𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒 ― n. shikamaru ✗

Chapter 4

Escaped.

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Just a short recap:

Explosions were heard and Tsunade was brought back to reality. "What are you doing?!"

"Oh," her eyes widened innocently, "I'm not doing anything."

~~~

An ANBU appeared, "Lady Hokage, the enemy has breached the walls," Tsunade grit her teeth, "make sure the residents near that area are evacuated!" With a nod, the ANBU disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Tsunade glared harshly at Akahana, "your mother would be very disappointed in you," Akahana simply shrugged, "she's dead."

Shikamaru's hand balled into a tight fist, wondering how someone once so warm and comforting turned into someone he didn't even recognize. 

"Shikamaru," Tsunade called, "let's go." With heavy steps, he followed after her silently, not able to make eye contact with Akahana.

"It's okay, Shikamaru," Tsunade said, trying to bring focus to the boy. "Right now, we have to focus on the village. There are ANBU watching Akahana, no one will get to her."

He simply nodded.

He trusted Tsunade, but something in him said otherwise.

He shook his head vigorously, he needed to focus.

When he and Tsunade parted ways, the explosions grew louder. Shikamaru moved faster, ready to create a plan to stabilize everything.

Scenarios formed in his head, too many to count. 

"Shikamaru!" He stopped and turned, looking at Ino and Choji. "What are we gonna do, Shikamaru?" Choji asked, more explosions were heard and buildings collapsed. 

"We should go help the civilians and wait for orders," Ino and Choji nodded, they separated went to tend to the people.

~~~

Akahana

"Hungry to kill, you'll never forget this piercing the sky with scarlet vengeance bloody the bow and arrow in crimson, rally the hunters to war," she sang softly under her breath. Her arms were incredibly sore and she felt like her soul was slowly separating from her body.

Keep it together, Dei and Kisame are coming, she thought. Chakra she hid struggled to stay down, but she knew she wouldn't be able to escape without Deidara and Kisame. 

Her eyelids suddenly became heavy, but was startled awake when she heard the familiar sound of bodies falling to the ground. 

In the dark, emerged Deidara and Kisame with sly smiles on their faces, Akahana grinned weakly. 

Their smiles faded quickly when they saw how beat up Akahana was. Deidara used one of his explosives to open the barred door, quickly tending to Akahana. "I thought you were never gonna come," Akahana chuckled softly, only to form a sickening cough.

Deidara winced at Akahana's wounds, "we thought you went off somewhere like you usually do, but then you never came back," Deidara responded.

"Samehada had a hard time finding you, your chakra is really low," Kisame said, keeping watch. "And it also took a while to let Leader convince us to go," Deidara added.

Akahana nodded, trying to stand up. Her legs wobbled and Deidara helped to steady her, knowing if he tried to stop her, his head would probably be gone. Akahana was a woman of pride and Kisame and Deidara both knew that that was the main reason Akahana survived. She didn't want to die tied up, in front of her ex-comrades.

"Itachi is here too, Pein decided to attack Konoha now too," Kisame filled Akahana in, while Deidara kneaded his clay, making a white bird.

Akahana sat beside the birds head, her feet dangling off the edge. They took flight through the hole Deidara made in the ceiling.

The young blonde breathed in deep, enjoying the feeling of fresh air. She took the ribbons out of her hair and combed it out using her fingers before tying up into one ponytail. Deidara smirked and shook his head, "really?" Even if she was beaten up, she hated when her pigtails or ponytails drooped.

She didn't look back, a broad smile on her face, "really."

Akahana looked down on the chaos, they swooped low and her eyes connected with Shikamaru's. Her gaze hardened on Shikamaru's shocked one. 

She blinked and looked another direction, feeling a hollow feeling deep in her stomach. Guilt.

Akahana took in a deep breath, closing her eyes. Green chakra enveloped her body and she felt strength slowly return to her. An invisible push came from her, almost knocking her two friends off the bird.

"And all this time, you had stored up chakra?" Kisame asked, rolling his eyes. "I didn't want to use it in there, they would know I was escaping immediately." True, the blue man thought, even though Akahana was incredibly weak that one time, he could feel she was almost back to her regular self.

"I see Itachi," Akahana chirped, the bird dove down, and Deidara glared at the ravenette. "You coming?" Akahana asked, Itachi shook his head. 

"I'll meet you at the base," Kisame nodded, "see you."

"Akahana!" 

The blonde turned, meeting eyes filled with sorrow and pain, she sighed heavily. 

~~~

'Kay so, this chapter is kinda gross, I apologize. I needed something that the upcoming parts could jump from. So I guess the plot is finally coming together?

Anyways, 'till next time!