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Dragonheart	By : UmbreonMessiah Category: Naruto > General Views: 1644 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
- 21
Dragonheart

Chapter 19

Plates and a small glass of what
appeared to be milk clattered helplessly upon the platter. The food that
adorned the saucers shook mildly with each shuddering step their carrier took.
Eventually the person escorting the meal to its rightful owner had to stop,
resting against the wall in the hallway with a rasping sigh. A hand slowly came
up from the tarnished serving dish and pressed itself against a forehead
drenched in pink strands, holding back a small gush of pain.
Sakura had no idea why she was up
and about. Sure, she had been the one to volunteer for her current position,
but that had been before she�d known they were going to put her �customer� on
the top floor of the hospital. Straight walks she could handle, but the stairs
murdered her slightly frail body. Her thighs quivered as pain coursed through
her legs, making her whimper indignantly at her own fate.
She would bear it. She had to.
Idly Sakura wondered how many days
had gone by since that incident. By her count, it had been exactly fourteen
days ago that it had all occurred. Two weeks would normally have felt like a
long time to the pinkette, yet somehow these had been the fastest two weeks of
her life. It made very little sense to her on the whole. Traumatic events were
supposed to make things feel longer, weren�t they? And wasn�t one supposed to
have some sort of revelation to accompany a near death experience? Somehow,
Sakura was missing both the key factors that the movies had told her she was
supposed to be going through. It just went to show that not a single movie
director truly understood what it meant to kill and to die.
Could no one be trusted anymore?
Sakura attempted one more time to
go over the events that had transpired over the quick two weeks since that horrible
mission. Her mind had had difficulty separating fact from fiction lately and
attempting to remember things was supposed to help her. There was an
understandable gap in her recollection of the events between when she had
defeated Kongouseki Katai and when she had awoken in the hospital.
That still reeled her. She�d
actually beaten that monstrous man. She would never again underestimate the
power of the Hachimon. It had always struck her as somewhat brutish and
ineffective, due mostly to Lee�s failure to achieve victory with it. Only after
seeing what she had been capable of with that incredible power did she truly
gain a respect for it. Even then, using it had nearly consumed her life. She
would not be relying on it again any time soon.
Things had been hell getting the
group back to Konoha. According to Shizune, Tsunade had done everything in her
power as the Hokage to get a true
rescue mission going as soon as the first group had gone out. Roughly an hour
after Naruto and the others had gone in search of Hinata, Tsunade and a fleet
of her most trusted Jounin had run off into the forest after them. The blonde
leader apparently had no wish to risk losing a Konoha ninja to a kidnapping
scheme. That had happened once before, and the results had been disastrous.
Despite the success of this
mission, things were no better in that regard. Tenten had only survived by a
thread, her injuries so vast and life threatening that if Tsunade had arrived
even a minute later the brunette would have died. As it stood, the bun-haired
kunoichi wasn�t doing entirely well. Though she was alive, she was in critical
condition, suffering from multiple gaping wounds. Even the great Slug
Princess�s medical expertise had been barely enough to keep the girl alive on
the trip back to Konoha. There was still no way to tell if Tenten would make
it.
Sakura, on the other hand, only
suffered from an incredible burst of luck. Her very first use of the Hachimon
had left her bloodied, battered and all but crippled. It had come as a surprise
to her that she was making one of the quickest recoveries. She had not taken
quite the furious, destructive beating that Lee had in his fight with Gaara all
those years ago, which gave her a leg up in the healing process. Along with
Tsunade�s great care for her apprentice and the wondrous attention of all the
best medical shinobi in Konoha, Sakura�s body had been spared the fate of being
rendered completely useless. She was still sore in places, experiencing brief
explosions of pain as she walked the hallways of the hospital.
She couldn�t complain though.
After all, she had volunteered for it.
Hinata and Naruto had, quite
amazingly, survived the entire fiasco with barely a scratch. Sakura could only
chalk that fact up to the great power of the Kyuubi, which had its own role in
the kidnapping plot. She had heard from Naruto how Hinata had defeated Sakai
using the demon fox�s overwhelming power, turning him into nothing but a puddle
of mush. The information Sakura had gathered from Hiashi, Tsunade and Kakashi was
that Hinata had used a forbidden art of the Hyuuga clan known as the
Zankoukuuken. It was a brutal attack that had been developed long before
Sakura�s birth, based heavily on the Jyuuken fighting style. It was an inhuman
attack that sent a devastating blast of chakra into an opponent�s body,
flooding it with such an intense amount of energy that it liquefied the
victim�s insides, bones and all. The result was what Tsunade referred to as
�human soup�. The only drawback to the technique was that it normally cost the
user one hundred percent of his or her chakra, killing them in the process of
killing another. Hinata had survived the gruesome side effect thanks only to
the Kyuubi�s nearly endless chakra supply. Had she not had the demon�s energy,
she most certainly would have died.
Sakura imagined it would be the
only time in his life Naruto would actually thank the Kyuubi wholeheartedly for
something.
She also imagined that all thanks
would have been thrown out the window when Hinata learned Kiba had died.
Sakura winced as that particular
memory resurfaced. It had been roughly a week since the funeral and the details
were still fresh in her mind. When Hinata had recovered from using the
Zankoukuuken, her first concerns had been to her family and teammates. It had
taken a room of three of Konoha�s best and brightest over five minutes to break
the news of Kiba�s death to the young woman. It had taken all of them over an
hour to stop her tears. Kiba�s memorial and burial had been perhaps the most
somber funeral Sakura had ever attended. She had been to several in her life as
a Konoha shinobi, but never had she felt so powerfully the grief of losing
someone. She did not fully understand why the vibrant young man�s death had
affected her so. Perhaps it was because she had failed another patient. Perhaps
it was the sound of Hinata�s crying, a sound so crushing that it made Sakura�s
heart tremble.
Perhaps it was because she alone
was aware of Kiba�s secret.
It had been just after Hinata had
been kidnapped, before Naruto had woken up. Kiba had been pacing back and forth
worriedly outside the hospital. He had been incredibly defensive when Sakura
had originally approached him, but after some coaxing he relinquished and
confessed everything. His feelings for Hinata, the reason he was so mad at
Naruto�absolutely everything that had been on his mind had been given openly to
the pinkette. She was now perhaps the only person with knowledge of Kiba�s true
feelings. She had already decided she would remain as such.� It would bring too much pain and suffering
to Hinata if she were told the truth now. Sakura would wait until the moment
was right.
Her stomach tilted, reminding her
how much she hated to think of such things.
To relieve her stress, Sakura
forced herself to think of less stressful things. She was reminded that the
Tsuchikage had recently come and gone from the village. The messenger birds had
left almost the very second Tsunade had returned to Konoha, delivering the
message of Katai�s betrayal to his master. Shortly afterwards, the leader of
Iwagakure had come in person to deal with the situation. Shockingly however,
the Tsuchikage had not been confrontational or enraged, nor had he sworn
revenge on the people of the Fire Country. Instead, he had treated them to a
type of woeful gratitude. The great shinobi had been aware of his apprentice�s
wavering loyalty, but had not had enough proof to justify removing the hero of
his people. Katai�s death was a great loss to Iwagakure, even if the twisted
man�s intention had not been as righteous as he had pretended it to be. With
all the evidence that Konoha had gathered against Katai in that one night,
there had been no doubt in the Tsuchikage�s mind that his student had been a
traitor. It was something that one would have had to see in person to truly
believe, or so Sakura had been told.
With a stifled grunt the weakened
kunoichi tested her legs by placing her weight on them. There was only a slight
flare of pain this time, causing her entire body to quiver slightly. She would
be able to move again, if only for a while. After all, she still had a job to
do, even if she was unsure as to why she was doing it. She slowly shuffled her
way down the hall, trying her best to ignore the soreness of her muscles and
bones.
