The Past Catches Up

Author's Note: This is a short chapter... but I've been working on chapter 10 already. This is just something like an intro, that's why it's so sloppy... heheh. Thanks to those who have continued appreciating this story!

Chapter 9: I'll Do It My Way

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On their way to meet their new teacher, Konohamaru, Moegi ang Udon passed by the famous ramen stall. Moegi's eyes widened excitedly when green hair caught her attention. "Look! It's Mitsuri-sensei! Senseeeiii!!!"

Mitsuri turned her head and smiled hugely at the students she missed so much. "Moegi! Hey you guys!" She jumped up from her stool, ignoring her garlic chili ramen for a while.

"Sensei! Come back to us, ne!" Moegi told her. "The new teacher didn't show up yesterday, so we went to Hokage-sama. She said the new teacher will meet us today." The orange-haired girl sighed.

"The new teacher will probably suck," Konohamaru grumbled.

I hope not, Mitsuri thought. Oh my precious students! "Well, not everybody can be like me!"

"You suck, too, sensei," Konohamaru said, sticking out his tongue, then hiding behind Moegi for safety. Mitsuri glared at him, but she didn't say anything.

"Ne, Mitsuri-sensei... Are you going to teach us again?" Udon asked.

"When Orochimaru stops bugging me, I'll handle your training again," Mitsuri assured him.

"What about Sasuke-sensei?" Moegi wanted to know. She had a little crush on their mysterious teacher, but she also wanted to see the two teachers together. They were both interesting.

Mitsuri shrugged. "I'm not sure about him." Her expression was cheerful, but she felt a little sad at the mention of Sasuke. She wondered when things would go back to normal. She blushed when she remembered what happened yesterday. Horrible. He was horribly cold to me. I didn't know he was capable of that.

"Eh? You're turning red," Konohamaru said loudly. "I bet you're thinking about that couch and how you—"

"Don't be stupid!" Mitsuri cut him off harshly. Then seeing Konohamaru's surprised face, she quickly amended, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so angry. But seriously, let's forget about what you saw. I wasn't thinking about that at all." Those good old days. It seemed like such a long time ago, and it felt, to Mitsuri, a dream she had finally woken up from.

"What's wrong, sensei?" Moegi looked at her worriedly. She had never seen Mitsuri so truly angry before, and she decided there must be a reason for her outburst. A really heavy reason.

"Nothing, nothing," their former teacher replied, waving her hands and smiling. "Oi, you kids better go meet your sensei. I hear she had the same teacher I had, so I'm pretty sure she'll be good. Now go!" She nudged them to the direction of the training field and went back to eating her ramen.

"See you!" Team Eight waved goodbye and left.

As soon as they were out of sight, Mitsuri quickly finished her food and sat there for a good long time, watching the cook do his work.

"Mitsuri."

Mitsuri glanced at the owner of the voice. When she saw who it was, her heart leaped. "Fusubi!"

"Hi." Fusubi raised a hand in greeting.

"You're back!" Mitsuri stood up and faced her old teammate. "I missed you! I really did."

At that, Fusubi smiled and gave the girl a rough hug. "I'm sorry I had to leave right away. It was an S-rank mission. I was going to decline it, but Tsunade said it was a good way to keep me from worrying about you. It didn't work." His eyes twinkled as he held Mitsuri's right hand. "Let's take a walk."

Something about Fusubi's being there refreshed Mitsuri. His presence was a comfort, a comfort she sorely needed. They headed for the wooded area of the village, seeking to bask in the richness of nature. "I'm glad you're here, Fusubi."

"So am I..." He tightened his hold on her hand and looked at her face. "Are you OK, now?"

The genuine concern he showed made Mitsuri's lip quiver. She wanted to bawl like a child, but she couldn't stand how weak she had been lately, so she willed herself to stay calm. She didn't smile, but she didn't cry either. "Yeah, I'm OK. Thanks for asking."

"I see." He continued looking at her for a moment, then he looked away. They had stopped walking, but now he tugged at her hand and went on walking with Mitsuri following along.

"Say, why don't we go see Junko?"

"That's a good idea. But perhaps she's busy. She's holding classes at the Medical Academy, isn't she?"

Mitsuri grinned. "Then I'll have you for myself today."

"Mitsuri."

"Hm?"

"I can see you're physically OK. I'm glad. And I'm still amazed at your being a Keiko, but there are other things I'd rather ask you about." Fusubi's grey eyes were looking ahead, but his back seemed so intimidating to Mitsuri that she freed her hand from his and stopped walking.

"What things?"

Now those grey eyes were staring straight into hers. If he had known the effect they had on Mitsuri, he would have looked somewhere else to spare her the vexation. "I can tell something's bothering you."

