Naruto's New Teammate


Miyo

Did I mention that Kakashi-sensei had to be dropped off at the hospital when we got back?

Kakashi-sensei was left to rest at the hospital before we made our report to Lady Tsunade. Anyway, I rejoined my old team. The twins had kind of slowed when I left – they hadn't taken the chunin exams either. Keitaro said they'd been waiting for me, isn't that sweet of them?

Then Naruto came to me. "Hey, sis, Team Kakashi needs a new teammate! You up for it?"

"Sorry, Naruto; if I hadn't just rejoined Team Yoshi, I would. But if we're going to go for the chunin exams in a couple, we need to get ourselves back in sync, and Yoshi-sensei has a new mission for us. You understand, right?"

"Oh. …It's okay, I understand."

I hated letting him down like that, but it was the only thing I could do. (By the way, I said "a couple" up there because I couldn't remember if it had been days, weeks or months.) "Just let me know who you find, okay? If it's someone I haven't met, I want to make a doll version!"

He gave me a thumbs-up. "You got it!"

I wonder who he'll find.

Actually, I followed Naruto around town a bit to get an idea of how everyone else's wardrobes had changed, so that I could update dolls. Shino was just as mysterious as ever, while Kiba had lost the jacket and was acting just a tiny bit more canine. Go figure.

It also looked like I needed to make a new Akamaru – he'd grown big!

And…Shino had gone into a sulk because Naruto recognized Kiba right away but needed almost two minutes to get him. I walked over to him. "Shino…Naruto's been through a lot in two years, go easy on him."

"And what about you? Did you recognize me?"

"Um…yes, but I'm also better at matching names to voices than Naruto, and your basic style of hiding your face and wearing a big coat hasn't changed. I just pay better attention, I guess."

A gasp got our attention. High, female…I laid a bet with myself that it was Hinata and smirked. Two years and still blushing and hiding like a schoolgirl.

Naruto startled her, if my ears were anything to go by…and then she fainted. I hid my face in my sleeve. It was embarrassing. It was also embarrassing how Naruto was begging for help from them, when Kiba had just said they had a new mission.

"I see you recognized Hinata right away, too."

Finally I walked over to Shino and slapped him. My hand hadn't had a very good impact on his face because of his layers of cloth, but I did manage to hit him. "Get over yourself already, okay? You hadn't been all that close to Naruto before he left and your wardrobe choice makes it hard to tell you from some other guy anyway! Naruto barely had a reference point to start from! At least he remembered you when he saw your bug, even if he couldn't pull your name out of the black hole he has in his head!"

While I was yelling at Shino, Naruto tried to get Hinata to come with him. Apparently, though, he chose the wrong phrasing, because she passed out again.


So we went searching for other free ninja. I was staring at my hand. "Wow. The last time I slapped someone, it was Katsuro when I tripped and he stepped on me."

Shikamaru had been put in charge of chunin exams. That was good to know.

Then Choji interrupted a good guilt-trip attempt from Naruto by bringing Shikamaru's lunch over. I stared. He'd gotten tall enough to properly carry the stomach, and his hair had gone nuts!

It looked like Naruto was going to have Choji as a new teammate, at least once they talked two high rankers into letting that happen. Suddenly, I stiffened.

At least Shikamaru was looking at me. "What's up, Miyo?"

"Huh?" Naruto looked at me.

"I…thought I sensed something."

Then ink monsters started jumping at us! Choji clobbered the first one and it turned into ink, which is how I knew what they were.

After two of them were dealt with – and no more readily appeared – we spotted the guy. It was too far for me to make a copy, but Naruto spotted the Leaf headband and Shikamaru started trying his Shadow Possession to catch the attacker, telling Naruto to go at the guy.

I stood there feeling useless; I didn't have any dolls with me except blanks!

Then more ink monsters appeared! Shikamaru dealt with them, and Naruto engaged the enemy!

"Miyo, how close do you have to be to get a copy doll detailed enough to work?"

"Um…fff…ten feet? I'm not good at judging distances…at least across-the-room space."

"Try to get that close. Hopefully we can stall him long enough to finish your copy so that you can catch him."

I bounded up to the rooftops and started leaping closer. Keep his attention, Naruto.

Finally, I reached a close enough rooftop, settled and stared hard. Male…about Naruto's age…"I've stayed indoors all my life" skin…black pants with the typical sandals…dark jacket with short sleeves, a red strap decoration on the shoulders and a zip front that only covers his chest, stopping just above his stomach…I hate adding zippers to doll clothes…black gloves, further detail on that unnecessary…short black hair with bangs draped to either side of his Leaf headband…that smile doesn't quite look natural, as if he's not used to smiling…thin eyebrows…come on, mister, open your eyes!

I couldn't make the doll right here and now – I didn't have all the needed supplies. I wished I could tell Shikamaru that.

Then he spoke. "Funny – you're pretty weak, aren't you?" His voice was like a lighter version of Neji's. I'm not even going to quote what he said next.

