A/N: This chapter has been released today, on my birthday and also when Berryz Koubou's new song, Yuke Yuke Monkey Dance is released! Thanks to . . .xX..., Basic Imperfection, dragon00nick, DigiAnimeArtist, Aquaticmage, Moonlight-Arashi, hopeisallihave and MadnessinmyMethod for reading my last chapter and giving me advice for it.
The other day, I watched the a few episodes of Naruto for research. I recently edited the last chapter due to those advice reviews too that people gave me to improve. Oh yes and if you are having trouble figuring out what Itsuka's hairstyle is like, look at Yuna from Final Fantasy X-2 or Ray Kon from Beyblade. I'm not very sure I explained that very well.
Well, enjoy the next chapter of Mysterious Blue!
Chapter 2: Familiar to the Uchiha Eye
-Flashback: Four Years Ago-
A young Itsuka ran home happily to her sensei's dojo, nothing could change her mood from the news she was given from the Ninja Academy, and she couldn't wait to tell her sensei the news. Itsuka had graduated early because of her so called 'above-than-high scores'; it was unknown to anyone how she managed to do it and became the youngest student to graduate since Itachi Uchiha. But no matter what, she had become a ninja now and was extremely pleased.
Drops of water suddenly began to fall on her cheeks and Itsuka stopped to look at the sky and noticed it was beginning to pour. She hoped it wouldn't rain today especially in her mood. As the rain was starting to get heavy, she stopped underneath a shelter and formed a sign with her hands and immediately, a giant bubble surrounded Itsuka and pulled her in. This was one of the water Jutsus she had learned from her sensei.
In a few minutes Itsuka came to a small dojo where she and Hiroshi lived. Before disbanding the water Jutsu, she could feel something was wrong when she opened the door. She walked in and felt it, the place was too quiet and there were no lights on. "Hiroshi-sensei, I'm back!" She yelled but got no reply back. Itsuka walked over to the door to his bedroom.
Slowly turning the door and opening it, Itsuka gasped. There, in front of her eyes, was her sensei, Hiroshi Taka's lifeless body. A samurai sword was plunged in his back and was in a pool of blood.
Her heart racing, breathing became difficult as she walked over and collapsed next to Hiroshi's side. Carefully, she touched his neck to check his pulse but as she already guessed; nothing. He was dead and his body was cold. "Sensei…" She whispered, putting her hands on her mouth and choking on her own tears. "Hiroshi-sensei." Itsuka sat there for a while rocking back and forth with her hands holding tightly onto her legs.
What could she do? She had little medical experience at the time and didn't know what to do. "Who would do such a thing?" She whispered.
"You should know." A voice whispered back. Immediately, Itsuka stood up and looked around; no-one was in the room expect her. 'It couldn't be…could it? He couldn't have found her, could he?' She thought.
"Who's there?" She asked, but got no reply, only the sound of a knife thrown in her direction caught her attention but missed Itsuka by inches. It was the only answer she got to make her flee.
Itsuka backed up slowly in fear and then ran out of the room but then felt a cold hand grab her and then put her in somewhere dark – a bag! She squirmed and shouted for the person to release her but the last thing Itsuka could remember was her being knocked against something hard and she fell unconscious…
-End of Flashback-
That happened to Itsuka just a few months after arriving in Konoha. She awoke instantly and looked around; she was surrounded in a room with nothing but empty beds around. Where exactly am I? Itsuka thought as she pulled the covers off, she winced in pain when she stood; the brunette pulled the bottom of her top up and saw a snitching on her belly and on her arm. No wonder I can't stand properly, my head still aches.
Her injuries weren't going to stop Itsuka from slowly walking over to the window and a sign caught her sight. Konoha Hospital, telling her where she was with no question. She noticed something strange as she looked around the village – this was one the main villages in the land and there were only a number of people around, cleaning up and rebuilding their homes. Her mind went back to the events of yesterday, Itsuka remembered Gaara had transformed into the One-Tailed Shukaku and she had managed to defeat him along with a hyperactive, blonde boy whose name she could not recall at the moment.
There was bound to be nurses checking on her in a while and she had to get out of here to find out where everyone was and Itsuka didn't like feel like being some sitting duck. Opening the window, she climbed out and jumped from the hospital floor to the tree opposite her room and then landed on the ground safely. She looked around at the familiar streets she once played on as a child; the places Itsuka used to eat in. The brunette girl stopped and watched her surroundings carefully. Even though not many were around and the shops were closed, she had caught a flash of something or someone nearby but whatever it was, it disappeared.
