Karin snapped her eyes open with a gasp as she felt the room tremor with the aftereffects of a powerful chakra blast. She stumbled back from her meditative position, her legs lolling to the side as she braced one hand behind her and brought the other up to massage her aching head.
Whatever that was, it was intense – devastating and swift. Like a single drop of water creating a tsunami from its meagre ripple. Karin groaned slightly.
The fact that she was meditating at the time only intensified her sensitivity to it, but she had no doubt that even the most rudimentary of chakra beings would've felt that. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
Its origin came from the north, and its presence was… chilling.
"What in the shit was that?"
Karin startled, rolling into a defensive position only to glare at her intruder. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Aren't you the sensor?" Suigetsu leaned casually on the doorframe of her private quarters, smug firmly in place.
Karin rolled her eyes and stood, dusting herself off. "Shut up. I was distracted."
Suigetsu sobered. "Yeah, even I felt that… Any idea?"
Karin looked away from him and busied herself with finding her water canteen in her spartan room. Even after years here, she never accumulated many belongings. She took a slow swig of water; it tasted stale.
"I have a hunch. I just hope I'm wrong." Karin snapped her head around to frown at him. "What are you doing here Suigetsu?"
He shrugged. "I'm hungry. You cook."
Karin could not roll her eyes harder if she tried. She blamed her throbbing head and interrupted meditation for her not-Zen reaction. Slamming her canteen down she pointed an accusing finger at the evasive jerk. "Shut it, you misogynist! I meant why are you here, at all? In Whirlpool, hanging around me?"
The object of her ire remained unphased. "I told ya, I got coerced into helping those Leaf jerks." Suigetsu spoke casually, pushing himself off the doorway and strolling into her room. He slid a finger gracelessly across her simple desk.
Karin blocked his hand as he lifted it to his eyes for inspection, raising a perfect red eyebrow. "If that's the case, why haven't you left then?"
Violet eyes grew hard and Suigetsu threw both hands out and bit, his words patronizing and dripping with venom. "Why do you want me gone so bad, huh? Disappointed cause I'm not Sasuke-kun?"
Karin scoffed, pushing past him to leave. She didn't know why she even bothered with him. He always enjoyed making fun of her, and now it seems he was bored enough to seek her out just to amuse himself by getting on her nerves.
"Screw you, Suigetsu!"
She stormed off, gritting her teeth against the bloom of emotions forming in her chest. It was stupid. He was stupid. Barging in on her life and bringing up that handsome asshole like nothing had changed. Like she hadn't changed. She glared ahead into the dim sandstone hallway.
For some bizarre reason, Suigetsu's opinion of her came to matter, and it irritated her. She had nothing to prove to him, and yet she felt this absurd sting with his baseless accusation. She wanted to correct him. Tell him Sasuke-kun was a man of her past. Like him. She didn't want him here. No matter how much of her begged to ask him why he came in the first place… for her?
Something warm and unsettled unfurled in the pit of her stomach. Karin fought the ridiculous sensation with all her might.
Suigetsu was hot on her heels traversing the corridors, frustration growing with each heated step.
"Am I wrong?" He called at her retreating back. "Fuck! A guy spends the better part of a year searching for ya and you don't give a shit cause he ain't some tall dark and brooding bastard with funky eyes. Well screw you Karin, even with those glasses you're blind if you think – "
Karin whirled around so fast Suigetsu choked on his own words. Her eyes were uncomfortably wide, and Suigetsu found himself swallowing at her scrutinizing gaze.
"So it's true then." She couldn't quite find the accusatory tone she was trying to muster. It came out far too startled. "What Sai said. You were looking for me?"
She was standing closer than before, and Suigetsu took a step back, looking away. Damn that pasty brat and his big mouth! A man's business was his own! Although he could appreciate a long-distance 'fuck you', well enough.
Running a hand through his unkept hair, he became defensive, "Don't think that makes you special or nothing. I was just – "
"Suigetsu."
Her hand on his arm startled him into silence as much as her tone. Karin's usual displays of physical interaction ran as far as a brutal fist atop his head… This, was undeniably different.
Suigetsu watched through narrowed eyes as she studied him, her glasses catching the light with her appraising head tilt. Karin screwed up her nose then seemed to decide on something, albeit highly warily.
"I'll be honest if you will." She sounded the words out, near pained to do so. But the steel of her eyes was unmistakeable.
Suigetsu swallowed uncomfortably.
He felt the air change. That was definitely new. It made him itchy. And Karin kept her hand on his arm, as if preparing to stop him should he run. As if she expected him to take the cowards path.
Suigetsu let out a half-snort. No, he wasn't a coward. He was, however, a survivor. And survivors listened to their instincts, damn their pride.
But for some inexplicable reason, his survival instincts weren't urging him to fight or flight. They departed him to his own devices. Suigetsu ground his teeth and looked back into the challenging stare of ruby eyes.
He wanted her to hear him…he just didn't think he could look her in the eyes and say it.
Well, his pride had abandoned him this far, hadn't it?
Suigetsu turned his nose up, and quietly felt relieved when Karin's hand stayed firm on his arm.
"I did it." He sniffed awkwardly. "I achieved my goal. I lived the rogue ninja dream. I fought and killed for myself and only myself. I had no one to answer to, no one to give a fuck about… I had no one." He laughed. It was an ugly sound. "Blood and guts can only get a man so far, ya know."
Karin's hand dragged down his arm a little and he felt his flesh ripple in reaction. She was surprisingly soft when she spoke, but she still had her hard edge. Like a rock battered and beat upon by the wild ocean; some parts smoothed from years of resilience, other parts she kept dangerously sharp, ready to cut and tear anything seeking refuse on her jagged coast.
Suigetsu wondered if she ever let many people see this side of her; let anyone rest in her smooth embrace. He selfishly hoped she didn't. He… wanted to be the ocean, he wanted her. Smooth surfaces and sharp edges. She could never hurt him. He was ocean and she was unyielding.
"You wanted a friend?" Her eyes were hard and calculating, but something soft seeped through her voice.
He ground his teeth a little. It sounded so dumb now. "Something like that."
"Why not Juugo? Or Sasuke-kun?"
He could hear the confusion, or maybe it was denial. And when she withdrew her hand from him, he snapped his eyes up to trace her movement, barely restraining himself from grabbing her.
If he wasn't running, then neither could she.
"Why not you?" He said instead, his fierceness surprising them both. Karin flushed pink in surprise. It clashed terribly with her hair. But he caused it, so he liked it on her.
She never had confidence in the right places, in his opinion. She would parade her body around for days and he wouldn't mind one bit, but when it came to her actual self-worth he found her to be horribly modest. It pissed him off.
"Why didn't you stay in the Leaf?" He demanded.
"That's – "
"If I'd a known you were going to leave, I woulda waited for you." He wasn't nice about it, and Suigetsu realised he was angry with her.
How could he have lowered himself to be hanging off this insane woman's every move and word when she couldn't even value herself enough to go after what she wanted.
It was Karin's turn to huff and turn away. Suigetsu kept his hands squarely to himself though. He wasn't the touchy feely type, no matter how good it felt to be on the receiving end.
He couldn't explain when or why he felt Karin was what his life was missing, and he near gave himself a lobotomy when she first started appearing in his dreams as someone he desired. More than the physical, but bizarrely, her personality.
Again, he almost threw up with that revelation, but then once he had it, it wouldn't leave him alone. So, he had to find her and prove to himself once and for all that Karin didn't matter to him. How fucking wrong he had been.
Suigetsu only realised he was glaring at her when she turned her face back up to him and he saw the reflection of his snarl in her clear lenses. She matched his stare, and he revelled in it.
"It scared me, okay? I got comfortable there. It felt safe and good and… home. And I guess I wasn't ready to feel that in a place I had thought of as the enemy for so long. I needed out. At least for a little while. I needed to see if I could find somewhere else that could feel like home."
"And?"
