This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Naruto, which is trademarked by Masashi Kishimoto. Everything aside from the original characters are created from the wonderful mind of Kishimoto.
Most of the following unrecognizable are original characters of mine, please bear with me I am still in the process of making the character profiles for an even better visualization.
Also, comments, suggestions, criticism, even just simple messages are welcomes, please feel free to message me anytime.
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 5: The Five Parting
Ayako was in tears, her emotions engulfing her senses, too much that she didn't notice the swarm of people who made their way to great their kazekage, her tears blinded her and the sound of her sobs made hear deaf to her surroundings. Ayako's emotions was a huge cesspool of feelings, she felt relieved, happy, sad, angry, thankful, content and confused all at once.
Every single person watched in bathed breathe as Gaara slowly opened his eyes, all thanks to a grandmother's love; pair of eyes that would remain shut forever. Ayako didn't know what to feel about Chiyo's sacrificial move to save Gaara. For the entirety of her life, she never had an ounce of positive emotion directed towards the old lady, majority of her alienation was due to the fact that Chiyo exploited her clan's expertise to an extensive extent, and however, it was because of her exploitation that brought Ayako closer to Gaara, indeed it was on less than optimistic motives, but still the same ends meet.
Misaki watched from beside Ayako, in awe as Gaara slowly opened his eyes, completely amazed as she witnessed yet another act of selflessness save a life, how a grandmother's devotion for her wayward grandson save the kazekage, and a whole village. The moment also filled her heart with hope as someone like Naruto, a jinchuriki, could someday become the kage of their village and be loved by everybody.
Gaara heard it, as his consciousness floated without direction, he heard the far cries of a voice too familiar. It was distant, but the sobs grew louder as his surroundings turned brighter. That's when he felt it, before he can even open his eyes, he felt tiny drops of something liquid fall on to his face, like a tiny tickle.
'Is it raining?' Gaara thought as he slowly opened his eyes.
First thing he saw was light; so bright it blinded him for a second or two until he realized that the brightness revealed long blonde hair, so light it almost blended into the light leading to a pair of teary violet eyes staring right back at him.
"Welcome back Gaara" Ayako said, smiling despite the tears flooding her eyes. The two shared a silent, yet intense meaningful look that almost seemed unbreakable.
Well, almost.
"Gaara!" Naruto exclaimed, stealing Gaara's attention from his warden to the hyperactive blond from the Konohagakure.
"Wow, your brother sure knows how to pick the right moment" Natsumi said, causing a chuckle from the rest of the group of female kunoichi.
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The walk back to the village, had been a long, but content one. Ayako had favored to walk with her friends, whilst keeping a close watchful eye on her charge, well former charge.
"You know, if you're going to watch Gaara the whole walk back, you should have just walked beside him instead of gawking at him from afar" Misaki whispered making Natsumi snicker behind them.
"Never seen Ayako so speechless before, if I knew the kazekage would keep her mouth shut, I would have dragged her back in Suna sooner" Natsumi joked, earning a glare and a growl from Ayako, before she returned on following Gaara with her eyes once more, a notion completely shocking her travel buddies.
Usually she would have already started to argue then brawl with Natsumi, like they always would, but this time she just growled at her and went back to her own devices.
"Wow, she' much more compliant than I thought" Natsumi whispered to Misaki making her laugh, silently in a small fit of giggles. That setup stayed as it is long after they have already entered Sunagakure.
"So puppet Master Sasori of the Red Sand fell in battle" Shimizu Yoko pondered out loud as she stared of far into the distance, beyond the walls of Sunagakure's walls as the five of them stood on top of the Kazekage's building.
"Yeah, but the details of his death are foreign to me, I did hear from Sakura that Chiyo-baa left an opening once Sasori lunged at them" Ayako explained, trying to recall as much as she can from her conversation with the pink-haired medic, if only she had a memory as sharp as Misaki.
"There's a but somewhere in that sentence" Kazumi interjected earning a slight nod from the young blonde.
"Sasori didn't become famous for his puppetry, he was a planner, he didn't just think two, three, seven steps ahead, he was always a few leagues ahead in planning. He was cautious to the brim, too much that in order to protect and preserve himself, he turned majority of his entire body into a puppet. It was pretty out of character for him to make such mistake" Ayako expounded, breeding numerous thoughts from the rest of the group.
