Chapter 10 - Enemies on All Sides

Sakura knelt down, shooing Holly inside. She didn’t need any encouraging- she had slept at Sakura’s house one night, and she had one comfortable bed! Today, Holly trotted over, leapt up, and sat attentively.

“Sorry to disappoint you. My kid can’t be here. But he did send his regards, and a little something else, aside from me. You don’t have to accept it, but he’s, well…damn that kid, I hate him!” Holly exclaimed, turning away, using her back leg to shift her collar so that a scroll fell out.

Sakura could tell by the way Holly spoke that she was worried for her owner, and she didn’t actually hate him. Apparently, it was more fun to abuse him than show affection. That was Sakura’s guess, anyway, as she picked the scroll up off her bedspread. To her surprise, it was a summoning scroll. As she unfurled it, she only saw one name: Ryouko’s.

“So he took the name after all…” Sakura muttered, seeing that the scroll was signed Sarutobi Ryouko. “He talked about taking the name after the Third Hokage died, but I never knew he actually did. So, what’s this scroll for?” Sakura knew it was a summoning scroll, but for what animal? She knew Ryouko had a large hawk-ish bird named ‘Taleo’, a Chinese Water Dragon named Umisu, Enma, the Monkey King, Shuurai- a large snake, and Holly, a keeshonden dog.

“This one is for me,” Holly explained. “See, my kid, he’s…worried. About me getting hurt. All the other animals are faster, stronger, or can transform. I’m just a messenger. He doesn’t have any use for me while he’s in that demon’s clutches, and doesn’t want me hurt. So he sent me here, and, well, told me to ask you to adopt me, at least until he comes home.” Holly seemed uncomfortable suddenly, and pawed the bed spread nervously. “Actually, I suggested you. He didn’t want to burden you, even though you were the first one he thought of. He was going to send me to Lady Tsunade, but (Holly shivered) she scares me. So I persuaded him to send me to you instead.”

Sakura had never had a pet, or a summon. This was a first for her, but she didn’t need much convincing. This was another tie to her protector, and a way to help Ryouko. And Sakura genuinely liked Holly.

“Okay, tell me what I have to do…” Sakura spoke after a few moments, indicating the scroll.

--

“Damn it, there’s a lot of them! And that’s only the ones we can see…Akamaru, how many can you smell, boy?” Kiba whispered. Akamaru whined in response.

“That many, huh? Alright, I guess we’ve got no choice but a frontal assault. Ready, Akamaru?!”

“Hold on, Kiba…” Shino intoned quietly, looking around. “This is going to need a more delicate approach. These are mostly jonin, and they have the terrain advantage…”

“He’s right. The only advantage we might have had was that they didn’t know our fighting styles. But since we don’t know their styles either, that doesn’t matter,” Kankuro added. But again, Shino showed that he was more than a creepy guy who collected bugs.

“Not quite. They’re from the Rain Village, a place abundant with water. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that they use water jutsus. Water won’t bother my insects, and it won’t interfere with Hinata’s attacks. Your puppets and Akamaru will be more sensitive to the water.”

“Are you saying that Kiba and I can’t do anything?!” Kankuro snarled, grabbing Shino’s coat violently.

“No. I’m saying that a frontal attack won’t work for you two. Hinata and I can hold out against their water, while you and Kiba strategize.”


“ENOUGH OF THIS! GET EM!” shouted one of the thugs. He was apparently the leader, because he didn’t attack himself. His flunkies attacked instead. Their jutsus proved Shino’s assessment to be correct.

“Water Style: Raging Water Sontetsu!” shouted the first two attackers. Water came from nowhere and took the shape of small, but deadly sharp knives. Kiba and Kankuro covered up with their arms in front of them.

“Protection of the Eight Trigrams!” came Hinata’s voice! Her bold attack defended Kiba and Kankuro, knocking the water our of the air and ending it’s threat. To Hinata, it seemed as if the water was moving at a snail’s pace. To everyone else, her hands were a blur as she blocked attack after attack!

“Of course! Hinata developed this jutsu! And she used water to develop it! I forgot she could do that!” Kiba was clearly stunned, having seen Hinata practice this countless times, but she seemed to fail every time. But now, performing it so flawlessly that he and Kankuro weren’t even getting wet- it was remarkable!

