OSU! Third chapter on the way! Thanks for your reviews and votes!
And yeah... ItaRikku is ItachiRikku, and what I got so far are:
ItachixRikku: 2
GenmaxRikku: 2
DeidaraxRikku: 1 (Deidara's a guy in this fic if it does happen. I'm not sure of his gender, but I'm sticking with male)
IbikixPaine: 3 (...No comment O.O)
PainexDeidara: 1
PainexKakashi: 1
Onwards!
A FEW WEEKS LATER...
"Uhn... Jou-o-nin..." Rikku muttered, trying to remember the shinobi ranks that has been explained to her.
"I got it! They are mid-class ninjas that is in the upper level from genin but below chuunin!" She concluded, grinning. Anko sweatdropped. For the past few days, Rikku managed to conquer the basic ninja techniques, such as bunshin, henge and handling ninja weapons, and even went as far with Kagebunshin. She also changed her attire to something more blending to this world's standards.
"Wrong. Other way round," Anko explained. Rikku blinked.
"Oh, they're the low-class ninjas below chuunin?"
"No, they are the highest level of shinobi, on par with the anbu, just with different jobs." She explained in exasperation, taking out a chart and drawing the levels of shinobi. Rikku peered at the paper showing the shinobi levels, letting the info sink in. A question then finally popped in her head.
"Ne, ne, what about Paine and me? If we finish our 'studies', what level will we be in?" The blonde Al-Bhed asked, excited.
"Well, considering you're very powerful we'd put you under Jounin," Rikku gave a thousand-watt grin. "...But because you don't have enough knowledge of the shinobi ways, and the fact you still need to know the basic techniques, PLUS you have no experience whatsoever, the Hokage decided to place you both under chuunin level to get experience beforehand." Rikku's grin fell. She then sighed.
"Oh well. At least I don't have to start all the way from the bottom." She claimed. Anko grinned, patting the younger girl's shoulder.
"Don't worry! If all goes well, you can make it as a jounin depending on your performances!" Anko encouraged, cheering Rikku up. She looked at the Hokage tower, thinking;
"I wonder how Paine's doing with Ibiki?" She thought out loud, making Rikku wonder the same thing.
FLASHBACK
"WHAT!" The people in the room (Minus the Hokage) blanched, looking at the old man with surprised expressions. Rikku stepped up to The Third.
"S-sir, with all due respect, we only arrived here! We can't just-- out of the blue become ninjas! We don't know a thing about being one!" She exclaimed, reasoning with the Hokage. Paine nodded in agreement.
"She's right, Hokage-dono, isn't there some alternative way we can make use of our service without becoming ninjas?" The black-haired girl asked, a small bead of sweat on her face. The Hokage shook his head.
"I'm sorry, but there isn't. You both have excellent power in your areas of ability, ranged in various styles at that. And if I may say this, your powers could be of use for the service to the village." He explained. Paine sighed.
"Very well. We'll become ninjas," Paine accepted, settling down. Rikku and the other occupants of the room looked at her.
"...Paine...!" Rikku exclaimed, loss at words.
"While we're stuck here, might as well make ourselves useful right? Besides, a bit of experience could go a long way." She debated with the younger girl, making her surrender.
"...Okay..." She finished. Paine turned back to the leader of Konoha.
"That's settled," She finished, smiling. The Hokage nodded.
"Now, onto other matters. Don't worry, this will not concern the rest of you, so Anbus, you may leave." They did so. "And for the remaining people, this concerns about where--"
"Oi, JIJI! WE'VE FINISHED THAT BORING MISSION! GIVE US AN EXCITING ONE LIKE THAT WAVE COUNTRY MISSION!" A voice suddenly yelled, where the door slammed open and revealed three pre-teens at the door. The blonde one in the middle then pointed an accusing finger at Kakashi. "AND KAKASHI-SENSEI! WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WE DID THOSE MISSIONS!" He bellowed again, his loudness making Paine and Rikku cringe.
'And I thought Rikku was loud...' Paine mused. Aparrantly Rikku was thinking the same thing. The blonde kid-- who else is it but Naruto, then began again.
"Naruto has point, sensei. When you're out on missions, don't you have any other exercises we could do to improve chakra or something while you're gone?" Sakura asked meekly, her Inner-Self screaming; SHANNYARO! GIVE US SOMETHING LESS BORING, DAMMIT!
"...Chakra?" Rikku asked, the word foreign to her. Then again, everything here is foreign.
"It's the energy required to perform techniques, and depending on the techniques, the amount needed varies." Kotetsu explained.
