The Red String of Marriage

From Recon to Rescue - Kakashi

"There they are."

Their observation spot to the nearby camp had paid off.  A group of about five men came wandering through the forest, talking quietly.

"Yeah, but I think hitting these small towns would be a waste of time.  We should finally make our move on Tenchi.  Snatch a kid from there and make the town pay a ransom or something."

"I don't know, I've heard they have a security squad that doesn't think twice about killing on the spot.  It's risky at best."

"We could wait on the outskirts.  Some dumb kid is bound to wander close to the edge of the village and we'll grab them."

It was a little difficult to hear their conversation due to the roar of the Tenchi River.  Strategically, the placement of their camp was a genius move: nobody would hear them out here, and no one would be stupid enough to stay this close to a village with such high security.  An authoritative man with a gruff voice spoke up.

"That's a dumb idea."

"Hey, don't get mad at me.  It was Kibimaru's idea, Boss."

"Where is that idiot, anyway?"

Kakashi heard yelling from beyond the trees, and a man running toward the others, holding a child's body.

"Look, Boss!  This will be our biggest haul yet!"

"Kibimaru, what in the hell have you done?!"

"I left a ransom note.  Maybe she's worth something.  If she's not, we can just kill her and try again."

"We can't just kill her and try again.  We are going to have to leave."

"But we can't just let her go, she knows what we look like."

"Fuck. Just kill her now.  I don't care.  Just make sure you get rid of the body.  I want to make a clean break from here."

The girl wriggled loose from her captors grasp, running wildly away, but it was too late.  Kibimaru pulled a kunai from his belt and threw it at her.  But Kakashi was already down from the tree, headband up, exposing his Sharingan eye.

"KAMUI!"

The kunai disappeared into thin air.  He heard Guy jump down and land beside him.  This quickly went from a recon mission to a rescue.

The men attacked, but they were ready.  At least Kakashi thought he was until he went to dodge the first strike thrown at him.  He had forgotten that it had been three long months since he had trained.  And he had used up what little energy he had left utilizing his Sharingan technique, which was an energy sapper anyway.  He took the blow full force to the stomach, knocking him to the ground.  The shinobi kicked Kakashi in the face and stomach several more times before turning his attention back to the girl, who had stumbled and been caught by another captor. 

Guy had his hands full with three rogue shinobi, so Kakashi was on his own. 

The girl's captor picked her up over his head and tossed her into the river.  Kakashi took off running and dove in after her.  As his body made contact with the water, it felt as if every inch of him was being stabbed by knives in the sub freezing temperatures.  He saw her a few yards in front of her, being violently swept around by the water.  He grabbed her and pulled her in protectively against himself, curling his body around hers. 

The current pulled them down, scraping them against the bottom of the river, sending them spiraling into every into every rock and piece of debris along the way.  He could literally feel the flesh being ripped from his body, but he held the little girl tighter.  He had to stay awake.  His life may be over, but she had to live. 

This was his last thought before losing consciousness.