Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Somewhere to Belong ❯ You or Me ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter Seven: You or Me

 

Iruka was in the lead, leaping from branch to branch and clearing a path for Kakashi, who after fighting his way through the last of the guards, was completely exhausted. The Copy-nin hadn't exactly been too fit to begin with. His chakra was still drained, and the wounds he had collected before he had been captured were slowing him down. The jounin grunted as he struggled to keep up with Iruka. He noticed that the chunnin was constantly looking over his shoulder, making sure that he hadn't lost sight of the Copy-nin.

 

The young academy teacher wasn't in much better shape. His injured arm hung loosely at his side, and he felt a prickling pain from his smaller wounds. He kept himself going for Kakashi's sake, however. He didn't want to be the one slowing them down. The two of them had been running for quite a while now. We must have lost them…Iruka thought as he landed on the next tree branch, panting heavily. Kakashi leapt in next to him.

 

“Why are you stopping?” the jounin questioned wearily.

 

“Haven't we…escaped them yet?” Iruka asked back, completely out of breath.

 

Kakashi shook his head.

 

“They're still after us. I can sense them…”

 

Iruka tried to detect their enemy's presence, but was unsuccessful. Beside him, Kakashi grunted in pain and suddenly staggered forward. Iruka quickly reached out and caught him.

 

“Careful!” the chunnin told him worriedly, “Those are bad wounds. Maybe you should treat them before we move on…”

 

The jounin shook his head again.

 

“They're too close…”

 

“Let's try to stray them from our path then,” Iruka insisted, “Do you think you can you send out some clones? It'd do it myself but…”

 

He gazed down at his injured arm guiltily. While it might be possible to form some hand seals with it if he pushed himself, the chunnin knew that it would be incredibly painful and that the jutsu would be more than likely unsuccessful. Kakashi understood.

 

“I can try,” the silver-haired ninja replied, trying to keep the doubt out of his voice.

 

He knew he was low on energy and chakra, but this was something he needed to do. Whether they made it home alive or not depended on it. I have to try, the jounin thought, focusing. After one failed attempt, he successfully produced two clones- one of himself and another of Iruka. The Copy-nin sent them on ahead.

 

“Those clones might be able to fool the enemy for a while,” Kakashi said, “but eventually, they'll realize that they aren't really us. We'll have to move quickly.”

 

Iruka nodded.

 

“Let's take care of your injuries.”

 

“Don't worry about me,” Kakashi told him, “You should take care of yourself. That arm injury isn't minor.”

 

Iruka clutched his aching limb. He could barely move it without feeling incredible pain shoot up into his shoulder. He tried rolling up his sleeve to access the wound, but it hurt badly and he wasn't able to treat the worst part of his shoulder, where the fabric was all bunched. He unzipped his vest and removed it before peeling the black long-sleeved shirt off painfully with his good arm. After smearing ointment on his shoulder and bandaging it up messily with one hand, he turned to Kakashi, who was now sitting down on the tree branch. The Copy-nin was treating the numerous gashes and scratches on his body. Though he had taken off his vest and shirt as well, his mask still remained.

 

“Are you okay?” Iruka asked the jounin, who was busy rubbing ointment on his chest.

 

The Copy-nin looked up at him with a light smile in spite of the pain he was feeling as his fingers spread the smooth ointment over his wounds.

 

“Yes, just fine. I've had worse than this…but I'm out of ointment.”

 

“Here,” Iruka offered, as he stepped behind the jounin, “Let me help you.”

 

At first, Kakashi refused, but Iruka was able to treat the wounds on his back that the Copy-nin couldn't reach easily, so finally, he gave in. The jounin was far from used to being touched by anyone, for any reason. He flinched slightly as the chunnin's tan fingers ran over the bare skin on his back, but soon tried to relax. His wounds still hurt, but not as badly as they had before Iruka's fingers had been the ones treating them. They felt so warm and soothing, almost enough to make the pain slowly fade away…

 

“Academy-level first aid,” Iruka laughed, smiling slightly as he helped Kakashi wrap bandages around his chest and back as best he could.

 

The Copy-nin smiled, amused that the chunnin could try to make jokes at a time like this. His heart was pounding. The enemy had to be close…

 

“Thank you,” Kakashi said, once Iruka was finished.

 

He pulled his shirt and vest back on and stood up to help Iruka with his, since apparently putting the clothes back on one-handed was more difficult than taking them off. Iruka felt slightly embarrassed, but thanked the jounin before turning back to the direction that they were headed.

