Okay...this will be my last upload for today :P It's a long chapter though :)
Previously...
Sasuke opened his mouth to answer but Kakashi hurriedly clapped a hand over his ex-student's mouth. Sasuke looked offended and glared at Kakashi who sent him a large, cheesy grin. Kireina watched this exchange with interest.
"I'm curious now, but I'm not sure I want to know."
Sasuke pried Kakashi's hand off his mouth, "Nee-chan, do you want some tea?"
"That would be wonderful sweetie, thanks," Kireina said gratefully.
Sasuke nodded and left to the kitchen.
"When are you going to start calling me sweetie?" Kakashi teased.
Kireina lightly smacked his arm, "Thank you for giving me your chakra by the way."
Kakashi shrugged, "I couldn't just let you lie there. Although there is something I wondered about."
Continued...
Kireina raised an eyebrow in question.
"When I was transferring chakra, my chakra was silver like yours, so I was wondering if maybe you knew something about that."
Kireina remained silent for a second before vaguely answering, "I don't know." Then she changed the subject, "Where is Sasuke anyway? Maybe I should go help him."
Just as she said that, Sasuke walked in with a cup of tea. Kireina busied herself with the tea and refused to make eye contact with either of them. Kakashi studied Kireina for a second. She obviously knew something, but she wasn't willing to share.
'Just how many secrets does this girl have?' Kakashi wondered.
His reverie was broken when he heard a light tapping on the window. The three ninjas bolted upright and breathed a sigh of relief to see that it was only Mizuno. Sasuke opened the window for her to fly in and she settled on Kireina's arm.
"Tsunade-sama asked me to get you. Kazekage-sama is in the Hokage tower demanding to speak to you and Temari-san is also with him," Mizuno told Kireina.
Kireina frowned, "It's been a long time since Gaara's demanded anything of anyone. Did he look angry?"
Mizuno nodded, "It looked as if he wanted to kill someone and the only thing refraining him to do so was his sister's presence."
Kireina gasped, "Kakashi, can you come with me? Sasuke stay here."
Sasuke showed his displeasure at being left behind but sat down anyway. Kireina put a hand on Kakashi's arm and the two of them disappeared with all the smoke effects.
Kireina and Kakashi could hear a loud commotion upstairs as well as a few shouts of "Gaara!" Kireina bolted up the stairs with Kakashi right on her heels. She burst threw the doors of the office to find Gaara's sand stirring restlessly around him. There was an overturned chair next to Temari and Tsunade had cast a chakra barrier around Temari and herself. Kakashi watched as Kireina's hands clasped together in a weird seal. Her pinky, ring, and middle finger interlocked with each other and her index fingers were pointed up pressing against each other with her thumbs tucked underneath all the fingers. Kireina muttered something incomprehensible before a burst of silver chakra exploded from her and enveloped Gaara who looked as if he was trying to control his sand to know avail. When Kireina's chakra disappeared, Gaara's sand retreated back into the gourd and he dropped into a chair near him.
"Gaara, what happened? Why is Shukaku acting up?" Kireina asked.
Gaara shook his head, "Gomen Hokage-sama, I didn't mean to scare you like that. Shukaku tends to slip out when I get frustrated. Kireina developed a jutsu that helps settle him down."
Tsunade stared at the red head. That was the most she had ever heard him say. She acknowledged the apology but was too stunned to say anything. She dropped the chakra barriers and then settled herself in the chair. Temari put her fan up and flipped her chair back up and settled down in it.
"Gaara, you still need to tell me what's wrong," Kireina said firmly.
Gaara hesitated and glanced at Tsunade and Kakashi. Kireina noticed this and sighed, "It's about that isn't it?"
Gaara nodded. Kireina grabbed a chair and sat down. Kakashi settled himself down next to her.
Kireina rubbed her temples, "It's okay. I trust these two. Tsunade-sama needs to know the whole truth anyway."
Gaara nodded before saying, "The Elementals are being attacked and they need you back for a short while."
Kireina sighed and stood up, "Hokage-sama, Kakashi, it's time I showed you my other self."
