Kotori sat with on knee pulled up to her chin as she starred at the shoji board in front of her. Ensui sat across from her, equally lost in thought.
"You'll need to cool it," Ensui told her. "He's suspicious."
"Of you?"
"No."
Kotori nodded. She had been careful with what intel Ensui gave her, not wanting to rely too heavily on it and risk exposing him.
Kotori and Ken's work in security had exposed multiple sleeper agents within various departments and the clans. There were dozens in ANBU who moonlighted as part of its regular force. Over the years, their team had begun slowly eroding Root. Those that they thought they could sway from Root had been left alone. Once Danzo was eliminated, they could work to rehabilitate them into the regular forces. For those who posed too big of a threat, Hinoki would routinely assign suicide missions, knowing that the chances of them returning were slim to none. Occasionally, she would have Kotori, Ken or Mamoru eliminate one. It was a project that slowly simmered in the background of everything else they needed to do.
Of course, that pot had finally started to boil over the last few months. Ever since Danzo had assigned Sai to Team Kakashi, Root seemed more active. They all worried that Danzo was going to use Akatsuki to somehow further his own ambitions. Yamato was keeping an eye on Sai, convinced that he was one of the ones who could be saved.
It was what prompted Kotori to softly inquire about the boy to her former teacher.
"Yamato would know better than I," Ensui admitted. "The kids in that program who came after my time were raised to shed their humanity. They have lived in isolation their entire lives. While the older generation still had outside connections and may be swayed, this new generation - they truly are his legacy."
It was true. Most of the senior members of Root still had identities and lives that tied them to the village. And there were still some who filled the ranks that were originally from Konoha clans - agents like Aburame Torune or Yamanaka Fu. However, there had been a shift over time. Those who were her age or younger were usually missing or nonexistent persons. Most of them didn't exist even on paper in Konoha. Agents like Sai or Yamato who had no past outside the organization and had grown up within it.
Kotori couldn't help but feel a burning indignation when she recognized another pattern - there were dozens of agents had been children who had disappeared and been presumed dead after the nine tails attack. Most of them orphans who had lost their families that very night. She had never asked Ensui before, fearful of the truth. But Kotori wondered if she had been targeted too and that Ensui had intervened.
"Did he ever - " The door slid open and Rika stepped onto the veranda, causing them to quickly cease their current line of conversation. "Locate the thing that I mentioned?"
"Ibiki dug it up and examined it," Ensui said, following her lead. His eyes remained on the game as if they weren't discussing anything of much importance. "Then, uh, buried it. Said that's the best place for it."
"Isn't that a security risk?" Kotori asked. She had initially told Ensui where to locate Hidan as she didn't think the Nara actually wanted him buried on their lands. And it was too good an opporunity to have captured a member of the Akatsuki for interrogation. Although, from what she had heard, the sick bastard had enjoyed his time in T&I. He had even taunted Ibiki that Konoha should rename it R&R for Rest and Relaxation.
Ensui shrugged.
"What was buried?" Rika curiously asked.
"Oh, your cousin buried an immortal head in the backyard," he innocently responded.
Kotori tried not to laugh. When he said it like that, well, even she had a hard time believing him.
Rika rolled her eyes. "Very funny, Dad."
Kotori moved her final shoji piece into position. "Looks like we're done here."
"That's not - but if I, but then you would - " He mumbled as his eyes scanned the board, carefully mapping out every counter move. Ensui slouched after realizing that she had, indeed, won the game. "I supposed it was only a matter of time before you surpassed me."
"I wouldn't go that far." Kotori said, awkwardly scratching underneath her eye.
Kosuke interrupted them, inviting Kotori to stay for dinner as she always did. Kotori's focus shifted as Rika and Akiko both fought to hold her attention. Akiko had just started at the civilian academy and seemed to be following in her mother's footsteps, her current aspiration to work at the Nara Medical Research Centre. Meanwhile Rika would be eleven soon and still had a year and a half left at the academy before she made genin. While Rika seemed to inherit the famed Nara intellect, unlike her cousin, she wasn't content to nap when the academy failed to keep her engaged. Instead, Rika had started experimenting with explosives when she was bored of classwork. Rika had failed to keep the pride out of her voice as she explained about the internship she was forced to do as a result.
