Chapter Four : Missions

Haku blushed as Kurage was sitting across from him with folded arms. He looked down at his lap, for some reason her stare made him feel awkward. Kurage leaned in the table and was inches away from the young boys face, she pouted her lips and looked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about, we look nothing alike." She said while folding her arms.

"What?" Mangetsu gasped, "no way," he grabbed Haku under his chin and made him look up at Kurage, "can't you deny it, you two look like you can be siblings more than you and Zabuza do."

"Well Zabuza is my brother! And since when have siblings had to look the same?"

"Since forever." Munashi said sitting at a table by the window. "Maybe that's why Zabuza-san picked Haku-kun."

Kurage's face twisted as he said this. "No..." she shook her head. "Haku and I look nothing alike."

Haku then looked down again. "I don't mind looking similar to Kurage-chan, Zabuza-san thinks highly of you, it would be an honor to be mistaken as such a pretty girl."

"See!" Mangetsu said.

"Shut up Mangetsu!" Kurage yelled back, she looked at the door as Kuriarare walked in. "Tsk—since when has my home become a hotel."

Mangetsu appeared in front of Kuriarare. "Kuriarare-san, tell Kurage that Haku looks like he could be her son!"

"Son!" She slammed her fist on the table making Haku flinch. "First brother, now son!"

Kuriarare walked up to the small table where Kurage and Haku were sitting. He sat down beside Haku and looked down at him.

'Wow...what a scary mask.' Haku thought.

Kuriarare then looked at Kurage, she turned red and looked away, he then leaned towards her, she looked up and blushed as she stared right into the mask of her friend.

"Well?" Mangetsu said.

"Amazing, Haku does look like he could be Kurage-chan's son."

"Uh..." Kurage felt as if a bag of bricks fell on top of her head. "Kuriarare...you too..."

Kuriarare began to laugh. "Now the question is who's the dad."

"Are you two serious?" Kurage said face down on the table.

Mangetsu looked at the shelf of Kurage's Manga, "hm, probably Zabuza-san."

"WHAT!" Kurage stood up. "That's disgusting, how could you say that."

"I'm only saying, you can't blame me." He opened a manga book up and began to read, "no brother, this is wrong, but I can't help myself, I want your—"

"Don't look!" Kurage snatched the book out his hand, Mangetsu began to laugh as she set it back on the shelf. "Don't say those things, especially around Haku-kun." she said still red in the face. "Besides, just because my Manga isn't normal doesn't mean I'm really like that."

"Kurage-chan did seem a bit jealous that Zabuza-san has a new student though." Kuriarare said leaning on the floor, his head resting on his hand. "Where is Zabuza-san anyways?"

"He's on a mission." Kurage walked towards the open kitchen and began to fill bowls of rice for everyone. "I thought he would have been here before I came back." She set the bowls on a tray and walked back to the table giving one to each of them.

"How was yours?" Kuriarare asked lifting his mask a bit so he could eat.

"Fine," she set a bowl in front of Munashi.

"That reminds me Kurage-chan, what explosive seal did you find at the Rain Village, and if you still have it then give it to me, I think I would be it's best holder?" Munashi asked.

"No, and it was near the Rain Village," she sat across Haku again, who was eating with a smile on his face.

Mangetsu finished his bowl. "Kurage seemed a bit harsh, how many men did you kill?"

"I just knocked them down, you killed them." Kurage glared at him.

"That's not how I remember it." He chucked to himself.

Munashi got up. "I have no business here if Kurage-chan will not give me the seal." He then walked out.

Kuriarare yawned and set his mask over his head again. "I think all of us should go soon, besides Haku-kun of course, Zabuza-san wont be so happy when he sees us men around his dear little sister and student." Mangetsu and him got up.

As they were walking out Mangetsu turned around with his hands in his pockets. "Oh and Kurage-chan."

"Hm?" She looked up from her rice bowl.

"I'm going to a mission on my own later today, I think you are too, but tomorrow."

Kurage's eyes widened, she had never been on a mission on her own, and set the bowl on the table. "But—"

"Mizukage's orders." He then walked out and disappeared.

She looked down and didn't know what to think. Haku put how bowl down. "Kurage-chan?"

"Hm, yes Haku?"

"You like Mangetsu don't you?" She only stared at him. "I can tell, you're eyes grew sad when he said you're going on the mission alone." He drank the last bit of tea, Kurage was still silent. "He feels the same as well, you two are close."

"Yeah..." Kurage leaned back on the ground. "He's my best friend, my teammate, he knows everything about me, and he hates it when someone else touches me."

"I can tell." Haku stared down at his laced fingers. "I—I hope Zabuza-san and I can be like that one day."

Kurage's eyes were wide when he said this, she then slowly closed them and turned on her side as if she were going to sleep.

