Fade In

Fade In

Chapter Nine – Promises

…

As Kakashi scaled the rooftop, dodging flying shuriken and trying to lose his pursuers, he carefully shifted the weight on his back. Glancing behind him, his mouth hidden beneath the mask turned into a grimace.

“Hikaru?”

The only response the copy-nin received was a raspy breath. At least the prince was still alive but he wouldn’t be for long if he wasted any more time. Time that he didn’t have nor could they both afford. Kakashi dropped down into a dark alleyway and ran with the black shadows cast by the surrounding tall buildings and homes.

Hearing the sharp whiz of spinning metal coming straight at the teen he carried, he twisted his body and grunted as the front of his left shoulder was pierced by the sharp pointy edges. Kakashi quickly ripped it out, a gasp torn from his lips as the shiny metal coated with his blood clattered onto the pavement. He quickened his pace, muscles straining and sweat pouring down his forehead.

Everything had happened so quickly. He’d summoned Pakkun to see if he could catch Hikaru’s scent within the castle and then a familiar little animal had appeared. Kakashi had recognized it immediately. The small dark golden monkey that had been paired with the dark gray tiger during their circus acts. And it’d appeared, as it tilted its head to the side, that it vaguely remembered him or maybe it was some sixth animal sense but moments after, he and Pakkun were racing down shadowed corridors and rounding bends and twists, the dark brown pug warning him if there were any enemies close by as they followed the little animal.

They’d ended up in a study in the east wing of the castle. Judging by the cobwebs and the thick layer of dust coating just about everything it was rarely used, if ever. The small primate then proceeded to jump up and down, pounding its dark little paws on the painted stone wall. Kakashi understood immediately and he quickly and carefully inspected it. Coming across a loose stone, he pushed it in and with a smooth ‘woosh’ a hidden door swung open.

Kiki’s cries had alerted Cham of their arrival and the dark tiger had emerged, ivory fangs bared in a menacing snarl. And even after the many years that had passed, he too had recognized the gray haired jounin and turned back into the hidden room, wanting him to follow. Pakkun had bade his farewell and promptly vanished before Kakashi entered the dimly lit chamber.

And he’d found what he’d been looking for. Tossing and turning on the bed and breathing harshly lay the prince he sought for. Kakashi had tried to wake him, only getting a feeble response that sounded strangely like his name and a breathy hiss of pain. Realizing that they didn’t have time cause time was never on anyone’s side, he’d hoisted Hikaru’s body onto his back and with Cham and Kiki leading the way, dashed out of the secret chamber hidden behind painted walls and layers of dust and towards the one person Kakashi knew could save the dying teen he carried.

But what he hadn’t accounted for was the several enemy shinobi bearing down on him. The castle guards yes, but he hadn’t anticipated what looked like rogue nin attacking him and it seemed they didn’t care at all if the prince was hurt or not. The only reason he was able to escape the castle grounds was because of Cham and one ferocious little monkey clawing out eyes.

However, a few were able to get through their defenses and were now currently breathing down his neck. Kakashi glanced behind him again, counting three moving shadows in hot pursuit. He cursed under his breath. He’d have to get rid of them and that meant placing Hikaru down, potentially putting him in danger but there was no other way.

Scanning his surroundings, he spotted a deeply embedded doorway shrouded in darkness to his right and quickly made his way over. He carefully put him down, silently promising the teen that he’d return and once he did, everything would be fine.

Standing up, Kakashi disappeared and reemerged by the furious whispers of the three ninja.

“He wants him dead!”

“And I’m telling you these ain’t no ordinary ninja! ANBU they may be but shit, did you hear how all of them took out the other rogues?! Like fucking nothing!”

“Stop pussyfoot’in around and find—”

Kakashi brandished two kunai, one dripping in warm red and twirled each on his fingers before gripping them tightly and dashing towards another enemy nin. Sparks erupted as steel met steel. His opponent grunted, nervous sweat gliding down his face as his eyes shifted. They both flew apart and hands blurring with a series of seals, a huge ball of fire swept over the much slower ninja. He fumbled out of the attack, shrieking and swatting at his flaming clothes and burning skin. Kakashi dealt him a quick kunai to the heart, puncturing the beating organ and after tearing it out, swiftly blocked the last ninja’s twirling fuuma shuriken. The large weapon spun around and was quickly caught by its wielder.

“I knew it was you. Hatake Kakashi, infamous Copy Ninja of Konohagakure.” He sneered, folding down the fuuma into two machete like blades.

“I’m flattered.” Kakashi drawled.

“It’ll be my pleasure to kill you tonight.” He snarled and charged, large flat blades each at his side.

Kakashi blocked each rapid thrust with his kunai, sidestepping and landed a harsh kick to his side, effectively throwing off his spinning attacks. But the rogue nin quickly found his footing and bringing his left arm around in front of him, crazily swung his blade in a low arc. Kakashi grabbed his arm and twisting it around and up, heard the satisfied crack of bone and the nin’s wretched shriek of pain as his weapon clattered to the pavement.

Blinded by pain and rage, he carelessly swung his other arm only to land face first onto the cold hard ground, upper body arched upward by the sharp threat of his own weapon pressed against his throat. The rogue shinobi could feel the gentle trickle of his own blood slowly travel down his neck, heard the patter of it as it hit concrete with alarming clarity.

“Talk fast.”

And he did, word after word tumbling out like smooth flowing water.

Moments after disposing of the three, Kakashi sped over to the darkened doorway and making sure Hikaru was still alive and breathing—letting out a sigh of relief when he was, though barely—once again lifted him over his shoulders and onto his back and set out in search for his cherry blossom of a medic.

…

“They got away Dai-sama.”

The pale blonde man curled his fists in silent fury. So all along, the prince had been hidden right under his nose. “Did I not tell you to watch the castle grounds closely?”

“W-We did Sir, but he slipped through without our notice.” The messenger stuttered, feeling the barely contained rage.

