I do not own any of the Final Fantasy, Inuyasha, Naruto, Fushugi Yugi or any other characters from anime's and games. I don't own Kuro, Kosarai or D3pa1. I own myself and Ukeo (Please don't steal...) I'm sorry if my Indents don't show up!! Since they don't show up, a new paragraph will start when there are three things like this ʓʷʷ And if those three thingies don't show up I'm sorry if they don't ;
Oh! And thank you to Firamaster for letting me use his characters!
Other voice: italic
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"A flood?!" Inari's mom shouted
"And it's a super big one too! Like before!" Tazuna cried "If only Kaiza was here!"
"We better check on the village!" Chichiri said putting his funnel-ish straw hat on and running out
"Me too me too!" I shouted running after him.
"The gate's open again! We need to close it!" a villager shouted over the howling winds
"We can't! Kaiza's not here anymore!" another villager shouted
"Then what're we gonna do? Drown?!" Tazuna roared. All the villagers turned facing Tazuna and us
"Well what do we do then?!" My eyes scanned the current situation. The water was splashing over the docks soaking everything in sight, I also saw little kids trying to plaster themselves onto the tiny houses that lined the docks and a huge gate swinging among the currents banging against the other side of the dock
"Stop yelling at me! Is there anyone here that can swim well?!" Tazuna asked. No hands went up. Nobody volenteered. I peered at the rushing water and tried calculating logic into my head, I dunno how that's possible for me but hey, it's worth a try. Let's see... If the top of the water is running this fast, then I wonder about the under current.... I saw a villager with a rope in his hands
"We're all going to die! You know that Tazuna!" a villager shouted "Even the bridge will never be completed!"
"OOII!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Everyone turned to me
"What is that thing!?" I heard someone yell
"I can swim fairly well" I said taking off my sash and kimono and only wearing my pants and a tank top "I'll close it"
"Kiako! Please don't!" Chichiri shouted grabbing my shoulders "I don't...I don't wanna see you drown!" I handed him my kimono and sash and gave him a thumbs up
"Ya kidding? Ya can't get rid of me so easily!" I grinned "It'd take an entire ocean to get rid of me!"
"An entire ocean? Why didn't I think of that!" Kuro said snapping "Ok! Next trip tomarrow! The ocean!"
"Are you sure Kiako?" Kakashi asked walking up beside Chichiri
"Yeah! You could drown! Cats can't swim!" Sakura said
"Well if I do drown it's not a big loss" I said shrugging "Hand me the rope will ya?"
"True, she is expendable" Kuro said
"Are ya sure? Maybe I should do it, or Tasuki!" Kel said
"I'm not going out there!" Tasuki yelled from a window
"Why not?!" Zero yelled water pelting his helmet
"Cause he can't swim no da" Chichiri said
"SHUT UP CHICHIRI!!" Tasuki shouted.
"Well, I'm off!" I said tying the rope securely around my waist and doing a two finger salut "Wish me luck!"
"Please come back" Chichiri said
"I will!"
"Promise?" I nodded with a wide smile on my face
"With your god as my witness!"
"Be careful cat" Tazuna said patting my back. I gave another two finger salut
"Chichiri! Try and keep my clothes at least semi-dry! I'm gonna need to wear them later when or if I come back!" Chichiri nodded. I grinned giving a thumbs up and dove head first into the rushing water.
ʓʓʓ
Damn my calculations!! I should've consulted with Kuro first.... As soon as I hit the water I was swept down with the strong current and felt a yank as the rope around my waist snapped taunt cutting into my stomache. I flailed to the surface trying to keep my head above the water sucking in as much air as I could
"Kiako!" Sakura screamed. My head went under again and I watched blurrily at a rope that began to sever itself
"DAMN!!" I shouted to myself in my head grabbing the rope just as it split. I kicked my way back up over the water and stuck one end of the rope in my mouth between my teeth and tried tying the rope together with a Devils tonge knot, hey it's a pretty damned strong knot!
"Pull her in! Pull her in now!!" I heard Kakashi shout
"NO! I CAN DO THIS!!" I shouted over the water with the knot done up tight "I HAVE TO! I CLEARLY STATED ONLY AN OCEAN COULD GET RID OF ME! NOT A DAMNED RIVER!" I took a deep breath and plundged into the water and paddling forward. I looked over the water taking a breath and seeing if I got any closer to the gate. Instead, I was near the dock again and grabbed a post that was holding up the dock, right underneath where Chichiri and Kel were kneeling, their hands out stretched
"Kiako! Get out of the water now!" Kel shouted as I clung to the post still. I shook my head
"Please Kiako-chan! You'll get hurt!" Sakura cried also thrusting out her hand to me
"I can do this! This is just a friggin river! I can do this!" I shouted determinated
"Kiako! Get out! That's an order!" Kakashi shouted down to me
"Oh!" I took the bell around my neck off and tossed it up to him "Keep it safe! I don't wanna lose it ok!!" I gave another two finger salut and dove back down
"No! Kiako!!" Trying to keep my eyes open, I blinked and swam back up. Now I was nearly at the gate, just about five meters
Your going to drown
No I won't
Yes you will, you know it don't you?
