Genma
Genma lay back in the booth, a single arm draped over the back of the leather and wood backrest. His eyes roamed around the faces in bar and he spotted a tall familiar Anbu who stormed through the crowd with a purpose. He could see him panting from here.
"Do you think Gai will be ok?" Akari almost whispered as if Gai was going to hear. He was currently passed out on the table. A slow smirk stretched at his lips and he twisted his tongue around the senbon in his mouth.
"It's not Gai that we've got to be worried about," Akari's eyes snapped to him causing him to smile wider. He nodded his head in the direction of the Anbu stomping towards them. He watched as Akari's eyes slowly scanned to where he nodded. Her face morphed and almost paled at the sight. He found himself laughing singularly as her mouth fell open.
It must be urgent if he came here straight from a mission. Genma began to wonder what was up.
"Well, now the party can start!" Kotetsu raised his beer in the direction of the bloodied Anbu, beer spilling over the table. Izumo grumbled something, probably telling him off. Hatake probably shouldn't be walking around Konoha with guts and all on his gear.
He glanced back to Akari and she looked like she might throw up.
Hatake came to an abrupt halt after storming up to the table and slid his Anbu mask up to reveal his half-covered face. A single eye open.
"Everybody," his tone was even and formal as he nodded around. His eyes found Asuma. "Good to see you Asuma. Heard you're sticking around." He nodded down to Asuma who nodded back.
"Seems so," amusement seemed to lace Asuma's words like a private joke between the two. Hatake's eyes darted to Kurenai who was basically snuggled up to Asuma and back to the large fellow beside her.
Genma began to wonder why he is here at all, about to unleash his wisecracking ability about the state of him when the copy nin spoke up.
"If you'll excuse me,"
Genma watched, his eyes growing infinitely wider, as the Anbu ducked and wrapped his arms around the middle of Akari's small form before unashamedly throwing her over his shoulder. He paced towards the exit without looking back as they all watched on agape as Akari's own shocked face disappeared into the small crowd and out the front door.
The senbon Genma was chewing fell onto the table in front of him. The sound of it hitting the wood rang out in the silence of the table.
"Well," Kotetsu broke the silence after it dragged out, "that just happened."
Genma blinked quickly as if he were rebooting and turned to Asuma and Kurenai with his mouth still agape.
Asuma's wide eyes relaxed and a smirk stretched across his face. Kurenai looked like she just saw a pig fly. Asuma began chuckling and shaking his head.
"Just when you think you know somebody," Asuma continued shaking his head, his smirk in place.
"I thought they didn't get on?" Genma spoke up still wide-eyed, wondering if he'd just hallucinated the whole thing.
"Kurenai, is this some weird genjutsu trick you're playing on us all?" Kotetsu spoke boisterously, the alcohol in his system slurring his words slightly. Kurenai shook her head indicating no as she tore her eyes off the exit. Her eyes slid up to Asuma and quickly back onto the rest of them.
"There must be some explanation other than what we're all thinking," Izumo offered, always the sensible one.
"Think they're fucking?" Kotetsu's amusement didn't go unnoticed,
"Kotetsu!" Kurenai scalded.
"Without a doubt," Genma found himself unable to repress the smirk that twitched at his lips earning a scowl from Kurenai.
"We don't know what's really happening, let's not assume anything!" Kurenai started to panic and Genma's eyes narrowed.
"What do you know Kurenai?" he asked suspiciously. Her eyes flared and she sat up straighter.
"Nothing, I know nothing." She was flustered and looked up to Asuma with pleading eyes.
"500 Ryo says they're fucking," Kotetsu offered with a laugh that shrugged his shoulders once.
"1000 Ryo says it's more than that," Asuma added earning a low whistle from Genma. Kurenai elbowed the large nin beside her earning a husky chuckle. He watched the heat rise in Kurenai's cheeks. He rolled his eyes watching them, when will they get over themselves and just be together, it's been years.
