Hay! I'm sorry again. But now it's one week till finals- I better get this up before I die. Happy reading!
I don't own Naruto!
Today marked the first day of me actually being a ninja. No more tests for awhile, I was in. On the ground floor, but in all the same. Now, we had a style problem. How to tie my hitai-ate. I had almost forgotten the dilemma in all of the chaos yesterday. My hair hung over my left shoulder, tied loosely. I didn't want to wear it in my hair like Sakura did, because she explained how difficult it was. You would think that it was just a headband, right? Nooo. You had to fix every individual hair. I wasn't prepared for that. On the arm? Around the neck? Oh, to hell with this. I wore black cargo pants that brushed the ground and a gray tank top almost every day, so I just slid the hitai-ate through my belt loops. Anko would yell at me for being a tomboy, but it felt secure and heavy on my waist. Honestly, I'd rather do without the extra weight, but it was a matter of marking my dedication to shinobi life. I secured it with a knot around my belt loop, and jumped out of the window. After our training today, I would get my own apartment. Genin get paid a little, but it was enough. I only needed a bed and a refrigerator; really, any more furniture would just get in my way. I kept jumping all way to the meeting place, where we were set to train the first day.
We were a little expectant of Kakashi's lateness, so we just started without him. Three hours in, Sakura gave up on Kakashi and went home. So it turned into a sparring contest between Sasuke and Naruto, with me just sitting on the nearby training logs Naruto was once chained on kicking my heels against the stump. It took me awhile, with the noisy distraction of the two boys sparring, but I started thinking. What were the chances of all three orphans on the same team? We really did have more in common than I had realized. It felt nice.
After the remaining two trainers were exhausted and I was tired of listening to (and smelling) them, we left to our respective homes. I hugged Iruka goodbye, thanked him for two years of putting up with me, and took all four of my things to my new, cheap, apartment. Apparently, nobody wanted to live there due to some kind of infestation. I didn't mind. Taking my headphones, ancient tape player, violin, and one box of clothes/weapons, I shoved open the door and dropped the box on the floor, setting the violin gently on beside it. The headphones and tape player were shoved on top, before I went back outside to move in the bed. Iruka had decided to buy me one, since the apartment was unfurnished. I could have slept on the floor, but he didn't like the idea, mother hen that he was. So that makes five things to bring into my new home. I most likely wouldn't be there for more than eight to nine hours a night, just to sleep and eat. Until I actually got a fridge, I'd probably be eating out too.
Before I was out the door for dinner, I heard a crash and several curses from next door. I cautiously crept out to the hallway, before gathering my courage and knocking on the door. "Just a sec!"
I gaped, ignoring the sound of the door opening. "Naruto?"
"Hey! Do we have some kind of practice I forgot about?"
"No… I just moved in next door to you.'
"There's another apartment there?"
"Well, obviously!"
"Well… Cool! Come in, neighbor!" As I stepped into his kitchen, I kicked several empty ramen cups. It seemed pretty clean besides these, though, and I suspected that they were what Naruto was cursing about. I was just going to ignore it, before I tripped over one.
"Damn it Naruto, clean up your damn ramen cups!" I got back up and dusted myself off, but he was ignoring me.
"Hey, hey, Hoshiko, come up here, you gotta see this!" I exited by the window, ignoring his insensitivity, and scrambled up the building to the roof, and a balcony. Electricity wires ran overhead. The charge from them ran off to the west, and there were pipe lines that carried the sound of water under the railing. It was actually pretty cool, and I suspected you could see the whole village from here. It wasn't the cleanest place, or the safest, but it was an interesting place to sit and feel the village stretched out below you. The wind whistled past our ears. It felt like if I could just jump into it, it would carry me away.
Months passed, and D-rank mission after D-rank mission was given to us. I was no good at them, honestly. When we baby-sat, the kid was scared of me. When we shopped, I couldn't find the right thing, or people stared. When we helped with the harvesting, or caring for animals, I screwed up somehow, and the animals ran away. After we caught some cat, Naruto blew up. I thought it would be me first, in a much quieter way, of course, but he beat me to it.
"We want a better mission, old man! A cooler one or something! Come on!"
As arrogant as his delivery was, I couldn't help but agree. Iruka, however, wasn't going to stand for that. "You idiot!" He began, but the Hokage silenced him with a hand.
As the Hokage described the rank of missions, my mind wandered. Iruka had already explained this. Naruto wasn't listening either, but they noticed him talking to himself.
Then, the Hokage said, "Alright, if you want it that much… I'll give you a C-rank mission. It is the protection of a certain individual." Naruto jumped for joy, and I settled for a smile. "Come in, Tazuna."