That's only because I have no self esteem, so shut up!!
Your gonna drown, your gonna drown
Shut up! Get her inner chibi!!
You will fail
"I will not!!" I shouted reaching out and grabbing nothing. I began to get swept back "I won't fail! I'm not losing to a friggin river!"
"KIAKO!! YOU CAN DO IT!!" I glanced back and saw Kosarai drenched wet with his hair plastered to his head and his hands cupped around his mouth "YOU CAN DO IT LITTLE SISTER!! I KNOW YOU CAN!!" I felt relief fill my mind
"COME ON BAKA!!" Kuro yelled punching her fist in the air "I STILL HAVE TO GET YOU TO AN OCEAN!! REMEMBER! I'M GONNA BE THE ONE TO KILL YOU! NOT THIS RIVER!!"
"GO KIAKO-CHAN!!" Sakura shouted
"GO MAN GO!!" Kel yelled with Zero. I felt new energy fill my body and I dove under again, I reached out and felt something hard
"YES!!" I shouted triuphantly grabbing the wooden gate with both hands
"She got it! She's got the gate!!" I heard Sakura shreik
"Kiako! Try tying the rope!!" Tazuna shouted. I let one hand slide to undo the rope around my waist and felt my other hand slip off. Grabbing hold of the gate again, I choked as water went down my throat
"KIAKO-CHAN!!!" I peered to the side and saw Chichiri on the ledge screaming "YOU PROMISED!! YOU PROMISED YOU'D COME BACK!! YOU SAID YOU WOULD!!" I furrowed my brow and nodded. Again I reached for the rope and this time, got the rope off and tugged it forward to tie it. It wouldn't go any farther.
"Nani?!" I looked back and saw the rope was at it's end
Told ya you'd fail
I caught a glint of metal and noticed it was a chain attached to the side of the gate. With the rope still in my hand, I reached out for the chain and my other hand slipped off completly
"Kiako!!" I opened my mouth and my teeth sang with pain and they chomped down on the chain and my mouth felt as if all my teeth would be yanked out by the current of the water carrying my weight. Grabbing the chain with it still in my mouth, I tied the rope and chain together and made sure it would stay by triple knotting it and then tying it again with the Devils tonge.
"She's got it!! Pull!!" I felt the gate slowly moving inwards towards the dock where Kakashi and the others waited. Damn, I'm pretty tired... My arm and leg muscles were all stiff and sore from the cold water and my swimming. Then I felt something grab me from under my arms and lift me up onto hard wood and then felt something hard hit the side of my face
"Your pretty damned stupid!" Kuro yelled glaring down at me furiously and she punched me again
"Kuro! Stoppit already, she's already been through enough" Kel said smiling down at me
"Hey! I want in on the action!" Zero shouted
"See! I knew you could do it little sister!!" Kosarai cried hugging me
"Hey what's with the little sister now?" I grinned
"Your like my little sister! And I'm damn proud of you!" Kosarai-san or Kosarai- Nee san I should call him now said. I smiled looking at all the relieved faces and Kuro's Glare O doom had changed to her Glare O Death, but seeing it made me feel all the better. I staggered to my feet and looked at the gate. Now it was securly closed and the water that had once flooded through the village had subsided slightly.
"Help!!" my head whiped to the side and a little boy was flailing in the water "Help me!" Without hesitation, I ran to the side and got ready to dive back in
"Kiako yamaro! You've done enough!"
"Sorry can't hear ya!" I shouted just as I hit the water again. I grabbed the boy around his waist and tried to keep him afloat
"Calm down, It's ok, try laying back on your back and then you'll float!" I said trying to stop him from thrashing around, His head went under the water and I thrust him back up only to get my own head splooshed down. There still was a current in the water and we kinda floating down. I popped my head back over the water and bit my thumb. HARD. With the boy tucked underneath my arm, I preformed seals again and drew a rough circle in the water with blood and just before it was swept away, placed my hand on it
"Come forth! Great water snake Leviathan!!" a shadow darted underneath us and a serpents head reared up
"AHH!! MONSTER!!" The boy screamed "NO NO! GET IT AWAY FROM ME!!"
"Oh suck it up your suppose to be a man!" I shouted plopping him down on Leviathans head "He can only carry one for now so Leviathan get him back to the docks!" The serpent nodded and darted off. I just kinda floated there with rain beating down on my face. Then I heard a jingle and saw a staff shoved in front of me
"Grab on!" Chichiri ordered. I obeyed and was dragged back onto the dock and was immidietly glomped.
