ANBU.
Neko.
Her name was Neko.
When she was Neko, nothing else mattered apart from the job, the mission, her career. Whether she was assassinating criminals, or protecting the wealthy, she had a focus, a mission.
She had something to strive for.
When she returned home, and took off her mask, that's when things changed.
She never wanted to go home. Where she wasn't needed, or wanted.
"Neko, can you see anyone? I just felt a chakra signature pulse east of here." The only other female on the team, Hana, named after her outrageous pink hair. She was the medic of the team, and a very good one at that.
But then again, you had to be good to be in the ANBU.
"Two shinobi, a man and a woman," Neko soke swiftly, having activated her byakugan underneath her distinctly feline ANBU mask. "Approximately jounin strength."
An excited chuckle came from who she considered to be the most lively of her ANBU squad, "I've been itching for a battle. This is gonna be good." Kitsune grinned under his mask, basically bouncing on his feet – pumped up and prepared for battle.
Neko quite often found herself surprised by the positivity that eroded from Kitsune, named after the demon he held in his stomach.
Who he was outside of ANBU life, she didn't know, but he couldn't have had it easy.
But he must have had it hard.
ANBU.
Kitsune.
His name was Kitsune.
He knew his ANBU mask was created after the demon sealed within his stomach. He knew his name was in regards to the Kyuubi no Kitsune. He knew he wore the mask to illustrate to all of his fellow ANBU that he was the kid. The kid who had the demon sealed inside him.
But life was a funny thing, he mused as a Rasengan built up in his hand, slamming into the stomach of his enemy.
When he was in his ANBU mask and gear. When he blatantly declared his connection with the demon by the mask on his face – no one cared.
When he was Kitsune, he was seen as a human.
Kitsune was strong. He was brave. He was ANBU. He was admired and loved by everyone. People treated him with respect. And no one judged him because of what resided inside his body. People respected him for his shortcomings, for how he dealt with his prisoner.
He didn't choose to house a demon inside him, and the people of ANBU knew that.
They cared for him.
"Done." Kistune called out into his comms unit. "Neko, are there any more of these buggers?"
Her quite laugh resonated through his comms unit, making him smile to himself, "Don't you ever leave anybody for the rest of us?" He could almost hear her rolling her eyes.
"Ask me nicely next time." He grinned, chuckling to himself as he sped back to the group.
"Show off." The distinct voice of Karasu sighed in his ear.
And Kitsune just laughed.
ANBU.
Hinata.
Hinata Hyuuga. The unknown, abused girl came to life, alive, and yet not quite living. Only sitting back and watching as the days passed by, spending time training and amusing guests. And suitors.
She hated Hinata.
Hinata was the heir to the Hyuuga clan. Abused by her family members and berated at every chance.
She was seventeen years old, and sick of her life.
There was too much bullshit she had to deal with. Being a part of the pompous Hyuuga Clan was the worst thing a child could ask for. She had no freedom. She had nothing.
Not when she was Hinata, anyway.
When she was Neko, she had freedom. She had a life. She was respected and loved.
Hinata was nobody.
She sighed, stepping out of the cold mansion. Out the door and into public eye. She knew people would glare at her angrily. People would judge her and assume she was just as prideful and arrogant as the rest of her family.
But she wasn't.
But that didn't stop people for treating her like that.
Sighing again, she stepped through the crowd, searching for some place to satisfy her hunger. She wasn't eating with her family tonight. She knew they would be angry with her, especially because they had set up a meeting with another one of those endless suitors.
But Hinata didn't care for any of that.
She was going to get some food. And patiently wait for enough time to pass until she could put her mask back on, and get back into the action.
ANBU.
Naruto.
Naruto Uzumaki. That was his name. But it wasn't like anybody ever used it anymore. Kyuubi-boy. Brat. Idiot. Murderer. He'd heard them all.
At one time, they affected him. Maybe, in some part of his body, they still did.
But he pretended they didn't, and moved on with his life.
Naruto didn't have any friends – a part from a small ramen-stall owner, and a sensei from his past. He wasn't like Kitsune. He wasn't respected, or admired. Many people didn't even know that the Kyuubi resided inside him, but they followed the older generations example, and treated him just as poorly.
He didn't deserve this.
He knew he didn't.
But then again, there was nothing he could do to stop it.
He just had to patiently wait through the hours, minutes, days… however long it took until he could put on his ANBU gear, and get back on the field.
Where people treated him like a person.
He sighed, stepping around the streets of Konoha. People stared. People glared. People yelled profanities and angry words in his direction. But he didn't care.
Naruto refused to let his feelings get in the way of his life.
It was only a matter of time.
And then he could go back to his life. Kitsune's life.
It was the only life he lived.
Here, in the streets of Konoha, he wasn't living. He was merely surviving. Watching and observing as the days went by. And he was okay with that. As long as he had Kistune, he could deal.
Taking a step into his favourite ramen stand, he took a seat next to a raven-haired girl. He had never seen her here before, but he didn't mind.
As long as she wasn't offended by his company, he didn't mind.
"Hello, haven't seen you around here before," he smiled, testing her reaction.
Hinata turned to the boy who just took a seat beside her. His voice was familiar, his chakra, even more so. But his face, she hadn't seen it before. Who was this guy?
"Hi, I'm Hinata."
"Hinata Hyuuga?" His voice questioned, his eyes gazing into her own pupiless ones.
"Yeah," She nodded, a strange feeling overcoming me as she watched him.
He smiled widely, something Hinata felt she should have recognised, but didn't. "I'm Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. Have we met?"
"I…" Hinata muttered, "I don't think so." She looked up at him.
He grinned at her, "Doesn't matter." He knew her from somewhere, but where, he had no idea. But there was something about her. He didn't know what, but he was going to find out. "I think something's changing."
"Something's changing?" She echoed, confused.
"Yep," He grinned, "In our lives. But don't worry, my instincts tell me it's a good thing."
ANBU.
So, it's been a while.
But here I am.
With a little something-something. Just wrote it to cure my boredom. Even though I've got a stack of homework to get done, and today's the only day I can do it. (whoops).
Oh well, I'll do it.
Eventually.
Oh, and if you were wondering, Hana(Flower) was Sakura, and Karasu(Raven) was Sasuke. Not that you really need to know. It wasn't essential to my story.
At first, I thought I'd make this a multi-chapter story, but I've decided to limit it to a one-shot. For now, at least. I might change my mind when the time comes.
But yeah, I hope you enjoyed this.
Let me know what you think!
Taz.