Chapter Twenty Four - Broken Chain
[When captured birds grow wiser, they try to open the cage with their beaks. They don't give up, because they want to fly again. - Shiranui Genma]
"I know who you are,"
Kushina released a weak breath. Blinking repeatedly in an attempt to fight her growing double vision. The people in front of her were at an undeniable advantage.
Jumping backwards Kushina gained a little more distance between herself and the swordsman. As long as they were close the swordsman would keep taking her chakra with that strange organic blade he had. She needed time to access her chakra chains, but her only chance of distraction had already fallen. He was no longer moving and Kushina knew he was beyond help.
She'd seen them just as they had left with Naruto. The blonde looked miniature dangling over the shoulder of the large red head and that terrified Kushina.
They were kidnapping her!
At first it had looked like a standard ambush from Kirigakure, but it had been covering up the flanking manoeuvre. Though Kushina couldn't understand why they were making such an effort simply for a child.
If that really was what they were after of course. Though Kushina couldn't see any other reason to mobilize this way and then take Naruto instead of killing her.
Kushina was even more worried about the absence of Rin. Either she was killed, escaped or taken. The fact that she had no idea made the situation all the more worse.
Worry clouded her mind endlessly about her own students, but the majority of the surprise attack was focused in this area, not back where Hitomi, Ensui and Iruka were currently battling. Keeping them separated was crucial to give the platoon a chance to gain some advantage.
And these bastards had taken Naruto. Naruto!
Kushina had been kidnapped once herself, and it had been beyond terrifying. This time it was Kirigakure instead of Kumogakure, but the situation was disquietingly similar.
"Uzumaki Kushina of Konohagakure..." Clarified the ANBU, proving that he really did know who she was.
While keeping her in sight he shifted his stance so he had the swordsman covered. The others spread out, creating a semi-circle around her. "This just got much more interesting."
Through the rocky forest Anko and Genma made their way back to where the ambush had started. The terrain thinned out more and more until they were in a dusty harsh environment. The traces of explosions and ninjutsu damages were apparent on all sides together with a growing lack in vegetation. To Anko it was like she was right back in the battlefield months ago, except this time there was no one who'd swooped in to save them.
In the end the attackers had retreated, but they'd left their group with more dead people than alive.
From their left someone spotted them. "Anko! Thank kami... I lost you in the battle." Shisui walked up to her, his foot stiff while he smiled sincerely at seeing her.
"Shisui... Who else?" She asked and gestured around. Genma echoed her question with his eyes alone as they raked over the changed scenery.
"Many are dead... We're gathering them up. Trying to make sure everyone is accounted for." Shisui pointed to the rocky ground where the mountain met the forest. A row of people were laying there. Kakashi and Raidō were putting down a body next to another while they watched. Anko recognized him. He was the man who'd followed Kushina into the forest.
Anko hurried up to the corpses, looking frantically at the dead and hoping she wouldn't find someone she knew.
Her eyes stopped at the shortest one of the corpses. Her brown hair was still tied in a loose ponytail, her usual sharp green eyes closed, and her parted lips had turned blue. It was Hitomi.
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After the Rain
Fanfic(Time-Travel fic) Naruto had never thought she would end up in the past. Not even the one who caused her to go back had anticipated she'd be dragged along for the ride. The Kyūbi had been trying to save himself - not her. She'd once said that the he...
