Hey everyone. Sorry for not updating as quickly but you know duty calls. I did want to remind you all that I'm not following the story line of the anime much, but there will be some mentioning on where they are in the anime. It will be clearer in this chapter. You'll also get to see a bit of Chieko's fighting style :D. Anyways hope you enjoy! Remember reviews are welcomed!
Chapter 7: Time Keeper
"So then we had to go and rescue them but we had to split up. I was stuck with a dog boy and man did they wreak. I mean they smelled like actual dog. Can you believe that? So any ways when I got there he was on the verge of death, but with…"
Chieko was losing her patience. She was coming to the conclusion that he loved to hear the sound of his own voice. He just yapped and yapped. He was supposed to inform her of the people and customs. But all he was talking about was missions where he and his siblings were asked to help the leaf and vice versa.
Chieko was excited and nervous. She'd never been to another village than Iwagakure, where she took the chunin exams, and Kirigakure, where she killed her parents. Any other mission requiring her to leave the village was either to the capital of the Wind Country or Kirigakure. Gaara said it was her job to keep the histories safe, others could keep the village safe in her place. Although sometimes it irked her that others went on far off missions, she did as she was told.
"After everyone was back in the village, it was determined that the mission was a failure, so basically- uh, Chieko? What's up?" Chieko was crouched on a tree branch a few meters back. He went back to meet her.
"Kankuro, we've been followed." Chieko whispered.
"What? What are you saying-?" Kankuro began loudly.
"SHHH you idiot!" Chieko scolded. She closed her eyes.
'We're a few hours from the leaf village. We don't know if this is friend or foe. They've been following us since we entered the land of fire. They look pretty depleted of chakra, so I don't think they'll be attacking soon, but they stopped when we stopped, so they know we know. If they're enemies of the leaf and we keep going, we might be leading to their target. But- Shit!'
"Kankuro, get ready."
"What really?"
"Yes. Get ready." Her voice was commanding, like a squad leaders. "It's a group of 8."
"That's probably two squads. Let's lay low until we see who it is."
"I don't think they'll wait Kankuro."
"Cha! Take this!"
"Chieko, Move!" Kankuro said. Chieko stood her ground to see a girl with pink hair coming her way ready to punch her to the ground. She put her hands in front of her and managed to stop the pink haired girls' attack, which seemed to surprise her, because the girl was frozen mid-air and was barely touching her.
"What?!"
"Ninja art: Time stop jutsu." Chieko pushed her hands against the other girl's hand and the pink haired girl went flying back.
"Choji!" Yelled a guy with a spikey pony tail.
"Partial expansion jutsu!"
"Ninja art time transfer jutsu!" The leaves in the trees gathered in front of her and repelled the attack. She then appeared behind a boy who was drawing on a scroll.
"What? When did-" Chieko placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Time spli-"
"Chieko! Stop!" Kankuro jumped back down to stand with her. "They're friends."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah." Kankuro looked back at the group and bowed slightly.
"I apologize for the attack. My teammate here didn't know who you were."
"No, it's fine Kankuro, we didn't know who you were, so we followed you. It's expected from a shinobi to attack when tracked." A man with grey hair spoke up. Kankuro raised his head and smirked at the group. A boy with bright blond hair pointed an accusing finger at Chieko.
"Hey wait a second what's Hinata doing with Kankuro?! Hinata I thought we were friends!"
"You idiot!" The girl from before punched the boy on the head. "Look at her eyes you dimwit! Hinata has white eyes! This one had color in them!"
"Ouch! Sakura that hurt!"
'Sakura?...'
The pink haired girl looked back at them. "Sorry about that. I wouldn't've attacked if I knew you were friendly. I didn't recognize your chakra."
"O-oh no please it was my fault. I've been on high alert since I left the sand Miss Sakura." Chieko said waving her hands in front of her. 'Damn it Chieko. You would go around bashing the person you'd be working with!'
"Oh please Sakura's just fine." Sakura introduced everyone to her. Chieko found this odd. In Sunagakure, you don't introduce your entire team at first sight of them.
"Now that we're all acquainted, let's head back to the village. Some of us may need medical treatment." Kakashi said. Everyone headed back, with Kankuro and Chieko behind them.
"Hey, I didn't know you knew the Sand village's Time Keeper techniques."
"No one does." Not many people knew about the Sand's Time Keeper Jutsu, let alone knew how to use it.
"When'd you lean it?"
"When I became a chunin. Comes in handy when I'm writing the documents for the village."
"Yeah, but I didn't know you could use it in battle either."
"Well it is a jutsu that uses wind and earth natured chakra."
