Chapter 16: It Pours
Konoha Forest
Sasuke woke up feeling a sharp pain in his neck. He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to get rid of the soreness even as he sat up in his bed. Sasuke frowned when his other hand landed on the bed to push him up. It felt unusually hard to him this morning.
He curled his fingers, feeling something gathering around them. He turned over, laying his head on something that wasn't his pillow. He must have turned in his sleep. He looked at his hand to see what the odd substance was. He blinked, then rubbed his eyes with his free hand thinking that his sleepy mind was playing tricks on him.
He looked at his hand again and saw a ball of dirt and grass. He looked around, seeing that he was outside in a forest. Again, Sasuke blinked, so either Shishu had pulled another of his pranks, probably got help from Naruto. In that case, there was hell to raise. It was too early in the morning to be dealing with their shit.
Or he chose to sleep out in the forest for whatever reason. Maybe he had trained so hard last time that he simply collapsed from exhaustion and didn't wake until this morning. Not the first time it's happened.
He sat up and did the only thing he could at the moment. Recall everything that might have led him here. He woke up yesterday morning and ate breakfast with his family. Still an awkward affair, but things were getting better. Then he met up with his friends and went to the academy. After, he and a few others came to the forest clearing and met up with Yakumo. After that.
Sasuke frowned as he could recall what happened after that. He could remember talking to the girl and getting into a sparring match with Naruto. But after that, everything turned blurry. For some reason, he felt a sense of growing dread.
Sasuke took a deep breath, remembering what his brother taught him to do in situations like this. He exhaled and played the moment over again in his mind. He did repeatedly. He repeated the process until the fog over his mind began to clear.
Sasuke was confused. The events that were playing out didn't make sense. One moment he and the others were talking to Yakumo. Something about a secret her clan had. Then the next, they were running. Running from something, fear overtakes them and forces them to move with every step. He recognized that fear. It was the same one he felt when…
The memory shifted again a shadow descended on them. It shifted between each of his friends, each one falling to the ground as it moved. Then it came to him. There was a glint of light. And that was everything snapped into focus.
Sasuke gasped as his hand flew to his neck. They had been attacked. A group of men, Shinobi. But not Shinobi of Konoha. He remembered running even as Kurenai fought them off. He remembers holding tightly to Yakumo's hand, dragging her along with them as they tried to make their escape.
But one of the attackers caught up with them, and he. Sasuke's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, and he threw his hand to his mouth to hold back the bile. He ignored the taste of dirt and grass that mixed in. That glint he saw; had come from a sword. A sword that had come down on him and separated his head from his shoulders. He and his friends were dead. They dead. Dead.
Sasuke felt the world around him twist and spin. His breathing became erratic even as the bile and some dirt went back down his throat. But threaten to return.
Sasuke forced himself to breathe evenly. "Alright, Sasuke, just calm down. Take a deep breath." He told himself and did as he was told. "Exhale slowly." He breathed out. "Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out." Slowly he felt his senses return to him. He still felt like the world was about to come crashing down on him.
"Just remember what Itachi taught you. Keep breathing and analyze the situation a piece at a time." First up, determine if he was dead or not. His hand was still wrapped around his throat. A throat that still had a head attached to it. Just to be sure, he slowly moved his hand up, and never more relief to he feel his chin. Then his mouth and cheeks.
That was good. Very good. It meant he still had a head on his shoulders, literally. That meant he was still alive. Oh, Kami! He hoped he was still alive and hadn't woken up in the afterlife. No, he wasn't going to think like that. Just for the moment, he was going to assume that he was still alive.
Okay, with that out of the way, Sasuke felt a lot calmer. He got to his feet, even though his legs felt wobbly. They hadn't gotten the memo that they were still in the realm of the living. Next, he had to determine if his friends were still alive.
He looked around the area to see the prone bodies of his friends. They all still had their heads, and no pools of blood surrounded them. And they looked like they were still breathing. He walked over to Naruto and placed his fingers on his neck. Sasuke let out a sigh of relief when he felt a steady pulse.
He shook his friend awake. Naruto's head began to stir, and he was sitting up a moment later. Sasuke could already feel one of his pairs of eyes on him. "Sasuke? Wha?"
"Not right now." Sasuke cut him off. "Let's wake the others, and then we can figure out what's going on."
Maybe ten minutes later, everyone was wide awake. Everyone except for Yakumo, who was missing. That worried Sasuke more than anything else.
Once everyone was awake, the discussions began. "Okay, so does anyone know what the hell happened to us?" Ino all but shouted.
"I don't know." Choji muttered. "But I think we uhh. We…" The boy looked pale as he tried to say what he thought. His hands were rubbing around his neck.
"We died." Shikamaru said calmly. "Or at least it felt like we did."
Choji gulped but nodded. Everyone remained silent as the thought registered in their minds. Naruto was close to Hinata, comforting her. Ino leaned on Choji, looking like she was about ready to fall to her knees. Shikamaru was sitting on the ground with his hands grasped together. Kiba was holding onto Akamaru tightly.
Hinata was the one to break the silence. "Do you think we really are dead?" She asked softly. Barely loud enough for everyone to hear. "You think we might be in…." She trailed off, not wanting to finish her statement.
Shikamaru shook his head. "No, I think we're still alive. Somehow." He said. "I don't know why but call it a gut feeling."
Sasuke nodded his head. He was inclined to agree with the Nara. Not just because he didn't even want to think about the alternative. But there was something else telling them they were alive.
He kept playing that exact moment repeatedly in his mind. The moment when he and the others supposedly died. Every time he did, it shifted slightly until finally, he had two completely different versions of the event. One where the attacking Shinobi sliced their heads off. Another where he twisted his blade around at the last moment and smashed the hilt on the back of their heads.
Sasuke's hands went from feeling around his neck to the back of his head, where he felt a bruise. He looked over to see Shikamaru was doing the same thing. Naruto had a frown on his face, the kind that said he was thinking of something. So, both boys had caught on too.
Now the question was, why were two different versions of the same event playing out in his mind? Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he tried to think of the possibilities. But all he could think about was Yakumo. She was missing and nowhere in sight.
"Yakumo," Sasuke muttered, feeling like there was something there. Then the answer flashed into his mind. "Genjutsu." He said, feeling his eyes widen.