As she approached the door of her
patient�s room, Sakura�s mind suddenly stumbled upon a thought she had
overlooked. It dealt with Jiyumaru�s current condition. Almost as soon as
Sakura had been able to walk, Tsunade had brought the young medic to Jiyumaru�s
room and had her look at him. At first, Sakura believed Tsunade had wanted her
to look at Jiyumaru�s injured legs, which had still been torn and bloody at the
time. The more experienced woman had quickly directed Sakura�s attention to
where it had been needed. The pink-haired girl had been at just as much a loss
to explain the cryptic symbol on Jiyumaru�s forehead as anyone else had been.
Sakura�s analysis had seemingly been enough to confirm whatever suspicions
Tsunade may or may not have had, as the blonde had quickly sent a messenger
bird to the head of the Kenshin clan.
Sakura�s hand turned the doorknob
to the room she was heading into and immediately understood why she had been
thinking about Jiyumaru. Her eyes traveled from the food and drink on her tray
into the window lit room, gazing at a solitary bed. It was no doubt a
prisoner�s room, just as the guards on the outside would have told anyone. They
had largely ignored Sakura�s advance, since she was incredibly unthreatening
and very familiar to them. In the back of her mind, Sakura made a mental note
to report their lack of duty to Tsunade. The young girl slowly slipped into the
room and closed the door behind her, taking slow steps towards the captured
shinobi before placing her tray right on his lap.
�Your lunch is here, Yakusho.�
Ryumoto Yakusho had seen better
days. He had healed quite well in the last two weeks thanks to the treatment of
Konoha�s great medical shinobi, leaving his skin practically unblemished
compared to how horridly burned it had been beforehand. Gone were his red vest
and sword, the latter locked away in a safe in the Hokage�s office. He was
broken, his face shadowed against his remaining dark clothes. To Sakura he
appeared nothing like a killer or evildoer, but the others had assured her
otherwise.
She still could not believe it.
When Naruto had first told her that Yakusho had been a spy, she had nearly
slapped her teammate. Even now she found that she was refuting it, trying her
hardest not to believe that he had betrayed them all. Yet here he was, kept
alive and imprisoned in the hospital as he recovered just so they could throw
him into Ibiki�s clutches. The Torture and Interrogation specialist was still
away on a mission, but he would return shortly. When that happened, there would
be very little anyone could do for the last remaining Ryumoto. Sakura truly
wanted to feel sorry for him, but the welling in her stomach when she thought
of what he had done prevented her from truly feeling anything.
�Thanks, Pinkie.�
The medic�s entire being shook at
those words. It unnerved her that Yakusho continued to refer to her by that
nickname, especially given his position. Jiyumaru had already told her that
there was something strange about the way Yakusho had been acting. Naruto had
likewise told Sakura to try and believe in Yakusho, no matter how bad things
seemed. Sakura simply could not see how the two of them could be so forgiving.
If Yakusho truly was part of the group that had kidnapped Hinata, then that
meant he was also responsible for Kiba�s death.
Even if it weren�t for all that,
she couldn�t forgive him for�
�You�re staring at me, Pinkie.�
Yakusho�s voice dragged Sakura
back to reality, leaving her staring into his dusty brown eyes. Since he had
been taken prisoner, Yakusho had not been given the luxuries of everyday
living. His small room came with a very degrading open shower and toilet, but
no other utilities. A nurse brought his meals to him and he was left under the
(normally) careful guard of Konoha�s trusted elite. He had not had the benefit
of other forms of hygiene since he had left on the mission. His hair was
disheveled, dirtied and strained, crawling down upon his eyes and ears. His
facial hair had grown into a stubby beard, giving him the look of a man much
older than he was. For lack of better words, Sakura concluded that he looked
like shit.
�G-Gomen,� she stuttered. �I
was�it�s��
Yakusho had stopped paying
attention to her. Wordlessly he reached for the utensils on the tray and began
to cut apart his cold meat. It was purposely prepared cold with the excuse of
�needing to wear him down�. Somehow people believed the worse they treated
Yakusho, the sooner he would crack. Sakura was aware that he had information
Konoha wanted and needed. She highly doubted someone like the Yakusho she knew
would crack, no matter what they did to him.
Then again, everyone said that
before meeting Konoha�s top interrogator.
Sakura was mildly conscious that
she was still staring at Yakusho, but this time not at his face. Her eyes
traced the calloused movements of the boy�s hands as he cut away at the chilled
pork, her features reddening slightly as she tried not to look. Why couldn�t
she stop? She didn�t understand what it was about Yakusho that drew her to
volunteer for this job. She didn�t know why she kept looking over him like a
sick puppy. Just what about all of this bothered her so much?
Suddenly she had a question she
had to ask, even if it had been asked before.
�Why?�
Yakusho stopped in mid chew, his
eyes turning toward Sakura�s unsteady form. Both of them noticed how her frame
shook every once in a while, the pain of standing a reoccurring, full-body
throb that threatened to knock her to the ground. Yakusho had known of her
condition since she had started her visits, but had paid it no heed. This was the
first time he looked at her as if he were concerned, but not due to her current
state.
�Why what?� Yakusho asked, his
voice muffled by a mouthful of food.
�You know what,� the injured medic
replied. �Why? Why did you spy on us�why did you do it, Yakusho? Why did you
help them?�
To his credit as a ninja,
Yakusho�s face didn�t change. He turned back to his meal and prodded the meat
once before reaching for his glass, taking a gulp of milk. His eyes avoided
her, dancing around her accusing stare as best he could. He had stared down
that look in other people, but for some reason it seemed he could not take it
from Sakura.
�I believe I said this once, and I
could be wrong,� he muttered, �but I have a dream to fulfill. The restoration
of the Ryumoto clan has always been top priority to me. But a dream is just a
dream�you can�t realize anything with just a dream. To make dreams a reality,
one needs power. Without power, a dream will always remain as such.�
Sakura stared at him harder, her
lip quivering. There was an image being superimposed on Yakusho in her mind, an
image she truly had no wish to see. It was the image of a boy she�d known once,
a strong young man who�d had dreams very similar to Yakusho�s. The more that
image descended upon the dragon ninja, the more she could recall the things
they had in common. Her mind was bombarded with recollections and memories of
her past, with that boy and Yakusho trading places in events she could
remember. Eventually they were the same person who had thanked her that cold
night, only to punch her in the stomach and knock her out cold. A boy she had�
�Y-you�re too much like him.�
Yakusho looked up at Sakura,
surprised by her sudden attitude. As he turned toward her, the last bit of
Sakura�s overlay finished. All at once she was looking both at Ryumoto Yakusho
and a boy she had long hoped forgotten from her memory.
�Excuse me?� Yakusho asked.
Sakura�s fists clenched as tears
filled her eyes and her memories returned to that exact moment when she had
been thanked. She forced the whimper that was rising in her throat to desist,
replacing it with a growl of rage.
�You�re too much like Uchiha
Sasuke!�
A moment later she stormed out of
the room, leaving Yakusho behind to prod away at his cold meat as he pondered
her reaction.

The guard toppled over as death�s
grip took him. His companion joined him quickly before both of them were
dragged away into a dark corner where they would not be found. There would be
no evidence as to their deaths, either. There was no blood to be found and no
struggle to be seen.
Thirsty red eyes glowed in the
dark alley. Killing guards was a necessary precaution for a rescue mission,
wasn�t it?
If nothing else, it was fun as
hell.

Jiyumaru�s cheeks were flushed. He
shouldn�t have been out of the hospital bed he�d been given, but he was pretty
sure that the nurses and doctors there were very used to having their patients
run out on them. At the very worst they�d come find him and bring him back. The
training ground he was in right now wasn�t too far away from the hospital, so
it would only be a minor inconvenience to them. He wasn�t very worried about
that.
What he did worry about was the
creature that was currently acting as his pillow, as well as the book he was
currently reading to it. His cheeks were crimson with embarrassment as he
pillaged the fourth Icha Icha title for all it was worth, trying his best to
ignore the childish giggles that emitted from the gigantic ball of fluff he was
lying on. He wished he could have gone without his current predicament, but he
had made a promise hadn�t he? The books had to be read. Otherwise Kagura would
probably stomp him flat.
