I slept in late and when I woke Shikamaru has left already, then, when I went to eat something I found out that my father was at work, leaving my mother home with me. After I talked with her for a while, I found out that one of the guest rooms would be my new room; I would finally have my own room, as well as Shikamaru would have his own. I ate breakfast and then I went back to our still-shared room and began writing down every single detail I remembered about the anime. Then I made a note with red paint before each event, stating the time when it would take place if I remembered correctly. By the time I finished, it was well in the afternoon, it took me longer than expected and when father came I gave him one notebook, filled with the events. The other one was going to be Kakashi's.
"I heard your team took every available D-rank yesterday." I nodded. "Kurenai is pushing you hard?" Father asked, walking past me as I was still sitting in front of the table.
"Yup, but it doesn't bother me. After all, we have to make capable ninjas." I shrugged.
Kurenai-sensei filled us with our schedule, every beginning of the week and middle of the week we would do every available mission for that day, we would have one day off, the other days we'd train. That was how I ended up learning genjutsu, Kurenai-sensei told me was a specialist in genjutsu that utilized eyesight, so I started to learn some. At the same time, she gave me and Hinata tips on how to use our lightning release, she gave us a scroll and so we learned, while she tutored us. She taught Hinata and Shino fire release ninjutsu and she taught me and Shino earth release ninjutsu. We were doing fine and as weeks went by we learned more and more and perfected more and more. She taught us how to have perfect chakra control, every day we woke up and did a little series of chakra control exercises, then we went on with our day.
Then one day we got assigned a C-ranked mission.
"Your mission is to capture thieves that have been spotted around the back hills. Capture them and bring them in." we nodded and left.
The mission was simple, we found the thieves in a clearing, having a break. Since we've been trained in stealth all the time, we weren't spotted at all. Hinata looked around with her Byakugan, she told us we wouldn't be attacked by others. We were clear. Shino's bugs grouped around the thieves. I brought my hand up and signaled to Shino. The bugs immediately began attacking the thieves, who began freaking out and trying to get away. I signaled to Hinata and we both jumped down back to back.
"Kage Mane no Jutsu!"
"Juken!"
The thieves were either knocked out or held in a spot by my shadow, then knocked out. Shino and Kurenai-sensei dropped down from their hiding spot on the tree.
"Good job." our sensei told us, we all fist-bumped and smiled.
There were four bandits, we all took one-one on our backs and began advancing back to the village.
"Record time, Team 8." Iruka-sensei commented as two chunin came in and took the thieves.
"Hey, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto burst in, we all turned to face him, besides him appeared a sheepish Kakashi, an annoyed Sakura, and a broody Sasuke. "Oh, hey guys!" he finally noticed us. "Here for some D-ranked missions?" he mocked.
"Actually, we're here since we just finished a C-ranked mission and we want another one." Shino said in his monotone voice.
"Right." Iruka-sensei began. "The only C-rank left for today is one that involves eliminating a rogue turned chunin." he looked up at Kurenai-sensei and she nodded. "The chunin lost a limb during battle so he should be no problem even if he engages in combat." we nodded.
"We'll take it, thank you Iruka-sensei." Hinata, yup, that timid girl, answered clearly and loudly. As I said, Kurenai-sensei was hard on us, but she wasn't hard only physically, she did whatever she could to change us for the better.
"Did-did Hinata just say that?" I heard Sakura gasp.
"Surprised, Haruno?" I asked with a smirk.
I found myself covered in blood, the chunin at my feet. Apparently, he had jonin skill and his missing leg was false information. He got Kurenai-sensei and tried to kill my teammates. I did what I had to, I killed him, I stabbed him with my tanto right in his left leg, then I slashed his leg open, I slashed open his torso with Shino's help and then Hinata pushed him back, right to me, I cut through his heart. His blood spilled all over me and it covered me, drenching me in its iron smell.
I chuckled there, covered in blood, and told my team we did an amazing job.
In my other life, I'd be unconscious from seeing so much blood, but in my new life, right there, I just loved the smell of it. I drew my tanto up and licked the blood from the one that dared to threaten my team. It tasted metallic, salty... and for some reason it didn't gross me out, I kinda liked it...
Kurenai-sensei told us that she'd give in the report and we should go home, we had a full day and I had my first kill. Plus, we were all in bloodied clothes, we had to change and shower. We didn't run, after all, living in a ninja village, it wasn't uncommon to see bloodied ninja walk on the streets.
"SASUKE!" we heard and looked at each other in confusion.
"IF YOU KEEP THIS UP, I'LL FINISH YOU OFF MYSELF!" we heard another voice before we turned the corner of the street.
Team 7 noticed us and froze. Sasuke's and Naruto's eyes were wide in surprise and Sakura gasped at us.
"What happened to you?" Sakura shrieked and we all looked at our clothes, like we didn't know they were drenched in blood, even our hands and hair was red.
"Mission." I shrugged.
"C-rank." Hinata added.
"Turned into a B-rank." Shino stated.
"The one you got today when we've met?" Kakashi questioned and looked at me, I nodded.
"Yup, it was a trap all along, the guy was an experienced jonin, no limb missing, he attacked Kurenai-sensei mostly and got her." I explained.