“Obviously not closely enough.” Dai bit out scathingly before unsheathing his hidden dagger and running it cleanly through his subordinate’s chest.

But luckily he could still salvage the now suddenly precarious situation. Sweeping out of his room he occupied while taking residence in the castle he headed towards Michiru’s quarters in the northern part of the castle.

It didn’t take long before he arrived in front of the heavy doors and knocking urgently, he waited for the ruler’s hurried response. And he didn’t have to stand there long because seconds after, a disheveled looking Michiru swung the door wide open, eyes narrowing in concern when he saw his good friend.

“What’s the matter Dai?”

Said man put on a panicked expression. “Michiru, the castle’s been infiltrated. I don’t know what they were after, but after questioning the guards, they said they saw a shinobi escaping while carrying a body. And when asked if the body was still alive, they could give me no answer.”

Michiru was instantly overcome with fear, his face paling and it looked like he was about to hurl any minute. He seemed hesitant at first, casting a long glance at Dai and as if finally conceding to some internal debate, brushed past him and motioned for him to follow.

“Is there something you’re not telling me Michiru?” Dai asked quietly.

“Hikaru’s been hiding in a secret chamber here, to give me more time to decide what to do.” He explained as he led them to the east wing and down a narrow stretch of hallway.

“You mean the Prince has been here all this time?” He feigned surprise.

The King nodded and picking up his pace, hurried into the never used study and when he saw the open door to the secret chamber, he felt his heart pause for a painstaking moment before everything came crashing down. “And now the enemy most likely has him.” Michiru sagged to the ground, clutching his head in his hands miserably.

“Perhaps saving your son isn’t a lost cause Michiru. The scrolls are what they want. Handing them over may save him yet.” Dai urged.

He was beyond conflicted and it didn’t help that so many lives hung in the balance of his decision. “Will you stay with me till the very end Dai?”

The blonde man knelt down and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Of course Michiru.”

…

Sakura stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Dark circles colored the pale skin beneath her jade eyes and she didn’t look very healthy at the moment. Any minute now, the bright rays of a rising sun would fall through the clear windows of the bakery they were currently using as an HQ of sorts.

About an hour ago she’d gotten word by way of messenger birds from both Kano and Aki about rogue nins and the attacks on both clans. Once they’d secured everything and assured everyone that no more harm would come to pass, they’d meet her back here at the bakery.

But there was still no word from her chronically late copy ninja. Worry and fear were beginning to creep through the edges of her mind. Was Kakashi okay? Had he found Hikaru? What the hell was taking him so long? And did he realize the anxiety he was causing her with his prolonged absence?

Heaving a tired sigh, Sakura splashed some cold water on her face and patted it dry with a small towel that Ami had given her. Well, hopefully he wasn’t being attacked by kunai and shuriken cause as much as she hated it, her chakra reserves were close to none right now and she wasn’t sure that if he hauled himself in all bloody like she’d be able to fully heal him.

Glancing one last time at the mirror and hating how utterly frail she looked, the cherry blossom walked out of the bathroom only to be given a near heart attack when the door burst open. Sakura, in a blinding flash of movement pulled a kunai from her hip holster and had the deadly point aimed at a black covered throat.

“Mind not pointing sharp things at me right now?” Kakashi asked, a note of urgency in his voice.

Her emerald eyes quickly shifted up to his face and then to the body on his back. “Hikaru…” She breathed, immediately dropping her sharp weapon and helped Kakashi lay him on the bed.

“Are you okay?” Sakura glanced at her former sensei before quickly setting to work on the teen.

“I’m fine, but maybe I should be asking you that.” He replied, eyes roaming across her pale face. “You’re overdoing it Sakura.”

But she didn’t want to hear it. “Where’d you find him?” She asked, evading his statement.

He considered pressing the issue with her, making her see that depleting her chakra was so very dangerous but one look at the hard determined lines in her pale face told him to drop it or he’d be at the receiving end of a very hard right hook.

“A hidden room courtesy of a very smart monkey.”

“Kiki.”

Kakashi nodded.

“You’re bleeding.” Sakura noticed as she stood and went to grab a bowl of water from the adjoining bathroom.

“Just a flesh wound. He needs you more than I do right now.” And he kneeled next to her after she’d returned and looked at the prince fighting for his life.

Sakura began the poison extraction right away and almost instantly she started to feel the effects on her body. “I’ll only be able to get some of the poison out. Enough that his life won’t be in danger anymore.” A shaky breath escaped her lips as she created another watery sphere. “After that, give him the antidote in my pack.”

The ball of water filled with the remnants of belladonna wavered and threatened to dissolve in mid air as she unsteadily drew it to another bowl.

“Sakura.” Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder, concern coloring his voice.

“Just one more. And then he’ll be fine.” She murmured, tipping slightly to the side and if it wasn’t for Kakashi’s firm grip on her shoulder she would’ve lost her balance entirely.

And pushing the last of her chakra out of her system and into her hands, she extracted another bout of poison from Hikaru’s body. Her vision blurred and dimmed a little as she leaned heavily against the Copy-Nin, shallow breaths leaving her lips.

“Don’t just sit there Kakashi…my bag…the antidote…”

Sakura promptly drifted into unconsciousness then. Long lashes fluttered to a close and her breath evened out to a slow but steady tempo. Making sure she was alright, Kakashi gently placed her down and grabbed her bag lying against the wall and searched through it. He pulled out a large glass bottle and one of the many packaged syringes and within minutes, he’d injected the antidote into Hikaru’s bloodstream.

His shoulder throbbed and he was reminded of his wound. Glancing once more at the two incapacitated individuals, he grabbed a roll of gauze and the bottle of antibacterial ointment that had fallen out of Sakura’s pack and began to bandage his wound.

…

“Sakura-chan…”

“My little cherry blossom…”

“Sakura-san…”

“Haruno…”

“ANBU…”

“Sakura…”

“Pink…”

“Who are you?”

