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.
Comments, suggestions, criticism, even just simple messages are welcomes, please feel free to message me anytime.
Also, thank you so much to you guys who take your time to read my humble fanfiction even though it had taken a very slow turn. Special to those who follow, favorite, and especially those who take extra efforts to review.
But above all, thank you for those who have been there since day one, I love you guys so much!
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 11: Rivals
The sun was bright and the skies were clear, it was like any other day in Konoha that Misaki, Kaede, Tsunade, Sakura and a snoozing Naruto found themselves inside Kakashi's hospital room as Tsunade and Kaede did a check-up one last time before releasing Kakashi from his confinement in the hospital…
…for now.
"Right, there's no problem. Alright, you can now leave the hospital" Tsunade declared as she finished inspecting Kakashi's wellbeing.
"By any chance, this isn't because you want me to hurry up and take that baggage with me is it?" Kakashi said, referring to Naruto who was comfortable occupying the bed next to Kakashi, still sleeping like a rock, well a noisy rock.
"Well, there's that too," Tsunade admitted.
"Come on, it's not like you have anything better to do, so why don't you get your sorry as up" Kaede nagged, placing her hands on her hips.
"That Naruto, he refuses to leave the hospital room, so he can be ready to start the training at any moment" Sakura pondedred, making Misaki chuckle lightly at Naruto's antics.
"Truthfully, I was going to start after kicking back, I mean, recuperating at home for a few days, but I've run out of books to read, and Kaede had forced Misaki into promising to not bring books in for a while" Kakashi said looking back to Misaki who raised her hands in defeat as soon as Kaede gave her a suspicious stare.
"Well, I guess I'll just get right to the training" Kakashi declared, but his declaration was cut short when Naruto, yelled in his sleep, forcing Sakura to wake him up, thus resulting to being called ugly whore…
…and the rest is pretty much history.
"Kaede, take the day and tomorrow off work, you've been working non-stop, besides, it'll give you a chance to savor everyone home" Tsunade said as the younger generation hassled about. With Sakura scolding at the misbehaving Naruto and Misaki laughing at their antics, the three of them seem so young and so full of life.
Upon discharge, Kaede took Kakashi home, with Kakashi leaving instructions to Naruto to prepare to meet at the training grounds tomorrow morning for his special training.
"Misaki, be a dear and go food shopping, it's been a while since all of us have been home, and I'm ashamed to admit that the pantry has already been run down" Kaede sweat dropped.
"No problem mom, although I feel so exploited, after all you just might be getting rid of me for a quality time with Kakashi" Misaki wondered out loud, dodging the flying needles her way, as if her body was on autopilot.
"PETULANT CHILD!" Kaede yelled after Misaki who was quickly fleeing the scene with a mischievous smile on her face.
Misaki had been wondering around the streets of Konoha for a good while now, Kaede didn't seem to specify the things she needed to be bought, but Misaki can only guess what a family of three may need.
'A family of three' Misaki thought, smiling absentmindedly. If there was anyone in this world and the next that deserved happiness it would be Kaede, though it may be through she had her tyrannical and monstrous outbursts, but there was no denying the fact that it was Kaede who raised Misaki for the majority of her life, and even though she was but a child herself when she took Misaki in, still she dedicated the best of her years for Misaki.
"Didn't think I'd find you here" the pink haired kunoichi snapped her out of her reverie.
"Oh, Sakura, it's you" Misaki said rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment as she smiled nervously, after all a ninja shouldn't really be caught off guard.
"Your food shopping I see, I'm guessing Kaede-sensei asked you too huh?" Sakura asked and Misaki just nodded with a smile.
"Yeah, ever since Kakashi was confined she hadn't returned home too long, trying to shuffle her shifts in the hospital, Tsunade-sama's orders and taking care of Kakashi" Misaki explained as the two friends started to walk from shop to shop, talking and sharing a few laughs.
It wasn't later on that day when they have delivered the groceries to the Namikaze household that the air grew thick and tense.
