A/N: Okay guys. It's a bit soon to post the second chapter I suppose-- wait, who am I kidding, it's never too soon to post! But we haven't got any reviews on the first chapter yet. That makes us sad : ( Anyways...Britt doesn't exactly know I'm posting this chapter, heh...hope she doesn't get mad, we discussed it earlier. Anyways. I'm hoping adding a new chapter will get this story noticed a bit more. It may start out slow, but trust me guys, it's gonna be good XD we worked long and hard on the plot, so please read and review! Thanks! Oh--and if you want a better perspective on what our main heroins look like, check out me and Britt's profile. And here's a funny thought: why not draw us your depiction of them, and send it to us? Un?
Disclaimer: -heavy sigh- No. Unfortunately, we don't own Naruto. But if we did...Itachi and Kakashi would be the bad guys and they'd rock the whole show! lolz...okay...but we DO own the Shizuru clan, Takara and Kasumi, ect ect. Don't touch them.
Kasumi and Takara sat there in the cart, dumbstruck. Takara still couldn't---no, wouldn't-- believe what she had just seen. Their parents couldn't be--yes, of course! They had to be still alive. They could be injured. But they could NOT be dead. Takara transferred her thoughts through to Kasumi, who thought on it for awhile. Kasumi was afraid they really were dead, and this was false hope. But, it was still hope. And just then, any small hope was welcome.
A sudden jolt in the cart made the twins snap out of their thoughts. They were still in the cart that busty blonde had thrown them into, and the cart was going way past the speed-limit. Takara looked out the back of the cart, to assess their surroundings. They were traveling along a rocky road in the middle of the desert. they had apparently not left the Sand Village quite yet. Kasumi, meanwhile, looked at the person driving the cart. He wore his headband like a bandana on his head, except it was backwards, and a long senbon was jammed between his lips. He was from the Leaf Village. Takara stared at him as well.
" He's strange.", Takara decided, after staring at him for a whole minute. The man was acutely aware of the little girls staring at him so intently, and chuckled to himself.
It was hours before the scenery changed from seemingly never-ending sand, to lush forest. The man with the backwards forehead protector whistled cheerfully as he lead the twins through the forest, along with many unidentified Konoha ninja. The twins resented the innocent whistling. How could this man cheerfully whistle at a time like this?! They both glared at the man. He chuckled to himself again, quite aware of the fact that the twins were keeping close tabs on him.
" Curiosity killed the cat you know. ", The backwards bandana man said, finally breaking the eerie silence of the forest. The twins simultaneously, " Pfft! "-ed. The man chuckled again. " I'm Genma.", he said, " And I already know who you two are, so there's no need for you to introduce yourselves."
" Oh, don't worry, we weren't planning on it.", Kasumi and Takara said, rolling their eyes. Genma winked. That confused the twins, which, unbeknownst to them, was the desired effect.
After another hour of trekking through the forest, they party of ninja finally reached the gates of Konoha. The twins entered shyly. This place was different then anything they had ever seen before. The village was huge. Bigger then the Sand Village! And in the moonlight, with the sounds of crickets chirping, it was very peaceful, and---safe. The twins were overwhelmed by how safe they felt behind the walls of Konoha. After the whole ordeal that had just happened hours ago, they still had the ability to feel safe and calm.
They party walked along the quiet streets until, they reached a tall building. The Hokage's office. The twins were ushered inside, not knowing what the hell was going on.
A familiar face looked up at them and smiled. It was the busty blonde woman! She was the Hokage!
" I'm Tsunade, the 5th Hokage. ", Tsunade said, " And you are the young Shizuru twins, Takara and Kasumi, right?"--a quick nod from the twins--" Good. I suppose your going to want some information here?" The six-year-old sisters resisted the urge to be sarcastic, and nodded. ' Alright. Well, as you know, the Hyuuga fostered a resentment for your clan, and began a killing spree."
The twins blinked.
" Oh, right. Sorry. I mean, the Hyuuga got mad at your clan and killed them all. Sorry for being so blunt."
The twins blinked again. Not from confusion, but from shock.
" Th-they killed them ALL?", Takara said, with a shaky voice. It was ridiculous. Impossible! The great Shizuru clan, all of them, dead?
Tsunade nodded sadly. " yes, unfortunately. All of them. Except you two. You were lucky to survive the massacre."
The twins didn't know what massacre meant, but the didn't care, nor did they need to understand it. All they knew was that they were alone in the world. And that was all the needed to know. Hope was gone. It was official. there parents were gone. Takara sank to the floor, wringing her long black braid within an inch of it's life, trying to keep the tears from coming. Kasumi was shocked, and a look of horror crossed over her face. It was no use denying it. They were living a nightmare.
" I'm sorry. Really, I am.", Tsunade said, ' Your clan was wonderful, full of memorable, strong people. And they will be sorely missed. But, while I wish I could give you some time to get over the initial shock of it, I'm afraid I'm going to have to hand you over to somebody, so they can take care of you. Now then, who would be most qualified to take care of you.."
It was at that moment, Kakashi Hatake, all battle-worn and bloody, with his hair hanging in his face, entered the room.
Kasumi recognized him instantly, as did Takara.
" You...YOU! Your the one with the funny hair who saved us from those mean Hyuuga! You also yanked my hair when you threw me!", Takara said, slightly resentful. Who did he think he was, throwing her like she was a baseball?
Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. " Sorry about that.", he said.
