Okay everyone, here is another chapter for you. I would have liked to have updated sooner, but life tends to get in the way most of the time. You guys know how it is. The plot is finally starting to come along in this story, but I'm still not sure exactly where I'm going with this. My writing tends to be better when I just write what comes to me, and not plan ahead. I will mention though, there is another time skip coming soon. You will notice some events from Shippuden, but I'm going to change quite a few things, to fit the flow of this story. So, as I said before, updates will probably be slow, but this story will not be abandoned again.
-x-
It was dark outside, the stars shining brightly down on the city of Konoha. Kakashi lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Today had been a very interesting day, and his mind was racing. With Amethyst's return, his new genin team, and the meeting with the Hokage, sleep was eluding him.
Amethyst. She had changed a lot. In some ways good, in others, not so much. She seemed to be more reserved, more guarded than she used to be. Jaded. It seemed life had hardened her to everything. Considering the hell she had been put through over the last five years, he couldn't say that he blamed her.
She was still beautiful. Stunning. She had matured into a beautiful young woman. Most men would look over her stunning looks though, because of her hard exterior. She would intimidate them. It was a shame really.
His genin team. They definitely have promise. Especially the Uchiha, if he could keep him on the right path. That boy was walking a dangerous line. He was afraid he was going to fall into the darkness, like his brother.
Naruto had some untapped power as well. The academy instructors said he really didn't have much promise, but he was good at reading underneath the underneath. That boy would be powerful someday. Probably more powerful than his father. He would end up surpassing all of them one day, he just knew it.
Sakura. She definitely didn't look like much, but her chakra control was extraordinary. If she could just concentrate on her training instead of following Sasuke around, he would have a formidable kuinochi on his hands. His team would be formidable one day.
The thing that weighed on his mind the most, was the meeting with the Hokage. The things he had said he had to do, there was no name for it. When he had said the Matsuishi clan was barbaric, he hadn't been giving them due credit. Emiri had been spared from those atrocities, and he was glad. She never would have been able to make it out alive. The grief alone would have killed her. The bijuu was another matter as well. They would eventually come after Naruto. The only question was when. They had to make sure he was protected, and prepared for the day they would eventually make their move.
What he couldn't understand though, is why they would be after Amethyst. He wasn't sure what her blood line limit was, but could it be that important to the Akatsuki? If they wanted a blood line limit, why not target the Hyugaa, or Uchiha? Minato wasn't telling them something. He would have to investigate the matter. Since he was going to be involved, he wanted all the facts. Withholding important information like this could get a shinobi killed. He hadn't lived this long, or become as famous as he was in the shinobi world, by being stupid. He had learned a long time ago to always look underneath the underneath. There was something going on here that Minato, and possibly Amethyst didn't want them to know.
The only question though was, what?
-x-
The stars where shining brightly tonight. It was warm, and peaceful. She had missed this. The peaceful tranquility that being in Konoha brought to a person. Amethyst sat on the swings outside of the academy, enjoying the beauty of this summer night. She had graduated from the academy at a young age. Younger than most. Many had referred to her as a prodigy, like Hatake Kakashi.
Hatake Kakashi, she thought with a smile. She would have given anything back in her youth to have had his sights set on her. Back then, Rin had been the only girl he had had any association with it. It wasn't from lack of attention from the opposite sex, though. Fan girls where always swarming him, even going so far as to fight each other for his attention. She had never been part of his fan girl entourage. She had been content to like him from afar.
Those days where over though. She wasn't that same girl. Kakashi probably wouldn't want anything to do with her now, if he ever did in the first place. She was too withdrawn now. She didn't even know if she could return his affections, if he even had them for her in the first place.
She highly doubted that.
She stood, and began to walk, leaving the academy playground behind. She had no particular destination in mind. She really just needed to clear her mind, sort all these scattered thoughts running though her head.
Suddenly she paused. Her senses were tingling. Somebody was following her. She smirked, and kept on walking. If they thought to catch her off guard, then they defiantly had a surprise in store for them. She wasn't easily caught off guard. All of her training had guaranteed that. Although, the presence did feel familiar, but she couldn't place who it was.
Might as well have some fun, she smirked. She turned a corner, then disappeared in a shower of black petals. All trace of her gone.
-x-
He couldn't believe this. She had just disappeared. Not even his dogs could catch a trace of her. She must be on to him. Toying with him.
How could she have known though? He wasn't an elite ninja for anything. He was one of the best trackers around, his dogs just as good as any of the Inuzuka's animals. How in the hell had she known?
