Espewen- I should probably start posting more of Sakura and Ino's story...but I'm on a roll with this one, so I'm gonna keep going until I get writer's block. Also, the chapters have finally hit double digits! Yay!...? Enjoy the chapter!
-Chapter 10 ~ Series of Confusing Events-
(Pooriin Chatora)
(Her worst night ever)
(One of Team Masque's cars)
"It's a shockwave!" Hinata gasped, and I could hear panic in her voice, "Hide!"
A shockwave? I thought to myself, sitting up straighter in my seat, How did she-
"There's no time for me and Hinata," Michiko said grimly, reaching up to touch the roof of the car, "You can run."
When Matter closed her eyes, I realized exactly what she was doing.
"You're crazy!" I yelled, slapping my face's mask on before snatching an energy drink from the cooler, "Like I'm gonna leave you, you crazy person!"
There was a moment where all you could hear was me opening the drink and popping a straw in at super speed, yelling that last sentence at Michiko as I did so. I was the only one moving; Hinata was frozen and Michiko was concentrating.
Then a loud WHAM! was heard, like something heavy was thrown against a brick wall, and the car shuddered violently. I think my mind went blank for a few seconds.
...but Michiko had done it! The car was rock solid, and the shockwave hadn't hurt any of us. My brother's car wasn't even dented.
"Make her drink this!" I urged Hinata, shoving the energy drink into her hands.
I stepped out of the car and sprinted up the side of a building, hoping to see what was attacking us. I was worried about my friends, but I was fairly certain Michiko would be smart for the rest of the night. I could trust that Michiko would only harden our entire car if she saw a shockwave coming, to save her energy. I also knew that for the rest of tonight's patrol, she would be drinking caffeine and sugar like no tomorrow (well, technically, there would be no tomorrow for her, if she didn't chug down).
When I got to the top of the building, I heard another clap. I looked towards the source of the sound, and wasn't that surprised to see a smaller shockwave angled toward me.
Great. Someone's aiming at me, I thought, running out of the wave's way, And it looks like they're behind that dumpster across the street.
I sped down the building's fire escape and took the long way across the street. I wanted to sneak up on our attacker.
Another big wave hit the car; there was a thud, but again, no damage. I knew I had to hurry; Michiko wasn't going to last long, at this rate.
A boy about our age ran out from behind the dumpster. I couldn't see his face, because he had a hoodie and those big, aviator sunglasses on, but that wasn't what I was concerned about. He looked like he was trying to get to the car.
You're trying to race me to the car? Seriously? I couldn't help but laugh a little, on the inside. I'm not arrogant, but seriously, my name is Speedy. Speedy!
I let him get maybe halfway. You know how when you're racing someone, and you think it's gonna be really hard, but then it turns out they can't catch up to you? And then you slow down for a second, because you think, "Hey, I'm doing this!" Yeah. Mystery shockwave boy did that.
And then I ran out and kicked his legs out from under him, knocking him down to the ground.
Seem like a low blow, to you? The guy was going to attack my friends, one of which could keel over and die from lack of energy, and the other who still wasn't strong enough to go solo yet. I don't think what I did was low.
"You should've stayed hidden," I couldn't help but say, looking down at the guy.
He wasn't actually that young, now that I saw him up close. I started to think he might actually be a year or so older than me and my friends.
"Now let's see who you are."
Still moving as a blur, I snatched off his sunglasses and pulled down his hood. If he somehow managed to get away, I wanted to be able to recognize his face and find him again.
And guess what I saw?
The guy had pale, pale eyes. Just like our Hinata.
I only hesitated for a second, but for me, that's a long time. And for him, that was all he needed.
I've been kicked in the stomach before. By a guy with steel-toed boots, even. It isn't fun, and I try to avoid it whenever possible, but if I get kicked, I can usually take it.
But I have never been knocked across a street, before.
So, when that guy's kick hit me hard enough to make me fly off my feet and into a brick wall about 10 feet behind me, I was surprised. ...it had felt like a shockwave from his foot had hit my stomach.
All of Team Masque uses our abilities for a reason. Shikamaru, Temari and I fought because we needed to believe that we could do some good for our cities. Michiko fights because she hates when people get hurt. Deniizu says she fights for the high she gets off of it, but I always see her angriest when she notices someone helpless being attacked. Personally, I think those are all good reasons.
So, when I saw that the guy had a special ability, and he was using it to be a thug, I got really, really mad.