"Don't do that! I thought I'd lost you!" Chichiri cried hugging me tightly. Something wet and warm streamed down my face where Chichiri's cheek was pressed against mine, hey wait a sec, are those tears?? Nah, probably just the rain. I hugged him back in return
"Told ya it's take an ocean to get rid of me, looks like your gonna be stuck with me for a long time!" I grinned
"Not for long! We're going to the ocean tomarrow first thing in the morning!" Kuro shouted in my ear
"Aww! Gimme a break!"
ʓʓʓ
The rain had stopped and we were all sitting in the kitchen having dinner.
"Man, I almost made it..." Naruto groaned
"Sure, you almost fell to your death..." Sasuke muttered
"Shut up!!"
"That was a great job cat" Tazuna said "I'm impressed"
"Nyah..." was all I said with my head resting on the table and my eyes closed. I heard a tiny thump in front of me and opened my eyes to see a face in front of mine
"Daaa!" Chibi Chichiri said jumping onto my head. I smiled and flicked at his bangs
"That was some flood huh guys?" Kel said
"Great job Kiako" Kakashi said again scratching at his gloves "Even though you disobeyed orders, I'm proud of you" I smiled
"It's been a while since I heard praise like that" I said under my breath
"You deserved it no da" Chichiri said
"You!!" Vale shouted "Trying to steal my Kiako aren't you?" Everyone looked at him in confusion
"What're you babbling about now purple dude?" Zero said brushing back his red hair with his hand
"I saw you kissing Kiako!" Vale shouted eyebrows knitted together. Everyone stared at me and Chichiri that was still on my head
"So, any fireworks go off?" Kel asked
"We just hugged no da!" Chichiri said pulling over the blanket that was drapped over my shoulders over his head and hiding
"That won't make you invisable!" Vale shouted
"Hey guys look! Kiako's face is turning red!" Kel cried in glee
"Say what?" I pulled the blanket over my head as well hiding my face
"Aww! Isn't that cute!!" Sakura laughed
"Uresai!!" I growled my face heating up again
"Want me to find an empty room for you two?" Kel teased
"Nah, they already have one to themselves, wonder if they did anything yet?" Zero also started teasing
"I'll kill you all...." I grumbled feeling Chichiri wiggling around on top of my head nervously.
"That's my job!" Kuro shouted throwing off the blanket that was covering me and Chichiri
"Lookie here! Her face looks like a cherry!" Tasuki said tugging my ear "AHH!! Chichiri!! Get off my face! Oww! Stop pulling my ears!!"
"You don't like your ears being pulled? Stop pulling hers then no da!"
"Ok ok!"
"Bwahaha! He's so protective of her too!" Tazuna laughed.
"Aw come on you guys stop teasing them both" Kosarai smiled "Unless they're madly in love then you can tease them"
"Nee-san!!" I laughed rubbing behind my head and feeling my ears wiggle
"Hey look! Satelites!" Kel shouted grabbing my ears and moving them so they wiggled even more
"Hey!" I cried childishly covering my ears.
ʓʓʓ
I awoke with the sun in my eyes. I groaned and rolled onto my stomache with my face in the pillow
"Kiako-chan!"
"Yeah?" I groggily sat up and saw I was the only one in bed
"Are you coming to the bridge with me?" Sakura asked
"Coming!!" I shouted hopping out of bed and zooming out the door
"Kiako! What about breakfast?" Kel shouted to me. I froze and stayed in a running position for a moment
"......................Oh" I zoomed back into the house and slide into the kitchen
"Careful I just-"
"Whoa!!" I slipped onto my back and skidded to the other side of the room
"-Waxed the floors... Oh dear" Inari's mom said
"I'm, ok!" I declared standing up and sliding into a chair only for to nearly tip over "Meep!" I waved my arms around to regain my balance
"Your energetic today" Inari's mom laughed
"IdunnowhyIjustfeelsogoodandIfeellikeI'monsugarorgranolabarsandIcan'tstopbouncingandWHEEE!!!" I blurted out all at once
"What? Slow down I can't understand what your saying" Kel said fiddling with one of his knick knacks
"I dunno why I just feel so good and I feel like I'm on sugar or granola bars and I can't stop bouncing!" I said slowing down and taking a breath "WHEEE!!!"
"Well, you can use up all that energy today" Kakashi said "You and Sakura can look after Tazuna and make sure he stays safe"
"Ok!" I said saluting with a piece of toast in my mouth "I'lf fry my bepmh!!"
"Kiako, either talk or eat" Kosarai laughed
"Hai, Nee-san" I said taking the toast out of my mouth and swallowing the saliva that was collecting in my mouth. For some strange reason when I have something in my mouth for too long my mouth waters.....
"Come on guys! We better get there now or we'll be in super trouble!" Tazuna called
"'Kay!" I walked around a bit "Anyone see Chichiri or Kuro?"