She shrugged. "I think my definition has long been askew."
"What's that mean?" He barely withheld his building impatience.
"It means," she sneered. "I'm more lost than I was before and I hate it!" She threw her hands up in the air. "I thought maybe going back to my roots might help but – "
"But nothing feels right." He finished for her knowingly. Suigetsu twisted his lips. "Maybe it's got something to do with the company? Orochimaru ain't really known for his 'rightness' ya know? If there was something we ever agreed on, it would at least be that, yeah?"
"No kidding." Karin folded her arms but refused to look down. "But it's what I know. And that's about all I've been able to hold on to lately and I won't apologise for my decisions."
Her declaration was fierce despite her uncertainty. He deadpanned at her.
"For a nerd you're pretty stupid."
Karin immediately snapped back to brash self. "You're one to talk, Dumbass."
He grinned a little at that. "So, we're both homeless idiots then?" Well… homes were overrated anyway – they were for saps and civilians. They weren't made for people like him and Karin. For the twisted and lost.
Karin laughed and Suigetsu had to stop his jaw from hitting the floor with how different it made her look. He likes her laugh. He's afraid he might even grow to love it, given the chance.
"Yeah whatever. I don't particularly like being lumped in the same category as you though. At least I have a room to sleep in."
He snorted, folding his hands behind his head and sticking his chin up. "Yeah, you should think about moving out. The landlord is a creep."
She considered him for a moment, surprise and caution lurking beneath the narrowing of her ruby eyes. She put her hands on the curve of her hips and worked her jaw for a moment. Suigetsu had to consciously focus on something other than her pretty thin lips.
"You think you could put your last two braincells to use and help me find a new place then?"
He thought maybe she should've sounded coy at that, but she was staring him down with a mean smirk he liked all too much. Suigetsu thought that sounded like a challenge. It made the blood thrill in his veins.
"Feed me and you might have yourself a deal, Four-eyes."
"Bring it on, Shark-boy."
" – kura? Hey, ope… ey fo…pleas…"
Hmm? What was…? She – where was she?
"...lease – Sakura?"
Someone was trying to talk to her. They sounded – But, it was her day off today. Hokage-approved and everything!
" – Fuck. Sakura!"
Sakura twitched.
Someone just slapped her cheek! She frowned darkly and struggled to open her eyes to the Deadman who just slapped a sleeping medic. Her eyes didn't obey, heavy as they were. But her lips managed in their stead.
"Nng… Go away. S'my day off." She threated through a croaky mumble.
Ugh. Why does it feel like I drank Suna and then headbutted Iwa?
There was a sigh above her, and then the hand was back on her cheek again. She was about to snap something highly unforgiving when the hand turning soothing. A rough palm glided gently over her face, as though wiping something away.
Sakura frowned, her aching head absently chasing the movement. Then the hand was running tender fingers through her hair. And for some reason, that was all the permission she needed to drift back to sleep.
Kakashi stared down at the unconscious kunoichi in his lap and swore softly under his breath again.
"Fuck, don't you ever do that to me again Sakura." It came out in a breathless groan.
Kakashi bowed his head over hers in relief, then gathered himself.
With tender handling, he arranged her more comfortably; resting her pink head on his thighs and placing her limbs carefully on his discarded cloak, shielding her from the cold floor. He kept a hand absently resting on her hairline and cast a glance around the cave.
Sakura had done it.
He, thankfully, had the foresight to dig out a number of glow markers before their singular light source inevitably went out. And go out it did, in all its impressive retinal-obliterating glory. Kakashi used the hand that wasn't threaded in Sakura's mattered hair to rub his eyes. They were evidently still throbbing, and that was to say nothing about the powerful chakra shockwave that actually knocked him off his feet and left him winded on the floor for a good sixty seconds.
Through the lime green haze of light, Kakashi could just make out the charred parchment which was the seal; laying crumpled next to its victor. Clearly Sakura had managed to do more than just deactivate it – she obliterated it. He smiled proudly. That was his girl.
Kakashi had been seconds away from physically snatching Sakura from the seal and dealing with the consequences himself when he heard her scream. He had sat and watched her for hours as she progressively became weaker and suffered in silence. He had twitched violently when she starting spitting out blood, and it was all he could do to trust in her and not let himself go insane by sitting on his hands while she was in clear distress and pain.
Shinobi's didn't do well as spectators. It was why when teams were captured by the enemy, it was almost kinder to kill yourself rather than let your torturer use you against your comrade. Some would argue that it would be the coward's way out. But, well… Kakashi could understand both sides.
Kakashi traced his fingers sympathetically over Sakura's clammy forehead. Where her purple rhombus had once proudly adorned her, perfect and pristine, now was a seared brand across pale skin. It looked like a nasty burn and Kakashi noted raw red marks criss-crossing her body from where her Byakugou had spread its vine. Almost like burns.
She looked…broken.
He stifled an unsteady inhale. The image was far more confronting than he expected.
Kakashi stilled his hand when it began to tremble over her. With controlled movements he began to gently wipe away what traces of blood and sweat he could. He would need to check her properly for injuries and start administering first aid before she suffered any permanent scarring or worse.
There was something to be said about the helplessness a shinobi feels when their medic is the one in need of medical attention. Worse yet when your medic is Sakura.
Kakashi paused abruptly when a small whimper escaped from Sakura's bloodied lips. And Kakashi, with nothing else to offer but himself, simply held on to her tighter.
Kakashi was no longer sure which choice he had wanted Sasuke to make when he gave him the opportunity. It was a type of torture either way. Leave, knowing you won't be there if something goes wrong. Or stay, knowing you won't be able to do shit when something does.
Personally, Kakashi would rather face down an enemy with nothing but his teeth and a dull spoon than be helpless to watch a loved one suffer. But then, he supposes Sasuke felt much the same way. It takes a different kind of courage to stay than to leave…
Kakashi learnt the difference a long time ago. Sometimes, when no one is watching, he prays that Sasuke will learn the same.
Kakashi physically shook the trail of thought from his head. Priorities. Sakura wasn't going anywhere soon, Naruto and Sasuke were now who knows where. And he was sitting but a few feet away from the very thing that started it all.
There, but a few scant millimeters from the charred seal was an unassuming Pomegranate.
Because of course. Why wouldn't a single piece of fruit be the centre of all their woes and tribulations? If Kakashi's personal mantra wasn't to 'look underneath the underneath' he might've felt much more reckless and spitefully inclined towards the over-sized berry. As it was, he wasn't going to take any chances.
Perhaps if the air in the cave wasn't already so fraught with the aftermath of buzzing chakras, he would able to get a solid read on the 'Pomegranates' signature. Either way, there was something in the room giving off an unmistakably strange signal and Kakashi would bet his Hokage Hat that it was the stupid fruit.
Touching it outright was definitely out of the question, and he wasn't certain he wanted to be carrying such an obvious homing beacon on him. Destroying it might be the wisest choice, but not without first determining what the hell it is, and why it was sealed the way it was.
First things first. That light would've attracted attention from nations away. They couldn't stay here long, and seeing as Naruto and Sasuke hadn't returned…
Kakashi bit his thumb through his mask, pressed his hands together in a series of signs then palmed the stone floor.
"Yo Boss." Pakkun stuck his nose in the air as he regarded the shadowy room into which he was summoned. Then his dark eyes found Sakura. "Is Pinkie okay?"
Kakashi could almost smile at the genuine concern coming from the gruff pug. He stroked the back of his fingers over Sakura's forehead. "She'll be okay. She just went ahead and showed up the entire shinobi world." He looked fondly down at the unconscious rosette.
"She always was a strong little Pup." Pakkun agreed proudly before turning serious. "How can I help?"
"Pak, I need you to track down Sasuke and Naruto for me. I don't know where they've gone but find them and bring them to my location." Kakashi paused for a moment to consider something before adding. "If you find them and they're in trouble then you'll have to bring me to them."
