Immortal's Daughter
Chapter 2: For a princess
Koomahana
Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site
Thoughts
Paragraphs are flashbacks
…
…
"You called for me Lord Hokage?" Hiruzen glanced at him through the window he faced, staring out at the seemingly innocently buzzing village he ruled over.
"Are you still visiting the girl?" Hiruzen asked calmly
"I watch from a distance," he confirmed, "not long and never during a mission."
"…I stopped to see where you live," Hiruzen sighed, placing his head against his fist, "You're not too far from little Sakura Haruno."
"No sir," he agreed softly, "After the Hyūga incident I thought it was best to be close just in case…"
"Uh-huh," Hiruzen didn't sound impressed, "You're the last of the team who found her. Why are you content to keep your distance? I would think that you'd want to teach the girl or at least make yourself a little more prominent in her life."
"…My occupation keeps me busy enough," he replied as calmly as he could, trying to ignore the led ball beginning to settle in his stomach and the quickening of his heart.
"I could always lessen your responsibility if you'd like," Hiruzen smiled amusedly at the window, not really looking at the young Anbu agent behind him. As expected the young man didn't answer him, choosing instead to stare silently out the window of the large office. "Her chakra was tested," Hiruzen said in a tone of disinterest, "She has two signatures."
"Two signatures?" he asked in surprise, "How is that possible?"
"The report your captain wrote and left behind before his death," Hiruzen sighed, "Said that the woman who was tasked with killing Sakura-chan had the distinct signature of copper and cotton. The second signature that I told you about? It feels more like fire and silk."
"…the chakra paper that the instructor brought out from the test for the academy," he said softly remembering what had happened the day before.
"Ah yes," Hiruzen sighed, closing his eyes, "Sakura had just taken the slip of paper when she got distracted. It was the split paper that alerted the proctor to Sakura's secondary chakra, he was able to activate his Byakugan in time to catch sight of the second signature." Hiruzen paused for a moment, locking his eyes onto the reflection of the young Anbu agent, "According to him, the second signature 'wakes up' only when Sakura is in danger or feeling emotionally distressed."
"Which means what sir?" he asked, tilting his masked head to the side, "that she has a bloodline?"
"If you call Air Natured chakra a bloodline then yes," Hiruzen agreed softly, purposefully lowering his voice so that only the young man could hear him. "According to the proctor, Sakura was distracted when she got the piece of paper; her chakra didn't even flair before it split. He activated his Byukkugan just in time to see that the secondary chakra seems to act only when Sakura is in danger or in emotional distress. So I had him 'double check' her chakra nature, just to make sure that it wasn't accidental leakage of her natural chakra."
"And what's the problem?" he questioned
"She has two natures," Hiruzen sighed, reaching over to pinch the bridge of his nose, "two common natures that are considered a bloodline when paired together." The agent tilted his head to the side, when Hiruzen didn't elaborate he calmly walked forward until he stood just a foot to Hiruzen's left.
"Earth and water," Hiruzen whispered, "…meaning little Sakura Haruno has wood release."
"And add that to the secondary signature of wind release…" he trailed off with slight frown twisting his hidden features and sounding in his voice. "That's also Ice release and… what element is created with the mixture of wind and earth release?"
"Not sure," Hiruzen answered softly, "Something incredibly rare though…"
"…Is this all for my next mission?" he asked, beginning to realize the reason for his presence in the office at the unholy hour of the morning, his connection to the girl, his home, his habitual observations—and his abilities.
"Yes…" Hiruzen answered his eyes narrowing out the window, "If you need your sempai's help you may enlist him on the mission as well. Just make sure he pays me a visit first."
"Understood sir," he kneeled beside Hiruzen, bowing his head in respect, leaning just that little bit closer to the old man
"Tenzou… you are to protect and teach Sakura Haruno in secret"
…
…
He watched as the Haruno's laughed together, the father lifting his daughter and spinning in placing; making the young girl squeal shrilly, her smile splitting her face in two. He was tempted to reveal himself so he could talk to the parents, tell him his reasoning for entering their life so unexpectedly, but he remembered Hiruzen's words just before he left the office; 'in secret' made things a little tricky.
Tricky—not imposable
How should I introduce himself? Tenzou thought, leaning back in the tree he was hiding in, observing the happy family calmly. Sakura was officially eight years old two days ago, which made him exactly seven-teen years old, which made him nine years older than her. How was he supposed to teach her in secret? She's not overly trustful of strangers for the exception of teachers, she's wiry of most other kids her own age but seems to have a healthy respect for the older ones—that's it! To her, his current appearance be that of an adult so she'd be distant but not cautious. To gain her trust off the bat he'd have to make himself younger, closer to her age but not too close because then she'll just not trust him. So… he just had to use the transformation jutsu to make himself appear to be at least seven years younger; however that wouldn't explain his amount of skill and there was no way he could tell the girl his real name.
