October, Mark Two
Title: Legion
Author: Rei Mei Juunana
Fandom: Naruto, Naruto Shippuden
Rating: PG, for mention of violence
Pairings: None in this snippet
Title: Legion
Author: Rei Mei Juunana
Fandom: Naruto, Naruto Shippuden
Rating: PG, for mention of violence
Pairings: None in this snippet
The storm, kicked up so suddenly, is already clearing. Kakashi moves through the trees, each motion as efficient as possible, no thought spared for his usual grace. He is following the faint track his students left behind them: a scuffed branch, a bent leaf, a dark hair caught about a twig.
The rain slows him, sudden cloudburst erasing the signs of their passing. Just as he near loses the trail, his eyes focus. Directly ahead is a moving patch of orange.
It takes only ninety-odd seconds for him to land by the four figures. Three of them are Naruto, not a scratch marring their skin. Kakashi had felt the beast’s energy, knows from their mission at the bridge just how little time it takes, on occasion, for Naruto to heal. He sees Naruto’s clothes in tatters.
The fourth figure is Sasuke, unconscious on the center Naruto’s back. He shows the full measure of their encounter- his fingers are burned, bruises showing already dark against his neck and shins. His left arm is obviously broken, both legs less obviously broken, and from the limp dangling of that arm, Kakashi suspects his right shoulder is dislocated. A chunk of hair just behind his left ear is hanging ragged, torn near completely free of his scalp. The blood is soaked all down the side of his shirt, still wet.
The Naruto nearest Kakashi lowers his kunai. He nods slightly and the Naruto in the center immediately comes forward, shrugging Sasuke off his back. He drops into Kakashi’s arms. The third Naruto is facing away, towards the border with Rice Field Country. His kunai is ready in his hand.
All three Naruto are tense, Kakashi notices. Once free of Sasuke, that Naruto reached back for a fistful of shuriken. The first Naruto has his kunai loosely gripped near his hip, textbook perfect position to throw. He can’t sense any pursuit, none of Orochimaru’s minions approaching, but takes his cue from his student.
They head for the village with no delay. As times passes and they come across their comrades, Naruto relaxes inch by inch. It’s odd for Kakashi to see his student unwind in three different fashions. The first Naruto lets his kunai drop to his thigh, the second Naruto loses the tension in his shoulders, and the third lets his gaze stray to his teammate.
As they meet Gaara just before the gates, the Naruto veers off to speak with him. The third gestures, concentrates for a scant second, and a fourth Naruto seamlessly fills the empty spot. Not a one of them so much as blinks.
In some corner of Kakashi’s mind, so distant he can’t quite put his finger on it, that chills him to the marrow.
Author: Rei Mei Juunana
Fandom: Naruto, Naruto Shippuden
Rating: PG, for mention of violence
Pairings: None in this snippet
Title: Legion
Author: Rei Mei Juunana
Fandom: Naruto, Naruto Shippuden
Rating: PG, for mention of violence
Pairings: None in this snippet
The storm, kicked up so suddenly, is already clearing. Kakashi moves through the trees, each motion as efficient as possible, no thought spared for his usual grace. He is following the faint track his students left behind them: a scuffed branch, a bent leaf, a dark hair caught about a twig.
The rain slows him, sudden cloudburst erasing the signs of their passing. Just as he near loses the trail, his eyes focus. Directly ahead is a moving patch of orange.
It takes only ninety-odd seconds for him to land by the four figures. Three of them are Naruto, not a scratch marring their skin. Kakashi had felt the beast’s energy, knows from their mission at the bridge just how little time it takes, on occasion, for Naruto to heal. He sees Naruto’s clothes in tatters.
The fourth figure is Sasuke, unconscious on the center Naruto’s back. He shows the full measure of their encounter- his fingers are burned, bruises showing already dark against his neck and shins. His left arm is obviously broken, both legs less obviously broken, and from the limp dangling of that arm, Kakashi suspects his right shoulder is dislocated. A chunk of hair just behind his left ear is hanging ragged, torn near completely free of his scalp. The blood is soaked all down the side of his shirt, still wet.
The Naruto nearest Kakashi lowers his kunai. He nods slightly and the Naruto in the center immediately comes forward, shrugging Sasuke off his back. He drops into Kakashi’s arms. The third Naruto is facing away, towards the border with Rice Field Country. His kunai is ready in his hand.
All three Naruto are tense, Kakashi notices. Once free of Sasuke, that Naruto reached back for a fistful of shuriken. The first Naruto has his kunai loosely gripped near his hip, textbook perfect position to throw. He can’t sense any pursuit, none of Orochimaru’s minions approaching, but takes his cue from his student.
They head for the village with no delay. As times passes and they come across their comrades, Naruto relaxes inch by inch. It’s odd for Kakashi to see his student unwind in three different fashions. The first Naruto lets his kunai drop to his thigh, the second Naruto loses the tension in his shoulders, and the third lets his gaze stray to his teammate.
As they meet Gaara just before the gates, the Naruto veers off to speak with him. The third gestures, concentrates for a scant second, and a fourth Naruto seamlessly fills the empty spot. Not a one of them so much as blinks.
In some corner of Kakashi’s mind, so distant he can’t quite put his finger on it, that chills him to the marrow.