Another month, another update! I actually intended to update sooner but a hospital trip knocked me off schedule, and I've been struggling with finding the motivation to write...
So anywhoodaloo! Here's the start of the Kazekage Rescue Arc. Originally I'd hoped to have it knocked out in 4 or 5 chapters but I just finally finished the 4th chapter and there's still a ways to go so we may be looking at more like 6-8 chapters..xD I'm rewatching episodes and taking notes as I write this to try and get things as accurate as possible, but I'm still human so I may make mistakes, in which case you can feel free to kindly point them out so I can fix them. ^^ Okay, that's enough rambling! Enjoy! :)
The next day, Nozomi was determined to have a better training session. Even if Saera hadn't said as much, she knew the woman was disappointed in her performance the day before, and she wanted to make it up to her.
As she got ready for the day, the brunette did a mental checklist of all that she'd been learning. 'I have to really impress Saera-sensei today.' She thought firmly.
To her surprise, when she opened the door to leave she found the Hokage's assistant, Shizune standing outside.
"Hi?" Nozomi greeted, looking both confused and curious as she watched the woman lower her fist, having been about to knock.
"Good morning, Nozomi-san." As Shizune met her gaze, the genin could already tell something was amiss. Usually the Hokage's assistant was full of cheer when they met; today her eyes were dimmed, and a shadow of worry covered her face. "Tsunade-sama has requested your presence. Please come quickly!"
One brown eyebrow lifted as the woman confirmed Nozomi's thoughts, and she paused, trying not to let her disappointment show. 'So much for meeting Saera-sensei on time.' She thought, huffing softly. Oh well, if the Hokage had summoned her, it had to be important. Her teacher would just have to wait and understand.
Realizing that Shizune had said her name again, the brunette snapped out of her thoughts and responded with a terse nod. "I'm on my way then." She formed the ram hand seal and vanished in a puff of smoke.
When she appeared outside of the Hokage's office, she couldn't help giving herself a pat on the back. Travel involving the teleportation jutsu had been difficult to learn, but she was able to get a little further each time she used it, which made her think she must be improving. If only her sensei could've seen!
Then again, if she knew Saera, the woman would just call it trivial and dismiss her until she progressed in more important things; namely her control over Kumoraku's chakra. With a shake of her head, the brunette raised her hand and knocked firmly on the door.
Instead of an answer, the door opened, leaving Nozomi gawking as she was met by the blonde she'd just been thinking about! "S-Saera-sensei?" She stammered, pointing a finger up at the woman. "What are you doing here?!"
"My, Nozomi-san. How rude." Saera clicked her tongue and shook her head, though she looked mildly amused at her student's reaction. "I was called here, of course. Just like you." She watched as realization dawned on the girl, smirking. "So, are you going to come in anytime soon? The Hokage hasn't said anything to me, but I have a feeling this is urgent. I mean, why else would she have called both of us here?"
"Oh, uh..yeah." Nozomi stuttered awkwardly, entering the office as her teacher stepped aside and standing in front of the Hokage's desk. When the door had shut, and Saera had come to stand beside her young roommate, the fifth Hokage looked up from the report on her desk, gazing at the two kunoichi.
"Saera. Nozomi." She began, clasping her hands in front of her on the desk. "I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you both here. Since time is of the essence, I'll just cut to the chase. I have a mission for you."
The room was silent as the brunette glanced up at her sensei, but the woman was steadfastly avoiding her gaze, her normally cool exterior appearing slightly upset. Realizing the blonde wasn't going to say anything, Nozomi turned back to the Hokage and flinched as she locked stares with intense, amber orbs.
"What you mean-me-?" The girl sputtered, pointing at herself in confusion. "But I...I thought I wasn't supposed to leave the village, right?" She paused as an idea occurred, and her eyes widened slightly. "...Unless it's about..!"
Rather than answer verbally, Tsunade merely nodded, getting up to look out the window, her back to the brunette as she spoke. "Just this morning I received word that the Hidden Sand's Kazekage was taken captive by the Akatsuki."
Hearing a strangled gasp, she glanced back at the genin over her shoulder. "I'd normally send a team of Jonin or ANBU, but time is not a luxury we can afford, so I have no choice but to send Team Kakashi. There's a chance Naruto will come face to face with the Akatsuki, which is why I'm sending you with them. Understand?"
Nozomi's eyes dimmed slightly as she nodded resolutely. "Don't worry. No matter what it takes, I'll protect him from any Akatsuki we may encounter."
Tsunade nodded with satisfaction, but before she could speak, Saera, who'd been more quiet than usual suddenly interjected. "Fifth Hokage, if I may. Nozomi is still just a genin -she's hardly ready for something like this...why not send a higher level shinobi in her stead?"
