III: Konohagakure no Sato

"Hokage-sama, are you sure it is such a good idea to take in a nin from another village? It could prove to be a hassle in the end of things," a silver-haired Jounin remarked idly to Hokage Sarutobi, his face hidden beneath the fabric of a mask and a hitai-ate.

"Yes, and that is why she will be with your team, Hatake Kakashi," Sarutobi chuckled as a pipe hung in his teeth. "She will be coming with her only companion, a nin-fox, and it is imperative that you regard her with upmost sincerity. She is strong, from the specifications I was allowed, and might be the turning point in the training of Team Seven. But, this is not the only reason I accepted the Mizukage's offer..."

A file was slid across the desk and the Jounin picked up the packet and flipped it open. He briefly read over her vague specifications, nodding in agreement, before turning the page to a picture of the woman. His visible eye narrowed as he noticed a familiar set of markings that dipped beneath the edges of her lower mask. Two purple lines shot from the tops of blue eyes, the look one of boredom and agitation at a glance.

"This cannot be. There is no way..." Kakashi was not one to be rendered speechless, but in such an occasion, it was necessary. "Hokage-sama, what exactly do you make of this? Is there something you are not telling me?" The Jounin handed the stack over as he stared the man down with urgency. A sliver of untold injustice was held within that folder, bringing a new sense of wonder to the silver-haired nin.

Sarutobi shook his head slowly, taking a puff off his pipe and mumbling to himself. He eyed the Jounin, assessing him with a single fleeting glance, and closed his eyes with a sigh. "Your guess is as good as mine. I don't believe it either, and I wonder if it is merely coincidence. Of course, nothing is coincidence these days. We need to learn more of this woman, Kakashi, and that is your job. When she is here, you will be on watch of her. I expect she is to arrive any time now. My trust is with you. And try to keep Naruto in check, would you?"

Kakashi nodded, mask crinkling with deep thought as his features scrunched, and regarded the man once more before turning to leave. "I'll keep close watch on her." As he began to open the door, it swung open violently and presented an ANBU operative with his head bowed in respect at the Hokage of the Land of Fire. Behind him a woman stood, tall with hair the color of sterling and eyes as deep as the ocean. As noticed in her picture, the markings dipped deep beneath her mask.

"Hokage-sama, the representative of the Land of Waves has arrived."

-( Trust is a Sacred Vow )-

Kobayashi Sayomi
First Person's Point of View

The Hokage offices were much the same as those of the Mizukage, though many of the boards creaked with age and wear. A hand had been placed on the back of my only companion, a nin-fox of an alabastrine hue embedded with a set of piercing crimson orbs. He stood four-foot tall, now a few years in age, and it was doubtful he would grow much more in her lifetime. A hitai-ate circled his neck, pushing against the massive fur, and his look was bored, overly-so.

The door was opened by the ANBU leading me, giving way to a man with hair that stuck out from the top of his head, a darker shade of my own wild tresses, and an elderly male sitting behind a desk. Once I was introduced, my partner and I entered the offices, gliding past the taller man, and our heads bowed deep in respect. I would not represent Kirigakure poorly and would take my orders from the Hokage while in this village. I would not do anything suspicious, in fear our nations began a war between them, and would uphold my oath to Mei sincerely. Youko, the nin-fox at my side, had been briefed on the situation and he had agreed to keep things professional while within the Land of Fire.

"Kobayashi Sayomi and Youko reporting from Kirigakure no Sato, Hokage-sama," I called to the man, pulling my head back up straight and regarding him with authority. "I have been given the specs on my mission, and I give my allegiance to you whole-heartedly until I am dismissed from duty or called back by the Mizukage for matters regarding our village. I thank you for this opportunity."

"And I agree as well," the deep, musical voice of my companion rang, a gift in its own right, for his words were reserved for Mei and myself alone. He did not continue his speech, and merely yipped afterwards in response while sitting on his haunches. The Hokage was studying us, along with the man behind me, as if trying to find deeper intentions that were not there. I would give this Konoha thing a shot and, should things start to go awry, I would contact Mei immediately and ask for my return notice to be posted.

"It is a pleasure, Sayomi-san," the Hokage Sarutobi nodded affectionately to me, smiling, and the wrinkles around his mouth crinkled with the emotion. "I am Hokage Sarutobi, and the man behind you will be your partner while you are here. He is Hatake Kakashi, and you will assist in training his Genin while you stay within our village. Do you accept these terms?"

