Scarlet Justice - ep. 54
"Sprinter"
[Sasuke Recovery Mission: Pursuit]

"Thanks, Naruto."

"Yep."

Naruto hands two headbands to Shikamaru. Shikamaru then hands them to me, and I chomp down once on the metal and the surrounding fabric to get their signatures down properly. After that, Shino takes Sasuke's headband and Lee holds on to Sakura's.

It's 1 pm at the Hidden Leaf main gates. The Sasuke Recovery Team is now officially assembled.

"Given what I remember of Sakura's combat data...they shouldn't be too far ahead, unless Sasuke's ditched her. But that's doubtful given how dependent they are on each other. There was a good reason they left at the same time, but I don't know exactly what it was," Kakashi says. He's gearing up to go on his own mission soon, and the same is true for Naruto; my friend is going to be travelling with Jiraiya to find the legendary medic, Tsunade.

"Yeah, Pervy Sage says it's gonna be an easier sell to bring her back as a medic," Naruto chirps. "Apparently she wasn't too hooked on the whole Hokage thing. But I can fix all that."

"You think so, huh?" Kakashi asks.

"Well, duh! Once the Number One Hyperactive Ninja gets a hold of ya, there's no escape! Hehehe!"

"Hopefully that holds true, for your sake." He sighs. "Well, I'm off. I wanted to say at the meeting that I should take point, but...Lili was right. The people of his generation should be the ones to talk some sense into him. I tried my best before you, and it didn't work out..."

"Kakashi-sensei, it's not your fault. Seriously, you did everything you could, Sasuke's just a stubborn ass!"

"Thanks for that, Naruto. And good luck to you kids."

"Yeah, same from me! Knock 'em de-...or, unconscious, I mean," Naruto says with a silly grin. "And come back in one piece, yeah? I mean it!"

"We'll be okay, and we will succeed," Hina says. "Count on us, Naruto."

"Thanks, Hinata. I trust you a thousand percent!"

She blushes, but still nods firmly to acknowledge him.

"They'll both be home before you know it," Shino says.

"Yes! With the power of youth, we can do anything!" Lee says.

"It'll be a real pain in the ass to see a knucklehead like you in despair," Shikmaru adds in, yawning. "More than that, I've got vengeance on the brain, too. It's all gonna be okay, and I'll stake my life on that. I can't show my face to the old man if this goes too far south."

"And you've got your own matters to take care of, right? Don't slack off while on the road, or I'll kick your ass when I get back," I tease.

"Heh, you can come and try! I'll have a badass new jutsu waiting, count on it!"

"Looking forward to it," I say as we bump fists.

"Oh! And I like the new outfit, it's hella cool!"

"Isn't it? Thanks. You take care, alright? We'll be back soon."

"Got it!" He gives me a quick salute before following Kakashi back into the village. Now it's just the five of us.

"Alright, we'll check supplies before we go and figure out our formation," Shikamaru says. "Hand everything you got here." We all hand him our equipment, and he does inventory on the spot.

Hina has decided to borrow from my old look for the mission, replacing her usual pants with grey cargo shorts and leggings underneath. Her sweater is opened up revealing a bright white shirt, and her headband is around her neck as always. The longer hair she's sported since the exams swings freely with her movements, and she has a pair of black fingerless gloves on her hands.

Shino has one subtle change, a new pair of sunglasses. I assume they have enhanced light filtration since we don't know exactly what we'll be running into this time around. Other than that, he looks very much himself. Lee is also dressed the same as always, in green spandex, though he seems to be filled with more vigor than I remembered.

Shikamaru is wearing his usual outfit, with his headband tied around his shoulder. It's topped by the standard issue flak jacket that comes with entry into the upper ranks of shinobi. I left mine at home and went with the current outfit for mostly aesthetic reasons.

"Interesting look, Boss," Shino says. I slip on my armband and rub at the metal with the Leaf symbol on it a bit, then put on my own pair of fingerless red gloves. They have small metal plates just below the knuckles - the same as Kakashi's. I asked him the other day where he got his from.