"It's Hatake, if it was anything like that he wouldn't announce it in front of us like that," Izumo chirped in.
"Exactly!" Kurenai agreed too quickly.
"Well, we are all ninja," Genma began slowly. He watched a slow smirk stretch across Asuma's face, mirroring his own.
"We are," Asuma nodded.
"Guys," Izumo warned.
"What?" Kotetsu asked confused at what was going on.
"Izumo, Kurenai. If you're so certain nothing is going on between them, then there would be no reason not to go check if they were ok," Genma's face morphed into an evil smirk.
"Genma!" Kurenai retaliated.
"He's right, what if something wasn't right, Hatake came straight from a mission. It could be serious. Wouldn't you wanna know what's going on then?" Izumo reasoned logically. Genma shook his head. This guy really has no clue.
"Izumo, you go, Kotetsu, go with him and make sure he doesn't lie," Genma ordered. Asuma just sat back grinning putting a cigarette in his mouth.
"That's an invasion of privacy!" Kurenai shouted.
The two best friends looked at each other and jumped over the table in ninja fashion and sprinted out the doors before she could stop them. Genma and Asuma laughed loudly and Kurenai sat back folding her arms.
"DYNAMIC ENTRY!" Gai's form suddenly shot up and he jumped onto the table sending glasses flying everywhere. He was crouched in an attacking position, his hands in the traditional flat palms to the sky. Genma had jumped back further into the booth and his arms stretched out trying to avoid the glass and liquid remnants. The whole pub silenced at the chaos and stared over at them. Gai relaxed and looked around, down at them from the tabletop.
"Where is everyone?" he spoke clearly as if the nap rid him of his drunkness. Genma looked over to the other two who mirrored his shock.
"You've missed all the drama of the night," Genma offered brushing the alcohol splodges off his uniform. Gai jumped down to the booth and sat back.
"You wouldn't believe us, even if we told you," Genma explained shaking his head.
"Hey Gai, what do you know of Kakashi and Aki?" Asuma leant in and asked. "What did you see?"
"Kakashi, my old friend and long time rival, was walking in Konoha and I challenged him to a competition." Genma leaned in as did Asuma. "Aki-chan was on his back, of course, he was carrying her." Genma nodded along.
"What were they doing? What did they seem like together?" Asuma asked, fully invested. Kurenai continued to pretend she wasn't at all curious. Gai sat back in his seat and put a finger on his chin looking up to the low ceiling in thought.
"Now I think about it she was giggling an awful lot," Gai's eyes narrowed as he thought harder, "that's right he wouldn't let her down from the piggyback". Asuma's shoulders slumped at the information. It didn't help the situation at all.
The four of them looked up when the doors of the bar swung open. A grinning Kotetsu walked in with his hands behind his head accompanied by a paled Izumo.
Genma felt his heart beat quicker as they approached. The pair made it to the table and Izumo slammed his palm onto the table as Asuma's, Kurenai's, and Genma's eyes followed the motion, eyes wide with anticipation. He released his hand and 500 Ryo lay on the table and Izumo sat down wordlessly.
"Seems they get along," he sat with a haunted expression whilst Kotetsu laughed next to him slapping him on the back.
"Hoo-ey, that girl can sing!" Kotetsu laughed loudly as Izumo's face drained of colour. When he said sing they all knew they meant something else entirely. Genma looked to Asuma and they burst out in laughter at Izumo and Kotetsu.
"What's happening?" Gai demanded to know. Which made Asuma, Genma and Kotetsu laugh harder.
"You guys are pigs," Kurenai muttered.
"Ah, it's only a bit of fun, Kurenai. Weren't you curious?" Asuma budged her.
"You just had to go stick your nose in their personal life didn't you?" she rolled her eyes.
"Kurenai wasn't curious because she already knew," Genma added.
"Knew what?!" Gai shot up with his hands on the table.
"Our dear old Copy Nin seems to be involved with little Akari," Genma smirked. Gai's mouth gaped wide open as his brows shot through his hairline. He froze standing.