The genin in question glanced up at her teacher, looking mystified. This was the first time Saera had ever tried to challenge the Hokage's decisions, much less about one that dealt with her welfare. Could it be that the emotionally distant kunoichi had actually come to care about her enough to fear for her safety outside the village?
Sensing the brunette's thoughts, Saera clenched her jaw. "It's not that I'm worried or anything, but you and the elders want Nozomi to be your precious decoy, right? All I'm saying is that she's too inexperienced to be expected to protect a fellow jinchuuriki from someone as dangerous as the Akatsuki."
Inhaling deeply to calm her irritance with the woman for challenging her, Tsunade resumed her seat again and sighed. "I understand your concern, but it's because of what she is that I am sending her. As a fellow jinchuuriki she's got the power to help Naruto, experienced or not...and some skills are only learned in the heat of battle. You, of all people should understand that."
Nozomi shrank back slightly as she felt an ominous aura begin to flood out of her teacher and flattened her ears. This was bad. For someone claiming not to care, Saera was really getting upset. Knowing it was up to her to stop the appearance of a devious hell fox, the brunette grabbed her sensei's arm.
"Sensei, please! Listen to me!" She cried out. Pupils that were slowly morphing to fuchsia turned on her and she gulped. "Oh, okay, you're listening. Well…" The kunoichi took a deep breath and gazed at the woman firmly.
"I've grown as a kunoichi whether you acknowledge it or not, sensei, and this is my responsibility! I promised I would handle it, and as someone we both know says, I never go back on my word!"
Her argument seemed to stop Saera's transformation as red pupils faded back to cerulean blue, and she began to speak. "Nozomi, I know you've grown...and you are getting better at chakra control. It's just…" The blonde paused, looking for the words to explain her objection. "Look, I know having demonic power makes you feel powerful, but you're still not invincible! Far from it, really. If anything, it just makes you a tougher opponent to kill."
Nozomi's eyebrows knitted together at the woman's words, her eyes narrowing. "Well, that's fine...I just have to be able to endure attacks until backup arrives if something happens, right?" She shot the blonde a wry grin that made her groan, having a feeling she knew what her student was about to say. "What was that you said? Having demonic powers makes me harder to kill? If that's the case then I'll be fine!"
Saera ground her teeth together in annoyance as her words were used against her, a scowl marring her normally pretty, if not indifferent facial expression. "Nozomi, listen to what I'm saying! I'm not going on this mission. What if you use Kumoraku's chakra and end up taking that form?" She broke off briefly, noticing the way her pupil's eyes narrowed. "You can't just rush into this without thinking things through! I still say you're not ready!"
Now it was Nozomi's turn to inhale deeply, trying to keep her cool. Losing her temper would only prolong the argument, and she didn't have time for that. "Look, I appreciate your concern, but you're really worrying over nothing. I'll be careful, okay?" She frowned as the woman began to argue and hurried to continue.
"I'm no longer that weakling you took in two years ago, sensei. I can take care of myself, and I'm capable of making my own decisions, even if you don't agree with them." She paused, fixing the blonde with a look of fierce determination. "I'm going, sensei. With or without your blessing."
As Saera glared at the brunette, trying to hide her shock at the girl's uncharacteristic display of defiance, Tsunade cleared her throat, regaining their attention. "It's settled then. Nozomi, report to the village gates as soon as you finish packing. Dismissed."
Nozomi nodded her understanding, and with a low bow of respect, she took her leave, the soft poof behind her confirming that her teacher had done the same.
When she got home, she wasn't all that surprised to find it empty. Saera would more than likely be upset with her for putting her foot down on this subject, and might not even bother coming to see her off on the mission. Truth be told, Nozomi had mixed feelings about the way she'd spoken up in the Hokage's office. It was bold and out of her comfort zone; she didn't normally stand up to her superiors like that, especially not Saera, as much as she yearned to be accepted by the woman.
This time, however, there hadn't been a choice. Saera was clearly unwilling to let her go, and the situation was so bad that she couldn't afford to stay behind. Not when her friend faced such a potentially dangerous confrontation along the way. She'd never forgive herself if Naruto got hurt because she'd let Saera dictate her movements!
Nozomi hurried into her room, gathering the essentials needed for travel, and packed them away in a bag that she slung over her shoulders. Then, stuffing her ninja pouch as full as she could with supplies, the brunette headed to the door. Still no sign of Saera anywhere, she realized with a soft sigh. With one final glance back at her home, the kunoichi bid the place farewell, and the door clicked shut behind her.
She had taken longer than she'd meant to packing, so once she got down the stairs, she took off running, arms out at her sides to help her build speed as was taught in the Academy. As she booked it for the gates, her lips curved up into a small smile.