�Hey, what�s the hold up cute
stuff?� the raccoon princess giggled. �As much as I love the feel of your rump
on my body, I wanna hear more!�
Jiyumaru could have died. Were he
still in possession of his katana, seppuku would definitely have been high on
his to-do list. He was halfway through the fourth volume with one more to go
before the current series was finished. It was only then that his deal with the
great and powerful animal would be complete. That would be when he could
finally stop worrying about this kind of stuff. There were other things on his
mind that needed to be addressed.
A bursting laugh from the corner
turned Jiyumaru�s veins to ice. He craned his head over what had to be Kagura�s
thigh to see a woman in a beige overcoat cackling mercilessly at him. He
recognized the dangerously revealing combination of fishnet and open coat
almost instantly, his face twisting in horror as he snapped his book shut.
�M-Mitarashi-san!� he gulped.
�Wh-when did you get here?!�
Of all the special jounin in
Konoha, Mitarashi Anko had the most notorious reputation. She was known as a
flirt and a troublemaker, which pretty much encompassed all the good things that were said about her.
Jiyumaru did not want nor desire to be in a situation where he could determine
the validity of the other rumors going about. He especially did not want to learn if what Asuma had said about her
love of snakes was true or not.
Jiyumaru wasn�t aware of when it
had happened, but Anko had slipped off Kagura�s thighs and moved over to him,
hovering above his prone form with a wicked smile. He looked up at her with an
even louder gulp than the last he had let out, his fingers trembling around the
spine of his paperback. The sannin student slowly reached down and plucked the
object out of his grasp, perusing the title with a little bit of a sneer.
�I didn�t think it was possible,
kiddo,� she started without hiding her glee, �but you actually managed to steal
Kakashi�s collection right out from under his nose. He�s been whining day in
and day out about his lost treasures�and now I knew who took them. I�m at a
loss. How�d you do it?�
Jiyumaru whimpered slightly and
yanked the book from her grasp, turning away from her sheepishly. �Y-you first,
Mitarashi-san,� he stuttered. �You tell me how you found me out here, and I�ll
tell you how I got the books.�
For a moment, Anko looked as
though she would give up. Her look quickly changed back into her regular
mischievous smile as she reached into her overcoat with an unsettling coo. A
sharp tug revealed her accomplice, a smarmy looking raccoon with an overly
satisfied grin on his face.
�Hoo boy, she�s got a lovely set,
doesn�t she boss?� Zurui squeaked at Jiyumaru.
�You treacherous little bastard!�
Jiyumaru scowled. �First you help me steal the books, then you rat me out!?�
�Awww, that wasn�t nice
otouto-chan,� Kagura giggled. �You�re trying to ruin my alone time with the
cutie, aren�t you?�
�Just doin� my thing, nee-chan!�
Zurui smirked at Kagura.
�Don�t blame him,� Anko said as
her lips quirked. �I had to catch him before he told me anything, and that was
quite the chase.�
Jiyumaru�s eyes widened. �No way.
You caught him all by yourself?�
�Indeed I did,� the snake jounin
beamed. �And even then he wouldn�t tell me anything until I proposed a certain
bargain!�
The ANBU member frowned slightly.
His experiences with Zurui suggested that any deal that could be struck with
him was generally not worth it. He looked up at Anko with creased eyebrows,
squeezing his book tightly. �And what deal was that exactly?�
�Oh, really simple. He told me
where you were or I made it so he could never reproduce. That�s all.�
Everyone in the clearing except
for Anko let out a unified sweat drop, happy to not be on the special jounin�s
vengeful side.
Realization hit Jiyumaru suddenly
as he rose to his feet, dusting off his legs. �Wait, you said you were looking
for me, not Kakashi�s books,� Jiyumaru observed. �If that�s the case, why did
you want me?�
Anko tossed Zurui onto Kagura�s
body as she put on her serious face, resting her palm on her hip. �Your father
is here to see you.�

Kenshin Akira was the kind of man
who spent a lot of his time waiting. He was, after all, the head of a clan that
specialized in taking its time with things. His form seemed built for such a
task, with a face that appeared to be carved from steel. His jaw was set
fiercely against his lean frame, capped with a thin beard that drew attention
to his righteous posture. He was the epitome of his station, groomed to look
just as the head of a renowned clan should be. His demeanor matched his rugged
looks, but held gentleness behind it. He was like stone, unmoving but not
invincible. After taking the reins from his father before him, Akira had made
sure that the name of his family remained as important as it had been during
the Great Wars. It was no small task with such an enormous reputation to live
up to.
�The Kenshin clan was known across the world thanks to its
unrivaled proficiency in the creation of weapons. That had been their trademark
since the beginning. No one could make a weapon better than a Kenshin smith.
All who tried had been quickly proven wrong. Those who lacked skill could not
emulate the techniques employed by the great ninja family. As such, those who
had no skill in the craft were sent off to become shinobi. Those shinobi were
taught ninjutsu centered on weapons combat before they were shipped off to a
nearby hidden village for further training. Any of the major villages were
happy to take a Kenshin into their ranks.
Which brought Akira to the
situation at hand. After all, it was that process that had brought his
�failure� of a son to Konoha. Akira had never liked how Jiyumaru had called
himself that, despite his natural gift for combat. As a young boy, Jiyumaru had
convinced himself that he was useless because he did not have a knack for
crafting weaponry. Akira had sent him to Konoha back then in hopes of raising
the boy�s spirits, to show him that one did not have to make swords and kunai
to belong to the great Kenshin clan. He had hoped that by becoming a Konoha
shinobi, he would grow to learn that there were more important things in life
than sitting at a forge bending metal all day.
If Akira had known what would
happen because of that decision, he would never have let his boy go.
The door to the room in the
visitor�s plaza slid open with a tiny rumble. Standing in the doorway was the
rather questionable form of Mitarashi Anko, wearing one of her more serious
faces. Akira had had the debatable pleasure of meeting the special jounin more
than once on his secretive trips into Konoha to check up on Jiyumaru. She was
pretty much an emissary of the clan at this point, though Akira thought she�d
most likely poison him if he suggested that in front of her. She was a wild
woman, the kind of person that the head of the Kenshin clan knew would be the
undoing of pretty much anyone that got truly involved with her.
The ride would be fun though, he admitted to himself with a bemused
grin.
�He�s here, Akira-sama,� Anko
muttered.
�Thank you, Mitarashi-san.�
Akira�s voice was deep but not forceful, a delicate mix between brain and brawn
manifested in sound. �Let him in, please.�
Anko stepped out of the way and
let Jiyumaru into the room. Akira�s eyes were instantly drawn to two startling
facts about his son as the gruff ANBU member stepped past the sliding
door.� The first thing that stood out
was that Jiyumaru was without the sword that Akira himself had crafted for the
boy almost twenty years ago. In all the years that Akira had known his son,
there was not a moment he could recall where his progeny had been without his
blade. The fact that he had chosen to not have it with him only served to
reinforce the gravity of the current situation.
The second thing that caught
Akira�s attention was the blood seal on Jiyumaru�s forehead. It was just as the
letter had said it was, perched upon the shinobi�s brow in the shape of a
droplet. That was why Akira was here. He�d received word that his son had
developed a visible blood seal and it was causing him pain. Now that he could
see it with his own eyes, the truth was all too painfully clear to Akira.
Unfortunately, making it clear to
Jiyumaru would probably destroy him.
�You�re here,� Akira muttered
docilely. He wanted to approach this as calmly as possible, knowing exactly
where it would lead.
�Yes, I�m sorry if it seemed like
I was hiding from you father,� Jiyumaru apologized. He did not look as weary or
troubled as Akira had assumed he would be, which most likely meant he was
hiding his feelings.
��You look like you�re doing well,� the ANBU�s father lied. �Has
Ayame been keeping you well-fed?�
�She�s been trying, at least,�
Jiyumaru muttered, his cheeks reddening slightly.