Sakura let out a delighted squeal, her laughter enough throughout the park as her mother calmly set out their lunch and her father joyfully tickled her. The loud laughter dew several people's attention, mostly shinobi families turned to look, many of the children were staring with wide eyes and mouths gap; like they had never seen anyone so joyfully loud. He even spotted a few clan kids, like the two heirs of the Uchiha clan, the heirs of the Yamanaka, Akimichi and Nara clans were standing with their mothers nearby, there were even a few Hyūga children watching the laughing Haruno family. Okay, he could use that, can't be that hard to pretend to be a clan kid.
"What are you doing Kohai?" he nearly jumped out of his skin with the soft voice of his sempai, he looked up at his superior and glared halfheartedly.
"That's not nice Sempai," he informed the gray haired man
"Now that doesn't sound like an answer to my question," the masked man seemed to smile down at him, "What are you doing stalking the Haruno family again?"
"I'm not stalking them," Tenzou sighed, pulling himself further out of view, "the girl is my mission."
"Oh?"
"Yes, she's been my mission since it was my team who brought her in," Tenzou informed his Sempai, as if he was proud of the information.
"Ah," he sounded amused, "Is this a self-assigned mission or an official mission from lord Hokage?"
"Official," Tenzou pouted
"And what's got you so hung up in this tree looking like a stalker that you secretly are?" he asked in amusement
"I'm not a stalker!" Tenzou hissed, "My mission is to protect and teach her in secret!"
"Teach her?" he asked, Tenzou could imagine the older male raising one eyebrow in surprise, "Teach her what Kohai?" Tenzou sweated beneath his mask for a moment before the turned away to examine the family, double checking that they were still absorbed in their family day and not scouting their surroundings for suspicious persons. He could feel his Sempai's eyes on him; he even knew the exact moment his Sempai looked at the Haruno family before looking down at him again.
"Does she have one very rare Kekkei Genkai?" his refusal to look at his Sempai seemed to be answer enough, "Don't start on anything chakra related, it could damage her coils."
"I know," Tenzou replied, rolling his eyes. "I'm more worried about how I'm supposed to introduce myself to her life."
"You could always use a transformation jutsu," he suggested, "Someone around her age would be best"
"it would be if not for the fact that she's extremely wiry of anyone her age," Tenzou replied, "She's wiry of strangers but she's not distant with her teachers at the academy."
"So why not become an instructor at the academy?" he could hear the mockery in the older man's voice
"Because that involves other brats," Tenzou replied as calmly as he could, "she is my main priority. No one else."
"…Still not fond of other kids are we?" he chuckled, not even flinching when the wooden kunai knife sailed inches past his head. "Now Kohai that wasn't very nice~" he reprimanded mockingly
"Whatever you say dog breath," Tenzou shot back without thinking, only to freeze in horror when he realized just what he had said. He could see the absolute statue still body of his superior, the way his eye seemed to gleam behind his bone mask of a snarling Canine, the slight tilt to his head that showed just how angry he was with the jab.
"Hmmm," Tenzou prepared himself for a quick retreat, no longer trusting the safety his superior often provided, "… see you later… little nymph." Tenzou prevented himself from screaming out at his Sempai, choosing instead to bite down on his hand while his superior flash stepped away.
…
…
A few months later
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"Alright class we'll be having a very special test today," Sakura perked at the information, straitening in her seat as her eyes clued themselves to her Cerulean haired instructor. "It's a special test so no whining!" several students were already whining and hadn't stopped at his half-hearted order; Sakura remained as one of the few in class who remained silent.
"But we had a test yesterday!" one of the children whined, slumping over his desk
"This test is more like a request from Lord Hokage himself," Mizuki replied calmly, instantly silencing his students and gaining their undivided attention. "You see some other instructors have noticed some very special students in your year, some who can't progress without special attention, something most classes here at the academy can't provide. This test is to see who needs to be placed into this special class, do you all understand?"
"In other words if you pass the test you get stuck in a class with Naruto Uzumaki!" one girl jab loudly, implying the blond boy's lack of intelligence in regards to his paper tests—of course the class erupted into laughter at the blonde.
"That's not funny!" Naruto screamed shrilly, pointing at the purple haired girl in question, "Someday I'm going to be Hokage! Belief it! And when that happens you'll have to respect me because then I'll be somebody!"