The thought quickly passed when Itsuka could hear somewhat whimpering close by, she was intrigued because it could be the person who was following her. The brown-haired girl ignored her painful headache and arm injuries to walk over there, the whimpering was instead crying and now she could see from the top of the stairs people dressed in black – a funeral. Itsuka noticed a white rose tree nearby and picked up a rose, it was natural to bring one to a funeral and she wanted to pay respect. She wondered whose it was and began walking up. Itsuka gasped when she saw it was the Hokage's. "Hey look!"Someone said looking at Itsuka's direction.
Sasuke turned around at the last minute and noticed it was that same girl who had helped Naruto out. She seemed familiar yet, he couldn't make out why. However, she could still be anyone even if he had seen her before somewhere. He had to be cautious on what she said and acted, he had to observe Itsuka's ways and be alert. He watched as she walked slowly towards the Hokage's grave, her eyes on the gravestone of the Third Hokage's. Did she used to know him?
"Who is that?" One person whispered.
"We should keep watch of that one. She looks evil!" The people of Konoha continued to stare at Itsuka as if she was a sheep in the wrong flock, it kind of reminded Naruto at a time when he felt left out and no-one really cared about him and he knew how that felt.
The Uchiha boy kept on staring as did everyone else and did not notice that Sakura was watching him. Both were indeed curious as to who the mysterious person was. But the pink-haired kunoichi felt a little jealous of the girl. Maybe he knew her? Sakura was beginning to feel envious of her now.
Naruto thought hard, she was the girl who had helped him take out Gaara but even so, she could be an impersonator and sent to spy on their village; it's that girl, Itsuka! She could be an ally or an enemy but…But how could he think that? All Naruto could see was a girl his age paying respect to the Hokage of the village, what was so wrong in doing that? She also helped me stop Gaara and the One-Tailed Shukaku so why are people treating her this way?
Itsuka hadn't realized she was making a scene until she heard the loud talking of people behind her. "Hey!" An ANBU officer yelled. "Your part of the sound village, aren't you? You're not welcome here!"
She placed the white rose on the coffin along with everyone else's and turned around quickly to the people of Konoha. Her baby blue eyes stood out most of all; they were so different from all her features. "I'm not one of them!" The brunette hissed and pulled her leaf headband in front of her to show the villagers she was not lying. "You see!"
She walked down the stairs as chatter amongst the villagers began, Sasuke only remained quiet. "We can decide about our visitor later." One of the village elders spoke and managed to quieten everyone down. "We should firstly pay respect to the Hokage!" There was a silence as everyone did what he said and resumed what they were doing.
"Let's go now and follow her!" Naruto said to Sasuke and Sakura. But the pink-haired kunoichi stopped him and hit him across the head. "Ow! What was that for?!"
"You know we can't do that, Naruto! We're here for the Hokage and we're going to pay our respects to him, right?"
"What's Naruto thinking now?" Kakashi asked standing by his Genin pupils.
"She helped me yesterday; I could go talk to her."
"I doubt that." Kakashi replied and then turned forward.
Sakura nodded and then faced the blonde spiky-haired boy. "See? We have to stay here until it is finished. Right, Sasuke?" She turned to where the Uchiha boy was standing but he had vanished. "Sasuke?"
-Itsuka-
As Itsuka retraced her steps to the hospital room she was in, once Itsuka got into there she sighed deeply. The Hokage was the only person who could get her into the village and prove she wasn't some sort of traitor.
Seeing his funeral before her made Itsuka feel In fact, she had been emotionless throughout her childhood. The rain began to heavily fall on Konoha. It seemed that even the heavens were weeping for the Third Hokage's funeral. She remembered when she had first met him.
-Flashback: Konoha Hospital -
"So, this is the child you found?" A man with a large hat asked another man with an animal mask on.
"Yes sir."
Itsuka began to stir at the sound of the voices and her eyes fluttered open; she sat up immediately and traced the room and the people inside it. "Who are you?" She asked quietly, the new surroundings were unknown to her sapphire eyes. "Where am I?"
"Do not be afraid, I am the Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves." The man with the hat answered and smiled kindly at her. "You were found in the forest and injured badly. This is Konoha hospital, your wounds have been treated and you don't need to worry, you are safe here. Do you remember anything?"