Naruto…didn't take it well. Either of them.

Finally, he opened his eyes when he leaped backwards and noticed Shikamaru's shadow gaining on him. Big and dark.

Then he vanished!

I ran back to Shikamaru. "Sorry, I couldn't make a doll in time. I know what he looks like, though, so I'll finish the doll at home."

I was just glad to see Ino again. I made a quick note to myself about her new outfit and ran home to complete my dolls. The stranger was first, while he was still fresh in my mind; after all, if I forgot any details about anyone else, I could always chase them down and try again to memorize their new looks.


I finished him, and Team Eight since they were leaving soon, and then I went to find Naruto again.

I still had the stranger with me. I wanted a handle to go with the weird smile.

I found him with Sakura. I landed in a tree nearby and watched them. Naruto did end up looking right at me, nodding, and moving on. It was always the funniest thing to me: no matter how dense he is in regards to other things, he always knows when I'm watching. It's like a brother-sister bond.

Then – yikes! The stranger came out! I fell out of my tree in surprise!

"Uh, hey, sis, are you okay?"

I rolled to my feet in one fluid motion that I decided to congratulate myself on later and pointed past him, trying to find that doll in my other sleeve.

At least he was calmer than Naruto. Though why he was so calm in the face of a former opponent I have no idea. Their new leader came out next, also fairly calm…though I sensed a "this'll be tougher than I thought" coming from him.

That especially became obvious when Naruto declared that this was the guy who'd attacked him…and pulled a kunai, completely ready to fight again! Plus, the stranger – still with that weird happy expression – grabbed at his sword hilt.

I was glad that their leader stepped in. And he introduced himself as Yamato, their stand-in team leader while Kakashi was in the hospital.

At least the guy apologized for earlier. He knew they were going to be teammates and wanted to test Naruto's strength.

"Well, that was pretty stupid," Naruto replied, mostly calm, while he put his kunai away. "You didn't have to go that far!"

Then the stranger insulted Naruto. Sakura kept him from flying at the guy…I helped…and Sakura told the stranger off. "You're not going to make very many friends if you talk like that."

"Well, don't write me off yet, I like everyone…including you."

Wait…that didn't come out at all flattering, mister.

Sure enough, Sakura tried to hurt him next. Yamato had to restrain her, trying to get her to follow her own advice about not picking fights from the get-go.

I sighed, stepping back from Naruto. It got the stranger's attention. "Oh? Are you coming along?"

"No. I just wanted to see who Naruto's new teammate was. And at the moment…" I cocked my head, "you have yet to impress me in any way except combatively and aesthetically."

He cocked his head back at me. "Combative I understand, but what do you mean…"

Before I answered, Yamato asked them to introduce themselves to each other.

Naruto went first, still sounding sulky.

Sakura was next, sounding equally sulky.

And finally the stranger introduced himself: "And you can call me Sai." At least now I have a handle to go with the doll.

Yamato told the three of them what their mission was. I never actually heard what the mission was, because I deliberately shunted my attention away from them. See, I suspected that Yamato was Anbu Black Ops, and he wouldn't be too keen on someone other than Team Kakashi overhearing the plan.

I took note of their meeting at the main gate in one hour. Then Sai returned his attention to me. "So what did you mean by aesthetically?"

"As long as we're trading names, I'm Miyo Diatra. And I was referring to the certain charm you have when you don't open your mouth."

Naruto started snickering, but Sai took that sally in stride. "I see."

As Naruto and Sakura ran off to get their things together for the mission, I fished in my sleeve and came up with my little copy of him. "I'm not sure you noticed me when you attacked Naruto, but I was studying you. I make doll copies of every ninja in the village in case I need to assist someone." I held out Little Sai towards him. "What do you think?"

"I saw you. As you were making no move to attack me, I ignored you." He took the little thing and studied it. Then he let out a small laugh, putting that smile back on his face, assuming it ever really fell off. "You've clearly had practice: this almost looks like it could be found in a toy store!"

Obviously he was impressed, even if he didn't have a clue how to show that. "To a craftswoman," I took the little thing back, "that's a high compliment. You'll learn."

"But…assist? With a doll? I believe you need a new strategy."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm feeling too good about your compliment to my handiwork to be insulted by that. And if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find my team." I turned and started walking away. Then I paused, connected a thread to the doll and stood him on my palm, giving it enough chakra to where it was standing on its own. Then I looked over my shoulder at him and gave the string a tug, pulling the doll off its feet backwards so it was sitting on my hand.

And Sai was tugged backwards off his feet and wound up sitting on the ground in exactly the same way.

He stared up at me in surprise, I gave him the exact same smile he gives to his team, and I truly left then, feeling like I got the upper hand in that encounter.

That wasn't very nice, Miyo.

True, but he was asking for it! I think I startled the first real emotion out of him with that move!

I didn't bother watching them leave. I needed to get ready for the Chunin Exams.