"Misaki, I know I shouldn't be asking you this, but I need to know, what happened the night Sasuke-kun disappeared? And on that day wherein we saw Sasuke-kun for the first time in a long time, instead of acting like you wanted him back home, you were hostile?" Sakura demanded as she stared at Misaki with longing, no begging eyes, begging her for the answers that might be the key to bringing Sasuke back to Konahagakure.
Sakura watched as Misaki's face turn blank as she looked up at the clear skies as the wind blew past her, shrouding her face in her red locks. Misaki was silent for quite some time, simply staring at the skies as she felt the breeze hit her face.
"Sakura, do you remember that time you challenged me, but was cut short, I was scolded for not taking you seriously, then I promised that next time I'll take you on with no hold ups?" Misaki asked as she too reminisced about their past. Sakura nodded hesitantly unsure how that part of their lives seem to connect to the current issue.
"Tell you what, if you beat me in a duel, I'll tell you everything you want to know, if not I get to keep my silence until the next duel ensues" Misaki offered finally looking towards Sakura with a gentle smile.
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"Whoa! So it has begun!" Jiraiya exclaimed as he sat cross-legged on top of the tree branch, below him Tsunade leaned against the very tree with her arms crossed, standing next to Kaede and Kakashi.
"Yeah, truthfully I'm more surprised by the fact that they lasted this long" Tsunade said patiently waiting for something to happen, but deep down she was just as excited as Jiraiya was, after all this was a battle between her former pupil and her current one.
"What I'm surprised about is how Jiraiya-san is here at this precise moment, didn't you have intel related travel across the land?" Kaede asked with raided eyebrows, it seriously bothered her how Jiraiya is at the perfect place at the perfect time.
Misaki and Sakura stood a good few meters away from each other in the training field, the exact place where their sparing took place, everything hasn't change, the distance between them, their exact positions, however both knew the outcome would be completely different.
With Sakura taking apprenticeship from Misaki's former master and Misaki leaving the village to train by herself, even Jiraiya, Tsunade, Kakashi and Kaede, who were all watching silently, hidden in the sidelines didn't know the outcome of the upcoming battle.
"Things will be different now Misaki, you won't give you the chance to hold back anymore" Sakura said confidently as she wore her gloves.
"I would certainly hope so, after all you are the hokage's pupil" Misaki said unsheathing her sword, swinging it creatively for a few moments, before assuming battle position, with one palm faced against Sakura and her sword hand above her head as she crouched her legs, ready to sprint.
Everybody watched in anticipation as the two opposing sides took position, ready to being the battle at any time, weighing the possibilities of the outcome. Sakura, who was originally molded into being a genjutsu user broke free from the stereotype and instead excelled in both taijutsu and medical ninjutsu.
Misaki who lacked in the taijutsu department on the other hand, improved greatly under Tsunade before she resigned her apprenticeship, what she lacked in skill, she compensated with speed, and what she severely lacked against genjutsu she greatly compensated with ninjutsu and kenjutsu. However their knowledge of Misaki's prowess was of before she left Konoha, no one had the real gauge of what she was capable of after traveling for a few years, and this battle would be their first measurement.
Sakura was the first one to make a move, concentrating her chakra in her fist, ready to hit Misaki who stood observantly against her opponent.
"Hell yeah!" Sakura screamed as impact was made and dust and debris exploded in a haze, blind siding everybody, including the progenitor of the catastrophe itself. Once the dust and debris had settled in, Sakura looked around for her opponent, only she wasn't anywhere in level sight, that only leaves her one option left. Sakura barely had time to roll away when Misaki's katana shot towards her, but that was easy to dodge, what came next would be a lot trickier to dodge.
"Raiton: Thousand dancing needles" Misaki said as she finished her had signs as she fell from the skies, seemingly out of nowhere miniature thunder bolts started to rain down on the training grounds, pulverizing the already bombarded grounds.
Misaki grabbed her katana before rolling on the ground and sheathing it back on its holster. She waited patiently as Sakura pushed off a huge boulder, which she used to hide in as a shield from Misaki's earlier attack.
"I knew you were going to be able to dodge that Sakura" Misaki said smilling with pride as Sakura stood, coughing but strong. Sakura noted that this time, Misaki had her katana sheathed and is currently in a pose ready to take her on hand to hand.
