Chapter 58: A Conversation In The Dark
Sitting beside Hinata and Sakura we rested against a tree seeing Yamato taking the first watch of the night. Shino was up in a tree away from everyone knowing he was probably sleeping but with his goggles it was hard to tell. Naruto seemed wide awake while Kiba and Akamaru were both fast asleep since they'd be taking the last shift of the night.
Moving my eyes back to Shino his father's words still were in my head, after being so close to him the night before I never realized what it was like to feel so safe. Smiling I rested my chin on my knees feeling eyes staring at me.
"I'm very glad Shino and you are friends, I can tell you both care a lot about each other." Hinata said in a hushed tone making me avert my eyes saying, "Yea I am too."
"I'm still surprised on how you guys became friends in the first place, you both seem so different." Sakura piped in putting her hand on her cheek as I shrugged, "Well when I first met him, he did creep me out a lot but it was just because of his bugs, after a while we started going on missions and I really didn't want to dislike him for that. So, I worked on my fear of bugs and when we went to the village I was born in he got to see what my life was like before all this. Honestly after that day we understood each other more than ever, we were comrades and equals but most importantly friends. It's true though we are very different but I like to think I've been helping him open up more."
Hinata nodded smiling, "You really have, when we first were in a group he rarely said anything but now he will actually even tolerate talking to Kiba sometimes."
Smiling wide I closed my eyes sighing, "He still gets annoyed easily but I've learned to read him so I avoid it something Kiba hasn't grasped yet."
Hearing the girls giggle lightly I opened my eyes as they stopped seeing Kakashi standing over us looking towards me, "Yuna a word."
Walking a little way with Kakashi I crossed my arms saying, "Kakashi-sensei you should be getting some rest."
"I will, don't worry but I wanted to ask you a question about your blood technique." he said making me nod replying, "Of course."
"You mold your chakra into the blood but do you think you'd be able to stop it from turning into a crystal?" he asked making me tap my chin replying, "I'm not sure, if I put enough chakra into it it's possible but unless tested I couldn't be so sure."
"I see..." he said with slight defeat in his voice while I piped in saying, "I could probably avoid getting shattered by her crystal jutsu if I was trapped in it, as long as I was fast enough to encase my body in my own blood."
"That's a relief at least, from what Pakkun said her attack causes the enemies fluids to crystallize but since your blood is special I figured it would be possible to stop it from happening." he said making me nod while I said, "Don't worry Kakashi-sensei I don't go down so easy… except from unsuspecting logs..."
He smiled hearing a small laugh while saying, "I suspect as much, the good news is the enemy don't know what you can do which means we still have an advantage should we need to fight them head on."
"Kakashi-sensei… is there something else you actually wanted to talk to me about?" I asked seeing him look towards me sighing, "It pertains to Naruto, with the tailed beast here it means he's in more danger of the Fox's chakra trying to take over feeling such a presence."
"And you worry that the Akatsuki could show up and take advantage of them both in one place?" I asked seeing him nod replying, "I am and if that's the case I'm going to need you to take Naruto far away from here, even by force if you must."
"I don't even think I'm strong enough to do that…" I mumbled as he crossed his arms saying, "At least do your best, even if it's to buy a few extra seconds for us to do more damage to them."
"Right… Kakashi-sensei you should really get some sleep." I said noticing his eye looked a lot more tired than usual as he sighed replying, "I guess it can't be helped."
"I will protect Naruto though if you and Yamato can't." I said seeing him nod replying with a smile, "I trust you."
Walking back to the camp I decided to get some sleep too, my shift was after Yamato, so it was now or no sleep. Leaning against the tree that Shino was above in I drifted into an uneasy sleep missing the warmth from the night before.
"Yuna it's your turn." I heard murmuring as I opened my eyes to see Yamato staring at me with his large eyes making it easier to wake up.
"Shino is already over there." he said waving his hand as I rubbed my eyes standing up walking towards the cliff.
I scattered some of my blood around the perimeter just in case seeing Shino staring off down the side of the cliff. Walking over I sat next to him as the night was quiet not really hearing any wildlife down below wondering if they sensed danger.
"You seem very close with Kakashi-sensei." Shino said suddenly as I looked towards him confused replying, "What?"
"Just been observing that you spend a lot of time with him, even tonight you went off to talk with him in private." he said making a face replying, "Shino are you stalking me again?"
He was quiet seeing the seriousness to his question making me sigh looking towards the fog replying, "Kakashi-sensei was the first person outside my team I opened to about my past, granted it was so he would teach me how to do his Chidori but after a while I really came to admire him as a teacher. Before I trained with him the only people I really talked to were Reno, Hayner and Ren-sensei."
"So you like him?" he asked looking towards him raising my eyebrow giggling lightly while he said, "Is this question funny?"
Waving my hands I replied, "I care about Kakashi-sensei but it's more of a father figure, nothing like what you think."
"I see." he said looking away from me making me smirk replying, "Don't worry Shino he could never replace you."