"What ya miss your boyfriend already?" Zero asked
"Shut up, I just wanna tell them I'm gonna be gone for a while"
"I'll tell them when I see them" Inari's mom said
"Oh ok, thank you" I said bowing and running off "Hey wait for me!! You guys walk too fast!"
"Your just too slow..."
"Aw...."
ʓʓʓ
"Whoa!!" I stared in awe at the bridge "It-It's huge!!"
"It's going to get bigger soon too" Tazuna said putting on a hard hat and greeting his fellow co-workers.
"Ok! Let's get to work!!" I said then turned to Sakura "What're we suppose to do?"
"We're to watch over Tazuna" Sakura said sitting down on a ledge "Just as Sensei ordered"
"Oh. Ok" I sat down beside her and watched Tazuna lift up a beam and carry it to another pile of beams. I also watched the cranes and machines working carrying things and peicing the bridge together
"So, I've been meaning to ask you Kiako" Sakura said
"Um hm?" I said scratching at my ears
"Where did you come from??"
"Um..Well...Uh...... Ask Kel!!" I smiled weakly. I grabbed my bag and unzipped it only to have something latch onto my face
"AHH!! FLOOD SPECIMEN!! IT'S THE FLOOD!! THE CONVENANT HAS COME TO INVADE US!!! QUICK!! CALL THOSE GUYS FROM HALO!! SHOOT ME!! WHY ISN'T IT POPPING?!?!" I shouted running around and spinning in circles. When I finally pryed whatever was on my face off, I suddenly felt guilty
"Chi-Chichiri?!" I cried looking at the chibi monk in my arms
"N-No..da da??" Chichiri said groggily putting his hand to his head
"What're you doing in her bag?" Sakura asked
"I just wanted to come along no da! Being inside all day can drive someone crazy ya know no da?" Chichiri said popping to normal
"Well you could've warned us" Sakura said.
"Heads up!!" someone shouted
"Tazuna!!" a worker shouted. I saw one of the beams that was being carried by one of the cranes falling over the old worker
"Cat!" Tazuna yelled. I took off at full speed
"I'll try to slow it down no da!" Chichiri said putting his hands out in front of him and sending out a blast of energy suspending the beam in the air "Hurry! I can't hold this forever no da!!" Already I saw beads of sweat dripping down his forehead
"Move move!!" I shouted to all the workers near the beam "Movemovemovemovemove!!" All the workers scrambled away and I took hold of the beam
"You can stop now Chichiri! I got it!" I shouted grasping the beam firmly. Chichiri fell to his knees panting and a felt all the beams weight on me, I tried to use my head as a balance for the beam and tried to set it down
"Kiako! If you set it down by tilting your whole body to the side your going to fall over too!" Sakura shouted
"Oh shut up for a minute! This is nothing!!" Right then the beam slipped out of my hands standing upright behind me and then in a few suspended seconds, fell right on my head with a BONG. I heard the beam drop to the floor and I curled into a ball and put my hands on my head
"Kiako! Are you ok no da?" Chichiri asked beside me. I nodded
"Do you need ice for that?" Sakura asked, I shook my head
"Say something cat" Tazuna said
"Owie..... Moogles and Chocobos and Moombas , oh my..." I blabbered
"She's ok!" Sakura said rubbing my head.
"No she's not!!" a shadow passed over me and I was smushed into the ground
"WARK!!" I yelled by reflex muffled by the concrete
"Ah! Kuro-sama!"
"Yo!" Kuro grinned standing on my back and putting up her hand in greeting "I just came to to destroy the world- I mean see if your doing ok!"
"Off...Kuro....Now..."
"Or you'll do what?"
"I'll..." I grabbed her leg "Hug you!"
"YAAAA!!!" she kicked me in the nose and sent me rolling
"Ow!" I sat up and rubbed my face "You missed my nose and hit my face!!"
"Opps, my bad"
"Na no da..." Chichiri said helping me up.
ʓʓʓ
We all sat on the edge and watched the workers moving back and forth. Sakura, Kuro and I all yawned at the same time and laughed
"Jynx!" Kuro and Sakura said pointing at me
"Say wha?" I rubbed my head
"You spoke! I get to punch you in the arm!" Sakura said punching my arm
"I wanna hit her face!" Kuro said waving her fist around
"Face is off limits" Sakura said
"Aww..." Kuro said in disappointment and instead hit my nose
"Hey! I thought face was off limits!" I protested rubbing my nose
"Yeah! But nose is a specific part so it does count" Kuro said a Matter O factly
"It's still part of my face!" We all sat in silence and Sakura yawned again
"You guys seem bored" Tazuna said carrying a beam
"No not really" Sakura said
"Ehhhh..." I said tilting my hand back and forth indicating so-so.
"Where's those other two guys?" Tazuna asked
"Doing tree climbing exercises" Sakura said
"Why aren't you training with them?"