Kurage was sitting on a branch of a huge tree, she used a few seals so it would cover up her chakra levels. She stared down a boy holding a pack, she got up and jumped to an other tree following him as he kept on going down the trail. She got a bit bored and decided to jump down so she could see what he had in his pack. As she reached the ground the boy with light brown hair and blue eyes stared at her. He only blinked a few times as he stared at her Hidden Mist Headband. He then kept on walking past her.

Kurage looked down in shame. 'If Mangetsu were here that boy would be running.' She turned around and saw the boy staring at her again.

"Are you lost?" He asked her.

She sighed and looked up at him. She then appeared in front of him and snatched the small pack he was holding. "This is mine now." She said and pulled out a kunai to throw at his chest. As it hit him he exploded into nothing, she looked down at the package she took from him and saw it was nothing more than rice balls.

"What?" She gasped as several men in appeared around her. "Great..." She disappeared.

The men began to look around telling each other to be alert. Kurage stared at them from a distance and looked around to see where to boy could be going, she then caught his chakra signature and began to follow him. 'Damn it, if I mess up this mission the Mizukage will never trust me again...' she frowned thinking. She then jumped as fast as she could so she could be catch up to the boy. She saw him on the back of a shinobi. 'They're fast' She thought and smiled. "But not fast enough."

She appeared behind the boy and ripped him off the shinobi's back, she then kicked the shinobi and he flew further than she intended him to go. She looked at the boy who was trying to run away, she grabbed him by the back of her collar.

"This is mine." She grabbed the package from him and opened it, she smiled at it as she saw the beautiful locket with a large ruby on it. "There, there, you're safe with me now."

"That's my families!" The boy ran towards her with a kunai, she just stepped to the side and watched as fell to the ground.

"No it's not, you stole this." She said looking up, "Hm, I think I can make it in time to make Haku-kun dinner." She then began to walk away as more shinobi appeared before her. "Damn it..."

"That is the priceless item of Kuro Clan that likes in the Valley of Seeds, hand it over and we may spare your life." One of the men called out to Kurage.

"Spare my life, I can promise you things would go horrible for many nations if something happened to me." Kurage laughed to herself. "Uh?"

The men charged at her. The boy on the ground stared as they all froze around her, he saw what looked like arms coming out of Kurage's chest and back, they all fell to the ground. He back away terrified from what he just saw. "It's fine." Kurage said. "They'll just have to live the rest of their life as a normal person now, well, now that they're chakra is mine." Kurage began to walk towards to boy. "You should be thankful, if my partner was here even you would be dead." She knelt down in front of the boy and smiled. "You're cute." The boy kept on scooting back. Kurage frowned and stood up folding her arms. "Well you don't have to be so mean." She turned around and began to walk away.

"Kurage-chan."

Kurage froze and she heard the voice say her name, she slowly turned around to see a man she hadn't seen for months. His gray hair slowly moved with the breeze, he had a kunai at his hand. She didn't know what to say, she just looked to the side.

"Hey..." Kakashi charged at her, her eyes widened in shock, she jumped away and landed on a tree. He appeared behind her and kicked her in the back of the head, she slammed to the ground. He jumped towards her and she disappeared, Kakashi stopped and began to look around himself. He then shot around and began to chase her, her stared at her long brown hair, he almost admired it.

"Kakashi-san, I—I don't know why you're doing this, but this mission you're on is a mistake!" Kurage called out, she then stopped and kicked Kakashi in the face, he only flew back a little but it was enough for him to stop chasing her.

They stared at each other for a moment until Kakshi pulled out a kunai. "My mission was to protect that item."

"So you're just going to recklessly attack me until you get it?"

"I must deliver it to the Village of Seeds by any means." Kakashi said seriously.

"Uh...any...means?"

Kakashi nodded and knew how strong she was, he raised his hand and lifted his headband. He then slowly opened his sharingan eye and closed the other. Kurage's eyes widened. "I must protect it, I can't let you go Kurage-chan."

"But...I thought we were friends." Kurage was frozen in place.

"I'll ask you once, hand the locket over to me."

"I can't, Kakashi it's not as simple as you think."

"Then it's been decided," he did a few hand seals and summoned something. She didn't know what until the smoke cleared. Dogs were growling at her, she tried to jump away but they then held her in place with her chest completely vulnerable.

'Shit-shit-shit!' She thought as her teeth clenched together. 'Why didn't I remove the seal before I started fighting, I could have used a clone!' She stared at Kakashi. "Please, Kakashi—don't do this, you don't know the whole story." Kakashi began to hold his arm as it began to glow a light blue. "No way...you wouldn't...Kakashi?" Kurage's eyes began to tear up, but nothing feel down her cheeks.

"I must deliver that item, Kurage-chan." Kakashi said. "Chidori!" He began to sprint towards her.

'Deliver the item...you mean...Kakashi would really kill me...over an object?' she thought as he was just in front of her.