"Oh! Those things! Well, in our case, they're probably the same as MP." Rikku noted, unederstanding what it is. The Hokage sighed at the blonde ninja's antics.
"AND-- Ore? Nee-san wa dareda?" Naruto questioned, looking at Rikku. "You dress weirdly. That other nee-san does too." He added, looking at Paine, who just shrugged nonchalantly. For some reason, the black-haired foreigner reminded both Naruto and Sakura of Sasuke.
"Ah... It's rather complicated to start over again, but to summarise things up, these girls are from another world. She is Rikku and that one is Paine," The Hokage introduced, gesturing them to their respective names. "Rikku, Paine, they are the team under the tutelage of Kakashi, the girl is Haruno Sakura, the black-haired one is Uchiha Sasuke and--"
"OREWA UZUMAKI NARUTO YO! THE FUTURE HOKAGE!" Said person announced, Paine sweatdrop at his outburst.
"Pleased to meet you, Naruto-kun!" Rikku said cheerfully. Already she likes this kid! Naruto grinned, blushing and at the same time scratching the back of his head. Paine on the other hand, looked at Sasuke.
And he looked back at her.
Stare.
Stare.
'What the hell does he remind me of?'
'Who the hell does this lady resemble?'
Stare.
Sakura looked at the people staring at each other, and began to panic. 'Iie! This can't be! Sasuke-kun likes older girls? Nooooooo!' She thought to herself.
GLARE.
'...Okay, maybe not.' She thought, sweatdropping as she took her previous thoughts back. Meanwhile, with Naruto and Rikku, Naruto was bombarding her with questions.
"Ano sa, Ano sa! Do you have cool jutsus in your world? What's it like there? Do they have ramen? Do you like ramen? How do you wash your hair when it's like that? How--"
"Naruto, that's enough! You're bothering her!" Sakura interrupted, smacking him from the back of his head to shut him up. Rikku giggled.
"Ahem!" The Hokage coughed, gaining the attention of the people in the room again.
"Back to the matter at hand. You two need a place to stay." The room silenced.
"I can let one stay with me, but that's just about the maximum number. I don't have anymore room for two," Kurenai suggested. The Hokage nodded.
"In that case, Paine, you can stay with Kurenai. Now, for Rikku..." Kakashi raised his hand enthusiastically.
"I can take her!" He exclaimed, a concealed, perverted grin surfacing. Rikku seemed a bit unsure.
"What's that you're reading?" She asked.
"Icha-Icha Paradise."
"Then no." She dead-panned. Kakashi slumped, mumbling something along the lines of 'sharing a bed' and 'shower'. His students sighed.
"Genma-san?" The Hokage asked.
"I live in a single roomed-apartment."
"Kotetsu-san?"
"I'm in a boarding apartment, likewise with Izumo."
"Raidou?"
"No offense, but I'm just uncomfortable living alone with a woman in my small place." Rikku nodded in agreement.
"Hmm... It's rather inappropriate anyways that you should share a place with any of these gentlemen, especially considering that they are bachelors." The male jounins blushed.
"Umm, sir? I do have a girlfriend, just so you know." Izumo retorted.
"And that's even worse," The Hokage deadpanned. Everyone sweatdropped.
"You three," He motioned the three genins. "You don't by any chance have any room, do you?"
"My parents do have a guest bedroom, but our friends and relatives are coming for visits often lately..." Sakura said apoligitically.
"Hn." I don't want an annoying girl in my apartment.
Paine sweatdropped at his Nine-words-turned-one statement. And being one who depicts looks, she understood.
'This mind-reading thing can't be healthy for me.'
"Rikku-neechan can stay with me!" Naruto exclaimed cheerfully, excited at the idea. Rikku gave a relieved smile, celebrating inside her head. 'Alright! I don't have to share a space with Kakashi-pervert!'
"Then it's settled. Rikku and Pained, welcome to Konoha!"
FLASHBACK END
Afterwards, the two girls have been placed under special, basic trainings, where Rikku is assigned under Anko, and Paine with Ibiki. Iruka was busy enough with the academy students, while the other jounins are either too busy with missions, or taking care of their teams. Rikku was rather intimidated by the purple-haired, loud-mouthed jounin at first, where she is somewhat scary in Rikku's view. But in the end, they got along quite well, since it turns out their personalities colaborate with each other's.
Or as Ibiki put it bluntly when he last met them together; The Obnoxious Pair.