"Because I'm so special I get to protect you" Sakura said brushing her pink hair back
"Hmm, hard to believe" Tazuna chuckled and walked away to a pile of beams. I heard Chichiri laughing when Sakura made a pouty glare towards Tazuna
"I'll show him, hell yeah!" Sakura hissed
"Are you- talking to yourself?" I asked playfully
"Uresai..." she muttered. I glanced at Tazuna and saw a worker walk towards him
"Um, Tazuna" he said
"Yes? What is it Giichi?"
"Ah, I've been doing alot of thinking lately and, can I stop working on the bridge?"
"What! Why?!" Tazuna demanded "This is so sudden! Not you too!!"
"Uh-oh" I said feeling worry grow inside of me
"I mean, we've been close for a long time now," Giichi said "I want to help you, but if we continue this then Gatou will come after us too"
"Gatou no da?" Chichiri asked bewildered "Who's he?"
"I'll explain to you later" Sakura said.
"And if you get killed, then what's the point?" Giichi asked staring Tazuna down "We don't we stop. Working on the bridge"
"They wouldn't....." I growled under my breath and felt a hand on my shoulder
"Calm down no da"
"I can't do that" Tazuna said "This is our bridge, we built it together believing it would resources into our super poor country"
"But, if we lose out lives..." Giichi began
"It's already noon, let's stop for today" Tazuna said cutting him off
"Tazuna!" Giichi shouted
"Giichi, you don't have to come tomarrow" Tazuna said walking away. Giichi stood in the same spot with a scowl on his face
"If they stop building the bridge, the country won't get any resources huh?" Kuro muttered
"Yeah, if that happens then what no da?" Chichiri said putting his elbows on his knees and resting his chin on his hands. I rubbed my eyes
"If there's no one to help build the bridge, I'll probably help" I said quietly
"That'd just make everything worse if you were working here" Kuro said
"Hey!" I said poking her
"Dont. Touch. Me" Kuro said flashing her Glare O Doom
"Y-Yes madam!" I squeaked "Hey shouldn't we follow Tazuna?"
"Oh yeah! Good point!" Sakura said standing up and running after the old worker. Chichiri, Kuro and I stood up as well, I walked a couple steps forward and slapped both Kuro and Chichiri on the arms
"Race ya to Tazuna!!" I shouted dashing forward
"You're dead!" Kuro yelled
"Da! You have a head start!"
ʓʓʓ
The sun was low in the sky casting a golden orange light over the village. We were walking in the main part of the village in a kinda crowd where everyone was returning home, going to mug someone or other stuff.
"Uh, where're we going?" Kuro asked Tazuna
"I have to pick up some food for dinner" Tazuna replied. I peered around the village seeing people walking around with signs saying 'Will take any job' I nearly got knocked over as a boy with a string of sausages pushed past me with a man yelling
"Theif! You Theif!" I looked to theside of the buildings and say kids begging for food or money.
"This city is in pretty bad shape no da" Chichiri said keeping a hand on my shoulder
"Yeah," I agreed
"They're gonna need a lot of resources, I hope the bridge get's finished soon" Kuro said with her hands tucked into her cloak.
"Here we are" Tazuna said. There was a shinobi looking guy at a desk
"Welcome" he said. Looking at the shelves where produce was suppose to be, I saw mostly empty space. There was hardly anything on the shelves!!
"There's so little food here..." Kuro said softly bringing her voice down
"Yeah, kinda makes you feel bad..." I whispered back
"I hope the bridge finishes soon..."
"Me too..." a man with a mustache, green cap and gray coat walked in behind Sakura. I saw him grin, full of greed and her reached out to the pink hair shinobi
"Sakura!!" I shouted pointing. Sakura's hair stood on end and she spun around kicking the man so hard his nose began to bleed
"AH!! PERVERT!!" she screamed
"No! I was-" the man choked before falling unconcious.
"S-Scary no da..." Chibi Chichiri whispered hiding behind me
"Yeah, almost evil" Kuro said "Kiako you better not die at this instant"
"Hey why're you hiding behind me?" I asked
"Because you make an excellent shield" Kuro said "I mean a traveling cohort yeah..."
ɵʓʓ
"You sure surpised me back there" Tazuna said
"What the hells up with this city?! Full of perverts..." Sakura growled "Right Kiako?"
"Huh? Oh, I guess..." I said and felt something grab my behind. My back straightened and I whipped around "Hey!" I shouted then immidietly felt guilty. There stood two children, a boy and a girl with ragged clothes. The girl had unkept hair and mud smudge on her face and clothing, the boy was about the same except he had a missing tooth. The only thing not dirty were their eyes, sparkling with innocence
"Please?" the girl asked sweetly smiling. I smiled with tears forming in my eyes, a lady came and grabbed the two kids
"Hey! What're you doing begging? You can't do that to forieners!" she scolded and looked up and me "I'm so sorry, I-" I put my hand up to stop her and dug my hands in my pockets and pulled out the coins I had collected in Konoha which was about, twenty five now?? I held them out to the lady
"Ne, you need this money more then me" I said smiling. The lady looked at me in disbelief
"But I can't-"
"Sure you can, I'd probably waste it anyways on video games" I said sheepishly rubbing behind my head "Go ahead. Take it." The lady reached her shaky hand out and I dumped all the coins in her hands
"Arigatou" she said tears flowing
"I think I have something else too" I said slipping off my backpack and taking out a few candy bars I had stashed in there "Here." I handed them to the kids and gave them some granola bars and cans of soda. The children and mother looked at them as if they were treasures
"Thank you." The girl and boy said smiling, I returned their smiles
"At least my bag will be a bit lighter now!" I said chuckling with my hand behind my head.