Kakashi's eyes widened, as a sword flew down with all it's might before he could his targer. He jumped back and the light in his arm faded. Kurage's eyes focused and saw someone standing in front of her. Zabuza gripped his sword and slightly turned his head around.

"Kurage-chan, are you alright?" He asked her.

Mangetsu slammed his fist in all the dogs around her, they flew back and disappeared, Kurage hunched over and still stared forward. Mangetsu walked up to Kurage.

"Kurage-chan, Zabuza-san asked you a question." Mangetsu said to her seriously.

Kurage only nodded but still had the blank stare on her face. Kakashi then saw Munashi, Kuriarare, Ringo, Kisame, and Akebino all standing in front of Kurage who was still shocked at the whole situation.

Kurage's shocked face was pale, she then stood up straight and looked at Zabuza. "Yeah...I'm alright." She said in a soft voice.

A man appeared next to Kakashi and looked at him. "I thought you could use backup." He said, the man had light brown hair and blue eyes just as the boy did. When all the Swordsmen saw the man they seemed to get into a fighting stance. Kurage even looked at Mangetsu who stared at the witty faced shinobi next to Kakashi, it was as if everyone knew who this person was.

"Kurage, you have the Seal, right?" Mangetsu said in low tone to but, but his eyes stayed on the man.

"Un...?" She still didn't seem to focus on anything the others were saying.

"She has it." Munashi said, "I can see it." His eyes were on the man as well.

Kurage didn't know how to react to the situation, Kakashi wasn't looking at her either, his worries were more on the Swordsmen.

"Kakashi-san." The man said in his deep voice. "I'll handle these men, please, get the Seal."

"Ringo." Zabuza quickly said. Ringo appeared next to Kurage, grabbed her by the arm and disappeared, Mangetsu's eyes were wide when this happened. "Mangetsu, you're more needed in this situation."

Mangetsu then smiled. "I don't know what you're talking about, I want to be here."

Ringo looked down at Kurage who was leaning on a tree. He looked around and made sure the Seals Munashi put up wouldn't fail him. Kurage wrapped her arms around her knees. "The Mizukage didn't send us." Ringo walked towards her and stopped as he saw the locket in her hand. "You did manage to get it." He knelt down and stared into her eyes.

"Ringo, am I a failure as a kunichi." Ringo's eyes lowered to her light pink lips. "The Mizukage wanted me to go on this mission on my own and the second I get in a small mess everyone shows up." She closed her eyes. "Mangetsu even told me one time I'm better off being a normal person."

Ringo set his whole hand on her cheek and saw a tear hit it, he used a thumb to wipe it away. "What do you see in Mangetsu," Kurage opened her brown eyes, she didn't know what to say. "We're both swordsmen," he leaned in closer to her face. "We both kill without hesitation," she could feel his breath on her lips, "and we feel the same for you." His lips now touched hers, his eyes were closed while hers were wide open. She slowly closed hers and let him finish.

'Why is Ringo always so warm?' she thought to herself as his hand moved to the back of her neck, as Kurage's arms fell to her sides he grabbed one of the hands, he moved away from her and looked at her eyes. She wasn't looking back and was confused about the whole situation. "Why...why did you do that?" Kurage asked and stood up.

Ringo half smiled. "Because I wanted to and I knew you wouldn't stop me." Kurage blushed and looked away, Ringo chuckled to himself and appeared behind her, he set both his hands on her shoulders. "Besides, you wouldn't stop any of us from doing what we wanted to you," he held her close to him. "Kurage-chan wouldn't dare stop me, that's why Zabuza-san hates seeing us other swordsmen with you." Kurage looked down with a sour look to her face. "Mangetsu would be so angry if he found out about us."

"Shut up!" She turned around and pushed him. "There is no us, I don't know who you think you are, but please don't do that to me again." She had clenched teeth glaring at him.

He raised two hands. "Fine, I won't do it if you don't ask."

"Uh..."

"Kurage-chan," he stepped closer to her, she took a step back, but he was already very near her, he grabbed her hands. "Please, don't choose him over me, even Zabuza-san has a replacement of you," her eyes widened. "The more you resist us, the further away we will be from you." He pulled her in closer, "please choose one of us, before we all turn our back on you."

"...Ringo..." was all Kurage could say.

"If you don't choose who you want soon, we'll all be gone." He wrapped his arms around her and slid one hand down her lower back. He made her look at him. "Please, I won't leave you, Kurage-chan," He was about to kiss her again. "Choose me, to be with." Kurage was numb with confusion, she closed her eyes about to kiss his again. Ringo's eyes shot open, he pulled his swords out.