She did remember but did not want to say anyways, no matter what these people could be working for someone evil. "I don't feel obliged to tell. But you said Konoha right?"
The Hokage looked at the ANBU officer and asked him to leave. He nodded at Itsuka. "Yes. Listen, if you don't want to say anything, that's fine. What is your name, child?"
"Itsuka." She answered quietly. "I want to ask. Do you know any information on my mother?"
"Your mother? Maybe we can find some information on her, what is her name?"
"Aria Namie."
"Namie? The Clan of Healers?" The Hokage's eyes widened. "Are you sure that is your mother's name? How do you know about the Namie Clan?"
"I was told…by my father." Her eyes looked down for a moment and she felt hatred for what he had done to her. "But I can show you my healing jutsus." Itsuka took off one of her bandages and placed her hand gently over the cut. Concentrating hard, a white light glowed from her hand to her wounded mark and healing it quickly. The Hokage watched this in surprise. "It's only thing I can do but that doesn't really matter. You believe me, right Hokage?"
-End of Flashback-
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" A voice from behind stopped Itsuka in her tracks and she turned around to face a boy around about her age. He had black hair and wore a black top with white shorts. The sign on the back of his shirt – Itsuka recognized it as a Clan symbol – something familiar but she couldn't quite remember the name of it. Somehow, she hadn't noticed him behind her – she hoped she wasn't forgetting her ninja skills.
"You first. Who are you?" She asked. "Why did you follow me anyways? I want to be alone." Itsuka sat back on the hospital bed, feeling she really needed to sit down and relax now.
"I followed you because I'm interesting to know who you are and I'm the person who carried you here to the hospital after yesterday, Sasuke Uchiha." He said.
"Hello." She said and bowed a little, he did save her after all. "It's nice to meet you. Thank you for saving me. Though, you didn't need too, you could have just left me to fall off the tree and break my neck if you really wanted too."
Sasuke raised his eyebrow at her. "I couldn't have, you were injured so I had to help. What's your name anyways?"
"Itsuka. Itsuka Namie."
Just then, it hit him like a rocket. That name…he remembered her now. He stopped talking and pointed at her. "Then, it is you! You're that girl, aren't you? The one that left after Hiroshi Taka died. You were talking to me at this hospital."
-Flashback: Konoha Hospital -
It had been a few days since Itsuka was in the hospital. She was monitored daily but was able to trust a certain amount of people around the hospital.
"Did you hear?" Someone whispered. Itsuka hid behind the wall and saw two nurses gossiping. "There's a boy here from the Uchiha Clan and apparently, he's the only one that survived that assassination."
"I know." The other nurse replied. "I feel so sorry for the boy; he's taking it pretty hard."
"What room is he is in again? Room 56, right?"
"Yeah, that's it."
'An assassination?' She thought to herself. Who was this boy they spoke of? Itsuka's curiosity led her to wander towards the room the nurses had said the boy was in. As she approached the door, it began to open slightly. Itsuka stepped back and was now face to face with a boy with black hair.
He looked at her and then she looked at him, they stared that way for a while. "Move!" The boy pushed past Itsuka, not caring that she had fallen to the ground.
She picked herself up and caught his sleeve, tugging onto it. "Don't go. I know how you feel, well kind of." The boy said nothing to her as she continued. "Well not really, I was told that my clan died a little after I was born but I can manage how it must feel to be the last person and there is no-one else that can help."
"You have no idea how I feel. You're not the one whose clan has fallen by their…" He stopped yelling and paused, tears were falling down his cheeks. "Just leave me alone." The boy whispered.
"I'm not going too. But I want to help you, if you want to talk at all; I'm a few doors down from you." She told him. Itsuka wasn't used to being helpful and giving advice but she wanted to help him. Sasuke could feel it in her words, in every aspect of her form. "My name is Itsuka and you are?"
"Sasuke. I got to go." He lied and ran away.
-End of Flashback-
Itsuka was the only girl who had bothered to try and make him feel any better. She wanted to be near him back then but now, Itsuka seemed so much different than the girl he had met.
"Oh yeah…" She replied, now sitting on the bed. "That was me back then."
"So, where did you go after Hiroshi died?" Sasuke asked curiously.
