Another chapter for you to enjoy. I know there are a lot of topics I mentioned once then never mentioned again like Naruto's secrets but please don't worry. Those things will be tackled in the right time.
Thank you for the reviews. Is there anyone who is having a problem uploading files such as .doc, .rtf and .html? Or is it just me? I swear uploading it as .txt and editing it is so troublesome. Oh, I read the main page and learned that the staff is updating the document manager. So troublesome.
Chapter 70: The dawn of awakening
Kisho was Kisho.
Miki with her blond hair and blue eyes could be easy mistaken as Naruto on henge. Despite their blue eyes, Yuuzuki and Akemi with their dark hair could be mistaken for Sasuke especially when their sharingan was activated. And when they were together especially with their crimson eyes, they'd be mistaken for Itachi and Sasuke.
But Kisho was Kisho. He couldn't be mistaken for Sasuke because he was blond and he couldn't be taken as Naruto because he had the Uchiha's mysteriousness and sensuality. He was Naruto and Sasuke's hybrid; a perfect and well-balanced product of traits coming from both sides.
Even at the age of twelve, he has shown his potential to be a prominent playboy. Girls giggled as he walked past them and when he turned to their direction to smile they'd blushed and when he would wink at them they'd swoon. Unlike his otousan and his brothers, he enjoyed the females' attention and sometimes depended on it to grope their butt, caress their chest or stare at them mentally undressing them. More often than not, he couldn't get away from his perverted actions but it didn't deter him the least. He saw as a challenge to improve his skills. There was every reason why he was called little Jiraiya - a name which irritated him because he still had a long way to go to become just like the toad hermit.
Like a celebrity, Kisho waved left and right acknowledging his fans before he stepped inside a particular diner.In there, he looked around until he spotted a mop of black hair sticking out from the farthest booth. As he strutted his way to that area, the dark-haired man raised a hand as if Kisho hadn't spotted him yet.
"Finally, the king of pheromones had arrived," the man said coolly as Kisho took a seat in front of him.
"What can I do for you, Sai-old man?" he asked skipping pleasantries because he knew both of them could live without it.
Sai continued smiling, tolerating the boy's disrespect. Rudeness seemed to run through the family and he wasn't one to enforce respect when he was also rude. He gingerly took a sip of his drink as he let the boy order.
"You got careless again?" the Root leader asked as he noticed the burn on his peeking from his arm warmer.
"Obviously. Got burned from Otousan's chidori current."
"That technique is nasty, no?"
"That's why I'm learning it together with Rasengan." Because unlike his siblings who although they appreciated their parents' techniques were not interested in learning, Kisho was passionate in having those jutsus in his arsenal.
Unmindful of the waitress serving, Sai asked seriously, "You're glowing. Is your penis in a perfect position as you want it to be?"
Such question made everyone within the hearing range choke or blush and the waitress almost dropped her tray. She slightly turned her head to glare at the older man for corrupting the innocent child. She thought he was innocent until…
"Very perfect. Thanks to the lady who pulled me to her very well-endowed chest," Kisho replied in the same serious tone. "It was very soft... softer than my pillow or than loaves of bread."
The older man straightened from his slouching position. "I see and its softness made you hard? I wonder how much you have grown." Tilting his head to the side, he continued, "won't you let me measure it?"
Kisho chuckled. "Sai old man, only females are allowed to measure my penis or do anything they want to." Each words were purred.
Sai's grin became wider, "I could change into a woman." Purring, he added, "What kind of a woman do you want me to be?"
Kisho grinned, "One who could give me the world of pleasure anywhere I want; anytime I want."
The Root leader gave him a look of approval. Judging from the silence ruling over their side, it was obvious that the customers situated on their side of the place had either requested for another table or had quickly ate their food and left. The vulgar conversation had served its purpose- to give them privacy. They knew a lot of places in Konoha that would give them privacy but where was the fun of that?
With them alone, Sai turned serious to start the purpose of their meeting.
"Haven't you decided yet?" he asked.
The teen shrugged his shoulders. "No. I think it's too early for me."
"Early? Your uncle was twelve and so was Yuuzuki-kun when they joined-"
"You have three of us in your forces- otousan and my two brothers. Why would you need me?" he asked. Unlike his friends who had already chosen their path, Kisho hadn't yet decided what to do after becoming chuunin- would he remain as one or aim farther?