'Hatake Kakashi, the Copy-Nin, and Kakashi of the Sharingan,' I bowed to my new 'partner' as well, going over the specs of the Jounin behind me quickly in my head. 'A formidable opponent. I would like to test my skills with him while I am here. It would make things a lot more interesting, in the least.'

"Hai, I accept Hokage-sama. Youko and I will serve you as needed, whether it be training Genin or assisting on missions. I specialize in the hunting of rogue nin, should my skills be needed later," I ran my fingers through the tangled tresses atop my head. "I would also like to thank you in the destruction of Zabuza and Haku. I had not been able to go after them, for I was away on another mission. Your Genin and Jounin must be reputable if they were able to take down one of the legendary swordsmen and the Kekkei Genkai of the ice-mirrors."

The old man grinned, though I felt as if the emotion was a grim one, before ushering the Jounin behind me forward. Once he had taken a step to my side, opposite of Youko, the Hokage spoke once more, "Kakashi, she is going to be staying in your apartment until another can be cleaned. Do not mistreat our guest, and don't do anything irreparable."

A smile curved within the only visible eye of the man. "I have no idea what you could mean, Hokage-sama. I will show her to my apartment immediately." Kakashi turned, motioning me to follow him, yet I strayed behind. I had more I wanted to say to the old man behind the table, if only a last passing word.

"Hokage-sama," his attention diverted to me once more, "I only have one more thing to say. I know you hold your suspicions on Mizukage-sama's intentions, and my words will not change that, but I am here only in respect and to try and make amends for our rogue nin attacking your youth. My loyalties will always lie with Mei-sama, but while I am here they also lie with you. I will treat Konoha as I do my own village, nothing less." I bow my head once more to the man.

That crinkled smile appeared on his features, dancing within his eyes, and he offered a friendly nod in response. "Thank you, Sayomi-san. Your words will not be forgotten. You will be treated as one of our own as well, though I do not expect you to change your hitai-ate while you are here. Please, make this village a home as well. We will respect you as long as you give your respects to us. You are dismissed."

I, at last, turned to follow Kakashi from the room, Youko trailing behind us and giving us ample space. A pack was slung casually over my shoulders, which had been investigated at the front gate in case of foul-play, and provided the only possessions I deemed necessary to take with me along this journey. Youko had a pack over his back as well, carrying his bare necessities within and a few things I could not fit in my own luggage, though I was careful not to weigh him down. Despite the fact that the nin-fox could indeed carry more than I gave him credit for, I did not like to burden my pet, my companion.

"So tell me about yourself, Sayomi," Kakashi calmly remarked, leading me through the bright and cheerful town. He glanced over at me, offering the same smile within his visible eye, and chuckled when I return the stare.

"Kakashi-san, do not play me for a fool. I'm quite revered in my village as one of the strongest and youngest to graduate the academy. You know more about me than I could probably tell you, all from a file on the Hokage's desk," I laughed lightly, meaning no offense in my words and yet hearing my own silent threat. "I am a mystery all my own; I have done many things people do not wish to speak of and do so gladly for my village. My loyalties are pure, and my reputation is tainted by blood and carnage. I am a tool, but one whose heart lies in my country. That is all I can really tell you. Though, there are many things I have heard of you as well."

My answer did not startle him and he carried on as if my words held not a bit of harsh delay to them. "Za Youma, the demon ghost of Kirigakure no Sato... You have a reputation, and I'm sure you know just as much of me as I know of you. You seem a lot more pleasant than what I expected from one trained in the old ways of Blood Mist Village."

We arrived at a little apartment building during our speech, which lead the man to pull a key from his pocket and unlock the door. "Yes, I have been trained in the ways of the old village, but we are working to try to recreate our reputation. We still carry fierce shinobi and kunoichi, but our ideals have changed, thanks to Mei-sama. I am myself and only that, and there is not much more I can say on that issue."

The room was not a large one, a hostel-style apartment with a single bed, a desk, and a large windowsill. A plant was situated near said window, 'Mr. Ukki' scribbled across the pot with a couple of pictures including four figures in each set. One was obviously a younger Kakashi and his team, along with the legendary Yellow Flash as his sensei- which explained a lot on his reputation- and the other had the Jounin at the head of a group of three Genin. They would be my new team... A series of books lied scattered about and I picked up one of them before letting a strangled gasp escape me. What in the hell? Porn?