"I'm not telling you, just because we used to talk when we were 8 does not mean I'm going to tell what I have been doing in my past. We're practically strangers and will have to start all over again." Itsuka noticed his headband. "So, you passed the exam and graduated, huh?"
Sasuke nodded. A loud knock was heard on the door and a pink-haired girl popped her head in. "Sasuke, so this is where you've been!" She said looking at Itsuka.
"Hey Sasuke!" A blonde-haired boy called. "Why did you come here for? You were supposed to be at the funeral!"
The Uchiha boy sighed and pointed at the two. "These are my team-mates." One was a blonde, spiky-haired boy who had helped her yesterday fight Gaara.
"Naruto Uzumaki!" The blonde boy spoke, pointing at himself proudly. "Remember me from yesterday?"
Itsuka nodded. "Yes I do, hello."
"Well, remember my name because the next you'll see me, I'll be the next Hokage."
"I'm Sakura Haruno" Sakura said and bowed a little in respect. The second was a girl who had pink hair and green eyes; she seemed to be more sensible than Naruto was. "Um…Sasuke, maybe we should have told Kakashi-sensei where we were before we left."
"You should of." A man said, appearing in the room with a cloud of smoke around him. He had a mask concealing half his face but it seemed not a problem for Itsuka; he also had slate hair and wore a green jumpsuit like the other ninjas in the room. "I was wondering where you were." He noticed Itsuka and turned his attention towards her. "I'm Kakashi Hatake and you must be the girl everyone is talking about? Naruto tells me you helped him out?"
She nodded. "Yes."
Just then, the door opened and a tall man wearing a green jumpsuit similar to Kakashi's walked in with a ninja with an animal mask on. He had a scar on his face and looked at Itsuka seriously.
"I am Ibiki Morino, commanding officer of the Konoha ANBU Torture and Interrogation Force. I demand to know who you are and your business here."
Itsuka sighed and looked away. "Must I always introduce myself to every single person who wants to know who I am?"
"I asked for your name!"
"Itsuka Namie."
The ANBU officer gasped when they heard her last name. "Namie? The Clan of Healers? I thought they were all killed 12 years ago."
She nodded. "Yes, well…I'm the last of them. I used to live here with a man by the name of Hiroshi Taka."
"The old man?"
Itsuka nodded. "Yes. But, he was killed and I don't know who but…" She paused, trying to remember. "…when I woke up, I was in the desert. From there, I wandered until I got to the Sand Village."
"Strange, people pronounced you dead but you did leave the village without permission. As soon as your wounds heal, Itsuka Namie, you must go."
"I left here because I was kidnapped and left for dead in the deserts, I was only eight."
"Yet, why did you not come back? Were you not taught about this after graduating before most of the Genin?"
Itsuka bit her lip; he was right and she would be called a traitor for leaving at such a young age even if it wasn't her fault. "I know, I should have thought about it. Should have known something as simple as that. But right now, I'm asking to be a part of the village again; call me a traitor all you like, I didn't kill my sensei and I wouldn't." She explained seriously. "I have nowhere to go and have been roaming the land for a while. When I was living here, I felt like this was my home all along, I just want to stay. I promise I won't be a burden to the village."
From Sasuke's view, she said she sounded like she needed help. Her words were the truth when he looked at her sapphire eyes.
The ANBU officer thought for a moment. "I will have to discuss this with the village elders. Until we get a new Hokage…" He then pointed at the four behind him. "You will be watched until then by them. Kakashi, Itsuka will have to be assigned to Team 7 for now. Can you do this?" The Jounin nodded.
Naruto was about to comment when Sakura pulled her hand over his mouth. "Sure thing! You can count on us to take care of her" She said, letting out a fake smile. Sakura looked over at Itsuka who nodded at her but Sakura did not trust her one bit. I got to make sure she stays away from Sasuke however.
"Thank you." She said to Sakura. The pink-haired kunoichi was taken aback by Itsuka's sudden politeness and just nodded at her. Did she just say 'thank you' to me? No, she's just trying to be nice to me.
"I will go inform the rest of the ANBU officers about this. Kakashi, you must come to the council room. Bring any Jounins you can get. " He said and then disappeared.
"That doesn't make sense, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said loudly. A ninja team is supposed to have four people in it; three Genin and one Jounin. How is another Genin going to work?"
"Good point. Well, we will have to see how this will fair out in our next mission." He explained, looking at Itsuka. Her eyes gazed out of the window, her legs bought up to her body.
