Escort

XV

Kakashi tugged at the eye patch over his Sharingan and lifted it just slightly to make sure he could keep the sight of Iruka dolled up like a geisha forever. Made him wish he had a camera. Mayuri and Shigure stood beside Iruka, dressing him properly for an escort, even down to the decorative – but oh so real – senbon in his hair. The four had gone over a plan that seemed simple enough at the beginning. Kakashi, Mayuri, and Iruka would enter the Abeko under the guise of Lord Ichigo, Ruka, and Sakuya and get the attention of Yutenji. While he was distracted, Shigure would slip into the back and locate Yukari, administer the first dose of the antidote. Once he got out, he would enter as a breathless courier, stating the ferry – which meant they had to time this right – was leaving for the mainland. Then that night, Kakashi and Iruka could sneak into the Abeko and get Yukari out to Shigure and Mayuri who would be waiting to take her back to Haomaru’s complex and after a brief stay, they would take Yukari and her father out Iiga into the countryside where they would be safe.

Except they all knew that plans didn’t always go as they were expected to go and so contingencies were prepared. Kakashi lowered the eye patch and watched Mayuri step away from Iruka, then Shigure, and then Kakashi approached Iruka, smiling. Iruka looked up at him with a dead-eyed stare a long while before smiling.

“Have to still be under the influence, you know,” Iruka said. Kakashi nodded and leaned to give Iruka a kiss on his rouged cheek.

“Act well,”

“Promise,”

“Are you two ready?” Shigure asked. Kakashi turned to face the two other shinobi – he still couldn’t believe they –were– shinobi – and nodded.

“The ferry leaves at four.” Mayuri said. “If Shigure does not come, we must leave exactly at that time.”

“We know what to do,” Shigure said, looking annoyed, Kakashi noticed. Mayuri scowled at her partner for a moment before she moved to lead the way from the safe house to the Abeko. The crowd seemed to part for Kakashi and his two ‘concubines’, mostly then men pausing to admire his escorts. And they were beautiful, for Mayuri had done her magic well. If Kakashi hadn’t have been there witnessing their transformation, he never would’ve been able to tell the difference, just like before when Iruka had been Ruka. The silver-haired man pushed open the Abeko’s door and let the ladies in first before following, putting his arms around their waists as he approached the hostess’ desk.

Unfortunately, they had to wait for a table. Kakashi cursed under his breath and got a sharp glare from Iruka. Mayuri shifted closer to Kakashi as another patron entered the already crowded waiting room, passing her, pausing to look around, and turning around and leaving. Mayuri tugged on Kakashi’s sleeve.

“Yukari’s not here.” Mayuri whispered. “Shigure’s looked everywhere, but he can’t find her.”

“She’s been sold?” Iruka asked in a small voice. Mayuri nodded.

“Shigure’s trying to hunt down any information. Apparently, Yutenji’s not here either.”

Great. Kakashi thought as he moved to strike their names from the waiting list, claiming he was tired of waiting around. They left the Abeko and hurriedly shed their finery as they moved back to the safe house, Kakashi and Iruka pulling on their vests and hitai-ates as Mayuri gathered their weapons.

“We go to meet Shigure.”

The three left, nothing more than shadows to the populace of Iiga, hurrying to Shigure’s position. Mayuri seemed to know exactly where she was going, so neither Konoha nin questioned her when they left Iiga behind and hurried into the countryside. She leapt into the threes and paused on a branch, Kakashi and Iruka alighting beside her. A moment later, Shigure appeared, seemingly out of breath.

“Yutenji left with her early this morning,” Shigure said. “She’s been purchased by the son of a lesser daimyo far from this country. They’re about a day’s run northeast following this road, and they’re traveling with an armed contingent of mercenaries.”

“Nothing we can’t handle then,” Kakashi replied. Shigure shook his head.

“A few are nukenin.” The young man answered. “From our village.”

“Then we were right,” Mayuri said. Shigure nodded, lips in a thin line.

“All right, time out.” Kakashi said. “What the hell is going on?”

“That rival syndicate is led by a man named Yutenji,” Mayuri began, “but Yutenji is his family name. His first name is Jyuichi and he’s from our home village.”

“We weren’t hired by Haomaru; we were sent by our matriarch find Jyuichi and destroy him.” Shigure continued. “We’ve had our suspicions, so that’s why we talked Haomaru into hiring a Konoha nin. Jyuichi would’ve recognized us, no matter what disguise we wore.”

“So you used us,” Iruka reasoned.

“Unfortunately, yes. With good intentions. We never meant for you to be injured.”