"It's very striking," Hina says with admiration. "I never truly noticed how fit you were, Lili."

"..." Lee gives me a curious look, but is otherwise quiet.

"I bet she's not wearing anything under the sweater," Shikamaru quips. He hands everyone back their tools before crouching lazily. "Not the type of person to understand restraint."

"Well, you're wrong this time. I could give you a peek, if you're so curious."

"We don't need any more distractions on the mission," he says while giving me a look. "Are you trying to lure the enemy with those clothes or something? Or were you flirting on the way here and forgot to change?"

"Well, pardon me," I say with mock indignation. "These clothes aren't just to look cute, they're built for freedom of movement, durability, and improved aerodynamics. To answer your question directly, I'm trying to pull in anyone that I might fancy. It could even be you."

"You're not into guys. I already know that much," he says bluntly.

"Yes, well. I don't have to be into you to torment you. You should know that much too," I shoot back.

"Tch. Let's cut the banter for now, at least. I need your expertise as our squad leader. Even if you're a wicked minx."

"Rude," I pout. "Do you have our formation down?"

"Yup, all set. We just have to figure out how we want to tackle this mission first. Your go, Chief."

I nod and pull out a blank scroll. "Let's get everything written down. You talk, I write."

"Okay. We'll start with this..."

I quickly notate the appropriate positions and data as relayed to me, then lay down the scroll for everyone to see afterwards. Our team memorizes the information, which includes battle power, abilities, team strengths and weakpoints to be considered. Shikamaru rolls up the scroll when we're done, and I place my hands on my hips as I address the group.

"Alright. It's now 1:30 pm. Here's how we're going to do things," I announce as I shift into work mode. "I have the final say in all matters. Shikamaru is going to be in charge of operations. Please speak to him first if you have any concerns. If there is something that he cannot immediately resolve, I will take over. Ultimately, every one of you here is my responsibility. Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno are our mission objectives. We are to escort them back to the Hidden Leaf as soon as we encounter them. Use any means at your disposal to have them return alive, including restraint and more violent actions - injury to their persons is permitted, even if it might be extreme. If you cannot do any of this, stall until another person can assist you in these matters. Sasuke is a highly skilled shinobi with the Uchiha bloodline limit, the Sharingan. Our current data on him is limited because of the variable of the Cursed Seal of Heaven. Do not engage him alone unless absolutely necessary...I will be taking measures as group leader to ensure that I fight him first. Shikamaru, do you have anything to add to that?"

"Nothing," he says.

"Understood. Please start your report."

"Based on the information provided to me by various sources, including our captain and Ino Yamanaka, we've determined that Sasuke and Sakura are not alone," Shikmaru starts. "If Sasuke means to approach one of Orochimaru's bases, he would more than likely have escorts. There's no way that he has knowledge of where to go, and even if he did, making that journey alone is suicidal. We're looking at a group of at least six, pretty large considering the circumstances. Thanks to the diplomatic work done by Lord Hokage, we have full authority to chase these guys all the way into Sound Country and beyond if need be. That means there's no immediate burden of a time limit. All of these guys escorting Sasuke are dangerous as well, since they also have their own curse marks. And since they're Orochimaru's elites, they'll have experience using those curses. They also seem to be proficient in barrier arts, and might use that to trap you. Keep your eyes open at all times."

"Next, we will detail our formation," I say. "Shikamaru, please outline each role."

"Got it. Hopefully you've memorized the info on the scroll; you can ask to see it whenever you want, and we can go over it together as needed. The basic thing you need to know is this. We have firepower coming out the ears, but we need to react to sudden attacks as quickly as possible. We're in a vulnerable position as the pursuers on this mission. Our numbers are also short of theirs, as you can see. As a result, I've chosen a single line formation to maximize our team efficiency. This is what we look like in order. Shino, you're the forward scout. I'm expecting traps all over the place as soon as we lock onto their trail, and your insects can trigger them remotely as soon as they're found, if needed. Your detection skills are strong, and you have the luxury of your clan's jutsu. You're also highly observant and can stay focused. Lastly, you can provide us a feint with your insect clones if we take an attack from the front, then smother them for a quick advantage if the attack is physical. Your synergy with Lili and Hinata is high, which also helps our team coordination immensely."