"It wouldn't hurt if another one would join."
"It wouldn't hurt if I would join years later."
Sai sighed. "Point taken but it would be better if you hurry up."
"I'll try to keep that in mind."
"You should." The older man thought it would be a waste if his kind of power won't be exploited by the ANBU.
-SasuNaru is love-
Everybody knew that Shouhei and Miki were closed so when the two together with their dates coincidentally met at the mall, their dates immediately agreed that they all should eat together at the nearby family restaurant.
They seated themselves at a table near the window. Minako- Shouhei's date seek approval from Miki while Shinjo- Miki's date planned to impress Shouhei. After making their orders, the four started conversing naturally as if they had been friends with each other.
"... and it ended like that," Minako said sadly.
"I heard otherwise," Miki chipped in. "Kazuo said that-"
"But Kazuo is a sucker for happy endings," Shouhei interjected.
"As if you aren't," was the blonde's retort making her friend's date arched an eyebrow. Shouhei didn't look like someone like that. What other secrets did Miki know? She wondered.
Before Shinjo could say his piece, his date and Shouhei were now locked on a friendly and teasing matter that left the other two out of the loop. And although Minako always succeeded in her attempts to let herself and Shinjo join in the conversation and the latter trying to maintain the four-way conversation, the talk always managed to become just between Shouhei and Miki. Because the Uchiha girl's date was a hopeless romantic, he stomped and killed any doubts that arose within him.
The look of surprise on their faces had been priceless when their meal was served and Shouhei and Miki were placing their slices of eggplant and okra on each other's plate.
"What are you doing?" Shinjo asked.
"Swapping," his date replied. "Shouhei believed he's allergic to eggplants so he hates them."
"And Miki hates okra and other slimy food."
"Then why did you order those dishes?" Minako inquired with a hint of irritation.
"Because minus these," she paused to reach over to poke a slice of okra innocently lying on her friend's plate, "these dishes are our fave, ne Shouhei-san."
"Definitely," he replied enthusiastically. In chorus they said, "We gratefully partake," before they happily dig in. And their dates could only watch them owlishly. "What are you doing?" the Hyuuga member asked when he noticed his other two companions hadn't started eating. "You should eat too."
-SasuNaru is love-
Naruto stared at his notes in disbelief. It should be a lie, he told himself. He just couldn't believe that the project he had been working on would end up like this- a failure. Was everything a waste? His commitment, his determination, his efforts of working the project and keeping it a secret from everybody… Were those not enough to yield the result he wanted? The most logical of him nodded. Everything even the result was reasonable because what was at stake was a life and something as precious as life should have a very high price.
"Damn. Dammit. Damn it all to hell!," he growled. The result had melted the rest of determination and blew his remaining commitment leaving him empty and very tired. He knew there was no other way even if he would search for it.
"Give it up, brat."
"But Kyuubi-"
"You're too selfless for your own good."
"But I don't want..." he trailed off when the fox growled. He placed a hand on his stomach feeling it tremble when his tenant growled.
"Forget it."
"But-"
"You had no other choice."
Naruto sighed. His tenant was right. He looked at the scrolls- the proof of his efforts and although he knew he should burn them, he couldn't not after everything he did. Perhaps one day he could bring himself to do so until then he should keep it in a place where it would most likely not be found.
-SasuNaru is love-
During their meal, Shinjo had made known that he and Miki had other plans after their get together so when they finished their meal, the couple excused themselves.
"Oh by the way Miki, you have a mission starting tomorrow, right?" Shouhei asked.
"Is there anything you want?" the girl inquired.
Shouhei's lips moved for a wry smile, "you know what I want... always."
A blond eyebrow arched while their eyes met. "Humor me."
"Your safety."
And the smile that Miki gifted the lad made Shinjo blushed and Minako's forehead twitched.
Minako didn't miss the longing that lick at the edges of pale eyes as her date stared at his friend's back until it disappeared into the corner. In an instant, it hit her. She placed a hand on his chest to get his attention. "You... how long? Miki..." she asked brokenly, her breath fanning his face while her eyes were seeking for answers from orbs that became very guarded. Uncomfortably guarded making her realized that Shouhei had too many secrets he kept not only from her but from Miki as well.