I was a little stunned from crashing into a wall, but I quickly recovered and was on my feet again. In the back of my mind, I knew that there was something familiar about that guy, but I had just hit my head, and I was upset; I wasn't my usual self. So, I didn't think much of it. The boy was already up and heading towards the car; he must have thought I was finished.
"Stay back!" I heard Michiko yell.
She did not sound good.
Running as fast as I could, I soon caught up to the boy, and tackled him to the ground. Somehow, he managed to throw me off and roll over, but I was sitting on his chest in an instant, with my fist raised.
Again, the back of my mind buzzed that something was familiar about this boy. So, I hesitated again. But I still took aim at his nose.
"DON'T DO IT!"
Hinata had screamed so loudly, I was startled into stopping. Hinata was always so quiet...
Our attacker was surprised, too. He stopped glaring at me and craned his neck to look towards the car. Hinata had actually gotten out of the car, and had taken a couple stops toward the white-eyed boy and I. It was weird; I noticed that she was wearing her mask, remembering our team's rules about our disguises. Michiko was just stepping out of the other side of the car, also wearing her mask, and she didn't look happy.
"What're you doing?" Michiko asked Hinata sharply. At her angle, she couldn't see the boy's face.
"Get back in the car, Vision, this guy's dangerous," I added, raising my fist again.
"Don't tell her what to do!" the boy said angrily.
"Oh, and I suppose you should?" I scoffed, turning back to him, "Who do you..." my voice trailed off when I got a good look at his face. Slowly, I was getting my mind back, "Oh..."
"You didn't r-recognize him?" Hinata stammered; she had her mask on, so I couldn't see her face, but I had a feeling she was giving me either a surprised or disappointed look.
"Why? Who is h-" Michiko stumbled around the car to stand on Hinata's side, then she slapped a palm to her forehead when she saw who our attacker was, "Ooooh, boy..."
It was Neji! Neji Hyuuga, just as angry as that time we first saw him, in the caf at school!
At first, I was speechless. Apparently, Hinata never told us that super powers ran in the Hyuuga family.
Then, I got upset again.
"Why would you attack your own cousin?!" I yelled down at him.
"H-he wasn-"
"I was not! I'll have you know that Hinata can cancel out my shockwaves," Neji said indignantly.
"You can?" both Michiko and I looked at Hinata, surprised.
"Um...y-yes. I can absorb th-them," she said softly.
"So...I just wasted all that energy for nothing?" Michiko groaned.
"Y-yes. I'm s-sorry..."
"Oh..." I started to apologize, getting off of Neji and standing, but then I realized something else, "Wait, then you were attacking us?!"
"Of course I was! You were putting Hinata in danger!" Neji snapped, rising from the ground with as much dignity as an angry third year could, "...and what are you making her wear?!"
"I-it's m-my uniform!" Hinata squeaked.
"I can barely hear what you're saying with that mask on! And you look ridiculous!"
"She looks cute!" Michiko gasped, putting an arm around Hinata protectively.
"My brother made that for her!" I added, frowning at him.
"Honestly, Hinata, what are you thinking?" Neji continued, glaring at both Michiko and me.
"I t-told you! I'm part of T-team Masque now!"
I had to hand it to her; she looked terrified of Neji, but she was still standing up for what she wanted.
"And I told you! I forbid it! You're my responsibiliity, and it's just not safe for you to be out like this every night!" Neji scolded.
Wow. He sounded like my other older brother, Bikto. He never let me do anything fun.
"But she isn't!" Michiko exclaimed, stepping between Neji and Hinata, "She'll only come with us if there's a vision that needs changing, and even then, Hinata will stay in the back or the car, guarded by me."
Neji thought about that for a moment. I was a little relieved; I was worried he would be like Bikto and just yell or whine until he got his way.
"You are the one that becomes like air or rock, correct?" he asked, finally, "The team's best guard."
"I...uh, yes," Michiko nodded, glancing at Hinata. So Neji knew a lot about Team Masque, too. I guessed Hinata must have told him about us.
"...You can't stay with her all the time," Neji pointed out, after a moment, "Sometimes, you will need to help fight. And Hinata is the Hyuuga Company's heiress; she needs to be kept safe."
"By who? You?" I scoffed.
"Yes," he answered promptly, in a complete deadpan.
Michiko and I stared at him for a second. He was serious!
"I have my shockwaves, and I am the captain of the martial arts team at KC High," Neji said, crossing his arms, "I have always been there to protect Hinata. I was born to take care of her. She is my responsibility."