Shino nods in response. "Understood. I won't let you down."

"I'll be second in line as operations leader. I can relay commands to the forward scout and everyone behind me easily. My vision will be at a slightly wider angle than Shino's, focused at the front. I'll relay anything from behind to Shino, and anything from ahead to the people behind me with hand signals." He nods to me. "Third in line is our jounin leader, Lili. She has the fastest reaction time out of anyone here by far, and also the fastest jutsu outright with her Lightning Release techniques. Her tracking and sensing abilities are also extremely high, meaning she has the ideal 360 degree awareness. Putting her in the middle allows her to assist, defend, and attack whatever crosses our path. She'll be covering both the left and right sides while in the formation. As she said, she's responsible for us, so this is also the best way for her to ensure our well-being. And since Shino and Hinata are on either end of us, she'll be extra vigilant."

"Well said," I reply. A definite slacker, but he's absolutely brilliant. He's the perfect advisor for the next Hokage, whoever that might be. I might very well get roped into that nonsense...well, at the least it would mean that I could show Naruto the ropes properly before it's his turn. Hmm.

"Fourth is Lee. It's understood that your ninjutsu and genjutsu are...lacking, to say the least. But that's not a problem with us. Your main role is as our striker, or sweeper. Shino and I are set-up men, and Hinata deals mostly in taijutsu. Lili is the real all-rounder out of everyone here. With your speed and skill, you can land power attacks when necessary to assist us. You also have our absolute trump card: the Inner Gates. If we get into a pinch, we'll burn that card from our hand and have you go wild. Your last important role is as our dummy."

Lee frowns. "Shikamaru, I might not be a genius like you, but-"

"Oh, shut up," I say with a sigh. "He's talking about your role, your role. Being a dummy means that you stall in case of emergency. Your taijutsu is effective enough to keep people busy, and you have a high level of resilience. If it comes down to an undesirable scenario we will either escape and wait for you to catch up, or I will use the opportunity to eliminate the threat with Mobius. I hope that much is clear now."

"Ah, I see! Very well, I shall do my best!" Lee says with a smile.

I let out another frustrated breath. "Please continue, Shikamaru."

"Right. Last, but definitely not least...Hinata is our rear scout. This is probably the most difficult position, placed right on the group's tail. Your job is to cover our rear and check for any blind spots as we move forward. The main reason I assigned this role to you is because of your bloodline limit, the Byakugan. Hopefully I don't have to explain that in detail."

"It's not necessary, I completely understand. I accept this role," Hina says confidently.

"Cool. I guess that's all there is. We want to move quickly but cautiously."

"Might I make a suggestion?" I ask.

"Not a problem," Shikamaru says. "What is it, Chief?"

"I wonder if we could make a better time of it by trying to cut them off before they reach their destination. If we do make one or two mistakes, we will lose some time...but we do have permission to chase them all the way down to whatever base they're trying to hide in, as mentioned before. Do you think it would be prudent to attempt such a strategy?"

"It's a bold idea," he replies, hand cupping his chin. "But I'm more than willing to try anything once as things are now. They're in a group of six, and I think I have a good grasp of Sakura's limitations as a shinobi. If they mean to make proper traps, they'll also be slowed by the time needed to build them. Risky proposition...but we're working with a loaded hand here ourselves. Okay, let's do it."

I nod and produce a small card before tracing a seal on it with my finger. There's a map that appears on it, and it then pops up as a larger hologram that everyone else can see.

"We're still at the Hidden Leaf, which is here. Just at the edge of the forest," I say. "Sasuke and friends have had about two days' headstart...Sand is three days travel at normal speed, so using the proper calculations...mm. I would say they're halfway to the border by now if they're going to the Sound, and maybe a quarter way there if they're going to the Grass."

"Shino and I might be liabilities if you're trying to move as fast as possible," Shikmaru points out.