'I thought she said she was going to take this duel seriously, then why is she sheathing her katana?' Sakura thought as she regarded Misaki's pose. She had seen Misaki fight hand to hand before, and whilst she was no Rock Lee, she wasn't to be taken lightly either, but her stance was a little different than her stance before.
But to their audience, Misaki's actions was clear as day. They knew Misaki wanted to give Sakura a fair fighting chance by sheathing her sword, and taking her on in her own environment, she's trying to give Sakura a fair chance, Misaki knew Sakura's style would adopt more of her former master's, but Sakura on the other hand had no idea what Misaki had been up to over the course of the years.
Sakura begun to charge at Misaki once more, chakra concentrated fist ready, this time aiming for Misaki, Misaki sidestepped and used her open palms and arms to redirect Sakura's attack to the ground and hit her stomach, open palmed pushing Sakura a few feet back, it wasn't all Tsunade-like, but the semblance is there.
Tsunade observed Misaki with keen eyes, never before had she seen the use of her personal technique in such way. With Misaki's adaptation, it wasn't all power, it had been precision and conservation not one move wasted, and she uses everything to her advantage, even her opponent's attacks, which made her think one thing, 'what did Misaki go through outside the village to develop a fighting habit made for long term battles' and looking at the rest of her companions, she knew they were thinking of the same thing.
Sakura was kneeling on one knee as one hand kept her upright and the other hand feeling up her stomach wherein she was just hit. It hadn't been a devastatingly powerful shot, but Misaki knew what to hit in just one punch, already Sakura can feel the bruising starting to form, and the worst part is that those two upfront attack was just a rouse, she wanted to asses Misaki's strengths, but it seems that Misaki was having none of it.
Misaki regarded Sakura's form in silence as she stood, at ease, but also prepared to attack at any minutes call. She knew Sakura, and she knew those impulsive moves were just a way for her to see what she can do, and she as much as she didn't want to end it so quickly, she didn't want to repeat what she had done to Sakura years ago.
That, and she didn't want to continue fighting, knowing that even is Sakura won, she still isn't prepared to give the answer to her question.
"I'm sorry about this Sakura" Misaki said, giving her friend a sad smile, before disappearing before Sakura's eyes, only to appear behind her and place her katana against Sakura's throat.
Sakura remained frozen in her place as the cold blade of Misaki's katana pressed against her skin, she knew Misaki was fast, faster than she was ever before but, this time, it has been different, she was so fast Sakura didn't even have time to register Misaki wasn't in front of her when her skin was introduced to the with all her training with the hokage, Sakura was still a few paces to late from where Misaki is standing, and it frustrated her.
All four of their spectators widened their eyes at Misaki's display.
"That justu, isn't that-" Kaede began, mouth slightly agape.
"Yeah, the fourth's jutsu, she was able to perfect it even without an instructor" Jiraiya mused as he pinched his chin in deep thought, clearly he might be underestimating Misaki a little bit.
"I think she was able to find the scrolls in one of the hidden safe houses just outside the village, but I've never seen the Flying Thunder God jutsu without the kunais as markers" Kaede said.
"Misaki marked her surroundings when she laced her earlier attack with the markers, therefore eliminating the need for the special kunai in the first place" Kakashi explained as he recalled his master using that very technique with his especially unique kunai.
"Not only did she manage to perfect it, she was able to adapt it and make it her own" Tsunade pondered, sighting how Misaki used different techniques to her own fitting, must ninja would train to accommodate the justu's ideals, but Misaki was different, she devised these existing technique to adjust to her ideals.
Misaki could see Sakura tossing herself with the recent turn of events, Misaki released a sigh and sheathed her katana. She walked in front of Sakura and offered her hand with a gentle smile on her face.
"I'm sorry Sakura, but right now, I'm not ready to give the answers just yet, I'm sorry for making up excuses" Misaki explained, whilst Sakura looked at her trying to read her face, but read nothing as she gave a smile not to sad, but one that didn't speak of happiness either. Then again, Sasuke had been closer to Misaki and if Sasuke's loss devastated her, then she can only imagine what Misaki felt that night Sasuke left.