“ANBU shitface.”

“Come now Pink, that’s not what I meant.”

“Go to hell.”

And then she was running. Running towards images and shapes and sounds that echoed throughout the all consuming black surrounding her. One more step and Sakura was across the white threshold, skidding to a stop on dirty stone floors decorated with new and old blood. Her blood. Michi’s blood. Hideki’s blood. All mingling together, swirling beneath her feet and she looked up, suddenly reliving a dark and stormy nightmare.

“Stop it!” She screamed, running at the bastard ruthlessly thrusting into her captain.

But Sakura didn’t have a chance as the scene spun out of control and screams and shouts filled the blurring void.

“For remembrance…”

She looked down to see her hands coated in red. It dripped to the dirt floor now beneath her bare feet and in the second it took for her to blink, her whole body was one bloody mess and Sakura fell to the ground and closed her eyes, not sure if the intense pain she was feeling was real or not and thinking that if she died right now, that would be perfectly fine with her.

And when she opened her eyes again, she was staring into malevolent black eyes.

Akai.

She felt his disgusting touch. Wanted to crush every bone in his body. Felt his lips take everything from her. Heard him taunt her for her weaknesses and her helplessness.

“I’m going to kill you…”

“I’m going to kill you too Pink…”

“Sakura!” Kakashi worriedly shook her shoulder, trying to get her to wake up from whatever dream she was having.

“Don’t touch me!” Her emerald oceans, tumultuous and haunted, had snapped open as those tortured words escaped her lips and she’d scrambled backwards towards the corner of the bed she didn’t remember climbing into, not quite sure where she was in that moment. And as reality came into sharp focus, she saw Kakashi and didn’t know what to say or what to do.

“I…I didn’t—” She shook her head, drawing in ragged breaths and trying to grasp what was real and who she was as the world seemed to crumble around her.

“I understand.” He said simply and took a few steps away from the bed. But even though he was still close to her, it seemed like he was miles away. “You’ve been asleep for most of the day. It’ll be nightfall soon.”

“And Hikaru?” She whispered.

“Hikaru’s recovering.” There was a pregnant pause, as if both didn’t know what to do or say next. “I’ll let you clean up.” His soft footsteps created an echoing rhythm on the hardwood floor as he quietly left the room.

Sakura burrowed her head in her shaking arms and knees, seeking some kind of sanctuary, some kind of comfort from the frightening demons that always silently lurked around the dark corners of her mind. And her heart ached for what she’d said to Kakashi, even though she knew that he knew it wasn’t intentional, just her and the past still at war with each other.

And she knew that he wouldn’t take it to heart, would probably brush it aside like almost everything else. But she still felt terrible about it. Perhaps all this time as an ANBU shinobi hadn’t hardened her like she hoped. Sakura drew in another ragged breath, slowly erasing the nightmare and hating to wonder when it would again write itself back into her dreams.

…

There was a time when Kakashi didn’t have to worry about others. A time when it was just him and him alone and all he had to think about was the next assigned mission, the latest volume of Icha Icha, and what to eat when hunger struck. Those had been the simpler days.

And then everything changed.

Sasuke. Naruto. Sakura. They’d seized his life as if it had always been theirs to have. Charged right in and unknowingly wiggled their way under his skin and admittedly, into his rock hard, locked and bolted heart. Three very different shinobi that held three very different places in his scarred and beat up heart.

As the gray haired jounin paced the rooftop of the bakery, head tucked within the pages of his trusty Icha Icha, his thoughts reluctantly strayed to his pink haired former student and the aftereffects of whatever nightmare he woke her from.

But Kakashi could just as easily guess from where her tormented dreams stemmed. It didn’t take a neurosurgeon to figure things out, just someone who knew of her past, of her demons. Someone who would recognize the pain, the loss, the loneliness that flickered across her eyes.

Two and a half years ago he, Genma, and Ino had found her practically bathed in her own dark red blood, scarcely breathing, and hardly recognizable in a dirty stone prison with both her teammates dead. He’d entered the room with his control barely intact and with his heart hammering in his chest. He didn’t know whether to feel relieved or furious about finding her. All he really knew was that one moment he was standing shock still and the next he was taking off his jounin vest and covering her frail body with it before lifting her into his arms.

The thundering sound of running and frantic footsteps echoed down the hallway and he’d motioned to his two team members to get Sakura’s ANBU team down and out, knowing that his former student would never forgive him if he didn’t at least save their bodies. As Konoha shinobi, they deserved to be buried at home, not under stone rubble when the bombs went off.

As they traveled the dark hallways and maneuvered their way out of the compound, Kakashi was sick with worry. Sakura’s blood had already stained his clothes and hands, dripped to the cold hard ground and her heartbeat seemed to lose its strength, the rhythm becoming duller and frightening slow. She had scared him a few times while they made their hasty escape, causing him to grit his teeth and almost lose his step.

‘Stay with me…’ He’d whispered into her ear, urging her, pleading with her not to cross that fine line between life and death because he sure as hell wasn’t prepared to lose her. Not when he’d just found her.

It was in those moments, in those few and blurry moments filled with nothing but raw feeling that Kakashi had realized that he couldn’t always protect her. And even though it stung and her blood on his hands made him want to kill the bastard who did this to her, he couldn’t do anything about it except try to make it better, try to make her better.

No, he hadn’t been ready to lose his cherry blossom. Didn’t think he’d ever be. She was all that he had left of what was once a beautiful though dysfunctional Team Kakashi. She was the only one he would listen to rant about her new ANBU team. The only one he would watch over as she slept in the hospital after coming back close to death from another mission. The only one he would let himself touch, even though it seemed like a sin to do so.

No. Kakashi would never be ready to lose her.

‘Stay with me Sakura…please stay with me…’ He had repeated it over and over like a mantra, as if those words alone would save her from the ruthless clutches of death.

