Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden
Chapter Eight
He was at the KIA stone once more; that was where Kakashi spent most of his free time. The 26 year old said nothing when he felt a familiar presence beside him. He merely continued to stare at the carvings on the stone before the peaceful silence was broken.
"So, then. How do you feel?"
"...Not bad."
"Oh, you don't have to act so shy! Just admit you're a little excited."
"Are you excited?"
"Of course I am, Kakashi. Now I won't have to hear Naruto complain anymore. You'll be surprised at how much he does it."
"Looking forward to that," the masked jonin said sarcastically as his companion chuckled. He took a side-glance to the other jonin before his expression fell.
"...You thought I was going to fail them." It wasn't an accusation; it was more of an observation.
"I thought you would make a logical decision based on what you were given...but, yeah. I thought you would fail them." Kakashi tensed at the brutal honesty of his friend's words before she continued on. "At first glance, I would have failed them too." His eye widened as he listened carefully to his companion's words. "Who would have thought that three people as different as night and day would figure out how to work as a team." And it was at that very moment, Kakash had realized who it was that they reminded him of.
His very own team.
"...They would be proud of you, you know?" Kakashi said nothing before he smiled softly. "...I'm proud of you." Finally, the young man turned to face his friend as she smiled up at him with gleaming, purple hued eyes. His gaze pierced through hers before he leaned his forehead against hers and shut his eyes, stepping closer to her body. The woman smiled as she wrapped her arms around him, giving him the warmth he was searching for.
Finally, he was taking the first step. Finally, he was moving on.
*Two Days Earlier*
"Oi! Naruto! Get up!" Karibi glared down at the slumbering blond, his arm hanging off the bed and a trail of drool dripping down his cheek. The woman rolled her eyes as she sighed, leaning forward and flicking him hard on the forehead. Immediately, the spot began to turn red as he lurched up, wincing and moaning.
"Ribi-chan! What was that for?"
"Do you even know what today is? I thought after becoming a genin you'd be even just a little more responsib—" The redhead came to a sudden halt as she turned her head and began to cough into her hand, Naruto watching with a disgusted look on his face.
"You sound like you're about to hack up a frog."
"Shut up."
A few days had passed since Naruto had finally graduated from the academy, and since then, the Hokage had given Karibi a bit of a break from missions; he could tell by just looking at her that she was about to come down with something.
And his prediction had been correct.
"Instead of lazing around, why don't you train before you head to the academy. You're a genin now. You should prepare yourself for the future a bit more."
"Yeah, yeah." Naruto begrudgingly stood up from his bed, Karibi pulling him back and pointing at it. He huffed but did as motioned to, making his blankets and refluffing his pillows. The 22 year old gave a satisfied smile before she turned and began to make her way out of the room, but as she did, her head began to spin once more.
She was rather sick. It had been years since the last time the young woman had felt so awful. And although she was thankful that it had been so long since her last illness, she would have preferred to not be sick at all. But, she didn't linger too much on the idea. Instead, she remained at home and rested while Naruto went about his day with whatever he usually did.
"I wonder who'll be on my team!" Walking out from the bathroom fully dressed with a freshly cleaned face and teeth, Naruto stretched and smiled. Karibi sat on the couch with a blanket draped over her shoulders while she nodded her head.
"Why don't you focus on eating first before you jump to that," she called out, a plate of food already waiting for him. The blond grinned as he took a seat and placed his hands together.
"Itadakimasu!" And then he began to eat.
Karibi leaned back against the cushioned seat and reveled in the comfort of her spot. She did her best to ignore the thrumming of her temples and the queasiness festering in her gut, also remembering she had yet to clean the kitchen. "Watch out, there's some old milk and food I need to toss out." But unfortunately for Naruto, he had ignored her warning.
"Hopefully, I'll be a on a team with awesome people! Not anyone like that dumb Sasuke." The sickly jonin scoffed.
"You should learn to cooperate even with people you don't like," she called out lazily, Naruto scoffing at that.
"No way! That guy's the worst!" Naruto exclaimed as he finished his rice. A sudden wave of thirst washed over the blond—his throat running dry and his lips smacking together. The vexed look that was threatening to appear on his face faded and relief quickly consumed him when his eyes landed on a carton of milk that was sitting contently on the table—as if it were asking him to drink. Without a second thought, the genin reached out and took a hold of the carton. He grinned and threw his head back, gulping down the thick substance; he found nothing strange about it.