"You didn't strike me as the type to read smut. I suppose it makes a bit of sense, though," I snorted as I gently placed the disturbing object back upon the table. "You have a homey apartment, Kakashi-san. So, tell me about this team." I grabbed the picture nimbly and stared at the group. They looked happy, besides the boy with dark hair, and a small smile crossed my lips. I had always wanted to train Genin, yet the Mizukage always had me running out to capture rogue ninja that were detrimental to our village. This was my chance and I would prove I could do my best in training them. Perhaps if I did well here, I could take up my own team in Kiri...

"Well, we will start with Haruno Sakura." Kakashi leaned over my shoulder, pointing at the young female in the picture. "She is intelligent, one of the brightest in her year. She is still shy and weary of her strengths and has not found her place yet." He chuckled to himself, likely reliving memories with the children.

Sakura looked as the Earth did, kind in nature with a storm of a temper, and a fear was buried in her green eyes. She did not find herself worthy of this team, though I also wondered if she did not find herself worthy of one of the boys and being called their 'companion', in the childish sense of the word. She was beautiful and I knew I would need to try and bring her from that shell she was buried so deeply within. I adored children, as they had never heard the dark rumors associated with my other side or had not put my face to the name yet.

Kakashi motioned to the blonde haired boy, a goofy grin plastered across his face. "This is Uzumaki Naruto, the loud-mouth. He carries intense amounts of chakra and is a dunce when it comes to learning new jutsu." My fingers skimmed over the image of the boy as well, fleetingly so, and I shook my head.

This one had seen a great amount of trouble; I could simply feel it in my gut. He was possibly an orphan, which I would not doubt, and yet a radiance shown through this boy like no other. He had a light about him, a beauty of something more than I could have imagined, and a smile cracked my face for him. He was like the sun...

Kakashi hesitated on the last boy as my fingers played across his image on the glass. "This... is Uchiha Sasuke, one of the two survivors of his clan." The digits stopped, staring hard at the picture through now that I heard the surname. "He seeks vengeance on..."

"Uchiha Itachi," I murmured, stopping him mid-sentence with a deadpan. I avidly felt the stare at my side, though did not indulge him further. I had met this man before, a few years prior, on a recovery mission. I could only imagine the pain that was brought through Sasuke, and my heart attached for him almost immediately. He lived in hatred, a way of life that no one should ever experience, and I could see the burning desire for blood hidden in his eyes, even through a photograph.

-( Trust is a Sacred Vow )-

Flashback, Years Prior

"I told you this mission would be easy," came the quiet whisper of the red-head beside me. Mei had suspended herself within a tree, buried in the leaves, directly by my side. "I still don't understand why they sent a four-man cell on this expedition." A small growl resounded from my other side and the woman laughed. "Excuse, four-man and Youko cell..."

We shared a silent chuckle, the body of a man up ahead already burnt to a crisp and unrecognizable. We had been the lucky ones to find our high-ranking criminal, disposing of him before any rival villages could attain the secrets we held through him. Before we could celebrate further, a scream pierced the air, followed by an eerie lack of noise within our immediate area. Not even the bugs harmonized...

"Hanato, Isamu," murmured Mei, taking off in the direction ahead and followed closely by the two of us. We were at the scene of the accident in no time, taking in two figures standing loosely over the sliced-up corpses of our former teammates. "What the hell did you do?" The two figures did not answer my sibling, merely regarded her, one of which was recognizable as a sliver of moonlight entered the dark forest.

Hoshigaki Kisame, rogue nin of our village and one of the legendary swordsmen, though accompanied by a man with blazing red eyes, clearly the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan. These two were in the Bingo Book as S-ranked criminals and members of an organization named Akatsuki. Their black cloaks, adorned with red clouds, signified their allegiance and I felt a deep hatred rising in my blood. How dare these two murder our comrades...!

"They got in our way, so I took care of them," Kisame chuckled darkly, the sound gruesome and echoing within the landscape. "Mist nin, huh? And ANBU at that! Looks like my village has gotten weaker in my absence. What a shame! I expected great things of Kirigakure!" Again with the ugly laughter, followed by a growl from both Youko and Mei. I had remained silent, analyzing the situation. This would surely not end well...