"So it's a kekkei genkai?"
"No because I was born with just wind natured chakra. I learned earth nature after the chunin exams. To master the Time Keeper techniques you have to be born with wind nature and develop earth nature. Since earth is usually an offensive nature and wind is usually defensive, you have to learn how to use both natures in unison to the molecular level. You learn to stop time or make it seem like it speeds up."
"So it's nothing like the sharingan."
Kankuro and Chieko looked to their left and saw Kakashi next to them.
"No, it's not. The sharingan allows you to foresee other's movements and let you send people's minds to another dimension. The Time Keeper's Techniques let you alter time in front of your enemy and is classified as a ninjutsu rather than a genjutsu." Chieko replied.
"But who'd you learn it from?"
"Kankuro, I work in the historical department of the research division and have access to every single scroll in the facility."
"Oh yeah, right. So Kakashi, what mission did you all come from. Seems like a big one if you have an 8 man team."
Everyone was silent for a moment before Shikamaru answered.
"We went after two from the Akatsuki. Our side won. That body bag is one of the dead Akatsuki members that Tsunade wants analyzed."
"Shouldn't Sarutobi Asuma be with you all? Where's he?"
"… He… died in a previous run in we had with them."
"Oh, I see." There wasn't much talk after that until they reached the village gates. Kankuro and Chieko had to sign in first and then went to Tsunade's office with the rest of the group. They were going to wait outside for the other group to finish, but Tsunade wanted the two of them inside as well since this concerned the Akatsuki.
"Kankuro, Miss Chieko, please stay along with Shikamaru and Sakura, everyone else, dismissed."
The four stayed.
"I hope your travel wasn't so troublesome?"
"Not at all, a minor misunderstanding but it was quickly resolved." Kankuro replied.
"I see." Tsunade turned her gaze to Chieko. "You look… familiar for some reason. Tell me, who are your parents."
"Um well-"
"She's an orphan, she never knew her parents." Kankuro intervened.
"I see. I'm sorry."
"It's fine Lady Hokage."
"Well, In any case, you'll be finishing your research here I suppose?"
"Yes. We just have to tie up some lose ends from our research in the sand. We came to speak to the only other known person to have fought him before he died." Chieko responded.
"Sakura."
"Milady."
"These two are helping us finish research on the Akatsuki member Sasori. You'll be helping them with whatever they need." She turned to the two from the Sand. "I trust you've brought your research as well."
"Aw man I totally-" Kankuro began, but was stopped by Chieko.
"Yes." She made some hand signs
"Recovery Jutsu." On Tsunade's desk materialized five scrolls with the same ties Kankuro had seen on the ones he'd helped her carry to the office that day. Tsunade stood baffled.
"You're a Time Keeper."
"Excuse me Lady Hokage, but what's this whole Time Keeper thing all about? I've never heard of it." Asked Shikamaru.
"The Time Keepers are a selected few Sand Shinobi that are born with wind natured chakra and developed earth nature. They learn to focus their chakra to a lever so molecular that they don't even have to use a transportation jutsu to carry objects around." Tsunade began.
"We also use the technique in battle, altering an opponents' attack whether it be slowing it down or quickly transporting ourselves to another location, like a teleportation jutsu. We can also use objects around us as shields or weapons." Chieko finished.
"But what's so special about you guys?"
"Well, for one, the Kazekage is the one who allows you to learn the technique. Also, only a selected few can know it. That's all I'm allowed to say Sir Shikamaru."
"Oh no please Shikamaru is just fine. But anyways, why am I here?"
"You'll be their guide during their stay of course. You'll also be helping them get information on any other topics they need to do research on. I'm sure you and Sakura will slow them the best Konoha has to offer as they do their job."
"Yes Ma'am." The two said in unison.
"Anyways. Kankuro, Chieko, you must have had a very long journey, I'm sure you two would like to rest before you begin your work. I've arranged for you to stay in the visiting quarters not far from where you'll be conducting your research."
"Thank you Lady Hoka-"
"Actually, I'd like to start now if it isn't too much trouble." Chieko stated. Kankuro looked at her shocked, but understood what her move was: she just wanted to get back home ASAP. Right now, because no one knew her, she felt like a circus monkey on display.
"Chieko, I'm in charge of the mission and I say we rest before we begin."
She sighed. "Very well."
"Now that that's settled, Shikamaru, Sakura, please escort them to where they'll be staying. Dismissed."
The four left their office and on their way to the visiting quarters. Sakura eyed Chieko for a while before Chieko looked back at her.
"Is there a problem Mi- Sakura?"