It wasn't until Kotori was getting ready to leave, promising that she would visit again soon, that Rika pulled her aside.
"Tori-neechan, are you free Sunday?"
"Yeah."
Rika stuck her hands in her pockets, rocking back on her heels as she attempted to give off the causal nonchalance that most of her clansmen mastered. She was unsuccessful as always, her eyes too bright and eager. Her body practically vibrating with excitement. Kotori knew the question was coming before it was even asked.
Her words tumbled out in a rush. "I've been practicing with the bow and arrow, just like you showed me. I was wondering, if you had time?"
Rika occasionally joined Kotori for morning training. Since she had class Monday to Friday and then clan training with her father or Yoshino twice a week after school and then on Saturday mornings, it wasn't often that her schedule lined up with Kotori's, who wasn't on any sort of consistent Monday to Friday rotation. However it was enough for Kotori to give more instruction on how to master the bow and arrow whenever she had the rare Sunday off.
"Of course." Kotori's insides warmed at the way Rika's face lit up with excitement. "Sunday after breakfast, meet me at my place."
Rika was at her door the next morning before Kotori was even finished breakfast. She had Kotori's old bow and quiver full of arrows slung over her shoulder. Kotori smiled, noticing the pattern of songbirds that had been embossed in the leather quiver. Another relic from her genin years that she must have left at Ensui's.
"Hello, Rika-chan," Kakashi greeted.
Rika's flat expression showed exactly what she thought of Kakashi intruding on their time together. It wasn't that Rika disliked him - she was probably indifferent to Kakashi at best - it was more that she hated sharing Kotori's attention with anyone. Even the famed Copy Ninja. Kotori tried to hide a snicker.
"Hello, Kakashi-san," she dryly responded. With much more energy she spun on Kotori. "Come on Tori-neechan, let's go!"
Kotori had reserved a training field that she had frequented as a young girl. It was filled with dozens of targets, colour coded to difficulty. She carefully scrutinized Rika's form as she pulled back and released arrow after arrow. When Rika was able to hit all of the stationary, and then moving, targets to her satisfaction, she decided it was time to show Rika something new.
"Come here, I have something new to show you. Bows are difficult to transport, so my family had a special technique."
"Lightning Arrow, right?" Rika excitedly asked.
"Not yet. That one is just mine. But this jutsu is the next step in being able to learn it. It's called Shooting Arrow."
"And then I can learn Lightning Arrow?"
Kotori smiled. "Yes, and no. Lightning Arrow is when I applied a change in chakra nature to Shooting Arrow. I've always had a strong affinity for lightning chakra and was able to learn it after mastering wind nature. But I have something different in mind - a way for you to make it your own. You've been practicing your fire nature with your dad, haven't you?"
Rika's eyes widened in understanding. "So I would apply my fire style - that would make it Flaming Arrow?"
"Whatever you want to call it. But yes, that's the idea."
Kotori patiently guided Rika through the steps of Shooting Arrow. This would give Rika something new to focus her attention on. Shooting Arrow needed precise chakra control to mold chakra into the shape of an arrow, never mind being able to hold it or aim it. It had taken Kotori years of training to be able to master it and then be able to control it enough to apply a change of chakra nature.
"Tori-neechan?" Rika started, sounding uncharacteristically shy. "Thank you for sharing your family's special technique with me."
"Oh, no problem."
"Really," Rika stressed, as if trying to convey how much it meant to her without knowing how to explain it. "I know your family died and that your family's techniques are very precious to you and you don't just show them to anyone."