Kireina closed her eyes and clasped her hands together leaving her pinkies, index fingers, and thumbs to stay upright. She started to glow silver and the chakra got so bright, the others had to look away. When the light died down, a different looking woman stood in Kireina's place. She had light blue hair with silver streaks pinned away from her face with silver barrettes and when she opened her eyes, instead of the silver they were used to, a dark purple with silver pupils stared back at them. Her clothes were even different. Instead of the oriental top and black skirt. She wore a wispy white spaghetti strap dress that went a little below her knees. A flowing white cape was attached to the straps with a silver clasp. She still wore the Chinese slippers although they were white.
"Kireina?" Kakashi asked uncertainly.
Kireina nodded, "Has Konoha ever heard of the Elementals?"
Tsunade nodded, "Legendary ninjas rumored to be the protectors of the Wind and Fire Country. The Elementals are skilled ninjas who are said to be born with the bloodline limit of the elements. They have the power to control all the elements, wind, water, earth, fire, and lightning. They're very rare and born only every so often. They live unnaturally long and when they form relationships with their soul mate, their soul mate becomes like them but to a lesser degree. There has only been one that has ever been captured but she supposedly escaped."
Kireina nodded, "You obviously know your stuff, but that's not all. Elementals are collected at a very young age and put through a rigorous training program. The entire group consists of around 30 ninjas but the higher ranks actually only consist of ten ninjas. Only the higher ranks are able to control all elements but each ninja also specializes in one specific element. Two ninjas per element. The lower ranked ninja can all only control one element."
Tsunade and Kakashi listened in rapt fascination before Kakashi spoke up, "Why are you telling us this?"
He figured he already knew the answer but he didn't want it to be true.
Kireina sighed, "I'm one of the Elementals. I'm the one who was captured and escaped. My hair is blue which signifies me as a master of the water element. The silver streaks in my hair are from my seal. Kashi-kun, do you remember how I told you controlling fire was a bloodline I copied? Although the seal does allow me to copy bloodlines, controlling fire isn't a copied bloodline. It's one of my Elemental bloodlines. I'm one of the higher ranks due to the fact that I have several bloodline limits aside from the Elemental bloodlines. I was in Yukigakure undercover as part of my training when I was caught and sent to Hoshigakure. They placed the seal on me without knowing I was an Elemental, but for some reason, I changed to my Elemental state when the seal was first placed on me. I was able to run away and return to Sand. Sunagakure is the home for the Elementals most of the time. I'm the first one to ever move away. Sometimes the Elementals will go to the mountains to train. I guess that's where they are now if they're being attacked."
"Wait, wait, wait," Tsunade interrupted, "What seal?"
Kireina pointed to the small, silver star below her collarbone, "This seal enhances my original bloodline limits and it copies any other limits that I fight against giving me the ability to use the other's bloodline. It activates on its own and once it does I'll go into a trance like state that makes me kill anyone that attacks me."
"Can I see?" Kakashi asked quietly.
Kireina turned towards him, "See what?"
"Water."
Kireina hesitated but held out her hand palm up. Her hand glowed silver briefly before a sphere of silver water formed in her hand swirling around gently.
"And that can do harm?" Kakashi asked.
Kireina nodded. She gestured to Gaara who walked over and built up a sand wall. Kireina flicked the ball of water at the wall lightly and it splattered against the sand. A hole appeared in Gaara's sand and the sand around it was dark and muddy.
Kireina turned back to Kakashi, "There's something else I need to tell you."
Kakashi blinked, "It won't cause me to pass out will it?"
Kireina chewed her lip worriedly, "It depends. I have no problem with it and I hope you don't."
Kakashi sighed, "All right. Give it to me."
"I know why your chakra's silver."
Kakashi perked up, "I thought you said you didn't."
Kireina bit her lip again, "I couldn't tell you, but since you already know everything else, I might as well tell you now. Do you remember what Tsunade said about Elementals meeting their soul mates?"
Kakashi nodded and Kireina waited for his reaction.
5...4...3...2...1...
Thunk.
Kireina winced before kneeling next to Kakashi and picking his head up. Temari giggled slightly while Gaara and Tsunade stood next to them looking shocked.
"Do your parents know about you being an Elemental?" Tsunade asked finally getting over the shock.