Smilling back, Sakura placed her hands on the smaller kunoichi's hand letting Misaki help her stand up.
"Next time, I won't be so kind, so why don't you hold on to your answers until then" Sakura said smilling cheerfully, and just like that the eerie mysterious smile of Misaki was replaced with her regular warm and sincere smile.
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"Well you're on time, so I guess that's a good start" Misaki said as she approached Kakashi who was silently reading a book whilst waiting for Naruto.
"I'm surprised Naruto wasn't here before the sun rose, he had been waiting for this day since your little teaser" Misaki wondered out loud as she decided to sit down next to where Kakashi was standing and read a random book.
After a while, Naruto arrived at the training field, muttering, or rather cursing everything, himself included for being late at the first day of his special training. Not long after they have started with their training, Yamato had arrived to supervise Naruto's training. Misaki was right after all, Kakashi devised a training regimen that would make use of Naruto's immense chakra reserves known to exist in the Uzumaki bloodline, but in Naruto's case, with the nine tail's chakra lurking within him, it's easy for him to pull the tailed beast's chakra in the midst for reaching for his own.
"Well at least his finding purpose in it" Misaki muttered, remembering the critical eyes that used to stare down at Naruto. Misaki didn't realize how long she held that though until a pretty little bird landed on her book and chirped at her.
A pretty little bird indeed with a small basket.
Kazumi's bird
"Hello little one, you're a long way from home, why don't you let me take that off you so you can get back home now" Misaki said and used a reverse summoning justu on the bird so the poor little thing didn't have to travel all the way back to its master.
Misaki opened the scroll and read the coded message.
'Misaki, the akatsuki has been making a move, I received word from Natsumi that the team that was with her sensei was slaughtered, and the two tails jinchuriki has been missing since the remains of her teammates were found.. Word has also been circling around Konoha, but be careful, the patterns are different, villages slaughtered and grave yards desecrated, this might be the work of Orochimaru, but regardless of the foe, you must investigate'
Misaki let a surge of her lightning infused chakra on the paper and instantly the paper was crisp chard black as it crumbled between her small fingers. Clenching her teeth, Misaki pinched her chin with her index finger and thumb, thinking hard.
'That's four down, only five to go, what do they intend to do with that much power?' Misaki's mind flooded with an endless river of ideas…
…none of which are good.
No matter how Misaki thought about it, and no matter what their reason is, everything in excess is never good, one tailed beast is already too much, what more with all nine of them at one concentrated in one specific goal, all that power under a group of men's will, in the palm of one man's will if you take into consideration that that kind of group consisting of overly powered, out spoken group of men with polar opposite attitude and belief is definitely functioning under the orders of one leader.
Misaki stared back at Naruto who was over exerting himself trying to pass Kakashi's training phases. If push comes to shove, Naruto has to be a top priority, with the Jinchuriki's numbers rapidly decreasing, Misaki can't help to treasure her days with Naruto even more, acting as if every day was her last with Naruto.
Standing up, she gave one last glance at Naruto, before jumping up the trees to report to the Hokage's building.
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Ton ton napped silently on top of the fifth hokage's desk, sharing it amongst the lady's work. It had proved to be quite an uneventful day compared to the day before where in Kakashi's release from the hospital served as a catalyst for Naruto's new training, plus Sakura and Misaki's showdown.
However, fate had other plans that day, and it all began when Misaki came knocking on the hokage's door. The first time Misaki knocked on that door, she reported that Sasuke had defected from the village, the second time, Misaki had returned from her long journey to report that Sunagakure is under attack and that their current Kazekage, Gaara had been kidnapped.
Now, Tsunade dread the moments where it was Misaki knocking on her door, it always meant it needer her attention, a kage's attention.
"Sorry to intrude," Misaki said opening the door and walking towards the hokage's table.
"Misaki, how is Naruto's training with Kakashi going?" Tsunade asked light heartedly, acting as if this was nothing more but a friendly visit from a former student to her master.
"It's going faster than expected, but optimistically, it would still take some time, after all they are trying accomplish a justu surpassing the fourth's rasengan." Misaki said as she finally stood up close to the Tsunade's desk, eye fierce, and lips devoid of her usual smile.