"Understood Boss."
"Keep an eye on those two, Pak."
"Say no more. And you take care of Pinkie."
"Say no more." He repeated in kind. "Be careful, Pak."
With a determined sniff of the charged air, Pakkun dashed off out of sight leaving Kakashi to plan his next course of action; medical attention.
He was halfway done reaching for the med-kit strapped to Sakura's waist when the woman in question let out a groan and a hiss.
Kakashi hovered his hands over her in worry as Sakura arched her back slightly and whined in pain, her head lolly awkwardly over his thighs. As gently as he could, he placed a cool hand at her jaw.
"Sakura? Are you with me?"
There was another mumbled curse as Sakura swept an arm out to balance her and rolled her head towards his abdomen. He delicately redirected her head and called to her once more.
"Sakura. It's Kakashi. Can you hear me?"
Just like that, gem eyes fluttered open and Sakura wretched herself upright with a gasp. Kakashi's hands followed her swiftly, immediately catching her shoulders as she fell back in disorientation.
"Hey, easy now. Easy." He encouraged, slowly guiding Sakura to a more stable position.
She resisted in her initial panic. Her muscles tense and her eyes darting around the dim room, but when her eyes caught his, she all but became boneless in his grip. He took her weight easily, folding one leg towards him and propping the other up behind her back so that she sat half-between his legs. She leaned heavily on his support.
"Sensei…?" Sakura asked dazedly, distractedly turning her head to stare at him. She sounded so young in that moment. And there was a gloss to her eyes that scared him all too much. She looked fearful and small in her moment of tentative confusion.
"Hey."
Sakura blinked hard as Kakashi's face blurred into focus. She was having trouble processing her thoughts, the world around her. Nothing was quite solid; from the ground beneath her, to the haze of her memory.
"I feel – ", she cut off as she wobbled, placing a trembling hand on the ground to settle her.
Sakura felt clammy and drained, with black spots dancing in her vision. Her entire body ached as though she was struck by lightning and then hit with a mountain. It hurt slightly to draw breath and her head was killing her. Sakura distantly noted fingers curl around her wrist, and another hand cup the back of her neck in a steadying action.
"M' okay 'Kashi." She mumbled through the dizzy spell.
Kakashi raised a silver brow and carefully supported her as she swayed again. She was deathly pale and looked as though a gentle breeze could knock her over. "I'll pretend I believe you for now."
The room slowed down enough for her to attempt to focus her eyes again, and blearily she caught sight of a charred piece of parchment laying haphazardly near her side. At once the reality of the situation hit her like one of her Shishou's punches.
Sakura startled and imploringly looked at Kakashi. "Are you alright?"
His exasperated huff tickled the skin of her cheek, and for a moment she thought Kakashi might either burst into tears or hug her. She frowned at her out of sorts mind. Shoot, am I hallucinating?
"Yeah, I'm fine." He replied softly. "I'd return the question but I know you'd lie to me."
A petulant frown pulled at Sakura's lips before she could stop the immature reaction. Kakashi halted her with a single look and she ducked her head, despite herself. Her eyes found the floor, now lime green under the dull neon light, and she spent a moment recollecting herself.
Things didn't feel real. She was alive… She did it. She… wanted to freak the fuck out!
Her mind and emotions were a jumbled mess of crashed adrenaline, fear, joy, sorrow, freedom, pain, pride, apathy. She couldn't process any of them, let alone all of them at once.
Part of her still working mind suggested it might be the aftershocks of the residual chakra cores within her, and a combination of her own chakra exhausted core – but she didn't spend long thinking on it. She wasn't sure she wanted to think about any of it ever again, lest she finally allow herself the panic attack that had craved to overtake her for the last who knows how long.
A shiver slipped out of her and Sakura bit her lip only to hiss in pain at its raw bloody split.
"Here."
A canteen was brought gently to her lips and only then did Sakura realise how thirsty she was. She hated how shaky and weak her hands were when she tried to grasp it, but it appeared Kakashi didn't have any intention of letting her do it herself. He simply guided it to her lips and helped angle her head back for her to drink; so much like how she would do for her patients, like she had done countless times for him.
Sakura forced herself to take slow slips, gradually washing the blood from her mouth and soothing her dry, rough throat. The canteen fell away and with it, drops of water seeped past her abused lips. Before she could lift a tired hand to catch them, Kakashi had his thumb at the corner of her mouth brushing the stray droplets with ease.
It was a quick, barely-there touch, and yet Sakura's boggled mind hovered attentively over the action. She tried blinking her thoughts back in order, but her mind was comfortably stalled over the harmless touch – stubbornly focusing on anything else but her brush with death.
Sakura felt a bubble of anxiety expand in her throat, her breath quickened. But then fingers were back on her face, touching her Byakugou, and Sakura was snapped into focus with the introduction of pain.
She hissed and brought a hand up to her head in confusion.
Her fingers caught on Kakashi's and she locked eyes with him.
He offered her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry." He hesitated. "It… you're covered in burns, Sakura."
It was like his words sparked awareness, as she suddenly comprehended the subtle tightness and raw feel of her skin, most prominently her forehead… Her Byakugou. Fear and denial clogged her airways, and dread pitted her stomach. She hadn't felt –
"Can I dress them?" Kakashi's calm tone drew her back. And she abruptly realised that his fingers weren't bare. Rather, he had been dabbing her face with her antiseptic burn cream from her medical kit.
Sakura glanced down to find her waist pouch sitting comfortably between Kakashi's hip and folded leg. She hadn't even felt him relieve her of it.
How long have I been zoned out? Has he been trying to get my attention this whole time?
The thoughts didn't come hysterically, but rather apathetically. And Sakura thought that should've caused for more concern than it did. But in that moment, numb was a blessing. She held on tight to her apathy.
Sakura sat quietly and still as Kakashi continued to carefully apply the cooling cream to her face. Kakashi could see the way her eyes kept going in and out of focus, the way she occasionally jerked back to attention as though coming out of a trance. He worried over her.
She was physically and mentally at her limit, perhaps beyond. Whatever she encountered within that seal, whatever she had done to get out of it alive – it had her completely disorientated.
Kakashi had just begun to work his way down her slender arm when she spoke again, somehow softer than before. "What is that thing?"
Ah. She found that bloody berry. Kakashi lifted his eyes to see her staring off at the Pomegranate, warily.
He worked his jaw, turning his attention back to her mild burns. "I have no idea. But something tells me that's not a simple Pomegranate."
"Looks are always deceiving with Orochimaru." She commented offhandedly, not taking her eyes off the fruit.
Kakashi hummed. With each passing second, Kakashi had been growing more certain that Orochimaru had less and less to do with this than they first anticipated. "Whatever it is, it's giving off a very strange signature. I don't think it would be wise to touch it directly."
"Wasn't planning on it. I think it would be a good idea to get somewhere more secure before asking any more questions about it."
If Kakashi was surprised by her sudden switch of gears, he didn't show it. Merely placed down her right palm, and then reached across her to pick up her left.
"Couldn't agree more." He acknowledged.
Sakura slowly tore her eyes from the dark red fruit as a question popped into her head.
"Ne, where are Naruto and Sasuke?" She felt guilty now for not asking earlier but well… Kakashi wasn't panicking and she trusted his judgement.
"They went to investigate some approaching chakra signatures a couple hours ago." Kakashi supplied evenly as he lightly dabbed her wrist.
Sakura studied his movements raptly as he worked. Her words came out as softly as his fingers on her skin. "Are they both alright?"
Grey eyes flickered up to meet hers. He didn't offer any false comforts, just the truth. "Pakkun's on it. He's going to chase them back our way."
The back of his fingers brushed over her arm in a light touch and Sakura found herself nodding along to his silent reassurance. Her boys are as strong as they are stubborn. They would be fine. They would all be fine.
She took a deep breath and revelled in the brief discomfort it gave. The pain focused her for what she was about to do.