And when they’d finally landed to safety, he had had a hard time letting her go. Ino, with barely contained tears in her blue eyes had gently pleaded with him to let her close friend go so she could heal what she could while Genma, concern marring his brow and soft spoken, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and told him that everything would be okay.

If only Genma had been right. If only all three would’ve believed that everything would be okay. But they all knew that so many things had changed regarding their Sakura. A shinobi couldn’t just pick up where they left off after something like this happening. There was just too much emotional scarring to deal with. And of course, he knew all about it. Experienced it firsthand and would never wish losing so much in such a short span of time on anyone. He’d lost much, seen much, but also gained much in his thirty something years of living as a shinobi. No, he wasn’t a stranger at all to things of the darker nature.

And as Kakashi perched himself at the edge of the rooftop, looking like a stone statue in the setting sun that painted the sky in bright hues, he couldn’t stop the sense of foreboding that gnawed at his insides. So maybe it could’ve been something he’d eaten earlier, but he highly doubted it. A strange kind of anxiety or maybe anxiousness was creeping through him and Kakashi was never one to ignore his instincts.

“Kakashi! Where are you!?”

Sakura’s annoyed voice traveled up to him through the open windows and he couldn’t help but smile a little. Though in some ways, she was still the same.

…

“Sakura-san…Kakashi-san…” His voice was raspy, had grown raw while the belladonna had coursed through his system.

“We’re glad to have you back with us Hikaru.” Sakura kneeled down beside the bed, a small smile gracing her lips as the gray haired jounin sent the teen a little wave from behind her.

The prince’s eyes shined with hope and with unspoken gratitude. “I knew you’d come.”

Sakura’s expression softened and hooking her pinky with Hikaru’s said, “Friends forever remember? A promise is still a promise, even through all these years.”

And it looked like he was about to start crying but boys turning into men didn’t cry so Hikaru desperately held back the overwhelming need to release his pent up emotion.

“Hikaru?”

He looked at the pink haired kunoichi, momentarily taking in her appearance and noticing for the first time since they walked into the room how different she looked, how different being in her presence was now compared to then but he couldn’t put a name to it. He thought she must’ve been through a lot to change her so.

“Is Naruto here?” He asked suddenly, almost startling the two ninja.

“He’s on another mission.” Kakashi replied.

Hikaru nodded understandably. “I see. You wanted to ask me something Sakura-san?”

“I need you tell us all that you know.” She said simply, adeptly hiding the sadness that followed every time she heard that name.

The teen’s face instantly darkened, overcome by shadows and he looked away from them, eyes staring out of the window.

“They want Moon Country’s scrolls. They contain all the secrets of the island, all the clans, the treasures, everything. Before they poisoned me to get to father, I was able to send out Kaze. They didn’t know of course.” He coughed then, throat parched and sore. Sakura handed him a cup of water for which he was thankful.

“Father hid me in the secret chamber to buy him more time. But I told him no matter what, don’t give them the scrolls. I’m not sure if he’ll listen to me. Sometimes he can be foolish and not think things through all the way.”

“You have to understand his position also Hikaru.” Kakashi commented, leaning against the wall. “You’re his only son. Right about now he probably thinks the enemy took you or that you’re already dead.”

Hikaru’s eyes widened and he struggled to sit up but Sakura would have not of that.

“You have to rest Prince.”

“But—”

She shook her head. “Not this time.”

The teen relented, clenching his fists in helplessness. But he knew more, even though it hurt to tell the two shinobi. “It’s Oshiro-san.” He whispered.

“We’re aware of that.” Kakashi said.

He’d told Sakura everything the rogue nin had said after coming down from the roof. About Dai and how he’d hired mercenary ninja from all over, promising riches and power if they took care of the Getsugakure shinobi.

“All this time we trusted him. Father’s best friend betrayed us, stabbed us in the back once he heard about the Tsuki scrolls.” His voice grew louder, more furious by the second. “How could he? We gave him so much and Father even took him in when he got kicked out of his clan. He was…he was like the uncle I never had. How could he do something like this?”

The first bitter taste of betrayal by someone so close was always the worst. It cut deeper, stung harder, was less easier to understand. And as the two ninja looked on, memories of their own dark pasts faded in and out.

“At the end of the day, when everything is said and done, you’d be surprised about who you can trust. About who you thought would forever be there by your side.” Sakura imparted quietly to him. “Many are driven by their greed, their lust for power Hikaru. You should know that.”

“I know. But the hurt and the hatred is still there.”

“Give it time.” About to stand up, Sakura was stopped by Hikaru when he grasped her arm.

“You probably don’t want to hear it but thank you, to the both of you, for saving my life.”

She patted his hand. “Get some more sleep and by the time you wake up, everything will be over.”

…

Kano descended into the bakery, followed shortly thereafter by Aki holding a white box. The black haired shinobi raised a brow inquiringly at the package, wondering what was inside.

“A very kind old geezer gave it to me. A gesture of gratitude for coming to help the village out he said.”

“Do you even know what’s in there?” Kano asked.

“Something about buns.” Aki shrugged his shoulders and placing the box down, flipped open the cover. “They look pretty good.”

He reached in to take one just as Sakura and Kakashi came through the swinging door.

Kano turned towards the pair. “Anything new Captain?”

She looked up and nodded as they made their way towards them. “The prince is here recovering. He should be fine in a few days. And I managed to discover how the poison was being distributed. The foo—”

Sakura stopped mid-sentence when her eyes landed on Aki who was at the moment about to consume a very familiar looking bun filled with poison.

“Don’t eat that!” She rushed over and slapped it out of his hand.

“Aiya! If you wanted one you could’ve just asked! There’s a whole bunch in the box right there!” Aki rubbed his hand, glaring at her.

But Sakura didn’t care and was too preoccupied grabbing one and tearing it in half, showed the almost imperceptible bits of belladonna mixed with the filling to the other three shinobi. “It’s poisoned. That’s how it was being given to the village and that’s why only certain people were afflicted. Those who ate it were poisoned, those who didn’t obviously weren’t. The more you ate, the worse the poisoning and the quicker you died.”