"I'm sorry, I'd hate to be the harbinger of bad news, but I'm here to report that the two tails' jinchuriki has recently been reported missing" Misaki announced as soon as she felt that she had her former sensei's full undivided attention, a cute pig on the table plus a pile of paper work can be quite distracting.
Tsunade clenched her teeth, whoever this source was, it's good, somehow Misaki has been able to report faster than Konoha's best intel personnel, including Jiraiya. Which provided Tsunade an idea the kind of circles Misaki had been running in.
"That's not all, there has been reasonable belief that Konoha will be under attack in the near future, my sources say that villages have been massacred overnight with their grave yards desecrated, identity of the attackers remain unknown" Misaki added, not long after Miskai's words left her mouth, Shizune came through the door to repeat the very same thing Misaki had just said, aside from the two tails jinchuriki. Tsunade banged her fist against her table, disrupting everything on it, including the sleeping Ton ton, who jumped into the safety of Shizune's arms.
"It might be akatsuki already setting their targets on Naruto" Misaki began, but paused, as the very words she had uttered felt a thousand times more vile than any poison.
"However, the nature, nor the method of the attack may indicate that it might have been Orochimaru. It could also be Amegakure as Shizune-san reported, we are not sure, but one thing is certain, attacking them out front without confirmation would be too, hasty" Misaki finished her report. Both Shizune and Misaki waited, holding their breaths, as Tsuande made her decision of what would be their next step.
"Shizune" Tsunade said finally raising her head to both of her students, one who followed her very footsteps, and the other who made a path for her own.
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Kaede was about to wrap up her day's work at the hospital when a familiar presence entered the room.
"Damn brat is getting so tall" Kaede muttered, thinking back to Kazuhiko's ancestor, the third hokage, for all his fame, his height wasn't one of it.
"I heard that Kaede-ba" Kazuhiko said approaching the blonde doctor.
"Good, better take it as a compliment then" Kaede said grinning at Misaki's teammate.
"We've been summoned by the Godaime" Kazuhiko said, and that was all Kaede really needed to hear to get her wheels turning. Urgent or not, no matter what business her sensei had with her, it never mattered, because no one would want to be on the receiving end of Tsunade's temper.
"What is it about?" Kaede asked as Kazuhiko tried to keep up with her brisk pace as they journeyed to the hokage's doorstep.
"I'm not sure but I have a pretty good idea about it though" Kazuhiko muttered, remembering the messages they have decrypted from the intel guys, villages surrounding Konohagakure, villages under their protection.
When they opened the door, both Kakashi and Misaki stood before them.
"Good you're all here. I want you to meet up with Jiraiya, and look into developments with the akatsuki, although I'd like to be able to give Naruto time to focus on his training, but-" Tsunade trailed off, just as Kaede had finally reached his side and stood right next to him.
"Naruto, wants to get it done as quickly as possible, so he's pushing it quite a bit" Kakashi began.
"At this rate, even with Yamato around, there could be an explosion of power, I don't think I'm making a mistake in this judgment" Kakashi cut her off.
"Plus, knowing that kid would be all over the roof once he finds out his training will be postponed, so it's probably best to keep him busy with something" Kaede affirmed.
"Neh, isn't it weird how they just sort of went into this mutual thinking zone, its creepy it feels like we're invading them" Kazuhiko leaned down to Misaki's height to whisper in her ear, his words making Misaki let off a small giggle.
"Yeah, almost makes me want to leave the room every time" Miskai whispered back in between giggles.
"Oi, what are you whispering about you damned brat!" Kaede snapped at the whispering young uns.
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Chapter 11, hope you enjoyed it!
I have no excuse for posting this late, and I am once again severely sorry. Though I must admit that I'm currently in a dilemma, with the urge to start other fanfictions, but I'm afraid I might begin with a lot and never get to finish one.
That being said, what do you guys think of it, should I go and pursue other fanfictions simultaneously with this series, or should I just focus on this project wait until I finish it then proceed with another project one at a time.
Your answers would be really helpful, once again, till next time