�Sit.� Akira didn�t make requests
very often when it came to clan members. His orders were not harsh however.
They were given with grace and experience, leaving all who heard them with very
little choice but to obey. None were his slaves, but none felt the need to
ignore his commands. Jiyumaru was no exception to the rule, his frame shifting
down as he took a seat on the cushions that had been set out prior to his
arrival. Akira followed him shortly, the two men looking at each other within a
bubble of uncomfortable silence.
�So�� Jiyumaru huffed, shattering
the veil of quiet suddenly. �What brings you to Konoha?�
�There is no need to play games
here Jiyumaru,� Akira scoffed. It was clear he was not too fond of his son�s
attitude, though he was not surprised by it. Jiyumaru was confused and angry.
He wouldn�t have known it, but most of that confusion and anger were Akira�s
fault.
�Forgive me father,� Jiyumaru
apologized. �I�ve been�edgy�lately.�
Akira nodded gently. �It�s
alright. I understand things have not been easy for you�I need you to tell me
when it started.�
Even though there had been no
previous talk of the blood seal between Jiyumaru and his father, the ANBU
shinobi instantly knew what his father was referring to. �During my last
mission�I saw a picture of my old genin team, like the one that�s on my
dresser�only the third member of the team was no Zougen Gisei. It was a boy I�d
never seen before�yet somehow, I knew his name.�
�And what was that name?� Akira
asked without missing a beat.
�His name was�it was Yoshiro,
father. I do not know how I know this name�but I know that it is that boy�s
name.�
Akira did not truly seem to be
paying attention as his son finished speaking. His attention had wavered as
soon as Jiyumaru had uttered the name �Yoshiro�, as if he were digging up an
old memory he had stashed away. A pained look adorned the clan head�s rocky
features for but a moment before he shook the recollection clear. There would
be far more time to probe those thoughts later.
�Jiyumaru�as you may already
suspect, I too know of this Yoshiro you speak of.� Akira would not lie to the
boy this time, not directly. The time for lies was gone now.
�How father?� Jiyumaru looked even
more confused now, as well as slightly panicked. �How can you know?�
�I want you to listen to me
carefully, Jiyumaru,� Akira said gravely, bunching his fists up and pressing
them into his knees in an attempt to dispel his unease. �What I am about to
tell you is a very dark thing for our clan�the decision you make based upon it
will probably haunt you for the rest of your life, regardless.�
�Stop!�
The sounds of a struggle emanated
from the other side of the sliding door that led into the room. Jiyumaru turned
around just in time to see the door being thrown open and Anko tossed aside as
Ayame flung herself into the room. She flailed slightly as her foot caught on
the guide rails for the door, sending her face first across the floor. Had it
not been for the horridly distressed look on her face it would have been
comical. She quickly drew herself to her knees and bowed directly in front of
Akira, who, to his credit, looked just as shocked as his son.
�Please Akira-sama!� she cried,
her eyes watering. �I beg of you, don�t tell him! You promised�we all promised
that we�d never tell him!�
Jiyumaru�s eyes widened in shock
as he grabbed Ayame around the waist and dragged her to her feet. �Ayame! The
hell are you doing? What are you doing here?�
�It�s quite alright Jiyumaru,�
Akira sighed. �Somehow I had a feeling she would come here and try to stop
me�which is why she got through in the first place.�
Akira looked up at the door and
nodded, which prompted Anko to pull it shut. She flashed a wicked grin at the
clan leader as she clicked the sliding access shut, whistling a soft tune as
she cut herself out from the private proceedings. There was a silent hope in
the snake jounin�s eyes, one that truly hoped Ayame was appreciative of the
fact that Anko had let her slip by.
�Someone tell me just what the
hell is going on here!� Jiyumaru snapped. The tension that had been gripping
him had quickly shifted into anger as things fell more and more out of his
control.
�Please!� Ayame shrieked. �I beg
of you�don�t tell him Akira-sama, please!�
Akira rose to his feet slowly and
walked over to Ayame and Jiyumaru, letting a very gentle smile bless his lips.
His hand, rough and calloused from many years of blacksmith work, patted the
young woman on her shoulder reassuringly.
��Ichiraku Ayame,� he began, his features lightening slowly, �you
have always been one of Jiyumaru�s closest friends. All these years, though I
have not said it, I have appreciated your silence in this matter. I understand
that it has affected you as much as anyone else�for you to have kept quiet
about it all these years to save Jiyumaru the pain is very noble�it shows just
how much you care about him, and for that I am grateful.�
Ayame�s cheeks burned brightly as
she went silent, slumping slightly in Jiyumaru�s grip. Her former teammate let
her stand on her own two legs shortly after, the two of them straightening out
as Akira continued.
�However, you and I both know that
the pact we made all those years ago no longer applies.� The head of the
Kenshin clan looked at his son�s forehead, his features creasing to show years
of regret. �Now that the blood seal has reappeared, he must make his choice�and
neither you nor I have the right to tell him otherwise.�
Ayame deflated slightly with a
quiet nod, stepping away from Jiyumaru and his father for a moment before
looking up at her friend. Her face mimicked Akira�s, years of pain and anguish
surfacing in a single moment that made her look several years older than she
really was. Jiyumaru suddenly felt guilty, though he was uncertain as to why.
�Jiyumaru, the blood seal is a
special clan jutsu that was created long ago,� Akira explained. �It seals away
memories and abilities from all who it is put on. It was originally meant to
act much like the curse seal of the Hyuuga clan, but it was decided during its
creation that we would not split the clan in such a way. Instead, it became a
way to relieve people of mental and physical anguish, as well as keep those
with impure intentions from stealing the clan�s techniques.
�When you were very young,
something terrible happened Jiyumaru�something that Ayame, myself and the clan
were afraid would utterly destroy you. So, instead of letting you live with the
memory of that horrible tragedy in your mind, and to make sure you could remain
here in this village, it was decided that the blood seal would be placed on you
to relieve you of those pains.
�Unfortunately, as with all jutsu
that affect the mind, there was always the chance that the blood seal would
weaken or break. As of right now, your exposure to the truth has weakened it
and caused it to appear. Because of this, we have to address this issue now,
before it becomes too late.�
Jiyumaru looked like he�d been
struck in the head by a boulder. He reached out for support and found it on
Ayame�s shoulder, gripping the girl tightly as he absorbed the news he�d been
given. There were too many questions and too many emotions fluttering through
him now, as well as a great sense of�fear? Sadness? He wasn�t sure anymore. He
turned his head up towards his father and took a deep breath, steadying himself
on his teammate.
�What are my options?�
�Your first option, obviously, is
to have us remove the blood seal and return to you your memory and the
techniques you lost,� the clan head stated. His arms crossed after that, his
face darkened in a state of contemplation. �But you must know�the blood seal
can only be placed on a person once in their lifetime. To do it more than once
risks damaging that person�s brain irreparably.�
�And what is my other option?�
Jiyumaru asked slowly.
�The other option is that we leave
the seal on you, and hope for the best.� Akira narrowed his eyebrows, catching
his son dead in the eyes. �There is just as much a chance of the seal receding
and you forgetting it ever having existed as there is that your curiosity and
the surges of pain will drive you insane.�
�Please Jiyumaru,� Ayame pleaded,
grabbing the jounin�s shoulder. �Please don�t�I know it all sounds bad�but if
you take that seal off��
Akira grabbed Ayame�s shoulder
forcefully, making her squeak. She became quite aware that she should remain
silent at this point, and did her best to shut her mouth. She looked up at
Jiyumaru pleadingly, knowing that no matter what she said or what she knew,
Jiyumaru would have to make this decision on his own.
�I need to know why,� Jiyumaru
stated calmly. �I appreciate your warnings, both of you. But I must know why I
know this boy�s name. I have to know why he�s in that picture�I have to know.
I�m sorry.�
Akira nodded his head. �Then it is
decided.�
A moment later, Anko opened the
sliding door for the three members of the private meeting, watching them
silently as they made their way out of the plaza.