The Hyuuga member laughed the inquiry off and before the girl could say anything, he sealed her lips with his.
-SasuNaru is love-
Kazuo, Shuu and Miki were very excited to be teamed again after going on their separate ways after taking exams. And although Mao was being twice sadistic in complaining about this little reunion, deep inside she was happy and proud that they had improved. Watching them as they flawlessly leapt from one tree branch to another while moving in a almost dizzying speed, she knew they were no longer genins.
Suddenly, all of them stopped and crouched almost at the same time when a wisp of blood flooded to their nose.
With the slightest raise of Mao's fingers, they parted from each other and stormed the area from different directions and ten seconds interval. They expected to see an on-going battle not the sight of five bodies burning- the work of a hunter-nin and broken shards of porcelain mask that led to a bloody and almost lifeless figure of a woman slumped against a tree.
Rina was fully aware of the extent of her wounds and knew she won't last long. Instead of agonizing, she decided to gather her remaining chakra and strength to summon a fire that would engulf her body leaving no trace of her existence and clues of her village that could be use as information. She looked at her dead teammates and smiled. Soon, she thought as her hands were about to form the last seal. Suddenly, she felt something gripped both of her wrists. Painfully and tightly. Hands, she realized and she looked up expecting to see death in the eyes of a stranger but all she saw was her reflection on calm emerald orbs.
Shuu's grip tightened as the kunoichi lost her consciousness. He looked at Miki who immediately kneeled to check on her.
"She needs immediate medical attention," she said.
Mao mentally sighed as three pairs of eyes looked at direction waiting for her permission. She immediately nodded knowing that even if she refused they'd go ahead anyway. With Miki her compassion was understandable because she was a medic-nin but Kazuo's and Shuu's?! She rolled her eyes.
"Listen up, guys," she started in a very serious voice. "Only the three of you are my responsibility. And in case that girl would become a threat to any of you, I'd personally get rid of her even if it means killing her. Clear?"
"Crystal," they all chorused.
Mao pouted darkly, not pleased with how things had turned out between her and her team. She had recalled that during the first time she met them, she had sworn that she would stripped their masks off but in the end, it was them who was unconsciously stripping her apathetic mask to reveal her soft side. Damn.
-SasuNaru is love-
Rina awakened to the crackling sound of campfire and tensed when a hand settled on her right arm.
"It's okay," Miki said softly. "You're in good hands."
The pearly-white haired kunoichi immediately identified the symbol on the blonde's hitae-ate and smiled.
"Your name and affiliation please," the blonde continued. Few paces away, Mao, Shuu and Kazuo sat in what could be a relaxed position but their muscles were tensed enough to fight if the girl was an enemy. Mao was watching her facial movements and reaction that would give her away if she was lying. Kazuo and Shuu were holding a kunai behind their back.
"Rina Omura of Waterfall village. Vice-captain of the squad that had been wiped out few hours ago, I think."
"Two days ago," the blond kunoichi corrected. "You'd been asleep for two days."
She just nodded. With no other means of confirming her affiliation and identity other than the fact that her profile wasn't found in the latest issue of the bingo book, Mao's team had no choice but to believe her.
Shuu led her closer to the small bonfire while Kazuo offered to her a bowl of stew.
"We sent word to your village informing of your condition," Mao told her. And tilted her head backward as she added matter-of-factly, "your kage won't send a medic-nin though after knowing our team has one."
"I know," she uttered and with the look the Konoha jounin was giving her, she knew they're waiting for details of what happened two days ago. And between feeding herself with the tasty stew, she did.
"Heard of Black Hawk?"
While Mao nodded, her subordinates shook their heads.
"He was one of the best jounins we have. His name is Ryouji but five Months after his defection with other seven shinobis he became known among missing-nin as black hawk." She paused to offer her empty bowl, silently asking for another serving.
"Two days ago, we heard about their group's location and we immediately went there after planning. But unfortunately, Ryouji wasn't there. It was just four of his members. We engaged in a battle that left my two teammates and three missing-nin dead. The other got away and probably informed Ryouji with the incident."
