Here's the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews and alerts!
This was one of my most favorite chapters to write :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing but Katsumi. If I could buy Kakashi and Itachi though I would in a heartbeat. lol
A short time later Katsumi and her two passengers emerged from the shadows in the forest near the village gate. She was still holding onto Kakashi and Shikaku, which was the only thing keeping them upright at the moment.
"I never want to do that again," Shikaku said as he rubbed his temples.
"I second that," Kakashi agreed, straightening up.
The trip had been fast, but from the shadows everything was in the shades of black, white, and grey and moved by at an amazing rate, causing dizziness for those without sharper vision.
Next time we travel like that I'm either closing my eyes or uncovering my Sharingan.
Kakashi took a deep breath and then turned to Shikaku. "You are dismissed until we are ready to go back."
Shikaku nodded and bowed. "Hai, Kakashi-sama," he replied, causing Kakashi to roll his eye.
"I told you to quit calling me that. This is only temporary," the copy nin said with a sigh.
Shikaku merely smirked before turning to Katsumi. "It's great have you back, Katsumi-san. I know we didn't talk that much before, but all of us that knew you were quite distraught when we found out that you had died. I'm eager to hear how you managed to back," he told her before vanishing via Shunshin.
Katsumi sent Kakashi a questioning glance. "He doesn't know?"
This should be an interesting few days...
"I'll explain later. For now you can stay at my apartment. The living areas have already been rebuilt," he told her and once she agreed to it they started running into the village with Kakashi in front.
She is being awfully quiet... I wonder what's wrong?
As they passed some of the other shinobi, the Chūnins and Genins gave Katsumi curious and slightly worried glances due to her eyes, while nodding respectfully to Kakashi. When they passed a group of Jōnins though, some of them saw Katsumi and their eyes widened in shock as they recognized her.
Noticing the looks his comrade was getting, Kakashi left a shadow clone with the Jōnins, instructing it to tell them to not mention seeing Katsumi to anyone else until she decides to announce that she is back.
The last thing I need the whole village going crazy because she is back, especially if she is only going to have to leave again.
Kakashi finally came to a stop at the newly rebuilt apartment buildings and glanced back at Katsumi, only to notice that she was smiling a bit and had a teasing twinkle in her gold eyes.
I'm glad to see that she looks a bit more like her old self, but I don't like that look in her eyes...
"What?" Kakashi asked, sweat-dropping a bit.
Katsumi's grin switched to a smirk. "Why aren't you living in the Hokage's mansion, Hokage-sama?"
Rolling his eyes, Kakashi mentally sighed. "As I told Shikaku, this is only temporary and I also forbid you to call me that," he replied, eye-smiling once again.
Katsumi snorted and turned to walk up the steps. "Whatever you say, Kashi," she said over her shoulder.
Smiling underneath his mask, the temporary Hokage moved to follow her and then led her to his apartment on the fourth floor.
Kakashi unlocked the door and held it open, allowing Katsumi to step inside first. He followed after her, before turning to shut and lock the door behind him.
As soon as Kakashi turned back around, he was embraced in what would be a bone breaking hug to a weaker person.
"It's great to see you again, Kakashi." He heard Katsumi whisper before she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked up at him with a few tears running down the side of her cheeks.
It was then that Kakashi realized two things: 1. He was now three inches taller than her. And 2. She was crying which was one thing he had only seen her do once before, and that was when her mother was killed.
Kakashi wrapped his arms around her in a rare show of affection and returned the hug. "You have no idea how much I've missed you," Kakashi whispered in her ear.
Which is so true and I didn't realize it myself until she returned.
After what could have been minutes or hours, the two finally broke apart and Kakashi motioned to the kitchen table.
Katsumi sat down while Kakashi pulled a chair around to sit close and facing her, but not invading personal space.
"So how were you able to come back?" he asked her, his curiosity at its peak.
Sighing, Katsumi rubbed the back of her neck and stared at the table before suddenly looking back up and tilting her head. "Before I do… take it off. I've already seen it so it shouldn't matter much," she told him, narrowing her slitted eyes.