This was a serious mission, she knew that, and yet...at the same time she couldn't help the excitement coursing through her veins. Not only was she going on a real mission, but she was going with her two best friends -one she'd barely reunited with yesterday after a two year absence!
Nozomi was snapped out of her thoughts as she reached the gates, where she found not only Team Kakashi waiting, but Tsunade, Iruka and...Saera?
The brunette's eyes bulged slightly as she noticed her sensei speaking in hushed tones with Kakashi, and she froze. What on earth was Saera telling him, and why had they both just glanced at her simultaneously?!
Her jaw dropped as a thought struck her, and she shook her head vigorously, willing it away. 'There's no way...Saera-sensei...she wouldn't tell Kakashi-sensei about my real mission, would she?! That-that's not allowed!'
Frowning, she pushed her worrisome thoughts aside for the moment as she heard a voice and glanced up, locking eyes with the Hokage.
At her questioning look, the woman's amber orbs rolled upward. "I said try not to do anything too reckless." She repeated, careful to keep her voice low enough to avoid anyone else hearing.
"Oh.." A small smile spread across Nozomi's face and she nodded, responding in an equally hushed tone. "I'll do my best."
Glancing back to Saera, the smile faded as she wondered again just what the woman was disclosing to Team Kakashi's leader. It had to be about her, that much she was fairly certain of...but what?
She was just about to ask Tsunade if she knew when the two broke apart, and Kakashi motioned for his team to gather. Nozomi made haste to join the three of them, and Naruto's brows drew together as he saw her.
"Nozomi-chan?" He clearly hadn't been informed of the new addition to the team, yet.
"Hi." The brunette kicked a stone with the toe of her shoe, awkwardly meeting his bemused gaze. "Um...I guess you didn't hear, but the Hokage added another member to your squad for this mission."
"Oh...okay." The blond responded distractedly. "Let's get moving!" He turned away from the village, clearly itching to get moving.
Kakashi nodded, and filled with hope and determination, the team set out.
...Or rather, they tried to. Team Kakashi had only taken a few steps when suddenly a man with long, spiked white hair landed in their path. "Hey there! So, off on a mission, Naruto?" The man, now identified as Jiraiya, the Toad Sannin inquired.
"That's right!" Naruto nodded earnestly.
"Well, good for you, but more importantly-" Turning away from the group, Jiraiya made a beeline for Tsunade. "I've got some disturbing news," He began in a low voice, "The Sand's Kazekage-"
"Yes, I know." Tsunade interrupted nonchalantly, pointing toward Team Kakashi. "I'm dispatching a squad. They're just about to leave."
Jiraiya's gaze traveled back to Team Kakashi, where a grinning Naruto nodded at him before he narrowed his eyes at Tsunade, dropping his voice so low that even Nozomi's ears couldn't pick up what he was saying. As the two Sannin's conversation finished, Jiraiya's attention shifted back to the departing team. "Naruto, I want a word with you."
"Nozomi, you too." Saera stepped forward and grabbed Nozomi's arm. Curious, Sakura watched silently with Kakashi as the brunette was taken several feet away, and Saera stopped to look at her only pupil, arms folded over her chest.
"Okay, so whether I like it or not you're doing this. I get that. Just...be careful." There was a pause as the woman broke off, clearly wrestling with some inner turmoil before she went on. "You've still got a ways to go in training, so you have to promise me you'll be careful, and listen to what Kakashi tells you."
"Of course, sensei." Nozomi retorted, slightly amused at the woman's attempts to intimidate her into submission. If that was all she had...
It was almost as if Saera had sensed her student's thoughts as her face broke into a combination of a smirk and a glare. "I'm serious. If you do something stupid and die, I'll reanimate you myself and torture the hell out of you! Understand?"
An uneasy smile appeared on Nozomi's face as she nodded quickly, feeling a chill run down her spine. Okay, forget what she'd said before. Her sensei could be darn intimidating when she wanted to be. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna die! I'll be back before you know it!"
She paused, suddenly remembering what she' seen when she arrived. Deciding now would be a good time to find out what Saera had been whispering about, the brunette opened her mouth to speak, but was drowned out when Naruto's voice rang out.
"Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, what are we waiting for?!"
Nozomi's ears perked up at the impatience in her blond friend's voice and she frowned, noticing that he'd forgotten her. He must just be really anxious to leave, she decided. Glancing back at Saera, she gave the woman a small smile. "Well, that's my cue. See ya!"