Which was mostly true. Shooting Arrow wasn't a secret clan technique the way that her chakra birds were. Just rather something most Sorano learned along with various wind techniques as it was beneficial to have long range jutsu while riding on top of a ninja hawk. But shinobi were often stingy about teaching their techniques to others and clans had a tendency to keep them to themselves. Even jonin sensei weren't expected to teach their signature moves to their students. While Kakashi had taught chidori to Sasuke and Gai taught Lee how to open the gates, it certainly wasn't the norm. Kotori had taught her students more than most - finding and teaching them jutsu that complimented their individual fighting styles. Not to mention that she had shown Naruto a great deal of wind techniques that she had learned from her uncle and brothers.
"I have others who are precious to me now," Kotori said, cupping Rika's cheeks. "And it makes me happy to have someone like you to share them with. So you can have them - and my bow, and my quiver, and my gloves, and any of my old clothes that you've pilfered over the years."
Rika scratched the back of her head, grinning sheepishly up at her. Kotori wondered if Rika thought that she hadn't noticed. It was a little obvious. Especially anything that had clouds or songbird motifs. Kotori was privately amused and a little touched, it was like having an adorable little sister who borrowed her clothes.
And that's when it hit her. That there was something else she had been holding onto.
"What?"
Kotori smiled, shaking her head. "You'll have to show me how much you've improved next time, okay?"
"Deal."
xXx
Kotori stretched her legs, happy to have the breeze in her hair as she leapt tree to tree. It felt good to be racing through the forest after being in the confides of the village for so long. Her trip was hardly out of the village - barely a half day's journey by foot. One of their outposts had reported that someone had dismantled the chakra bird network she had set up for monitoring so she was going to check on it.
Chika dee dee dee
Kotori slowed her pace, realizing that she was no longer alone. She closed her eyes, using her chakra birds to scan the forest around her. They were all dressed in the regulation ANBU uniform, the same as her. Only, their posture was a little too tense, a little too ready for a fight. One's hands twitched towards the tanto sheathed on their belt. Another adjusted their stance, ready to rush in at a moment's notice.
So this was an ambush then.
Kotori cheerfully singsonged, "You're going to need a lot more than four to take me."
Her chakra birds noticed a second Root squad lying in wait. Her lips quirked upwards behind her mask. So Danzo hadn't entirely underestimated her.
Kotori grabbed a pair of kunai from her pouch, twirling them in hand as she used them to defend herself in close quarters. It was the first time she had actually fought against Root and they were far more skilled than she could have ever anticipated. She supposed that was to be expected. If Danzo was going to have an elite personal Black Ops and blatantly oppose the Hokage, then they better be elite. The four of them worked flawlessly in tandem. It was all Kotori could do to keep up and defend herself against them. She couldn't even spare a second to use her chakra birds to alert a nearby ANBU team, needing to keep her wits about her.
Kotori steadied her breathing, deciding to change tactics and go on the offensive. In a burst of movement, faster than any of the Root agents could process, she flashed through her hand seals. "Four Guardian Winds Barrier Jutsu!"
She could feel the rustle as winds from the four cardinal directions wrapped around her, forming a strong, protective barrier. She then released her jutsu, sending the Root agents flying back as she scattered the four winds. Kotori wasn't done as she once again flashed through her hand seals, this time pulling back as if notching an arrow. Her Lightning Arrow crackled in hand as she aimed it towards the sky. She released it, letting it rip through the air and explode above her, notifying any nearby ANBU patrols to a fight in the area.
She pivoted on her left leg, drawing her right arm back once more as she launched a barrage of Lightning Arrows towards the Root agents.
One.
She shot one straight through the heart, killing them instantly.
Two.
The next person had launched into the air above her, she shot them through the neck.
Three.
She pierced another through the leg, slowing them down enough to send a second arrow through their head.
Four.
Her arrow was deflected from a tanto, ricocheting off into the distance. This fourth ANBU rushed towards her with their sword. Kotori backflipped out of the way, grabbing her kunai from her pouch and bringing it up just in time to block a fatal blow. Her right arm trembled as the Root shinobi tried to bring it down on her. She could feel the edge of her own blade dig into her hand, blood dripping down the sides.