"I guess we shouldn't keep them waiting then." She looked over at the Pomegranate again with sharp eyes. "First thing's first, we obviously can't take that thing with us, so for now we need to hide it."
Kakashi dabbed cream on the last of the burns on her shoulders. "Any ideas?" he asked, leaning back to grab the roll of bandages next from her kit, missing the sudden shrewdness gleaming in Sakura's tired eyes.
"Actually, yes."
Before Kakashi could lift his head, Sakura had swiped a thumb over her bleeding lip and flared her meagre chakra into the ground in a summons.
Kakashi sputtered with incredulity. "Sakura!"
His shout was eclipsed by another smaller, feminine voice as a tiny slug poofed into existence at her knees, barely the size of a thumb.
"Sakura-san! What's going on? Your chakra is dangerously low, you should not be attempting a summons in this state. Are you alright?" Tiny antenna swirled in fret.
Kakashi held his tongue, but just barely.
"I'm okay Katsuyu." Sakura lied. "I'm sorry, but I need a favour. Are you able to hide something for me?"
Sakura struggled slightly in Kakashi's lose grip and gestured towards the Pomegranate lying innocently next to paper and ash.
"That has a very strange signature indeed Sakura-san. What is it?" The Slug sounded equal parts reproving and curious.
"We don't know." Sakura admitted with a deep frown. "But we need to keep it somewhere safe until we can figure it out. Do you think it would be possible for you to take it back with you into your realm?"
Kakashi raised his brows and Katsuyu hesitated. "I would usually not allow such things Sakura-san, but I agree that this artefact cannot be left so unguarded, least of all with you in such a reckless state. I will keep it safe until you ask it of me."
Sakura visibly waivered in relief. "Thank you, Katsuyu. Just promise me that you won't give it to anyone else but me. Under no circumstances are you to retrieve it unless you are summoned specifically by me."
"Understood Sakura-san. If I may, I will report this to Lady Tsunade." At Sakura's grateful nod, Katsuyu turned her attention towards the fruit and cautiously placed herself beside it.
Then, the Slug's notice was upon him and Kakashi inexplicably felt nervous. "You, Hatake-san! Make sure you take care of Sakura-san, seeing as you are so able-bodied while she is under duress. Farewell."
"Katsuyu!" Sakura called aghast right as her summons disappeared, along with the Pomegranate.
"Why does everybody keep telling me that?" Kakashi said under his breath in the silence of the aftermath.
Kakashi suddenly felt movement and reflexively tightened his arms around Sakura as she fell sideways in an exhausted heap. He clutched her lightly to his chest, careful of her tender burns and tried to calm his raging heartbeat and burning frustration into a controlled conversation.
"Ow." Sakura cried feebly into his collarbones and suddenly Kakashi couldn't remember a time when this girl wasn't giving him a heart attack in recent days.
"Sa-ku-ra." He enunciated slowly through clenched teeth. "Would you care to explain why you thought performing a summons was a good idea whilst you're quite literally chakra exhausted?"
Kakashi felt her tense and struggle to pull away from him. And that just made his fury burn hotter. So, she knew it was a bad idea and yet she did it anyway! Without consulting him first.
"It was a good idea." She defended weakly, just managing to lift her head from his chest. She was panting slightly from the effort and a clear tremble had made itself known throughout her body. If she wasn't chakra exhausted before, she was now.
"It was stupid and reckless." He corrected her sharply, and Sakura winced. "And I have no doubt in my mind that you know better, Sakura."
He hardly ever had to reprimand her – not for many, many years now – and Kakashi wasn't so sure he liked the change in routine. Judging by the way Sakura wilted under his admonishment, neither did she.
Sakura scrunched her eyes as a wave of nausea overtook her. It was a reckless idea, but she didn't allow herself time to think it over. Part of her knew it was the only viable option in order to move both themselves and the Pomegranate, and another more anxious part of her needed to test a theory…
Her chakra – she couldn't feel it.
A pit of concern had been gnawing at her mind as soon as she regained consciousness. She remembered the of corrosion of her chakra channels, the burning of her core and of course the near complete exhaustion of her entire being. But, Sakura intrinsically knew she still had the smallest flickers reserves left, she just couldn't feel it like she used to.
She had to test to see if she could still mould and direct chakra; she had to know if her kunoichi career was over. It had hurt like hell; her network was obviously still raw and in parts unstable, but judging by the success of her summons, it wasn't destroyed. Just… something had changed. Like she was numb to her own chakra. Or perhaps couldn't recognise it?
If her perfect control wasn't as instinctive as it was, Sakura doubted she would've been able to correctly direct her chakra at all in this state. She could've given herself chakra poisoning…still could.
So yes, it was reckless and stupid and she would've given anyone else a fierce verbal lashing for it too. But she had to know.
Sakura mentally fortified herself in accepting the fact that for now, at least until she got home, using chakra was going to be a dangerous gamble in her state. She would need a skilled Hyuuga and Tsunade-Shishou to properly analyse and diagnose her network. And that was nothing to say that her condition wouldn't worsen the longer it was left untreated. In short, just because her kunoichi career wasn't over now, didn't mean it couldn't be over soon…
"I just had to know if I could." Sakura finally whispered to Kakashi. She swallowed back her theory and the fear it pumped her with, and blanketed herself with as much apathy as she could muster. She lifted her somnolent eyes to meet Kakashi's searching stare.
Kakashi tilted his head and paused in his movement as he gazed back at her, something painful in his expression. Then he dipped his chin. "I get it." He conceded quietly, pinning her with a firm look. "Just talk to me first before you do something reckless like that again, okay?"
Then his hands were moving again, and it took Sakura another moment to recognise that he was halfway done bandaging her right arm. Her jaw almost dropped.
How the hell do I keep zoning out to the point where I can't feel him touching me!?
"And it was good thinking, by the way." Kakashi continued over her tumbling thoughts, "With your Slug summons. Smart, if stupid."
Sakura blinked rapidly. "Yes well, best to separate the lock from the key so to speak." She said breathlessly, still wrapping her head around their reversal of roles.
"Wonder where you learnt your intelligence from." Kakashi's light voice sounded closer as he once more leaned over to collect her left hand.
"Tsunade-shishou, no question." Sakura answered without hesitation, a feeble smile growing on her lips when Kakashi lightly pinched her finger in retaliation.
He hummed, slow and long, prompting her to lift her arm for him to wrap. "Well you definitely picked up my sense of humour."
A huff mixed with a laugh and Sakura shook her head. She stopped when she felt her brain swell and ache with the movement. Resting her chin on her chest and closing her eyes, she quipped, "Oh, stop pouting."
"I don't pout. My mask perfectly hides all facial expressions."
He reclined back from her slightly and she turned her head to peek at him. "I don't need to see your face to know you're pouting, Kakashi."
He didn't refute her claim, only stroked a hand over her bandaged arm. She was still shivering from her overtaxed body and declining health. "Can you prop your legs up for me?"
Sakura's mind went blank. "Huh?"
"Well, I've finished with the top half and I don't know if you've noticed, but you are in fact a whole woman, Sakura." It was only with his emphatic gesture to her red marked legs that Sakura's brain caught on to his meaning.
She felt her pale cheeks warm slightly with the implication. "I – I can do it myself."
Kakashi didn't react. "Maybe so. But I'm going to do it for you."
"W-what? Why?"
"This is your punishment for being so reckless, Sakura." He said with a completely straight face before his eyes turned foreboding. "I'm going to turn you into a fucking mummy."
Pakkun stood rigid and still upon the scorched ground, his cold nose pointed to the air as delicate snowflakes fell around him, further dampening the trail. The air was overcome with scents. The smell of fire and burnt flesh, competed against the wet slush of ice; and smothering it all was an overpowering stench of rot.
A whine escaped his throat as Pakkun brought his nose down to hide briefly between his paws.