"Now the only question is, how well do they get along?" Asuma pondered rhetorically ignoring Gai's meltdown.
"Seemed like he sure missed her," Izumo added horrified. Kotetsu burst into laughter again causing a light chuckle from Genma.
"Wait Kurenai knew?!" Gai added.
"She sure did, didn't she?" Genma asked. Kurenai's eyes went wide and she looked away pointedly.
"Well?" Asuma asked.
"I didn't know anything." She lied and Genma's eyes narrowed thinking of why she'd lie.
They all sat and stared at the mess on the table that they would be scalded for by the owner. All their mind's bar Kurenai's were trying to figure out how deep the relationship goes. Genma's sly smile returned at a thought.
"Who is up for a little side mission?"
"Project: Hatake," Asuma smirked, "Worth a 1000 Ryo to whoever discovers if they're involved or just fucking,"
"Game on boys" Kotetsu grinned. Izumo rolled his eyes whilst Kurenai sighed.
"Wait they're what?!" The penny seemed to drop fully for Gai at that.
Ame
Kakashi had been gone for two days and she had just been cleared by the hospital, her vision finally perfect again and no signs of strain. Maybe she should've listened to Kakashi and wore the bandage. She blushed at the memory of what transpired after.
The thought of having to wait at least a week more gnawed at her but she tried to continue with her life, training and such. She'd not seen anyone since the bar and she was secretly thankful. She wasn't sure how she was going to deal with that. Head-in-the-sand tactic seemed to be her preferred at this point.
She closed the door to her apartment and placed the groceries on the side of the counter. She began unpacking the paper bags into the cabinet when a thought occurred to her.
An hour it took her. She searched for the book she brought for Kakashi for an hour. She couldn't find it in a single place in her apartment. She wondered if she had brought it home at all but it dawned on her that she'd wrote a note directly onto the wrapping. She bounced her leg as she sat at her dining room table chewing a nail as she thought hard.
He wouldn't have taken it, would he? All fidgeting ceased immediately and she rubbed her face with both of her hands. She was such an idiot, of course, he would've taken a wrapped gift with his name on it. Kakashi would not have been able to resist for another week. Especially if he read the message on the front.
She felt a slow smile grace her lips and nervous excitement bubbled in her chest. She tried to distract herself from the sheer embarrassment she would feel if he thought it was a stupid idea. Her mind ran with anxiousness at the thought, the idea wasn't that terrible, was it?
Why had she even got it him in the first place? Is it weird to get a gift for someone you're with? Are they even together? Ame groaned as she hit her forehead on her dining room table. Maybe he would drive her mad. But, she realised they should probably speak when she's back about that.
Just as she was contemplating her existence a harsh knock sounded at the door. She got it immediately only to be greeted by the Anbu in the bear mask.
"You're wanted at the Hokage Tower immediately." She thanked him and went to change into her anbu gear.
It was a strange feeling putting it on after so long. She wiggled into it and slid her mask on. She walked to the door, regretting buying so many groceries, as she made her way to the Hokage tower.
"You understand how high risk this mission is, don't you?"
"Yes Lord third, I do. I am willing to take on such risk if I am able to fulfil my duties." And she meant it. But, she couldn't help but think of Kakashi this time. She'd been sent on a few missions like this, lost her entire team on the last one she accepted.
She was Anbu. This was her duty. There wasn't room in a Shinobi's life for hesitation. She pushed the nervousness that rose in her down. Pushed away from the thought of never coming home, of never being with Kakashi. She felt her heart falter thinking of the last time she saw him. So little time was spent together, what if that really was the last time she'd see him.
"Ok, here's the file. Study it carefully, it's all the information we have.
She thanked the Hokage and bowed. She turned to leave when he spoke up.
"Do your best, Amaya, but, do better to return. Do you hear?" She gulped at his warm words. An odd feeling swelled in her chest.