"I wonder what was going on inside his head to cause such an incredible metanoia" Misaki wondered out loud as she stared at the skies above them.
"Whatever it is, even if they are one member short, the threat of Akatsuki still remains" Natsumi reiterated.
"Natsumi's right, we can't be too lenient just because they are one member down, as a matter of fact, a huge chunk of the victory was thanks to Sasori's teacher and grandmaster being on our side, not to mention his questionable, yet convenient cause of death" Kazumi added.
"You're right, we should get back on the road, the other members should be aware of Sasori's death. We need to move now" Ayako said standing up, as did the rest of the girls. However, an almost unheard, unfelt presence made itself known before them and they all turned to see Gaara, dressed in black garments staring at them, or rather staring at Ayako.
Ayako stared back at him with equal fervor, a fervor that even after all these years, her deepest desire still remained to reach him, but this was her decision she made a few years ago, she left to find her path, and even if her path lead her away from Gaara, she was willing to watch over him from afar for the rest of their lives.
"On another note, I think Ayako should stay," Yoko said as she stared contemplatively at the look Ayako Gaara shared and.
Everyone looked towards Yoko in shock, the very same Yoko who followed the plans to plans to the script is making a huge alteration to their plans.
Misaki was first to react with a smile and a small nod.
"Yoko is right, some of us made a promise to a dying old woman didn't they?" Misaki said playfully pushing Ayako towards Gaara.
Ayako stumbled only a few steps forward, not quite reaching Gaara. She looked back to her four friends who all smiled at her encouragingly.
"Go on Ayako, it'd be a shame to let lady Chiyo's sacrifice be a waste" Kazumi said smiling gently.
"Not to mention slave driver Yoko's decision" Natsumi added, earning a knuckle on top of her head. Ayako nodded and swallowed hard as she turned to look back at Gaara who was doing the very same thing she had always did for him.
He was reaching for her.
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Misaki watched as Naruto and the rest of the Konohagakure envoy say their farewells and well wishes to the Kazekage and the entire village from beside her friends.
"Now that I think about it, I we would cover much ground apart" Yoko said, in a manner as if she was contemplating out loud, the rest of the group turned to look at her in shock for the second time that day. Natsumi was fist to react and started checking Yoko for vital signs and temperatures.
"Kazumi, what has happened to Yoko, she seems physical fine, though she seems a little warmer and she has been acting weird, wait don't tell me, who are you and what have you done with our Yoko" Natsumi ended, backing away from Yoko to hide behind Kazumi, as quickly as she approached Yoko, a kunai pointing towards the older kunoichi.
"Idiot, put that away before you hurt someone" Kazumi's vein popped as she buried her fist on Natsumi's head, sending her straight face first on the sand. Misaki wanted to laugh at Natsumi's antics, but she was more focused on the reason behind Yoko's statement.
"Is that really a wise decision? Suna almost lost their kazekage, the akatsuki are getting bolder with their moves," Kazumi asked as soon as she was certain that Natsumi was down for the count, for now.
"It's precisely the reason why I think we should go home for now, the time we have for the people we cherish are running thin. Look at Ayako, she' lucky that Chiyo-baa was there to save Gaara's life, yes we made a promise and yes we knew the consequences, but can we really live with ourselves knowing that?" Yoko stated, for a short while, everybody was silent, buried deep into their thoughts, until Kazumi almost stated her mind, until Misaki placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I think I understand Yoko, we have travelled as far as we can together, but we all know we have lives to get back to, besides we'll cover much more ground apart" Misaki smiled at the doubtful Kazumi, who slowly seemed to accept the fact.
"Oi! Misaki!" Naruto bellowed as the Konoha envoy approached the group of kunoichi from different hidden villages.
Misaki stared at her twin, sometimes it feels like Naruto has totally changed and sometimes it still feels like they were both the children that met by the hokage's cliff. The Naruto before her somehow felt both nostalgic and alien at the same time.
"We're heading back to the village, are you going to join us?" Naruto said expectantly, Misaki smiled and nodded, at the entire Konoha envoy when her eyes froze at Neji.