"My team and I are on a mission to your village. We're two days late-"
"Sorry for the trouble…"
Mao nodded at the apology, "Our medic-nin informed us that for the meantime you're prohibited from doing strenuous job so we decided to bring you with us, if you like."
Rina chuckled as she looked at her body, taking in the bandages wrapped around it, "What choice do I have?"
"I'm Mao, team leader. This is Kazuo, Shuu and Miki."
-SasuNaru is love-
Miki had always been surrounded with males since birth- her family was composed of males: she spent her genin days with boys and her sparring mates are males. And despite what a lot of people believed, she didn't end up as a tomboy or a lesbian but her exposure to male presence had caused a insatiable need for female companionship within her. So when Rina joined them in their journey, the two immediately became fast friends – a not so surprising turn of events because both girls had pleasant personality and aggressive streak. To Miki, Rina was like her long lost older sister. She was different from Yukina. With her sister-in law, she had to give Yukina the respect due to her as an older sister but with Rina… there was nothing to hold back.
Rina groaned, "So basically you're a player." Her voice echoing all over the onsen place but there was nothing to worry because it was just her and Miki. Mao was still in the bar enjoying fine wine while the boys were at hot spring for boys.
"Of course not," Miki said.
"But you date them, raising their hopes and then drop them off. Man, it sucks to be your date," Rina continued. The blonde pressed her back against the stone when the older girl moved close. "Did you date any of your teammates?"
The medic-nin scrunched her nose, "For your information, they're a couple."
"Really? They don't look like one."
"They normally don't but when things get hot between them… they're hot."
Rina threw her head back to laugh, "You're a pervert."
"I'm not!" Miki retorted hotly before pouting. Few strands of hair plastering on the side of the hunter-nin's face took her attention and she reached out to stroke it. "I like your hair. It's like a thread of pearls."
A flicker of pain lit Rina's ruby eyes, "He used to say that. He always liked my hair."
"He?"
"Taichi- my longtime love."
The past tense the hunter-nin used wasn't missed by Miki who asked quietly, "Is he dead?"
"Yeah… he died."
"How?"
But Rina had moved away from her and turned her back. It was obvious that his death was still a painful subject for her and Miki decided not to broach it. She immediately switched to a light topic.
-SasuNaru is love-
"Send my regards to your hokage," the village leader said as he handed the scroll now bearing his sign to Mao. The team bowed and then left.
"What are you doing here?" Shuu asked as they spotted Rina leaning against the gate of the village.
"I'm off as a one-man team," Rina said nonchalantly. "I went to the hospital after speaking with leader and three doctors told me I'm okay now. The medical attention I received was excellent." She looked at Miki who blushed immediately. "I'll be walking with you until I reach the border."
-SasuNaru is love-
"Boring," a man wearing a blue mask complained loudly as he childishly dangled his legs from the branch he was sitting. "What time did Black Hawk said say he's going to join us?"
"Past two," replied the red-masked female.
"It's already three!"
"That's still past two," a black-masked man stated smartly which made the other man growl.
"Will you two calm down," a green-mask man asked flamboyantly while inspecting his well-manicured fingernails.
The four of them tensed when they felt chakra coming from another direction.
"Cool. Enemies," Blue said as he failed to recognize the chakra signatures. He stood up and drew his kunai. "I'm going to have fun."
"Aren't you going to stop him, Red?"
Red sighed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I don't have any plans on stopping him. Truthfully, I'm bored too!"
Green sighed as Red and Black joined Blue. "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," he muttered as his hands moved to form seals.
Mao's team stopped the moment they noticed the deafening silence that gripped the place. With their muscles tense, they looked around them. They knew someone was there watching them but they could not pinpoint their exact location.
Green's mouth moved as he silently mouthed the name of his technique that would use the dampness of the air.
The Konoha ninjas on instinct moved, flexed and bent their limbs as easily and naturally as any reptile. If Mao wasn't busy evading the needles made of water, she would be gloating knowing that her rain of shuriken training really paid off not only for her but for her team as well.
In a show of amazement laced with irritation, Green arched an eyebrow while Blue whistled. The latter knew a worthy enemy when he saw one. He propelled himself away from the tree and turned three hundred sixty degrees.
The second the needle shower seemed to slow down all of them leapt away and separated from each other.
Mao, Shuu, Kazuo and Miki were against Blue, Black, Green and Red respectively.