Kireina nodded, "Gaara, did you contact them?"
Gaara nodded, "I sent Mizuno with a note explaining the circumstances and told them to stay put."
Kireina nodded and gently stroked Kakashi's hair.
'His hair's really soft,' she thought absentmindedly.
A groan broke her out of her thoughts and she turned her gaze to the man who was currently lying with his head in her lap. Kakashi opened his eyes and then he pinched himself. Kireina wondered what he was doing.
Kakashi winced slightly, "Just making sure to see if I was still dreaming. Now, was it a dream or did you really just say that my chakra's silver because you and I have formed a relationship as soul mates?"
Kireina said nothing but only looked at him. Kakashi blinked, "Ok, I guess it wasn't a dream." He sighed, "Why couldn't it have been a dream."
Kireina was surprised when she felt tears well up in her eyes.
"Excuse me," she murmured before pushing Kakashi's head off her lap lightly and running out the door still in her Elemental state.
Everything was quiet until Kakashi suddenly found himself being hauled off the floor by a very angry Hokage.
"You stupid, lazy jounin. You better go after her right now," Tsunade all but snarled at Kakashi.
Kakashi blinked, "What did I say?"
Temari slapped her hand on her forehead, "By saying that you wished it was a dream, you were pretty much just saying you wished you weren't her soul mate."
Kakashi's jaw dropped open, "But I wasn't talking about that part! I would actually love being married to her! I was talking about the part about my chakra being silver because of that!"
"Well she doesn't know that!"
Kakashi stared at Temari blankly before sprinting out the door calling Kireina's name.
Kireina was aware of the fact that she was running through the village blindly still in her Elemental state and she was getting quite a few stares, but at that point, she really didn't care. She ran into the forest and jumped through some trees before she allowed herself to cry.
'I guess he really doesn't like me. I never should have gotten my hopes up,' Kireina thought miserably, 'Why did I ever fall for him in the first place? Oh right, because he's been absolutely wonderful to me and I thought there might be the slightest chance that he could love me back.'
Kireina almost laughed at the image she must make. A 24-year-old woman soon to be 25 sitting up in a tree crying over some silly crush. Except, it wasn't a silly crush. She tensed when she heard footsteps under the tree and tensed even more so when she felt a familiar presence stop at the base of the tree.
"Reina-chan?"
"Go 'way," came the muffled answered.
Kakashi sighed and ran his fingers through his gravity-defying hair. He easily jumped up onto the branch. His heart almost broke at the sight before him. Kireina's back was against the trunk and her knees were drawn up hiding her face. Her blue hair fell around her covering the sides of her face. He straddled the tree branch and tentatively reached out to touch her. He nearly fell off the branch when Kireina slapped his hand away with so much force he lost his balance. Kakashi quickly stuck himself to the tree with his chakra and tried again.
"Reina, I'm not going away until you talk to me," Kakashi insisted.
"Fine, then I'll just ignore you."
"Will you at least let me explain?"
"What's there to explain? You don't like me, fine. I'll just tell the Elementals you died."
Kakashi cleared his throat, "I don't like being dead."
Kireina sighed and finally looked up. Her control over water gave her the ability to make it look like she hadn't been crying, but it also made her eyes dry when she did that.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"I didn't mean it that way," Kakashi said, "I don't mind being linked with you. I was just surprised about the chakra thing. It's not everyday that my chakra changes colors you know."
Kireina just stared at him not saying anything. It was rather unnerving for Kakashi.
"I-I just wanted t-to say, uh," Kakashi stuttered trying to find the right words.
Kireina waited patiently before sighing, "It's okay Kakashi, you don't have to make yourself like me. I honestly don't mind having a dead soul mate."
"But I do!" Kakashi burst out.
Kireina blinked in surprise. Kakashi scooted closer to Kireina.
"I'm sorry, Reina. I didn't mean I didn't want to be with you. Sasuke and I were actually talking about that when you walked in on us. I told him I couldn't be with you right now because of the war, but in the future, I wouldn't mind."
Kireina was still staring at him but slightly less hostile. Kakashi moved until he was sitting directly in front of Kireina with her almost between his legs. He leaned forward hesitantly before pulling Kireina into his arms. Kireina sat stiffly before putting her legs down on either side of the branch and letting herself relax in his arms.