The brunette hurried after Sakura, who was currently trying to keep up with an impatient Naruto, with Kakashi close behind. The pinkette shot her a knowing look, motioning back toward Saera, but the Kubota's only reply was a shrug. The apologetic grin she shot her friend reminded her they were not alone and therefore couldn't discuss her mission as a decoy openly.
Sakura nodded in understanding, and they turned their focus onto the orange clad boy up ahead. "Hey! Wait for us!"
…..
It wasn't long before Team Kakashi met up with Temari, and since they were all headed the same place, the five of them decided to go together. After some time running through the trees, Kakashi motioned for his team to stop. "Alright, we'll stop here for a while."
Nozomi sighed with relief at the announcement and sat down against a tree trunk, watching as the silver haired man began to build a campfire. Placing a hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn, she let her shoulders sag slightly. They'd already covered quite a bit of ground today, and she couldn't help wondering how much further they intended to go before stopping for the night. Naruto was pushing them to go faster, constantly breaking formation, and trying to keep up with him was exhausting.
When they had finally managed to catch up with him, he'd gone into a rant that in the process had opened Nozomi's eyes to some things she wasn't aware of. 'So, the Kazekage's a jinchuuriki too?! Well, that explains why the Akatsuki went after him, too.' Her mission may be to protect Naruto, but the idea of someone else like him suffering made her heart ache. In that moment, she came to the decision that rescuing Gaara was just as important as protecting Naruto, and she'd accomplish both no matter the cost. 'Don't worry, Kazekage-sama...we're coming for you!''
Blazing red eyes filled with tears as the boy ran, pushing himself and his team to go faster all the while listing his similarities with the Kazekage. "I've gotta hurry! I don't have a second to waste! This time will be different...I'm gonna be there to save him!" As the blond spoke, he'd subconsciously began to use the Nine Tails' chakra, and Nozomi watched as his hurried movements caused the branches to splinter under the demon's chakra.
"All right, break time's over. Let's get moving."
Nozomi jumped at the man's voice and looked up, surprised. Had she really been lost in thought the whole time? Realizing that everyone was waiting on her, the brunette scrambled to her feet and uttered a hasty apology before they set off once more.
A short while later, they reached what looked like the beginning of the desert. However, before they could take another step, a sandstorm kicked up and with Temari's insistence, the group took cover in a cave until it passed. Naruto continuously grumbled about how he couldn't just do nothing, while Nozomi leaned against the wall with a sigh, silently praying it wouldn't be a long wait.
…..
After what felt like hours, the sandstorm finally subsided, and Team Kakashi set out again. Relief swelled in their chests as the entrance to the Hidden Sand Village came into view, urging them to run even faster.
Inside the village, the group was greeted by Sand ninja who quickly briefed them on what was going on. Horrified to learn that the Akatsuki had not only gotten Gaara, but Kankuro as well, Temari took off for the hospital with Team Kakashi close in pursuit.
Nozomi, who'd been caught up admiring the Sand's architectural differences from that of the Leaf, glanced back in surprise as her team took off without her and tore after them, not wanting to be left behind.
By the time she caught up, she knew she'd missed something, and it wasn't because Sakura and Temari were already assessing Kankuro's condition. It was Naruto's position that puzzled her. He was locked in a showdown with a short, grey haired woman, and appeared to be struggling against her.
"What's going on here?!" The brunette hurried to her friend's aid, scowling at the elderly woman. Naruto didn't seem to hear her as he kept his eyes fixed ahead, brows knit together in confusion and anger.
"What do you think you're doin' attacking Kakashi-sensei like that? You wrinkly old prune!"
Rather than answer, the old woman lunged backward, declaring her vengeance on the White Fang while glaring at Kakashi, who flinched uncomfortably. "No no no! You see, I'm not-"
The revenge-crazed woman ignored his protest, shouting that the time for talk was over, but before she could attack, she was stopped by an elderly man who had bushy, white eyebrows that drooped down to his jawline. "Take a closer look at the man, sis. It's true there's a resemblance, but this one is not the White Fang."
As the elderly woman listened to the man's argument, she reluctantly came to agree that he had a point. "Oh well, never mind!"
'Seriously? She attacks one of us and thinks that she can just blow it off like nothing?!' Nozomi thought in disbelief, sweat dropping and flattening her ears as the woman burst into a fit of high pitched laughter.
It was then that Sakura, preparing to use her medical skills to help Kankuro, asked the rest of them to clear out, and so Naruto, Kakashi, Nozomi and the two elders shuffled out into the hallway. As there was no room for her on the bench, Nozomi leaned against the wall beside Kakashi, listening as Naruto struck up a conversation with him.
"Who the heck is this White Fang of the Leaf guy that made the old lady so angry? Got any idea?"
"That's a tricky one. How to put it? He was...well, in a word...he was my father."