"Huh? Oh uh no not at all. It's just, you, you look like you never go out much."
"She doesn't get out much. Plus, not like all those layers she wears allow her to get a tan anyways. Pretty sure she's gonna stay that way no matter how long we stay here." Kankuro informed.
"Just how long are you guys gonna be here for?" Shikamaru asked.
"Until we finish our research. Who knows how long that's gonna take."
"What a drag, so you guys are gonna be my problem until you leave."
"I won't be the one you'll be worrying about. Ms. Two-left-feet here is gonna be the problem." Kankuro pointed at Chieko, who on cue tripped on the road. Sakura caught her on time before she fell face first.
"Thank you, Sakura."
"Any time. Well, you two are staying long enough for the festival right?"
"Festival?" Kankuro and Chieko said in unison.
"It's a drag, but Lady Tsunade's anniversary as Hokage is coming up. The village is celebrating it. It's supposed to be in a month."
"Who knows. We'll be here until we finish, so maybe we will be here on time. But we don't have anything for a festivals so-"
"Kankuro with shinobi like them we might be finished in less than a month. I don't think it's wise to."
"Aw come on Chieko live a little. We've been working our asses off for over two months. I think we can afford one night to just chill out."
"I really don't think that-"
"Gaara won't mind us staying a bit longer for the festival, so we'll enjoy ourselves, think of it as a thank you for our hard work."
Chieko sighed. There was no winning with him. Sakura's face lit up.
"That's great! I know we're all gonna get along just find Miss Chieko."
"Chieko will do Sakura."
They made it to the visitor's quarters and were given a key to where they'd be staying. They went up 4 flights of stairs and entered their assigned door. The place was very spacious, you wouldn't expect to find a place this big in an apartment complex. There was a hallway at the entrance that led to a spacious living room and kitchen with a sliding glass door that led to a balcony outside. To the right. To the left was a small corridor.
"On the left you'll find two bedrooms with their own bathrooms." Sakura informed.
'At least I can be away for him in there.' Chieko thought.
"I don't know what your plans are for dinner, but the kitchen is stocked with food and things to cook."
"I think we'll be eating in tonight, Chieko's had a huge culture shock already."
"Great. Lady Tsunade told be we'd be working at the research facility in the village. It's not far from here. It's by the Hokage faces. The scrolls you brought will be there in the morning."
"Scrolls? Damn! I have to go back to her office!" Chieko exclaimed. She made some hand signs and disappeared.
"What's her deal?" Shikamaru asked.
"She's a little… weird. Those scrolls only open when she unties them."
"Isn't it a big risk letting someone that important out of your village? I mean, if someone were to capture her, they could cast a genjutsu on her and get all the Sand's information."
"That's what I'm around for, to make sure that doesn't happen. And to liven up the research a bit."
"She's very secretive, isn't she?" Sakura asked
"She didn't have the best upbringing and she's the subject of a lot of pranks, and she's a klutz, but she's alright. Gaara said she just needs to be around good people."
"So this is like a mission within a mission. Research on a guy while getting her to not be such an anti-social person." Shikamaru concluded.
"Yup, but she doesn't know that so keep it between us. Ever since Gaara became Kazekage, he's been very observant of the people in his village. If they're not happy, the village suffers. He's bringing the village out of the darkness it once lived in. This is just a small token of that plan."
"Well, she'll have no problem making friends here."
"Yea, just don't come here if she's in here alone."
"Why?"
"She'll slam the door in your face and make you wait a while before coming inside."
"What a drag. Well, I'll come by in the morning to take you guys to the facility. Sakura will already be there. I'm dead tired. I need some rest."
"I have to get to the hospital and take a look at Naruto's injuries. She you guys in the morning."
"Sure."
In the Hokage's office, Tsunade and Shizune were having a difficult time opening the scrolls.
"Milady, I don't think brute force will open it."
"Well it has to work! We've been at it for an hour! I- I think I can feel it loosening!"
Chieko appeared at that moment.
"Lady Hokage! Brute strength isn't going to remove the tie! Please stop before you hurt yourself!" She said nervously. Tsunade stopped tugging at the scroll and looked at her.
"Then what will?"
Chieko tapped the knot of the scroll and untied it.
"It's meant to open only for specific people."
"Impressive. As expected for the Sand village."
"Thank you Lady Hokage." Chieko walked out of the room. Tsunade kept her eye on the door.
"Lady Tsunade?"
"Shizune. Write a letter to the Kazekage asking him about Chieko. There's something about her I can't pinpoint. She reminds me of someone."
"Right away Lady Tsunade."