Yakusho tapped his tray with his
fork, listening to the dull clanging of his utensil as it battered the mottled
serving dish. He had finished his meal what seemed like weeks ago now, leaving
him full but empty at the same time. While he was locked up in this room, there
was truly nothing to do except contemplate his life. That was an exercise he
preferred not to get into, as it would only serve to make him feel emptier. He
desperately wanted out of this rotten place, but there was nowhere for him to
go. He could probably beat the guards if he tried, but there was no guarantee
he was that skilled. Even if he did, there would be no way for him to escape
all of Konoha alone.
It was just as well. He deserved
this in some way.
Yakusho�s sullen mood was
shattered by a sudden thump on his door. It wasn�t loud enough to alert the
hospital, or anyone else on the floor, but it drew his attention quickly. The
makings of a shout could be heard just before another loud thump, followed by
moments of silence. Yakusho felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as
fear settled into his body. His want to be out of his room had suddenly become
much, much stronger.
The door opened with a loud click,
signifying that it had been unlocked and not broken in. Two ANBU guards fell to
the floor on top of each other, their bodies clean but their life extinguished.
Lording over the fallen warriors was a tall young man about Yakusho�s age with
hair the color of dried blood. His clothing, which was the purest of white,
contrasted heavily with his morbid lengths of hair. Each strand settled around
his mid back, poisoning his menacing grin with an aura of femininity Yakusho
usually prescribed to Katai. He would have stuck out like a sore thumb in
Konoha had it not been for the deep grey cloak that was still hanging from his
shoulder. That alone would have been enough to conceal his rather conspicuous
clothing.
�Jeez, you really know how to get
yourself locked up,� the mystery ninja snickered. He sounded much like one
would expect a rat to sound if it had a voice.
�Akuchi?� Yakusho blinked. �He
sent you of all people?�
�What can I say?� Akuchi grunted,
shoving the bodies of the fallen ANBU guards inside the room. �Everyone else is
dead�and his bloody honor guard has no desire to leave his side.�
Yakusho growled, moving to his
feet slowly. �Figures as much, I suppose.� His eyes traveled over the two dead
sentries momentarily before he returned to Akuchi with questioning eyes. �You
made sure that��
�Don�t worry about it,� the
redhead interrupted. �Not a single drop of blood left behind. I made sure.�
��Good,� the dragon ninja muttered. �Escaping this place is going
to be hard enough as it is.�
�Would you like to go out the way
I came in, or through your window?� Akuchi seemed to be ignoring the long bars
over the sole pane in the room.
�What do you think?�
Akuchi grinned deviously as he
reached into his cloak and produced a sinister looking razor blade, his green
eyes flickering with amusement. He didn�t really care whether Yakusho had
chosen the easy or hard way.
There would be blood in either
route.

Jiyumaru felt incredibly awkward
in his current position. He had never been fond of jutsu that required divine
circles or anything similar. It was one of the reasons he tried to avoid being
gravely injured. The healing circles in the Konoha hospital freaked him out.
The giant blood droplet underneath
his sitting form wasn�t doing much for him either.
The symbol of the Kenshin clan
glowed and hummed almost painfully, each sound and sight thrumming against
Jiyumaru�s body unpleasantly. He�d never been unnerved by the emblem of his
family before, but something about his current state of affairs led him to be
apprehensive of it. How could he not be? The one on his forehead had been the
cause of much suffering for him since it had emerged. What guarantee was there
that this one wouldn�t hurt him as well?
Around him were four people he�d
never met. From the blood drop on their trappings, he assumed they were part of
the Kenshin clan�s higher ups. What their purpose within the clan was escaped
Jiyumaru completely. He�d always kept himself removed from his kin, especially
after he learned he had no flair for being a smith. He was very unfamiliar with
the inner workings of the clan, which was made evident in the questioning look
he shot each strangely garbed person around him. The only thing he could equate
them to were monks, so he decided to refer to them as such in his rather
scattered thought process.
In unison the white-garbed men
threw together a set of hand seals. Normally Jiyumaru would have been able to
name them all as soon as they were made, but today his vision was blurred. He
was suddenly dizzy for reasons he couldn�t explain, with each seal making his
head spin faster and faster. It wasn�t until the monks were done with their
little show that Jiyumaru realized that it was their jutsu that was causing his
disorientation. By the time that truth settled in, it was too late to stop the
technique. His forehead ignited in pain as the monks began to hum in tune with
the glyph below them, their voices blending perfectly with the stale monotone.
Eventually, both Jiyumaru�s eyes
and ears were consumed by that sound. When he could see and hear again, he
desperately wished he could not.

Sakura sighed in relief as the
pain left her legs. Her frame rose and fell against the sturdy tree she had
reclined against in her recent bout of agony, a welcome reprieve from the
tension she had felt only a few moments previous. The medical prodigy was
growing quite tired of her legs seizing up, praying to Kami that it would end
soon so she could return to work for real. Her current job didn�t suck that
badly though. After all, she got to bring Yakusho his meals, didn�t she?
�Damn him,� she spat, still
rubbing tears from her eyes. �Damn him.�
She didn�t hate Yakusho, no matter
how much she wanted to. Somehow, even through his selfishness and indifference
towards the entirety of Konoha, Sakura could still see the good in him. She
picked up on his remorse and his depression. She could see how he wanted
nothing more than to have had none of it happen. Unlike Sasuke, she could still
feel sorry for him.
She feared that perhaps she was simply
trying to make herself forgive him.
�Ah, men suck anyway,� Sakura
laughed, mimicking something Ino had said to her long ago, right down to the
blonde�s arrogant tone. �I should have been gay.�
A moment later, the pinkette was
consumed in a fit of laughter that made her body shake in a pleasant way she
hadn�t felt in weeks. It was good to laugh. She didn�t do it nearly enough
these days.
Her joyous mood was interrupted as
two figures flew past her peripheral vision. Her training, accompanied shortly
by her curiosity, caused her to ignore her pain for the time being. If the
figures were simply in a hurry, then Sakura would have no problem with letting
them go. But if those two were up to something, then she would have to step in.
She had failed to get a good look at either person, but she was convinced she
needed to follow. Something about the situation made the hairs on the back of
her neck stand on end. Unlike the rest of her, Sakura�s instinct was still
strong. She trusted it, and at that very moment it was telling her something
was not right.
The chase lasted several moments
with Sakura lagging behind before her legs protested again. She had known the
risks of pushing herself in her current condition, but had chosen to ignore
them in light of the circumstances. Those risks caught up to her surprisingly
fast, sending spasms through her muscles that stopped her in mid-stride. The
suddenness of the attack caused the medic to cry out as she fell forward,
rolling across the gravel that made up the side streets of Konohagakure. She
knew the people she had been chasing were aware of her presence long before she
got back on her feet, her cheeks red with rage and embarrassment over her fall.
�Pinkie? The hell are you doing
here?!�
To say that Sakura was shocked to
see Yakusho out of his room was an understatement. The injured girl assumed a
defensive stance almost immediately, her face cringing as her sore body
objected to the rapid movement. For his part, Yakusho looked a little more
worried than Sakura expected him to be, his eyes gracing her pained movements
with concern.
�Who�s the hottie?� Yakusho�s
cloaked partner sneered. �Your girlfriend?�
�Shut up, Akuchi,� the dragon
ninja snapped back.
Even though Sakura was barely able
to stand her ground, her mind was going through the motions of battle like it
always did. She already knew as much about Yakusho as she could hope to know,
which meant all of her attention was put on the new face backed by deeply
colored hair. She�d already memorized his looks and his name, storing away the
tidbits as they came in order to buy some advantage for the inevitable battle.
�What are you doing with Yakusho?�
Sakura huffed, her voice as shaky as she was.
�That isn�t obvious?� Akuchi
shrugged. �I�m on a rescue mission. I�ve got orders to get Yakusho the hell out
of here.�
For a moment Sakura did nothing.