Finishing his breakfast, Naruto hopped out from his chair, leaving his plate on the table for his guardian to deal with. He then rushed to the door, but stopped when he heard Karibi's voice. "Good luck, short-stuff." The blond paused briefly, reaching up to his forehead protector and grinning.
"Thanks!" And with that, he was out the door.
Smiling, Karibi laid herself out on the couch. She stopped and sat up for a moment, seeing the slight mess that had been left by the young boy, before she huffed and stood up. She wobbled slightly but kept her balance, floorboards creaking under the weight of her steps as she made her way into the kitchen. Pulling up the sleeves of a navy colored shirt—that was clearly not hers—the young woman stood in the kitchen with a strong sense of dismay coming over her. The longer she stared at the mess that had been left to her, the more her head ache more. And the idea of having to move around so much as the world span uncontrollably only succeeded in making her grimace; she was usually a clean person, but her condition seemed to enable her to act with more lazy tendencies.
She'd get to cleaning up after a quick nap.
§
"Regarding the next group of genin that you will be in charge of—"
"Me? Again?"
The Third Hokage walked alongside his subordinate, the masked jonin wearing a lazy and bothered expression on his face; no one could tell, though. Hiruzen frowned at the silver haired man as he kept his hands behind his back and continued strolling ahead.
He had called upon the jonin that warm afternoon when the students had been assigned to their teams, and although most of the jonin had all known who was to be on their team, there was a personal matter the Hokage wanted address with Kakashi before he was to meet with his new team.
The new set of graduates had been updated, and the Hokage had worked fiercely in trying to match up students with their new jonin-teachers. Although he knew not everyone would go on to become real genin, he also knew that if he played his cards right, the right students with the right teachers would move on; that was what he was hoping for this year with Kakashi.
As for the 26 year old, he had been hoping that the Hokage would merely forget about his duty as a jonin-teacher and continue to assign him to regular missions; that seemed more doable than failing yet another team for their lack of teamwork. Unfortunately, it seemed that the Sandaime was going to be persistent about this. And being who he was with a strong sense of duty simmering inside of his soul, Kakashi didn't have any other choice than to do as the older man wished.
"There's no need to look so bothered about this," Hiruzen scolded lightly while Kakashi sighed softly. "Guy has already formed a squad and has gone on missions with them. Don't you want to set out with a team of your own?" What was the point if the team didn't understand the one important concept that had kept Kakashi on his feet all this time?
"I'm sure this new batch of genin will keep your interested." And, of course, just as the Hokage had said, the home of the first student had piqued Kakashi's interest.
Stopping in front of a pale pink and red apartment building, Kakashi gazed up at it with boredom in his visible eye. "Where are we?"
"This is where Naruto Uzumaki lives." Kakashi's eye widened slightly at that; that meant that Naruto's apartment was also Karibi's.
It had been a few weeks since the last time Kakashi had seen his friend. She had been in a rush to head off to a mission, and seeing as he had just returned and was looking to rest, the two had only spoke for a few minutes. Not once had he gone to go see her new home with Naruto. He had been far too preoccupied, and she had been as well.
"Why don't we see if Karibi is home, hmm?" As if he had been reading Kakashi's mind, the Third began to make his way up the stairwell with a lighthearted smile, Kakashi lingering behind on the dirt path as he stared up at the building. He hesitated for a second longer before following after the Hokage.
§
"So, this is where Naruto lives." Kakashi glanced around the apartment, he and the Hokage having found the door unlocked. He stood in the kitchen and raised a brow, noticing the mess that had not been attended to—most likely, by the boy himself.
"He, along with Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, will be on your team," the Hokage explained as he took a seat in the chair that Naruto had been using that morning. The jonin glanced to the Third before he looked down to the carton of milk sitting harmlessly on the table. He stared at it for a moment before he grabbed it and held it to his masked nose.
"This milk is way past its expiration date," Kakashi mumbled as he shook the carton. "One sip of this and it'll have you running to the bathroom all day," he said as he glanced around the empty apartment. He glanced to the shut door to his far right but said nothing as he set the milk down.
"This kid seems like one big problem." And that was the last thing the 26 year old wanted to deal with.