"Arigatou" the mother said crying "Arigatou..."
"No problem. Try to get by until the bridge is done ne? I hope I'll get to see you all in better condition when it's done ok?" I said and watched as the family of three nodded and ran to the wall of a nearby building and split the candy and granola bars. Finally I lifted up my sleeve and wiped away the tears the blurred my vision
"It's been like this ever since Gatou came" Tazuna said "The adults have lost all hope here," Sakura was wiping her eyes too
"You've been asked too huh?" I said, she gave a sniffle and nodded
"That's why, We need that bridge now!" Tazuna said squeezing his hand into a tight fist "A symbol of courage, we need the people to lose their fear and regain the desire to stand up for themselves"
"I see, so Gatou took away that desire" Chichiri said "That's just, unforgivable no da"
"If that bridge can just be completed, then the city will return to that time, the people will return how they used to be" Tazuna fixed his hat "Let's go back now," he grinned "I'm super hungry!"
ʓʓʓ
"They're pretty late" Kel said fiddling with another one of his gizmos, this time it was shiny!!
"Yeah, I'm kinda getting worried" I said
"Maybe they died" Kuro said
"Hey I don't think they'd die" Kakashi said
"Yeah" I said "Hopefully anyways"
"Gee that's so reasuring" Kosarai- nee san smiled.
"Naruto I can understand being late but Sasuke-kun too?" Sakura said then turned around as tye door opened and in stumbled Naruto and Sasuke using each other as supports
"What's this? Your both super dirty and worn out" Tazuna said
"Both of us..." Naruto said looking up and grinning "Made it to the top!"
"The top of the tree?" Kuro asked and Naruto and Sasuke nodded.
"Good" Kakashi said nodding with approval "Naruto, Sasuke, You both will be protecting Tazuna as well"
"Yeah!!" Naruto shouted trying to jump up but fell backwards dragging Sasuke with him
"You total moron" Sasuke said. We all laughed I looked to the side and saw Inari wasn't laughing, just sitting there with his hat casting a shadow over his face... Jeez...Kids these days.
ʓʓʓ
We had all finished eatting and were sitting around the table, Naruto and I had out heads on the table along with Kuro, Zero and Kosarai.
"The bridge is almost complete thanks to you guys" Tazuna said
"But please be careful not to overdo it" Inari's mom said
"I wanted to ask you earlier but," Tazuna started "Why are you still here when I lied about this mission?" Kakashi folded his hands together
"To abandon ones duty is not couragous, below the couragous there is nothing" Kakashi said "Those were the first Hokage's words"
"There's more then one Hokage??" I said lifting my head up "Aww man what number is the one in Konoha now then? One hundredth?"
"He's the third," Kakashi said chuckling
"Oh ok." I put my head back down. My ears perked up as I heard a drip and looked up "Kuro.." I whispered
"Nani?"
"Inari, he's..." I sat up "crying....."
"Why....." Inari said
"Hm? What?" Naruto sat up slightly as well as Kosarai and Zero. Kuro kept her head where it was. Inari slammed his hands on the table making me jump
"Why?! Why do you try so hard like that!?!" he shouted "Even if you train, you can't beat Gatou's men!!"
"Inari..."
"No matter how hard you work or how big you talk! Against the strong the weak lose!!!"
"That's not true...." I whispered
"Be quiet!" Naruto said laying his head down on the table "I'm different from you"
"Shut up! Seeing your face pisses me off!! You don't kow anything about this country yet you butt in!" Inari screamed
"We were hired. Being hired involves butting in" I said with an unusually cool
"SHUT UP!" Inari screamed "You piss me off the most! You butt in and risk your life trying to save the village from the flood yesterday!! You think that if you act like Dad you'll make everything better?! You haven't a rough life like me!! Your always playing and laughing!! Without a care in the world!!"
"No. I don't do all those things all the time..." I said softly "I only do those things to make my friends laugh, they're the most important things to me. Why do you think I let Kuro try and set me on fire? Cause she's my friend and I want her to be-"
"Shut up, JUST SHUT UP!!" Inari screamed his tears flowing like Niegra falls "Stop trying to act all cool and stuff! YOU'VE NEVER SEEN SOMEONE PRECIOUS TO YOU DIE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!!" Everything was silent. I felt something pag inside of me, something that hurt....