"Now Ai that wasn't nice," Mizuki sighed as if disappointed, something that his laughing black eyes contradicted, "another way to look at this test is to see that people like Sasuke Uchiha are going to be placed in the same class. This class is less about your paper tests and more of a way to see if you have potential to be a shinobi. Think of it as advanced training to become a shinobi of the village, something all of you are working hard to become." Sakura carefully raised her hand, not sure if she should ask her question or if she should wait until after class to ask; as she often dose.
"Yes Haruno-san?" Mizuki asked, blinking and smiling at her, "What is your question?"
"Um… this class…" Sakura hesitated as she caught sight of Ami and her friends making rude gestures at her, "… will it, uh-um, he-help with our, um, in-individual skills and, uh, goals?"
"Yes," Mizuki smiled and nodded in agreement, "it will also help with your self-confidence—"
"Forehead girl doesn't have any confidence!" Ami pipped up rudely, "She doesn't have anything! Not even a brain! She's as stupid as she looks!" Sakura instantly shrunk into herself, looking like a tiny pink turtle in her large crimson shirt, her tiny fingers tightening on the beige strap of her school bag.
"Ami, what did I tell you about speaking without raising your hands?" Mizuki asked, placing one hand on his hip
"To not to," Ami huffed, folding herself over her desk and pouting slightly
"Please raise your hand the next time you have to say something," Mizuki sighed, shaking his head, "Anyways, this class is about individual skill so those of you from clans might not be able to get in either, understand?"
"Um sensei?" a boy in the pipped up, raising his hand for Mizuki to see, "if we don't make the test today, will there be another one to try again?"
"Yes Inuzuka-san," Mizuki answered, "The test will happen twice a year, one in the first trimester and one in the second trimester." They were already half way through the first trimester, so that meant the next test would be in two or three months from then, which meant plenty of time to grow and strive for their goals.
"Oh okay," the boy bobbed his head, "So… what's the test going to be on?"
"Everything," Mizuki sighed, "everything from your knowledge to your physical skill."
"Will there be any other techniques involved?" another boy asked, tilting his head to the side, "Like Taijutsu or ninjutsu?"
"I honestly don't know," Mizuki sighed, glancing up at the clock, "it's almost time for the test to start. I don't know how long it'll last but it's time for our turn to go. Everyone ready?"
"Yes sensei," the children didn't sound enthused as they each stood up with their bags strapped over their shoulders
"Alright, line up when I call your rows!" Mizuki instructed, taking his place beside the class door, "Row one, come on down."
…
…
"I can't belief you managed to pull this off," he hissed, glaring out the side of his eye at his superior
"Now, now Ototo, be nice in front of the children," the now blonde man seemed by far too amused with the situation then he should've been. Of course the situation was simple: his sempai was able to convince their Hokage to host a test that could be used to separate little Sakura-chan from the rest of the class so she could get special training from him; the down side was that anyone else who passed the test could get in on that training as well. So they intended to make it absolutely difficult but not so hard that their target couldn't pass either, they weren't about to fix it so that Sakura was the only one to pass the exam. Other students would need to pass as well, especially since she learned best when bouncing ideas off of other students.
"You do realize that you'll have to do something right?" he asked, watching a new class slowly step forward with their instructor
"I am doing something," his superior commented dryly, "I'm observing"
"You're observing your porn," he shot back, only to flinch when someone cleared their throat. He turned around and stared bewildered at a surprised but not very approving chunin instructor, his pale blue hair was barely pulled back with his leaf headband. "…hello," he said, praying silently that the man hadn't heard what he said to his 'big brother'
"I take it you two are the Kazehitoha brothers?" the man asked
"Yes," he stepped forward and placed a hand on his chest, "My name is Hotaru Kazehitoha and that moron is my big brother, Enrō Kazehitoha." His personal little jab at his Sempai, he'll have to correct it later but at least the man was paying attention to them.
"My name is Mizuki Shioha, it's nice to meet you both," Mizuki smiled, "Although I do have a request for the two of you."
"Hmm? What is it?" 'Hotaru' asked, staring at him with his wide green eyes
"Please reframe from saying such things like 'porn' and 'moron' it paints a bad picture for the children," Mizuki smiled, "the last thing I need is for my students to start mimicking you." Of course his 'brother' had to snort in amusement at him, believing that the jab was aimed completely at him. "That goes for you as well, Enrō-san. I don't need my students reading such… things. Please put that thing away."