The other three attackers aimed for Shino. Their water attacks struck him, but he was long gone- bug clones took care of that.

“What?! Damn it, bugs?! Where’s the real guy?!” the Rain uprisers asked each other. Whack whack whack! They all fell down, poison entering their systems courtesy of some bugs they hadn’t noticed Shino planting.

“Nice! Now let’s-” Kiba began, but held up. More and more enemies had appeared, numbering twenty in all. Some were water clones, but it was impossible to tell.

“We’re in trouble…”

--

“Can you hear me?”

Sai’s voice came through the wireless headsets. Naruto, Sakura, and Yamato all responded in the affirmative.

“Go ahead, Sai. Proceed,” Yamato instructed, speaking into his headset. Turning it off and facing his team, he continued his instructions.
“Sakura, you will take the rooftops. Naruto, cover the ground level. My wood clone will take up a position at the main entrance, while I will watch from a distance. Keep in mind, this is a powerful man. He may appear blinded, and may even be blind in the traditional sense of the word, but do not think for a moment that he isn’t capable of being powerful despite this handicap. He is, in fact, very dangerous, and he may very suspect us. So, um, don’t drop your guards.”

Yamato gave his ‘scary eyes’ look to Naruto, who quivered in fear even as he ran off to obey orders.

-

Sai knelt before Elder Danzou.

“It all went according to your plan,” Sai explained. “I have them listening via headset, or so they think. I’ve programmed my set to a different wavelength. That wavelength contains you and I speaking, but not saying anything important.”

Danzou nodded. “Good. I see that you haven’t forgotten your training. Now then, your mission of killing Sasuke Uchiha?”

“Prematurely terminated by Sasuke’s escape. We grossly underestimated what he can do. He bested all four of us (Team Kakashi), then fled with Orochimaru and Kabuto,” Sai answered. Danzou didn’t move, or even express displeasure.

“You did well in gauging his abilities. And you handed those documents to Tsunade…perfect. In this envelope…” Danzou’s withered old hand produced a new envelope. “…are you new orders. Take them to your home and study them. I will leave it up to you to follow them. I would like to hear your plan now.”

Now was the cue. Sai had waited for this opportunity with Danzou. “To kill Sarutobi Ryouko would amount to treason. I learned from Lady Tsunade herself that Ryouko is still under our employment.”

Danzou seemed surprised. “That boy is a loose cannon…but that fool Tsunade believes she can trust him. Of course, she’s suspicious of me…No matter. Your orders stand, Sai. Kill Ryouko upon seeing him.”

Sai didn’t move- he had to wait for Yamato’s order. It came into his headset:

“Now, Sai. Take the conversation to Lady Hokage, leave Danzou to us!”

--

Gai waited patiently, still feeling guilty about postponing Lee’s training. The boy looked so forward to it that Gai felt bad whenever he had a mission and couldn’t train with his star pupil.

Lady Tsuande mentioned something about an ANBU agent going with me to Sunagakure. If the Kazekage is in that much trouble, then this must mean that someone incredibly powerful is involved. The Akatsuki? Orochimaru? Just who could it be?

tok. The sound of someone landing almost silently next to him caused Gai to look up. He narrowed his eyes, realizing just how important things were.

“So, it’s you. You’ve had to join ANBU again?”

Kakashi, fully masked and wearing ANBU armor, nodded gravely. “Yes, it’s that serious. Preserving our alliance with Sunagakure is crucial.”

“We’re being hit hard…Orochimaru…the Akatsuki…can we really afford to be worrying about another nation?” Gai wondered aloud.

“We can’t afford NOT to. Orochimaru is being handled by one of our agents. The Akatsuki is being handled by a group of chunin. We’re getting hit alright, but we can’t focus on just one threat…and even one is bad enough.”

Gai nodded his agreement. “Alright,” he said, unusually serious for him, “let’s go then.”

The two took to the treetops. Kakashi noticed Gai kept looking over at him, a dead serious look on his face. It wasn’t like Gai, and even the stoic Kakashi was starting to get worried.

“Anything wrong?” Kakashi finally asked, giving Gai a calm look. Gai smiled a little wistfully.

