Chapter Thirty-Three

The Man Named Tobi

Sayaka’s Point of View

            It wasn’t long thereafter until I was called to the Hokage’s office. Now walking down the hallways, I knocked on his door.

            “Come in,” the Hokage stated, most likely knowing that it was me.

            I genuflected before him, before standing, hands lay firm by me.

            “Kakashi and Genma already left for their mission a few hours ago,” he stated, a puff of smoke was released from his mouth. “And, it is now your turn to be notified of your task . . . Sayaka.”

            The room was dark and dimly lit. It was still past midnight . . . the time when evil usually strikes . . .

            “Your mission is to gather more information about the so-called organization named the Akatsuki . . . I wish you luck . . .” He began his speech. “Here is a scroll containing all the information we have concerning them, which is not much . . .”

            “It’s fine,” I assured him. “I can do anything without the need of that much information.”

            “That is all,” he sighed, before smiling. “Good luck, my dear.”

            I chuckled, “Thank you . . . I’ll do my best.”

            At that, I bowed to him, clenched fist at my heart . . . before leaving for home to gather all the materials I needed for such a long, and tedious mission.

~*~*~*~

            After I had gathered my necessities, which were some extra clothing, a thin blanket, some money, hair ties, a few small, handy notebooks, a few pens, a first aid kit, a few sets of kunai and shuriken, and a katana was strapped at the side of my backpack. Meanwhile, I wore a dark grey turtleneck, a flak jacket loaded with the needed weapons, the regular ninja sweatpants, kneecaps and waist were wrapped in bandages, and a silver locket containing a picture of my parents in once flap, a picture of Kakashi in another, a picture of me, and a group photo of Minato, Obito, Rin, Kakashi, and me when we were younger . . . in the golden days . . .

            It wasn’t much longer later that I exited the gates of Konoha to journey outwards . . .

            From what the scroll read, it pretty much summarized that there were some suspicions concerning the organization so-called “Akatsuki.” They were apparently thieves of some sort, and were related to some assassinations of various notorious bad guys . . . and benevolent leaders of society from all nations. Not only did they kill some famous leaders and tacticians from the Konoha, they also were connected to the disappearances of various authorities of different groups and other organizations.

            I glanced at my watch, which glimmered against the moonlight. It was two in the morning. The stars were still out . . . and the midnight blue hue was above in the horizons.

            I used a fire jutsu to light my way through the dark, misty forest, but as soon as I heard a rustle, I extinguished the flame.

            Rustle.

            Pause.

            Rustle.

            I hesitated before yelling, “Who’s there?”

            Suddenly, a man cloaked in an exterior black garment, adorned with red clouds, and the interior of the cloak seemed red. This description figured exactly the same as that of an Akatsuki member.

            “Akatsuki,” I widened my eyes before getting into a defensive stance.

            “Ah, my dear Sayaka,” the figure said soothingly. “There is no need to be on guard, though I am saddened to see that you do not recognize me.”

            “If you’re in an orange swirly mask thingy, how can I?” I countered, chipping off a bit of my weariness of the man.

            “If I took it off . . . would you?” I heard him chuckle. “You actually know me quite well.”

            I hesitated once again, “What is your name?”

            “I used to be called by another, but my name now is . . . Tobi.”

~*~*~*~

Kakashi’s Point of View

            Genma and I were both traveling cautiously to the Land of Iron, where we would be given further details of our mission. During our silent walk, no matter what I thought of, my thoughts would wander to Sayaka . . . Oh, Kami, do I miss her . . .

            “We should camp here for the night,” Genma stated, ending the long reign of silence. “In this cave, since I doubt anyone would want to be in a dark cave for now.”

            “I see,” I replied professionally. “I’ll get the firewood then.”

            “I’ll get some water,” Genma informed me.

            As I was gathering the firewood, I took note on the surroundings and their details. Some of the trees were pine, signaling that we were getting higher in elevation or into a colder climate. The deciduous trees remaining were barren with no leaves, fruits, or flowers. The dirt on the ground was damp, meaning that either rain had just fallen or there was a nearby body of water to dampen the soil. Though I could take no notice of anything technically wrong, it felt like it . . . like something wrong was about to explode array.

Sayaka’s Point of View

            “Oh, really? I do not know anyone of that name, though there is someone whom I used to know whose name sounds simi-“ I stopped myself halfway. Something was pressed onto my lips, and I did not know what it was for my eyes were distant, now knowing who this man was.

            The man’s mask fell unto the cold, dampen soil of the ground. The trees, barren, were barely remaining to the ground against the howling wind. The man before me was dear to me . . . and to my childhood. To Minato . . . Rin . . . Kakashi . . . and me. And, to see him now here, still alive from what we thought him to be dead . . . All these years praying at the memorial stone . . . and at his burial stone . . . Obito . . . why . . .

            He then released me from him, our lips parted, but no emotions were displayed. Out of nowhere and into the blue, he snatched my amulet, containing pictures of me and Kakashi on one end, and Minato and the team on the other, off my neck and threw it to the ground.

            “You don’t need that anymore,” he stated before I blacked out with not a single sound made.

Kakashi’s Point of View

            Aside from the natural sounds heard, I heard a clink noise from something metal drop to the cold floor. Someone was there. Running at my fastest speed to the pinpoint, I then saw a flicker of something shiny glittering against the moonlight. Stooping down to pick it up, my eyes widened as I realized whose this amulet belonged to . . . Opening it to make certain I was right, the pictures of her and me, and the other of Minato and the team were in it . . . Sayaka wouldn’t drop such a precious item on the ground like that. Something must have happened. This wasn’t right. But the thing is, what? How? Why?

~*~*~*~

Dear Readers,

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who voted for me in the Naruto Watty Awards! :)

It meant a lot to me! :D

Second of all, I am sorry for the late update . . . so much drama in my group of friends, etc. Hahaha

But that's no excuse xD

Last of all . . . and the most important . . . How do you pass level 65 of Candy Crush?

:P Just kidding. xD

~FujiwaraYuko~