"Mei, we should not engage in a fight," I whispered, not out of fear but after feeling a deep foreboding on the idea of a match. Something was about to go terribly wrong. Unfortunately, my companion did not agree with my terms and scoffed, immediately throwing herself towards the shark before her.

"I have dibs on this bastard!" With that, the fight was on. My ANBU mask shielded my face from the Sharingan, though I was careful to avoid peering into it as I began my duel with the Uchiha. Mei had already jumped into battle, and I had to engage whether I believed it sane or not. The fight was drawn out, throwing my best at the Uchiha, before I could hear a frightening noise to my left.

Mei was about to be taken down in the prime of her life and, disregarding the rules of engagement, I was at her side in a moment, blocking the shark-skin sword of Kisame with my katana. I could feel the metal cracking beneath my hands, knowing it was only a matter of time before my life would be taken as well. I would be cleaved in two with the might of his spiked blade. Right when I was about to call my summoning as a last hope, the forbidden jutsu I had attained and been ordered to never unleash again by the head of the Fox Clan himself, a voice stopped my wearied body from continuing.

"Kisame, leave them. We are being called," the Uchiha spoke- Itachi, if I recall correctly from the Bingo Book. The shark scoffed, his onslaught against my katana coming harder and deadlier, the crack spreading within my sword. He did not listen to his partner, and I began the mental words of a kinjutsu summoning for the sacrifice of my life or his to begin. If this jutsu finished and I was allowed to weave the swift signs necessary, one of us would no longer exist in this world. "Leave them."

"Fine! Remember, girly, I'll be back for you one day," Kisame growled low in his throat, his eyes meeting mine as his sword was pulled away. "We'll finish this, and I'll kill you properly." I did not crumble to the ground as I had expected, but the mass of chakra I had been collecting disperses upon ending the mental preparations, leaving me drained of all my energy. Youko had long since been knocked from the fight, lying near Mei in a heap of blood and fur. He was not badly injured, though it would take time to recover. "Knock her out Itachi."

A blaze of red eyes and I was within a world I had never seen, the colors dreary and downcast, the sky a burning blood color. Many of the Uchiha stood before me, his voice echoing in the background. "For seventy-two hours, you will experience hell. Your lives are spared for now. Be grateful." With this statement said, a katana was plunged through my arm, though the torture from that point on was not as fierce as I had expected.

When I woke, three days later as stated, my body ached yet I was informed Mei and Youko were alive and doing well. The wonder of why the Uchiha left us alive had plagued my mind for many years after that. I would never forget...

End Flashback

-( Trust is a Sacred Vow )-

"Sayomi?"

I shook my head and peered at Kakashi before noticing the grip I had on the frame of the picture. I released it hurriedly, handing the picture back to the man before sighing. I needed to rest after my trip, considering that was the only thought as to that particular memory coming forth from years of hiding. The fatigue was wearing on my limbs and it justified the strange recollection. I would need to get to know this Sasuke, albeit for my own sanity if only that.

"I need my rest, Kakashi. Please, if you will show me where you keep the spare bedding, I'll make myself a pallet on the floor." I ran my fingers shakily through my hair, ignoring the atmosphere that overwhelmed the room. I was wearied, yes that was it, and Youko had sensed it before it began.

"You may take my bed for the duration of your stay. I need to run to the store for dinner. Make yourself comfortable," he murmured back, placing a hand on my shoulder. I nearly jumped at the unwelcomed touch, though caught myself before I could utter a noise in complaint. He removed the appendage, sensing my discomfort, and backed out of the door.

"Thank you, Kakashi. I will not over stay my welcome, if it can be helped," I laughed forcefully, waiting for the door to click before changing into a set of night clothes and sprawling across the bed. "Please, do not let this stay start off like this. I need to contain whatever is to come before it happens."


Next in 'Trust is a Sacred Vow':
Sayomi could finally meet the rumored Team Seven in all their glory. From the hyperactive blonde to the sweet, rose-haired girl, she knew she would enjoy her time with them. They would become a beacon of hope in times riddled with heartache and war. But, why was she drawn to young Uchiha Sasuke more than any? What power did he hold over her when he had not even awakened his Sharingan yet?