A shaking hand pulled open the creaking door, and I frowned again. Great mission, supporting a drunk on his way home. "What's this?" He took a drink. He smelled incurably of alcohol and puke. "A bunch of super-brats and a mutant? And hey, you, are you really a ninja? The second-shortest with the stupid face."
Naruto growled, blurting out, "I'll kill you!" Kakashi restrained him.
"I'm the bridge-builder Tazuna. And you better protect me on the way to my country." I sulked all the way to the gate, thinking of what the guy said. I thought to myself, just wait! I'll show him a mutant. But by the time we reached the huge gate, I was scared. I hadn't been truly scared in… a long time. Anxious, yes. But not scared. I was frightened at the thought of leaving Konoha. I had been here since I was found, and it was the only home I knew. I knew for years that I would have to leave to find my family, but it wasn't as real as this back then.
Naruto was having zero second thoughts, however, yelling out stuff like "hooray! Lets go! I've never left the village before!" And generally making our 'assignment' nervous.
Tazuna asked, "Are you sure I'll be safe with this brat?"
Kakashi shrugged. "I'm a jounin. It'll be okay."
Tuning out the yelling for what seemed like the fiftieth time, I took a deep breath and stepped out the gateway with the rest of my team.
We'd been walking for about an hour when I felt a little nudge against my senses. When it didn't happen again, I shrugged it off, thinking I'd imagined it. I tuned back in to Kakashi telling Sakura, "Don't worry, there won't be any foreign ninja contact in a C-rank." Speak of the devil- I opened my mouth to tell him I smelled something, but Kakashi stomped his foot, telling me to keep quiet. When we passed by the source of the scent, Kakashi just spun a little bit, the movement of air telling me he knew it was there. We passed it, and a soft noise from behind made me itch to turn around.
Before I could give in to the urge, a spinning current went over my head. The chakra-infused chain surrounded Kakashi, and two opponents chuckled. "One down…" there was a shredding sound, and the chain was pulled tight. I could sense it all the time, but that didn't mean I could change what it did. It spun tight around Naruto, but Sasuke saved him. Pinning the two to the wall with a shuriken, Sasuke ripped the chain out. Great, thanks. Now I had no idea- before one of the two men was beside me. The other was against Tazuna, with Sakura trying to protect him. Ugh! It was time to react, body! I finally flipped out of the way as the man's claw snapped around where my neck used to be.
"I have claws too, you little fu-" I clamped my claws around his neck, driving him into a tree. At least, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura would have a half of the trouble to deal with. Just then, panting, I sensed Kakashi enter the fight, single-handedly knocking out the other ninja. I grinned, unknowingly scaring the ninja in my grip. Kawarmi. My eyes burned red, making the shinobi still in my grasp squirm. And I smelled blood.
I turned toward Naruto, and Kakashi said, "Sorry I didn't save you immediately, Naruto. I didn't think you would freeze up. Good job, Sasuke. Hoshiko, you too. You can just knock him out and let him go now." He cleared his throat, and I snapped ton attention. The man was already knocked out from lack of air and fright, but my hands were still grasped around his windpipe. I really just wanted to rip it out, but I let go and he slumped to the ground. "Good. Now Naruto, we need to get that poison out fast. Tazuna… these look like hidden mist shinobi. They are known to keep fighting no matter what." He was proven wrong when one of them, the one I tackled, opened his eyes to glare at us, before squeaking and closing them again.
The other, retaining his dignity, asked, "How did you read our movements?"
"It's sunny, hasn't rained for awhile, and there was a puddle. Also, one of our genin smelled you."
The two growled at us. "Tazuna…" Kakashi turned. "You didn't tell us shinobi would be after you. We should return to the village and treat Naruto."
I smelled more blood before the rest could even turn to look at Naruto, and I figured out what he had done. "I'll protect the old drunk! We're continuing this mission.!"
Kakashi then ruined Naruto's first cool moment with, "Naruto… it's good there's no more poison, but… if you let out any more blood you could just die from blood loss." I could just imagine his smile. This made Naruto panic, and Kakashi had to bandage him up while he was flailing around. Kakashi seemed oddly thoughtful, before Tazuna asked to speak with him.
"There's a really powerful man after me. The wealthy shipping magnate, Gatou. Officially, he runs a large shipping company, but he's actually selling drugs and other illegal items, using missing-nins and gang members to take over businesses and countries. He now controls Wave country's shipping industry. But if the bridge is finished… "
Kakashi asked, "Yes, but if you knew they would be after you, why would you hire us?"
"Wave country is now impoverished. Even the Feudal Lord has no money. Nobody has enough to pay for an expensive B-rank mission. It's ok if you don't want to continue! My ten-year old grandson will only cry for a few years. My daughter will live a sad life hating Leaf ninjas. But don't worry about it!" Tazuna's obvious begging made Kakashi slump, but he agreed to continue anyway.