“And who’s going to question the food they eat.” Kakashi added thoughtfully, silently applauding his former student. She’d always been the most perceptive, the most intelligent of Team Seven.

Sakura nodded. “Right.”

“I could’ve just died.” Aki whispered, turning his glare on the harmless looking food sitting on the table.

“That should teach you not to accept food from a stranger.” Kano remarked dryly, shaking his head.

“Who gave this to you?” Sakura asked.

“Some old guy a few blocks down the street. He was standing if front of another shop.”

“Find him, we find the poison maker.”

But first, she and Kakashi needed to finish putting up the protective seals. They couldn’t risk anything happening to Hikaru while they were gone.

…

It wasn’t too long after that they arrived at the shop Aki mentioned. And it wasn’t too long before they found the old man’s body. He looked as if he was sleeping peacefully on the ground, no signs of a puncture wound, just that of a thin red line of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Sakura bent down and probed his body, eyes widening when the reason of his clean death hit her.

“Someone ruptured his heart.”

Kano furrowed his brows. “How can you do that without an entry wound?”

“A medic-nin skilled enough can.” Kakashi answered, his eye never leaving the stiff form of the cherry blossom.

Aki snorted with disbelief. “You can’t be serious!?” He turned to his captain. “Don’t tell me you can do that Sakura?”

She didn’t respond, merely stood up and ran to the back of the shop. A strange sense of dread flooding the pit of her stomach as her breath hitched in her chest.

“Sakura…” The pink haired kunoichi didn’t hear her former sensei, didn’t pick up on the brief flash of concern streaking along the smooth tone of his voice.

But the back room was empty. The only sign that anyone had been there were the dustings of belladonna on wooden counters and dough halfway finished lying abandoned on floured cutting boards.

And what exactly was she hoping to find? Who was she hoping to catch a glimpse of, if only for the span of a second? Her chest tightened and she suddenly found it hard to breathe.

‘Pink…’

“Out! Now!” Kano shouted as he and Aki came running towards their captain and the copy ninja.

But she was too busy reliving a memory to react fast enough and soon found herself hauled over a shoulder before a thundering explosion tore through the shop, sending all of them flying to the ground as a heat wave of plaster and fire crashed over them.

Through the smoke and rubble, Sakura could make out a body lying on top of her, acting as her shield. And as the scene cleared, she took off her mask and gently grasped the motionless head lying on her chest and lifted it up for her to look at.

“Kakashi…you stupid idiot.” She whispered, wiping away the coat of dust from the part of his face he left revealed and clearing away the bits and pieces of the explosion in his unruly mop of gray hair. “You better be alive.”

His eye slowly opened and she could tell by the crinkles around it that he found something amusing in this not so amusing mess they were in.

“And that’s the appreciation I get for saving your life Sakura?” He said before falling into a fit of coughing. She pounded on his back, thinking that it was helping but it only served to make his aching body hurt more.

“Sakura?! Kakashi!?” Her teammates’ voice called out worriedly over the aftermath.

“Over here!” She yelled out hoarsely, her own sense of worry alleviated immensely at hearing both their voices.

Kakashi slowly picked himself up, shaking all the debris off as he did so and extended a hand to Sakura. She gladly took it, emerald orbs automatically scanning over his body for any type of injury as she was pulled up.

“You’re fine?” She asked, poking him here and there.

He stopped her oncoming finger by grabbing it and gently let go. “Minus a few flying pieces of plaster to the head, I’d say I’m fine.”

Though a bit reluctant, she conceded. “Thank you.” She gave him an appreciative smile before turning around and doing the same thing to her ANBU teammates, making sure that they were okay and sustained no critical injuries.

“I’m beginning to think someone wants us dead.” Aki said with a laugh.

“Leave it to you to find the humor in almost getting blown up.” Sakura shook her head but even she couldn’t stop the small smile from forming on her lips or the small laugh that followed.

Kano raised a brow. “And I’m beginning to think the both of you have sustained head injuries.”

“And I’m inclined to agree.” Kakashi threaded his fingers through his hair. “But unfortunately, we don’t have time to waste. We can’t let Oshiro get the scrolls.”

Both Kano and Aki stood confused. “Scrolls?”

“We’ll brief you two on the way.” Sakura said hurriedly as they dusted off the last of the explosion and headed towards the castle.

…

Michiru opened the safe hidden behind the headboard of his bed. He stared, hard and intense, at the seemingly innocent looking scrolls. So much death for pieces of parchment he didn’t even write, hadn’t even glimpsed the contents of. And now Hikaru could be anywhere. He could and most likely was, already dead. How could he continue on without any family? Without his son by his side?

There had been a time when he thought money could solve every problem. And it had taken him losing his father and almost losing his life to realize that although he could buy anything, in the end it all meant absolutely nothing. No amount of jewels, of gold, of priceless artifacts could buy back his son or get him out of this nightmare.

Everything seemed so hopeless. There hadn’t been any more contact from Kakashi and he wondered where they were now. Had they put an end to the crisis in his village? Had they stopped everyone from dying? He shook his head. He was so pathetic, so weak and scared of what might happen to him that he couldn’t even go out and see for himself what was happening to the people who were relying on him to get them out of this debacle.

He stood there hunched over, debating whether or not it’d be worth it if he simply handed over the five scrolls to the enemy. After all, they had promised to spare his life and what others were left when they got a hold of it. His hand reached further in, barely an inch from the parchment but he abruptly stopped.

‘Whatever you do father, don’t give it to them…don’t give them the scrolls no matter what…’

Michiru squeezed his eyes shut. The memory of what Hikaru had said to him before being whisked away to the secret chamber echoed painfully in his head. His son hadn’t wanted him to hand them over. Had said, had been a man and said what was his life compared to the countless others that lived in Moon Country. They served the people and what right did they have to throw away so many lives, to put all the habitants of the island in danger because some power obsessed bastards wanted the scrolls?