Shortly she turned to Yakusho, throwing the brunet a coarse gaze that scraped
at whatever guilt his conscience may have held as her respect for him
evaporated.
�Is that true?� she asked.
�Don�t look at me like I was just
going to stick around to get tortured,� Yakusho replied sharply. �I have more
important things to be doing than wait to be probed for information.�
Another moment of silence followed
Yakusho�s words. The tension in the air grew thicker as each second went by, as
if the world were waiting for Sakura to respond. The noise of the kunoichi�s
feet shifting on the street was an avalanche of noise compared to the
overwrought quiet instilled by the confrontation, drawing attention to it quite
easily. Sakura forced herself into a fighting stance, drawing a deep breath as
she steeled both her nerves and her aching body.
�I can�t let you do that,� she
hissed.
Akuchi failed to suppress the loud
snort and laugh that followed Sakura�s words. The blood-haired shinobi quickly
cleared his throat and pounded his chest, holding his sides firmly as his body
trembled in an attempt to contain his chuckles.
�You�re shitting me, right?� he
said in stifled amusement. �You couldn�t stop a fly from taking a piss right
now. You�re as threatening as a stuffed doll. Do yourself a favor and pretend
you didn�t see us, alright?�
Akuchi moved to leave as Sakura
charged forward. Though her movements were strained and awkward, she still
possessed enough speed to catch the peculiar looking young man off guard. Her
fist connected with the back of his skull, making a horrifying crack as he was
sent careening down the poorly paved road. His cloak flew off him in shreds as
he tumbled across the street, revealing his pure white clothing. He came to a
stop with a resounding thud, quickly jumping to his feet in anger. His top was
cut low, leaving much of his toned chest on display as he walked towards
Sakura.
�Okay, you see�that was a
warning,� Akuchi snarled. The short sleeves of his shirt left the lower half of
his arms exposed, allowing each nick and bruise from his fall to be easily
seen. �I don�t give second chances little girl. Now I�m gonna fuck you up.�
Akuchi made a move to strike the
weakened kunoichi, but was stopped short as a strong hand grabbed his wrist.
Sakura stumbled backward in shock, having fully expected to be hit. She
regained her balance in time to see Yakusho pushing Akuchi away from her, the
fire in the young man�s eyes rekindled for the first time since his
imprisonment.
�The hell do you think you�re
doing?� Yakusho glared. �Your mission is to get me out of here, right? We don�t
have time to get into a huge fight, especially here in this village.�
�Since when did you become such a
killjoy?� Akuchi grumbled. �I was just gonna��
�She can barely move!� the
tattered captive exploded, grabbing his ally by the collar. �You mean to tell
me you�re so bloodthirsty you�d kill someone who can�t even fight back? Are you
saying you�re no better than Katai was?!�
Akuchi seemed to take offense to
Yakusho�s accusation, slapping away the young man�s hand with a deadly sneer.
�Watch it, Yakusho. I don�t have to put my neck out for you, and you know it.�
�When the hell did you all become
cold-blooded killers?� Yakusho shook, grabbing Akuchi once more. �The people I
once knew would never have simply killed for pleasure. What happened to doing
things for the betterment of the group? What happened to your dreams, Akuchi?�
�You truly are blind, aren�t you?�
The white clothed ninja cackled, pushing Yakusho�s hand away for a second time.
�How long are you going to hold on to that childish version of power you�re
always on about? Don�t you know anything? Power is great�but too many people
have it. So many in fact, that it�s truly difficult to know who the truly
powerful people are. The only way to separate the sheep hiding amongst to the
wolves is to crush everyone who gets in your way.�
�Are you insane?� Yakusho�s eyes
widened in distress at Akuchi�s words. �When�where the hell would you pick up
an insane notion like that? It�s not our place to pass that kind of judgment on
the rest of the world!�
�Then whose place is it?� Akuchi
grinned sadistically. �No one else guides these poor bastards. The world is a
rotten place�you know that better than any of us! So how can you sit there with
all that power and knowledge and simply do nothing? How can you sit there and
talk about a dream, but do nothing to achieve it?�
Awkwardness followed the
crimson-haired shinobi�s viciously sharp tongue. Yakusho seemed perturbed by
his rescuer�s conviction, but did not allow his own determination to falter.
�What do you think this was all
about?� Yakusho growled, clenching his fist tightly. �Do you think that we all
risked our lives on pure whimsy?�
�Do you honestly think that
capturing that demon has anything to do with your dream?�
Akuchi�s counter sunk deeply into
Yakusho�s pride. The dragon ninja attempted to speak several times, each
sentence falling dead before he could voice it. There was nothing he could say
in return to his partner�s attack. Akuchi accepted Yakusho�s speechlessness
with a deep smirk before continuing.
�You see now, don�t you? We�re
nothing more than pawns in his little game�his
dream. That includes you, little whelp. He truly understands power and how to
achieve his goals�and everyone except you has been following his lead. We use
each other and crush the weak in order to obtain what we want�and we always
have.� Akuchi ran a hand through his dirty strands of hair, letting out a short
chuckle. �Even your friends used each other to better themselves. That is the
lesson Kakeru has taught us all�and that is how we will live our lives!�
�Who is Kakeru?�
The two arguing shinobi stopped
cold as Sakura, who had become invisible during their verbal bout, raised her
voice above their bickering. Akuchi seemed completely removed, his face
remaining unchanged despite the interruption. Yakusho, on the other hand,
looked utterly mortified. He looked at Sakura with fear and anger before turning
around to smack his questionable friend on the shoulder.
�Idiot!� he snarled. �You know the
rules! You aren�t supposed to say his
name in front of others!�
�I�m sure you know the rules as
well,� Akuchi retorted with a nihilistic grin. �Anyone other than us who hears
his name has to be killed before they can talk.�
Yakusho eyed his ally furiously,
squeezing his fists together in rage. �You bastard�you wanted this.�
�I have no idea what you�re
talking about,� the redhead snickered. �Now if you�ll excuse me, I have a
pretty girl to kill.�
Akuchi vanished with a loud
whoosh, reappearing directly in front of Sakura with the same violent grin he�d
been wearing during his argument. His right arm swung out, arcing at Sakura as
something glinted in his hand. Fearing for her life, Sakura pulled her arms up
to cover her face and neck, securing her vital points in a basic defensive
maneuver. Instead of feeling the deep cut of a blade or kunai though, Sakura
felt a light slicing across both her arms. The cut stung viciously as she
stepped back, trying to put distance between herself and Akuchi. She was aware
of the blood running down her arms, amazed at how much had been drawn with the
relatively shallow cut. With a shake of her head she ignored both the slash and
the constant pain in her body in order to put herself back in a fighting
stance.
Sakura�s readiness faltered when
she realized that Akuchi was no longer on the offensive. He stood there with
the razor he had used to cut Sakura�s arm pressed to his nose, inhaling what
could only have been the scent of her blood. He seemed completely enthralled
with it, his eyes glazing over slightly as he let the aroma overtake him.
�Ah, Type O,� Akuchi murmured,
rubbing his fingers together gently. �From the look of you I was expecting
something less common.�
�Th-There�s no way you could know
my blood type by smell!� Sakura shouted.
�You�re right,� the red-haired
young man admitted. �There isn�t. I do wish you wouldn�t poke holes in the
illusion�it ruins the show.�
The blood that had gathered on
Akuchi�s small blade began to move ever so slightly, running off the razor and
falling to the ground. The slick red liquid never made it to the dusty road,
and instead began to swirl and twist in midair, gathering just above the back of
Akuchi�s right hand. The mysterious enemy shinobi reached towards his
pink-headed prey, flashing a vile little grin as the blood on her arms lifted
into the air suddenly. Sakura gasped as a cold feeling spread over her arms,
her head tilting down just in time to see her wound close up, the flow of blood
ceasing entirely. Each small drop of her essence floated and twirled in the air
as it flew towards Akuchi, joining the rest of the blood that was currently
hovering about his hand.