He didn't answer after that as we both just sat in a comfortable silence staring out at the fog and what dangers probably still lurked inside. Once our shift came to an end Naruto and Sakura took our place as we walked back to the others seeing Hinata dozing off under the tree. I then watched Shino go up to a large branch high stretching not tired yet seeing Kakashi sitting as he stared at his book.
Shaking my head I walked around the perimeter looking out into the fog hoping Pakkun would return soon with answers. After a while of walking around the woods surrounding us I made it back to camp in time to see Yamato do some hand signs as he made a wooden house for us making me walk over towards him.
"Wow that's so handy." I said staring at it while he laughed replying, "I figure if we are waiting a while it will come of use… what do you think Kakashi-senpai?"
"Yea it's fine." he said not looking up from his book as we both turned towards him saying quietly, "Always with his perverted book..."
"Give us a moment Yuna." he said as I nodded watching him walk over to Kakashi while I examined the house hearing them talk to one another.
After a few minutes I saw the others get up watching Sai and Kiba go relive Sakura and Naruto while Kakashi gathered everyone. Once we were all beside the house, he began telling us the possibility that the enemy could send more if their plan to seal the Tailed Beast failed.
"Do you think they were just testing it?" I asked seeing Kakashi go to speak when Kiba, Sai and Sakura landed beside us.
"Naruto is gone." Sakura said with worry in her voice while I replied, "How could he have disappeared like that?"
"What is the possibility he was taken by the enemy?" Yamato asked hearing Akamaru whine as Kiba said, "I didn't pick up any suspicious scents at the site."
"Plus I scattered my blood around and nothing has triggered it yet, he may have left on his own." I said looking towards the others watching Sakura look down, "He seemed distracted but to go off like this..."
"In any case we have to find Naruto at once." Yamato said clearly annoyed with Naruto running off hearing Sakura say, "Then we should go now."
"No, remember the fog is dangerous and running into it would be dangerous, Yamato and I will go." he said seeing him summon Biscuit making me kneel petting him.
"It's rare you summon me Kakashi." he said while Kakashi kneeled, "Normally I'd summon Pakkun but he's busy and I need to find Naruto right away."
Watching him look towards us he turned to me saying, "Yuna, you'll be in charge during our absence, I know you'll make the right choices and keep everyone safe."
"Of course Kakashi-sensei." I said nodding confidently while he finished, "Shino, Hinata, Kiba and Yuna you'll check around the perimeter of the mist while Sakura and Sai will get an aerial view."
"Understood." we all said as he gave us a serious look saying, "Do not act alone."
Watching them jump off I turned to the others saying, "Shino, you and Kiba will go around the left of the fog while Hinata and I will go right. Sai and Sakura if you see anything signal to us from the sky, we will meet back here in an hour if we've found nothing."
They all nodded watching Sai and Sakura leave on his bird seeing the others go their way while we went ours. The walk was quiet as Hinata and I made our way around the perimeter seeing her stare into the fog with worry.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Naruto is fine." I said giving her a comforting smile watching her blush, "I know… it's just what if he runs into the enemy."
"I imagine he'll take care of them and if not Biscuit will find him for Kakashi and Yamato." I said with a thumb up seeing her nod smiling.
After a while of walking we saw a small light in the sky looking towards Hinata, "That must be the signal, we should head back."
Running back to the wooden house Shino and Kiba made it at the same time seeing Ino, Shizune, Lee and Tenten.
Sai and Sakura landed besides us as I said, "Good to see reinforcements, Kakashi will want to know that you've made it."
"Leave that to us." Sakura said still on Sai's bird with Sai watching them fly off as Shizune walked towards me saying, "What's going on?"
"Naruto ran off last night, Kakashi and Yamato are tracking them down so we'll wait for them before we debrief you guys on everything." I said watching Pakkun collapse on the ground mumbling, "I'm never running that far again..."
Not long after we heard the door opening seeing the others walk in breathing a sigh of relief as Lee yelled, "Now that I'm here you have nothing to fear."
"Now that we're here." Tenten corrected him as everyone began talking happily finally getting a moment of peace.
I sat beside Shino while we silently listened to all the bickering and relief everyone was feeling seeing Kakashi, Yamato and Shizune leave the room. Noticing Naruto was gone too I frowned seeing one of the doors close knowing he probably wanted to be alone.
Leaning into Shino a little bit he didn't protest watching Sai write things down inspecting everyone mumbling to himself. Lee came bouncing over to us giving me a huge grin as I narrowed my eyes curious to what he was going to say.
"I'm still so happy Guy-sensei and I could help you guys become friends." he said hearing Shino said flatly, "You had nothing to do with it."
"The mission to the Grass Village was the blossom to the friendship though who knows what would happen if we took you on a mission again, you could fall in love." Lee said with hearts in his eyes making me scoff smacking him in the head saying, "Don't say such foolish things at a time like this!"
"There is no use Yuna, he won't listen." Shino said making me sigh crossing my arms as I moved away from Shino saying, "I know..."