Soon enough, we were on the boat to Tazuna's homeland- Wave country. "What thick mist, I can't see ahead." I chose not to comment. My life was just one big restraint, wasn't it? "We should be able to see the bridge soon, and Wave country is at the base.
"It's huge!" Naruto yelled.
"Shh! We're being quiet. It'll mean big trouble if Gatou finds us."
After a while of silence, we disembarked. We tromped off into the forest, making for Tazuna's house. All of a sudden, I heard a swish, and then a squeak. "Just a rat!" Naruto said smugly.
"Midget! Stop acting like a moron!" Tazuna snapped. Wait, I was shorter than Naruto so what did that make me? Oh that guy was sooo never seeing his grandson again. Kakashi waded through the bushes. He then called us over.
"Hey, it's a rabbit." Naruto began to hug it, saying sorry a million times, but Kakashi stayed silent. A branch swished overhead, before I heard soft wing beats. Just a bird.
Kakashi yelled, "Get down!" We all ducked, and a blade whistled right over our heads. A clunk sound alerted me to the fact something, or someone now stood on the blade.
"Well, well. If it isn't Mist's missing-nin Momochi Zabuza. Everyone stay back. He's on a whole different level. It'll be a little tough to beat him, unless I do this." A subtle sliding sound alerted me to Kakashi's hitai-ate sliding up.
"And you are sharingan Kakashi. Sorry, but the old man is mine." The man's voice sent chills up my spine. It was cold and happy at the same time, as if he was so glad to be out attempting to kill. The scariest part was that half of me agreed with him, thrilled in the similarity- that it was so fun to fight.
But Kakashi ruined the anticipation. "Surround and protect Tazuna-san. Do not enter the fight. That's the teamwork here. Zabuza… before the old man is yours; you're going to have to fight me."
"Ah, I see the sharingan already. I'm honored."
Naruto delayed the fight, saying, "Sharingan? What the hell is that?"
Sasuke spoke … wait, let me savor this. Sasuke spoke, "Sharingan… the eye with the ability to read and copy tai, gen, and ninjutsu."
The strange ninja, Zabuza, laughed. "I've read up on you. What I've read says… that you have copied over one thousand jutsu. Copy Ninja Kakashi. Now, let's finish up all this chatter. I have to kill the old man!" As some of us leapt to protect Tazuna, he laughed again. "First, it seems as if I'll have to beat you, Copy Ninja Kakashi!" There was a splash, indicating he had hit the water, and gone under.
"There!" Sakura gasped. "He's standing on the water!" Suddenly, a chakra storm appeared! The man was generating so much, I couldn't sense anything.
"Ninja Art- Hidden Mist Jutsu!" The sound echoed around the clearing.
Kakashi took a few steps forward. "He'll come after me first. He's known as an expert in silent killing…and it's not like I can use the sharingan perfectly. Be on high alert." The chakra was getting thicker and thicker. It felt like I was breathing in chakra, even choking on it.
Zabuza's chilling voice rang out in the mist. "Eight choices… Liver, Lungs, Spine, Clavicle vein, Neck vein, brain, kidneys, or heart. Which shall I go after?"
Chakra then surged from Kakashi. The stifling chakra was blown outwards, washing over us like a tidal wave of energy, but Sasuke shook. I could smell his fear then, like a blanket thrown over a child on a cold winter's night. It was warm, soft, and oh-so-exhilarating. I drank it in, before wondering where all of these thoughts were coming from. I wasn't a particularly… bloodthirsty person. Angry perhaps, at times, but not to my comrades…
Kakashi interrupted my disturbing thoughts. "Sasuke, don't worry. I'll protect all of you… even if it kills me. I won't let comrades die." Then Zabuza was behind us, between us and Tazuna.
"We'll see about that!" Zabuza challenged. "It's… over!" He made a sound as if to slice Tazuna in half, before it was halted. In this moment, he was so close to me I could smell the sweat on him. Sweat, but not fear. He had lashed out from both sides, at Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto, before swinging behind his back at Tazuna. I knew, from the sound, that those motions had brought him face to face with me. Ha-ha. He probably intended to scare the little genin with his frightful countenance. I just grinned at him. He scoffed. Such a nice man.
Then Kakashi was there, stabbing Zabuza. The chakra around Zabuza flickered, as he performed Kawarmi. "Sensei, behind you!" Naruto shouted. There was another Zabuza, just as the first splashed away. Splashed? The second Zabuza ripped through Kakashi. Kakashi splashed. Damn it! I was so confused!