“I can’t…” He whispered, drawing his hand back and made to close the safe and meet his fate when the doors to his personal quarters were blown open and apart.

Michiru shielded his face with his arms, alarm rushing through his system. Before he could even finish swinging the safe door closed and initiating the self-destruct, cold hard metal bit through his robes and pierced his flesh. Knocked to the ground, his body cried out in sharp pain, but he refused to vocalize it.

Footsteps drew nearer with every passing second. Who was he to give up on his country? Who was he to not try harder and maybe, just maybe save all that was still left? Resolve once again firmly in place, Michiru grunted and dragged himself across the small distance separating him and the scrolls and reaching out a bloody hand—

“Tsk tsk Tsuki-sama, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

His body froze, paralyzed by shock and bewilderment. “Dai?”

Michiru was dealt a swift and powerful kick to the gut, causing him to gasp and cough up blood.

The pale blonde man knelt down, a sneer twisting his face. “You didn’t think I’d settle for just being your friend and sometimes advisor did you?”

“You?” The king gasped, cold hard fury blazing in his eyes at the realization. “How could you?”

Dai released a merciless laugh. “How could I not?” He knelt down and pressed a razor sharp blade to his face. “Foolish king. Your trust was gained far too easily these past years. Did you honestly believe I wouldn’t want more? More power, more money? We are driven by our greed and lust for power Michiru. Knowing that you had the scrolls, how could I resist such a rich temptation?”

The sharp edge of the weapon broke his skin and soon, a thin line of blood trailed the length of his face.

“Bastard! After all we did for you, this is how you repay us? With treachery and lies? You betrayed Moon!” Michiru angrily spat.

Oshiro fisted a hand into the collar of his robes, face contorted in rage. “My treachery and lies will get me everything I’ve ever desired! Tell me Tsuki, where has your justice and righteousness gotten you? A dead son and a poisoned village Michiru! You’ve lost everything!” Dai drove the kunai into his middle, smiling at the satisfying gasp of pain that tore through his once and former friend.

“The ANBU are here Dai-sama! We should hurry and escape!”

“My thanks Michiru.” He sneered victoriously and grabbed the scrolls from the safe before sweeping out of the room.

…

They entered the castle from all different directions. Find Michiru and the scrolls. Of course nothing was made simple for them. When they arrived, everything was in chaos. Getsugakure ninja and castle guards were locked in fierce battle with hired rogue nin and traitors.

Sakura weaved her way through fighting bodies after entering through the north end of the castle. She’d sent Kano to enter through the west end and Aki through the south, Kakashi taking the east since he already knew his way around. But with her chakra still low, she didn’t want to risk what little had returned through her short-lived rest. Michiru could be hurt or maybe even dying so she needed to conserve every little shred.

The pink haired kunoichi ducked to avoid a large sword swing intended for a castle guard to her right. A sudden explosion sounded further ahead, immediately followed by shouts of ‘Tsuki-sama is in danger!’ The mood of the fight suddenly shifted and it seemed it was everyone’s intent to get to the where the explosion occurred.

Her mask firmly in place, she maneuvered through the throng of sweaty bodies soundlessly, nothing but a blur to their distracted eyes. Sakura made it to the room with little difficulty just moments after she saw two men run out, one with scrolls carried by bloodied hands. She felt her chest constrict with indecision.

But when it came down to it, she wasted no more time in entering the room and her jade eyes quickly fell on the panting king lying on the floor.

“Michiru-san!” She ran over to him, taking in the damage.

“S-Sakura?” He wheezed, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth.

The ANBU captain nodded weakly and quickly set to work. “On three. One, two, three.” As the last number left her lips, she smoothly pulled out the kunai embedded in his mid-section.

Michiru gasped in mind-numbing pain, his face red with exertion and his vision swimming with stars. It hurt to even breathe and he was forced to take in quick shallow breaths, trying to keep the excruciating pain at bay.

“You’re lucky none of your vital organs were punctured.” Sakura said, feeling the beads of sweat sliding down her face behind her ANBU mask. “But don’t worry Michiru-san, you’re going to be fine.”

Sakura commenced the healing, letting her chakra bleed into the wound and slowly stitch it back together. After that was done, she started on the other numerous slashes on his body, letting a sigh of satisfaction escape after the healing was complete.

She felt Kano’s chakra signature enter the room then and in one smooth motion, stood up and faced him. “Make sure nothing else happens to him.”

“And where are you going?”

“After Dai and the scrolls he’s taken.” Sakura said as she passed him and followed Oshiro’s trail.

…

Kakashi’s hands flew through a series of seals. A whole hoard of rogue ninja had descended upon him, effectively cutting off his search for Michiru and the scrolls. And as they screamed and shouted while they were caught in the genjutsu, flailing their arms and legs as their limbs turned into black inky masses and slowly disintegrated before their very eyes, Kakashi quickly released a barrage of shuriken, taking them down and preparing for the others that were left behind them.

He dodged a chain of metal spikes enhanced with chakra, but couldn’t get out of the way fast enough to evade the almost unnoticeable hari. The sharp needles hit his left shoulder, embedding themselves deep into his flesh and ruining the wonderful bandaged work he’d done earlier. The chain came back around, hoping to bind him and bite deep into his body but he was able to deflect them with a rapidly formed jutsu, a wall of solid packed earth erupting in front of him. The metal weapon wrapped around that instead and while the rogue nin tried to regain his weapon, Kakashi used that time to scale the wall and descended onto the metal chain, dashing along it and towards the panicked mercenary. Kakashi slit his throat in a heartbeat, pouncing off his falling chest like a graceful feline.

Aki veered around a corner, at a complete loss as to where he was. He’d heard an explosion and following his gut instinct, was heading towards the loud boom which seemed to come from the north end of the castle. He suddenly jumped out of the way of an oncoming katana strike, his blue violet eyes glowing behind his ANBU mask.