"Your wrong there..." I said letting a growl escape. I glared at Inari "I have seen people that I care about die right in front of me, I was always there beside them..."
"You liar! Your just making this up you stupid half demon!!" Inari shouted
"SHUT UP!!" I yelled slamming my hand on the table "You don't even know me and your already ranting on about me being a liar! I've seen people precious to me die! Meco died right in front me, my grandfather that was like my father died in front of me while I held his hand! I just stood there and watched! I couldn't do a god damned thing to save them!!" I felt nothing felt nothing but rage until I realized I must have looked like a total psychopath. I turned away and walked towards the door
"Kiako..." Kel started
"I just gotta go get some air," I turned around a forced a smile "Maybe I had too many pixie sticks today ne?" When I got outside and sat on the edge of the dock on the other side of the house, I still heard Inari was still yelling at Naruto
"Your just like her! Acting cool, you've probably-" he sniffled
"So, like an actor in a tragic play you're going to cry all day?" Naruto spat "An idiot like you should keep crying then, you sissy!!"
"Naruto! You went too far!" I heard Sakura shout. I heard the door and saw Naruto walk towards me from around the corner
"Yo" he said
"Yo" He sat beside me
"We're, almost the same huh?" Naruto said
"Hm?" I tilted my head to the side curiously
"When I was born, the Forth Hokage sealed a fox demon inside of my body" Naruto said "No one ever played with me. Called me a monster and never came near me. I was always alone..."
"Hm, I've always been alone too, ever since Grade three... I was always so quiet, I hardly spoke and everyone took advantage of that" I said looking down at the water "But then, D3pa1 and Kuro came into the picture. At first I just followed them around too scared to ask if I could play with them. Gradually, we became best friends to this day. Even though Kuro always tries to set me on fire or knock me out with her lunch bag and D3pa1 always scolds me for doing dumb things."
"Your lucky you had friends, I only had Iruka-sensei until I became a ninja" Naruto said taking off his forehead protector "This was his, he gave it to me when I graduated"
"I see"
"I even had to paint graffiti on the Hokage monument to show that I still existed!" Naruto laughed
"You actually did that?!" I chuckled
"Yeah! And I had to clean it up cause Iruka-sensei made me! But he promised me to ramen so I did it anyway" he smiled
"Ya know, maybe we are the same" I smiled looking up.
ʓʓʓ Third person P.O.Vʓ
Inari was sitting on the edge of the dock in front of his house watching the waves
"May I join you?" Inari turned around and saw Kakashi. He nodded and Kakashi sat beside him
"Naruto didn't mean any harm by what he said" Kakashi told him "He just doesn't use his head" Inari stays silent
"We heard the story from Tazuna, like you, Nartuo also had a childhood without a father" Kakashi said "Actually, he's never known his parents and he never had a single friend" Inari looked up at the tall jounin in surprise
"But, I've never seen him cry or complain even once, he's always trying his best to get people to acknowledge him" Kakashi continued "For that dream, he'd risk his life anytime. He's probably sick and tired of crying...." Inari faced the water again and thought of his father.
"So Naruto understands what it's like to truly be strong. Just like your father" Kakashi said "He may understand you feelings better than anyone" Inari looked up at him in surprise again
"What he said to you earlier, is probably what he's told himself many times" Kakashi said smiling.
"What about the cat girl?" Inari asked, Kakashi looked at him and shrugged
"I'm not sure, she's always wearing a mask"
"A mask?" Inari said bewildered
"She's always trying to smile probably for her friends. You can tell she usually forces her smiled cause of how suddenly she changes her emotions" Kakashi said scratching at his gloves "You can never know what she's feeling, and she keeps everything inside and probably thinks of herself not worthy of anything and thinks she has no purpose"
"Oh...." Inari looked down at the water
"She probably thinks that since she has no purpose, she would dedicate herself to her friends and makes sure they're happy even if she has to act the way she usually acts. Like when Kuro tries to set her on fire, she knows her friend enjoys it so she doesn't protest" Kakashi scratched at his spiky silver hair "Nobody can understand her cause she doesn't let anyone" He stood up
"You should get to bed, It's late" Inari nodded and shuffled inside. Stareing after the boy, Kakashi looked up at the stars. He put his hands into his pockets and his hand knocked against something small and round.
"Hm?" he grasped the tiny object and pulled it out of his pocket. Then smiling to himself he headed towards the field.
ᨀʓʓ Kiako P.O.Vʓ
Laying in the soft grass, I stared up at the tiny bright dots in the sky known as stars. Since it was so dark out here at the training field, the stars were all bright radiating with light and looked like the tiny lights on a Christmas tree. Only, they were brighter and didn't flash consistantly. Actually, now that I think of it, it kinda looked like Nibelhiem in FF VII just not as pretty and not as many stars. I took a deep breath in and slowly let it out
"Hm," I said to myself outloud "Never seen stars this bright before"
"Yeah, it's really quite breath taking ne?" I sat up and saw Kakashi laying on the ground beside me. I was so concentrated on the sky that I hadn't realized he had sat down and layed beside me.