He looked over at Shikamaru and knew he had come to the same conclusion. Ino looked at him in a funny way. "I'm sorry, Sasuke-Kun. But what did you say?" She asked.
"Genjutsu." Sasuke said, looking at everyone. He was getting confused looks from everyone except for Naruto. It looked like he was starting to work things out. "We were all placed under a Genjutsu."
"One made to make it look like we all died." Shikamaru explained. "We didn't really die. It just felt like we did. That man only knocked us out."
Relief flooded over everyone as they realized that they were all still alive. Even Sasuke felt calmer about it. Even though he reached that conclusion earlier, it just felt nice to have it confirmed by someone else.
"Okay," Kiba said. "So why did the guy place us under a genjutsu? Why not kill us for real?" He asked.
"Yea," Ino joined in. "Why make us suffer through that and not actually kill us? What is he some kind of psycho?"
Shikamaru shook his head and stood up. "No, he wasn't the one to place us under the Genjutsu." He dusted off his legs and exchanged a glance with Sasuke. Sasuke nodded, starting to see where the Nara was going with this. It made his stomach churn. "He was under the same Genjutsu. So, he thinks he killed us."
Choji had a confused frown on his face. "Okay, now I'm really confused. If he didn't do it, then who did?"
"It was Yakumo." Sasuke said. "She was one to cast the genjutsu. She. She saved all our lives." And now she was gone. Sasuke felt like he was going to be sick.
"And I think I know when she did it." Shikamaru said. He walked over to Naruto. "Naruto, do you remember that flash of light just before he ki-. Uhh, knocked you out?"
Naruto nodded. "I do." He said. Everyone else nodded as well.
"Good," Shikamaru said. "Now that doesn't happen to be a new technique of yours? Is it?"
The blindfolded boy shook his head. "No. I don't have anything like." Then he began to rub his chin. "Though thinking about it, it does sound like something that could be useful. I'll have to work on it when we get back home."
"Glad I could be of help." Shikamaru said. He turned to face everyone else. "See where I'm coming from?"
Kiba answered. "I think so. That flash of light we all saw was Yakumo casting a genjutsu on all of us. Including that guy who was trying to kill us."
Shikamaru nodded, pleased that someone had thought up the same thing. "She cast that genjutsu to make it look like we all died. She saved all our lives."
Ino had a full-blown smile on her face and whooped in joy. "You go, Yakumo. Give me a high-five." She said, shooting out her hand. Then looked around, confused, when nothing else happened. "Uhh, guys? Where is Yakumo?" She asked.
That was when everyone else noticed the absence of their friend. They all turned their heads, looking for any sign of the Kurama girl.
"She's gone." Sasuke said, almost choking on the words.
"Wh-what?" Ino asked.
"She's gone." Sasuke repeated himself. "They took her. They took Yakumo."
Ino's hands flew to her mouth as what he meant sunk into her mind. "There's no way." She denied. "You've got to be joking. Maybe. Maybe she was further ahead of us when we got knocked out. Ino tried to reason. "Yea, that's it. She's probably still close by. We just got to look for her. Right guys?" She looked around. "R-right?" No response.
Ino deflated as the silence was enough to tell her she was wrong. Yakumo was gone, and they had been powerless to stop it. Sasuke sunk to his knees. He had been powerless to stop it. Just like he was powerless to stop his clan from tearing itself apart.
"Why?" He looked up at Hinata. "Why did they take her?"
"Because she was the one they were after." Shikamaru said. "Why else would they be here? They had to be after one of us. It's the only reason that can explain why they attacked us in the clearing."
"B-but what about that sound we heard?" Choji asked. "It sounded a lot like an explosion."
Shikamaru nodded. "That's probably because it was. If I had to guess, there were two groups of attacking Shinobi. One that attacked the Village, and the other that attacked here. The first was obviously a distraction. Something to keep our forces busy while the second conducted the real objective." Shikamaru's eyes narrowed in disgust.
"That's horrible." Hinata said. Summing up everyone's thoughts on the situation. How many people had these Shinobi killed just to get to one girl? How many more were they willing to kill to keep her?
"Yakumo must have realized this at some point." Shikamaru said, rubbing his chin. "Or maybe she didn't and figured she would be knocked out with the rest of us. Either way, she sacrificed herself to save all of us.
Sasuke balled his hands into fists. Sacrifice? Shikamaru made it sound like a noble thing to do. To him, it was anything but. Yakumo didn't have any choice in the matter. She didn't choose to sacrifice herself to save all of them. She was forced to, and because of it, she was gone. Sasuke would never see her again.
He would never see her smile.
He would never see her paint again.
He would never hear her laugh or cry.
Yakumo would never be able to live a normal life.
She deserved better than that. Sasuke got to his feet, his eyes narrowing in determination. "I'm going after her." He said.
The others looked at him in surprise. Except for Naruto and Shikamaru. Shikamaru didn't show any outward expression, but Sasuke knew he was thinking. Not that he cared much for what he thought. Naruto, though just had a smirk on his face.
"What do you mean going after her?" Ino said incredulously.
"It's as he said." Naruto said with a fox-like grin. "He going to rescue his girlfriend. And he'll do it by himself if he has to."
Sasuke didn't have the patience to argue with Naruto about Yakumo being his girlfriend. They weren't, they were just friends. So, he just nodded.
"But that's crazy!" Ino said. "He can't take on those Shinobi by himself.
Naruto's grin grew wide, placing his hands behind his head. "If it helps, I'll be going with him. And I imagine that I won't be the only one." He looked over at Kiba.
The Inuzuka boy had a feral grin on his face. "That's right." He said, smashing a fist into his hand. "We'll pummel those freaks into the ground and save Yakumo."
Ino's mouth was gaping open. "You guys are crazy." She said, but her confidence was wavering. "You honestly can't expect to beat those guys. Their Shinobi. Real Shinobi and you guys are still in the academy. How can you expect to take them?"
"But we're the only ones that can save her." Sasuke said. "We're the only ones that know what's going on."
"But shouldn't we tell someone else?" Choji suggested.
"Finally, someone that's talking sense." Ino said, shooting the boy a thankful look. "He's right. If we can get back to the Village, we can tell someone what's going on. They'll bring it to the Hokage, and he'll send someone to rescue her."