"I can't disobey a Hokage's orders, can I?" She smiled at him for the first time maybe ever and she watched his shoulders lower and a genuine and warm smile graced his lips. He nodded and she left.
It was a fairly straightforward mission she was given. It was technically supposed to be Hayate's mission as it required his camouflage jutsu but hers was similar enough that she'd be able to do the job. Hayate was away and unfortunately, it fell to her. She wondered if his purple-haired girlfriend could rest easier knowing he wasn't going.
The mission was to locate and report back on two unidentified nin's that had been seen leaving fire country north after reports of disrupting along the border of Sound and Waterfall. They were tracked all the way to the mountain of graveyards before reports from the nin stopped. She intended to survey the area and possibly Konoha's nin, and get close enough to discover their base that is presumably in the mountains there.
The details from the file whirled around her mind but found it hard to repress the thoughts of Kakashi. She hoped that by the time she got back, Kakashi would be back, too.
She left a letter addressed to 'Taichou' on the Hokages desk along with a small note with it. 'In case I don't return, I would be grateful if you could deliver this to my Taichou. And Lord Third, thank you.' She had debated all night whether to do it or not. But eventually decided she should. Just in case. She kept thinking over and over again what if she were to die and she never got to tell him what she really felt.
She felt slightly ridiculous about the whole thing. The possibility of her not returning weighed heavier in her mind than usual. But, what she wrote in the letter felt right at least, a little embarrassing but right. She'd hope that Kakashi never got to read that letter. She would make sure she came back. She needed to see him again.
She stood at the gates with her small sack full of food she had prepared. She promises Kakashi she would take better care of herself, and so she would. She smiled at the thought under her mask and leapt into the trees.
She had brought her fathers twin Katana's with her this time. It was rare she used them, but it was the last thing she had of him. They were better made than the Anbu standard katana. Their handles were silver and had meticulously engravings of blossom branches, it was her Father's clan usual symbol in the Land of Birds. The pommels however were lavishly gold, she wondered if her father was given the swords by his father before him or whether he'd got them made for himself. She didn't remember whether they were rich or poor. Their clan had been wiped out before she was born. Her father never talked about it but they were happy with their small life on the farm.
Ame tried not to think of the day everything changed often, but she found herself wanting to talk to Kakashi about her father. The thought of her mother entered her mind. She hadn't thought about her for so long. She'd only seen her twice, once she barely remembered. The other scared her enough that she never wanted to see her again. Now she was older she began to understand what her mother was. What her mother is.
She began to wonder if she should tell Kakashi, or if she should take it to her grave.
Her thought whirled around her head as she made her way through the Land of Fire northwards. She hit the border just after nightfall after a short mid-day break and was tired. She hopped up onto a large tree and ate the meal she had prepared before sleeping for a short 4 hours.
Once the sun had risen she began her journey again. So far it was uneventful but she'd brought her Katana's for a reason. The Mountains' Graveyard was notorious for oversized beast of a wide spectrum and she expected trouble.
She had been running since she woke and leapt down from the tall tree for a break. The trees were significantly taller here than in Konoha. She wondered if it was something in the water. She laughed at herself wondering if she'd grow taller if she lived here.
She unscrewed her flask and guzzled down almost all of the remainder of the water. She began to tuck into her perfectly prepared food when she felt vibrations through her feet. She leapt up and made her way into the trees. Her lunch went forgotten.
The vibrations grew and grew. Whatever was coming, it was big. Very big.
She crouched and attempted to suppress her presence in every way she knew how. She wasn't sure what it was and the size of it sent nerves running through her.
It headed straight for her, she realised. Closing in on her and fast. The birds in the distance called and took off in their masses. The trees rustled violently on the horizon. She knew it wasn't sensing her chakra because she had suppressed it. Unless it had enhanced vision it couldn't see her because she was camouflage. That meant it was either smelling her or could hear her. Maybe both.
If she wasn't going to get the jump on it she would have to prepare.
