"Kill him." Fox ordered, "Bird scout ahead, Boar find some civilians, Weasel..."
"Captain," Yugao hesitated. Fox ignored her, still giving orders.
"Captain, it's a kid," Yugao said louder.
Fox now turned to her, "I heard you the first time."
A kunai shot towards the kid
Yugao deflected it.
Fox sighed, "What are you doing Cat? We can't leave a loose end. Not for this mission."
"Genjutsu him then, please." Fox didn't look convinced. "Please," Yugao said again, this time to her squad, eyes begging. Bird had already left, Boar just looked down. And Weasel. Weasel only stared at her.
Fox punched her.
Pain exploded across her face as she went flying backwards. Her mask had shattered on impact.
"We're wasting time. Weasel dispose of him,"
Weasel nodded.
"Sasuke!" There was still colors flashing in her head. She groaned then felt fingers on her neck.
Weasel Froze. The image of the boy's face blured. It was Sasuke, sleeping. The edge of his blade biting into his brother chest.
Yugao was lifted in the air, fox's hand clamped to her throat.
"You're unsuited for Anbu," Fox's hand loosened and Yugao fell to the ground. "Return to Konoha. Expect consequences."
Without thinking Yugao carried the boy with her. Fox didn't stop her. His fingers blurred hand seals, Earth style and the ground opened. The broken Anbu mask buried.
Konoha Hospital
Yugao sat in the chair, arms hugging her knees. Still in her Anbu uniform that she would have to return now. She thought about what she was going to do now, and the boy she saved. The doctors already told her the wound wasn't deep and he would make a full recovery. But she needed to see him wake up for herself.
Hayate was slumped in the chair next to her, not even worrying about what it meant for one of the Hokage guards to be AWOL for the whole night.
'That idiot.' Yugao thought, though she couldn't stop the smile that crept on her lips.
Hayate rubbed his eyes awake. Then shot up. "That bastard!"
Yugao's neck was purple where Fox choked her
"I don't care if he's a captain. He went too far."
"He's right." She said it softly she didn't think Hayate heard her.
"Yugao..." Hayate started. He already heard about the altercation, and was even there when Fox told the Hokage that Yugao needed to be dismissed, as he put it.
"He is right."
"No he isn't. You saved a kid, you're not a traitor for that," He brought his hand to her cheek, "You're a better shinobi than anyone I've meet."
Yugao pushed Hayate away, "I don't know..."
"What is it Yugao?"
"I don't know If I want to be a shinobi," Yugao forced the words out.
His mind raced as he tried to think of something, anything that would make Yugao feel better. "You're more talented than me." The words already felt stupid as soon as he closed his mouth.
Yugao buried her head in arms, "More talented."
"What does that mean?" Yugao's voice cracked. "Everybody keeps dying Hayate! Minagi, Tsukiya, Isana." Yugao screamed. "Even Lord Fourth. They're all dead."
Hayate didn't say anything. He couldn't. Him, Yugao, and Anko were all that was left of the 27 that graduated from the academy. He wasn't sure if talent had saved him or lack of it did. Or maybe it was just luck.