As the two elders on the opposite end of the bench began questioning Kakashi, Nozomi stared at the man in awe. She probably should've expected as much for him to have been mistaken as the White Fang, but she hadn't, and it had taken her by surprise. "So the White Fang was your father? What was he like..?" She couldn't help asking, wanting to be included in the discussion.
Before Kakashi could come up with an answer, however, Naruto peeked around him, eyebrows arched in confusion. "Nozomi-chan! What are you doing here?"
The world seemed to stop moving altogether as Nozomi processed his question looking stunned. "Wh-what do you mean, what am I doing here? I told you, didn't I? Tsunade-sama sent me as your fourth teammate! Or did you forget?"
"What? No way!" The blond retorted as he got up, hands out in protest. "I just wasn't expecting you."
"But! I was there at the gates! Why else would I be there if not to go on the mission with you?" Nozomi replied looking both frustrated and confused as the blond rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"I just thought you had come to see me off I guess...Usually Grandma Tsunade would send someone we've worked with before, like Kiba, or Shikamaru."
His words were like a punch to the gut as she realized just what he was implying, and the brunette stepped back. "Oh...I see."
"But that doesn't mean-"
"-It's because I'm a girl, and not as experienced as your other friends, isn't it?" Nozomi turned her back on the boy to hide the hurt in her eyes as she began to walk away. "Well, I'm sorry she didn't send somebody more qualified."
"What?! Wait, that's not what I meant -ttebayo! Come back!" Naruto protested, ignoring the pointed stares he knew he was getting for making such a ruckus in the hallway. When she ignored him and picked up her pace, he started to run after her, but was brought to a halt as Kakashi stood and clamped a hand onto his shoulder.
"What the?!" Frustrated, the boy glared back at Kakashi. "Kakashi-sensei! Why'd you stop me?!"
"Don't go too far, Nozomi!" The silver haired jonin called, ignoring the boy's question. He waited until he was certain the brunette was out of earshot before shifting to the boy under his hold. "Why? Because, intentional or not, you hurt her."
"I know that, why do you think I was chasing after her?!" Naruto exploded, looking vexed. "I wanted to apologize!"
"It's good that you realized your mistake, Naruto, but somehow I doubt she wants to see you right now." Came the man's calm reply, only serving to further the blond's annoyance. "The best thing you can do for now is just give her some space."
Naruto's shoulders sagged as he begrudgingly admitted the man was right and reluctantly sat back down. "Fine...But I still don't understand why you didn't say anything to stop her. We're supposed to stay together as a team, -ttebayo!"
"Well, I'm not the one who pissed her off now, am I?" The masked jonin turned to him and raised an eyebrow, looking unimpressed.
"Please, Kakashi-sensei. Someone needs to check on her.." Noticing the skeptical raise of Kakashi's brow, the spiky haired boy growled. "Listen to me, I know her. When she's upset like this, she shuts others out bottles up her feelings until she's ready to burst. That's when she runs away!"
His eyes glazed over as he recalled a training session where he'd pushed her too hard, and when she'd collapsed, he teased her a bit too harshly. The brunette had gone silent, and by the time he realized there was a problem and asked what was wrong she'd run off. Luckily, her stamina wasn't at par with his at the time, so he'd been able to catch up to her.
This time was different. He had no idea what her energy levels were now, and they weren't in the Leaf Village. It would be really inconvenient if she were to lose her cool and run off into the desert.
"Alright, Naruto." The boy was snapped out of his thoughts, and he looked over to see Kakashi stand up. "If it's that much of a concern for you, I'll go check in on her. You stay here."
He really wanted to be the one to check on his friend since he had been the one to upset her, but Kakashi was probably right about her not wanting to see him. It was obvious she'd been hurt by his words, but he still wasn't exactly sure what he'd said to set her off. All he knew was that he'd really messed up somehow. He'd gotten a glimpse of her face just before she turned around and seen the hurt on her face.
With a sigh, Naruto watched as his sensei headed the same way Nozomi had gone, frowning. He clutched his chest firmly as he recalled her stunned expression earlier, feeling a stab of guilt in his heart.
'Nozomi-chan…Whatever you thought you heard, I didn't mean it…'
…..
"Hmph, how dare he. Acting all shocked that I'm here when I've made plenty of effort to make myself known, and then he goes and implies I'm not good enough for this mission!" Nozomi fumed.
The minute she stepped outside, her anger melted into sadness, and she leaned heavily against the hospital wall, gazing up at the darkening sky, which made her realize they'd been at the hospital longer than she thought.
Closing her eyes in defeat, the brunette allowed herself to slide down onto the sand, pulling her knees to her chest with a breathy sigh. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. If it weren't my for responsibility to protect you from the Akatsuki, I'm sure Tsunade-sama would have sent more competent help."