Slowly, I was starting to understand this guy. Neji didn't hate any of us. He was just so used to being Hinata's bodyguard that he was overprotective. And I realized how hard it must have been for Hinata to disobey him and join us; that just went to show how much she wanted to be a Masque.
"You can't be with Hinata all the time, either!" I pointed out.
"Even if you and Michiko worked together, you still-" Neji started to counter.
"Whoa, whoa, you know our identities?" I was shocked. I turned to Hinata, my jaw hanging open, "You told him? Is that why he keeps glaring at us at school?!"
"I'm s-so sorry!" Hinata wailed, covering her masked face in her hands, "I didn't m-mean to; it s-slipped out, one day!"
"What's the point in even wearing these masks?!" I moaned, opening my hands helplessly.
"I think this is the part where we have to kill him!" Michiko exclaimed.
"Michi!"
"I'm kidding! ...ok, only half kidding..."
"Neji, I told you! I'm s-staying with them! Please, s-stop ruining it!" Hinata begged her cousin, "I've n-never asked you for anything, before! L-let me have this!"
Neji frowned at her, but he kept silent for a moment. So, I guessed he understood how much this meant to her.
...maybe he really wasn't such a bad guy.
"...Then...let me join you," Neji said, finally.
"Excuse me?!" I was having a bad night!
"Let me become a Masque."
"You're serious?" I looked closely at his face, then turned to my friends, "Michi, he's serious!"
Never mind, this guy is crazy!
"Do I look like the type of guy who jokes?" Neji said bluntly.
"But...you just attacked us!" I said, looking stunned, "Like...5 minutes ago!"
"I never attacked to kill. Only to stun. I can control my powers," Neji argued.
"Michi, say something! Tell him 'no'!"
But...she hesitated! She was actually considering letting him join!
"Michiko, c'mon! You always chase volunteers away!" I exclaimed, "That's your thing! You keep people away! Why aren't you doing it now?!"
"Because the people before didn't have powers!" Michiko defended, holding her hands up like I was waving a gun at her, "Or they couldn't protect themselves! Or they fought for the wrong reasons! This time is different!"
"I have shockwaves. I'm strong; I can protect myself and other people," Neji paused, then mumbled, "...And I just want to make sure my cousin is safe."
"Pooriin, he's right," Michiko sighed, playing with her bangs, "I can't stay with Hinata 100% of the time, and neither can Deniizu. We always knew that taking complete care of her was impossible. We need Neji."
...I did not like this plan. But it was true. Neji would be a great asset to Team Masque. And I knew that most of the reason I didn't want Neji around was because he had just attacked us with giant, sonic blasts. And the sonic blasts were justified: he was trying to protect Hinata. And Michiko and I both knew that at any other time, I would have welcomed Neji to our team with open arms.
"...You're right," I sighed, then gave Neji an apologetic smile, "We do need you."
"I won't let you down," Neji nodded stiffly, "When do I start?"
"Not so fast."
Just then, a chilling breeze blew through the street. We all heard someone clear their throat, and looking up towards the sound, we saw Deniizu, sitting on a nearby fire escape. She didn't look mad, but she didn't look pleased, either. Suddenly, I felt very, very tired.
"Yeah, Neji..." I sighed again, "Now you have to convince Deniizu to let you join. Good luck with that."
~*~
(Kiba Inuzuka)
(A couple days after the shoot-out incident)
(KC High's caf)
I knew from the beginning that 'grounding' Michiko every Wednesday wasn't one of the smartest, nicest things I've ever thought up, but I still don't regret it. I hardly get to see my family as it is, since we all have school or work. And soon, my mom's going to let Michiko get a job. I only get one class with Michiko, and that's Gym, and we're at opposite side of the gym or field, anyway, so that barely counts.
So, like I said, I don't regret grounding Michiko. I'm not gonna lie; I'm really picky about what she does and who she's with. I worry about her. See, I managed to get a glimpse of her social worker's file. For some reason, she always seemed to be the one that got bullied, or pushed around, at school. And she was never the one to report it; it was always her friends who stepped in. Especially that Deniizu...after reading her file, I may have started grounding her, but I stopped bugging Michiko about Deniizu.
One Wednesday, at lunch, after a really long-ass lecture on parabolas, I walked into the caf, expecting to need to drag Michiko away from her friends, again. I mean, for the first few weeks, I literally had to drag her away from her friends to make her sit with me. Imagine my surprise when I saw Michiko already at the Protectors; lunch table, talking to Naruto about some TV show.
