Getting Lost on the Roads of Life - a KakaSaku Story [CONCLUDED]

The Mizukage

"Hatake Kakashi," the leader of the masked warriors hissed, "you've got some nerve!"

Sakura had to restrain herself from nodding in agreement. Scaling the walls of another Shinobi village at night? So recklessly dangerous! But Kakashi had winked at her upon seeing her stunned expression and had said "trust me" before walking up like there was nothing to it.

Because trusting him was second nature to her, she had followed despite her doubts. Now, she was trying to calm her rapidly beating heart, asking herself whether the sea of swords held dangerously close to their necks had been included in Kakashi's "trust me". He had a plan, right? He had just forgotten to tell the rest of them about it once again?

Apart from the leader, who was dressed in a blue kimono with a striped, turtleneck undershirt, the rest of the sizeable group had on a standard uniform with grey flak jackets. They were all wearing masks with their village symbol on the forehead, thin slitted eye-holes and a wavy design in place of the mouth. That gave them away as Kirigakure's Anbu and Sakura was instantly reminded of Haku, the first death she had witnessed up close and would never forget. Zabuza and Haku's desolate lives and the heartbreaking circumstances of their deaths had come to symbolize all that was wrong with the Shinobi world. Even now, after the 4th Shinobi World War, when perpetual peace no longer sounded like a silly utopia, she thought of them and their sad, sad fate often, a reminder for sheltered people like her that she knew nothing of true hardship.

This village they were in now was where students wishing to graduate from their academy had had to fight their peers to the death, and only those who survived could advance to the ranks of shinobi - to eradicate emotions in exchange for combat efficiency. Sakura shuddered violently at the thought of it. The practice had been discontinued after Zabuza had killed an entire class of students, but everyone Kakashi's age or older had lived through it. What inhumane treatment!

Then again. Danzo had established the same brutal rules in his Root and it had taken much longer to abolish that. There was no reason to feel morally superior at all. There was not one shinobi village that didn't have skeletons in the closet.

"Ao," Kakashi addressed the man lightly, "you're still in the Anbu? I didn't know there were people older than me not finding the exit in time."

"Pffft," the man addressed as Ao snorted, "I could be your father. You Shinobis from Konoha have no stamina, retiring when you're still wet behind the ears. Is it true you have issues filling your ranks?"

"Ah," Kakashi smiled, wisely ignoring the question, "there seems to be enough stamina to break into your village though. Is it not wonderful that the peace we have fought so hard for allows for your level of complacency? No other defenses than this mediocre mist? I'm pleasantly surprised."

"Be quiet," Ao bellowed and moved his sword several inches closer to Kakashi's jugular, making all his men do the same to the rest of them.

Smiling encouragingly at Sarada who grasped her hand in panic, Sakura cursed fouly in her head. Trusting him was one thing, but silently going along with men's bravado and intimidation techniques was not what she had any interest in doing. She was just about to voice her displeasure at their posturing when she caught an urgent look from Kaeru. The look said: Don't even think about it. Sensei knows what he's doing!

"What do you want," Ao said gruffly. "I hope your answer is satisfactory, I have no qualms killing you and wouldn't even have to fear any consequences."

"True," Kakashi smiled, "our Anbu also has permission to kill intruders on the spot. But you must know that your Mizukage would be unhappy about my death."