"You really should be more cautious when ranting about such sensitive information."
Eyes widening, Nozomi's gaze shot upward. "Kakashi-sensei!" She gasped, scrambling to her feet when she saw the copy ninja standing in front of her. "What are you doing here?!"
"A little bird told me that you might be thinking about running away." Came the jonin's reply, and she groaned, slapping her face with her palm.
"It was Naruto, wasn't it?" When Kakashi nodded, her brows drew together into a scowl. "I only ever did that one time, and it's still haunting me all these years later..."
"You know Naruto." The sharingan user shrugged nonchalantly. "He never forgets things...and if he's been given reason to worry once, he'll continue to over the same thing until you convince him not to anymore."
"Yeah...I guess you're right." A weak chuckle escaped Nozomi's lips, and she flattened her ears nervously. "So…how much of that did you hear, exactly…?"
"Enough to know that you have an entirely different reason for coming on this mission than retrieving Gaara." The silver haired man replied, eying her calmly. "Now, what's this about you and the Akatsuki?"
His eyebrows rose as he took in her outward appearance. As tensed as her body was right now, Naruto may have been right to assume she'd run. Stepping closer, he watched as the girl backed up against the wall, cutting off any means of escape, and folded his arms across his chest.
"You might as well just tell me. I am your leader for this mission, so I have the right to know." There was a pause as he noticed the defiant gleam in the girl's eyes and frowned. He needed a different approach if he was going to get anything out of her. Glancing off to the side, he smirked under his mask as an idea formed.
"I'm sure Naruto would be very interested to know what you're really up to on this mission. Although, knowing him, he'll also probably be upset you kept something like this from him. Buuuut, if you'd prefer to talk to him instead, I understand, since you know him much better than you know me." With a casual shrug, the man turned and began walking toward the hospital doors. "I'll just go and get him. Be right back."
"No, wait!"
'She fell for it, just like I figured she would.' Kakashi stopped halfway through the door, a devious grin hiding beneath his mask as he glanced back. "Yes…?"
Nozomi clenched her teeth, clearly unhappy as she stepped forward. "I'll tell you what you want to know, just don't get Naruto-kun involved. He can't know about this."
Seeing the defiance gone from her eyes, Kakashi gave a close eyed grin and spun to face her quickly. "Very well. Let's go somewhere we can talk privately then. Just in case he disobeys my orders."
In spite of her obvious reluctance, the brunette nodded, and he led her up the side of a neighboring building, stopping on the roof. Sitting down and dangling his legs, Kakashi gestured for her to join him and she did, with a sigh.
The air between them was tense and silent as she struggled to figure out what to say, finally slumping her shoulders and looking at him defeatedly. "So..um..what all did you want me to tell you?"
In response, Kakashi looked down at her, his one visible eye seeming to pierce through her soul as he stared firmly at her. "Everything."
…..
The talk didn't last all that long as, to Nozomi's shock, Kakashi already knew quite a bit about her decoy status, confirming her suspicions that was what Saera had been telling him at the gate. Her fists clenched at her sides as she tried not to be angry at the woman, silently telling herself there must be a reason for her betrayal, but all she could come up with was that it was payback for her boldness in Hokage Tower.
Kakashi had interrupted her thoughts then, saying that he would try not to interfere in her mission, but couldn't promise not to step in if she tried to take the Akatsuki on herself.
Puzzled, Nozomi had tilted her head to the side, frowning up at him. "But why? You shouldn't have reason to concern yourself with me. If anything, you don't even know me-"
"Oh, I don't?" The man interrupted, smirking under his mask. "As I recall, we spent a fair amount of time training together the last couple of years."
"...Oh yeah, that's right." A sheepish look came over the brunette's face as he spoke. A couple years ago, Tsunade had called her to her office to discuss her progress as a ninja. Upon learning of Saera's refusal to teach her anything but the mastery of demon's chakra, she'd assigned Kakashi to help the young kunoichi get up to speed. The sessions were every other day, in between her training with Saera, which had quickly drained her, but they had proven useful. Nozomi doubted she'd know any jutsu now if not for the silver haired man.
Shaking her head to clear away the thoughts, she redirected her attention to the masked jonin and frowned. "Even so, I'm just a stand in on this mission. Why worry about me?"
To her shock, Kakashi shook his head, clapping her on the shoulder. "Because it's my duty to protect all of my precious comrades. That includes you."
Nozomi had never before been told even indirectly that she was part of someone's team, so his words had rendered her speechless, and she could only nod in understanding. That was when Kakashi had stood up, suggesting that they get back to the rest of their team, and despite her reluctance to see Naruto so soon, she'd agreed.