Something significant had happened here. From the devastation of the charred forest, he could just make out the whiff of Sasuke and Naruto through the chaos. But most alarmingly of all, was how their trail seemed to evaporate on the very spot. The spot of this undoubted explosion.
Another whine threatened to escape him, but Pakkun suppressed his canine instincts with learned discipline.
No. If whatever happened here had taken their lives, he would be able to smell it. They were still alive… just gone.
Pakkun let a dark frown cross his wrinkled fur.
He was Ninken, he was leader of his Pack and he wasn't going to disappoint his Alpha with failure. He had sensed Kakashi's distress when he first summoned him. His human needed his Pack back, and Pakkun wasn't going to return empty handed.
There was no going back, only forward. He was going to find those two Pups if it was the last thing he does.
Naruto hitched Sasuke a little higher on his back, and squinted through stinging eyes.
As if things couldn't get any worse, after they were unceremoniously dumped into a swamp, Naruto had to fight off the strange vegetation that had tried to strangle and swallow them whole, only to be rewarded with a torrential downfall of what he could only describe as warm sticky rain.
Whatever this dimension was, it sucked balls!
Naruto felt almost miniature in comparison to the tall winding trees and misshapen shrubbery that surrounded him. He couldn't tell if the near perpetual dimness of the realm was a result of the presumable rainclouds or the thickly interwoven canopy of monstrous trees.
Naruto dragged a hand across his eyes and spat out a mouthful of the sweet tasting rain. He wished Sakura-chan were here. She would know what to do; probably have a million different strategies and theories working from the top of her brain and a contingency for each one. She would tell him to absolutely not swallow any of the funky rain water.
He wished Kakashi were here just so he could complain to someone and know for a fact that he would commiserate with him. Maybe he would make fun of Kakashi for his soggy mask, and then Kakashi would boss him around just to make himself feel better. Kakashi would tell him to go find shelter and regroup – survival 101.
Naruto stopped in his muddy tracks at the sight of a small hallowed out trunk at the base of a large twisted tree. It couldn't hurt to try. Or maybe it could, but he needed to put down Sasuke before they both collapsed.
He trudged towards it, keeping wary eyes out for another carnivorous plant or ungodly sized insect trying to eat them alive. This dimension was like The Forest of Death on steroids. His team never had the best of luck in Training Ground 44…
Ducking his head under the twisted oak, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief at the makeshift shelter he found. It was just big enough for the two of them and would keep them dry, at least for tonight. With a hefty shrug, Naruto carefully lowered Sasuke to the rough ground, and frowned at what he saw.
Despite the rain, blood tracks were prominent from where they had trailed from his eyes. Raven hair was matted to his forehead and cheeks and Naruto could just make out the taut pull of his lips. Sasuke might be unconscious, but pain wasn't far off by the looks of it. Teme had really overdone it this time.
Naruto gracelessly fell back onto his rear and let out a deep sigh.
"Guess it's just you and me again, Kurama." Naruto said softly to the damp open air.
"Tch. You brats have the worst luck I've ever seen." Came the grumbled reply.
Naruto didn't disagree. They didn't have any provision with them; having left their packs in the cave with Kakashi and Sakura. With Sasuke passed out and all but chakra exhausted by the looks of it, there was no telling how long they would be stuck here either. And with little to no water or food… well it was certainly going to be an exercise in survival.
The best Naruto could manage right now was the meagre silver lining that at least they were alive and had each other.
Except that isn't even entirely true.
Team Seven got split up. They let themselves get played and allowed Sakura and Kakashi to be put in who knows what kind of danger with that manic freak hanging around. Naruto saw that light explosion – hell they probably saw it all the way back in the Leaf – a freaking beacon to their friends' vulnerability. And they just abandoned them…
Naruto curled his arms around his knees and bent his head. His breath came out in a despondent huff.
They had really fucked up this time.
"Chin up, Kit. It ain't over till it's over." Kurama's rough voice echoed through his mind.
Naruto didn't have the energy to reply to that.
Drifting a hand down beside Sasuke, he caught his teammates' wrist between his fingers and measured the steady heartbeat. Sakura-chan would've done something similar… She probably would do something much more remarkable and helpful, but it was all he could.
Dull blue eyes stared out through the small archway of scarred wood, watching for the next predator to claim them as prey; alert but just so tired.
Naruto focused on Sasuke's steady heartbeat. "It's going to be okay, Teme." He promised softly. "They're going to be okay."
Sakura was still grumbling to herself in embarrassment by the time Kakashi had collected the glow markers and sealed everyone else's discarded mission packs into his own. Shouldering his pack, he grabbed the last marker and ambled back to where Sakura had dragged herself over to the scorched remains of the Seal.
"Guess our plans to potentially re-seal the fruit are up in flames." Sakura commented bitterly with a slight curl of guilt.
"I'm not sorry." Kakashi remarked, coming to stand over her. "If I never have to look at that damn thing again, it'll be too soon."
Sakura tilted her head up at his dark tone. "What did the Seal ever do to you?" She joked with a pointed arm sweeping over her now bandaged-covered body.
"More than enough."
Sakura's smile slipped at the way his grey eyes turned charcoal. A shiver crept down her spine. But then Kakashi was crouched beside her and draping something over her shoulders. Her cloak, she realised.
"Think you can manage to move?" Kakashi asked as he fastened the clips. "We sent out quite the invitations with that light show before, and I'm not really the type to host a party." He paused. "I can carry you, if you'll let me?"
Sakura forced herself not to bit her lip in consideration. "Just, give me a minute."
Blindly searching her pouch, she easily located a non-descript canister and emptied a singular pill into her palm. She didn't hesitate in swallowing it whole.
"I'm not sure munching on solider pills while you're on the doorstep of extreme chakra exhaustion is a good idea, Sakura. I believe it was you who scolded me for doing similar things in the past." His disapproval was hard to miss.
Sakura took a deep breath, feeling the pill instantly take effect, then peeked a tentative green eye open at the frowning man. "It's alright, Sensei. In my state, it'll be about as affective as a glucose stick… I'll still likely pass out before the hour is out, but my system won't be able to process any more pills. I'm just trying to buy myself a little more time."
"Yeah, that's not even as remotely reassuring as I think you meant it."
"Sorry, but bedside manners aren't required for self-diagnosis." She grinned, despite the way her head began to pound and her stomach churned. Sakura made an effort to get up and could almost sigh at the way Kakashi's hands followed her movements worriedly. Always so melodramatic, her Sensei.
"Are you going to be okay to walk? I don't even think you should be standing right now."
"As long as it's not more than walking, yeah, I'll be okay. I've got some reserves left." She tested the stability of her legs. Sluggish, but still workable. If anything, the greater discomfort came from the pulling of her raw skin.
Sakura almost wanted to laugh at the way she probably looked right now. Kakashi wasn't kidding when he said he was going to turn her into a mummy. They ran out of bandages once he reached her stomach, and it was at that point that she demanded to take over; sending him to instead sort through her pack to find her 'emergency, emergency' supplies.
He came back with several clean rolls and forced her to compromise by letting him put some smaller facial band aids over her forehead and cheeks – as if she didn't look like enough of a walking bandage already… Sakura decided that she really didn't like being the one in need of medical attention. Not at all.
Kakashi eyed her critically, as she took a few working steps. He opened his arm out to her. "Let's not waste time then. The exit is this way. Shall we?"
Sakura stepped up to his side and looped an arm around his waist. Kakashi allowed himself to be used as a crutch, one hand bracing her shoulders to keep her upright, the other lighting the way as they travelled through the base at a slow and steady pace.
"What time do you think it is?" Sakura asked as they shuffled through the dark cave.
"Early evening, perhaps a little later. You were at it for hours."
Sakura grimaced. "Sorry it took so long. You must've been bored."
Kakashi could roll his eyes at her instinct to apologise for one of the greatest feats accomplished by a mere human in years. It was so like Sakura to expect more from herself than anyone else would dream to. Instead of pointing out that particular pitfall, he reached for old and trusted habits.