That was when she felt an arrow pierce her side from one of the Root members still hidden in the forest.
She winced, but held her position, assured that they hadn't hit anything fatal. "Can't even hit a vital spot?"
However none of them responded to her mocking jab. Kotori felt a chill run down her spine at the eerie silence. She had never fought such a silent and deadly enemy before. Most couldn't help but banter back. There were a lot of arrogant shinobi who usually had something to say while losing to a kuniochi half their size. Bringing her left hand towards her face, she made a one-handed bird seal and reabsorbed all of her nearby chakra birds. With the sudden burst of chakra she was able to push upwards, deflecting the sword with her kunai and knocking it away. She dodged a second arrow that had been aimed - this time at her heart.
Kotori was panting from exertion, eying the remaining five Root agents that had her surrounded. The ground rumbled beneath her feet and a wall of earth rose, suddenly separating her from the enemy. But rather than the decorative bulldogs that lined Kakashi's Mud Wall, this one had two stags, their antlers interlocked in battle.
"Hey Kotori-sensei," Ryoku casually greeted as he emerged from the trees. "Noticed your distress signal."
Kotori briefly wondered how she would explain to her students why she was fighting against Konoha's own ANBU. But fortunately for her, her students trusted her implicitly and didn't ask for an explanation. She could see the feral spark in Mimi's pink eyes as she rushed forward and vaulted over the wall. In a breath-taking acrobatic display of flips and kicks, she knocked out three shinobi before they even knew what was coming. Kouta joined her, using his own tanto against the other swordsmen. Kotori kept a sharp eye on the fight, wanting to join in, however relented when Ryoku forced her to sit down so that he could attend to her wounds.
"But - "
"They have things under control," he firmly said.
"I'm just going to - " Kotori tried to glance around him, but Ryoku blocked her view.
"You have an arrow embedded in your side, you're not going to anything."
Since Mimi didn't have the patience - or chakra control - for medical ninjutsu, Ryoku had learned the basics from his mom and functioned as their team's field medic. He removed the arrow from her injured side, treating the wound and using a stitching jutsu until she could get back to the hospital.
"Captain, what do you want us to do with the survivors?" Kouta asked.
"Seal them," she gave the order. "And take them back to Inoichi. No one else can know about this."
"Understood."
She smiled softly behind her mask, feeling a warm fuzziness as she watched her former students work together. They had come a long way since they had been genin. All of them stronger and more self-assured on missions. Kouta was now a jonin. The first from his academy cohort. She suspected it wouldn't be long until he was promoted to ANBU Captain himself and knew the other two would want to stay with him. The three of them made a natural track and capture team - Mimi had made a name for herself as one of ANBU's best and fastest trackers. Meanwhile Kouta and Ryoku worked well together, as countless Nara-Yamanaka partnerships before them. They were a well balanced team, between Mimi's taijutsu, Ryoku's ninjutsu and Kouta's kenjutsu.
She supposed that was the natural order of things. Her students no longer needed her and would one day surpass her - if they hadn't already.
Kotori blinked as the fuzziness clouded her vision. She gingerly touched her injured side and was shocked when she pulled her hand away, noticing that it was coated in fresh blood.
xXx
Kakashi looped his arm around Yamato's, helping him to the hospital. He took the back entrance, the one reserved for ANBU, thinking it was best to keep this under wraps. It wouldn't look good for him and Yamato to have been attacked while in village. Especially when they seemed to be connected to Danzo. Kakashi guided Yamato to the ANBU emergency room. The entire hallway was empty and even the receptionist desk was abandoned. It was eerily silent. Kakashi couldn't help but feel that something was off.
He found Sanada Eiji in the back, standing over a patient while speaking in hushed tones to Sarutobi Daisen. There was a growing pool of blood at their feet and a dark blanket over the patient. Kakashi recognized the brown braided hair.