Now, she stood back, listening as Kakashi struck up a conversation with Baki about the site where Kankuro had been recovered. As she stood, watching the two of them, Nozomi was vaguely aware of a sheepish looking Naruto inviting her to sit with him on the bench, but she didn't respond.
Finally the blonde came to stand in front of her, shoulders slumping as he tried in vain to get her attention. "Nozomi...Nozomi-chan?"
He frowned when she seemed to stare right through him, a blank look on her face and groaned. "I'm still not sure what I did but...Gah! Just hit me it you're still upset! That always makes Sakura-chan feel better!"
Naruto ducked his head, awaiting a punishment that never came as Nozomi snapped to attention and, seeing him in such a strange manner, she sidestepped away, acting overly interested in Kakashi's conversation.
Left standing by himself, the blond boy groaned inwardly and sagged his shoulders before turning around to go listen to Kakashi as well.
…..
After an intense procedure, Sakura had removed most of the poison from Kankuro's system, and using those same toxins, she was able to create an antidote, much to Temari and Baki's relief. Upon waking up, a grateful Kankuro provided them with a valuable clue that would aid them in locating Gaara and his captors: a piece of Sasori's cloak.
Wasting no time, Kakashi summoned his ninja hounds, who sniffed the scrap of cloth and got to work. It wasn't long before they returned with good news; the hideout had been discovered.
Naruto was adamant to follow Pakkun and the others then and there, but Baki offered them rooms to sleep in, and Kakashi accepted.
Kneeling down to pick up her bag, Nozomi was surprised when she glanced up and locked eyes with Naruto, and she quickly turned away, making his grin fade.
"Hey, wait.." He reached out to grab her arm but missed as she turned to follow Kakashi.
The blond watched, pouting as she fell into step beside Sakura. It was obvious that she was avoiding him, and he couldn't help the sigh that slipped past his lips, trailing behind as they made their way to the rooms they'd be staying in for the night.
Glancing back ever so slightly, Nozomi caught the look of defeat on his face and went back to staring ahead, frowning. She wouldn't fall for his little guilt trip. Not when it was his fault she'd gotten upset with him to begin with. She was aware of how many times he'd tried to grab her attention since she returned, but she wasn't in the mood to look at him, let alone talk. He'd just have to sweat it out for now, until she felt ready to make up.
…..
It was with great relief that Nozomi stepped into the room she and Sakura were sharing. She couldn't believe her luck. Baki had split the team by gender into two rooms, and while she normally had no qualms sleeping in the same room as the guys, tonight she just didn't have the strength for it. Not when she knew Naruto would still be trying to make her talk to him.
"Did you hear me, Nozomi-chan?" Came Sakura's voice, snapping the brunette out of her thoughts. "I guess I'll take that as a no." The pinkette added, shaking her head when she was met with an apologetic, toothy grin. "I asked you which bed you want, or does it matter?"
"Um...that one." Nozomi pointed to the bed closest to the window.
Sakura nodded and took the other one, sitting down and pulling out her pajamas. Realizing that the brunette was still standing in the closed doorway, she tilted her head curiously. "Hey, are you okay? You're quieter than usual today."
"Huh?" Gold eyes lifted from the floor to lock with green before the cat eared girl gave a stiff nod. "Oh, I'm fine. Just reeling from the day's events." She replied.
"Oh, yeah. It was pretty crazy, huh?"
Nozomi nodded in Sakura's direction before taking out her own pajamas. As she disappeared into the bathroom, the pink haired girl couldn't help shaking her head at the girl's behavior. They'd been friends for years, and yet she was still too shy to change in the same room, despite the fact that it was normal for girls their age to do so. With a shrug, Sakura changed into her own pajamas and lay back on her bed, closing her eyes. It had been a long, crazy day, and tomorrow promised to be even more so.
The door to the bathroom creaked, and her eyes fluttered open as she watched Nozomi cross the room to sit on her bed. From the vacant look on her face, it was obvious that whatever was on her mind was bothering her.
'Huh, now that I think about it, Naruto looked pretty down tonight, too. I thought it was just because he wants to go save Gaara, but maybe that's not all there is to it.' Deciding it was time to get to the bottom of things, the pinkette sat up and turned so she was facing her friend.
"Nozomi-chan, did something happen between you and Naruto?"
"Wha?! Why would you think something like that?" The minute she heard the boy's name, Nozomi's fur had stood up on end, making Sakura believe she was right.
