Chapter one: The living shadow and her apprentice.
"How much longer do you think this is going to take?" Megan whined. "I told you it would take a while to get to the next town when we were at the last one." I retorted, "You could just as easily stayed behind." My name was Brianna Tenebrae, and I was what you'd call a Vagus Militus, or a wandering soldier. (Ha! I'm learning Latin!) Well, not really a soldier, but a ninja. Megan Sideris was my best friend, and also a ninja, though she could be the worst ninja in history. She's way too impatient. I was a complete master of stealth, a ninja's greatest tool. I, when I fought, was so fast that I seemed to be invisible. Back home I had, for this reason, earned the nickname of "The Living Shadow". The amazing thing was that I had taught myself most of this, and was continuing to teach Megan what I knew. Megan was ranked a Genin, or junior ninja, almost a Chuunin, or a journeyman ninja. I could have been the most powerful Hokage there ever was, but I chose to act as a Jounin, or an Elite ninja. I didn't want the attention, you see, for I was going to have my revenge on a person who had humiliated me a couple years ago. I had spent those years training Megan and myself for that battle. Now that you are acquainted with my life, on with the adventure. "So, we're going to another ninja village?" asked Megan. I laughed. "Yes." I said, "We're going to my hometown." "You even have one?" Replied Megan. "Of course I do." I said giving Megan a puzzled look. "Well, I always thought your family were travelers their whole lives." Said Megan. "It's okay. I should have figured such when I never told you where I was born. I was born and raised for most of my life in Konohagure No Sato, or the village hidden in the leaves." I pulled out the headband that I received just before leaving my hometown, the only place I wasn't trained by me, myself and I as a ninja. My Hitai-ate leaf headband. God, it's been a long time since I've worn this. I thought. I put it on. I was going home.
Chapter two: the dream team
~ Naruto's P.O.V. ~
I woke up. I got up to start my morning routine. When I had finished, I looked out the window to see a fight going on in the street. It was between two girls. It's probably about Sasuke, with my luck. I thought. Boy, that guy makes my blood boil. Then I saw that Sasuke wasn't around. "Huh. I wonder what that's about?" I asked out loud. I stepped outside and narrowly avoided a kick to the face. "Hey! Watch what you're doing!" I yelled at the one that had almost kicked me in the face. "I'm sorry. My apprentice isn't that skilled yet." Said the one that looked to be the younger of the two. One of them was Sakura's age, and the other maybe a year older. What startled me the most were their eyes. The younger one had eyes that were the same bloody crimson color as Kakashi-sensei's Sharingan eye, except they didn't have the weird marks in them. They looked too old for the rest of her, like they belonged to Kakashi-sensei. The older one had hazel-colored eyes that looked like they belonged to the younger of the two. I shuddered and said, "Just try not to hit anyone in the face, alright!?!" Later, I found Sakura and Sasuke, who were also waiting for Kakashi-sensei to get there. "Hey, Sakura, did you see that weird pair of girls who were fighting in the street?" I said. "Yeah." Said Sakura, I mentioned them to Kakashi-sensei, and he asked me to describe them. When I did, he seemed startled. I wonder why." "I wouldn't blame him." Said Sasuke; "The younger of the two must be one of those people that Kakashi-sensei told us about. You know, the ones who are younger than us, but stronger than him?" The three of us walked to find Kakashi-sensei and start training. The guy was over three hours late! After that, you wouldn't believe what happened if I told you!
Chapter three: boy meets world, world meets ninja
~ Brianna's P.O.V. ~
"Why are a lot of people staring at us?" asked Megan. "How about a question for you?" I said, "Why do you ask so many questions, particularly the ones I don't have answers for?" Megan looked down. "Not to hurt your feelings, though." I said, "Alright, go find a sparring partner, I'll wait right here. Just make sure they're a Genin first." Megan nodded and ran off.