"...and then he opened the guy's skull with his mind, and then he ate the guy's brain!" Naruto finished, his face all lit up and everything, like he'd just told her the most awesome story ever.
"That's horrible!" Michiko gasped, clapping her hands to the sides of her face.
"So. Freakin'. Cool!" Naruto laughed, then he waved to me as I got close, "Hey, Kiba!"
I said, "Hey," back, as I sat across the table from Michiko. Gaara was there, sitting across from Naruto and silently watching and listening to everything. As Naruto and Michiko continued talking, I managed to catch Michiko's eye. I think she got that I was silently thanking her for sitting with us, because she nodded back to me; I made a mental note to do something extra nice for her when we got home.
"Look at all the freaks, sitting at their table together," I heard a familiar girl's voice say.
"Losers!" a second girl laughed.
It was Tayuya and her friend, Rin, I knew. They were the type of girls who were hot, knew it, and thought it made them better than everyone else. And they weren't like Karin and her group of friends, who were all talk; Rin and Tayuya were bullies who knew how to fight.
Glancing at Gaara, I saw a corner of his mouth turn down. Knowing him, I could tell he was thinking of going Sand on their asses. But, of course, he knew teaching two girls some manners wasn't worth blowing his cover, so he let it go.
"I always knew Naruto was a useless punk," Tayuya sneered; looking up, I saw that she was smirking at the back of his head, "And look, now he's sitting with people just like him. Way to make some friends!"
I sort of expected Naruto to jump up and yell at them by now, since he was that kinda guy, but he hadn't heard anything they said. He was still talking about that stupid TV show. I wondered if it was nice, living in Naruto's world.
"That new girl must either be really stupid, or a major freak, 'cause she's always sitting with them," Rin added, and Tayuya snickered that she agreed.
"She's a worthless moron."
I think Michiko heard that, because her forehead wrinkled up and she bit her lip like she was hurt. But it was only for a second; soon she brushed it off and was laughing with Naruto again. She was used to the bullying, by now.
We all were. Every day in the caf, some kid was always getting shoved into a wall, stolen from, or just getting some attitude by some idiots who thought they were so damn important. Idiots like Tayuya, Kidoumaru, or Karin's Screw Crew. And it didn't stop when we left the caf; the hallways, sometimes during class, and especially on the street, the abuse always continued.
Sure, there were kids like us, the Protectors, who wanted to help out. But even the people we rescued would sometimes have attitude problems. Most of the time, once we call the bullies off, the victims wonder why we did it. They say they weren't asking for help, or why that was any of our business in the first place. Sometimes, they just run away, like they thought we were gonna hurt them, too. And lately, some of them on the street have been saying, "Aw, you're not even part of Team Masque!" like they were expecting a celebrity but were stuck with boring, normal, real us.
And then there were kids that just didn't care what was happening around them. There were the jocks like Rock Lee or Neji Hyuuga, who just worried about the next game or tournament, not about their classmates. ...of course, I always cut them some slack; if I didn't have my teleporting powers, I'd probably be one of them. Sports would have been my way of escaping how rotten our city really was.
And then there were the popular kids, like Ino Yamanaka, the Gossip Queen, or 'Prince' Sasuke Uchiha and 'Princess' Sakura Haruno, the perfect couple that everyone watched and nobody was actually friends with. They lived in a freakin' bubble. Everything was all perfect with them, and that pissed me off when I thought about it.
And you wanna know why it bugged me so much? Those kids have never had to work for anything! The Uchihas have their own business, and Sakura's father is Konoha City's top lawyer! But me, and my friends, and let's face it, the rest of the school? We need to work for everything!
And I've never heard of anything bad happening to the preps, either. All of them are rich, have both parents, are smart, are talented...and look at us Protectors:
As soon as Gaara turned 16, he and Kankurou moved out into their own apartment to get away from some deadbeat, lazy foster family. They've been orphans for years, now. And, without his brother, Gaara has to come up with money to pay rent on his own. He's just barely getting by, as it is.
By now, I noticed that Michiko had been staring at me for a while. I realized I'd been frowning and hadn't touched my lunch. I shrugged at her and reached for my sandwich so she'd stop looking at me. It worked; by the time I'd taken a second bite, Michiko was back to talking to Naruto.
Naruto had problems, too. He used to be sick all the time as a little kid. Leukemia isn't contagious, which is why my mom let me play with him or visit, but most moms made their kids stay away from him in case they caught what Naruto had. They were so stupid. Now, Naruto's a guy who tries way too hard to get people's attention, either by goofing off in class or picking fights. And it doesn't help that his marine dad has been MIA since July. He's had it rough his whole life.