Shuu mirrored Black's smirk as they meet in the middle, fists pressed against one another.
"You're good," Black said.
"I'd get better a minute later."
The missing-nin looked insulted with the other's confidence that bordered near arrogance and he showered the lad with both taijutsu and ninjutsus.
"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu" Green said in a singsong voice and a second later a water dragon rose up into the air and paused a brief second before crushing downward.
"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu"Kazuo said. The flame dragon rushed and collided with its water counterpart causing a hissing sound as water evaporated too quickly. Kazuo lunged forward then duck to avoid three shuriken and five kunai. He bowed forward as the weapons retraced their path like boomerangs but he had been a bit late as one sharp point of one shuriken scratched his left cheek.
Green caught all his weapons with an added unnecessary flourish of body movements. He licked the slightly bloody part of one of his weapons and grinned even though it was just a small taste of his addiction. He really loved blood especially of young man and it would be a bonus if such young man would be a virgin. Unfortunately, his opponent was no longer one. His observant eyes could tell who was inexperienced and not by their movements alone.
Kazuo cringed when something wet slid against his ear and he swung his armed hand when he felt a presence behind his back a second later.
Green chuckled as he appeared few meters away from the irritated shinobi. "You look good and taste even better," he complimented. He could feel his body trembling with anticipation for the moment that he'd lick the lad's blood from his body until he would be satisfied.
"I'm so gonna kill you, you fucking asshole!"
The missing-nin spread his arms wide and shrugged. "You can try," he said as a plan formulated in his mind. Indulge in grope fest then satisfy hunger with the feast that would soon follow. Perfect.
Mao growled as her opponent's scimitar made a long gash on her jeans and scratched a thigh creating a red line.
"Tasty thigh," Blue said, never bothering to hide the drool he was having.
"Too bad I'm owned," she said haughtily. "Not that I'll let you touch me in anyway," she continued as she appeared behind his back so quickly that it had surprised the man. Mao snorted displeased when her opponent who had two kunais sticking into his body turned into a tree. She smirked knowing he was above her. Although the man had concealed his chakra excellently, the Konoha kunoichi detected his presence by the distortion of the air.
"Die, bitch!" Blue said, victory in his eyes because he thought surprise and fear would grip his opponent in place and all she could do was pray that her death was painless. Simple... too simple.
Just as he guessed, Mao remained still and in the last second moved to flick the missing-nin as easily as one would flick an insect.
Caught off guard, Blue couldn't stop his sailing to the tree and smashed against it.
He gingerly stood up, massaging his aching body. "Fuck! That hurts!"
"It was planned to hurt, simpleton!"
Blue knew he wasn't and would never be the brightest crayon in the box and he hated it when someone especially an enemy would rub that shit on his face.
Mao arched an eyebrow when a killing urge surge from the man like an explosion. Situation like this was never foreign to her. She met, fought and killed opponents who had suffocating killing urge but had no enough skills to back it up. However, her intuition told her he was different and her instincts ordered her to run away. She could taste danger in her tongue and smell death. She crouched down. She had to be serious or else...
In mid-air, Red and Miki did a move that would impress even the best acrobatic as they evade each other's attack at the same time delivering their own. There were no words being exchanged between them and they had no time to strike a conversation because they were too busy plotting a way to win their match. It wasn't only their life that was at stake but their female ego as well. Both of them wanted to prove that they were better than the other.
Pain... Dry pain... It was all Miki could think as she got trap in Red's vacuumed area. Her chest tightened and she felt her head shrunk. She was quickly slipping away to oblivion and knew she had to do something. She formed seals and in a split of second, a tree spurted from the ground and took her in the air where her opponent's technique wouldn't reach her.
Red took no time in launching herself into the air, determined not to let the still gasping girl to recover. But she had not counted the branches that swipe away anything whose chakra they couldn't recognize.
A curse flew from her mouth loudly as she was slammed against the ground. She had tried cutting them and even tried to destroy them with ninjutsus but the missing parts were immediately replaced. All to protect herself, she thought. She realized that she couldn't get past them until the Konoha kunoichi wish to attack her. What a pest.