The two girls have also officially been roled as Konoha's Secret Weapon, where the Hokage asked for their assistance for Konoha should anything happen, which the girls happily agreed to. Afterall, they're already used to handling trouble.
"Ma! That's enough for today! Let's go eat dango!" Anko exclaimed, raising a fist in the air.
"NO! RAMEN!" Rikku retorted.
"DANGO!"
"RAMEN!"
"DANGO!"
"RAMEN!"
"DANGO!"
"RAMEN!"
"DANGO!"
"RAMEN!"
Yes, folks. Ever since Rikku moved in with Naruto, she has been introduced to the addictive dish known as ramen. Needless to say, when she, Team 7 and Paine were being treated to it by Kakashi, the silver-haired jounin will be having trouble paying his bills this month. Paine was okay with the new dish she tasted, but Rikku has become as obssessive to it like Naruto.
Naruto, Naruto... What have you done?
MEANWHILE, WITH IBIKI AND PAINE
"Kagebunshin no jutsu!" Paine exclaimed, where ten perfect clones of her appeared. Ibiki nodded.
"Very good. You've made quite a progress, Paine." He complimented. Paine, like Rikku, also changed her attires into something more blending to the world's standards. She canceled out her clones, leaving only herself.
"Well, Paine, there's nothing more to teach you. You've gotten all the basics right and you've already learned the shinobi systems. Congratulations, you're a chuunin." He said, earning a tired smile from the dark-haired girl.
"Thanks. You've been extremely helpful to me. But I think for techniques progress Rikku's better than me." Ibiki raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you say that? From what I heard from Anko, she's a bit slow with learning the shinobi systems."
"True, but she's very nimble and quick-witted despite being clumsy when learning something than applies with methods. She probably has already mastered Kagebunshin before I did." She explained. "We have our individual talents. I, on the other hand, am faster with recognising shinobi ways and other philosophical studies."
"...I don't know if you would call that 'philosophical', it sounds a bit uncolaborative on our terms." Ibiki noted. Paine sighed.
"Well, now that I'm this chuunin-thing, what am I gonna do?" Paine finally asked. Ibiki handed her a paper.
"This is your first mission. You'll be doing it with Rikku and two other chuunins." He explained, as Paine looked at the piece of paper.
"A B-rank mission: To escort a Daimyo from the country of steel back home." She looked at Ibiki. "The details said that we might encounter other ninjas. Added to that, the guys a DAIMYO, and from what I've learned, those people are very important. Are you sure you should be giving us this mission level on our very first try?" Ibiki smirked.
"What's wrong? Do you want me to go easy on you?" Paine scowled.
"Hell no! It's just... I can't believe you people trust us that easily. I mean, we appeared out of nowhere from another world, and you've accepted us just like that! Aren't you suspicious? I mean, for all you know we could be traitors, and already you're giving us this level of a mission?" Paine questioned, a bit of doubt in her tone.
"Well, for one thing, if you ARE traitors, we won't hesitate to assasinate you guys. And on the terms of this mission level, the Hokage and other witnesses have already seen some of your moves, and from that we can conclude that you're powerful enough to take on this mission. As for the whole trust thing... Well, Rikku acts a lot like Naruto, making her hard not to like and trust,"
"You do realise she's a thief. No offense to Rikku though." Paine interrupted.
"You do realise Naruto's a shinobi. And that's saying enough." Ibiki answered. "Anyway, as for you... ever since I've met you, I can already tell that you are trustworthy. You've got an honorable air around you, probably from the fact that you're originally a warrior. 'That explain everything?" Paine nodded meekly. "Alright then. Your mission starts in two days. Good luck." With that, the two parted.
RIKKU AND ANKO
"Teehee!" Rikku giggled, slurping the ramen, winning over the dango-ramen war. Anko grumbled.
"That wasn't fair, brat!" Anko exclaimed. After the argument, Rikku just stole Anko's wallet and ran away to the ramen bar with it, making the purple-haired ninja run after her, making them reach the ramen stand, and hence, making Rikku win over what they should eat today. Rikku stuck her tongue out.
"All's fair in love and war! Besides, as shinobis, shouldn't we take any opportunity given to us, without haste?" Anko grumbled again.
"Fine, but next time it's dango!" Rikku grinned.
'I should take some home for Naruto-kun...'