Natsumi was trying to keep a lazy facade as she scanned the entire Konohagakure envoy sent to aid Sunagakure in retrieving their kazekage, however, the interest at the crowd Misaki involved herself in interested her. That is until her eyes zeroed in on the pale guy with long brunette guy and lilac eyes. She didn't hold anything against village difference or anything, but she was particularly ticked by this clan, and this clan alone.
The clan that killed her uncle, the head ninja of Kumogakure, at the time he was in Konoha to sign a peace treaty, also the last time she ever so her uncle alive.
"Let's go Yoko, Kazumi, we still have a long way to go" Natsumi said and turned her back to the Konoha envoy marching away.
"Wait, does she know she's going the wrong way?" Misaki asked Yoko and Kazumi who just shook their heads at Natsumi's stubborn antics.
"Probably not, best to catch up with her" Yoko said chuckling as she gave Misaki a small pat on the shoulder before chasing Natsumi.
"I'll see you soon Misaki" Kazumi said giving Misaki a tight, but fleeting hug before following her friends. Misaki watched their backs until she can barely see them against the sun.
"Who were they?" Kakashi asked approaching the red haired girl, of course assisted by Guy.
"Oh, they're just my friends" Misaki said smilling back to Kakashi.
"Let's go," Naruto began to sprint, but was stopped by Misaki, by pulling the end of his jacket making plant face first on the ground.
"What the heck Misaki, what's your problem?" Naruto exclaimed at his twin, sand still falling from his mouth.
"Sorry sorry, but we couldn't go at that pace" Misaki said, trying to hide her laugh at Naruto's expense.
"Idiot, Kakashi-sensei and Guy-sensei won't be able to keep up with us" Sakura explained. Suddenly they all heard a bear-like hum that could have only come from Guy and saw the dilemma in his face, which was by the way, very hard to miss.
Kakashi can feel his sweat intensify as he watched the array of emotions on Guy's face, trying hard to stroke his dilemma with explanations and apologies, but it was too late. Soon he found himself thrown in the skies and caught in the world's weirdest piggy back that, he surely knows, will haunt him forever.
"Look out!" Misaki yelped as Guy passed them in a gush of sand and wind, with Kakashi on his back, literally make them bite the dust. All the while making the rest of the group cringe, except for Rock Lee of course, who even had the guts to ask Neji to do the same with him,
In the end they compromised and had Lee carry all their bags as they chased (or tried to) Guy and Kakashi.
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Kaede was walking towards the village gates that morning, she had just gone from her shift to the hospital before going to the village entrance to get that status report and submit it to the fifth and calling it a day. It was a simple and calm day since the panic of the kazekage's kidnap and Misaki's apparent but swift return as she joined the team sent to Sunagakure to help them recover their kage.
"Hey guys, I'm here to collect the report from last night" Kaede said as she approached the sentinel's nook right by the cake.
"Here you go" Kotetsu said handing her the reports, all the while yawning.
"That calm huh," Kaede asked eyeing the two, conspicuously bored.
"Ah, ever since the trouble in Suna has been settled, everything went back to normal" Izumo answered, and quite nervously, he didn't want to be caught slacking off by someone who's temper rivalled the fifth hokage's legendary temper.
The quite was sliced through when all three of them heard a mixture of groaning and screaming just outside the village gates.
"Move, move, move! Last spurt and GOAL" the sound inevitably came from the vision of green carrying what seems to be whatever's left of Kakashi.
"Sadly Second!" Guy was later followed by his replica of a student, carrying what seems to be, everybody's bags.
"Lee, there's some regrettable news, you're not second place, but third place. The second place is Kakashi whom I am carrying, you are too lucky Kakashi, you don't need to thank me" Guy said, as Kakashi's limp form craned farther back so much that Kaede thought that Kakashi may already a corpse. Amidst their craziness, the rest of their team made it back, panting and muttering about the insanity of it all.
"Oh, everybody's already here, let's go report to the lady hokage immediately" Guy said.
"Um, Guy-sensei, Kakashi-sensei" Sakura muttered, motioning to Kakashi who was barely seemed worse for wear than he actually was after the battle.
"Oh, well hospital first, then the hokage" Kaede took this as her queue and approached the small band of ninja.
"That's won't be necessary, I'll take him to the hospital myself" Kaede poked Kakashi's cheeks trying to check of he was indeed still alive, it would be such a waste to lose such valuable comrade.