"There's a genjutsu on it," 'Enrō' replied calmly, "I highly doubt any of your students can see through—"
"You seem to think that my all of my students are civilian born," Mizuki smiled patiently at him, "Almost all of them can see through Genjutsu, either from their parent's teachings or from their own remarkable intelligence. One my students can see through almost all low level genjutsu, its best not to make said student curious about what you're reading."
"Understood," 'Enrō' smiled stiffly, his teal eye turning to observe said 'curious' children, each watching them with varied amounts of Curiosity and… well one girl was looking at them in disgust but he had a feeling that was more to the fact that none of them were paying attention to her then that she could read the tittle of his book.
…
…
"Alright children listen up!" Mizuki called, drawing everyone's attention on to himself, "these two are the Kazehitoha brothers, Hotaru the youngest and Enrō the eldest."
"Ah before we continue let's get something cleared up first," the eye-patch wearing brother said as he stepped forward with a book in hand. "Ototo was pulling your leg when he called me Enrō; my name is actually Hikaru Kazehitoha."
"I like Enrō better!" one of the boys said loudly, throwing a fist in the air, "it means wolf!"
"Of course you would Inuzuka-san," Hikaru smiled at him, "doesn't mean I'm going to change it for your benefit." A few of the children giggled as the young brunet blushed five shades of red.
"Hay mister!" one of the other boys called, throwing one hand into the air, "Why do you have an eye patch?"
"Obviously because I lost my eye," Hikaru answered, his expression relaying his confusion at the question, having thought that it was obvious
"Did it hurt?" another asked, throwing his own hand into the air
"…yes," Hikaru answered slowly, turning slightly to look at Mizuki as if to ask a silent question
"Hay mister Kazehitoha!" a girl pipped up, "What are you reading?" Hotaru coughed heavily into his hand, trying hard to stifle his snickering. Meanwhile, 'Hiakru' was left alone, staring at the girl in a mixture of horror, surprise, and bewilderment—for once the famed genius was at a loss of words.
"Uh~" was Hikaru's brilliant response to the by-far too curious children
"It says 'Icha Icha P—"
"Back to the point at hand," Mizuki called, quickly interrupting the curious little pinkette who tried to read the cover. Hikaru quickly snapped his book shut and hid it in his back pouch; his adorable little brother thought it wise to continue 'coughing' at him. "These two are in charge of your test. You are to treat them the same way you treat me—with respect!" some of the girls shared amused smirks and a few of the boys snickered to themselves, overall, they didn't give a good impression to the two 'brothers'.
"I'm beginning to hate you for this," Hotaru murmured softly, watching how the children split up into groups, openly leaving out several other children to their own devises.
"You remember what lord Hokage said, didn't you?" Hikaru replied softly, "don't disappoint him."
…
"Kakashi has a point Tenzou," Hiruzen said as he blew out a puff of smoke from his pip, "the best way for you to teach Sakura is for you to go undercover in the academy. Your plan might not have worked and if it did her parents would be suspicious of you; eventually they would bring it to my attention, where I would then be forced to inform them of everything."
"Yes sir," Tenzou sighed, bowing his head in submission to his request
"Furthermore," Hiruzen let his eyes slide over to Kakashi, "Kakashi… you'll be joining him. Especially since it's your idea."
"Huh?" Kakashi lowered his book to stare dumbly at Hiruzen, "Sorry Lord Hokage, what was that?"
"You'll use the names 'Kazehitoha'," Hiruzen continued, not showing any sign that he heard Kakashi, "the first names you'll have to come up with. Now then, go prepare yourself for your new students; I have to get in contact with the academy."
"Yes sir," Tenzou was smirking as he grabbed Kakashi by the caller and teleported them both out of the office
…
"Now listen up children I'm only going to say this once," Hikaru smirked and stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention to him. "You'll all form a line, I will decide who starts first," no one was really paying much attention to him, they each got in their 'line' grouped up in three and four. Sakura stood at the very edge of the line, towards the back where she wouldn't be noticed. It was a good place to hide from people, people like Ami and her clique, as well as from strangers, who would focus more on the students at the front then the ones—
"Here's the front," Sakura blinked dumbly and looked up at the tall blonde man standing beside her, Hikaru smiled patiently down at her, "do you mind being first little blossom?" Sakura didn't bother glancing at the rest of her class mates, she could hear them snickering, whispering softly to each other. Sakura ducked her head and calmly took two steps away from the man, trying to hide behind her too long bangs.
"Perhaps… Ami should go first," Sakura whispered softly, backing away when Hikaru appeared beside her.