"But it might be too late by then." Sasuke said.
"But," Ino began.
Sasuke sharply cut her off. "Look I don't care if any of you come with me. But I'm going after the Shinobi that took Yakumo and rescuing her." With another word, he walked off, ignoring the blonde-haired girl's protest.
Not even a second later, he heard a familiar set of footsteps beside him. "Don't hold it against her." Naruto said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "She's just scared. She's not used to situations like this. Not like you and mean. Or Hinata."
More footsteps joined them. "I'm not scared." Ino's voice said. "I'm just trying to be the sensible one here."
"We're all here for you, Sasuke. Right Hinata-Chan?" Naruto said.
"Umm, Naruto-Kun." The Hyūga girl begins in a nervous voice. "I'm not going with you."
Sasuke turned to face the girl giving her the look of surprise that the dope had on. "But why not Hinata?" Naruto asked. "Don't you want to rescue Yakumo?"
Hinata nodded. "I do. But," She trailed off.
"But what?" Naruto pressed.
"I'm worried about Kurenai-Sensei." She said.
It was then that Sasuke felt a stab of guilt. Not once since he woke had, he thought about the older woman and her well-being. Everyone else shared glances.
"She was fighting those Shinobi when they attacked us." Choji said. "You don't suppose she's…."
Silence fell over the group as none of them wanted to complete that thought. "We should split up." Shikamaru said. Sasuke and the others looked at him for an explanation. "One group goes after the Shinobi and tries to rescue Yakumo. The other looks for Kurenai and brings her to the Village."
"And warns the rest of the Village about the kidnapping." Sasuke summed up. Shikamaru really was a genius.
The Nara boy nodded. "We already know the Hinata will be in the second group. But who else will be joining her?"
No one was surprised when Ino spoke. "I'll go." She looked around at the others with a smirk. "As I said, I'm the only sensible one here. Well, okay, not the only one." She said, sending a wink to Hinata. "It looks like sense only runs in the females of the species."
"I'll go with the girls." Choji said after some hesitation. "I'm not sure how much use I'll be in rescuing Yakumo."
"Finally, a guy with some sense." Ino said. "But it's nice to know we'll have some muscle to help us carry Kurenai."
"Alright, anyone else went to go with them?" Shikamaru asked, looking around the group of friends. "Okay, group one will be Naruto, Kiba, Sasuke, and me. We'll go after the attackers and try to rescue Yakumo. Group two will be Choji, Hinata, and Ino. You three will find Kurenai and take her back to the Village. You'll also warn the rest of the Village of the attacker's true goal here. Understood?"
Everyone nodded. "Then let's get going."
"Hey, wait a minute." Ino said.
Sasuke groaned. "What is it now?" The Yamanaka wasn't going to back out now, was she?"
"I know your all gun-ho about rescuing Yakumo from the attackers." Ino started. "But how exactly are you going to find her? You can't rescue her if you don't know where she and the kidnappers are."
Sasuke opened his mouth. Then closed as he realized Ino made a valid point. How were they going to rescue Yakumo if they couldn't find her?
A chuckle got everyone's attention. Sasuke and the others look over at the source. Naruto had one of his trademark fox grins on. "Leave that to me." He said.
Konoha, Abandoned Warehouse:
"Move it, girl!" One of Yakumo's kidnappers pushed her into the abandoned warehouse.
"Careful, Sana." One of the others said. She suspected he was the leader of the group. "We don't want to damage the merchandise." A cold chill went down her spine when the man said that. Her mind raced at all the possibilities these men had for her. None of them good.
She heard a low grow from the other man. "I don't think our client will mind a few scratches and bruises." He said.
"Still be careful with her." The leader said. "Don't want to give our client any reason to reduce our pay. Especially with how much he is willing to give us for this little girl."
There were others in the building. Four men, all of them wearing headbands like her kidnappers. The crest of Iwa was presented proudly. At first, she wondered what Iwa wanted with her and why they were risking war.
Then she heard some of what the two men that had kidnapped her said. From that, she began to suspect they weren't affiliated with Iwa, at least not anymore. Missing-Nin, she had been kidnapped by a group of Missing-Nin.
A group of Missing-Nin had been hired to kidnap her from her village. She didn't know if that was better than Iwa coming after her.
Four other men greeted the small group. "Ah, Daichi." A big burly man said. "I see that you returned with our prize. Where's Toji?"
"Dead," The leader, Daichi, said calmly. "What of the secondary group? Have they returned?"
The big man shook his head. "They failed to make the rendezvous. I suspect they're dead now."
Daichi nodded, seemingly undisturbed by the news. "I figured as much when I sent them out. Did they stir up plenty of trouble before they were taken out?"
The burly man smiled. "Blew up a whole block of builds before ANBU and some Jōnin got to them. During the fight, they managed to set fire to a couple of other buildings." Yakumo looked on in horror as the man continued with his report. How many people had they killed? "According to our contact, practically half the village's Shinobi are swarming the area. While the other half are running around looking for signs of more attacks."
The man with the short blade hummed. "That'll make things difficult for us."
"Not as much as you think." The Missing-Nin leader said. "Konoha is readying itself for another attack. They won't be looking for signs that someone will be trying to get out of their village. All we have to do is lay low for a few days. Then we'll slip out while their attention is focused elsewhere." He then grabbed Yakumo by the shoulder. "Still, I would have liked for the others to have survived. But a smaller group will have a better chance of getting out of Konoha. Take the girl and put her in a secure place."
"Yes, sir." The burly man said. "Come on, little girl. You're coming with me." He grabbed her by her arm and started to drag her.
"Signal for our contact. I want to discuss the next phase of our plan."
A moment later, she was thrown into a room with some crates. When the door shut, the young girl began to cry. "I'm so sorry." She said, sending the thought to her friends. Hopefully, they would be waking up at any moment now.
Deep in the recesses of her mind, a shadowed smirked.
Outside the abandoned warehouse
"So that's where they're hiding." Kiba muttered.
The boys were hiding out in some trees close to the abandoned warehouse. They had separated from Choji and the girls after they found Kurenai. Beaten and bruised but thankfully alive. That had come as a relief to the children with everything that was going on.
Naruto nodded his head. "Yea, my eyes saw the kidnappers enter a while before we arrived."