“Well,” Kakashi sighed, “What’s happened has happened. Let’s go kill that bastard and get the girl back.”

Shigure and Mayuri glanced at each other before looking back at the two Konoha nin.

“You’re awfully nonchalant about this,” Mayuri said with suspicion.

“We’ve been hired to do a job,” Iruka said. “We’ll get it done any way we can.” Besides, the chuunin added silently, fighting not to blush, I’ve already bribed Kakashi with the promise of sex.

After a long pause, Shigure said, “All right then.” He let out a sigh. “Follow me.”

Four shadows bounded through the branches of the trees, hurrying to catch up to the caravan carrying their quarry.


Yutenji relaxed in the back of the carriage, staring at Yukari. The bitch was completely under his control and soon, she would be too far out of reach for her father to get back. Without causing a war, of course. In the event of that, Yutenji would whisper into the right ear the location of a secret shinobi village and a mass slaughter would occur. A simple lie could become a truth so quickly and it would be beautiful. The cart suddenly lurched to a stop, the horses whickering in annoyance before voices started filtering in. The Abeko owner shifted in his seat and opened the door, looking out at what was causing the delay. Lips curled into a frown at the sight of a farmer’s cart overturned in the middle of the road, the old man and his wife bowing apologetically to the mercenaries that led the caravan. Heaving a great sigh, Yutenji stepped from the carriage and walked over to the panicking couple, offering soothing words.

“Now, now. There’s no need to get angry. It’s just an accident. It’ll get cleaned up right away won’t it?” Yutenji asked of the farmer.

“Oh, yes, milord.” The silver-haired farmer replied. “Just give us a few moments. You know how age wears down the bones.”

Yutenji scoffed. “Of course.”

He turned to his bodyguard and growled. “What are you waiting for? Help them!”

He stalked back to the carriage and stepped inside, settling down beside Yukari. He might as well have a little fun with her before she was gone for good. Yutenji pulled back Yukari’s hair and made to bite her neck when she exploded into a small dog that snapped at his face before fleeing.

He was immediately out of the cart, screaming for his guards, only to find them lying in pools of their own blood. A kunai was instantly in Yutenji’s hand and thrown straight up, narrowly missing Mayuri as she descended. She switched direction the moment she hit the carriage roof and took off into the forest above the road, knowing Yutenji was right behind her. She had no intention of fighting him and by now, he’d probably figured out that the farmer and his wife had been a ruse. All she had to do was lead him into a battlefield of her allies’ choosing and double back to catch up with Iruka and Yukari. Then she and Iruka would take Yukari back to her father where Kakashi and Shigure would meet them once they’d finished off Yutenji Jyuichi. After that, she and Shigure would tie up a few loose ends and Kakashi and Iruka would be able to go home to Konoha, continuing on with their lives. Her hand caught a branch and she used her momentum to swing her around the trunk, moving silently and quickly along the branches hidden by leaves. She thought she felt Yutenji pass her by, continuing the pursuit and stilled. Thinking and knowing were two different things, and right now she couldn’t afford ‘thinking’. She hesitated a moment too long; Yutenji’s hand caught her ankle and pulsed her from her perch, throwing her down to the forest floor some fifty feet below.

By some miracle, Mayuri flashed through seals one handed as her other hand dug a kunai into the bark of the tree beside her, slowing her descent somewhat. Not enough, not enough, not enough for her to finish the seal and transport away. She hit the ground hard, chakra releasing in a great wave, burning grasses and tree roots – and alerting every shinobi in the vicinity she was in danger. Yutenji landed beside her and tangled his fingers in her hair to haul her to her feet.

“Little bitch,” Yutenji snarled as he threw Mayuri against a scorched tree, “I should’ve killed you back in Teikiatsugakure.”

“You should’ve,” Mayuri spat back, “then maybe you would’ve had a peaceful death.”

Yutenji scoffed and struck her hard on her joint where the thumb meets the wrist, forcing her to drop her kunai and leaving her helpless when he broke her other wrist. Mayuri writhed against him, forcing the pain into her chakra to have it flare again. It did nothing but earn her a quick jab to her trachea.

“I’m going to enjoy killing you,” Yutenji hissed into Mayuri’s ear, “but not yet. I want to see the look on Shigure’s face when I take you from him too.”

Mayuri tried to scream as Yutenji took his time snapping her bones so she couldn’t run or fight back, but she had no breath with which to scream nor could she even make a sound louder than a wheeze. When he was done, finally, blissfully done, Mayuri was nothing more than a broken, conscious doll.