Another clumsy swing from the ninja and Aki easily disarmed him, sending a swift kick to his stomach that had him doubling over and a dagger hilt to the base of his skull that knocked the rogue unconscious. His head swiveled to the left and he caught sight of gray hair, almost positive that it was Hatake.

And if he hadn’t been an expert ANBU shinobi, he would’ve been dead in that instant, but he was so he managed to dodge at the last second a wakizashi aimed to decapitate his pretty little head. He watched as the enemy pulled out a katana and with both long and short sword poised, came running at him with a loud yell of adrenaline.

Aki twirled his daggers and crossed his arms in defense as the rogue nin landed blow after blow, igniting sparks when their blades kissed. Another explosion from the north end rocked the castle and a hint of worry worked its way across his brow. In a hurry to finish the fight, Aki landed a kick to his knee, causing the ninja to lose his balance and awkwardly strike out with his katana. He slid his dagger along the inside edge of the longer blade until he got to the hilt and with a deft flick of his shorter blade, cut through the veins of the mercenary’s wrist, causing him to hiss in agony and drop his sword.

But a razor sharp pain igniting in Aki’s right side told him of his split second opening and he quickly looked down to see the wakizashi gliding out of his skin. A sickening laugh met his ears before he kicked up the katana lying at his feet and catching it, swiftly turned around and cut off the rogue nin’s head in one fluid swing, sending an arching spray of blood to the floor.

Aki heard footsteps behind him and spinning on his heel, he brandished his daggers in defense before breathing a sigh of relief.

“Kakashi.” He winced in pain, hand immediately going to his right side where his blood was slowly staining his ANBU uniform.

“I don’t suppose you were heading towards the north end of the castle?” Aki inquired, applying more pressure to his wound. He noticed that the copy-nin sported a few of his own also.

Kakashi nodded. “You’ll be able to make it?”

“I’ve handled worse.”

And it wasn’t long before they were dashing through another set of hallways, getting closer and closer to the northern section of the castle.

…

His hidden blade entered through the messenger’s chest. “You’re no longer needed.”

Leaving the dead body with not so much as a backwards glance, Dai entered the courtyard, making his way towards the back gate where a carriage waited for him to take him to the shore. He gripped the scrolls as if his life depended on it, excitement welling up as a mad gleam entered his eyes. Moon Country would be under his control soon enough. People would bow down to him. The Oshiro clan would regret the day they threw him out and he’d make them beg, make them plead for their lives.

As he passed the pond where koi swam, glimmering in the moonlight, he felt an acute pain in his shoulder, followed by another in his right leg. He didn’t think much of it. That was until he took a step and found himself falling to the ground. His leg was beginning to go numb and as his right arm fell limply to his side, he watched the five Tsuki scrolls scatter onto the grass before him.

“Oshiro-san, you honestly didn’t think I’d let you leave without letting you know my price did you?”

Black booted feet came into his line of vision before he was forcefully pulled up to stare into malevolent onyx eyes. They were deep black pools, betraying nothing and matching perfectly with his braided midnight hair. He exuded sinister intent and the pale blonde man had to wonder if he was the devil himself disguised.

“I-I was just coming to see you!” Dai stuttered, a sliver of fear curling around his spine as he tried to maintain his composure in the face of the asset he’d hired.

A distasteful sneer crossed his lips. “Lies will get you nowhere Oshiro-san.”

“Your price?! What do you want?!” He was getting frantic now, his nerves on end. Dai glanced behind him, afraid the ANBU would catch up but at the same time, afraid this man before him would ask something of him he did not have.

He dropped the fool, knowing full well that the senbon he shot at him would allow him no escape. “There are foreign ANBU here Oshiro-san. Where are they from?”

“I don’t know!”

A kunai shot into the palm of his hand, pinning it to the ground. “I believe you do. I’m sure being such close friends with the king allowed for some divulgence.”

Dai shot through his fumbled thoughts, searching and searching for anything that related to the issue the asset seemed so curious about. “Suna…no…he said something about a past mission a few years ago…something about the same ninjas…I don’t know!” He shook his head, wracking his brain and sweating profusely.

Another kunai. This time to his left shoulder.

“Think harder Oshiro-san. Time is of the essence.” He said casually.

Dai was close to hysterics now. The pain was messing with his head and he couldn’t feel the right side of his body. He registered a third explosion from the castle and suddenly he caught the little bit of information he was so desperately seeking. “Fire Country! Konohagakure! They’re Leaf ANBU!”

“Ah, very good Oshiro-san.” He bent down and ripped the kunai out from the center of Dai’s palm, reveling in the shriek he emitted.

Retrieving the Tsuki scrolls, he loomed above the sickly pale man who clutched his bleeding hand to his chest. “All this for a couple of scrolls?”

“Please, spare me and you’ll have all the riches and power you want!” Dai pleaded, grabbing onto the man’s pant leg with bloodied hands, fingers inching towards the pieces of rolled up parchment he’d worked so hard to attain.

But he only smiled. Dark and malicious and cruelly handsome. “I’m afraid Oshiro-san that you don’t have what I want.”

He placed a hand on Dai’s chest, letting his dark chakra flow with deadly accuracy into the tiny pores of his skin and with a simple squeeze of his hand, his chakra wrapped around his heart like a vice and ruptured it.

Sakura ran. Heart beating an erratic rhythm, she followed the path of slightly crumpled grass. A cold shiver shot down her back and she knew. Only he had that kind of chakra signature. Only he could make a white hot fury rush through her, consuming her every thought and movement.

It was him.

“Akai.”

As the moonlight and the neon stars shined down upon them, she watched him gracefully stand up and face her, scrolls in hand and looking as composed as ever even when there was a dead body at his feet.

“It’s been a long time Pink.” He mused, dark eyes greedily drinking in the object of his obsession for so long now. She was the one that got away. The one he wanted, the one he desired and dreamt about countless nights.

