber reluctantly took it from his chest and flipped it open to one of the folded pages.
"The Nori woman, Dei."
"Hold on, shit." He flipped to the next, then the next until finally finding the photo. It was the same sabled haired kunoichi with slate eyes that Sasori had shown Itachi all those months ago. He looked up to Kisame who was peeking around the corner of the building with half his body hanging out. A few people shuffled past him, sending weary glances his way that he remained oblivious to.
Yeah, that's not conspicuous at all... "Hey, aren't you supposed to capture her or something?"
"Nah. We're just supposed to watch her and see what's up," he answered, still hanging out of the alley.
"Why her?"
"Because she's supposed to be with the Copy-cat, Hatake."
Blinking, Deidara forgot his previous agitation and joined Kisame to peer around the wall. Now things were getting interesting.
"You know for sure it was her?"
"Yeah. She had the same mask on."
"A mask? Then how do you know it's actually her, yeah? There's a bunch of the same masks out there."
"It was her, Dei. Now shut up!"
The agitation was back.
Still, he was curious to see if the Mist-nin was onto something after all, or just a victim of the alcohol and evening shadows. It only took about ten minutes before their indiscrete skulking paid off and the shop door opened. Both shot back into the alley before the person exiting could spot them.
A small figure stepped out with a dark cloak draped over thin shoulders and dark locks pulled in a braid. It disappeared once she crossed the threshold and pulled the hood on, but the cobalt porcelain remained visible. Glancing from one end of the road to the other, the woman turned and started heading down the street that led to the outskirts. Both men peaked around the corner before they could lose sight of her in the crowd.
"That's her-that's her," Kisame repeated as his massive hand slapped at Deidara's chest.
"Ok, I got it, yeah," he hissed back, swatting the hand away from him. "But it looks like that Hatake guy isn't with her."
Kisame was sober enough to realize that was a noteworthy observation. Using the lull in conversation let him at least ponder over his next move in accordance with the mission. It wasn't like they had any direct contact with the Konoha-nin since Pein had given them the details. Both him and Itachi had used their contacts to keep an eye out through other countries while they focused their efforts on more important missions. A talent for multitasking and being productive for the organization.
But now that there was an opportunity to pursue the two personally, Kisame wasn't sure if they should take it or report to Leader. For one, he wasn't exactly sober, but he knew he was plenty capable of fighting if he needed to be. On the other hand, Itachi was back in the tower. Deidara could fill in for the Uchiha, but he wasn't exactly tactful. Besides, Leader never did give them permission to engage with Hatake and Nori. Only watch and report.
"Well?" Deidara asked as he stepped onto the sidewalk once she was far enough away to not take note of them. "Wanna follow her, yeah?"
Feeling oddly sober now, Kisame did the same as he stared at her retreating back until losing sight of her after she turned down another street. "Hm."
Without an explanation, he walked into the store, leaving Deidara puzzled before trailing behind him. The shop door opened with a bell chiming above, and the two Akatsuki members made their way to the counter. The small building was packed full of shelves in every available floor and wall space with random items strewn about. In sequence, one aisle had spare kunais, blade sharpeners, rubber gaskets, a sink drain, and toothpaste. An assortment of randomness and hoarding. What was more apparent upon entering was the staleness in the air that had a blend of scents. The sort that emanates from items that linger in a confined space for indefinite bouts of time.
"Hello, gentlemen," greeted an older man at the counter with a craggy brow and eyes pinched shut. As he sat on the stool, one of his hands rested on a slender, lengthy cane with white and red. "Can I help you finding anything?"
Not sure if the man would be able to find anything through all the clutter, even if he wasn't blind, Kisame leaned an elbow across the counter to crowd the shop keeper. The act usually intimidated the civilians, but the older man could only sense the heavy presence, denying the Mist-nin any true reaction.
"That woman that was just in here," Kisame started, "What did she buy?"
"Oh, I'm not sure it's my place to say."
"What is this? Doctor-patient confidentiality? Just tell me."
"Well no. It just seemed like an odd request," the pleasant smile faded, elongating the wrinkles in his cheeks. "The lady purchased some bandages and a new flint. She wanted antiseptic and clotting powder, but I don't have any of those in stock."
"Did she seem hurt to you?"
"Um, well, I'm blind, so I'm limited on what I could deduce. However, she moved around slowly when looking but entered and left at a steady pace. I assume it wasn't her that needed the supplies. Perhaps a family member or friend."
Kisame pushed himself from the counter with a gruff nod, then left without another word. Deidara, still not sure what the Mist-nin was thinking, waited until they were outside to ask.
"I guess we go tell Leader about it," Kisame explained flatly. His attention was split between answering the bomber and piecing together what the shopkeeper revealed. "From past reports, Hatake is likely with her still, which means something might've happened. I don't know exactly why Leader wanted us to watch them, but I hope he doesn't get pissed if my guess is right."
"You're sure we shouldn't follow to confirm, yeah?"
"Hell, I don't know. But we better tell him soon, so we can get on their trail if he does send us out."
Deidara huffed out a sign as he begrudgingly followed. That was not how he wanted to spend his night—sober and helping his drinking partner talk to Leader.
Hiya! Thank you for all the favorites and wonderful reviews!
I will say, I do intend to finish this story, although I still haven't carved out exactly how the ending will be. I have a few different routes to figure out before I get there. While this is, I suppose, an AU from the original Narutoverse, I'm trying to find that good balance between creative perspective and keeping within character boundaries, if that makes sense. Just playing with other possibilities and different sides of the same characters we've grown to know.
On that same note, the story is quite stretched out, as I'm sure you're aware. Kakashi being a missing-nin offers an opportunity for his students, friends, and enemies to interact with him in new ways. All of which I intend to pepper in throughout the main story of his mission.
The next chapter is almost finished, aside from another scene I need to add, then edit, so that should be posted later this week!
Be safe and hope you enjoyed this chapter!