LATER... AT NARUTO'S
"Oh geez, this place is a shipwreck!" Rikku exclaimed to herself, scanning around the messy place when she got back. Naruto wasn't home yet. It was almost the same when she first came in, where the place was rather small and somewhat crappy. Made her feel like she was back in her room, minus Paine's nagging at cleaning it. And until now, she still can't help but wonder;
'Who would let a twelve year old with no parents live in a place like this?' True, despite the fact that it reminded her of her room, her space was better off than Naruto's apartment. And she can't help but feel sorry for the kid that she now thinks of as her little brother. Being a mechanic, nimble with her hands, she managed to fix a few things that are broken, and patch up any cracks that she finds. In and all, the place was at least 'working' again, minus the clean-ness.
"Might as well work on that too today. The least I could do for Naruto for letting me stay with him." Hence, the cleaning began. The door then suddenly opened.
"Rikku-neechan! I heard that you're chuunin now! Congratulations!"
"Naruto-kun! You're just in time in helping me clean the place! Congratulations!" Naruto sweatdropped. Rikku grinned, handing him a broom.
"Well, for my 'graduating present', you're helping!" Naruto frowned at his surrogative sister's enthusiasm. "And thanks for congratulating me. Now, let's get to work! Kagebunshin no jutsu!" With that, three Rikkus appeared holding a duster and a cloth, and began working. Naruto grinned, doing the same, but the clones he made were holding brooms.
"Rikku-neechan is weird. You're suppose to use Kagebunshin for fighting and stuff, but you're using it for cleaning!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Well, since it exists, might as well use it for something useful outside missions, ne?" Rikku Clone #3 answered back.
A few hours later, being 10:18pm, the place was spotless. Naruto was asleep on the couch, his head resting on Rikku's lap, exhausted after the whole day doing missions and afterwards cleaning his place. Rikku smiled warmly at his sleeping form, stroking his hair gently. His orange jacket was on the floor, leaving Naruto in his black shirt and orange pants. Rikku lifted the boy up, piggybacking him to his bed and after laying him on it, brought his blanket up to his form and left the room.
'He must've been through a lot if he's been smiling like that all his life.' In truth, Rikku knows after a few weeks living with the boy, that he has been hiding under his grins and smiles. She recognises that 'mask' anywhere. She should know, she's been doing the same thing too in Spira. She does care about her cousin, Yuna, a lot... But she can't help but feel jealous towards her. Yuna was half Al-Bhed, yet no one hated her for having the blood. Rikku on the other hand, despite saving Spira twice WITH Yuna didn't receive acceptance. She always smiled and grinned, being a cheerful Al-Bhed, but that was in order to hide the hatred. The hatred was not directed at Yuna, but to the people who hated the Al-Bhed for fighting against Sin, for fighting for everyone's freedom.
'I can't believe I'm still dwelling in that. I promised to get myself over it...'
She looked at the ceiling that cracked, despite her fixing it only a few days ago.
"And as soon as I have enough money, I'm moving with Naruto outta here!" She claimed in half-determination and half-annoyance.
'And when Naruto trusts me enough, maybe he can tell me what's wrong...'
PAINE AND KURENAI
"Kurenai! Do you know where the kitchen knife is-- Aw, forget it. I'll just use my sword."
"How the hell are you gonna cook using a sword! Cut the ingredients normally!"
"Says the ninja who's cutting the vegetables with a kunai!"
"It'll end up the same way anyway!"
"Likewise with using my sword!"
"No it's not!"
"Yes it is!"
Kurenai and Paine are in the kitchen, cooking. Well, Kurenai trying to teach Paine how to cook NORMALLY. During her stay in Spira, Paine has always relied on any appliance or any other random things that is close to her to assist her cooking requirements, and that ranges with replacing the stove with Fira, to using Nooj's cane to open high cupboards and retrieving needed items from it.
How Nooj's cane ended up in Paine's kitchen, that will never be answered.
"Here, use the kitchen knife!"
"Okay, okay... fine..." Paine gave in, chopping up the meat with the knife Kurenai handed to her.
"...By the way, what are we cooking again?" Paine inquired.
"..." Silence fell. Kurenai didn't know what they were cooking in the first place.
TSUZUKU
Nyah. Sorry for the OOC-ness, and for making Paine and Rikku slightly Mary-sue... I think. And for the Sasuke-Paine thing, that's just in my view; The first time I saw Sasuke, for some reason, he really reminded me of Paine... Dunno why though. Nyah. And I promise to make the next chapter more revolving around the Naruto casts instead of focusing only on Rikku and Paine. Afterall, I really should stick to the anime storyline more n.n;; I'll try to make the next chapter better. With some action. Nyaha.
RRV! (Read, Review and Vote)