"Then we'll look for an efficient route that we can take breaks on. I'd rather not run at full speed the entire way myself. There's going to be fighting at the end of it."

"The Hidden Grass hideout is underground, according to Kabuto, so it might be a good place to conceal themselves," Shikamaru continues. "But getting there will take a little bit more time than usual. My thought is that they'll be so focused on getting to safety that they'll take the shorter route to the Hidden Sound after all. If we guess wrong, we lose time...not a massive setback in our pursuit, but we might end up having to fight through a ton of mooks if that's the case. They'll defnitely throw reinforcements at us the moment they can."

"And Sasuke might find a way to strengthen the curse mark in that time, if he truly is lusting for power," Shino adds.

"We should vigorously pursue them to the Hidden Sound!" Lee suggests. "And if we are mistaken, I will pull a cart with all of you on it back in the proper direction!"

Shikamaru sighs. "Lee, even if you do that..."

Shino folds his hands together, thinking. "Perhaps...Sasuke isn't as impulsive as we think. I believe that he might be heading to the Hidden Grass just to bide his time, then he will transfer over to another available base when things settle down. I can only assume there are safe houses set up by Kabuto and Orochimaru for extreme circumstances."

"Shino does make a good point," Hina says. "And the longer distance would give them more chances to erase their trail if they're taking their time."

This is good. Everyone is engaged and thinking about this properly.

"Heh...looks like you're the tiebreak, Chief," Shikamaru says with a smile.

"Shut up...you damn slacker," I say with a yawn. "I already know what I want to do. Is everyone ready and listening?"

I get a nod from my group.

"Good. We're going towards Sound Country. Sasuke might be the guest of honour, but as far as leading the team, that's not likely to be the case. Remember that he has no real idea of the situation or the best route to take. But he does have awareness of something that I should have caught earlier."

"And that is?" Lee asks.

"The village's mission load, and the plans to strike the Hidden Sound bases."

"Right...shit, I completely forgot. It's no wonder he took off when he did," Shikamaru says. "Kakashi-sensei out on missions, and the village short on manpower from now until the situation with Sound was resolved. It made our forces that much thinner."

"He didn't come up with that one. That was Sakura's doing. From Ino's memories, she seemed to be doing things to help force Sasuke's hand, so that she would able to stick close to him on his journey. Coordinating the breakout time must have been one of those things. Getting Ino involved was a mistake...she doesn't realize what happened to her friend. I'll be sure to let her know once we catch up," I say. "Getting to the Hidden Sound before anyone else is the most logical thing they can do. They'll have access to protection and resources, even if it's only for a little while." But that's trouble in and of itself. Hopefully Kobayashi Rice isn't wrapped up in this at all...I wonder about my father for the first time in a while.

"So we're going through the forest towards Sound Country," Shino confirms.

"I'm going to put a little twist on that, my friend. They're expecting us to chase them at full speed through the forest, but we're going to do something else entirely. Have a look at the map again. Do you see these roads?" I ask. "They have intersecting points. Travelling on these roads means that we're visible, but the main benefit is that they're all straightaways that we can dash along at speed. Shikamaru can pace the group as we move. We can disregard formation unless we have an encounter or until we enter the forests again."

"Checkpoints...okay, got 'em memorized." I nod and make a seal as Shikamaru finishes, the map disappearing and the card turning blank again. It goes back into my pouch.

"Are we ready?" I call out.

"Ready," everyone replies in unison.

"We follow the main path out, and take the first service road north. Lead on, Shikamaru."

The group accelerates down the main road, through the first part of forest and towards our destination. There's no chatter going on, so it seems like everyone is focused on the mission. I wonder what things will be like when we finally catch up.

Shikamaru cuts left through the trees and towards the first smooth road we see. He keeps an even, quick pace as our feet pound on the dusty trails, with everything seeming to be clear ahead of us. Eventually he accelerates and we all fall in line behind him.