"Not at all, I had some reading to catch up on." Kakashi patted knowingly on his back pocket for emphasis.
The way Sakura screwed her nose up was predictable, but no less adorable than it had always been. "Ugh! Sensei, please don't tell me you were reading porn while I was hard at work."
"Okay, I won't tell you."
"You're impossible."
"I like to think of myself as consistent."
"A consistent pain in everyone's asses." She grumbled.
Kakashi held his light source a little higher and tutted. "Now now, Sakura, don't talk about other people's asses that way. It's impolite you know?"
The woman in question let out a brutal huff, accidentally bumping her face a little into the side of his chest. "Fine, but I can say for certain you're a pain in my ass."
Kakashi smiled. And what a nice ass it is. He abruptly went stiff at his unintentional train of thought. No! Stop! Do not think about Sakura's ass!
"What?"
And because Kakashi was an elite ninja and Hokage to a prestigious village, he did not startle. He remained cool and entirely nonchalant, despite his pink ears. "Hmm?"
"What are you thinking about that just made you go all stiff?"
He tried very hard not to cough, and cleared his throat, mustering all the life-saving instincts he could. "Oh, nothing in particular. Just the thought of having my ass handed to me by your scorned mentor and how many humiliating tasks I'll have to endure to make it up to her."
Sakura let out a breathless laugh, and Kakashi felt himself release with the soft sound.
"Don't worry, we can face that particular retribution together. I'm sure Shishou has more than enough for the both of us."
Something tender crossed his features, although no one would ever know it. "Together."
They remained silent throughout the rest of the trek to the exit; Sakura's exhausted state starting to take a heavier toll on her the longer they walked. At one point, she reached her hand up to grip his, where it rested at her shoulder, using it to balance her unsteady gait.
Kakashi pretended the way her fingers thread through his didn't spark a feeling of peace within him. He curled his fingers around hers all the same.
It wasn't until they felt the cool stagnant air and saw the darkened sky that Kakashi let his instincts go on high alert. Discreetly pocketing the glow marker, he made their first tentative steps out onto the open field.
Things were still. The kind of stillness that settled over a battlefield once a victor had been claimed. And yet, there was no sign of Sasuke and Naruto but for the upturned earth that Kakashi was beginning to navigate Sakura across.
Through the low moonlight, Kakashi could make out the remains of a blood bath… but no bodies.
Kakashi drew Sakura closer. Something was very wrong. Kakashi just had to make it to the tree line, find some form of cover and then regroup with a plan. They couldn't stay out in the open like this.
Kakashi tried not to let his elevated heartrate further distress Sakura. The way she was now, she was fluctuating in and out between bouts of alertness. For now, he just hoped it was dark enough for her to miss the stains of blood in the open field they were traversing.
Kakashi very clearly did not react when he guided Sakura to step over what was unmistakably the remnants of Sasuke and Naruto's cloaks. He buried his hovering concern down to be dealt with under safer circumstances. He could not afford clouded judgement while he was responsible for protecting Sakura. He had a promise to keep after all.
As they reached the forest's edge, Kakashi couldn't help but tense.
"Kakashi? What is it?" Sakura murmured, now painfully awake from where she had just been fading, her grip briefly tightening on his hand.
Kakashi clenched his jaw, but kept walking as though he had never sensed them. "We've got some company." He whispered casually to her hairline.
Sakura seemed to catch on to his intent, for she visibly relaxed her body and spoke softly. "With our luck I take it they're not friendly."
Kakashi let a tired smile cross his face at her dry commentary. "Oh, most definitely hostile. Stay close."
"Like I have a choice." There was unquestionably a pout in there.
He hummed, tilting his head innocently to the side as though yawning. "So much cheek from someone so droppable."
Sakura leaned her head on his shoulder in exaggeration, performing aptly for their hidden audience. "I'm just playing the part of damsel in distress to lure our visitors into a false sense of ability. You should be thanking me for making your job that much easier." She remarked playfully, despite her flaring fatigue.
"Thank you, damsel." He leaned closer, hiding his withdrawal of shuriken as he felt the three ninja close in behind them. Kakashi turned with Sakura under his arm to regard their visitors, absently noticing her slip her cold hand from his. He tried not to miss it - they both needed their hands.
"My, my, looks like we found a couple of mice scurrying about. And one's looking mighty hurt, poor little thing." A woman taunted, as she landing a few feet from them.
Her hair was a silky auburn tied in a loose braid, with ruby lips and golden eyes. Her tight dark clothing blended almost seamlessly into the environment, if not for the smooth pale skin of her stomach on display. The twin short swords she carried on her back spoke of deftness with a blade, as did her lean, tall frame. She was undeniably predatory.
Beside her landed two men; one a scrawny blond, and the other bulky and green-haired. If Kakashi had to guess, the woman was definitely the higher-classed nin, the other two barely chuunin if that, judging by their stance and limited chakra signal. Unfortunately, Kakashi could also hazard a reasonable guess that their presence was also likely very misleading as to their actual ability.
Things just kept getting better.
"I take it by the state your Pink little friend is in, she must've succeeded in breaking the Seal." The auburn woman ambled. "Quite the achievement, as by all accounts she should be dead. Not that I'm complaining."
Kakashi didn't quite like the appreciative leer the woman displayed upon Sakura, and unconsciously tucked her closer to his side. "Well, she is one of a kind." He cheered nonchalantly.
The woman flickered her golden eyes from a disturbingly still Sakura back to him. "Mmm, well I do like to collect rare and precious things. So in that case, I'll be taking her with me." The woman spoke with a distractingly pleasant lilt to her otherwise condemning words.
There was a brief stunned silence in the clearing as Kakashi and Sakura processed her bold statement.
"Well that's not at all creepy." Sakura mumbled tiredly at Kakashi's side.
"Maa, I'd have to agree. Apologies Kunoichi-san, but I don't make habits of letting my teammates be snatched up by creepy rouge-nin."
If a pointed cough came from Sakura at that, well, Kakashi was just going to blame it on the weather.
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice. What Milady wants, she gets." The skinny blond man chose that moment to speak up, withdrawing a handful of knives, as his heftier counterpart inched forward.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "Well to borrow a phrase from Shikamaru, this is quickly becoming a drag."
"Last chance. Hand the girl over, and we might let you leave with your life." The green-haired burly fellow decided it was his moment to shine with his uninspired threat.
"Well, you heard Shi and Toru. Your surrender is inevitable." The lone woman purred in apparent mockery, keeping her distance where the other two slowly advanced.
Eyeing the three warily, Kakashi brushed his masked lips against Sakura's ear in a whisper. "On my mark, find cover and stay hidden. You're in no condition to be anywhere near a firefight. Understood?"
"Kakashi, I'm not going to leave you – "
He briefly tightened his hold on her, his voice turning hard. "I said understood, Sakura." It was an order.
There was a fierce huff. "Understood." She quietly echoed.
No sooner had the words left her mouth did Kakashi spring into action, throwing his shuriken at the nin and barrelling down upon them in a burst of speed. Sakura swallowed a gasp as she tumbled out of Kakashi's arms at his gentle push on her back, giving her a running start to find cover in the trees.
Kakashi met the two men in a bout of taijutsu; assessing his opponents in the two-on-one battle. The skinny one – Shi, Kakashi decided – was undoubtedly fast, but what he lacked in strength, the burly man – Toru – made up tenfold. Where Shi worked to disorient in defence, Toru focused on hard hitting offence. They were an affect team, but Kakashi wasn't a shinobi veteran for nothing. Kakashi easily ducked under Shi's sweeping strike, and took Toru's legs out from under him as he tucked and swivelled. Toru landed hard, but as Kakashi continued his rotation to dislocate Shi's knees, the man vanished, only to reappear a distance away.