 

“Let's hurry up and get out of here,” the chunnin said, and with a swift leapt, they were off.

 

The moonlight bore down on the branches before them, seeping through the leaves that were higher above and shedding light onto the night's shadow. It brightened their path, but also held the danger of exposing them. To the ninja, the darkness meant protection, and they clung to it as if their lives were dependant on it…because chances were, it was true.

 

Kakashi felt a slight bit of chakra returning to him. It wasn't much, but the jounin knew that every tiny amount would be essential, should they find themselves in a battle. He only hoped that he wouldn't be forced to see how far his chakra supply would take him. His eyes scanned the area around him cautiously. He could sense some sort of energy. It was close…

 

“Iruka!” the chunnin heard Kakashi suddenly gasp behind him.

 

He stopped and was about to ask the jounin “what,” but as he opened his mouth, the loud, clanging sound of metal clashing with metal echoed right above his head. Shocked, Iruka's eyes darted around him before landing on Kakashi, who already had another kunai out and was watching the branches around them intently. He raised his weapon before him defensively as his eyes darted from left to right and back again. Whoever had aimed for Iruka was doing an admirable job of hiding right now, but the jounin was determined to keep up his guard. Iruka was surprised at how quickly Kakashi had been able to block the kunai in his condition. He protected me…

 

The chunnin took out his own weapon and turned around. He could hear the slight sound of the leaves ruffling above him, and pinpointing the enemy's location, he threw his kunai into the darkness. He just barely missed the enemy, but succeeded in flushing him out into the open. Kakashi was ready for him. The enemy ninja grunted as the jounin's kunai embedded itself into his side. He fell down to the forest floor where he painfully pulled the kunai out of him as he tried to stop the bleeding from the large wound it had left. Kakashi and Iruka followed him down, knowing that their opponent wasn't dead yet. It was difficult to see the ground as they sprang between trees to slow down their fall. In order to prevent a surprise attack before they hit the bottom, Kakashi used a fireball jutsu to light up the forest floor in the hopes that the flames would engulf their opponent as well.

 

There was a cry as the one they had been pursuing was consumed by the fire. Iruka and Kakashi landed on the blackened floor. The Copy-nin looked down at the charred remains of their opponent, making certain that he was dead. Iruka let out a sigh of relief but stiffened when Kakashi took a step around him and stood so that they were back-to-back.

 

“Don't let your guard down yet,” the jounin warned.

 

Iruka took out another kunai in one hand and a knuckle-full of shuriken limply in the other, standing readily. He could feel Kakashi's back shifting against his- rising and falling with each panting breath. He must be exhausted, Iruka thought. How did he manage that fireball jutsu? His chakra must be drained…The chunnin opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind. What good will it do to tell him to save his chakra? He'll only do what's necessary to escape…and if he doesn't, chances are we won't make it out of here anyway…This thought was a bit unnerving for Iruka, however. He thought back to what Kakashi had said to him while they were imprisoned. “Both of us making it out was impossible, but one…I wanted it to be you.” He better not try to sacrifice himself again…

 

“Kakashi…save your chakra,” Iruka said finally, “because I'm not leaving you behind if you collapse.”

 

Kakashi smiled slowly at the chunnin's words.

 

“Yeah…I know that now.”

 

Iruka blushed slightly, but he didn't let down his defenses. He listened for the enemy, wondering how many more there were. He shifted the hand with the shuriken painfully. I probably won't even be able to throw them…

 

Kakashi's eyes scanned the area above and around them cautiously. He wanted to use his sharingan to help him detect the enemy, but knew that his remaining chakra would be zapped if he did. He glanced worriedly over his shoulder. Iruka was trembling slightly, and the jounin could tell he was in pain. Kakashi knew the chunnin barely had use of his arm, which must have made him feel even more defenseless. It was a horrible feeling, to feel helpless when the situation was so dangerous. No wonder Iruka looked so afraid. Though Kakashi was used to these situations, even he couldn't deny that he was nervous. For your sake, I won't show it, though… he thought. Iruka, I won't fail you again…

 

Kakashi closed his eyes and tried to feel for the enemy's chakra around him. Maybe if I can just sense it…He searched in the branches of the trees around him. Nothing. He spread his search out further along the ground. The Copy-nin could barely detect a hint of chakra, but it seemed as if-

 

“There's only one,” Kakashi remarked, surprised.