The air has started to cool since this morning, making the wind feel cold as it streams by my face. There are relatively few civilians travelling, and I can guess that they've only picked up a glimpse of us as we stream past. After a few hours, we reach a small rest stop and pause for a break outside. There's a bench on the side of the nearby building and I take a seat, opening a bottle of milk and sipping on it. Hina has slices of grilled fish that she prepared at home, along with a few round buns. Shikamaru takes out a sandwich and Hina shares some of her food with Lee and Shino.

"Looks like we're making good time," Shikamaru says to me. He crouches in his usual manner, arms resting on his thighs.

"We should be. I don't think we're terribly far out...I've been stretching my technique out to an inadvisable distance, just to see what I might pick up. There's a very faint feeling that they're there."

"How far is that?"

"Hrm...they're at least fifty kilometers ahead by now."

"That much? Wonder what they've been doing the last two days...think we should cross back into the forest?" he asks.

"Not yet. I want to confirm their numbers before they can register our presence. It works out better if we surprise them."

"I get it. Well...I'm ready to get this show on the road again," he says as he stands up. "We're closing in."

I put my milk bottle into the proper bin, and Lee finishes up the rest of his food. Shino and Hina are already on standby. We confirm our route again, and Shikamaru leads us forward. With this, our second run, afternoon has already bled into evening. Evening turns into night as we continue to move, the stars shining brightly in the clear skies above our heads. I take a moment to admire them as the air grows colder around us. I can see my breaths as I run.

Shikamaru uses his impeccable navigation to guide us down the smaller branching roads that cut around the edges of the forest, giving us more cover while not sacrificing our advantage. Instead of being pressured into a situation where we would have to be on a constant lookout for traps, slowing us down, we've flipped things around with this little gamble. It's definitely paying off, as I can sense what seems to be Sakura in the upper bounds of my technique. I remember Asuma bullying Kurenai every so often by telling her to work smarter instead of harder. She would get annoyed and whine about how that didn't make sense when it came to paperwork. Thinking of her...we really need to have a girls' day out soon, just the two of us. It's been too long since we've properly talked, and I miss my favourite bullying target. She always appreciates the attention, even if she says otherwise...hehe.

Night marches on, and I light a fire as the group takes another break. Hina hands out snacks for us. It seems like she's considered everything, which is just like her.

"Let's have a proper rest, yes? From what I can tell, the group ahead has either slowed, or stopped moving. The night hours are a toss-up in regards to travel - sometimes it's best to forge ahead, other times it's better to stay put. But they will need to sleep eventually as well. Three hours, and I'll keep watch."

"Are you sure, Captain Kobayashi?" Lee asks. "I can stand guard for the night while you and the others rest!"

"Even youthful ones must close their eyes and rest once in a while. I said it before, you are my responsibility. That means you children need to do as you're told. It's time for bed, Lee," I instruct. "Please go to sleep."

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry."

"It's alright. I'll rest a while myself eventually."

He nods and leans back against one of the trees nearby. Soon everyone is drifting off except for me. I'm far from tired, and I have a few solider pills to perk me up if needed. But I want to take a power nap later on and rest my eyes a bit.

Sakura and Sasuke...they're devoted to each other. It's unhealthy, but they're just children. Just two kids trying to find their way through this world. Sasuke needed someone to help move forward, past the crippling despair he felt. And Sakura was always there for him, even as it meant stripping more and more of herself away. I should feel sorry for them.

But I don't.

What they've done...the pain they've caused through their selfish actions...that is unforgivable. Making my friends cry and hurt, fall into despair, begging to have their loved ones brought back...I can't forgive it. I won't forgive it. When they pay penance, it won't just be to me. It will be to those they hurt so callously, and to the village itself. My job isn't to make them see the light, it's to bring them back to the people who can do such a thing. Naruto's mysterious strength, and Ino's confident affection. Those are things that can change people properly. My job is to be violent. That's why I presented myself to those two as a great sword of justice. A power that when combined with strong leadership can cut through the bounds of time and space to change the world, and destiny itself.

The world will bear witness to my strength. And all will tremble before me.

"Hm."

I stare into the flame burning between the five of us, and smile. I know my path now. All I need is time to execute properly.