Sasuke paid little attention to what the others were saying. Instead, his focus was on the abandoned building not far from them. It was not as abandoned as everyone would have liked it to be.
His eyes narrowed, that was where Yakumo was being held. Where the kidnappers were doubtlessly planning their next move. Every fiber in his being wanted to leap down and run into the building. Cut through everyone that got in his way, find Yakumo, and get her out. After that, he wanted to set fire to the building and let the kidnappers burn.
His father once told him that passion ran deep in their clan. It was one of the reasons why the Uchiha Betrayal had happened. Until now, he had found that hard to believe.
The more rational parts of his being had started to take over a little bit after he and the others had set out to rescue the Kurama girl. He knew that he would only get himself and his friends killed if he did that. What use would he be to Yakumo then?
Right now, was the time for careful planning rather than bold and reckless action. He had already dragged himself and his friends into enough trouble as it was. He didn't want to make things worse.
Kiba stood up and looked like he was about to charge into the building. "Come on, guys. Let's go."
Then was dragged down by an irate Shikamaru. That was rare. "How troublesome do you want to be?" He hissed. "You go in there, and you'll get us all killed. For real this time."
Kiba sat up, crossing his arms. Akamaru crawled into his lap. "I know that." He said. "I just wanted to get a closer look at the place. See if there was any way in."
"And what?" Shikamaru questioned. "Hope that you find a way without being caught?"
Kiba looked away, letting out a low growl. "Look, it's frustrating not being able to do anything." He said. "Our friend is being held in that warehouse by those bastards. Kami knows what they're planning to do to her or what they're doing now."
Sasuke held his breath for a moment, trying to suppress the red he saw. He didn't want to think about that. Think about what Yakumo could be going through and the horrors she would face if they failed to rescue her. "We need a plan." Sasuke said just loud enough for the others to hear. "Some way in without the kidnappers finding us and getting Yakumo out."
"For that, we'll need to know what we're dealing with," Shikamaru said. "Naruto, do you think you can use your eyes to spy on the kidnappers?"
The blindfolded boy nodded. "I'm sending in some of my eyes now. Just give me a moment." For a few agonizing seconds, the group of boys waited in silence. Then Naruto spoke. "Alright, I'm in."
"Good, Shikamaru said. "First off, can you see where they're holding Yakumo?"
Sasuke could almost feel his ears twitching at that question. "Yea, I can." Naruto said. "She's being held in a small room somewhere on the right side of the warehouse. It has some crates, but I can see her."
"How is she?" Sasuke blurted out. "Is she okay? Is she hurt? Did they do something to her?" The questions came out fast and frantically. He needed to know that the girl was alright or not.
Naruto answered the questions calmly. "She's okay. I don't see any obvious sign of being hurt. At least not physically." Relief flooded through Sasuke at hearing Yakumo wasn't hurt.
"What's she doing right not?" Sasuke asked.
"She's curled up near some of the crates." Naruto paused for a moment. "She's crying." He said.
That, more than anything else, cut deep into Sasuke. He wanted to be there, next to Yakumo. To embrace her and tell her that everything would be okay. That she will get out of that situation and live a long, happy life. It was frustrating not being able to do that.
He felt a hand on his arm. He looked over to see that Naruto was giving him a comforting expression. "Don't worry, Sasuke, we'll get her out." There was no sign of waving in that voice. No doubt that could be heard. Naruto had said not as reassurance or as a false promise. He said it like one would say that the sky was blue. It was a matter of fact. They were going to rescue Yakumo.
Sasuke smiled at his best friend and nodded. "Thanks, Naruto." He said.
"Okay," Shikamaru began. "Now that we know where Yakumo is and that she is okay. "Let's see what we're up against. Naruto, can you see how many enemy Shinobi there are and where they are?"
Naruto nodded. "I think about six of them, including two of the attackers."
"Only two of them?" Shikamaru asked. "Where is the third?"
"Dead." Naruto said calmly. "I saw Kurenai-Sensei kill him before we got to the forest."
"I see." Shikamaru said evenly. Perhaps a bit disturbed by how causally the blonde said that. "So, we're dealing with six Shinobi."
"Wait, what about that explosion we heard?" Kiba asked. "That had to be another group. Should we worry about them?"
Shikamaru shook his head. "I strongly suspect that they're either dead or have been captured now."
"I think Shika's right." Naruto said. "I got some eyes on where the explosion happened. The area's swarmed with our guys. I didn't think had that many ANBU in the Village."
"How bad is it?" Kiba asked.
Naruto remained silent for a while. It was disturbing to see the normally happy trickster acting so serious. "It's bad." Naruto said. "A lot of buildings have been leveled. I say about a block, and several others look like they're still burning. And the people." Naruto trailed off. "Let's just say I'm glad none of you are there to see it."
Sasuke gritted his teeth. How many innocents had these monsters killed? How many were suffering right now because they wanted to kidnap one girl? What made Yakumo so valuable that they went to such lengths?
"Iwa is going to pay for this." Kiba growled, summing up Sasuke's thoughts.
"I'm not so sure Iwa is behind this." Shikamaru said.
Kiba and Sasuke looked at the Nara like he had gone crazy. "Are you serious?" Kiba asked. "Didn't you see the headbands they were wearing? I say it's obvious that Iwa is behind this."
Shikamaru shook his head. "They may be wearing those headbands. But that does not mean they are from Iwa. We don't have enough information to determine who is behind this." He explains. "But that isn't important right now. What is, is getting Yakumo out of there."
"He's right." Sasuke said. "Once we rescue Yakumo, we can figure out who they are later." As much as he wanted to learn who had hired these men, Sasuke, more than anything else, wanted to get his friend out of that place.
Shikamaru nodded. "So, let's assume for the moment that we are dealing with six enemy shinobi." He said. "Naruto, can you see where they are?"
"I can." Naruto said. "Five of them are in the warehouse. One is by the door to the room where their holding Yakumo. The rest looked like their bunched together in the center of the building. I can see where the sixth went. He sort of vanished a moment ago."
Shikamaru hummed. "He's probably outside, keeping a lookout." The Nara boy looked out at the warehouse. Looking into his eyes, Sasuke could already see that the boy was starting to make a plan. He hoped it would be a good one. "Okay, Naruto. Now that we know who and what we're dealing with. Let's try to find out what we're working with. In terms of how we'll get in. I want you."