What- Oh I guess she is right.
Kakashi reached up and pulled his mask down, sending her a smile as he did so. "Alright, now explain," he said, noticing a light blush reddened her cheeks for a moment.
Her emotion control impressed him, while the blush made him feel strangely satisfied.
Why in the world am I thinking that? She is a close friend, that's it.
"I have one more question. Why didn't Shikaku seem to know what really happened?" Katsumi asked carefully.
Sighing, Kakashi met her eyes before replying. "Sarutobi-sama decided to let only Gai, Orochimaru, Kushina, and Minato know what really happened. Everyone else was to be told that you had died on the mission. He was hoping to make it easier on me."
He looked down and clenched his fist tightly until Katsumi placed her hand over it, causing him to look back up and meet her eyes, which reminded him so much of Orochimaru.
"Kashi, it was an accident and I told you back then not to blame yourself," she reminded him.
"It's easier said than done. Enough about me; now it's your turn," Kakashi insisted, gazing intently at her with his right eye.
Nodding, Katsumi leaned back in the chair, tilting her head up to stare at the ceiling. "Once I... died, I decided that I would keep training. In Heaven you can chose to continue on as if life hadn't changed, age or not age, or keep watching what happens down here," she said and then tilted her head back down to look at Kakashi.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there to greet you when you died during Pain's invasion. At that moment I was trying to talk Kami into sending me back and when I finally heard what had happened, you had been revived by Nagato," Katsumi explained.
I had wondered where she was. I was afraid she had gone somewhere else.
"It's alright, but did you talk to many others while you were up there?"
Katsumi smiled, to Kakashi's relief, and nodded. "Hai. I trained under a few of the first Shisou clan members, my mom, Kushina-sensei, and Minato-sensei. I also occasionally spoke to Obito-kun and Rin-chan," she told him and them grinned. "Obito has a message for you."
Obito? I wonder if he is mad at me for what happened and that I couldn't protect Rin...
"What is it?" Kakashi asked, slightly worried.
"He said to tell you, 'Some of those excuses for being late are the worst he's ever heard and that you need to raise your standards'," Katsumi said with a short laugh, causing Kakashi to smile.
I guess he and Rin have been keeping an eye on me. It seems neither of them has mentioned my reading obsession, or else Katsumi would have already brought it up.
"So did Kami finally decide to send you back, or did you have to find another way?"
As he asked the question, Kakashi notice Katsumi's shoulders drop as she sighed. She was about to reply when her stomach suddenly growled.
Kakashi felt like smacking himself on the head, as he remembered that she had not eaten anything during the Kage meeting. "Sorry. I should have offered you something to eat as soon as we arrived," he quickly apologized and started to get up, but stopped when she grabbed his arm.
Katsumi gazed at him with sad eyes before she continued speaking. "I was able to talk him into it, but he sent me back before I could read over the terms, which he knew I wouldn't agree to," she said and then pulled a golden scroll out of her pocket, handing to him.
Kakashi glanced at her curiously as he took the scroll and unrolled it, his eye widening as he read through it.
No wonder she is acting so depressed! Kami must have known how she would feel about this.
Kakashi clenched his jaw in determination.
I don't care if she needs blood now. I took her life before, so now maybe I can repay it a bit.
He was so lost in thought that he did not notice Katsumi watching him with worried eyes until she spoke.
"I should leave," she said quietly and stood up.
That got his attention and he quickly moved between her and the door, knowing she could just disappear if she really wanted to leave though.
"Please stay, Kat," Kakashi told her quietly and she sighed, staring at the floor.
"But I don't want to hurt you," Katsumi replied and started to step around him.
I hate to do this, but I'll have to play my trump card.
Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder. "It would hurt me more if you leave; besides, I'm not going to let you starve to death."
Just as he thought, she stiffened a moment before nodding with a sigh. "Alright, I'll stay."