~ Naruto's P.O.V.~
I had wandered off from the rest of the group when I found the older girl from before. She walked up to me. "Hi. My name is Megan." she said. "Hi. My name's Naruto. Nice to meet ya, Megan." I answered. "Are you a Genin?" She asked. "Yeah, why?" I asked, hoping she wouldn't act like she was Sakura, acting all smart. Oh, who am I kidding, Sakura is smart! Any way, she answered my question by saying, "I need to find a sparring partner, or my sensei will be mad at me." "I'll be it. I said, relieved to hear it, "it might be cool." "Yay!" she said, "Come with me." I followed her (a.k.a. she dragged me along) and found that her sensei was the younger girl from before. "Brianna, I found a sparring partner." Said Megan. "That's good, I didn't think you'd ever come back." Said Brianna, "He looks about your level, and my eyes have never deceived me before." "Okay, show me what'cha got!" I said. We fought for a while and I kicked Megan's butt. "Kid." Said Brianna after the match, "Who's your sensei?" "His name is Kakashi." I said. "Kakashi!" muttered Brianna under her breath with a hint of anger; "I have a feeling I'll be seeing you again, Kid."
Chapter four: Kakashi's student
~ Brianna's P.O.V. ~
"C'mon Megan. Let's find an inn we can stay at for a while." I said. We eventually found a place I knew of. We walked in, and I recognized someone immediately. I walked over to a boy behind a counter. "Hey, Pat. What is up, My friend?" I asked him. His name was Patrick Hutziznime, and we had met just after a certain incident the year I left the village. He was the odd little kid who was always messing up, and I was the tough, quiet kid who only said something if they had something to say. Any way, "Why'd you call me Pat?" he asked, confused. "Are you trying to tell me you don't recognize me?" I asked, abashed, "I may have been gone for a while, but I thought you'd remember. I guess that's what I get for trusting boys." Pat squinted at me. Then his eyes bulged out of his head. "No…" he said, "You can't be… Brianna?" I smirked. "So you do remember." I said. Pat looked scared out of his wits. "You've gotta get outta here, Brianna." Whispered Pat, "They've got elite tracker ninjas after you." "Yes." I said, "I know. That's why I'm hiding from the slavers in the slave pen." Pat gave me a weird look. "Okay, Bad visual." I said, "The point is, the last place they'd expect me to be is here." "What are you doing back here, anyway?" asked Pat, curiously. "I've come for… revenge." I whispered in pat's ear. "You're still bent about that?" said Pat, surprised. I gave Pat a dirty look. "It doesn't hurt to ask, does it?" he said. "Oh, just shut up, and get us a room for a while." I said, disgusted. Pat rolled his eyes and mumbled something. I handed him the money to pay for a three-day stay at the inn. Pat handed me a room key and pointed to a staircase, saying, "Second room on the left." I gestured for Megan to follow me and she did. I walked up to the room and began to unpack. "Brian, Why do you think the trackers are after you?" asked Megan. "So, you heard that. Well, It's because of something I did about five years ago, and I do not regret it. In fact I want to finish what I started five years ago. That's why we're here." I said, sighing, "Oh, the years have turned me bitter, and because of other things, I have gone almost heartless. I doubt anything could change me back." "What did you do five years ago that is so bad that they sent trackers after you?" asked Megan. "I almost killed my own sensei." I said. "How did you manage that?" said Megan. "I got angry." I said, "The Kekkei Genkai I have is a very fickle thing. The slightest bit of rage can trigger it, and it is fatal." "What's a Kekkei Genkai?" asked Megan. "I've told you before, It's a blood trait that only a few people in the same family have that allows you to perform a very special jutsu." I said, "I actually have a couple. One allowed me to obtain my nickname by letting me move so fast that I am unable to be seen. The other allows me to morph my appearance into whatever I wish." "Oh." Said Megan, "Do you need a hug?" I smiled. "No, Megan." I said. "I'm fine." The next morning, I woke up early. I found the kid that had fought and tailed him. Surely he was going to go train with his sensei. He kept looking back at where I was and then looking back at where he was going. Finally he got tired of this and said, "You! Tailing me! I know you're there, so just come out, so I don't think I'm crazy." I stayed hidden. When we finally got to where they were going to train, I sat and watched from a tree. There were three ninjas in Kakashi's little team. They were all Genin. One was named
Naruto, who was the kid Megan had fought, one was named Sakura, who was the only female in the group, and the final one was Sasuke, who was a boy much stronger than Naruto in general. Their sensei was indeed Kakashi, an old enemy of mine, who I was seeking revenge on at the time. I hope these shuriken hit their mark, because they're the only ones I have left. I thought. I threw them and they just barely missed Kakashi's ear, gliding past him by mere millimeters. And unfortunately for me, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. They hit the tree right in front of him. "What on earth?" said Kakashi. Obviously he didn't think the rumors of my arrival in town were true. I jumped down from the tree I was hiding in, silently landing. It was no use hiding anymore, because he knew I was there. "Hello, Kakashi." I said, "I hope I didn't interrupt anything." I was sneering at him. Now, he'll meet his demise at my hands and I will finally have my dignity again. I thought. "So, the rumors are true." Said Kakashi, "I am glad that a former comrade of mine has finally come home, as so many haven't." "Oh, save it for someone who cares, Kakashi." I said, snapping, "Maybe your students…?" "They are not a part of this, and you know it." Snapped Kakashi. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I get under your skin?" I said, with a sickeningly sweet tone, one that just made you want to punch me in the face just to get me to shut up. "Just leave." Said Kakashi; "You're not a part of this village any longer." "I was born here, and it is my right to return, no matter what you say." I said. "WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON???" yelled Naruto, who was doing his best just to attempt to figure out why I was here. Kakashi started to speak, and I stopped him. "Maybe I should tell my side of the story." I said.