"Hold on, guys." Naruto said.
"What?" Kiba asked. "Did you see something?"
"Someone just entered the warehouse." Naruto said.
"A seventh member?" Sasuke asked. How many of them were there, and how did they all get into the village?
"I'm not sure." Naruto answered. "They're wearing one of our uniforms, Chunin, I think."
"They could be someone sent in to spy on the village." Shikamaru suggested. "Could help to explain how they managed to get in."
Sasuke didn't know why, but he felt like that the Nara had something more to say. Another explanation for why the newcomer was wearing a Konoha chunin vest. "Can you see who they are?" Sasuke asked.
"I think so." Naruto answered. "They look familiar. I think I might have seen them around the village. Hold a moment. I'm going to try and get a closer look."
"Just be careful." Shikamaru said. "We don't want to tip these guys off that we know where they are."
A scoffing noise escaped from Kiba. "Yeah, right. Like anyone would expect a bunch of floating eyeballs to spy on them."
The others ignored the brash boy's comment. "Okay, I'm getting a good look at his face." Naruto said after a moment. Then, the blindfolded boy stiffened as his face contorted into a look of confusion. "No, it can't be. Not even he would." He mutters.
"Naruto, what is it?" Shikamaru asked. "Who do you see? Do you recognize them?"
The confusion melted away and gave way to something Sasuke rarely saw on Naruto's face. Anger, genuine pure anger. "Yea, I recognize the bastard." Naruto said. "And I hope I won't be able to recognize him after Anko's done with him." Who's Anko?
"Naruto, who is it."
"Guys, you're not going to like this. It's Mizuki."
Forest in Konoha
Silence reigned as Hinata, Ino, and Choji carried an unconscious Kurenai through the forest.
Choji was holding the young woman by her shoulders while Ino carried her legs. Hinata walked in front of them with her Byakugan activated and scanning the area.
"We're almost out." Hinata reported as she saw some buildings come into view. Relief was flooding through her. Soon they would be safe again, and they could warn the rest of the village of what was happening.
Choji just nodded, while Ino…. Ino looked like something else was occupying her mind. The Yamanaka did try to hide it, but Hinata could see it. Nothing could be hidden from the eyes of Hyūga.
Hinata didn't have to wait to ask her friend what was wrong. "How?" Ino asked.
Hinata stopped in her tracks. So did Choji, almost causing Ino to drop Kurenai. "Ino?" Hinata questions.
"How?" Ino repeated her question. "How did this happen? How did a bunch of enemy shinobi get into the village? How could they be allowed to attack us like that? How can something like this happen in Konoha? We're supposed to be in the world's biggest and strongest hidden village. Shouldn't we be safe here?"
Hinata bit on her lip. She fully understood where Ino was coming from. She knew that outside the village walls, anything could happen. But behind its wall, Konoha was supposed to be safe. A place where no one should have to worry about their safety.
She knew what that felt like. And she knew how it felt like when that sense of security was suddenly ripped away. She still remembered the night of her kidnapping vividly.
"I don't know." Hinata answered honestly. The questions that Ino asked had plagued her that night and still did to this day. How could she feel safe in the village knowing things like that could happen?
Ino remained silent as she digested what Hinata said. "Is this what you felt like when Kumo tried to kidnap you?" She asked, getting a slow nod from Hinata. "Kami, I can't even imagine what Yakumo must be feeling right now."
"Scared." Hinata answered. Flashes of her kidnapping appear in her mind. The fear, the loneliness she felt. The utter despair consumed her when she realized that no one would save her. "Scared and lonely. She's probably thinking right now that no one's going to save me. I'm never going to see my family. See my friends again. I'll never be able to come home again." She could hear the trembling in her voice.
Then a smile formed on her lips as the next set of memories flashed by. A boy her age thin, dirty, and barely dressed, launching himself at her kidnapper. He had saved her that night, even if it cost him. He had been a bright shining light in a time of darkness for her. She owed everything to Naruto.
"You think Sasuke and the others will be able to save her?" Ino asked.
Hinata was not surprised when her answer was "Yes." There was no doubt in her mind. The boys would save Yakumo even if it meant they had to storm the gates of hell. She just prayed that none of them would have to pay a price like Naruto had.
The group of three started to move again. Only to be stopped when a shadow descended over them. Hinata's heart raced as, for a second, she thought they were being attacked again.
She relaxed when she saw that the figure was an ANBU, wearing a Neko mask. "What are you three doing out here?" The woman began. "Don't you know we've been attacked? It's dangerous to be out here." Then she looked over at Kurenai. "Is that?"
"ANBU-San." Hinata said, getting the woman's attention. "Kurenai-Sensei needs to be taken into medical care right away. And we got something that needs to be brought to the Hokage urgently."
Abandoned Warehouse, Storage room:
"How pathetic."
Yakumo ignored the voice in her head. She was sitting up against one of the crates with her legs pulled into her chest. Her eyes and cheeks were red from all the crying. They were still streaming down, which was surprised to her. She thought they would have dried up a long time ago.
"Just look at you." The shadow continued to mock her. "Weeping like the wretch you are. Did you genuinely believe that things were starting to go well for you? That the world was finally beginning to accept you? That you could at last leave that little cage of yours. Ba! Don't make me laugh. You're a witch."
"Shut up!" Yakumo mentally cried.
"The world will never accept a monster like you." The shadow continued with its rant. "You cause nothing but misery and suffering for everyone around you. It's no wonder that your clan tried to lock you up. You should have stayed in your cage, like a good little bird."
"Shut up."
"But you want more. You want to leave your safe little cage and fly out into the world. You dared to hope that the world would accept you, even though you know you are a monster. A demon who relishes in the suffering of others."
"Shut up!"
"I bet those so-called friends of yours are glad you're gone. They're probably celebrating as we speak."
"That's not true. That's not true." Yakumo sobbed quietly. "They're my friends. They were going to. They were. They."
"They were going to do what?" The shadow mocked her. Accept you for what you are? You were about to tell them about little old me, weren't you? You were going to tell them about the true extent of your powers. And like the naïve little child you are, you hoped they would accept you." The shadow began to cackle.
