The Archive - Chapter 30: Fatal Traps

Akira stumbled through the tunnel “Kakashi you brainless ninja, where are you?!!!” She shouted, getting more and more desperate. She couldn't find his body anywhere. She was now close to the spot where the trap must have been or maybe still was. Had she missed the body lying on the ground in the dark? After all, Kakashi had taken the light with him. Or was his carcass even closer to the trap? She continued searching for his body, scanning the ground with her hands. Still nothing. Hell, could that fireball have burned Kakashi to ashes in such a short instant? It was quite clearly designed to kill. “Kakashi,” she sobbed “where are you??”, frantically searching back and forth, back and forth.

“Shhh, it's okay. I am here.” he suddenly whispered into her ear. Akira turned around with a yelp of shock, unbalanced she almost fell. Kakashi crouched down to her and lightened the flame in his hand again. Akira stared at him. “You don't have a single scratch.” She assessed tonelessly. “Yes. I hid underground.” “Earth jutsu?” her voice was shacking ”I told you I am not your everyday ninja.” he grinned. She slapped him straight into his face. He hadn't seen that one coming.  “What the hell is wrong with you?” she hissed at him. “What the hell is wrong with me? I don't walk around slapping random people!” he growled back, getting a hold of the hand that had slapped him. She flinched. “No, you just go about triggering deadly traps without any idea of their range because you are too damn arrogant to freaking listen!” she screamed. “Their range??” That was when he realised the severe burn marks on the back of her hand, her whole arm. He followed the burn marks to her backside to realize her whole back was burned. Not quite as severe as her arms, as the clothing had given at least a little protection. But untreated those injuries could easily become life-threatening. And there was sand in them already.

“Damn it!” he swore.

“Got it now, idiot?” Akira mumbled. Her eyesight started going fuzzy already. She swayed. Kakashi grabbed her to stop her from falling. Her eyes widened and she hissed in pain from his touch. He had no time to excuse his mistake. He gripped her chin. “look at me!” he demanded. Akira blinked. Was it that bad that she started seeing red clouds already? ….no, it was just the same old genjutsu-thing again. Even in the illusion Akira could hardly stand. Quickly he taught her what was needed. But as she tried to heal herself in the real world, she hissed in pain. The jutsu worked to clean and heal the burn marks. But due to some misconfiguration caused by the haste, it also hurt like hell. Crap. Kakashi fetched her chin again. “look at me, damn it!” “Kakashi, I can't...” her voice slurred away. He tried to capture her mind again. But she had been right. She couldn't maintain eye contact any longer. However small the effect on Akira might be, a genjutsu always placed strain on its victim. Akira had passed out.