He wouldn't have any more time to ponder on it though, because his instincts kicked in to overdrive, making him jump back just in time to avoid a kunai aimed straight for his head. She had found him with ease.
Looked like the game was on.
He jumped across the rooftops, trying to circle around and cover his tracks as best he could while trying to avoid being caught. She was good though, but he should have expected as much. She had been trained by Minato, the Fourth Hokage. He laughed to himself. Looks like he would have to pull out all the stops. No holding back. She would probably be really pissed if she found out he had been holding back on her. She was an elite ninja, just as he was. She deserved everything he had.
So he'd give it to her. This was defiantly going to be an interesting experience to say the least.
-x-
She couldn't remember the last time she had had this much fun. The thrill of the chase. It was exhilarating, and just what she had needed.
He was defiantly giving her a run for her money. He had been holding back at first, but that wasn't the case anymore. He was starting to take her seriously. She still hadn't figured out how she had been chasing him, then she had ended up the one being chased.
She disappeared in a flurry of black petals, and reappeared in front of the Hokage Monument. She had to think of something fast. He was sure to be hot on her heels.
Too late, she thought as she spun around to see Kakashi appear out of nowhere.
They stared at each other, neither one saying anything. Both waiting for the other to make the first move.
"So, while where here, mind telling me what you're doing following me around the village in the middle of the night?" Amethyst smirked. If she couldn't out run him, then she would have to outwit him instead.
Kakashi gave her his signature eye crinkle. She was up to something. If he wanted to find out, he'd have to play along with her little game. Little did she know, he was a master at games of the mind. "I may have a few questions for you. Something about your whole situation seems…suspicious I guess is the right word."
So that's what he's after. I won't give my secrets up that easily Kakashi.
"You could have just asked, although, just because you ask doesn't mean that I'll answer." She couldn't understand what more he wanted to know. Minato had told everyone almost everything, and she had begged him not to say what he had. Needless to say it hadn't worked. She had to agree with him begrudgingly though, they had to know some things. If they were kept totally in the dark, it could have got them killed when Akatsuki finally decide to make their appearance known.
Kakashi relaxed his stance somewhat. He didn't come here to play games with her anyway. "Alright. I can understand why the Akatsuki would be after the jinchuriku, but what I don't understand is why you? What could you possibly have that they would want?"
So that's what he's after, Amethyst thought as she also relaxed her stance. It was going to come out eventually she supposed. "Why do you want to know?"
Kakashi sighed and shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. "I've been a ninja for a long time. Withholding information like this tends to get people killed, and I personally don't want anyone to get hurt over something that could have been avoided if we had just known everything."
She sighed, and turned her head to look up into the night sky. The stars where shinning so brightly tonight. Illuminating everything they touched. She wished she could become one of those stars, and just get away from all of this. From everything out there.
Sometimes she wondered if she would have been better off if she had just died that night.
It hadn't been meant to be though. She was here, in the now. The only thing she could do is play the cards she had been giving, and hoped she come out the winner in the long run.
"The Akatsuki are after my kekkai genkai, seeing as how I'm the only one in the entire five nations from my clan who even has it. As Minato said, it's passed down to the first born of every family. Seeing as how I and Emiri are the only ones left…"
He waited for her to finish. She was struggling with all of this. He wished he could help her. Take away all of her pain and suffering. If only she knew how long he had watched her from afar in their academy days. He had always held a certain interest in her, considering she was one of the only girls who wasn't a part of his fan girl entourage. If he could go back, there was so much he would have changed. That past was over though, long gone. What's done is done. They couldn't only move on, and hope for a better future.
"Go on," he encouraged her.
"My kekkai genkai is very special. As far as I know there isn't another one even remotely like it. It would also serve the purpose of the Akatsuki greatly, if they could get their hands on it. The Akatsuki aren't after the jinchuriku, they want the tailed beast chakra that lives inside them."
Kakashi was very confused. He didn't understand where she was going with all of this. "Okay, that still doesn't explain why they would want you. What does those taking the tailed beast chakra have anything to do with you?"
Amethyst laughed, darkness clouding her thoughts. There was no humor in her voice or on her face. "I have the ability to steal chakra Kakashi. That's my kekkai genkai, and that's why the Akatsuki is after me."
-x-
I didn't think that I would ever get this chapter done. This semester of school is finally over, thank god. So I should have more time to write, so updates should be pretty steady until I go back to school. Please review my lovely readers, and let me know what you think. Your criticism is most welcome and appreciated.
Sesshy Demon