"Captain."

I perk up and glance at my timepiece. A few hours have passed in silence, and Lee is already up, saluting me. I nod and pull my hood over my head, zipping it up completely before I close my eyes and go to sleep.

My body wakes me from my formless sleep at the right time. I pull the zipper down and reveal my face again, breathing in the fresh dawn air.

"Exactly thirty minutes. I told you," Shino says.

"Wow...incredible," Lee comments.

"Is everyone feeling refreshed?" I ask.

"Yes, ma'am," I hear them all reply.

"Good. I have a gift for you. We're not far behind, but we're also getting close to the border. I would like to end this mission before then. I have provisions saved that will help with this." I pull out a small sack that's filled with small and round dark pills.

"Military Rations Pill," Shino notes. "Also called the soldier pill. These aren't easy to obtain in such amounts."

"Guessing you got a hook-up from the Akimichi Clan," Shikamaru says.

"Yes. They were most generous. I made sure to give them appropriate compensation, but that alone isn't enough. More is being done, as I have Luna ordering high quality steaks in bulk to be delivered shortly."

"At this rate, you're gonna have every major clan in the Leaf wrapped around your finger. Is this you campaigning for Hokage early?" Shikamaru jokes.

"It might be. After all, someone will have to lead the way. I'll complain loudly, but a few nominations would make me consider the job."

"Heh. That would have sounded terrifying about a year ago, but it's slightly more relaxing now."

"Hmph." I turn my nose up at him impishly. "Alright, everyone grab a good amount for later, and take one of them right now. The idea is to surge ahead on that excess energy and close the gap on our prey before they can react. We move in strict formation. Ready!"

"Ready!" the group calls back. Everyone swallows a pill each, and we take off in a single line through the forest. The enemy isn't moving as quickly as they should - it means that they either didn't rest, or took a later break than we did. Either way, it's great for us. We're well within ten kilometers now with this boost.

"Keep your energy steady, we just want to bleed off the excess and leave your normal reserves topped off," I instruct. "We're gaining ground fast."

"No traps in the area," Shino says.

I flick my tongue at the air. "I can smell them for sure now...seven people."

"They added an extra member along the way. Not ideal...we're outnumbered by too many now," Shikamaru says.

"Lili...I can't see him. Sasuke isn't in their formation."

"See him?" I ask Hina. "What do you mean?"

"Sasuke...isn't there. I can see Sakura, and the other members...but there's a large container of some sort that is blocked from my vision."

"Does that mean Sasuke is dead?" Lee asks.

"No. That would make their trip completely pointless," Shikamaru points out. "If they wanted to kill him, the Leaf would be the best place to cause chaos and make an impact. And dragging a corpse all the way to Sound in this kind of elaborate scheme...not to mention that Sakura would want no parts of it. She'd end up like Ino after trying to stop them. I just have no clue what they could be plotting with Sasuke in some kind of container. And it's one that blocks out the Byakugan, too..."

"There's a clearing some distance ahead of us...it's a grassy field, and I think beyond that is the border to Sound Country," Hina says. "We can cut them off if we speed up a little bit...I can't see anyone around us in any direction, but I'll continue to keep watch."

"The report is the same for me," I say. "We're looking at a six on five at the very least if we move ahead and engage. How well we do will depend on the enemy's battle strength."

"We need to make a play soon. There's no telling if they have sensor types on their side," Shikamaru says. "We're going to have to break formation once we figure out what's happening. Chief, your move."

"Last thing we want them to do is coordinate with their barrier arts. Only one good option...isolate and pick them off. One man, one kill. We still have some time, and they think they're getting away as long as they keep moving. That's not happening. Everyone, huddle in."

I turn over the data in my head quickly, over and over and over. These are my comrades...I don't want to make a mistake and send any one of them to their deaths. The risks were agreed upon, but that doesn't give me the right to relax, or to stop worrying. Everything...is in my hands. That's what it means to be a leader.

We fly through the trees, my four teammates forming a circle around me. A lot of important things, but little time. Let's begin.