A lone figure stumbled along the road that led to the hidden leaf village, a trail of blood followed in their wake. The figure wore black sandals and a black short sleeved coat with white flames licking at the bottom. The figure also had long, dark brown hair with a fringe covering the top right hand side of the ANBU mask which the stranger wore. The mask looked like the face of a black dragon; blood was slowly trickling out of the masks visible eye-hole. A gloved hand was clutching their wounded stomach; the bandages that trailed up that arm were tattered and blood-soaked. The ANBU assassin's other arm had multiple gashes torn through a fish net located on their upper arm and tightly gripped a damaged kunai as if the world would end if they let go of it. The ninja weakly grunted in pain and relief as the gates into Konohagakure neared; the assassin was on their last legs and they knew it.
Two voices floated from within the gate and as soon as the figure entered, the voices abruptly stopped. The assassin inclined their head towards the two chunin, who were guarding the gates. Both of their mouths were agape.
"I-I bring news from the north." A hoarse yet feminine voice struggled to inform the ninja, before crumpling onto the ground.
The two ninja stared at the unconscious form in front of them.
"Umm... Kotetsu," one ninja asked, "is that who I think it is?"
"Yes," was Kotetsu's stunned reply, "yes I think so."
The prior ninja leapt to his feet.
"We must get her to the hospital, fast!" He dashed over to the bleeding assassin and hauled her up with one arm behind her neck, and the other in the then leapt hurriedly, but carefully, in the direction of the hospital leaving his stunned partner behind. This was not how he planned his morning.
'Man, if I let her die, the Hokage will have my head!' This thought alone was enough to make him pick up speed a little until he was a blur. The ninja was so caught up in his panic that he almost crashed into a blond kid wearing an orange jumpsuit. "Watch it kid!" He yelled, but the boy apparently hadn't heard him.
A barely audible sigh escaped his lips as he finally arrived at the hospital; his chest was soaked with the ANBU's blood.
"Help!" He called out, "I need help here!" A nurse gasped nearby and rushed over to help along with a few medic ninja.
"How'd this happen?" One medic asked as they placed the girl onto a nearby stretcher, removing the coat in the process.
"I don't know," He replied, "She collapsed at the gates."
"Do you know this person then?" The medic inquired.
"Not personally, no," He answered irritated, "why'd you ask that?"
"How would you know the gender if you don't know the person?"
The ninja wiped his hand across his face, "one, her ANBU tattoo is on her right arm and two, I have heard rumours about her Kekki Genki."
"And what might those rumours be?" Questioned the curious medic.
"Great, now I have to report this to the Hokage." Sighed the ninja, who completely ignored the medic. He stayed for a few minutes longer before exiting the building.
The ninja knocked loudly on the Hokage's door. "Come in." An old-sounding voice floated through the closed wooden panel. As he opened the door the Hokage and the Jounin surrounding him had widened eyes as they gazed upon the blood that stained the chunin's chest.
"Don't worry," he exhaled noisily, "It's not mine."
"Then who does it belong to?" Asked a Jounin with silver hair that defied gravity. The Chunin shifted from one foot to the other, looking slightly uncomfortable.
"Well, spit it out Izumo." The Hokage asked impatiently.
"Moyasu." That one, simple word brought gasps throughout the room.
"Is - is she dead?" Asked a red-eyed, brown haired woman fearfully.
"No," Izumo sighed, "Just badly injured. From what I've heard about her, she should be out of hospital by next week"
The Hokage and co were relieved at the news but shock still played on their faces. After a minute of silence the Hokage sweat dropped,
"Knowing Moyasu, She'll be out sooner and barging in here; more than likely in a bad mood."
I groaned as I woke to the morning sunshine. My body was numb all over. Where am I? The answer to that I don't know. The last thing I remember was fighting... umm... I was fighting... oh come on! Who doesn't remember who they fought! Well, this is kinda embarrassing. Then it struck me. I was fighting her. My eyes flashed open and my hand flew to my face; making sure my mask was still in place. That's when I heard a deep chuckling beside me.
"Don't worry. I made sure they didn't take off your mask."
"Thanks." I replied hoarsely. I turned to look at the voice who spoke. Like me the person was an ANBU assassin. The tattoo was on his left arm signalling that he was a guy. Not that I needed that to know though, he was well built and heavily muscled. He wore a black tank top with a katana strapped to the back and navy green cargo pants with the traditional ninja sandals. I cleared my throat.
"Please tell me I'm in Konoha."
"Yes, you just made it and are in the hospital," he replied, "but I was wondering how the great Moyasu ended up collapsing at the gates."
"Where's the kunai." I suddenly asked, avoiding the question.
"In the draw to your left." He said sounding disappointed, "What's so important about the kunai anyway? The medical ninga had to acupuncture your arm to make you let go of it."
"Just... something I need to get to the Hokage." I hesitantly replied. "In fact, I'll go now." I had never liked hospitals, and this ANBU assassin was asking too many questions that I felt uncomfortable answering. I was about to make a move to get up but a sharp pain in my abdomen forced me to lay back down.
"You need to rest." The assassin commanded.
"I can rest when I'm dead." I retorted, "come on, make yourself useful and help me sit up."
Defeated, he reached out and carefully guided my body to lean against the head rest. I formed a series of complicated hand signs and said firmly, "Healing Cloak." As soon as I said those words, shadows enveloped my body.
When the last shadow disappeared, I wore a black crop top and a diagonally-cut skirt with bandages covering my midsection and a dark grey sash. Underneath the skirt was a fishnet and a weapons pouch on my right thigh. On my left knee was a fish net and I had bandages below both knees which led down to my black ninja sandals.
Both hands had black fingerless gloves on with a metal plate on the back of them. On my left arm I had a fishnet covering my elbow and another one underneath the glove. My right shoulder held my ANBU tattoo and my black ninja headband.
Tightly wrapped bandages ran from my right elbow until underneath my glove. Bandages also trailed up my neck until under my mask. My long brown hair had part of it tied up in a high ponytail and a long fringe covering one eye.
The assassin was staring at me.
"What?" I asked, slightly irritated.
"Uhh... you look so young." He replied.
"Well I am only thirteen."
Awkwardness settled in for a moment or two before I jumped up, grabbed the kunai and poofed away.
I appeared in the Hokage's office. He and a chunin were in deep conversation. I cleared my throat to gain their attention. The chunin seemed surprised whereas the Hokage didn't. The Hokage quickly dismissed the chunin and said. "Ahh, I was expecting you to arrive soon. Did you find anything in your travels?"
"Yes." I replied and held up the damaged kunai. He seemed puzzled at this. I sighed and placed it on his desk, preformed a hand sign then stated,
"Release." The kunai then transformed into a weather-worn journal. "There's all the intel I could find on the outcasts."
"Very good." The Hokage praised. "May I ask how you got those wounds?"
"I had a... run in with my sister." I winced, "she wasn't too happy to see me."
"I see... well I have an easier mission for you this time."
"What is it?"
"You will be guarding two genin."
"Why do they need guarding?"
"Ones the Nine Tailed Fox, the other is the last Uchiha."
My body visibly cringed at the name Uchiha.
"You have a problem?" Inquired the Hokage.
"No, it's just that one of my past lives was a Uchiha. But don't worry, he won't find out."
"You will be posed as a genin." He said.
"So no mask."
"No, no mask."
I reached up and tugged off the mask. Underneath was a pair of pale blue eyes with a vertical scar over the left one and a black mask covering my nose and mouth.
"You should go by another name Moyasu."
"Yes, I'll go with my current name. Harumi Tamashi."