"I'm still mad at you," her voice was muffled against his shoulder.
Kakashi smiled slightly, "I know."
Kakashi jumped off the tree branch with Kireina in his arms. She had transformed back to her normal self and the two of them were ready to head back to the Hokage's office. As they walked back, Kakashi slyly slipped his hand over Kireina's holding it tightly. Kireina blushed slightly but curled her fingers around his hand anyway. The two of them slipped back into the Hokage's office where they were greeted with the sight of a pacing Hokage and restless sand. Temari jumped up with her fan open showing all three circles ready to blow Kakashi into next week. Then she noticed their hands and she grinned knowingly at Kireina. Kireina turned as red as a cherry and tried to tug her hand away from Kakashi but he held firm.
"Hokage-sama, Hatake Kakashi requesting permission to aid the Elementals and Sunagakure," Kakashi firmly said in a very business-like manner.
Kireina gasped in surprise, "You can't go Kakashi! I won't let you."
Kakashi ignored her and awaited Tsunade's answer.
"If you really want to go, I can't exactly stop you," Tsunade said.
Kakashi nodded and they left.
As the two of them walked through the village, Kireina tugged on his hand, "Kakashi, you can't go. It's too dangerous. Even for you."
Kakashi turned to Kireina, "If I'm not there to protect you, then who will?"
"I won't be going alone. The rest of the Elementals will be going with me. Plus, you forget that I have a nearly endless supply of chakra at my disposal and if need be, I can hold up a barrier around myself for 2 weeks straight without dropping it," Kireina said.
"I don't care. I'm not letting you go after just getting you."
Kireina scowled, "I'm not going to let you go. Even if it means having to knock you out for three days." With that said, she wrenched her hand out of his grasp and stomped away.
Kakashi followed her amiably not believing her threat one bit. When he reached Sasuke's house, he let himself in and found Sasuke in the kitchen cooking dinner. He continued to the living room and the only one there was Naruto. So he walked up the stairs in search of his new girlfriend. He peeked in each of the rooms until he finally found her in Naruto's room picking up his clothes.
"I'm serious Kakashi, I'm not going to let you go with me." Kireina said not looking up.
"I was serious too. I'm not letting you go without me."
"Well I guess it all comes down to who's the quicker one then," came a voice from behind. "I'm sorry Kashi-kun, but this is too dangerous and it's something above your level."
Kakashi whirled around, 'Kage Bunshin?' But it was too late, Kireina hit a couple of his tenketsu and he was out.
Kireina caught her boyfriend before he hit the floor. He was too heavy for her to drag so she used her levitation skills to lift him and took him to her room where she put him in the bed. Kireina covered Kakashi with the blankets and removed his shoes, vest, and hitai-ate. She went to her desk and left a quick note before picking up the duffle bag she had saved from the fired. She hurried downstairs and called Sasuke and Naruto to her.
"Boys, I'm going on a mission for awhile okay? I know you'll be fine on your own, but Kakashi will watch over you if you need anything. I, uh, kind of knocked him out so he's in my room sleeping. He should be awake in a few days. Listen very carefully, this is a very dangerous mission, okay? To be honest, I don't know when I'll be back or even if I'll be back. Tomorrow morning, I want the two of you to march straight to the hospital and get Sakura-chan and Hinata-chan. Then I want you to find Shikamaru and go to the Hokage's office. Gaara, Temari, and Tsunade-sama will explain everything to you guys," Kireina told them.
"What?" Naruto burst out, "You don't know if you'll come back? But you have to! You're our nee-chan!"
Kireina smiled slightly before hugging Naruto. Then she turned to Sasuke, "Sasuke, I'm leaving Mizuno with you guys okay? If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to send her to Itachi or Tanayo, all right? I'm also leaving one of my lions, Hiroshi (Generous), with you guys. He'll act as a bodyguard for you. He should already be outside," Kireina said.
Kireina gave Sasuke a hug then transformed into her Elemental state before disappearing in a flash of silver.
Okay..so I suck at romance :P Pure fluff and corniness. Gotta love it:D