Kakashi flung a number of senbon at the retreating Shi and deftly rolled out of the way as Toru righted himself to slam his fists on the ground, sending a ripple of earth charging at him in Doton Release. It was in that moment that Shi, simultaneously let loose a surprisingly strong Fuuton blast.
Sakura watched in mild horror as Kakashi was trapped, unable to duck or leap from either attack. Perhaps it was her drowsiness taking over, but she audibly gasped when the woman let fly three perfectly aimed kunai directly at a trapped Kakashi. All three attacks landed as one, only to be imbedded unto a piece of wood, which splintered and exploded on impact.
Sakura all but collapsed in relief as Kakashi reappeared casually behind Toru to deliver a swift kick to his back, sending him flying in the opposite direction. Shi was quick though, using his speed to get around Kakashi and once more swipe at him with his collection of knives, forcing Kakashi back onto the defensive.
Logically, Sakura knew Kakashi was more than capable of handling the three nin with expert ease, but when the auburn woman unsheathed her one of her short swords and joined the frae, logic flew from Sakura's mind. Kakashi was fending himself with a measly two kunai against two blade-wielding ninja and a brute, and she could see him attempting to gain some distance without allowing too much space for them to come after her.
And when the woman attempted to peel off to direct a blow towards Sakura, Kakashi intercepted her; plucking Shi's flying shuriken from the air and redirecting them at the surprised auburn woman. A feral smile grew on ruby lips as a thin trail of blood bloomed across her pristine abdomen. And then she was charging back towards Kakashi.
Sakura grit her teeth, as she clung feebly to the bark of a tree. It was frustrating to watch, and damnit she still had some adrenaline left in her. She could still fight!
So, when she spied Toru attempting another earth jutsu in Kakashi's blind spot, well she didn't hesitate to leap into battle and deliver a swift uppercut to the slower ninja, knocking him back into the base of a tree and leaving a rather large indent from the impact.
Sakura landed gracelessly on her knees and stared after the sight. She didn't think she had used any chakra in that punch…
Kakashi seemed to take her unintentionally created distraction to kick back both opponents and send a fireball their way before landing beside a panting Sakura.
"What did I just say?" Kakashi all but exploded, hauling her upright by her upper arm, his eyes wild and frantic.
Sakura met his indignant shout with her own, although she couldn't quite seem to stand on solid footing. "You said 'understood'! As in you understand I'm not going to turn tail and leave you."
"Sakura." He growled, his grip tightening marginally.
"Don't even try to tell me you'd have done differently." She objected between pants, trying and failing to right her footing completely.
Fierce green eyes stared back into his own.
"Just let me handle this." He ordered in return, wary of the three ninja starting to regroup.
Kakashi had half the mind to acknowledge that this was exactly what Sasuke had done to her not three days ago. Suddenly, Kakashi felt the innate urge to find Sasuke and begrudgingly apologise. And then apologise to Sakura… after he lectured her for being so reckless. Again!
"If you're both through, we'll be taking our prize now." Shi quipped disdainfully, spinning a shuriken in rotation around his finger.
"You mean this?" Kakashi retorted casually, as he flung a handful of kunai at them, his left hand already busy forming signs for his next jutsu.
With a pop, a clone came into existence right as Kakashi leapt to the forefront of the group to meet the recovered Toru once more in a battle of taijutsu. Without hesitation, his clone plucked Sakura from the battlefield and escaped further into the foliage, ignoring her yelp of frustration.
"Well you are certainly the domineering type, aren't you?" The woman drawled, tipping her drawn sword towards Kakashi lazily as he took the brunt of the Toru's punch on his forearm rather than his ribs. His bones rattled with the forceful impact.
"Comes with the territory I'm afraid." Kakashi huffed out, suddenly grateful he had kept up on his weekly training sessions with Gai. These nin were unnervingly disproportionately skilled against their perceived chakra levels. And… well he hadn't had much of the chance to stretch his muscles lately in a proper fight.
"Toru, enough playing. Shi, get the girl."
Kakashi's heart jumped into this throat as the scrawny blond disappeared in a blur of movement. He barely turned his head to follow the man's exit, when Toru flickered out of sight, only to be replaced by the auburn-haired woman, both her swords drawn and advancing with a striking blow.
Kakashi tilted his head to avoid her first slash and leapt away from the reach of her second blade, hand-springing back to land in a crouch on the opposite end of the clearing. His hands were already halfway through the signs for a Suiton Release when he felt the woman behind him.
How - ?
His eyes widened, momentarily jarred as she caught him in a glancing blow in his distraction. He hissed through his teeth as he felt his blood get drawn in a deep gash across his side from her blade. Her pleased smirk didn't help his souring mood.
Kakashi swivelled and leaned up and into her space, ignoring the way her sword further deepened his wound and finished his Water Release. With a muted whoosh a wall of water was erected between them, propelling the woman back with the close and violent blast.
Kakashi took the slight reprieve and strained his ears for signs of Sakura, but was forced back into his own fight when the woman returned upon him again with a savage display of ruthless kenjutsu. He inwardly frowned at her swift recovery. That attack should've bought him at least bought him a couple more seconds. She hardly even looked as drenched as she should've been.
Yes, she was indeed skilful. Yet, despite her talent, Kakashi remained as fluid as the water he wielded in dodging her swift blade. And, ducking under her swings, he slipped between her and her weapons and brought his fist up in a clean uppercut to the woman's jaw.
His aim was perfect, it was impossible to miss from such a distance, and yet, his fist hit air.
Grey eyes widened as the woman appeared centimetres from where she was but seconds ago.
Her blade caught the light as she brought it downward in a decisive assault. Kakashi sidestepped the first sword and jammed his left heel on its tip as it hit the ground with the force of her swing, locking it there. Pivoting, Kakashi lifted his right arm just in time to catch her second knife-edge on the metal plating on the back of his fingerless gloves; rendering her momentarily defenceless. His left arm was only seconds behind his first, driving up a hastily drawn kunai, trained on her exposed stomach.
Once more, his hit landed. And once more he guttered thin air. The woman merely grinned.
"Having trouble, Handsome?"
Kakashi clenched his teeth, he was quickly tiring of this game and not having Sakura within his sights was frying his nerves immensely.
Regarding his spectator, Toru, standing poised and ready at the sidelines, Kakashi made up his mind. He had to end this and find Sakura. She was his priority.
Transferring his weight, Kakashi thrust off the tip of her blade and feigned kick at her chest. As she jumped back to avoid his hit, Kakashi brought his hands together and released his Hidden Mist Jutsu, immediately acting in the woman's momentary pause. Using his cover, Kakashi sprinted in the direction Shi had gone after Sakura.
It didn't take long for him to feel the woman on his tail, and cycling through what had become second nature to him, Kakashi let the familiar burn of lightning tickle his palm.
Before the light could even illuminate his position, Kakashi abruptly turned on his heel and levelled his Chidori straight at the stunned woman.
She had no time to dodge, just block, and Kakashi saw it in the whites of her eyes – the moment the steel of her crossed blades trembled as it bore the brunt of Kakashi's lightning attack. Shadows danced sardonically across the woman's face and Kakashi willed himself not to recognise the flicker of fear in her eyes.
Instead, Kakashi took grim satisfaction as she faltered against his power and succumbed to the strength of his technique, being sent flying back and slammed against a tree, rendering her unconscious.
His victory was short lived however, as his clone popped flooding him with memories of a harried chase between him, Sakura and the speedy blond. His clones' memories ended the moment he was hit with painful gale force wind, hidden knives imbedding themselves in his body in the attack.
Kakashi all but chocked in panic at Sakura's unknown subsequent fate at Shi's hands.
He barely had time to try and locate the direction she was in before he caught sight of Toru conjuring another wall of earth aimed straight for him. Kakashi grit his teeth darkly.
Let him try.
Kakashi easily substituted himself behind the slower man ready to end things, and was only slightly surprised when his lightning coated palm passed straight through thin air.
What was going on?