"Shut up."
"How foolish of you." The voice continues through its cackling. "How could anyone ever accept a witch? A demon who causes nothing but misery and suffering wherever she goes. Once they learned the truth. Realized what you are, they would have turned on you. Handed you over to your kidnappers with smiles on their faces. They would have never accepted you."
"Shut up. Shut up! Shut up! SHUTUP!" Yakumo ragged at the shadow. A fresh stream of tears poured down her face.
"Or what?" The shadow asked cruelly. "You'll cry like a baby? A little late for that, aren't we? Face it, girl, you were never destined for happiness. The world cannot abide by people like you. It will do everything it can to crush you under heel and make you suffer for what you are. No friends. No family. No one to love you. If the truth were ever to get out, everyone would hate and scorn you."
Yakumo said nothing to the shadow as she sobbed into her arms and legs. She wanted to rage against the demon. Tell it that it was wrong, bury it deep within her mind so it may never see the light of day again.
But a part of her started to wonder. Was it right? Did she deserve to suffer, to be alone in the world for her whole life? Had she done something wrong in a previous life and was now paying for it? Would Sasuke and the others have accepted her after telling them the truth, as she had hoped?
Or would they have done what the shadow suggested? Turned on her. Scorn her for something that was beyond her control. Would Sasuke have said he hated her?
Yakumo felt like a jolt shot through her. Suddenly she found herself wishing she had never left her clan's compound. Never have gone outside and enjoyed the world her uncle tried to deny her. Perhaps she did deserve all of this.
Within her mind, a dark shadow began to smile. "Oh, but Yakumo-Chan." It said in a sweet voice. It doesn't always have to be this way. I can make things better."
"Yo-you can?" Yakumo asked.
"I can." The Shadow answered. "I can make all your pain and suffering go away. If you would do just one little thing for me."
"What is it?" Yakumo asked, desperate for any kind of release.
"Accept me." The Shadow said. "Embrace what I am and what I have to offer. Let me take over while you retreat to the deepest recesses of your mind. There you can create a world of your own. A world where you don't have to know the suffering of any kind. A world where you can truly be happy. You can have friends, a family. And perhaps even someone who could love you. It will be your little paradise. All the while, I'll make this world pay for everything it has done to you. I don't have to be your enemy. Accept my offer, and you will never suffer again."
"…." She reached her hand out. It was so very tempting to take the Shadow's offer. So very tempting to withdraw from the world to a place where she couldn't be hurt. It would be so easy just to take its hand and dream of a better world.
Her hand stopped as a moment of hesitation took over. An image flashed into her head. Sasuke turning to face her, a smile spreading across his lips. Behind him, all his friends welcoming her with warm smiles.
"I" She said, the uncertainty growing within her.
She felt the shadow's irritation. "Accept my offer. Don't hesitate." But she didn't hear the shadow.
Thump!
Yakumo almost jumped when she heard the noise. She stood up, facing the direction of the sound. She heard some more sounds coming from behind the crates. She looked over the door, wondering if her captors had heard anything. She half expected one of them to come in to investigate.
When she saw no one coming in, she turned her attention back to the source of the noises. Listening closely, Yakumo started to make out some voices.
"Could you be any louder?"
"Sorry by that vent really didn't want to move."
"Damn it all. You're going to get us all caught."
"Me? You're the one whose yelling."
"Quite dope."
"Teme"
"Would you both be quiet? You're both troublesome."
Yakumo couldn't believe it. Those voices, they couldn't be. There was no way.
A figure emerged from behind the crates, and Yakumo almost felt like crying. This had to be some cruel dream. Another trick from the shadow. She would wake up and find that he wasn't really here, and she was still alone in this room. The world was not that kind to her.
Sasuke looked around the room and caught sight of her. Surprise than relief flooded over his face. "Yakumo." He said. He seemed so real that it felt cruel to Yakumo.
Couldn't this dream end already? Let her face reality because that would be less painful than what she is facing now. Her crying continued. "This can't be real." She muttered. "You're not real."
Concern spread across Sasuke's face. Yakumo felt a stab of pain in her heart. She didn't want to see this anymore. She wanted this cruel nightmare to end. But before she could do anything, Sasuke vanished from her sight.
Then she felt something envelop her. Arms wrapped themselves around her, and a pair of hands cradled the back of her head. Sasuke's head was a hair's breadth away from her's. "It's alright, Yakumo. I'm here. We're all here." He whispered in her ear.
The warmth of his body up against hers. How he held her and the beating of his heart. Him whispering into her ear, and the breath of his voice dancing across her ear. Even the faint scent of the forest and the earth, it all felt so real.
It was then the realization hit her. This was real. This was no dream or hallucination. This wasn't even a trick from the shadow. Her arms crossed up from behind Sasuke's back and held on to his shoulders. He was real. He was here. Yakumo began to chock on her sobs.
"You're real." She said. "You're really here." She wasn't sure if her voice was coming coherent or not. But she didn't care, she wanted to enjoy this moment.
"I know." Sasuke said. "But we got to go." He pulled out from the embrace and held onto her hand.
Yakumo followed him as the boy pulled on her arm. "B-but where?" She asked.
"Out of here." Sasuke said quickly. "We're here to rescue you."
"Don't listen to him." The shadow said. "He's trying to deceive you."
A frown tucked at the corners of Yakumo's lips. "Shadow-San."
"Yes."
"Shut the hell up."
"…."
"…."
"Tsk."
Sasuke pulled her behind some crates. There Naruto, Shikamaru, and Kiba were waiting for them. She heard a happy yelp, of course, Akamaru was here too. Next to Shikamaru was an open vent, and a little further away was the hatch. Was that how the group of boys got in? Was that how they were going to escape?
"Yakumo," Naruto started. "We're so happy to see that you're safe. Well, I kind of already knew." A pair of eyes floated down. "Eyes everywhere and all."
"You're all really here." She said to them. "B-but how, and why?"
"Finding you wasn't that hard." Kiba said with a smirk. He pointed his thumb at the small white dog. "We got Akamaru's nose."
"And my eyes." Naruto cut in.
"Your eyes?" Yakumo asked.
"His followed you. Even while he was unconscious." Shikamaru explained.
Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Yea turns out they can still work even while I'm knocked out. Something to keep in mind for the future." Somehow Yakumo felt that there was more to that explanation. But she wasn't going to press him for answers.
"As for the why." Sasuke said. "It should be obvious to you by now. We're your friends. We weren't about to let these bastards take you so easily. At least I wasn't."
Yakumo smiled and nodded. "Thank you." She said. "I never thought that anyone would come for me. When that man knocked you all out and took me away. I honestly thought that would be the last time I saw anyone I knew. I never thought that you would risk your lives coming for me."
Sasuke smiled back at her. "As I said, we're friends. Speaking of. When that guy knocked us out, it looked like he killed us." The Uchiha boy held onto his neck. "I remember his blade cutting through my neck. Was that you?"
Yakumo bit her lip. That had been a spure of the moment kind of thing. "It was me." She confirmed. "I didn't want any of you to die, so I did the only thing I could think of."
"Well, you have our thanks." Shikamaru said. "How did you know that they were after you?
Yakumo shook her head. "I didn't know." She had believed that the man was going to kill her as well. But he didn't she knew she had to go with him to maintain the illusion. She didn't want to risk her friend's lives.
"Well, it doesn't matter now." Sasuke said. "Let's get you out of here, and then we can discuss it."
Yakumo and the others nodded. The young girl didn't want to spend any more time here. Shikamaru and Kiba crawled into the duct. Naruto gestured for her to go next. She looked over at Sasuke. He nodded. "Go ahead. We'll be right behind you." He said.
Crawling down into the duct, she heard the shadow speak. "You're making a mistake."
"Maybe, but it's mine to make." She said. She got no response.
"So, are Hinata and the others waiting for us outside? I didn't see them come in with you?" Yakumo asked after a few seconds of crawling through the ducts.
"No, they wanted to bring Kurenai back to the village." Shikamaru explained.
Yakumo felt like something hard had formed in her throat. The last she saw of her sensei was her fighting the attackers. Then one of them came for her and her friends. She wasn't sure if she wanted an answer to her next guest. But she had to know. "Is she okay? Kurenai-Sensei I mean, is she?"
"She was unconscious when we found her." Naruto explained. "She was in pretty bad shape. But Hinata said she would be okay, so as long we got her to the hospital."
No words could begin to describe the relief Yakumo felt when she heard that. Kurenai-Sensei was okay. Her friends were okay. Maybe, just maybe, things would turn out for the best.
A light shined ahead of Yakumo. She moved towards that light, and a moment later, she crawled outside of the ducts. She stood, noticing that the duct had led them outside the warehouse.
She dusted herself off and was ready to move out of the way.
"Yakumo!"
Naruto's shout came too late. The Kurama was pinned to the wall above the duct.
"Thought you could get away from us?" The swordsmen that caught her said in a low growl.
Yakumo struggled against the man's breath and wondered why Shikamaru and Kiba weren't jumping to her rescue. She got her answer in the form of loud grunts.
Both boys were pinned down by two more of the attackers. Shikamaru remained still while Kiba thrashed against his assailant's grip. "Yakumo, what's going?" Sasuke's question was cut off when he screamed in pain.
Instinctively Yakumo looked down to see if her friend was okay. She bit back a gasp, Sasuke was halfway out of the duct, pinned to the ground. With a sword stabbed into his shoulder.
"I thought I killed you little brats." The pale swordsman said, twisting the blade around. Sasuke screamed.
"No, please. Stop." Yakumo gasped out.
But events were already in motion. She saw two flashes of light. In an instant, the man shifted. His foot was pressed onto Sasuke's back, and his blade was held out in the air, two thin wisps of smoke came off it.
Yakumo didn't have to look to know that several of Naruto's eyes were surrounding them now. The swordsman looked ready to deflect more of the chakra blast.
"I think that will be enough." A new voice said. Yakumo was able to get a look at the source of the voice. It was the leader of the group.
He walked through the alleyway and examined the scene. His eyes landed on Yakumo for a second, giving a smirk before they shifted to the vent below her, where Sasuke was. "I assume our other guest is in that vent behind the Uchiha boy. I'm also willing to bet they are the one controlling the floating eyeballs." Yakumo's silence was answer enough for the man. "A neat little trick. I had heard that Konoha had gained a new Kekkei Genkai." He said, looking directly at one of the pairs. "However, it won't be enough to save yourself or your friends."
The man made a hand gesture. As fast as Yakumo could blink, Shikamaru and Kiba had Kunai to their necks. The swordsman had the tip of his blade pointed at the back of Sasuke's neck. "If you can hear me have a pair of your eyes float down to me. No tricks or your friends die." Half a second passed before a pair of eyes floated down in front of the man. He smirked. "Now, I suggest that you do as I say. One of my men here will drag your friend out from that vent. I want you to crawl out and surrender yourself to us. If you try anything, your friends will suffer the consequences."
"Don't listen to him, Narutooahh!" Sasuke's plead was cut short as the swordsmen pressed his foot in his back."
"Bastards!" Kiba shouted, only for his captor to tighten his grip around his neck.
The leader shook his head. "Got a feisty bunch here. Does Konoha bother to teach you kids manners?" He commented. "Now, then nod twice if you agree to my demand." A few tense seconds passed before the pair of eyes nodded twice. "Smart kid."
He nodded to the swordsmen. The man returned the nod, putting his blade away. He grabbed Sasuke by his shoulders, ignoring his protests, and pulled him out from the vent. Yakumo and others waited with bated breath to see if Naruto would do as the man said.
A part of Yakumo hoped he would find a way to get away so he could warn the rest of the village. The other more sensible part hopes he would, to spare everyone else more pain and suffering.
She felt relief and defeat when a head of blond hair poked out from the vent. Naruto stood up a second later, dusting himself before raising his hands in the air. Not a moment later, one of the kidnappers appeared behind him and held his hands behind his back.
The leader of the kidnappers glared at Yakumo. "I hope you enjoyed your moment of freedom, little girl. Because it will be the last time you will ever experience it." He grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her forward. "Now move it."
The boys joined Yakumo as they were escorted into the warehouse. "I'm sorry, Yakumo." Yakumo heard Sasuke say. She glanced over and almost winced when she saw him holding his bleeding shoulder. "We failed you."