 

“Really?” Iruka asked, relaxing only slightly.

 

The odds seemed to be in their favor, but the chunnin knew better than to let his guard down. After all, Kakashi and he were barely in any condition to fight a ninja that could be of a very high level, for all he knew. The fact that it was two against one wouldn't make much of a difference in that case.

 

Kakashi could sense the aura of the chakra he had detected growing larger. He's getting ready to attack, the jounin thought before finally seeing their opponent step forward into the moonlight- a woman. “She” then…

 

The kunoichi had long black hair, which covered the entire left side of her face and ran down to halfway between her shoulders and waist. She leered at the pair with an amused smile on her lips. The Copy-nin's eyes widened at the size of her chakra aura; he could almost see it emitting itself from her body.

 

“This is as far as you'll go,” she told the jounin and chunnin.

 

Iruka turned to stand side-by-side with Kakashi and glared at the final obstacle between them and their freedom.

 

“Step aside. You're outnumbered,” the chunnin said sternly.

 

Their enemy looked far from intimidated. She had more chakra readily available than the two of them combined. There was no way they'd be able to outlast her in battle if this carried on for too long. This is bad, thought Kakashi.

 

“That can be easily changed,” the woman said to Iruka with a sly smile.

 

She raised her hands in front of her, preparing to unleash a jutsu. Kakashi panicked. He pulled Iruka out of the way as a long white shape shot itself at the chunnin. Instead of continuing straight, however, it curved around and came at Iruka from behind. There was nothing the jounin could do as he watched the cloud engulf his partner. No!

 

Once the cloud had dissipated, Kakashi assumed the worst, but seeing Iruka appear from the midst of it, he was surprised to find him unscathed. In fact, he looked perfectly fine.

 

“Iruka?” Kakashi asked cautiously, taking a step away from him while watching the kunoichi out of the corner of his eye.

 

The chunnin didn't answer. Instead, he looked into Kakashi's eye blankly and raised his kunai. The jounin's eyes went wide as his partner swung the weapon at him. It didn't take the Copy-nin long to register what had happened. She has him under some kind of possession jutsu! he thought, panicking. Iruka came at him again and again without hesitation. The jounin continued to block and dodge each attack carefully, but his energy was draining, and it didn't seem like he'd be able to keep it up much longer.

 

“Kill him!” the enemy ninja hissed, and the look on the chunnin's face turned into an expression of pure hate and determination.

 

Seeing Iruka look at him that way stabbed the jounin without physically puncturing his skin. Kakashi wasn't sure why it hurt him so much. He knew Iruka was under the effects of a jutsu but for him to give him that sort of look…

 

“Fight it, Iruka,” the Copy-Nin panted, out of breath, “I don't want to…I can't…hurt you.”

 

Iruka lunged at him and slashed his arm with the edge of his kunai. Kakashi grunted in pain as blood leaked from the deep gash. He just barely managed to avoid the round of shuriken the chunnin threw at him clumsily with his bad arm. There was pain hidden behind his possessed eyes. The kunoichi was forcing him against his limits. She couldn't care less about how much he suffered as she forced him to continue to relentlessly attack his injured partner.

 

Iruka was moving quickly, and Kakashi was beginning to have even more trouble avoiding his attacks. I can't keep going like this, Kakashi thought as Iruka's weapon grazed his shoulder. I have to break him out of this somehow.

 

“Kai!” Kakashi shouted, holding up two fingers.

 

The enemy only laughed at him.

 

“That won't do you any good,” she informed him, “This is no ordinary jutsu!”

 

Kakashi grunted in frustration. This had to be something similar to the Yamanaka mind control technique. If Iruka can't break out of this himself… The chunnin's kunai clashed with his, and Iruka attempted to force him back. The jounin's eyes shot to the woman. She was watching him with a smug look on her face, enjoying the battle that she had instigated. Kakashi pushed Iruka away from him and formed a quick hand seal while whispering something too low for anyone else to hear, but nothing seemed to happen, much to his enemy's pleasure. Kakashi looked away from Iruka for a moment to stare at the kunoichi. She's strong…but I have to take her out somehow. Then this jutsu will be- The Copy-Nin didn't even have time to finish the thought before the chunnin shoved him hard against a tree.

 

The chunnin's kunai was embedded in Kakashi's shoulder, and the pain was incredible. The jounin tried to force him back, but the last jutsu he had attempted had been more than he could handle. He pushed against Iruka uselessly as the kunoichi laughed at them.