Kakashi smiled and placed a finger under her chin, tilting her head up to look at him. "I think you forget that I'm a Kage level shinobi. A little blood donation will not be a problem at all," he reminded her.
He stepped back a moment and unzipped his flax jacket and slid it off. Once he laid it down Kakashi motioned for her to come closer as he pulled his mask further down so that more of his neck was exposed.
Katsumi smirked a bit and then mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "Men and their egos".
She stepped forward and suddenly was the same height as Kakashi. He glanced down and noticed a small black platform had formed beneath her feet. Once he looked back up though, his thoughts were completely focused on the fangs that had suddenly appeared in Katsumi's mouth.
No wonder she was worried about hurting me. Those things would put the Inuzuka clan to shame.
Thanks to many years of training, Kakashi stayed nonchalant as Katsumi took another step towards him as she placed one hand on the left side of his neck and wrapped her other around his shoulder.
Kakashi's arms rose up on their own accord and held her close as she leaned in until he could feel her warm breath on his neck.
"Please tell me if it hurts or if you start feeling dizzy," Katsumi told him quietly.
I bet Jiraiya-sama is somewhere watching this while giggling like a school girl. Though I could see how it would be an interesting plot twist for some of his books-
Kakashi's thoughts were cut off as Katsumi suddenly bit down and he felt a sharp pain traveling down his back and arms.
I'm an idiot. There are sensitive nerves in the neck and those fangs are long enough to reach them.
To keep from tensing at the pain, Kakashi distracted himself with the thought that his friend had finally returned. He slowly curled her long hair around his fingers while he waited for her to finish, silently wondering why she kept it down all the time now.
A few minutes later he felt Katsumi retract her fangs as she licked the bite marks one last time, causing Kakashi to shiver.
Now I'm really starting to get annoyed at the Ichi Ichi books if they are going to make me react this way all the time.
Kakashi removed his arms from around Katsumi as she took a step back.
"Are you alright?" she asked, her gold eyes showing deep concern.
Eh, I feel a bit tired, but there is no way I'm telling her that.
"I'm great," he told her with both a normal smile and an eye-smile.
Katsumi rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't tell me even if I begged you," she replied and then glanced at the fang marks, frowning as a few drops of blood flowed out of the holes.
"Let me fix that," Katsumi said and her hand started glowing green with healing chakra as she placed it on his neck.
"You've learned to be a medic nin?" Kakashi asked in surprise as he felt the wound stitch itself together.
Katsumi nodded as she removed her hand and he reached up to his neck to feel completely smooth skin.
"My kekkei genkai allows great chakra control and larger chakra stores, so it makes sense for me to learn to use healing chakra. I'm not a head medic, but I can heal minor wounds easily," she explained, her tone and posture returning to normal once she was sure that Kakashi was alright. "You should take a blood restoration pill," Katsumi added after a moment.
She has a point, especially if I'm going to do that every few days.
"Good point," he agreed with a nod and then stepped into his bedroom, grabbing a medical kit out of the dresser.
Quickly finding the pills, Kakashi swallowed one and then left the bottle out where he could reach it easily.
As Kakashi entered the kitchen again, he found that Katsumi had sat back down and was waiting patiently on him like always, arms crossed as she leaned back into the chair.
If she can use medical jutsu now…
Kakashi sat back down and propped his elbow on the table. "I was wondering; if you have the skills required for medical jutsu; why can't you use genjutsu?" he asked curiously as he pulled his hitai-ate down tighter around his left eye.
Katsumi grinned; her slitted eyes filled with pride. "Actually I can use some genjutsu now, but nothing really strong. It turns out that a few of the Shisou clan were genjutsu experts, though it still wasn't enough when it came to the massacre," she told him while saying the last part in a darker tone.
Kakashi narrowed his eye. "Do you now know what happened to them?"
Nodding, Katsumi sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Yeah, but I'll explain it at one time to you and Tsunade-sama once she wakes up. I don't know about you, but it's been a long few days," she said with a tired sigh.