Not only had she been caught again. She had dragged her friends down with her, possibly to join her in the same fate. "No, I'm sorry."
If only she had listened to her uncle.
"Next time, we keep a better eye on them." Daichi growled.
His men nodded in response. They didn't want to incur his wrath. "I assure you, Daichi. The girl will not escape again." Sana said.
"I will hold you to that, Sana. Otherwise, I may have to rethink your use to me."
"Of course, sir." Sana responded. "Still, what I don't understand is how those boys are alive. I could have sworn I killed them all."
Daichi clicked his tongue. "Isn't it obvious? You were placed under a genjutsu."
Sana looked confused. "But didn't you take care of that Kuno?"
"Not her." Daichi cut the thin man off. "The girl, our target. She's from the Kurama clan. They are known for their powerful genjutsu. So powerful that their victims are known to hurt themselves. The trait most have bred true with her. She cast that genjutsu to save her friends."
One of the others scoffed. "Well, it was obviously a wasted effort. Those idiots came right to us."
"Don't mistake courage for stupidity." Daichi said. "Need I remind you that they almost managed to get away? Had we been any less observant, we have to explain our failure to the client." And Daichi a suspicion that the client did not take well to disappointment.
"So, what will we do with the boys?" Someone asked.
"I say we kill them." Sana suggested. "For real this time."
Daichi shook his head. "No, they'll be more useful to us alive. In case you hadn't noticed, three of those boys are from prominent clans. The boy with the duck hair is from the Uchiha clan. The boy with the mutt, an Inuzuka. And the lazy one, couldn't be anymore Nara if he tried."
"What of the fourth one?" Sana asked with an edge in his voice.
Daichi began to rub his chin. "Other than the Yamanakas, I don't recall a clan of blondes. However, if rumor is to be believed. He is the bearer of a new Kekkei Genkai, an interesting one, to say the least." He could already think of several uses that such an ability could have. And he had no doubt that the boy was watching them now. They would have to be extra careful. "Their more valuable alive."
"Are you thinking of using them for ransom?" One of his men asked. "Or do you want to sell them off?"
Daichi smirked. "No. Even better, we had them off to Iwa, and those four will be the start of powerful new clans in our village." The others smiled as well, seeing where he was going with this.
"I hope those four enjoy the touch of a good woman." Touma said. "Because that's all they'll be good for when Iwa's done with them. I'm almost jealous."
Daichi nodded, glade his people were catching on. "Reach out to our contact here. We'll need to inform him of the change in plans." His smirk grew. The future was looking very bright for him.
Hokage Tower
Sarutobi's chamber was a whirlwind of activity. "Someone explain to me how something like this." He pointed to the destruction out his window. "Could happen?" He tried to keep his voice even, but his ears could hear how loud he was.
He was proud of himself for keeping his KI under wraps. Otherwise, his Shinobi would be cowering before him more than they already were. "We don't know, sir." A Jōnin said.
That was not the answer Hiruzen was looking for. Before he could rebuke the man, Shikaku came to his rescue. "Obviously, there is a breach in our security. A hole we hadn't noticed before or." The Nara head hesitated for a moment. "Or they had someone on the inside helping them."
Now that felt like a gut punch to Sarutobi. There was a chance that someone in his village had caused this. "I want this hole found and plugged." He said, setting the notion aside for the moment. He would deal with it if and when he came to it. "For that matter, I think it's about time we reevaluated our entire security perimeter. If there are any other holes, we must find them and close them up."
The Nara nodded. "I'll get to work on it right away, Hokage-Sama."
Hiruzen nodded. He trusts Shikaku to get the job done. "Alright then." He started. "What do we know of the attack and the attackers?"
An ANBU stepped forward. "Hokage-Sama, there were three attackers in total. All of them wore Iwa headbands."
Sarutobi's eyes narrowed. That didn't make any sense. Shikaku seemed to think the same thing. "Hokage-Sama, if I may?" Hiruzen motioned for him to continue. "I don't think it was Iwa behind this. Granted, I don't think they are above committing a crime like this. But even they would not be so bold as to attack us like this."
That Sarutobi could agree with. Iwa might hate them and wanted war, but Onoki was craftier than this. If he wanted to start a war, he would have attacked somewhere else.
"Are you saying someone else is behind this?" A Jōnin in the room asked.
Shikaku nodded. "I am. Iwa is not ready for a war against us. It doesn't make sense that they would be behind this."
"Shikaku is right." Sarutobi said. "We should not assume anything or rule anything out." "Onoki, if you really are behind this. I don't care what it takes, but I will have your head mounted on my wall."
"Continue your report."
The ANBU nodded. "The attack occurred in one of the busier commercial districts. The enemy used a combination of explosive tags and Katon jutsus in the initial attack. They then proceeded to use Doton jutsu to cause further damage. The causality reports are still coming in Hokage-Sama. But so far, more than a dozen have been confirmed killed, with more than a hundred civilians injured."
Hiruzen's stomach felt like a bottomless pit. So much death and destruction was caused by three attackers, and there could be more lying-in wait. And for what? Was there some purpose behind this attack? A greater goal they had hoped to achieve? Or had they done this simply to harm his village? He needed answers.
"Were any of the attackers captured?" He asked.
The ANBU shook his head. "No Hokage-Sama." He said. "Two of the attackers were killed in the battle that followed. The third killed himself before we could capture him."
Sarutobi suppressed a sigh. "Then we will have to put the Village on high alert. There's a chance we may suffer more attacks. I want."
Before he could finish giving out his orders, the door to his office opened. An ANBU with a Neko mask walked in. "Hokage-Sama, I'm sorry to interrupt. But there is someone you need to talk to."
Behind her were three children. Choji, Ino, and Hinata. "Hokage-Sama, there's something we need to tell you."
And that is it for this chapter. Also, I figured out what went wrong last chapter. Turns out Yakumo's powers are a bit strong than I anticipated. So, yea Sasuke decides to rescue his girlfriend. And promptly gets caught as well. Go figure. Good news is that Konoha is about to find out about what's really going on. No need to guess who will be leading that rescue mission.
The Kurama Kidnapping arc is quickly approaching its end. Then we'll finialy get to the academy graduation and the rest of the story will follow. Hope you guys are looking forward to what I have in store.
Until then be safe out there.