The kitchen was one large heap of a mess. Dishes were left unwashed—empty cup ramen bowls had been forgotten here and there. Kakashi wasn't quite sure how to feel. Minato had been a meticulous and orderly man. And then there was Karibi, who had picked up a lot of her cleaning habits from the man when he had been raising her. She had always been sure to keep her home clean and spotless—every inch of her place organized. But gazing around, it seemed that Naruto had definitely not learned to be the same way; he was the exact opposite, actually.
"He's a fool, but he has a good heart. And I think it would be best if you looked after him. You have good instincts. And anyways, I'm sure there is no one Karibi would trust more than you to mentor Naruto." Kakashi didn't bother replying.
Standing to his feet, the Third began to make his way to the door. He kept his hands behind his back as he turned his head to speak over his shoulder. "Whenever you're ready, I'll be outside," he stated coolly before he strode out, the door clicking softly shut as he went. The jonin stood alone for a moment before he slowly began to venture around. He noticed a door to his immediate left and glanced inside the room; it was Naruto's bedroom.
Kakashi let out a sigh as he found clothes sprawled everywhere—clean and dirty. There were empty bags of chips on the floor and cups with mold inside of them from whatever the young boy had been drinking; it was probably a nightmare for Karibi.
Speaking of which.
Looking to the shut door across the living room, the silver haired man carefully approached it. He stared at the shiny door knob for a moment before he slowly reached out and turned it, pushing the door open quietly; there, the shinobi found Karibi, fast asleep. With an almost silent chuckle, the jonin leaned against the doorframe, taking a moment to gaze at the slumbering woman; when had she taken one of his shirts?
Her cheeks were slightly flushed, a thin sheet of sweat coating her face. She was laying on her side, facing Kakashi, her arm sticking out from the blanket. Her face was slightly paler than usual, and there were bags under her eyes; she was ill.
With a wince, the young man was torn from his thoughts as he looked down, a white cat biting at his bare toes. He shook his head as he bent over and picked up the cat, Kushito gazing into his eye without a single drop of fear.
Meow.
"It's been awhile, Kushito." Kakashi quietly turned and walked out of the room, stilling holding the cat—who was now nibbling at the tips of his fingers; since day-one, it seemed Kakashi was Kushito's personal chew toy.
Pouring food into the pet's bowl, the shinobi set the feline down and watched quietly as it ate. He smiled slightly under his mask at the content gleam that shimmered in the cat's eyes, and then, seconds later, he was busying himself with chores. With an exasperated breath, he searched for a bag, collecting garbage in it; he'd leave the dishes for Karibi or Naruto. After a few minutes, the 26 year old tied the bag up, setting it against the wall. He then filled a cup up with cold water and made his way back to Karibi's bedroom, the young woman still fast asleep. He stood at her bedside and stared for just a second before setting the cup on her nightstand and gently tucking her arm back into the blanket.
"Rest easy," he said quietly before he turned. And as he went, his eye caught sight of the dream catcher hanging by her window, and he paused. He stared at it for a few, long moments before he relaxed, an appreciative gleam in his visible eye; even after all this time, she still had his gift.
Without looking back, Kakashi walked out of the room and made his way to the front door. He glanced back at the apartment one last time after slipping his blue sandals on.
Yes, this team was going to be very interesting.
§
Now that he was sitting before all of the genin, he wasn't sure what the Hokage had been thinking. They were hopeless. There wasn't a single thread of teamwork within them. Sasuke didn't care about anyone, Sakura only cared about Sasuke, and Naruto was dying for Sakura's approval; how the hell were they supposed to become a team?
And then there was the voice in the back of his head; this was the child Karibi was looking after. Naruto was the son of the Fourth, himself. How was he supposed to fail him and not feel even a little shred of regret or guilt? Because if it came down to the grind, Kakashi wasn't going to hesitate to fail any of them. But that wouldn't ease the disloyalty he would feel towards his childhood friend.
This time, the Hokage truly had made a mistake.
"I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate...I don't feel like telling you that." He could clearly see the startled looks on Sakura and Naruto's face, but he chose to ignore them. "My dreams for the future...never really thought about it." Kakashi feigned a look of thoughtfulness as he let out a low hum. "As for hobbies—I have lots of hobbies." Answering questions in the vaguest way was a special talent of his.
He barely listened as each of the kids spoke. The two things that had caught his attention had been simple; Naruto's and Sasuke's dream.
