Kakashi berated himself for all that happened because, of course, it had to be his carelessness that brought him to the position he was in now - bound, tortured, and completely chakra deprived. He, of course, did not give anything away but startled growl from a particularly nasty jab of a knife.

When Ryoko showed up, Kakashi thought that it might be an illusion. Only when her distinctive smell reached his nose, did the man attempt to take a strained look at her. It was her. The Fox with bright red shining eyes stared right at him.

But it was too late. Or so he thought. The loss of blood did not go past his mind. Kakashi fully understood the gravity of his injury, yet she ' she did not give up on him.

He wasn 't worth it.

He wasn 't worth it, Kakashi thought once more as he felt her dangerous yet familiar chakra cloak them protectively. From his dazed eyes, Ryoko looked like a goddess floating in the core of her monstrous creation.