"How long have you been here?" I asked laying back down
"About ten minutes" he said and dropped something onto my chest "You forgot about this" I sat up and heard a jingle grabbing it before it rolled off my stomache
"You can't be an official Konoha shinobi without any sign of you graduating" Kakashi said sitting up and taking the bell in his hands and tying it around my neck. When he was done, he flicked the crystal bell making it jingle
"Thanks"
"Your welcome" We sat in silence until Kakashi let out a yawn and fell onto his back limbs spread out
"Wow, the stars in Konoha aren't as bright as these stars" he said. I fell in beside him
"I never got a chance to see Konoha's stars" I said gazing up
"I'll show you one of the best spots when we get back" Kakashi said patting my head
"Ok" I began picking at the grass.
"You kinda scared me earlier, are you ok?" Kakashi asked
"Sorry, I kinda just. Blew up" I said trying to make grass angels
"Gomen" Kakashi said also making grass angels
"For what?"
"That you've seen your precious people die right in front of you" he said
"Well, it's the past. My cousin always said to never look back at the past but I do anyways" I sighed and rolled onto my stomache "Maybe I should start listening to him ne?" Silence took over again. There was a twinkle in the sky,
"Did, you see a twinkle?" I asked
"Yeah..." In the distance....
"AHHHH!!!!" I saw a shadow in the sky and saw someone waving their arms around "DAMN YOU SEIFER!!!"
"Ano?" I stood up and a ball of light surrounded the person showing it was a boy flailing his arms around. I sighed "Oh the things I do..." I ran at my top speed making sure I was underneath the person falling
"AHH!!" Oh this is soo gonna hurt....
"Oof!" I felt something land on my back and my face hit the ground. I looked on my back and saw the boy with his eyes spinning and the ball of light had vanished, immidietly he jumped off
"Oh no! I killed the cat by landing on it! I'm a murderer!! AHH!! DAMN SEIFER!!" the boy yelled clutching his hair
"I'm not dead..." I muttered and pushed myself up "Yet anyway"
"Hey your not a cat, your a cat girl!" the boy said squatting beside me
"Very observant" I said sitting up "And you're-?"
"Oh! I'm Zell! Zell Dincht!" he said rubbing his hand on his pant leg and holding it out for a shake. Then he rubbed his head "I, didn't break any of your bones did I?"
"I dunno, I'll check in a sec" I said standing up
"Kiako, are you ok?" Kakashi asked
"Yeah, it's probably a concusion or a bone fracture" I joked rubbing behind my head.
"I'm really sorry I landed on you" Zell said rubbing his head "You can blame Seifer later, if I can find that stupid bastard...."
"We should head back now, asked Kuro about this" I said
"Why Kuro?"
"She knows all" I grinned.
ʓʓʓ
After Zell explained about some freak gasoline fight and Seifer using a GF to knock him into the sky, Kuro was pretty much alseep
"Well, he'll have to stay with us until we find a way to return everyone to their respective worlds" she said and stood up "I'm going to bed"
"Well, we better get some rest" Kakashi said "We're going to have to protect Tazuna tomarrow so go to bed, now"
"Ok!" I said cheerfully running off and jumping right into the bed.
ʓ Third per P.O.V ʓ
Inari's mother peered at the cat girl happily running off
"Hard to believe she's in such a good mood already" she said
"She just does that" Kakashi said "You could never get bored with her around, I'll give you that"
"Itai! I think you landed on my foot no da..."
"Opps! Gomen!"
"PILLOW FIGHT!!"
"Zell?! When'd you get in here?!?!"
"Since now! AHAHA!!"
"Ow! Oh your dead!"
"Eeps!"
"Heh heh, Nope." Inari's mom smiled.
"Ow! Hey who bit me?!"
"That, would be me..."
"AHH! Kuro?!?"
"Now I shall kill you!"
"EEK!!"
"Kiako! Where are you my sweet? Prehaps you would-"
"GET AWAY FROM MEEE!!!"
"Kel- Stop... HITTING ME WITH THE PILLOW NO DA!!"
"I'm not! Zero is!"
"It's not hitting! I'm just seeing what'll happen if I smother him...."
"Grand fireball no jutsu!!"
"AHHHH!! MY HAIR!!"
"Oh not again Tasuki!"
"I'LL KILL YOU!!"
Authors notes: Well, this took a while to write. You might not see anything from me in a while cause I'm gonna be in Vancouver for nine days soon so....Yeah...
I've also been having a problem with a Yuke fetish. Ya know, Yuke from FFCC?? (Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles) Oh whatever... Hope you liked this chapter!!