“Nothing. This is just a reminder that…well, Kakashi, we’re not as young as we used to be. My Lee is near jonin level, and you’ve managed to turn out two great students yourself. It’s great, just what we need, but at the same time…It reminds me that things are different now.”

Kakashi didn’t say anything right away, instead thinking about what Gai said. He was right- things WERE different. Despite living through the Great Ninja War and the Nine-Tailed fox, Kakashi’s generation was going to wind up having the easier time. Orochimaru, the Akatsuki, and failing alliances made for a heady up-hill climb for Naruto’s generation. At the same time, Kakashi knew they could handle it.

“So who got the Orochimaru assignment?” Gai questioned. He hadn’t been one of those who had been told about Tsunade’s plan. Kakashi weighed the options, and decided he could tell Gai. Despite being hot-blooded and even loud at times, Gai would take this seriously.

“The last person you would think…in fact, most are sure he’s dead…”

“Working with Orochimaru, that’s a safe bet…” Gai pointed out. Kakashi felt a small pang of worry. Ryouko might not have been on his team, but he had proven himself to be a good friend, and certainly a team player.

“Ryouko.”

Gai did a double-take. “Him? The traitor? Kakashi, you killed him yourself! DO you mean to tell me that this was all a plan?!”

Kakashi nodded silently, sighing. “Lady Tsunade’s plan was to make him into a hateable martry, so the village would come together. Most aren’t aware just how bad things were. We were losing Shinobi left and right, and no new ones were signing up in the academy. Making Ryouko into a heel, then having me kill him…the village came together, kind of like we did after Lord Third died. That was the plan…”

“So, in the mean time, he’s working under Orochimaru, sabotaging him?” Gai nodded, understanding now. “But how is he going to be brought back? And when?”

Kakashi didn’t have an answer there. No one knew the answer to that one.

--

Surrounded. Perfect.

“Alright, this is it! Now or never guys! Here we go! Ready Akamaru?! Have a food pill! Here we go! Man/Beast Transformation! Tunneling Fang!”

Kiba and Akamaru became two whirling blurs that couldn’t see, but operated by scent. Water usually took care of scent, but Shino’s bugs had created one that the sensitive appendages of Akamaru and Kiba could detect. They plowed into water clone after water clone for what seemed like minutes. In reality, thirty seconds had passed when Kiba and Akamaru landed back next to their group, panting from the effort.

“Alright! That had to- what?! Come on! Damn it!” Kiba moaned. Akamaru expressed himself by whining.

Every water clone was back. They just reappeared, even doubling in size. Now there was trouble. Hinata had performed that jutsu of hers continuously, and needed a rest. Shino was nowhere to be found, and Kankuro’s puppets could be affect by water. With Kiba tired out, at least for the moment, things didn’t look good.

“Alright, there’s no choice, I’ve gotta risk it! Crow can handle this!” Kankuro declared, laying out the necessary scroll and summoning the fierce-looking puppet. This puppet had been created by Sasori, and improved on by Kankuro. It wasn’t some kids toy; this was a deadly Shinobi tool.

“Stop! The more we destroy, the more they multiply! We’ve got to think this out more, or we’re just dooming ourselves!” Kiba shouted. Kankuro almost shot back with some nasty response, but realized Kiba was right.

“Can that puppet do anything defensive for us?” Kiba wanted to know.

“No, he’s designed for offense…Any could, but he could only protect one of us…Hey, I’ve got it! You and your dog dug up a ton of earth. Those clones aren’t attacking, we just need to take cover, then try to find the real ones. Give the girl (Hinata) a food pill, and you recover your chakra. Because…” Kankuro stood up, getting to work. “I hate to say it, I really do, but that kid with the bugs is good. The fact that we haven’t seen him means he’s got some plan. So let’s give him time to put it into action!”

--

Shino’s plan wasn’t grand, but it would get the job done. His insects would spread a poison over the enemies, and end the threat. But there was a problem there-

They use rain…rain will wash away the poison before it can seep in. That won’t work. We need something else…

“You need some help?”

Shino turned around. He had sensed someone coming even as his beetle’s scent gave off a particular aroma.

“Don’t you worry, we’ll take care of this. I’ve got a bone to pick with these guys for messing with my little brother.”