Kakashi twisted, barely skirting Toru who was suddenly charging at him from behind, a small veil of chakra visible around his raised fists. Kakashi steeled himself for a painful blow when unexpectedly, Toru was knocked clean out of the air by another flying body belonging to non-other than Shi. The pair landed in a brutal, tangled mess that Kakashi was sure they weren't going to be getting up from anytime soon.
Kakashi's bewildered stare lasted all of a second before he rounded behind him to spot Sakura, pale, sweaty and gasping against the side of a tree.
"There," she said in between deep heaving breaths, "all… done…"
Sakura's knees buckled and Kakashi was at her side immediately, grasping her shoulders and checking her over for new injuries, of which she was mercifully bare. "Sakura." Was all he could say, equal parts admonishing and just so damn relieved.
"A girl's gotta protect her Hokage." Her smile was strained but no less beautiful.
His breath caught, but he forced the air out. "If you really want to protect me, you'll let me keep you safe. If I bring you back to Naruto and Sasuke with so much as a scratch, I'll be chopped liver." He muttered through his battering heart, taking her weight off the tree and guiding her to lean against his side.
"Chopped liver? The great Copy Nin? Never."
Well, she seemed to have found her sense of humour in her adrenaline, much to his amused consternation.
"Let's not try and find out." He breathed, shaking his head at her.
"Kaka-sensei, your side…"
Kakashi gazed down to see her withdraw a bloodied palm from where she was pressed against him. She sounded so small in her exhaustion and concern, Kakashi tried not to let anger consume him at his own inability to keep her safe. And here she was worrying about him. Pathetic Hokage.
"Not here Sakura, I think it'd be best if we put some distance between us and here for now." He said sternly. He's lived through worse injuries anyway.
Kakashi eyed the figures of the unconscious nin warily. They were more well-equipped than he expected, and yet they went down far too easily. He supposed it was not unusual for missing-nin to be powerful yet sloppy, but something didn't sit right with these three.
Things ended far too neatly…
"Okay Sensei, lead the way." Sakura agreed breathily, her head lolling slightly with the struggle to keep it upright.
Kakashi's frown deepened.
With great effort, Sakura pushed herself slightly from his support, ignoring her screaming limbs and stumbled into a vaguely standing position. She caught Kakashi's critical eye watching her with outstretched hands, but shrugged him off. She made it all of two steps before utter exhaustion overtook her and her legs gave way from beneath her.
One moment she was falling, the next, she felt the presence of a hard back pressed against her chest, and arms encircling the backs of her knees as she was lifted off the ground.
"Up we go."
Kakashi's voice seemed far away, too far. Sakura almost would've fought the warm body that caught her, had it not been for the stock of spiky silver hair that tickled her nose and the familiar scent of pine and soap.
"Mm 'kashi…"
"Shh. Rest."
And that was an order Sakura simply couldn't ignore even if she wanted to. She was out before Kakashi could even take a step.
Three bodies lay haphazardly across the cold, beaten terrain.
Yukine paid no mind to the unconscious forms, letting his lavender and emerald robe lightly drag across the prone figures as he made his way towards the centre of the clearing.
The clouds which had once blanketed the sky had shared their load with the earth, layering it in sheets of snow. And now, the sky was clear and alight with the waxing moon; its dull shine filtered in through the lightly swaying awning of trees.
Tilting his head towards a singularly unremarkable tree, Yukine gazed impassively at its shadowy branches.
"That was premature of you, Ara." He called quietly.
There was a gentle shimmer as the terrain vibrated with a thin but resilient chakra. Slowly, the scene melted away to reveal the smallest but most significant of changes. Where three bodies once laid, only two remained.
"Well we can't all have your patience, Yuki." Ara revealed herself with a glisten, sitting contentedly in the arms of the tree. She lifted a delicate shoulder in a shrug, and flung her braid back with a flick of the head. "Besides it slowed them down didn't it?"
Yukine brought his hands together and hid them in the folds of his haori. "They would not have gone far, even without your intervention."
"It was worth it." Her grin was sharp.
"Worth alerting them to our presence and losing two of your men to injury?" He questioned with the barest hint of reproval.
Ara crossed her legs with a scoff. "Hansai can have them if he wants… You know I work best alone." Yukine could feel her lightheaded excitement in her pause. "She is a powerful little thing though, isn't she? And that wasn't even a shred of her usual power." Her laugh was tinged with genuine marvel and admiration.
Yukine cast his eyes from her, and looked over the murmuring forest, light catching off the occasional shard of ice or unmarred patch of snow. "So, you confirmed it then?"
He felt her sober. "Yes. It's as we hoped, she broke the Seal, and lived to tell the tale."
"And what of the Uchiha and Nine-tails?"
"Hansai is still off sulking about them 'running away from him' or whatever. Says his new best friend went and escaped into thin air… I think he took it personally." Ara sighed blithely.
Emerald eyes closed as Yukine considered the news. "An unforeseeable conclusion, although not an unpredictable headache. It is as we speculated; Hansai was impulsive to many a fault."
"Hardly surprising." Ara agreed, irritation colouring her. "It is a shame though that the Uchiha didn't stay with his wife like we estimated. But I can't say I'm all that disappointed to have the Rokudaime as a substitute. He adds a little spice to the plan."
Yukine nodded, breathing in the brisk air intermingled with the aftertaste of turned earth and lightning. "An agreeable supposition. Then we shall press while we have the advantage."
There was a shift in the air as Ara swung herself from her perch to land beside him. "How did your end go?"
Jade eyes slid open fractionally to regard the tall fiery woman. "The Seal was completely obliterated. Only ash remained." He conceded levelly. "It was… a tremendous display of power to have reduced it to such rubble."
"And?"
Yukine returned her stare with one of his own. "I could not determine a solid trail on the Pomegranate's signature. By all accounts, the Fruit did not leave the cave through conventional means. If they have it, they have concealed it well."
"Wow. That was the closest I've ever seen you get to a frown." Ara commented with a snicker.
Yukine could feel the visceral pleasure radiate off her and merely continued to gaze at her. Her smile only grew with his indifference.
"Tricky little darlings, aren't they? But don't worry your pretty little head over it, Yuki dear. I'm sure you'll figure it out. After all, you're Atsuhiko-sama's favourite aren't you?"
His eyes thinned at her veiled offence.
Ara revelled in his firm stare. "You wouldn't want to disappoint, I'm sure."
Her self-satisfaction rung clear through the stilled forest, and yet Yukine had the distinct misfortune of absorbing every ounce of it himself.
"Retrieve Hansai. We've wasted enough time as it is." He ordered curtly, watching as Ara grew only more gratified.
"Aye, Captain." Her sarcastic acceptance was whispered on the wind of her departure.
With her absence came calm and Yukine tilted his head once more to regard the lonesome moon, concealed partially by the forests' shadowy hand.
"Uchiha. You have brought this upon yourself."
A/N: Thank you to all those still reading, and those who leave a comment. I really appreciate it. :)
This chapter is definitely longer than previous ones and I'm sorry about that, I just couldn't split it! I hope it wasn't too much. But we'll be back to more manageable-sized chapters next time, promise.
But we did have a bit of KakaSaku action (for all those rooting for them). I kinda imagine that scene with them in the cave with Kakashi just bandaging her up as she zones in and out. And then when Sakura goes and pulls stunt after stunt, he can't help but want to smother her in his frustration. So, he does the next best thing, he turns her into a "fucking mummy".
I don't know, there was just something funny about that to me. And I had to include it haha.
ANYWAY to recap - Karin and Suigetsu! (a very minor romance subplot. I don't know where it came from, but it's here now I guess haha). Ara and Yukine get a teensy bit of action! Pakkun has been sent on a rather impossible mission to find our boys. Poor Naruto and Sasuke aren't having the best of times. And we got some Reckless-Sakura and Medic-Kakashi role reversal.
Hope you enjoyed it! 3