�Just remember little girl,�
Akuchi cackled. �You brought this upon yourself.�
The blood that Akuchi had
collected twisted and flailed, gradually taking a distinctively blade-like
shape. The weapon formed with a strange noise, reminiscent of the sound of two
pieces of sandpaper rubbing together. A single crimson droplet fell off the tip
of Akuchi�s makeshift dagger, anointing the gravel below with a gentle patter.
At the same moment, the bright red blade slowly darkened until it took on the
same deep maroon of Akuchi�s hair.
Without warning he struck,
swinging the weapon made of blood at Sakura�s face. The lithe kunoichi fell
backwards to avoid the wild swing, landing firmly on her palms. Akuchi followed
up with a downward slash that Sakura evaded by a mere inch, pushing off her right
arm to roll away from her attacker. The faux blade caught the ground fiercely,
ripping open a small patch of stones and dirt right before Sakura�s eyes. There
was no doubt now that the weapon he had constructed was indeed sharp and
powerful. The young woman could feel her confidence slipping by the second.
Tsunade�s apprentice got to her
feet as quickly as she could and reached for her tool pouch. It was the one and
only thing she truly refused to leave the house without, even when she was off
duty. From it she produced three small orbs that she held between her fingers
before throwing them at Akuchi. Each one exploded in a flurry of smoke and tiny
explosive patches, showering the area in which the blood wielding ninja stood
in small pieces of paper. Another reach into her pouch produced a kunai with an
explosive tag attached to it, the tag flickering to life even before the
medic-nin threw it. The knife exploded as soon as it pierced the thick cloud of
smoke, igniting all the small notes at once to create a chain reaction of
explosions that consumed Akuchi.
Sakura did not raise her hands in
victory however. She instead forced herself to move, rushing towards the
blackened haze of the explosion just as Akuchi burst from a tree to her
right.� She made it to the smokescreen
before his weapon made it to her flesh, ducking into the veil and dodging the
errant slash by a hair�s breadth. On the other end she emerged from the
billowing smoke, pivoting on her heel and coming to a skidding stop facing
Akuchi. Though she was injured, Sakura was not about to simply sit down and
die.
Unfortunately, the medic-nin had
sorely misjudged her opponent�s speed and suffered a brutal kick to her face
because of it. Sakura�s shoulder blades connected with the earth first, sending
a shuddering jolt throughout her body that reverberated within her aching
muscles. Instinct forced her to her feet, but pain restricted her. With a
pitiful yelp she grabbed her thighs, her mind blanking from the agony.
Not now, any time but now!
The scraping of dust turned the
pinkette�s head upwards. There before her was Akuchi, glaring down at her with
his rust-colored weapon poised to strike. His sinister smile sent a chill down
Sakura�s spine, causing her iron will to flee. Her legs would not move however,
both limbs locked firmly in throbbing spasms. What had she been thinking? There
was no way she could beat a shinobi in her condition. She should have run for
help the moment this fight had started. Now she was going to die! Why had she
not run?
Sakura bit her lip and swallowed
the reason. Even now she wouldn�t admit it.
�Do me a favor and try to scream,�
Akuchi chuckled. �Makes you gurgle when you die, and I love that sound.�
Akuchi thrust his blood sword at
Sakura�s heart, his eyes gleaming with sadistic joy. All the helpless kunoichi
could do was raise her arms in fruitless defense, knowing that there was
nothing she could do. For that split second, she wondered what it had all been
for. Had she truly survived so much only to die here?
Blood splashed across the ground,
warming the cold earth. Sakura blinked once, then twice, her voice caught in
her throat. She could see the redness stain the ground, but miraculously she
was still alive. Her eyes edged upwards, wondering just what had spared her. Her
wearied green orbs drank in the full frame of her savior, making her lips
tremble as a single name spilled out.
�Y-Yakusho�?�
The scruffy brunet stood before
her, Akuchi�s blood sword held back by the dragon ninja�s bloodied arm. The
blade was lodged firmly in Yakusho�s skin, the tip resting mere inches away
from his own vital areas. He remained strong, panting slightly as he forced
Akuchi back. For his part the sadistic ninja looked utterly dumbfounded, his
face contorting in anger as he was pushed away.
�The hell, Yakusho?!� Akuchi
snapped. �Why the hell did you stop me?!�
�I won�t let you kill her,�
Yakusho rasped, his voice surprisingly tired.
�And why the fuck not?� Akuchi
seemed more irritated than upset, as though this sort of thing were common for
him.
�You people�aren�t the same as I
remember anymore.� Yakusho held his bleeding arm tightly, ignoring the searing
pain that consumed the appendage. �At some point everything that we believed in
together was poisoned for you. I won�t be a part of your venomous judgement of
humanity�not even for him.�
Akuchi grumbled slightly, stroking
his chin in a thinking gesture. The next moment he was wearing his cruel smile
once again, his left hand extending just as the blood from Yakusho�s wound
swirled through the air, forming another blade on the back of Akuchi�s other
hand. Yakusho remained motionless as his wound closed mysteriously, keeping his
eyes on his twisted ex-partner.
�Well if that�s how you want to
play it,� Akuchi grimaced, �then I guess I have to kill you too!�

It�hurts. S-stop�
Jiyumaru�s mind twisted upon
itself. The inward vision that had been forced upon him had cracked his sanity
upon beginning. The images that were coming to him now battered the fragile
remainder of his reason, threatening to shatter it forever. He tried to run
away, only to realize for the fourth time that he could not. He was trapped in
a black bubble, his memories � the ones locked away by his blood seal �
projected against the ebony surface like a movie. Now matter how hard he tried,
he could not stop watching. His sight would not turn and his understanding of
the events would not waver. It was like torture to him.
Then the truth finally came to
light, and torture seemed too mild a word for what he was witnessing.
A scream, filled with years of
untold guilt and anguish, rocked the Konoha hospital from within the dark
chamber. Not far away, Kenshin Akira let tears that he had hid for many years
finally find their way to the surface.

Yakusho bounded off the nearby
fence just before Akuchi�s two blood swords slashed the wooden structure apart.
With wild force the brunet struck out, his Ryuuken humming violently as he
aimed for his ex-partner�s throat. Akuchi ducked under the wide swing,
delivering his shoulder into Yakusho�s stomach in a harsh tackle. Both shinobi
landed on the ground with a thud, skidding across the gravel. Akuchi wasted no
time trying to gut his former ally, drawing his sword upward before driving it
at Yakusho�s gut. The dragon ninja grunted as he grabbed the paranormal weapon
between his chakra-coated hands, holding back the deadly attack by only an
inch. Akuchi shrugged and flashed a nasty grin as he raised his second sword,
using his legs to keep Yakusho pinned down. The rust-headed shinobi cackled and
turned his wrist, readying the final blow.
�Say hello to Katai and the others
for me!�
It was at that moment that Akuchi
felt something moving beneath him. A single look downward caused the
blood-wielder to gasp. Yakusho had formed several seals around his strange
sword, preparing a fire jutsu right then and there. Akuchi ducked to the side
just as his pinned opponent unleashed a hot blast of fire, sending a wave of
flame high into the air. Yakusho rolled onto his feet, smirking as he rubbed
his sore hands.
�I sincerely doubt that the ANBU
will have missed that,� he panted. �They�ll be here any moment. End of the
line, Akuchi.�
�Is that so?� the vicious shinobi
chuckled. �Well then I guess I�ll just have to kill you before they get here!�
A slow breeze passed through the
side street, coaxing the leafs of the nearby trees into dance. From her hiding
spot behind a rather tall oak, Sakura watched the furious battle unfold with
increasing worry. There was a moment of complete stillness and silence after
that, both shinobi staring one another down. The medic-nin bit her lip in
anticipation, wishing she could help. She wanted to so badly, even though the
man who was fighting to protect her had betrayed her and all of her friends.
Somehow, she still believed in
him. This time however, she didn�t feel foolish for doing so.