Just as Minato had dreamt, the blond 12 year old wanted nothing more than to become the Hokage. And as Kakashi watched him beam as he spoke of his dream, he couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia swallow him whole. Though he had come to the swift conclusion that many of his personality traits had been from Kushina, and whatever he had picked up from Karibi, there was that same gleam in his eyes that Minato had—the same bravery and courage.
And then there was Sasuke—his dream molded by the hatred he felt towards his rogue brother. And there was a pinch of guilt that Kakashi couldn't seem to shake. After all, he had been Itachi's captain for two years before it had all ended so horribly; he still wondered what else he could have done to end the story differently. There was a darkness that loomed over the Uchiha, and as Kakashi stared at the boy, he couldn't help but feel a tug of familiarity; what was it?
"Good. You each are unique and have your own ideas. We'll have our first mission as a team tomorrow." This was where it all started.
"Oh! What kind of mission is it?" Naruto asked as Kakashi glanced over at the young genin.
"It's a task that the four of us will do together," he explained as vaguely as he could; he ignored the pressure of the three staring at him.
Their suspicions were becoming stronger.
"What, what, what, what?!" the loudest member of the team asked, though it seemed that Sakura was just as curious as her teammate.
"...A survival exercise."
§
It was a reoccurring dream. Karibi didn't have it all the time, but every once in awhile, she'd sleep and find herself having the same images play out in her imagination.
The redhead stood before a thick sheet of glass. She slowly raised her hand up and placed it against the cool material, a shiver crawling up her spine. And then, there, she would see someone on the other side. And when the figure stepped out of the darkness, Karibi found that she was staring at herself. They stood in silence, except the version of herself on the other side of the glass began to try and say something. But every time she spoke, Karibi couldn't hear a thing; she only could see her lips moving.
"...I can't hear you!" Karibi called out loudly, though it went ignored as she watched herself continue to repeat whatever it was that she was saying. And then, suddenly, the darkness on the other side of the glass disappeared. The 22 year old blinked as she watched herself abruptly stop speaking and look back. Her eyes widened when she found Naruto rushing up to herself, tugging her by the hand. She shivered when she watched her self turn and walk away.
"Wait!" the jonin yelled as she began to slam her hands against the glass. She called out for them to stop before she froze; waiting for the pair, was Kakashi. "...Ka—Kakashi!" Karibi shrieked as the man merely waited ahead, watching as Naruto and Karibi approached him.
She was terrified. They were leaving her behind. And yet, she was standing right there with them. And yet, that wasn't her at all, because she was still standing on the other side of the glass, trying to reach them.
But they couldn't hear her.
Opening her eyes, the kunoichi let out a deep breath. She didn't wake up screaming nor did she wake up in a fit of confusion. She merely opened her eyes and lied on her bed for a moment before she slowly sat up.
She blinked, her vision no longer blurry and her migraine now nearly gone. She smiled at that as she pulled the covers off and grimaced; she had been sweating quite a bit. Peeling herself from her bed, the young woman began to gather her sheets, but she stopped when she noticed a glass of water on her nightstand. As if on cue, she suddenly realized how thirsty she was, and without thought, she drank the entire content of the cup.
"Strange," she muttered before she pulled off her shirt and pants, tossing them into her pile of laundry. She then grabbed a towel, wrapping it around herself as she carried her next load of laundry out of her room. She came to an abrupt stop when she stared around with confusion etched upon her pale face; hadn't there been a mess when Naruto had left?
"What the—" Karibi began to glance around as she frowned, confused. She slowly approached her kitchen with a suspicious gaze, finding all the garbage tossed into a bag on the floor and the dishes in a much neater pile by the sink. She relaxed before she smiled.
"Looks like that kid actually took some initiative in cleaning." Without further thought, the woman began her load of dirty clothes, then walked into her bathroom for a shower.
As she stepped out from the tub and shut the water off, she jumped, the sound of the front door slamming shut catching her attention. Her brows furrowed inward as she finished drying herself off before sticking her head out the door; she had recognized Naruto's chakra, but she wanted to be sure.
"Short-stuff?"
"This is so uncool!" Karibi watched as the kid in orange stomped up to the couch with an annoyed look on his face, plopping down on the seat. She chuckled before shutting the door, and after a few minutes, she was out—dressed in her usual white short-sleeve and black shorts.