Chapter five: the 'revenge' of the living shadow
"You see, your sensei almost got me killed." I said, " We were out on a mission together, me, him, and a boy named Attean. He sorta reminded me of little Sasuke over there. When we were there, we stumbled onto a place where a different nation of ninjas kept their weapons. Well, what do ya know, little Kakashi decides it would be fun to sneak in there and fool around. I tell him it's not a good idea, but still he doesn't listen. So, of course, he gets himself in trouble, and then Attean and me have to go save him. Well, we do, but it just so happens that in the confusion, Attean got lost in there. We never saw him again, but we have a fair explanation of what happened. The only possible explanation is that he died." "And you still blame me for it." Said Kakashi. "Yes, and that is why I am here. I want to fight you fair and square. I beat you, and you die. You defeat me, and you do whatever you want with me, whether it's kill me or anything worse." I said. "Don't do it, sensei!" yelled Sakura. "Okay." Said Kakashi. "Then let's get this started." I said, pulling out my ninja stars from the tree trunk they were stuck in. Kakashi made the first move by uncovering his sharingan eye. "So early, Kakashi?" I said, "My, my, you must think I'm very powerful." "You'd have to be, in order to sneak up on me like you did today." Said Kakashi. I had better not lose focus. I hope I have enough chakra to get me through this. I thought. "Alright." I mumbled, making hand signs, "High-speed jutsu!" I vanished. Now, if only I can keep this up until it's over. I know I have a very large amount of chakra stored up, I haven't fought anyone in ages! I just hope it's enough. I thought, with a sickening feeling that it wouldn't be. Okay, now all I need to do is keep avoiding her until her chakra gets too low, and that will force her to stop the jutsu. Thought Kakashi, now if I can only find her. Even my sharingan eye can't track her at this speed. "What is it, Kakashi?" I said, menacingly, "Can't catch what you can't see, can you?" I shouldn't have done that, because that had told him where I was right then. Only, I didn't know it. So, I rushed at him and ended up getting pinned onto the ground. Of course, my chakra chose right then to run out, as well, so I didn't have to face the humiliation that I would have faced. I had passed out from using my Kekkei Genkai too much. "Help me pick her up." Said Kakashi. Naruto and Sakura helped immediately. Then Sasuke joined in when they couldn't lift me high enough to get me into Kakashi's arms. "Why did she pass out like that?" asked Naruto after they had gotten me to a place I could rest without being spotted. "She used her Kekkei Genkai for too long, like when I did while fighting Zabuza for the first time with you." Said Kakashi, "She needs to rest a while so she doesn't die of exhaustion." 'I wonder why she has such a huge grudge against Kakashi-sensei. It's not like that Attean kid was her boyfriend.' Thought Sakura, 'Why can't she just let go of the past?' 'So, she still hasn't gotten over that little incident. I couldn't have helped it back then.' Thought Kakashi, 'I was almost as weird as Naruto is now. I was just that way, energetic and a little crazy. How was I supposed to know that the armory was heavily guarded? And anyway, we never even found out if Attean lived or died or what.' Kakashi left the room. He needed to go ask someone something.
Chapter six: okay, that revenge plot didn't go that well, did it? CRAP!!!!
When I woke up, I was in a room I had never seen before. I guessed it was Kakashi's place. I tried to get up, but I ended up falling back down with an "oof". Yeah, real smart, Brianna, get yourself beaten by the old class nut who has …improved over the years, yes, but so have you. I thought, You really need to get a grip on it. You should have still been able to get rid of that guy easy. I decided that since I couldn't get up at all, I would just go to sleep for a while.
