Save Your Tears

Late again & The Mission

"I'm breaking free from these memories
Gotta let it go, just let it go
I've said goodbye
Set it all on fire"

_____________________________________________

A month went by... I was doing great until the fuckin' nightmare-terrors came back to plague me again. I woke up at 3:00 AM this time... The fuck? Why is it a different time? I'm dreaming about people I haven't even met dying in front of me and yet I still feel guilt for it??? I ended up staying up for the rest of the night.

                                                           ~7:30 AM~

I geared up and headed out to the gate barely functioning, the only thing that kept me going was the sound of Captain Yamato yelling at the other Anbu Shinobi but then I realized why he was yelling... Then his dark eyes saw me walking towards the gate, luckily I had my mask on so he wouldn't see how fucked up I look. "Yuri..." I cut him off "I know! I know, I'm late again." I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they were gonna fall out of my head. I heard the other Anbu teams snicker to each other Yamato cleared his throat everyone looked over at him. "As I was saying! This mission is A-Rank, so teamwork is critical. Miko, Nikki I want you two to team up with Yuri. She's highly skilled minus the fact she's always late..." Yamato looked at me and winked, I felt the blush creep under my mask I didn't understand why Captain Yamato liked me so much but yet he always dealt with my bullshit. I been good to Yamato though, I always listened to what he had to say and I been there for when he needed to get shit off his chest... Especially his students... Wanna know the ironic thing? I'm part of his team. Me, Ash and Miko. Team Yamato we were called. I'm Yamato's favorite student, probably why he cuts some slack on me... I swear my own teacher has a crush on me... Eh, anyways he's a cool dude. Apparently he knew Kakashi since they were kids, I've briefly met the white haired man once but I was only 7.

 As we were about to leave the village I felt my arm get grabbed, I turned and of course it was Yamato but he looked worried. "Yes Yamato-Sensei?" I noticed his cheeks go slightly pink, oh god he does like me. Dude, that's messed up... I'm his student. He looked down at the ground and then back at me again. "Please... Make sure you come back alive, okay?" I noticed him reaching for my hand and I moved my hand back "Sensei, I'll be fine. Stop worrying about me." I smiled at him and backed away, he looked annoyed that I moved away from him but it's for his own good. "Don't worry Yamato-Sensei, we'll make sure Yuri comes back in one piece!" Miko said and with a closed-eyed smile and just like that our Anbu squad has left in search of Orochimaru.

                                     "You guys' better..."

                                                 _________________________________________

Hopping branch to branch we all head deeper and deeper and deeper into the dark forest. We're miles from our home now and at the point of no return we all come across a entrance to what seems to be an underground temple. We notice some guards outside; they're Hidden Mist Ninjas. But... Why were they here? Miko grabbed my shoulder "They're here for the same reason we are! We cannot let them get to him! I nodded. "Alright everyone, we're gonna split in teams of 3s. We won't stop until we get Orochimaru!" Everyone whisper shouted "Aye!" and teleported off.

Me, Ash and Miko went to the entrance gate where two Hidden Mist Ninjas were guarding the entrance. "Hidden Leaf Ninjas! Kill them, we cannot let them get them get Orochimaru and the secret scrolls!" They pulled out their Kunais and ran at us, I charged one and we exchanged in some hand-to-hand combat which then he tried gutting me with his kunai, I quickly disarmed him with my chakra dagger and slit his throat... I watched him die. "Yuri, I swear in another life you were a cold-blooded murderer." I turned and saw Miko and Ash staring at me. I noticed the other ninja was dead too "Maybe I was? Let's get inside." They both nodded and we ascended into the underground temple.

                                          ~30 Minutes in the Temple~

We searched every room possible but no signs of Orochimaru or these 'hidden scrolls' the Mist Ninja said. Maybe we're too late and the Hidden Mist Ninjas took what we were all coming here for? Nah Yuri... They wouldn't right? Right? We noticed another set of stairs that went deeper. 

              "UGGGHHH MORE STAIRS!" Ash cried out, I rolled my eyes under my ask and heard Miko laugh "Stairs are good exercise, Ash." She continued to laugh and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Fuck stairs! I'm gonna guard outside!" Ash started to turn back.

"So... You want me to tell Guy, YOUR ROLE MODEL that you butted out on an important mission just because 'fuck stairs'?" Miko said snarky with a hint of humor.

I heard Ash whimper and she froze in her tracks, but she didn't turn around.

"You don't wanna disappoint your... Sensei don't you?" Ohhh Miko playing it dirty....

"Yeah, Ash. Let's go now." I joined in.

"UGH! FINE!" She turned around and was the first to march down the stairs cursing us under her breath, we followed her shortly after. Soon our laughs and teases were short lived.... We all were greeted with the horrors of blood, body parts, a giant glass tank with a kid in it and our fucking squad.... We were the last 3 left of our Anbu Division to find Orochimaru. Fuck! I felt my heart racing I approached the kid in the tube, it was a girl... She looked like she was around Naruto's age... She had black hair, like me, shorter and spiky. I broke the glass and she fell on the floor, lifeless. "Yuri, we found the secret scrolls... He's not here let's return to the Leaf Village NOW!" Miko said with panic in her voice, Ash was already to go as well. "I'm bringing this girl back too... She's still alive and I'm sure she can give us answers." I picked her up and we all began running back up the stairs. As we made it to the main hall where the stairs lead out of this hellhole temple I heard the sound of it starting to collapse, shit, fuck, shit!

"Yuri! Step on it! We're getting closed in!" Ash shouted behind me

"What do you think I'm trying to do?!" I looked back and my eyes widened as I saw Ash get trapped and then engulfed in dust. 

"ASH NO!" I screamed, I was going to stop but Miko pushed me out of the entrance with the backpack with scrolls I fell flat on my face, the girl fell beside me. I passed out for a few minutes at least... Ugh, my head. Seconds later I woke up I noticed the backpack under me, I looked over and saw the girl laying there too, she looked more dry but at least she was breathing. Reality hit me... Ash and Miko didn't make it out. I turned to the rubbled entrance and saw Miko hanging out by her torso there was so much blood.... Flash images of my parents came back to my mind. "Yuri... Complete the mission." She said weakly to me "I.. I was able to save Ash, but.. Not myself... I'm sorry we never got to talk much before, I regret making fun of you when we were kids..." I felt my eyes tear up. "You ended up being one of the most strongest, toughest, beautiful and highly skilled Shinobis I ever met.... I'm happy we had the chance to be on this mission together. But you gotta go back... Go Yuri... They're coming soon." Miko closed her eyes and took her final breath... Another person died in front of me... My entire fucking squad got wiped out and I don't know where Ash is... Miko said she got out but from what I saw... I don't think it was possible."

I picked up the scrolls and that girl and I ran all the way back to the village, tears going down my cheeks, I cried... This was my fault. They're dead because of me, Ash is missing because of me.

                                                "I... I must complete the mission."