Kakashi nodded and stood up. "Let's get some sleep, you can have the bed-" he started to offer but stopped when Katsumi shook her head.
"I'm not kicking you out of your bed," she protested and then stood up, walking towards the corner of the living room where it joined the kitchen.
Katsumi did not even have to move to make the shadows start forming together, and soon they formed a jet black bed. She placed her hand on it and set it with a surge of chakra.
"Won't that be hard?" Kakashi asked her as he eyed the bed.
"Nope," she replied with a smile and then sat down on it, causing it to sink down like a regular mattress.
To be able to control the density like that is amazing. I'm eager to learn what else she can do, but that can wait until another day.
Kakashi stepped towards his bed room, pausing at the door to look back. "Get some sleep, we'll have a long day tomorrow," he said with a smile.
Katsumi smiled back and nodded. "Hai. Night, Kashi."
"Goodnight, Katsumi," he replied and disappeared into his room.
She is back for good. This is going to change a lot of plans, but in a good way.
….
The next day Kakashi and Katsumi were headed into the village to find Gai.
I just hope she is prepared for his welcome hug…
Katsumi looked over at him with her gold eyes narrowed against the bright morning sun. "Shouldn't you be in the Hokage's office doing paper work?" she asked him curiously.
Kakashi glanced at her and sighed before forming a hand sign. A shadow clone poofed into existence beside him and it took off towards the newly built Hokage tower. "It's taken care of," he said with an eye smile, having put his mask back on before leaving the apartment that morning.
Does she really think I would leave her and Gai alone together? Especially if Rock Lee is with Gai too… someone needs to protect village from their power of youth rants.
"Come on, I think I heard Team Gai say something about getting the training grounds rebuilt," he told her and they jumped onto a nearby building before racing to the training areas.
It did not take them long to locate Team Gai once they neared the areas. Shouts about ridiculous goals could be heard quite easily. Kakashi and Katsumi shared a glance before the re-united K team dropped down onto the field and walked towards the other four shinobi.
Neji and Tenten were sweat dropping as they watched the two green beasts compete to carry the most logs at one time, with Gai winning of course.
As Gai set his pile of logs down after moving them across the clearing, he turned and gave Rock Lee a thumb up with his teeth flashing. "You did well my most youthful student! Next time we shall add five more logs to the stack!"
Rock Lee smiled. "Yosh! If I cannot carry them... I shall do one thousand push-ups with them on my back! And if I cannot do that I'll-"
"Lee! Enough already," Neji said and then looked towards Katsumi and Kakashi. "We have company," he told them.
I'm glad Neji stops them most of the time, but I can't believe he hasn't gone insane or joined them yet.
All four of them started to bow to Kakashi, but he just waved them off. "Guys, I want you to meet an old friend of mine," he said, watching as Gai stared at Katsumi with his mouth open in shock.
Kakashi quickly glanced at Katsumi and was grateful to notice shadows moving off the ground to slip under her clothes, hopefully to form a shield. Looking back at Gai, Kakashi noticed that he still had not moved and that the rest of his team was starting to appear worried.
"Katsumi?" Gai said in disbelief, causing Katsumi to smile and nod.
"It's great to finally see you again, Gai," she told him while slowly bracing herself.
Kakashi side-stepped away from her. "It's really her Gai. She showed up during the Kage meeting," he explained.
Gai suddenly disappeared and the next moment he had her in a bone breaking hug. "Katsumi-chan! Your most youthful flames burn brightly once again. This must be the most glorious day of my life!" Gai shouted as tears streamed down his face.
Rock Lee also started crying for the simple fact that his sensei was crying, while Tenten looked totally confused.
Several cracks suddenly seem to emit from Katsumi as she grunted. "My flames of youth still need air to survive, Gai."
Kakashi winced as he heard the cracks.
Hopefully that was just the shield breaking. Gai can be ridiculously strong when he decides to hug someone.
The Green Beast of Konoha quickly released her and took a step back. "How is this possible?" Gai asked, looking down at her. He was four inches taller than her now.