" Anyway. Back to the matter at hand. Custody of the twins."
" I think the twins should decide who they want to take care of them.", Genma said, his senbon moving at he talked.
Tsunade nodded her agreement.
The twins looked at each other for a few minutes. Then...they pointed at Kakashi.
Kakashi inwardly groaned.
" No. I can't take care of them! I know nothing about--"
" Then learn.", the Hokage said, smirking.
Kakashi's one eye widened, as he realized everyone else was smirking as well. " You can't expect me too--"
" I can expect you to do anything I tell you, Kakashi, because believe it or not, I'm the Hokage. ", Tsunade said, still smirking. Kakashi knew when he was beaten. He inwardly sighed, and looked at the twins. they were both staring at him intently. They were kind of adorable...wait, what the hell was he thinking? These little she-demons would be the death of him, he was sure!
" Alright. I have no choice, obviously. I'll look after the twins.", Kakashi finally said, eyeing the twins.
" Good. Now, leave my office, all of you!", Tsunade commanded.
The silver-haired man turned on his heel to leave the office after a parting bow to the village's leader, two little six year olds scurrying behind.
In light of the events that had just happened, Kakashi was attempting to wrest his frustration and--was it anger?--no, more of...irritation, under control. He desperately wanted to stalk off somewhere and sulk; after all, why had HE been picked to look after two little girls? Anyone--even Genma--would have been better suited! Okay, maybe not Genma...or Gai...or Asuma, they'd die of secondhand smoke...what about Kurenai? She was a woman, weren't women supposed to have some maternity gene or something? No, she was always with Asuma. What about Tsunade? Nah, hokage was a big enough job...besides, the twins had already seen enough tradgedy, a busty, gambling, drinking woman wasn't exactly the best role model for them. WAIT! What did he care? He didn't! He really didn't. Did he? Was Kakashi really the only person suitable for this job? No. He wasn't suitable. None of them were suitable!
"Er...Mr. Goofy Haired Man...sir...where are we going?"
The annoyingly sweet little voice emanating from the girl with the braid-gone-astray brought the entirely confused Jonin out of his thoughts. Upon surveying his surroundings, Kakashi found himself standing on a very high rooftop, hands jammed in their usual reserved spot in his pockets, two little girls that looked strangely alike staring intently up at him.
"We're...er...wait...how'd you get up here?"
The rooftop they currently inhabited wasn't exactly the easiest leap for two six year old students to make. He sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his head with his gloved hand.
"Follow me," he sighed once more, and leapt off at a faster pace then he had been using before. The two Shizuru heiresses had no problem keeping up. The silver haired man quickened his pace further; the girls sped up too, furrowing their jet-black brows set in pale skin. They knew he was testing them. But it was dark and the middle of the night--or morning, who really knew?--and the girls really didn't need this right now.
Takara and Kasumi pumped their little legs, having trouble keeping up with their new guardian.
"This isn't near as fast as he can go! It's crazy!" Takara thought to her sister, beginning to pant from the effort.
"I know! Is he trying to get rid of us?" came the reply from Kasumi.
"No...I think he's doing it on purpose," Takara thought back, her six year old mind trying to make sense of things.
"That bastard!" Kasumi exclaimed inwardly, leaving Takara to burst into a fit of giggles. Obviously some of their elder's language had rubbed off on the girls.
Okay. He probably needed to slow down, considering the braided child--Takara, if he remembered right--was terribly red-faced and her identical comrade had beads of sweat pouring down the side of her face. Kakashi slowed to a stop on his roof, and leapt down onto the balcony of the apartment building, unlocking the door and swinging it open. Two small thuds presented him with the knowledge that his new roommates had caught up with him, and they peered around his legs into the miniscule apartment.
A seemingly comfy-looking couch greeted them against the back wall of the apartment, with a chipped coffee table set in front of it. A bookcase with colossal, dusty volumes to thinner, bright orange ones stood lonely against a side wall. A kitchenette was tucked away into a corner of the room, and a small table with two chairs was in that general area.
Takara ventured in with Kasumi close behind, to discover a very short hallway with two closed doors contained in it. Overall, the whole place wasn't the most organized living space in the world. Hastily bookmarked volumes littered any flat space, and the occasional article of clothing was thrown here and there. Scrolls and sharp, shiney objects were placed dangerously out in the open, and random dishes took up any other available space visible to the eye. Their exploration of their new home was interrupted by the click of the door behind Kakashi, and him murmuring something about going to get something or other.
There was silence between the sisters; neither of them really knew what to say. And that was really something, considering neither of them could think of a secret they'd kept from the other. Kasumi threw herself on the couch, feeling something beneath her that wasn't entirely couch-ish. She got up, ripped the cushions off, and to her and Takara's dismay, found a little black handle. Takara rushed over and both girls hauled out what would become their new bed.
Upon exploring around some more, the Shizuru girls found sufficient blankets and pillows to accommodate themselves. They both collapsed onto their new resting place, and were asleep before they hit the bed, dreams ravaged with horror-film-like dreams of the tradgedy that had just presented itself to them.
Kakashi stepped back into the room, wondering if he should have left said new students alone for so long. The sight that greeted him almost--ALMOST--made his heart swell with...er...little-girly-cuteness...ness. And then the realization as the silver haired "father" was trudging to his own bed:
"Since when do I have a bed in my couch? Nifty...,"
A/N: R &R! thanks for reading!