Kurage saw Kakashi at a tree branch, all the Seals have been destroyed that were around them. Ringo made a hand seal and lightning began to shot towards Kakashi. He jumped away from Ringo's attack and made a giant fireball shoot towards the two shinobi of the Hidden Mist. Kurage and Ringo jumped away, Kurage looked up angry.

"Kakashi-san, you can't have the Seal." Kurage shouted at him.

"I must have the item sent safely by any means and if I have to take you two down to do it then that's how it's going to be."

Kurage's mouth was wide in shock, she had always thought Kakashi as someone who was going to be a friend. Mangetsu wouldn't do this, Ringo wouldn't have ever said that, and Zabuza had come to stop the shinobi from getting her. Kakashi began to go an other jutsu and lightning began to shoot towards Ringo.

"What?" Ringo said surprised that Kakashi had done his very own attack.

"Ringo," Kurage did a hand sign. "Kakashi copies any attack he can see, so please be careful." She slowly breathed in and breathed out. "Rapido." She said and vanished.

Kakashi's eyes widened, Ringo appeared in front of Kakashi to slice his face, he blocked with a kunai, Kurage appeared at Ringo's side and slammed his foot in Kakashi's face, he slammed back, Kurage grabbed his arm and Kakashi's eyes widened as he was high in the sky, he was then slammed down from a elbow hit to his back. As Kurage appeared on the ground she saw Kakashi slam down, Ringo looked at her.

"Very nice Kurage-chan." Ringo said walking up to her.

She smiled at him. "Mangetsu usually does all the fighting in mission, so I don't really need to roll my sleeves up.

Kakashi then stood up, all the swordsmen were now around Kurage and Ringo. The man from the other village was on the Kisame's sword. He knew this was a problem, he called for backup while chasing Ringo and Kurage, but they wouldn't been here for an other few minutes. Zabuza took a step forward. "Hatake Kakashi, the item that needs to be delivered...please, get it." The man said while being on the sword.

"How bothersom, he's still alive?" Kuriarare said and laughed.

"Maybe I should cut his legs off?" Kisame said.

"I don't exactly think that will shut him up." Akebino commented.

"Who said anything about that?" Mangetsu added in.

Zabuza looked at the locket. "Kurage."

Kurage nodded and tossed the locket in the air, a seal began to emerge from it, she grabbed it and Mangetsu sliced the locket in half with a kunai. Kakashi's eyes were wide with shock.

"Kakashi-san, that man," She pointed at the shinobi on Kisame's sword. "Wanted this safely sent to his village, so it can be a weapon to attack the Hidden Mist."

"Uh?" Kakashi was shocked.

"You damn bloody-mist shinobi." The man hissed, Kisame moved his sword so it cut the man.

"Kakashi, you sending that Seal safely would account Konoha for the attack planned out for the Hidden Mist." Zabuza said.

"You could have started an other major war." Mangetsu said, "you should thank us for stopping you."

Kakashi picked up a kunai. "Fine then."

"Then we're done here," Zabuza said and turned around.

"What? We're just going to let him go?" Mangetsu yelled pointing at Kakashi.

"Yes," Zabuza began to jump away. Everyone followed him.

Kakashi signed and rubbed his head. 'What a day...' he thought. He then wondered how to explain everything, he raised his hand to cover his eye and opened the other. He looked to his side, "I know you're there."

"My, my, my I always seem to underestimate your talents." Mangetsu said standing upside down on a tree branch.

"I wish I could say the same." Kakashi looked up.

Mangetsu glared at him and jumped on the ground. "I just want to know what Kurage-chan saw in you." He folded his hands behind his dead.

"My mission had nothing to do with my relationship with Kurage-chan."

"I know, well, at least not to you, but to her it did." Mangetsu looked back at the spot they were all standing at.

Kakashi didn't know what to stand. "Kurage—"

"Kurage-chan was never your friend, was she?"

"Huh?"

"I don't even think you ever saw her has a person did you?"

"What—"

"You call her a friend, but it seemed like you would have killed her so easily." Mangetsu crossed his arms over his chest. "I have nothing else to say to a man I'd rather see dead, but there's something I want to know."

Kakashi was now glaring back at Mangetsu. "What?"

"Ringo was with Kurage-chan right?"

"And?"

"What do you think I'm asking? What were they doing?"

Kakashi signed once again and turned around, "I never did anything they did with each other." Kakashi jumped away.

Mangetsu froze, he felt as if his face was on fire as he thought of Ringo. He lowered his arms and began to jump back home. Thoughts began to fill his head, he wondered what he should do next, but he knew one thing for sure. "You're dead Ringo." Mangetsu said to himself.

So I'm still working on this story, I'm still iffy on the ending but I guess you'll see what I mean about that haha. I love the Hidden Mist, I wish the Naruto Manga would focus on that a lot, but we all can't have what we want haha. Well thank you for those who reviewed, you guys really make my day. Love you all, Priscilla. n.n' oh, and there will be more soon :D