Katsumi motioned for him to follow her as she walked over to some logs to sit down. "Let's have a seat and I'll explain…"
As Gai moved to follow her, Neji stepped up beside Kakashi. "Who is she?" he asked, keeping his pale eyes on Katsumi.
Kakashi glanced at the Hyūga, before turning back to watch Katsumi. "She is my closest friend. We grew up together and graduated together. Gai is her other best friend and the three of us tended to hang out a lot when we were younger," Kakashi explained.
The three shinobi stared at him in shock, but Tenten was the first to speak up though.
"Gai-sensei told us that you graduated when you were five. Does that mean Katsumi-san is a prodigy like you?" the weapons specialist asked.
Kakashi watched as Gai nodded quickly to something Katsumi told him before asking a question of his own.
They are going to be a little bit, so I might as well explain it to them.
"She graduated early because of her skills in taijutsu and ninjutsu. While I could beat her most of the time in taijutsu, she could defeat me more often in ninjutsu," Kakashi admitted.
Neji arched one eyebrow. "But you have copied over one thousand jutsu. I know you didn't have the Sharingan when you were that age, but why couldn't you beat her?"
"I could not win most of the time because of her kekkei genkai. She is the last descendant of one of the most powerful and feared clans in Konoha," he replied, watching in amusement as Lee, Tenten, and Neji stared at Katsumi once again.
"Those eyes…" Neji said quietly as he turned back to Kakashi for conformation.
It doesn't surprise me that he was the first one to figure it out. The Hyūga clan probably has plenty of scrolls on the other clans.
Kakashi nodded once and eye-smiled. "Hai. Katsumi is the last of the Shisou clan."
That grabbed Rock Lee's and Tenten's attention as they stared in shock.
"But Kakashi-sama, we were told at the academy that the last of the clan had been killed nearly two decades ago. How is it that she is still alive?" Rock Lee asked him, his eyes full of wonder at the thought of meeting one of his sensei's friends.
Kakashi inwardly winced as Lee unknowingly reminded him that he had been the one to kill Katsumi. "Katsumi told the other Kages that she faked her own death to avoid assassination attempts and that she's been training on the edge of the elemental countries until now," he said, stressing the part about the Kages.
Neji sent him a knowing look. "But what did she tell you?"
Eh, I don't want to tell them something that they will hear a bit later.
Shrugging, Kakashi glanced at the three young shinobi. "I'm going to call a meeting of all the shinobi to welcome her back and explain what happened, but for now I believe you should be more worried about her personality," he said with a mysterious eye-smile.
"I'm on the team with Gai-sensei and Rock Lee. I highly doubt her personality is going to be an issue," Neji replied dryly.
"Then I guess you wouldn't mind another person like Gai or Rock Lee."
Kakashi took a moment to savor the expression of disbelief and horror that over took Tenten and Neji. Rock Lee of course looked as if he would explode from happiness.
"Katsumi-san must burn with the brightest flames of youth to be at Gai-sensei's level. I cannot wait until we all can participate in a challenge to fan our-" Lee's shouting was cut off thanks to Tenten covering his mouth with an irritated glare.
I'm starting to fear for the sanity of all those around him and Gai. Thankfully Katsumi knows when to stop though, or else it would be a disaster.
Kakashi smiled under his mask as Gai and Katsumi stood up and walked back towards them.
Gai came to a stop in front of his former students as he gripped Katsumi's shoulder. "Neji, Tenten, Lee, I want you all to meet my close childhood friend, Katsumi," he said with a flashing smile.
The younger shinobi quickly bowed to her. "It's an honor to meet you. Shisou-san," Tenten said, glad to meet another skilled kunoichi.
Smiling, Katsumi motioned for them to stand straight. "Please, just call me Katsumi. It's a pleasure to finally meet the youthful students of Gai," she replied, causing Tenten and Neji to sweat drop at the word "youthful".