--

Sai took the envelope, then left for Tsunade’s office. Danzou smiled- right into his trap.

“Sai, when you attempted to develop bonds, you severed your ties to root. Now you’re going to pay for it…And you, come out of the shadows!”

Naruto ducked lower, cursing. He keyed his headset. “Captain! Sai’s in trouble! One of us has to do something!”

Sakura fell from the ceiling, aiming a poisoned needle at Danzou. Danzou dodged it, but managed to catch it with his teeth at the point where the poison ended.

“An assassination attempt? Foolish. Does Tsunade really want to make such a rash move and lose all that support, when I only have the interests of the Hidden Leaf in mind?” Danzou croaked in his withered old voice. Unlike the Third Hokage, Danzou’s voice was full of malice and hatred.

“For someone who works to avoid war, Tsunade certainly tries to create problems in her own village. It’s unnecessary- we’re the strongest, we should assert that strength against the other villages. The weak are preyed on by the strong. It has always been this way, and it always will be- it is the way of our world.”

“That’ll change when I become Hokage, you can bet on that, you old prune-faced freak! You’re under arrest!” Naruto snarled, but his headset chirped again.

“-Naruto, terminate the mission, and assist Sai. Sakura, you pull out as well. Make your report to Tsunade, and leave the elder to me.-” Yamato’s voice ordered. Sakura and Naruto exchanged glances, but had no choice.

“Right!” they said together, disappearing in different directions. Seconds later, Yamato walked in, face to face with Danzou.

“The kids were correct- you are under arrest.”

--

“I knew it!” Tsunade pounded her desk. “I’ve finally cornered that bastard! Nice work, Sakura. You’re free to go for tonight.”

Sakura bowed herself out of the room and headed for home. Her parents were already asleep, so she walked past them, upstairs to her own room. She jumped when she saw two big, brown eyes sitting inside the door.

“Oh! Sorry Holly, you startled me! It’s been a weird night,” Sakura explained, stripping out of her clothes and going into the bathroom. She turned the water on in the shower, letting in for a minute to get warm. After that, she stepped inside, washing carefully but quickly. After she was clean, Sakura stayed in the shower for a minute and thought about what had happened today. She kept thinking as she brushed her teeth, washed her face, and wrapped a towel around herself.

“Hard day kiddo?” Holly queried, lying on one side of Sakura’s bed, making sure there was room for both of them. Sakura let the towel fall to the floor as she reached for the Yukata (Light cotton robe) she was going to sleep in tonight.

“Yeah, kind of. It tired me out, anyway. I’m just going to make a quick diary entry, then call it a night.”

Holly yawned and stretched herself, curling up into a little ball. “Sounds good to me. Good night, Sakura.”

Sakura gave Holly a quick stroke, then opened her diary.

Dear Diary,

Today certainly was a full day. Elder Danzou is one sick, twisted old man; I learned that much. But that wasn’t what tired me out. My emotions did.

This morning, Ryouko’s dog, Holly, showed up at my doorstep. When I saw her, my heart leapt into my throat when. I thought of her owner, and my heart just leapt into my throat. This emotion is…disturbing.

Ryouko told me that any feelings I had for him were because he saved me, and they were psychologically natural, but not real. But it’s been a while now since he rescued me…are these feelings still psychological, or are they real? When I think of him, I can’t help myself- I just have this feeling about him. But that feeling also comes with doubt, and I just can’t place WHY that doubt is there. I know he cares about me, so that should be it, right?

I don’t know what to think. It’s been a couple months now since he left. Three months already? Maybe I’m confusing ‘grateful’ with ‘I love you’? I don’t know, I need to talk to someone about this. Mom would freak out if I told her I loved a guy- The thing with Sasuke was puppy love, and she knew I’d get over it (even though it took attempted rape for that to happen. I still have trouble sleeping). But Ryouko…he did things to increase my affection. I still believe there is a shred of good in Sasuke, and a hope to bring that shred out. For Ryouko…I believe that he is a good person who is traveling down a hard path in life. He’s all by himself, like Sasuke. But unlike Sasuke, the few relationships Ryouko made, he treasures.

Does that mean he treasures me as well?

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