"Let me guess." Karibi hopped over the back of the couch and sat beside the 12 year old as he pouted. "You're on a team with Sasuke?"
"It gets worse!" Naruto exclaimed dramatically. "I'm stuck on Sasuke's team with this weird, old jonin who said we have to pass his final test in order to become real genin!" The redhead chuckled. "Not to mention Sakura's on my team, too!"
"Wait, isn't that the girl you have a crush on?"
"Yeah, but she's obsessed with Sasuke!"
"Oh...yeah, that's quite the team..." She felt sorry for whoever was going to be their jonin.
"Man, that Kakashi-sensei sure knows how to break bad news." Karibi blinked.
"Did you just say Kakashi?" Naruto relaxed for just that minute, his sour expression disappearing momentarily as curiosity started to shine in his blue eyes.
"Uh, yeah. Do you know him or something?" Karibi smiled.
"He's...He's a good friend of mine." He was her best friend.
"Wah! Really?!" A hopeful expression washed over Naruto's face. "Ribi-chan! That means you can—"
"Don't even think about asking me to do that." Karibi could already tell what Naruto was scheming. "If you're going to pass as a genin it's going to be the right way, not because I put some good words in for you—not that my words would make a difference."
"But, Ribi-chan!" Naruto whined as the redhead chuckled, standing up from the couch as she made her way to her room; she only paused for a second when she realized that Naruto had also fed the cat, as well. "That jerk-of-a-sensei said there's only a small chance we can actually pass." At least the man was being honest.
"Then that means you have to work extra-hard," the guardian said as she grabbed her wallet and headed out of her room. "Which also means you'll need a nice, hearty dinner. So, what do you say?" Naruto's face shined brightly.
"How about—"
"Ichiraku Noodle?"
"Yeah! How'd you know?" Naruto blinked as he and Karibi headed out the door, the woman wearing an expectant look on her face.
"Just a lucky guess."
*One Day Later*
It was a warm evening when Karibi headed to a small sake bar. The arrangements had been planned short-notice, but she had a free evening, so it had been no trouble for the 22 year old. Naruto had yet to return, so she hadn't heard much about how his day had gone; she assumed there were only two ways his day was going to go—terrificly or terribly.
"Kari!" Smiling at the nickname, the redhead approached a table, three others already seated.
"Guy." Karibi prepared herself for the painful hug, the jonin embracing her just as he always did. He held her close and tightly as she winced before he set her back down on her feet. "Good to see you. It's been awhile."
"Far too long, if you ask me!" Guy pointed out as Karibi chuckled. "We are in the prime of our youth! We should be putting it to use and spending our days with our loved ones!"
"Which is why we're here," Kurenai pointed out as she chuckled, nodding to her friend. "You look good."
"Thanks. Congratulations on your team passing." They had gathered to celebrate Kurenai's first day as a jonin teacher. "Asuma, congrats to you too. I heard your team passed as well!" The smoker smiled as he nodded.
"I have to keep a close eye on them. They seem like trouble-makers."
"Don't they all?"
The four chatted and drank, cheering to Kurenai—as well as all the passing teams. Judging by Kakashi's absence, Karibi had figured he had denied the offer or worse; he had failed his team, once more. Against her own wishes, the young woman refrained herself from asking. She wanted Kurenai to enjoy her time, and seeing as they never got to see much of each other, she didn't want to ruin the moment with her questions and her own concerns.
"Hey, hey! Maybe this year, all of our teams will participate in the chunin exams!" Guy pointed out with rosy cheeks as Asuma lit a cigarette.
"I wouldn't hold my breath. Let's just see how they do with their first couple of missions."
"Yeah, Guy. There's plenty of time to think about the chunin exams," Kurenai added as the 26 year old waved them off.
"There's no time like the present!"
"So then, which teams passed this year?" Karibi asked curiously; seeing as she was not a jonin-teacher, this area of the field was something she lacked knowledge in.
"My team, Asuma's...I think Shikoshu's team passed. And then there's Kakashi's team." Karibi nearly choked on her drink.
"Wh—What?!" She gawked as Asuma and Kurenai blinked.
"We thought you knew."
"N—No! I haven't seen or heard from Naruto all day," the shocked woman explained as Guy grinned.
"That's right! Our Kakashi passed his very first team today!" Karibi blinked before she laughed, a bright grin spreading across her face.
"Well, I'll be damned."