Meanwhile…
Kakashi knocked on the Hokage's door. "Lord Hokage?" he called, "Are you busy?" "I'm always busy, but I guess I could speak to you for a few moments." Said the Hokage as Kakashi stepped inside. "Lord Hokage, I have a request. You see, Brianna Tenebrae is within the village." Said Kakashi, and seeing the startled look on the Hokage's face, added, "Hear me out. She has an apprentice. I wish to take them both as my students." "So you do. You do realize that if you are found with her by the tracker ninjas I have sent out after her, you could be killed, along with all your other students, who are as innocent as you are of helping her." Said the Hokage. "Yes, I realize that, and I still wish to take them as my students." Said Kakashi. "Alright, then. If you can't be persuaded to do anything else, then, by all means do." Said the Hokage. "Thank you for your permission." Said Kakashi.
Back to me…
I sat up for the first time since I collapsed after using my kekkei genkai for too long. The boy Sasuke came in to check on me. "Do you know what your sensei plans to do with me yet?" I asked. I had startled him, because he gave a slight jump when I started to speak. "No, I don't." he said, coldly, surprisingly quickly regaining his composure. "My, my, aren't we cold today." I said in a mocking tone. Then I remembered Megan. She was probably still waiting for me at the inn! And who knew what she might do if she thought I had deserted her! "Oh, dear God!" I said. I began to sob. "Why are you crying?" asked Sasuke. "I left my apprentice at an inn last night, and if she thinks that I deserted her, there's no telling what she'll do! She probably thinks that I went and got myself killed!" I said. I was really worried. Then, all feeling faded from my eyes, as if my very soul had dissipated. I just sat there with a shocked look on my face. I tried to get up and actually did it, and then stumbled when I tried to walk. I caught myself, though. "Hey!" said Sasuke, when he saw me trying to walk out the door, "Where do you think you're going?" "Any where I want to." I said, and I stumbled out the door. I walked to the inn I had stayed at with Megan for a single night. When I walked in, I found it to be in complete chaos. A girl was wailing from upstairs, everyone was by the staircase to find out what was happening upstairs, and everything was a mess. I pushed my way to the front of the crowd. Pat Hutziznime was standing right in front of the staircase. "Is that Megan?" I asked, shocked. "Brianna!" he said, "Yes, it's Megan! Why did you run off? And why can you barely stand?" "I'll explain that later." I said, "Right now, I have to sort things out with Megan." I went up the stairs as quickly as I could. That said, I couldn't move very quickly. I got up to the room and everything was quiet. "Where did you go?" asked Megan, "You know how I get when you're not around." "Yes. I never thought I'd be gone this long." I said, "what did you do to yourself this time?" "I didn't do anything." Said Megan. "That's good." I said, relieved, "Now, I need you to come with me to a place. I will direct you; I just need you to help me get there, because I can't stand for very long at all." Megan saved me from falling and then helped me to my feet. "Thank you, Megan." I said. We walked down the stairs, sometimes having to stop me from falling flat on my face. When we got downstairs, people were trying to pelt us with questions. "No questions, people. This was a very confidential err… thing." I said to all the people's dismay. How does she do it? Thought Pat, it's amazing. She's only up there for five minutes, and she accomplishes what I couldn't in five hours. She is really something else. He watched as we walked out the door.