Neji gazed at her for few moments as evaluated her movement and chakra signature, quickly realizing that she was at or near Kakashi's level. "I had read that the Shisou clan had inherited many Uchiha traits, but the only one I see is your hair, Katsumi-san."
"Hn."
Neji eye-twitched and muttered, "Never mind."
Rock Lee was suddenly standing in front of her. "Katsumi-san! Your flames of youth burn quite brightly! I challenge you to a race around Konoha!"
I totally saw this coming, but Katsumi doesn't stand a chance against Rock Lee in a fair race. Gai is the only one that can match his speed without using jutsus or chakra.
Katsumi laughed and shook her head in amusement. "If you are anything like Gai was when he was your age, I don't stand a chance."
Tenten face palmed. "Lee, Katsumi-san is an elite shinobi. She doesn't have time to-"
"But I'll do it," Katsumi said with a grin, though it was surprising only to Tenten and Neji.
Kakashi chuckled and raised his hand. "I'll say when to start."
She must be proving a point to him.
Katsumi adjusted her stance to get ready. "The rules, Lee-kun?"
Lee pumped his fist in the air. "Yosh! The only rule is that you have to race along the edge of the village wall, and come back here!" he said excitedly and dropped into a ready position.
Unfortunately, Rock Lee missed seeing Katsumi's smirk as Kakashi dropped his hand and said, "Go!"
Lee took off running and disappeared, leaving only a dust trail in his wake.
"Excuse me, Kashi," Katsumi said and suddenly jumped head first into his shadow, disappearing into as if it was simply water.
Gai stared at where she disappeared for a moment before laughing. "Katsumi was always a sly one," he said and shook his head in amusement.
"So that is the power of the Shisou clan," Neji observed as Tenten stared in awe.
It was not long before Katsumi suddenly jumped out of Gai's shadow. She stepped forward and moved back to where the starting line had been.
"Lee-kun is quite fast," she commented to Gai.
Gai nodded and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hai, but I still need to work on details with him. Fortunately he easily remembers most of the things I tell him."
Not too long after that, Lee suddenly reappeared and stared at Katsumi in disbelief as he breathed deeply for a few moments to catch his breath. "How is this possible?"
Katsumi smiled and lifted one finger. "Remember this: Always thoroughly check the details of an agreement, or your opponent can find loopholes to use against you. You only said we had had to race along the wall, which I did, but from the shadows where my speed is unmatched." she explained, her gold eyes filled with amusement.
"Such amazing advice! I must remember this! I apologize, Gai-sensei, but I must write this down!" Lee said with tears of joy as he pulled out a worn book and started writing.
I have a feeling that this kind of thing will happen a lot now. Eh, I guess it can't be helped.
"Well, I have a mission for the four of you," Kakashi said, grabbing Team Gai's attention. "Go tell all the other shinobi to gather here at the training grounds at four o'clock this evening. Just say that I have a special announcement to make," he ordered.
"Hai!" Team Gai said in unison before darting off.
"Are you going to want me to explain it to them?" Katsumi asked, turning to Kakashi after the others were gone.
The masked Hokage shook his head. "No, I'm just going to tell them the basic parts of it for now."
Katsumi sighed and closed her eyes, opening them slowly after a few moments. "Alright, but do not tell anyone else about my change of diet," she said firmly, not caring that she was speaking that way to the Hokage.
I expected that...
Kakashi nodded and gazed at her seriously with his single eye. "If that is your decision I will respect it. Do keep in mind though that once Tsunade-sama wakes up it would probably best to inform her, so that we won't be separated too long by missions," he told her as he silently sighed at the thoughts of the upcoming war.
That reminds me, I have some other things to talk to her about…
Kakashi narrowed his eye as he suddenly felt his kage bunshin expire to give him some news. "I'm needed at the Hokage's office. Are you coming with me?" he asked Katsumi, who nodded.
They both used Shunshin at the same time, Kakashi gone in a swirl of leaves, and Katsumi engulfed in black smoke.
I really enjoyed reading over this chapter again before I posted it. :)
Read and review please!