*Two Days Later*
"These missions suck!" Karibi looked up from a scroll she was reading through, her pack ready for her mission. She glanced up from the kitchen table as Naruto came walking in, hay sticking out from his hair and his clothes dirty with—
"You smell terrible." Karibi made a disgusted expression at the blond as she pinched her nose shut, standing to her feet as she stared at the genin. He huffed and crossed his arms with a childish pout across his lips.
"No one told me these missions would be like crap!"
"Don't track the mess into the apartment!" With an annoyed look on Naruto's face, he waited by the door, Karibi bringing him a warm, wet towel. "Wipe off and then straight to the shower."
"I thought we'd be going on cool missions and stuff!" Naruto whined as Karibi laughed.
"You've got to earn those missions. And truth be told, they're not as cool as you think," the woman stated as Naruto noticed her ninja gear and her backpack. He frowned as she gave him a weak smile.
"I won't be gone long."
"What am I supposed to do while you're gone?" the young boy snapped as he crossed his arms. "That Sasuke's driving me up the wall, and all Sakura does is follow him around! She won't even give me the time of day! And then there's Kakashi-sensei. He's not bad, but all he does is read his book and make us do all the dirty work." The 22 year old sighed as she knelt down in front of Naruto; although her eyes wanted to water and her nose burned Karibi ignored the pain and focused on encouraging her struggling genin.
"You've got your whole life ahead of you. This is just the beginning. Trust me." Naruto relaxed at Karibi's reassuring words before he uncrossed his arms. "These missions are just the first step. If you want to become Hokage, you have to understand what it's like to come from the bottom." And that was something they both knew well.
With a nod, Karibi was back on her feet while she gave Naruto's hair a playful tussle. "I'll be back in two days."
"Bring me back something cool this time! Not like that weird brown stuff from your last mission."
"With an ungrateful attitude like that, I might not bring you back anything at all." Karibi smirked as she headed out the door, ignoring Naruto's complaints. She chuckled as she looked up to the blue sky and nodded to herself.
And then, she was off.
It's been too long!
My apologies, whoever is reading! I've been MIA for about two months or so, but I'm back and ready to go! Happy EXTREMELY belated New Year! I hope everyone has had a great start to 2016, and if not, this is only the beginning :) As for this story, I have a lot of fun plans for Karibi and what her future holds! So I hope that whoever is reading will continue to read this story and support it and enjoy it!
I'm hoping that I will start being able to plan updates for once every week. There won't be a specific day in which I update, but I know without a doubt that I can start doing once a week. Unfortunately I've just gotten too busy with some personal issues to update more frequently, but I'm hoping that once some things clear up and I figure some things out, I'll be able to post new chapters faster. But we'll see. There's no telling what the future will bring!
Thank you for reading, and if anyone sees an error with the writing or some grammatical issues, please feel free to let me know! I'd appreciate the help!
Reviews:
hymerian: Hello! Tell your friend thank you for me! I'm happy that she enjoyed the story so much that she would share it with you, and I'm elated to know that you have decided to give this a chance and read through it! I know a lot of people who don't like OC stories, which I understand because everyone has their own preferences, and there are also many stories that may have Mary-Sueish characters, so I get where those readers are coming from. I honestly do try and keep Karibi away from that area of character type. I want her to be a character that people can relate to and sympathize with as well, so I'm extremely happy and relieved you like her as a character! I hope you will continue to like her as her character progresses and as the stories goes on! Thank you so much for reading :)
WindyCitySlayer1: I'm sorry that the chapter made you said! I mean, I also did write it with the intentions of bringing that type of emotion out of readers XD I hope you still enjoyed it though! The reason why I kept the events of Iruka and Naruto the same is because I feel like that moment between them was a very important bonding moment for them in the series and I just didn't want to take that away. There are going to be a few similar situations like that in future chapters; I won't change what I personally view is an important character building moment of the series. Although it would have definitely been interesting to see what it would've been like if Karibi had found Naruto and dealt with Mizuki! Thank you for reading and I hope you will continue to read and enjoy!
bored411: You were correct! She was a bit sick! Unfortunately, with the flow of the story, I didn't get to focus much on that, but I'm eager to get further into this arc of the story because there will be more openness in the plot for me to add in situations like that! I think you're right about Naruto scrambling to take care of Karibi and Kakashi appearing. It would definitely be something fun to write and hopefully fun for you all to read! So be expecting fluffy and fun chapters like that to come :D I'm happy that you like how I've incorporated Karibi into Naruto's life and the way he always causes trouble! I thought it would make sense, especially with his past and what he's been through and what they've been through together. And there relationship will have ups and downs, although now that they've mostly hashed some issues out, there will be less downs! They say when you hit rock bottom, you can only go up, and I definitely think that's the same for Naruto and Karibi! Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading! I appreciate you taking the time to do so!