"KAKASHI!" A man wearing the same green jumpsuit shouted as he slammed the door open. His hairstyle was in a weird, short style and the man had a great, big grin on his face. "We have been given a job to do, hooray!" What do you say about making this a competition, my rival?" He turned to Itsuka and extended his hand out to her. "Hello! The name's Gai, Kakashi's rival!"
Itsuka shook it still wondering why this man was so…strange. "Itsuka Namie."
The slate-haired Jounin sighed and put his book away. "I don't have time for this, Gai. Why don't you just get Kurenai and I'll get Asuma?"
"You got it and remember! I'm in the lead by a point. This will be the biggest challenge ever!" Gai told him and with that, Kakashi's rival disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Wow, Bushy Brow's sensei is really insane! "Wait Kakashi-sensei! Don't leave!" Naruto shouted. But he only smiled and waved at them.
"Don't worry. I'll leave you guys to get to know each other," He quickly told them, give them a thumps up before disappearing. Naruto stomped his foot in frustration as he watched their sensei leave.
-The Council Room-
In a few minutes, the village elders, Jounins and two ANBU officers had been gathered up. The ANBU officers wore porcelain animal masks to conceal their identities. They had standard uniforms consisting of black and grey armour, arm guards, and a signature spiral tattoo on their left shoulder. A few others were wearing black cloaks over their standard uniforms, and squad leaders may wear white cloaks.
Kakashi, Guy and two other Jounins that he knew well, Kurenai and Asuma stood together with other Jounins as the village elder, Koharu began to speak. "We have gathered you here to talk about a certain girl who has entered the village today. You may have seen her yesterday as she managed to annihilate some of the sound ninja which we are thankful for. All of you got a good look at the funeral of the Hokage today. We do not know whether or not she is a threat but I can reassure you that she is a strong ninja, most possibly B or A rank."
"If so, then why can't we tell her to just leave?" Danzou asked.
"Because she wishes to stay in this village." Kakashi answered. "I have spoken to her and the girl only wants to be a leaf-nin again!"
"Again?" Homaru questioned. "So then, she is a missing-nin who wishes to come back?"
"No. She left the village because she was kidnapped and left in the desert to die. This is what Itsuka says."
"Do not forget she claims to be a part of the Namie clan too and once lived here with Hiroshi Taka, he knew a few of the Namie clan's jutsus too. I have sent one of my Jounin to retrieve some information on her." Koharu told them
"I don't really see the point in bringing us all together." Kurenai spoke. "It's one girl, no big deal. All she wants to do is stay in this village."
"But a girl as young as her can be a problem."Danzou replied. "Itsuka could already be a spy for another village or worse, the Akatsuki or even Orochimaru."
"I doubt that. She's only 12." Kakashi said.
"If she wishes to be a part of the village, we will have to wait until we get a new Hokage but since she is the same age as most of the participants of the Chunin Exam were; Itsuka should be placed into a Genin team and introduced to the rest of them. I suggest Team 7, Team 8 and Team 10 all spend the day with her tomorrow even if Itsuka does not want this. In order for her to get along with each Genin, she must do this." The village elders looked at Kakashi, Asuma, Guy and Kurenai. "Which one of you is going to take her in your group?"
They all looked away, hoping that the elder wasn't going to pick them all expect for Kakashi. "I will." He spoke.
Homaru and Koharu nodded in approval. "That will be fine, and then you shall be in charge of Itsuka now as the newest member to Team 7."
An ANBU officer rushed in towards its commander. "Ibiki-sensei! I have found some information on Itsuka Namie! It seems she has once lived in this village before and is, in fact, the daughter of Aria Namie!"
Ibiki opened the packet in which the folder was stored and handed it over to the elders who took it and read it to themselves. "It seems she might be telling the truth. The Hokage wrote that she had told him her mother was Aria Namie. We have no idea whether this is true though. Her father is also unknown."
Homaru paused before closing the folder. "Alright, she can stay for now but make sure that you are aware of her movements and anything suspicious she will do. Do not falter!" He told everyone. "Return to your daily routines immediately!"
Everyone nodded and disappeared in a flash.
A/N: So, what do you think? Oh and by the way, bits of flashbacks will be revealed in each chapter and Itsuka's whole past will be revealed at the end of the story. I hope you enjoyed my second chapter, please review and tell me what you think!