Those eyes... I feel... he can see right through me. Mitsuri took a deep breath. "Yes, something's bothering me. Many things, in fact."

He waited for her to tell him about it, but when she didn't, he shrugged and smiled again. The seriousness quickly evaporated, and Mitsuri felt released. "By the way, Mitsu-chan, I heard from Tsunade-sama that Orochimaru is after your abilities."

"That's true. Gosh, Fusubi... Orochimaru looks so cool in person."

Fusubi laughed. "That's something you would say."

"If he wasn't a villain, I'd be one of his fans, for sure. I'm a bit flattered that he thinks I'm all that," Mitsuri said with a big grin. "I wonder when he'll show up again. His companion seems OK enough, but too slow." She laughed at her own fullness of herself and grabbed Fusubi's arm. "Let's go see Kakashi! His team's on their first independent mission today, so he's probably home."

"All right, it would be good to see him again."

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Kisame cleared his throat. "I'm getting a little restless."

His voice seemed to have disturbed the black-haired man nearby. "Just wait, fool."

"I can't seem to wait till next week," Kisame muttered. His destructive nature was surfacing, and he wanted to do something. Like wreak havoc. He was smart, but waiting, to him, was a waste of time.

"Just wait."

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"Where's that book?" Kakashi asked himself. He was looking for the first volume of Icha Icha Paradise, but he couldn't remember where he last placed it. He opened his drawers from top to bottom until he came upon a really old desk that he had stopped using a long time ago. I might have tossed the book in there. He opened the desk drawer and searched through the scattered papers. Suddenly, he stopped. In his hand he held an old picture.

A knock on the door prevented him from delving more into the past. He opened the door and found two of his old students standing there. "Oi, Fusubi, it's been a long time."

"That's right, that's right!" Mitsuri dragged poor Fusubi into the room and pushed him, forcing him to sit on the couch. "Ne, Kakashi! You don't look too happy to see us."

"I've seen enough of you to last me a lifetime. Fusubi I can handle, but you..." He shook his head and pretended to be in distress. His acting was met by Mitsuri's ready fist. Fusubi laughed at both of them.

The three of them spent the rest of the day talking about the past, recalling all the trouble they got into, and which ones they barely got out of. When night fell, Fusubi told the others he had to go. He had another mission for the next day, and he wanted to rest.

"Maa, so many missions. You sure are wanted, Fusubi."

"So are you, Mitsu-chan. You're just too lazy to accept any."

"True. All right, go on ahead." She walked him out the door. "I'll sleep here for tonight. When will I see you again?"

"Next week, maybe."

In a more serious tone, Mitsuri gave Fusubi a smile. "Thanks for everything, Fusubi. Thanks for choosing to see me."

"It was what I wanted most," Fusubi replied, patting her head. He turned and left, taking his time as he headed for home. Home... Mitsuri is my home. She's the reason I return from every mission. I hope she understands that.

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Kakashi got out some of Mitsuri's old clothes from his closet and handed them to her. "Get ready for bed."

"You treat me like I'm a little child," Mitsuri told him crossly. She grabbed her clothes and went to the bathroom to change. When she got out, Kakashi was sitting on the couch.

"Come, Mitsuri," he said. "I'll show you something."

She walked over and sat beside him. "What?"

He held up a small square picture and showed it to her. He watched her face as she took the picture and stared at it.

"Who is this? She looks... a little like me." She had asked the question, but deep within her, she knew who it was. She couldn't stop looking at the young woman's face in the picture.

"Oko. Your aneki." And he told her a few stories about her sister. Only a few, because it was painful for both of them. Kakashi, losing what he had, and Mitsuri, losing what she could have had.

That night Mitsuri fell asleep holding the picture in her hand.

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The next morning, Mitsuri went to see the Hokage for a mission. She had decided that waiting for Orochimaru to strike was not a worthwhile occupation, so she stepped up to Tsunade and demanded that she be given a mission.

"That's a surprise," Tsunade said wryly. "I thought you were going to spend the rest of your life lazing about."

"Hurmph."

"Anyway, you came at just the right time. I've a mission that would need mind-reading ability."

When Mitsuri heard those words, her lips tightened. "I'm not doing it. Well... I could, but I won't be using any bloodline limit."

"Why? Don't be unreasonable, Mitsuri. This is something the village needs."

"As I said, I can do it, but without clan-got abilities."

Tsunade sighed. "It's a hard mission."

"You don't trust me?"

"I do, I suppose. Are you trying to prove something?"

Mitsuri slammed a hand on the Hokage's desk. "Yes."

"What?"

"What?" With her hand still on the desk, Mitsuri looked at Tsunade with such fierce intensity that the Hokage squirmed in her seat. "That I can do it my way."

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Author's Note: The next chapter will hold action, so it might take some time to finish. Hope you enjoyed this one. :) .