Howl'sCastle1: I'm sorry! There are going to be a few chapters with a lack of Karibi and Kakashi moments, but I do always try and make chapters with them fluffy and fun or intense. There wasn't too much of them in this chapter, but there will definitely be some more action in future chapters to come, so don't you worry! And I hope you'll like how they progress in this story! Thank you so much for reading ^_^
Apollo Child1512: I think it was only appropriate for Karibi to act that way towards Mizuki! I always thought that what he did to Naruto was just cruel, and seeing as Karibi has this feeling of guilt for the way she used to treat him and she also has a growing bond of love and familial closeness towards Naruto, it becomes really personal for her, and if there's anything people know about Karibi, it's that you don't mess with the people she cares about LOL. I do plan on Naruto and Karibi going over a lot of things about her past and stories about Minato and Kushina, but not yet. It, sadly, won't be until much later in this series. Won't say much else, because I don't want to spoil anything, but don't worry! It'll come! And as for Sasuke, you actually read my mind :D I won't say much, but I definitely think that Karibi will be having some heart-to-heart moments with the troublesome kid. But only time will tell! Thanks so much for giving my story a chance and for supporting this story! I hope that you will continue to read and enjoy future chapters!
korohoshi: Yes! I really enjoy writing those moments between Naruto and Karibi. I always felt so sad whenever Naruto was by himself or lonely, so being able to write a character to fill that void is exciting! And I also just enjoy how their relationship is developing! And I'm glad to hear that you are too! It's important that you readers connect and like Naruto and Karibi together since this story focuses a lot on them and their relationship and what they go through as a part of Karibi's journey! Kakashi will eventually become a bigger part of their little family, but I won't say much else ;) I am definitely still here, and chapter updates will definitely be still happening! Thank you for reading! :)
ajwehri: She was a tad bit sick! Not horribly, but she definitely had a bad cold! I stated to another reader before, but with the way the story was flowing, I couldn't focus too much on her being sick, but there will be moments like that later in the future! Once the plot opens up and gives me a little more room to add more here and there, I'll be able to write chapters like that, and hopefully you readers will enjoy those moments I stick in! Although we did get a glimpse of Kakashi being helpful around their place while she was resting :) I'm really happy that you like how I've written Karibi into the story! I was worried because when writing OC stories, it's always important that he/she makes sense with the other characters and the entire universe and the plot, so I'm happy to hear that you think that it's been done well enough! Thank you so, so much for reading and reviewing! I appreciate you doing so and I hope that you will enjoy future chapters to come!
Guest: Hi there! Glad you thought that the chapter was good! And I'm genuinely happy to hear that you think Karibi has been added to the Naruto universe well :D I put a lot of work into her character and thinking about how she would fit, so I'm glad that the work paid off! I hope you enjoy future chapters, and thank you for reading!
LilyVampire: No need to apologize! I'm just grateful you're even reading and reviewing at all :) Seeing as Karibi is an outside force of the original story plot, there are definitely things that will be done differently, but there are also things that just are unavoidable, even with her presence. I can't say much else though. Don't want to give any spoilers ;D I'm sorry that the way I write the age breaks the flow! It was the way I was taught to write it in class and papers, and it always just stuck with me! Hopefully it's not too much of a problem. Otherwise, just let me know :) Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
bonitalito: Hello! I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying this story so far! If there's anything that bothers you or some sort of grammatical problem, please feel free to let me know! I'm always open for criticism and pointers, so don't be shy ;) I know I haven't updated in quite some time, but from now on, I should be updating once a week, so be on the look out for that! As for Kakashi and Naruto and Karibi, there will definitely be some teasing from Karibi, but that's just their relationship. And there will definitely be some more bonds growing between the three of them as time and the story goes on! So hopefully you'll enjoy that! Thank you for reading, and thank you so much for the review! I appreciate the support and you taking the time to leave a message for this story! :)