Meanwhile…
"She just ran off!" said Sasuke, amazed that someone in my condition could get away so fast. "You don't need to worry, Sasuke. If I know her, she will be back." Said Kakashi. "How do you know that, sensei?" asked Sakura. "Brianna's bound to her honor. If she's beaten, and she had promised something to the victor, she gives them it. She would even give up her life if she promised her opponent that." Said Kakashi, and he was right. I would have gladly accepted the sweet sleep of death if my life were what was wagered. "I'm back." I called from outside, "But I can't open the door. Can someone get it? I sorta have my hands full." Kakashi opened the door to find me just about slung around Megan's shoulders. (I was too short to just put my arm around her neck to keep myself upright. I only stood as tall as her shoulders, maybe.) I set my hand on Megan's shoulder and gave her a smile to tell her everything was all right. I had explained everything to her. I stepped up to Kakashi. "So Kakashi," I said, trying to keep the worst case scenario out of my head, "What are you going to do with me?" "I don't think that you'll be too happy to hear this, but you will be joining my team of Genin ninjas and will finish ascending the ranks that a ninja can get to." Said Kakashi. Death would have been a better consequence. I thought, and then I thought of Megan, but then Megan would go into one of her fits. I can't do that to her. I guess I'll have to do this. "You realize that I will not forever be your student, right Kakashi?" I said, "For I swear that I will get my revenge on you one day. I swear it by my own life, which is the second most precious thing to me." I waited for Kakashi's response. "Yes, I do know that, and you probably will assassinate me just after you don't need me anymore." He said, blithely, "But I guess that's just the way I will go." I couldn't see what was under the mask and Hitai-ate headband that hid most of his face, but I could hear a smile in his voice. "You're still just honey and acid, I see." I said, my last attempt today at an insult to Kakashi. "You knew me before I became a ninja. You should know I always have been, always will be like that better than anyone." Said Kakashi. "So I guess I'll see you later, sensei." I said, putting strange emphasis on the word Sensei. "We always meet at the usual place." Said Kakashi. "Usual time?" I asked. He nodded. "I'll see you then." I said, and this time under my own steam, walked out the door, head held high.
Chapter seven: the new mission
We started off with a few different exercises that were completely ridiculous to me, but I did them anyway. I was bound to this man for a while. I was like a cat, ready to pounce, but commanded by it's master not to. After a few days, I had regained what I had lost of my chakra through training and daily practice sessions with Megan. All right, this is going too far. I thought, I have to get rid of Kakashi tonight. I can't take this anymore. Anyway, Kakashi never said anything about murdering him before he was finished teaching these kids. I walked over to Megan and whispered in her ear, "Go to the inn and pack your things up. And if you can pack mine up too, I will be very happy with you. And, don't tell anyone why you're packing." She nodded, knowing that this was just one of the times we would be on the run for a while. She could think of what I was going to do, but she didn't say anything. "Just don't get yourself hurt too badly." Said Megan. She always got worried when I told her to pack up. I spent a while just walking around town. When I found Kakashi, it was late, so I decided to just tail him. The adrenaline was coursing through my body by the gallons now. I watched as he walked into a house, and I watched the lights change, a habit that hadn't changed with the years. He only would have the light on in the room he was in. I thought about just going in there right then and killing him then, but I decided against it. I just wanted to kill him, not make him suffer and then kill him. He didn't deserve that, even though he had, in effect, killed Attean. Once the lights in the house all went out, I crept in through the window. Kakashi was in his bed. I flipped him over, ready to deal him the deathblow. He looks so very different when he's asleep. He almost still looks like my Kashi. His soft pale skin, his simply perfect lips, his gorgeous eyes…I could almost… I thought, caressing his hair, What am I doing? He's not even worth my time, let alone my reputation! I decided right then, that after five years of training to just defeat this man standing before me, I would turn back. I then found a small notebook and a pen. I scribbled a note to Kakashi on it, and slipped out the window again. He still lay asleep as if I had never been there. When I got back to the inn, I came to Megan and said, "I've done it. There is no more reason to stay here."
Chapter eight: The Letter and Departure, or; An Explanation
When Kakashi woke up the next day he found his window open and a note scribbled on a piece of paper on his bedside table. He read it through and smiled. It was from Brianna Tenebrae. She had been his girlfriend before he had become a Chuunin rank ninja, and then she was his Best friend Attean's girl. She had come back expressly to kill Kakashi, but she had, apparently, thought better of it. The letter read:
My dear Kashi,
When you get this letter, know that I am far from the village hidden in the leaves. I have decided to leave you alone for now. I might come back, but that's just for a friendly visit to one of my best friends. That happens to be you, my Kashi. You reminded me of how we all should not linger on the past, but look to the future, still learning from the past. I can't tell you in the few minutes how much I have learned from you in these few days together. I hope you forgive me for trying to kill you. I can't think of what might have happened if I didn't realize this life lesson. Thank you.
Love,
Your Bri.
P.S. I like your boxers. They have cool hearts on them. Sorry I stole a pair. I couldn't help myself! Haha! If there's a breeze, I'm sorry.
"Bri!" he said. He was getting cold. She just thought I was hot while I was sleeping. He thought, setting the letter down.
And he didn't know how right he was.