"I don't know. I just remember you disappeared earlier and that idiot wouldn't stop calling you...Then, when Kakashi-sensei said to get our things and turn in for the night, you left the room and completely ignored Naruto. He looked really sad…" Nozomi's face fell, and the pinkette gasped and leaned in closer. "I knew it! Something happened, right? What is it? Naruto didn't say something rude to you, did he?!"
The was a long pause before the brunette shook her head, finally letting her gaze meet her friend's. "Not exactly. I just…" There was a pause as she inhaled softly. "Do you think Tsunade-sama made a mistake by sending me and not someone your team's worked with before?"
Sakura tilted her head in confusion and frowned. "I don't understand what you're getting at, Nozomi-chan. What's going on?"
There was a brief pause before Nozomi described Naruto's reaction to seeing her earlier, including his words that had implied that she wasn't adequate help before breaking off and looking away.
"I know he probably didn't mean it, but he's probably right about you guys needing someone better than me. The only reason I'm even here is because I'm his decoy. Not because I'm some super powerful kunoichi."
"I had a feeling that was why you came along on this mission." Sakura interjected, and Nozomi nodded, frowning as another memory surfaced in her mind.
"Oh, by the way, Kakashi-sensei knows about it now, too."
Seeing the startled look that appeared on her friend's face, the brunette sweat dropped. "I left in a huff after Naruto-kun said what he did. I guess I was ranting, and Kakashi-sensei had come after me and heard the whole thing." Grimacing, she clenched a fist in her lap. "Come to find out, Saera-sensei already told him about a good majority of my mission, so he wasn't even surprised!"
Sakura just stared at the girl, surprise etched into her features as she let everything sink in. "Wow….leave it to Kakashi-sensei to know what's really going on…As for Naruto..." The pinkette's expression changed from calm to furious as she punched her bed so hard the pillow fell off the edge. "What an idiot!"
Inhaling harshly, she looked back at Nozomi, who had shrank back slightly and shook her head. "He's so lucky we're already in for the night...I'd march right over and punch his stupid face! I can't believe he was so insensitive, and to you of all people!"
"Um...Sakura-chan, calm down." The brunette laughed weakly, pinning her ears uncomfortably. "There's no need to go that far.." No sooner were the words out of her mouth than she was met with narrowed jade eyes, and she sweat dropped. "What?"
"I can tell his words hurt your feelings." Sakura scowled. "Stop acting so tough." Seeing the way her friend's shoulders sagged, her facial expression softened, and she moved to sit beside the girl, putting an arm around her shoulders.
"Naruto is really worried about Gaara. He wants this rescue to go off without a hitch...so maybe he was thinking up plans revolving around someone else, but that doesn't matter. He'll just have to learn how to fight alongside you. It was gonna happen sooner or later." She pause, a small, knowing grin on her face. "Knowing that dork, now that he's aware you're here, he's thrilled. Or he will be once he can get his mind off this whole situation."
Nozomi grimaced and looked down at the mattress. "I'm sure that's all it was...but it still made me feel small and insignificant. For such a close friend to imply -even unintentionally- that I'm not good enough for his team...well...I just don't know." She sighed and shook her head. "All I do know is that I don't want to see him right now."
Sakura said nothing for a while, simply patting the girl's shoulder as she nodded understandingly. Finally, after a few minutes, she broke the silence that had fallen over them. "It'll be okay. Just focus on the mission for now, and try not to think about that idiot, okay?"
Laughing weakly, Nozomi gave the pinkette a grateful smile and nodded. "Thanks, Sakura-chan. You're a good friend."
Without warning, Sakura pulled the girl into a hug, and she returned the embrace, marveling at how comforting such a simple gesture could be. A few seconds later, the pinkette pulled away, stifling a yawn.
"Well, today was really busy, and I'm super tired so I'm going to get some rest now. You should sleep too, Nozomi-chan."
"Yeah, okay. Good night, Sakura-chan." The brunette watched as her friend crawled into bed before laying down and gazing out at the moon.
She really ought to get to sleep, but at the same time, her mind wouldn't shut up, too emotionally wound up. Why had it hurt so much when Naruto expressed concern about her qualifications for the mission? It wasn't like she considered herself to be on the same level as him. She knew he was far ahead of her as a ninja! So why had his doubtfulness hurt her?
No matter how long she sought an answer, it evaded her, and time flew past. Morning would arrive soon, and day two of their mission would begin. 'I'll just have to do my best to show him I can be useful on this mission.' The brunette thought as she closed her eyes, falling into a deep, restless sleep.
I apologize again for the delayed update, but I also hope you enjoyed this next installment. Anyways, let me know what you thought!
Seriously. Reviews are like food for my muse. The more of them I get, the more excited I am and that makes me wanna write faster! So if you liked it and want more, drop me a review and tell me! Until then, see ya next month!
~NinjaKity91