In the short 5 minutes that she estimated she'd have she littered the area with paper bombs. She didn't think trying the snare it with a tiny nin wire would do her any good. Firepower was the only thing she had.
The vibrations it was causing sprinting towards her was overwhelming. A large brown figure emerged just over the giant trees. She gulped as it pounded towards her. Devastating cries were released from the beast causing her ears to ring. It sounded like a howl. She'd have to assume it's a dog or wolf type that was smelling her. If it could smell her from that far then there was no hope of concealing it. She'd have to meet the beast head-on.
Her heart pounded in her chest as it approached. She tried to control her breathing but adrenaline and fear swam in her body. It was even bigger than she expected as it bounded to her. It was a Chimera Dog. The monster had a ridiculous number of heads and a brown coat. She'd heard about them in legends but she'd never seen one in the flesh. She felt almost frozen as it completely emerged in the trees. She'd never seen anything like it.
It didn't stop and bounded through the tree she was stood on. The tree was taken out with an ease that sent a chill down her spine. She had no hope to move out the way so she threw out a kunai with nin wire attached, throwing it to a head on the beast and swinging around as it ran past. She landed unsteadily on the beast back as it thundered through the trees. Each stride it took threatened to knock her off so she willed chakra to her feet to maintain her balance as a second thought.
She began sprinting to the many heads across its back and the beast skidded to a halt seeming to realise where she was. She performed seals as the dog slowed and created a large earth wall causing the dog to divert into the path of her bombs.
The explosion blew four of the lower heads of the dogs off and it yelped in pain loud enough that Ame couldn't hear for a moment after. She pulled out her fathers twin Katana's as she approached the heads. Her breathing was heavy and her heart raced as her feet pounded over the pelt. Sweat covered her skin and she knew it was fear. But, she was Anbu, nothing would stop her. Nothing. She cried as she launched herself into the air and brought the blades through the neck of a head as she descended. She wasn't strong enough for the blade to go through entirely but the head died as it hung half off.
She grimaced as she pulled herself onto the dying head and ran back up, chakra assisted, to the main body again. The blood-curdling howls released by the beast seemed to deafen her further. As she ran the dog began to shake and the heads twisted trying to get to her. She couldn't hang on much longer and tried to reach another head before she had to jump off but it was too late. A head launched for her and she had no choice but to leap to a nearby tree as fangs snapped at her.
She looked at it, five dead heads and it was still a monster of an opponent. She stood panting whilst it remained disorientated, trying to think of a plan. She was suddenly grateful it was wild and not summoned. It would still regrow heads if she didn't destroy its heart, but a summoned beast such as this would only die when the summoner did. It didn't appear fully grown either, even considering its size. A chill ran down her spine at the thought. She didn't have enough chakra to sink it fully into the ground. She wasn't well equipped at fighting such large opponents. She didn't know if she could get back on it so she risked it and leapt to the floor.
She ran around the dog that couldn't locate her. She wove through its legs and underneath it, confusing it. She completed her seals and the shadow reaper stretched out of her own shadow. She watched it coil to the dog and it finally latched on.
Holding it was extremely difficult and took up a lot of her limited chakra. She began panting harder and sweating harder as it struggled against her hold. When the shadow reaper finished coiling around its legs she broke free from it and proceeded her earth jutsu to submerge as much as she could.
The hound struggled and howled against the shadow restraint. Its teeth came dangerously close to her as she slammed her hands onto the ground. It struggled harder as its legs were submerging. She was worried it would break out the shadow hold too quickly and she began churning Chakra in her system removing the toxins and adding them into her lungs as she breathed deeply in. Her body fought her as she grew tired and needed to breathe.
She breathed out as much as she had stored of the toxic jutsu when the shadow restraint snapped. The dog kept sinking as she held on to her earth jutsu through her hands. It whined and struggled as it inhaled the poison gas. Its stomach was below the ground now as it lost out and began to pass out from the poison. She panted herself as she released the earth jutsu as its struggling ceased. Faint whines escaped as it snapped its teeth a little.