"Then he got me and Shino." Hinata added.
"But then Shikanai attacked him and got a good slash on him, after we got liberated, we all got him down and then Shikanai killed him." Shino finished.
"You killed a jonin?" Sakura breathed and I could feel Sasuke's intense glare on me.
"Awesome, Shikanai!" Naruto exclaimed.
"I didn't do it alone." I pointed with my thumbs to my teammates. "Anyways." I yawned. "Now that sensei is not here I can finally have my plus hours of sleep."
"As much as I'd want to stay and talk, I smell like blood and... guts." Hinata shivered.
"Same here." Shino added.
"See you!" Hinata and Shino called.
"Kakashi-nii-san, can I come by later?" I asked solemnly and he nodded. After that we all left, leaving a dumbfounded team 7 behind.
How I loved their reaction.
After I got home and got a bewildered look from my parents I went to the bedroom. I was taking out some spare clothes to change into, readying myself for a bath, when Shikamaru walked in.
"What happened to you?" he stopped in the doorway and looked at the dried blood on me.
"Mission." I shrugged.
"Troublesome." he sighed.
"Got my first kill." I added.
"Are you alright?" he stepped closer and I heard the concern in his voice.
"Better than ever." I smiled at him. "Actually, I feel really alive, I think it's the adrenaline still pumping in me." I shrugged and he nodded.
After the bath I took my bag began running and I found myself in front of Kakashi's apartment's door. I knocked and waited until the door opened. When he opened the door he looked like he came not long ago from somewhere, he was still wearing his full uniform. He greeted me and I greeted him as well, then I took off my sandals and walked in. I took out a notebook from my backpack and gave it to him.
"It's about the future events, I wrote everything down plus the date or events that happened around that period. It has the Chunin Exams in it since I think that will happen soon enough, read it, it's important, but don't read in further than you have to, that would change too much and the whole knowing what will happen will not help us out anymore." he nodded and put the notebook on the counter in the kitchen space. That was when I saw that he had some paper sheets on the couch. "Did I disturb you?"
"No, not really, just filling in some information for the exams." I took in a sharp breath.
"So, we're really there already." I breathed. "Let me guess, the rookies are all in?" he nodded, taking the sheets from the couch and putting them away.
"I didn't expect Kurenai and Asuma to enter their teams as well." we sat down on his couch. "But given the fact that you're in Team 8, it shouldn't have been a surprise." he leaned on his elbows and looked at me.
"Don't have high expectations of me." I commented and he snorted.
"You took down a jonin, Kurenai told me everything." I watched him intensely. "You didn't back down and you didn't look afraid."
"He was threatening my team. I had to do something!" he only watched me. "After all, the mission was to eliminate him." I looked to the ground, feeling ashamed for some strange reason.
"And you did it without any hesitation." he said and I nodded.
"That's what is expected in those situations." I told him, still not looking at him.
"Most genin would freak out or cry after they kill somebody, most need help after they do it. Most hesitate before they kill, Kurenai told me you didn't." what was he implying? I did what I had to. That was all. I did what was expected from me. I got up and walked away.
"You didn't even congratulate me that I became a genin!" I hissed with some venom and I saw his eyes narrow. "And now you compare me to other genin, we both know I'm different! Maybe that's why I did what I had to without hesitation!" I put my sandals on and then I looked up into his eyes. His grey eyes didn't betray anything from his end.
"Have you felt any emotion when you did it? And after it?" I stopped to think. I felt good after that, but that was only the rush of events, the adrenaline in me. That faded quickly, but other than that I felt nothing, not then, not ever since when I talked about it.
"No." I shook my head.
"Kurenai told me you looked emotionless, you were colder than ever and you focused only to kill your opponent." but I had to! The other man was threatening my comrades! I couldn't just let him kill them! It was either I'd kill him or he'd kill my close ones! I narrowed my eyes and watched Kakashi.
"What are you implying?" I asked. "That I'm some kind of merciless monster?" I hissed and he shook his head.
"I'm not your enemy, I'm trying to help. You maimed that man before you killed him, you slashed him open and let him cry out in agony, all the while you kept advancing with an emotionless face." why couldn't I remember it so well? I tried to picture myself doing that, but no memory helped me like I wasn't entirely conscious when it happened. I recalled the man crying, but he tried to kill my teammates! He deserved it! "Shikanai." I snapped back to the present. "What Kurenai described me sounded like a perfect weapon." I watched him. "You sounded like an ANBU should be. That's a dark path, Shikanai." I heard the concern in his voice and I smirked.
"Please, Kakashi-nii-san." I chuckled darkly, turning to leave. "Just don't have such high expectations of me."
Because, my dear old Kakashi, I might just reach them.
Juken = Gentle Fist
Kage mane no jutsu = Shadow Imitation Technique
Nii-san = older brother
And so we have reached our final chapter in this arc, the following arc being the one I've rewritten a few times, because it's the one that delves a little bit deeper into the storyline and stuff, anyways, we also get a glimpse at the slashing thoughts in Shikanai's head. I want to note that there's a reason for the italics, you'll see in due time. We also got her first kill and her 'darker' side of sorts. What do you think? What's really happening with her?
I don't own Naruto.
Take care and have a nice read!