"Not a chance," Sakura jumped at the voice, she whipped around with wide eyes, staring up at the slightly shorter golden haired male. "We chose you missy, deal with it." Hotaru placed a soft hand on her shoulder, keeping her from retreating again, "Alright everyone, get lined up in front of these two." Sakura blinked dumbly behind her pink bangs, she carefully leaned forward and stared at the other kid Hotaru had a hand on. The blonde boy had leaned forward too and blinked dumbly right back at her, his blue eyes shining blindingly bright and the whisker-scares on his cheeks twisting as he smiled brightly at her. She recognized him instantly as Naruto Uzumaki, the boy everyone in her class hated—for no apparent reason.
"Alright everyone, listen up and keep silent!" Hikaru ordered, taking up Sakura's other side, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "you are to follow the person in front of you no matter what, understand?" everyone started complaining, the boys in their typical 'we're doomed' kind of fashion and the girls in their 'I'd rather die' kind of way.
"The race is simple," everyone perked at the word 'race', "the first team to get something from us wins the race."
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…
He kicked a skeleton head across the cavern, glaring heatedly at the near perfect blackness of the once perfect hide-out from years ago. As usual, when they failed in one of their missions the white haired marron decided to come back here to sulk, walking its empty cavern like a ghost of one of the many remaining dead that littered the cavern floor.
"Why must we come here every time you fail in making a sacrifice?" He asked, glaring at the man who had long since removed his black crimson robe. "This place is a dump, why do you keep coming back?"
"Because my subjects might come back," Hidan replied courtly, for once not cursing as he usually does, "I'll need their F*** help to F**** find her…"
So much for that peace "I thought you were sterile," Kakuzu drawled as he walked forward, ignoring the crunching of bones beneath his feet, "isn't that a thing with your… kind?" Kakuzu ducked just in time to avoid the blade aimed for his head, "you little bastard," Kakuzu hissed, glaring at Hidan as he kept walking, as if he didn't hear him.
Great he's in one of those moods, Kakuzu rolled his eyes and followed his teammate further down the hall, watching how more and more bones carefully revealed themselves to his sight. He stopped as he saw the stone hall reveal a large empty space with a skylight a hundred and fifty feet straight up, moss and ivy trickling down like hair. In the center of the cavern sat a tall pedestal, the very top resting about waist high on most men, circled to let the entire cavern see the very center. Kakuzu narrowed his eyes as he watched Hidan walk to the pedestal, calmly walk its edge until he came to some stairs where he climbed to the top silently. Kakuzu followed him up the stairs, trying to ignore the sharp feeling of bone shooting past his foot as he stepped on someone's ribcage before he reached the stairs.
There are hundreds, Kakuzu thought as he stopped to study as much of the cavern as he could from his new vantage point, realizing just how large the caver was and that there wasn't a single inch of it that wasn't covered in the bones of the ones who once followed Hidan and his bazar faith.
"Five thousand, eight hundred and seventy-three," Hidan said, breaking his track of silence, "the highest number of followers we've had since its founding two centuries before my birth."
"…there are that many of idiots in the world?" Kakuzu asked with a lifted eyebrow, that's the first sentence you've ever said without a curse word
"I've been F*** around for so long that I F#$% no longer F#$% know how F*** old I am," Hidan continued, turning his face to look up at the skylight high overhead, "but I do F*** know that exactly F*** eight and half F*** years ago I was F***given a little sister, who was F*** turned into my daughter when she F*** swallowed my and her F*** mother's F*** blood." Kakuzu stiffened, his green eyes snapping to Hidan's still form for a moment, calm and calculative as he studied his partner. "I didn't F*** get to hold her for F*** five minutes before I F*** had to fight, the F*** woman couldn't even F**** protect her without F**** losing her to the F*** Takikage and his F*** little puppets."
"…that's why you keep coming back here," Kakuzu commented slowly, "you actually think that kid is yours… didn't you go through health class in your school?"
"My F****school was the F***battle field," Hidan rolled his eyes, snapping around to glare at Kakuzu, "If you F*** hate it here so F*** much why do you F*** follow me here?"
"I'm interested learning in how to kill you," Kakuzu shot back tonelessly
"You won't F*** find it here," Hidan drawled, "only Jashin-sama knows that one"
"Not even you know how to kill you?" Kakuzu asked, raising one eyebrow
"F**** will find her," Hidan replied, glaring up at the noon sun glaring down through the sky light, completely ignoring Kakuzu
"Not before I kill you," Kakuzu shot back in irritation
…
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Thoughts are helpful
Opinions are wonderful
Helpful criticismis lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?
Please no cursing!
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