Relief flooded through her as she shakily got to her feet. She'd never fought anything like it. She withdrew her twin katana's again and made her way to the dogs to make sure the job was finished.
Her breaths seemed to heave in and out as her weakened legs shook as she walked over. She tried to calm down her breathing as she was about to jump onto the remaining heads when a large tear in the space appeared. A veil of shadow emerged and a portal blocked her path.
Oh no. No no no.
The veil of shadow spread into the side of a small house and her heart slammed against her rib cage. She felt her eyes peel back as she stumbled backwards, falling onto the ground. Her arms trembled and she clung harder to her Katana.
A familiar white-robed woman floated through the veil. Silver eyes met hers.
"M-mother?" she uttered breathlessly.
"Child," the smoothness of her mother's voice sent tremors through her.
"What are- what- why?" she stammered as her chest heaved. She had crawled away from the veil slightly and her mother floated towards her. Purple hair, much lighter than hers, almost white cascaded down to her mother's feet as it blew gently as she glided. Fair skin unlike her own made her look like a living statue.
"The power of a distant sister is active here. You need to leave now." Her tone was flat and factual. "Akari, you're upsetting the balance of this world you need come back. Return to me, where you belong." She saw her mother's brows pull down as if she were in pain.
"N-no, no. No no no. I belong here, in Konoha." Akari felt herself crawl away faster from the veil that loomed over her. Her heartbeat so strongly she could hear it in her ears. The almost dead dog's whimper cut through the silence.
"You don't have much time, Akari, please," her mother pleaded. Her face morphed into anguish. She had never seen the woman with any emotion on her features. She had never realised how much she looked like her mother until then.
"I can't. I just can't. Don't make me leave, please."
"You don't understand what is at stake!" her mother grew frantic and looked over quickly to the right of her. "He's coming, please, you can't beat him like this!"
"No!" Akari rose to her feet, her hands clenched fiercely around the katana. Sweat dripped down her face.
"Then run child, he's coming. Run!"
She didn't know why, but she obeyed. She began running. Running as hard as she could without looking back. But, it was too late. She skidded to a halt as an odd black figure rose out of the ground. She couldn't describe his form but it looked… blank? Like a void.
Her breath burned her lungs as it smiled at her. Her body ran cold.
"I thought I felt the clan's presence but it's just a half breed." The black figure spoke in a sinister voice.
"What are you?" she exhaled in disbelief, holding her katana out towards it.
"You should recognise me, child. You're one of us, after all." Its yellow eyes felt like they were seeing into her soul without permission. She felt violated under its stare.
"What do you want from me?"
"I want for nothing, I simply obey."
"Then what is your order?" She demanded discreetly stepping backwards.
"To kill."
He flew at her then. He was relentless. She didn't have it in her to fight. She couldn't hold her own against him. He overwhelmed her entirely. Her mind flashed back to Kakashi as her final moments descended upon her.
I'm sorry Kakashi.
She squeezed her eyes shut as a hit she couldn't avoid came at her, accepting it as the final one she'd take.
Only, it didn't come. The veil of shadow blew up between the two and her mother came back out.
"I don't have much power in this dimension, Akari. Run!" her mother called frantically but all Ame could do was stare. "Go Akari, RUN!"
Her legs flew through the forest. Her katana returned to their sheaths and she ran. Ran hard. As hard as she could. The forests whipped past her as she leapt from tree to tree. She didn't stop to eat. Didn't stop to rest. She wasn't even sure she was capable of thinking, of controlling her body. It was as if she weren't conscious.
She ran through the night. All the way through. She couldn't feel her legs. They were barely pushing her through the forest as daylight broke over the forests. She was close to Konoha, but she wasn't close enough.
Her legs gave out and she collapsed onto the floor. Her breath wheezed painfully as she inhaled deeply. She couldn't control her breathing, it was her own body demanding the breath. She lay in the dirt, barely conscious as her body refused to move. Her eyes refused to open.