Hinoki.
Kakashi wanted to shout at them, he wanted to demand to know why they weren't helping her. But Kakashi already knew the answer to that. He had seen one too many shinobi covered up to know what it meant.
It was too late.
"What happened?" He instead rasped.
"She was attacked in the Sarutobi compound," Daisen explained. "She wouldn't stop bleeding."
"Her body rejected all of our standard treatments," Eiji continued. "I believe there was poison on the blade. Unfortunately, by the time I realized - she was already gone."
"Does Tsunade-sama know?"
"I'll make a report."
Kakashi coldly snapped at the two shinobi. "Her Head of Internal Affairs was attacked inside the village and died on your operating table. She should have already been notified. She should already be here. And Masato, your nephew, - that's his wife - has anyone sent for him?"
He knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was Danzo's doing. Right down to the medical negligence that had ultimately killed Hinoki. His eyes flickered to Yamato. Fortunately, the healing properties of the Hashirama cells seemed to be fighting off the poison. His wounds were healing, if slower than usual.
Before Eiji or Daisen could respond, another pair of ANBU medics burst into the emergency room with a gurney. Kakashi recognized Hayashi Mamoru, otherwise known as Captain Lion. One of the oldest and toughest ANBU captains. He was bleeding heavily from wounds that wouldn't normally be fatal.
"Sanada-sensei, what do we do?" One of the medics asked the veteran doctor. "He's losing too much blood!"
Kakashi opened the sharingan so that he could capture and describe in detail how Eiji sabotaged Mamoru once Tsunade arrived. He quickly sent a shadow clone to fetch Tsunade and Shizune. The doctor tried to pull a privacy curtain around the team of medics, himself and the patient, but Kakashi quickly grabbed it and stopped him.
Satoshi appeared next, half carrying and half dragging Tachibana Ken into the room, who was also bleeding profusely. "He was attacked coming back from a mission. Cat and I found him near the village gates."
Yamato said the words that Kakashi had been thinking. "This was a coordinated attack."
Kakashi felt a cold sense of dread the moment he caught Yamato's eye. Kakashi didn't have to be told what group of ANBU captains had been targeted.
Kotori.
Kakashi spun on his heel to go search the village for her, but the door burst open a third time. An ANBU with an otter mask and long strawberry blond hair tied back in a ponytail came in, carrying a smaller female ANBU captain on his back. Her white cloak was stained red with blood.
Kakashi took a step back, feeling the floor give out from under him. No.
"She wouldn't stop bleeding - " the ANBU with the ram mask said. "I - I couldn't close the wound. I had to use shadow stitching to keep her from bleeding out on the way here, the regular stitching jutsu wouldn't hold. And then even shallow wounds started - I think she's been poisoned."
Eiji moved towards her, but Kakashi quickly stepped in front of his path. He could hear the low growl coming from the Inuzuka girl in the pink hound mask. Clearly she smelt some intention she didn't like from Eiji.
"She needs help," the doctor told him.
"She's better off in the hands of a field medic than you."
Before Eiji could touch her, Tsunade stormed into the emergency room. Tsunade seemed to pause momentarily in shock, surveying the chaos before her. Kakashi wondered if Danzo had chosen this particular poison to trigger Tsunade's hemophobia. Reminding her of her failure to save Dan as he bled out in her arms. It was no secret that Tsunade cared deeply about every single shinobi under her command. She took any of their deaths hard, although she would never publicly show were angry tears in her eyes as she regarded Hinoki's body.
"Sakura, collect a blood sample! I need an antidote immediately," Tsunade instructed. "Shizune, see to Captain Lion. I'll take over Captain Hawk's care. Bear, are you okay with Captain Badger?"
Everyone moved at once.
"Sanada! Sarutobi! My office, I'll deal with you once I'm done!" Tsunade yelled at them. "Anyone who is not a patient or treating a patient, get out!"