"Mom" Misaki said hugging her mom tight and quick, then proceeded to help her take Kakashi from Guy's back on onto hers.
"I'll see you later" Kaede told Misaki and the newly reunited mother and daughter tandem parted, again.
"By the way, who were those guys with you?" Naruto asked as they walked towards the hokage's building.
"Oh, they were friends I met in the land of iron, after that we just found ourselves travelling together" Misaki explained staring at the clouds in deep thought with a smile in her face.
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Once they got to the hokage's office and Tsunade heard that Kakashi has been hospitalized, they all proceeded to the hospital to check on Kakashi,
"How is he" Misaki asked as she greeted Kaede once more. The moment she arrived at the hospital with Kakashi on her back, Kaede wasted no time in attending to Kakashi, pretty soon, Kakashi was tucked in cozily on a private hospital bed by the window.
"This new sharingan technique took a lot of toll that his body was not expecting, but other than that, he's quite fine" Kaede said assessing Kakashi's still unconscious form.
Kakashi slowly opened his eyes, as soon as he saw the white ceiling, he groaned internally. He was back at the hospital and Kaede would kill her if she finds out. Only, his eyes shifted and caught glimpse of that very person standing next to Misaki with a stern look on her face.
'Too late…'
"Oh, he's awake" Naruto exclaimed.
"Good job Kakashi" Tsunade announced as she entered Kakashi's room with Shizune behind her.
"Tsunade-sama" Kakashi muttered, trying to get up, but was unable to muster anything farther and a few wiggles.
"Don't push yourself Kakashi-sensei" Sakura advised.
"Kaede examined you earlier, based on her assessment, you won't be returning to duty anytime soon, you need to rest for a few more days" Tsunade explained.
"So that's how it goes" Kakashi muttered lazily.
"It would take a while before you can master this new sharingan, but until then, you need to rest" Tsunade added.
"Team Guy should rest too, you can turn in your reports tomorrow" Tsunade said and left, with Shizune and an errant Sakura, whom Misaki followed suspiciously with her eyes. As she heard in the Kazekage's office Sakura was most incessant in needing to go home, like she had something very urgent to report, one that she can't report via messenger hawks nor pigeons.
One by one, everybody dispersed, until all that's left was Kaede, Misaki Naruto and of course Kakashi himself.
"Well, I guess I'll turn in for the day" Misaki said and Kaede made a move to follow her but Misaki placed an understanding hand on her shoulder.
"It's alright, you can stay and watch over Kakashi some more, I know my way back mom, besides, Naruto's here too" Misaki smiled at Kaede, who simply stared at Misaki as if she had grown another pair of eyes. Kaede was seeing Misaki in a new light now, how long has she been this mature? It's pretty hard to process that a baby she once held can be the woman in front of her right now.
Kaede squeezed the hand on her shoulder and nodded a silent thanks to her daughter. Misaki started to follow Naruto out the door, but not before turning around to look at Kaede once more.
"Oh, right we still have to talk about the absence of babies okay" Misaki said with a mischievous smile, earning her a vase hurtling towards her, one she easily caught with one hand.
"Just kidding love you" Misaki said quickly and bolted out the door before anything can fly her way once more.
"Seriously, just when I thought that she had matured" Kaede said shaking her head.
"It still feels weird doesn't it? They look so much alike yet so different like them" Kakashi said.
"Yeah" Kaede muttered in reply, a sad smile on her face.
Meanwhile, the moment Misaki and Naruto made it out of the hospital, Misaki immediately noticed the errant in Naruto's actions.
"You know Naruto, I'll be able to find my way home from here, do what you have to do" Misaki sent a thumbs up in Naruto's direction with a smile, which Naruto returned with a knowing smile before disappearing.
"Either way, there's no stopping him once he get his mind set on something" Misaki pondered out loud. Instead of hurrying home, Misaki took her sweet time in familiarizing herself once again.
"You do know you're going the long way right?" a low baritone voice spoke from behind her.
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Once again, I am sorry for the looooonnnnngggg delay, but here is it chapter five, also I uploaded a little Ayako and Gaara Back Story Gaiden, about their history together, if it's your cup of tea please check it out, until then, Ciao!.
P.S: Feel free to talk to me in the messages and I'll try to reply faster than my uploads