She never took her jade eyes off him. He was still the same. Still sadistically the same and as she stared at him, her heart broke all over again, memories faded in with startling clarity, and she barely suppressed the rapid flow of absolute hatred and disgust.

He took a step forward and Sakura unsheathed her ninjaken in one swift and fluid motion.

“I promised that I’d kill you.”

Akai chuckled darkly. “I’ve missed you too Pink.” He took another step forward and she dashed at him, her blade glinting in the light of the moon and glowing with pure killing intent.

He dropped the scrolls and from his back he pulled out two kodachi from their sheaths and easily blocked her attack, applying pressure onto her ninjaken and making her bend backwards with the force of it. Her leg shot out and almost hit him in the gut but he jumped away, a smirk curving his mouth.

“I must congratulate you on saving the villagers. It was a pleasant surprise to hear talk of a beautiful pink haired ANBU kunoichi with the healing touch.”

“Cut the crap Akai.” Sakura didn’t want to hear his voice. She just wanted to make him bleed and suffer. She charged him again, more aggressively and without any inhibitions.

Sparks flew as their blades collided with each other. Left, right, Sakura met him blow for blow, parrying his attacks like everything was a smooth gliding dance. She flipped backwards and propelled herself upwards, descending on him with blinding speed but he disappeared, appearing right behind her in mid-air and quickly pulled her body to him, tearing off her mask in the process.

“Your emotions are ruling you Pink.” He whispered into her ear and smiled when he drove a kodachi into her middle and all he heard was a ‘poof’ and all he held was empty air and floating cherry blossoms.

Sakura materialized on top of him, sending a chakra induced punch into his face and wasn’t surprised to discover that he too had created a clone of himself. She landed on the grass, faltering just a little bit.

“And your chakra is low.” Akai tsked behind her and she spun around, blocking a strike with her right arm guard just in time and delivered a hard punch to his middle, causing him to fly back. He landed on his feet though, wiping at the small dribble of blood trailing down the corner of his mouth.

“You’re quite the spitfire, much more of one than your dead captain.”

“Don’t you even dare!” Sakura hissed, determined to see his cruelly handsome face smashed in.

She flew at him again, righteous fury blinding her rationality as she lashed out at him, her ninjaken strikes heavy and angry. Too caught up in her thirst for vengeance, she didn’t notice the senbon hidden on the hilt of his kodachi until he had released them and driven several through the fabric of her black pants and into the outside of her thigh.

Sakura instantly felt her leg go numb and from the holster on her side, she drew out a few shuriken and expelled them. But he easily deflected the spinning metal and before she knew it, he was on her, twisting her arm behind her and grabbing her hair, pulling her head back. She stared at him with undisguised hatred.

“That’s right Pink, continue to hate me and loathe me. Let it fill your heart with darkness and eat up your soul.” No longer able to resist the temptation of having her so near, he ran his tongue up the side of her face and inhaled her intoxicating scent.

She struggled against him, spat in his face just like those few years ago in that stone prison coated in blood. He roughly grabbed her chin, reveling in the soft feel of her skin.

“I killed him for you and the scrolls are yours to take back.”

“Why?”

Akai shrugged. “My price was his life. I am dictated by no one Pink. The poison of the village was just fun and games. But you, you were an added bonus.” He let his lips softly graze hers, still holding her face captive with his strong grip.

“You killed my team, tortured me, why not kill me now?” She asked, venom dripping from every word.

He smiled that cruelly handsome smile again. “Because I want to kill you when you’re at your best. It’ll make it that much more sweeter.”

He let some of his chakra flow into her body, let it sting and taint her, give her a taste of what he’d do to her when he finally did kill her. But she refused to give in, wouldn’t let him play with her any longer and with one last burst of her own chakra, dispelled his from her body, watching it disintegrate between them.

“You never cease to amaze me Pink.” He murmured, black eyes overcome with wanton lust and a twisted sense of fascination.

But the rush of running footsteps approaching caused him to release a regretful sigh. And she knew that she wouldn’t be able to end this tonight, knew and despised the fact that he would once again vanish and she’d be left with nothing but an empty heart wishing for his blood, his death by her hand and her hand alone.

Akai inhaled her scent once more before driving two more senbon into her exposed neck. “Not yet Pink. But soon my lovely cherry blossom from Konoha…soon…”

And her world dimmed all around her, was submerged by the blackest black and a mind numbing fear. It echoed with his voice, bounced off the walls of her heart and soul with a promise of what was to come because now…now he knew…

It was only moments after that her three teammates found her unconscious, lying on the grass illuminated by the moonlight with senbon half way buried into her creamy flesh. Oshiro’s dead body was about twenty feet away from her. Just what the hell had happened they didn’t know, but worry blossomed in their chests and curiosity plagued them like a disease.

“Is she going to be okay?” Aki asked the copy nin.

He paused in the middle of lifting her limp body and nodded. “She’ll be fine.”

“And the scrolls?” Kano had gathered them up and was now looking at them accusingly, as if they carried some sort of curse.

“Bring them to Michiru.” Kakashi said simply.

Let him decide what he wanted to do with them. They’d completed the mission. Though it didn’t feel like much of a success at all.

…

Fire Country had always been beautiful in the autumn. But today, as the early morning sun filtered through the trees and red and orange leaves fell lazily to the ground, it seemed alive, maybe excited somehow.

The gates of Konoha, which earlier had been nothing but a dark speck, loomed a few miles ahead of them, beckoning and welcoming.

“Damn it, will you hurry it up?!”

“Hn.”

“We’re almost there Sasuke-teme so stop admiring the leaves and pick up the pace!”

“Dobe.” But he decided to indulge his blonde friend and walked just a little bit faster.

After five long years, they were finally home.


…to be continued…


A/N: I think I got carried away with this chapter. It absolutely refused to end. And yes, they’re back. I hope that answered that one big lingering question.

-hasu86