Akuchi charged first, sending up a
thick cloud of dust and small stones into the air behind him. Yakusho received
the reckless attack expertly, parrying the wild swing of a rust-colored sword
and guiding Akuchi�s body further down the road. The blood ninja scoffed,
digging his feet into the ground and twisting his body around as he threw a
hidden kunai at Yakusho. The ranged attack failed miserably as its intended
target agilely ducked to the right, causing the sharp instrument to fly right
by. Akuchi rushed forward again, this time throwing a harsh downward slice with
his right-handed blade. Yakusho caught the sword once again with his claws,
shoving Akuchi backward in order to gain an opening.
The tactic cost the Ryumoto
survivor, for Akuchi had predicted it and compensated with an arcing swing of
his left sword. The blade caught Yakusho�s upper arm and slashed it right
across his bicep, sending a spray of blood across the red-haired ninja�s white
clothing. The fabric quickly absorbed the red spatter, changing color to a
stained crimson as Yakusho stumbled backward in pain. His ruined arm was not
healing like the two previous injuries that Akuchi had dealt, something that
didn�t surprise the scruffy teen at all. Yakusho knew all about Akuchi�s
techniques and how the drawing of blood for his techniques caused wounds to
heal. Since Akuchi was already fully armed, this wound would not be healing
like the others.
Akuchi lunged again, swinging at
Yakusho�s face. The maroon blade was batted aside by a Ryuuken claw and
followed up by a quick slash from Yakusho. The humming claw dug into Akuchi�s
forearm, rending the poor flesh with a loud tearing noise. Akuchi did not seem
phased however, the pain and blood simply deepening his wicked smile. The dance
of combat continued as Akuchi swung errantly, missing Yakusho�s face once more.
The attack continued with a full body turn, bringing the second sword around in
a backhand slice aimed at the brown-haired ninja�s gut. Yakusho blocked the
second attack with his arm, suffering a deep gash across it. A swift kick
connected with Akuchi�s swerving jaw, knocking the maroon-headed young man into
the air. The strange ninja landed on his back with a sick thud and a cloud of
dust, coughing up blood. He rose to his feet shortly afterwards, chuckling
darkly.
�Did I ever tell you how
fascinating your blood is?� Akuchi snickered towards Yakusho. �It�s absolutely
astounding. Oh the things I could make with it��
Yakusho�s vision flickered,
turning blurry as dizziness swept over him. He was aware of the tingling
sensation in his arms, gritting his teeth as the deep cuts began to forcibly
close. The rapid healing could only mean one thing, something that did not
bring calm to the disoriented warrior. Something was gathering around Akuchi�s
body in a swirling scarlet storm, twisting and curling about his limbs and
features in a haphazard conglomeration.
�It�s absolutely fabulous!� Akuchi
practically squealed. �I can feel the power within it. For years I have
wondered what it would be like to wield a dragon�s blood�and now I will find
out!�
A line of red shot out from the
swirling mass surrounding Akuchi, piercing Yakusho through the shoulder. More
blood scattered across the ground, tainting the ground with blazing droplets of
draconic essence. There was barely any time for a scream of pain as the blood
whip quickly receded, swerving about Akuchi�s upper body before lashing out
once again. Gritting his teeth, Yakusho dove to the right and dodged the blow
by a mere inch. No sooner had he rolled to his feet than the whip returned,
stabbing through his thigh. Yakusho screamed in pain as blood poured into his
clothing, drenching what remained of his belongings in thick layers of
burgundy. As soon as the whip pulled out, Yakusho tried to stand. Quickly he
realized that the latest blow had rendered him crippled, his leg barely able to
support his own weight. He was now nothing more than a sitting duck with
blurred vision, hardly able to make out the mass that circled his former
friend.
�Why can�t you be a good boy and
die, Yakusho?�
Akuchi thrust his hand out,
sending the swirling mass of Yakusho�s blood shooting toward the battered
shinobi for the deathblow. The attack did not land as intended however, instead
finding its home in the shoulder of Haruno Sakura. The tomboyish pinkette stood
between Yakusho and his attacker, facing the boy that had saved her only
moments ago with a pained smile on her face, her shirt stained an even more
thorough red.
�S-Sakura�� Yakusho gasped. �What
are you�?�
�You saved me,� she huffed, �now
I�m going to save you.�
Sakura grabbed onto the strand of
red penetrating her upper body and held it tightly. When it tried to return to
Akuchi, the entire swirling mass of Yakusho�s stolen blood quivered and shook,
unable to retrieve its lost portion. Akuchi�s sick grin changed to an
aggravated scowl as he tried again and again to pull his whip from Sakura�s
body.
�Let go you goddamn bitch!� Akuchi
snarled, grabbing the slowly drying strand of blood and tugging it roughly.
Sakura�s grip was stronger, holding firm to the whip despite her upper body
jerking.
�Quickly!� Sakura gasped,
flinching against the searing in her shoulder. �I can�t hold on forever!�
The words had barely left the
medic�s mouth when Akuchi ferociously yanked on his blood tool, sweeping
Sakura�s feet out from under her and dragging her across the gravel road. A
pleading yelp fell from the pinkette�s lips, betraying her inner pain and fear.
A streak of blood formed a line on the ground as she was dragged. Finally
having her in his clutches, Akuchi slammed his foot down on Sakura�s shoulder,
causing a horrid scream of pain to fill the small side road.
�You little bitch!� he snarled.
�You like getting in my way, huh? You must like pain then.�
With a sick little laugh Akuchi
dug his heel into Sakura�s wound, twisting and grinding his foot into her
bleeding shoulder. Sakura�s scream returned in a higher pitch that slowly
turned into gargles of pain, her body tensing violently against the constant
flood of agony. The harder the poor girl tried to hide her pain the more futile
the effort became.
�That�s right, feel it bitch,�
Akuchi snickered darkly. �I think you�re gonna die first. Then I�m gonna slit
Yakusho�s throat nice and slow!�
Thunk!
Akuchi�s eyes widened as the kunai
buried itself in his chest, just short of his heart. The blood ninja cried out
in shock, stumbling backward as he clutched the imbedded blade. As he held it
the blade stiffened within his skin, causing the red-haired shinobi�s eyes to
travel to the tightened wire that was fastened to the kunai, ending in a seal
formed between both of Yakusho�s hands.
�Katon! Ryuuka no Jutsu!�
The dragon ninja exhaled over the
wire, sending a stream of blazing fire down it towards Akuchi. With no time to
escape, the sanguineous shinobi was forced to watch the flames approach,
letting out a final cry as his body was consumed in fire. Yakusho watched as
his former teammate burned to death, screaming wildly and flailing about until
he collapsed, slowly becoming nothing more than a charred husk.
Yakusho stood silently with his
eyes closed, holding the memories of his past tightly even as they began to
sift through his fingers like sand.
�He was vaguely aware that his body had given out, pitching forward
onto the dirt road. What he wasn�t sure of was why his descent had stopped.
Slowly each one of his eyelids peeled back, revealing the pleasant, though
dirtied, smile of Haruno Sakura. Her face was upside down to him, yet lost none
of its�beauty. He chuckled softly and reached up towards her, cupping her cheek
from below.
�I think I have a lot of questions
to answer.�
�Try not to talk too much,� she
said, her features creasing with the pain from her shoulder.
The two of them remained together
in the middle of the road, waiting silently amidst the blood and chirping
birds. Eventually, both of them succumbed to their exhaustion and collapsed
together, lying together under the delicate gaze of the sun.

I want to put out an
official apology to all my fans who have come to the Dragonheart website and
have been unable to log in. We�ve seen an influx of new people coming to the
site, only for them to not be able to log in and join in the fun. I myself was
unable to log on after a while. Until the problems with the site are fixed, or
perhaps eternally, our Webmaster has happily made us a forum which we can talk
on. If you want to get to that forum, simply go to
�dragonheartonline.freeforums.org�. We hope to see more fans of the series join
us on these forums. I deeply apologize for all the troubles the site has
caused.
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