"Don't move," Kakashi called out. Me? No. Kakashi was behind the second Zabuza. But wait just one more second… how many of these people were made of chakra? "It's over!" These chakra-water-people need more diverse lines.
Sakura and Naruto almost celebrated, before Zabuza let out a laugh. "You can't defeat me with your monkey-like imitations! But I'm impressed!" He then described for me just exactly had happened, which I am eternally grateful for. "I'm just not that easy to kill." Now that I knew how to identify the water clone chakra, I could understand when the clone in Kakashi's hold dissipated. The five of us scurried out of the way as Kakashi and another clone proceeded to fight. I could only just keep up, and so I was shocked when Zabuza exclaimed, "Water Prison Technique! Kakashi, now you cannot escape! And I'm free… to take care of them." He then addressed us. "You think you are ninjas? No! Ninjas have faced death at every turn and survived and survived. You don't deserve the name!" A clone appeared and struck Naruto's familiar chakra across the clearing.
Kakashi blurted out, his voice muffled by the water prison, "Run! Take Tazuna and run! You have no chance against him, but he's trapped here and his water clone can't go far from him!" Naruto, ever himself, just got up and charged at the water clone like he couldn't hear our cries. But as the clone kicked him, and I could hear the painful cracking of his bones, there was a scrape of metal against the pebbled ground. His forehead protector- it must have been knocked off in the first attack. Of course, you're Naruto. You have to keep the troops yours.
"I'm gonna be Hokage one day, you just listen. Hey, you remember my name! Uzumaki Naruto!" And, of course, us being his loyal underlings, he turned to us. "Ready, Sasuke? Let's get wild!" I was, of course, extremely offended as I should be. But Sasuke knew what to do somehow, and as they spun to face the enemy, I let them at it. I nodded in Sakura's direction and flew to Tazuna, ready. She had my back.
"You idiot kids!" Kakashi yelled from inside his bubble. "Did you forget the whole mission? You have no chance!"
We looked to Tazuna. "Nah. I brought this upon myself. Go ahead."
Sasuke and Naruto shared their unspoken knowledge again. "You hear that, Naruto?"
"You bet! Let's do it!"
Zabuza snarled. "You know nothing of being a ninja! By your age, my hands were already stained with blood!"
Kakashi explained. "Years ago, the final test for 'Blood Mist Village' nin…"
"The students fought to the death" Zabuza choked. I couldn't tell whether it was laughter or rage. "Friends, classmates. I killed them all, and I wasn't even enrolled! That… was fun." This time, it was definitely laughter. And there was that same thrill of blood again. I hugged by arms close to me, consoling myself and steeling from the mental torture I was subjecting myself to. I barely registered the water clone knocking down Sasuke and pressing him down. Then the many Naruto chakras. The chakra- spinning towards Sasuke- catching- spinning- towards the real Zabuza- but- ugh! Focus! Now Naruto is behind Zabuza? Zabuza- the chakra was released, and Kakashi was free?
I just couldn't focus on the fight anymore, I could barely remain standing. I focused on that. Dug my feet into the earth. Bent over, head down, breathing. In and out. I was shaking, sweating, and I couldn't make my hands stay still. I'm not the hero of any story. I get overcome by my own feelings until I can't even focus! Tazuna could be dead and I wouldn't notice. Sakura's worried voice was miles away. I was burning! My eyes were burning again. I clawed at them, at my hair, scrabbling for tactile self-control. So angry! Water splashed over me. I was scaring Sakura. Tidal waves of icy water… no match for the rage under my claws.
I only registered the pain after I stopped. Hah! My what- second battle. And the only wound I got was from me. Pathetic. Blood dripped from my scalp and my forehead. But I was ok, and I hadn't hurt anyone. Sakura was gripping me by the shoulders and shaking me. Well, I suppose I couldn't call her a coward anymore. "Hoshiko! Hoshiko! Waaa! Wake up, Hoshiko!" I had a strong desire to backhand her, but it would probably hurt her a lot. I was still standing. I straightened my spine and frowned. That wasn't natural, was it? A part of me still wanted to be just like everyone else. So I just turned from Sakura and wrapped my arms around my middle again. It was quiet.
The others had arrived near the end of my breakdown, but no one spoke of it yet. They reported a hunter-nin had picked Zabuza up and carried his dead body off. Just as we were setting off for Tazuna's home, finally, Kakashi decided to collapse. Smiling, I hefted his weight in a carry across my shoulders. Tazuna, Naruto and Sakura objected, but I just took off jumping/running in the direction Tazuna had pointed us.
I was exhausted by the time we arrived, but I wanted it that way. While I was sleeping nobody could bother me with my personality or what I felt. So I slept off the day.