At this point, Shino finally got to our table with a lunch tray.
"Hey, man, what took you so long?" I asked, moving so that his usual seat beside Gaara was free, "Lunch is half over."
"Dentist appointment this morning," Shino shrugged, and for some reason he sat across from me, between Naruto and Michiko, ignoring his usual spot.
Which reminds me about Shino. His mom died four years ago in a car crash; she was the only parent that ever paid him any attention. Now that she's gone, Shino's stuck with a father he barely knows, and who's basically never home. Shino once staked out an apartment for three days straight, and his father either didn't notice or didn't care.
Like I said. Every single Protector has felt how bad life can get in this city. That's why we fight; so that other people don't have to feel it.
"Bro, are you ok?"
I blinked when Michiko's voice brought me back to reality. She had this funny look on her face.
"Yeah. Just remembering stuff," I answered, then took a bit of my sandwich and said with my mouth full, "Why?"
"You looked pissed, man," Naruto answered for her, also giving me a weird look.
"I'm not," I said, then smirked, "Damn Chatora isn't anywhere near here. Why would I be pissed?"
"Bro..." Michiko gave me this 'wounded puppy' look that she knew I hated.
"What's wrong with your face?" I growled, "You know I don't like her or her brothers."
"She's my friend."
"She's Koshinu's daughter."
"That doesn't mean anything about her, and you know-"
"Aaah!"
"You bitch!"
"Lemme go!"
Everyone in the caf turned to the centre of the room to see who had screamed. I expected to see a cat fight or something, since I had heard girls screeching. Instead, I saw Deniizu beating the crap out of Karin and two members of her Screw Crew.
"...Whoa," Naruto breathed, watching Deniizu pull one girl's hair and punch the other's face, while tripping Karin, all at the same time, "Girl knows how to fight!"
I saw Gaara raise an eyebrow interestedly while Shino shook his head slowly. Michiko started running to Deniizu, this worried look on her face. As for me...
"GO DENIIZU!" I yelled, raising my arms over my head, "Kick her in the ovaries!"
"Kiba! Stop!" Michiko scolded over her shoulder, before running faster. I decided to follow her to get a closer look.
"Deniizu, cut it out!" Chatora was yelling, trying to pull Deniizu off of Karin's brunette friend.
"What're you doing?!" Michiko gasped, grabbing one of Deniizu's arms once she got close enough; already there was a crowd gathering.
"She! She!" Deniizu spat, yanking her arm back, "She said that you...and they laughed! ...she freakin' said...!"
"It's ok! I can take it; it's no big deal!" Michiko said quickly, standing in the middle between Deniizu and Karin's group, "Deniizu, you have to stop-"
"What's going on, here?!" a man's voice rang out, from the doors off the caf.
Deniizu stopped struggling, and the Chatora let her go. Slowly, the half-formed crowd parted, and this weird-looking blue guy stepped forward. That man was tall, had big arms, and was blue.
Damn, I thought.
All of the girls who had been in the fight where in the center of the crowd. When the blue guy (he was blue!) walked right up to Michiko and glared down at her, I realized that she was right in the middle of the group.
Aw, crap! I thought.
"...h-hello? ...sir?" Michiko said quietly, her face going pale when she saw the guy was like a foot taller than her.
The blue guy (BLUE!) didn't speak for a moment. He just started at her, like he was sizing her up. Finally, he spoke, in this low, creepy voice.
"State your name, girl."
"Michiko. ...s-sir," she squeaked, her arms slowly wrapping around her like she was hugging herself. She was freaking out. I didn't blame her; I was freaking out, and I was just watching.
Then the blue guy (He. Was. Blue) spoke again, loud enough for the whole cafe to hear. He even startled Michiko enough to make her jump a little.
"My name is Kisame Hoshigaki! You brats can call me Kisame, and be sure to end all your sentences in 'sir'. I've been assigned as KC High's new hall monitor! Since today is my first day, I'm letting Miss Michiko here off with a warning. But tomorrow...hehe, well..." he sneered at us, then; I couldn't help but notice his really, really sharp teeth, "I suggest you say your prayers, tonight."
Holy...! I thought, as Kisame turned on his heel and walked out of the room. I shared a look with Michiko, and saw that she was thinking the same thing I was.
What the hell just happened?
Esperwen- End of chapter. lol, I love Kisame...anyway, now that you have read, please review. kthxbai.