 

“Now hold him in place so I can finish him off myself,” she ordered, and Iruka obeyed, gripping Kakashi's hands behind his back and pushing him in front of him, offering his partner to the enemy.

 

Kakashi struggled slightly, but Iruka held onto him tightly. The kunoichi took a step closer to him.

 

“They call you Sharigan Kakashi, don't they?” she smirked, “It'll be an honor to be the one who kills you…and then your friend can join you in the afterlife.”

 

The jounin growled angrily beneath his breath. We aren't going to be the ones who die here…The enemy took out a scroll and summoned a giant shuriken out of it. Then without hesitation, the kunoichi charged at them. Kakashi panicked. No! She's moving too fast! My plan- it won't work…Iruka was grunting behind him, shaking slightly as he gripped onto his partner.

 

Is this it? the jounin wondered. Is this how it ends for me? Like this? At least… just maybe- my death will be enough to snap Iruka out of it… He glanced sadly over his shoulder to look into the chunnin's eyes. I know this isn't what you wanted, but…

 

“Iruka,” Kakashi gasped quietly, “If only one of us can live…”

 

Their enemy had almost reached them. Once she had made it within a few feet, she threw the giant shuriken at the jounin's vulnerable chest. Kakashi closed his eyes, ready for death after so many years of dodging it. Goodbye, Iruka…There was a thud as the weapon hit something…but strangely, Kakashi felt no pain. The force that had been restraining him was missing as well. What? Kakashi opened his eyes slowly until suddenly, they widened in horror. Iruka's chocolate brown eyes stared back into his, gleaming sadly, but no longer possessed.

 

“I want it to be you,” the chunnin finished for him with a whisper.

 

With that, he fell to the floor, large shuriken embedded in his back. Kakashi could not stop trembling.

 

“I-Iruka!” he yelled.

 

Their attacker was laughing at them.

 

“That fool- throwing himself in front of that attack! Though I'm surprised that he was able to break out of that jutsu so quickly…”

 

Kakashi fell to his knees beside Iruka and pulled the weapon from his back. The chunnin grunted slightly. The Copy-Nin glared at the kunoichi fiercely and threw the shuriken as quickly as he could. She stepped to the side, barely avoiding it, but as she opened her mouth to scoff at him, she felt something pierce her from behind. Writhing in pain, she turned her head slowly to find herself eye-to-eye with one of Kakashi's clones- the one she had assumed he hadn't been able to produce. That jutsu…so it did-! The other end of the katana blade sticking out in front of her was the last thing she saw before she collapsed with a thud onto the forest floor.

 

The Copy-Nin wasted no time. He quickly stripped off Iruka's vest and shirt. The blood on the chunnin's bare tan back gleamed slightly in the moonlight. There was so much. Kakashi desperately tried to stop the bleeding, and remembering the medical justu that he had copied from Rin so long ago, he attempted to heal the large wound. This was just like before, only now he was in Rin's place, and Iruka was in his. His mind flooded with memories of his old teammate doing all she could to heal him- up until the time of her death. “Hold on, Kakashi! You're going to be okay. Just a little-” There was so much blood.

 

“Don't die on me, Iruka,” Kakashi begged, the last wall he had built around his heart finally breaking down, “Don't…I can't…”

 

I can't stand to lose someone else for my sake…

 

“Ka…kashi….” the chunnin grunted weakly.

 

“Hold on, please,” the jounin whispered.

 

Everything was slowly getting blurry. He didn't have the chakra for this, but he had no choice but to keep trying. Even if it drains every bit I have… The medical jutsu that he hadn't attempted in so long was slowly closing the wound. Kakashi pulled the first aid supplies out of his pack and cleaned it up. Iruka was breathing softly now. The jounin messily bandaged his wound and rose on unsteady feet. Somehow, they still had to get back to Konoha. He gathered everything up and slowly crouched down next to the chunnin. Carefully, he lifted Iruka's body off the floor and took a staggering step forward. His head was spinning. This isn't going to work…Reluctantly, he set the academy teacher down on the floor and pulled out a scroll from one of his vest pockets. He formed a few shaky hand seals and smearing the scroll with the blood from his shoulder wound, he summoned his fastest nin-dog.

 

“Get…help,” was all he managed to say before he lost consciousness and collapsed onto the floor, barely even sure of whether or not he had spoken the words out loud.