Kazuo had been disgusted when Green licked his blood that had splattered on the man's arm and he thought nothing could be more disgusting until the missing-nin plucked a blood-stained narrow leaf and licked it clean from tip to bottom.
"Ready to give up and be my cup of wine?"
As much as he wanted to kill that pervert he stood no chance now. He had no more weapons and he had broken bones especially his rib bone. He cursed silently. He wanted to stop breathing because such action was almost unbearable.
He struggled... tried to put up a fight when Green held him captive. "What would your blond lover say when she finds out that you're rape and drained?" He asked never bothering to hide the blood lust and excitement from his voice and movements.
Kazuo frowned realizing that Miki had been mistaken as his lover. What a joke! "Miki isn't-"
"I'm no blond," a very pissed Shuu said as he appeared behind Green with one thought in his mind: maim. It wasn't very often that Kazuo needed help being a fine shinobi that he was, so when opportunity presented itself, Shuu greedily would take it and would splendidly help his lover.
The missing-nin deflected his attack and quickly stole a glance from Black whose head was twisted grotesquely. How did managed to kill him? He briefly wondered. Black was powerful and skillful in his own and for him to be defeated by an effeminate teen...
Shuu had managed to kill his opponent not by excellent skills Konoha shinobis were known for but by incinerating negative emotions that took hold of him the moment he saw Green lewdly and predatorily draping his form over his possession. Absolutely and unquestionably unforgivable.
Shuu was known to be compassionate. Even when he killed his enemies, he made sure it was quick and painless and he never desecrated their corpses. But desperation, anger, hate, thirst for vengeance and to protect what was his had made him a monster. Black wouldn't be killed if he didn't block the raging shinobi's path.
Green leapt away aware that he'd be dead if he came too close to the furious teen who was protecting his man.
"Shuu, be careful," Kazuo whispered as he leaned his head on a shoulder. "He's a maniac."
The lad didn't reply too busy plotting someone's demise.
Unbreakable. Unbeatable. Invincible.
That was Mao and she still was even when she was bleeding and almost naked. It hadn't been her luck that her enemy wasn't only strong but a pervert. He had slowly ripped her clothes with her annoying and persistent claws made of water.
And to make matters more interesting, he plunged his middle claw into her stomach implying what he really wanted to do with her very soon.
"Just do it," she rasped. "What are you waiting for?"
He smiled and gripped her chin, "Finally giving up, eh? This is what I want."
Even in pain, she smirked. "Let's see if you'd still want me after this!" And with everything she had which was close to nothing, kicked his groin. She really wanted it to hurt so bad to the point that he'd be rendered immobile but he only looked tearful and livid.
"Fuck!" she screamed as she was thrown to the ground and almost flattened by a heavy body.
In a stroke of fortune, Miki's eyes coincidentally landed on her teacher's form and her eyes widened then narrowed as she noticed the man's wandering hands. The moment she landed on the ground, she changed her direction and made a mad dash towards her teacher, abandoning her opponent who looked confused then irritated.
Red went after Miki who was now making hand seals. Miki knew was already getting weak that to perform the technique she needed, she had to withdraw the chakra she was using on vines that always protected her from attacks.
On Red's hand was a sword made of compressed wind. She put all her weight on her feet and lunged forward. "You should not take your eyes from your enemy!" she screamed as she plunged the sword to her left shoulder. It should had been her chest but Miki faltered in her steps so Red missed but to the missing-nin it didn't matter to her. She wanted to see herself in those blue pools when she would defeat and kill that wench.
Miki's scream of pain was muffled with the pain Red felt exploding from her stomach. She looked down to find a sharp branch jutting from her stomach. She looked behind her to trace the branch.
"I never took my eyes from any enemy," Miki who was clutching her injured shoulder said soberly, getting her opponent's attention back on her.
With blood trickling on both side of her mouth and dropping to the ground where it joined with her blood from her wound, she fell to her knees. The last thing she saw before she died wasn't the Konoha kunoichi but her comrade behind the blonde. Blue was suspended in the air by vines and his legs and hands were spread, forming a perfect X. But that wasn't the only thing. Jutting out from his body were twigs. He had been turned into a human twig cushion and whether it was planned or not, a twig had pierced into his groin. This girl is a peril, was her last thought.
An exhausted Miki looked around to assess the situation. There was one enemy left and an equally tired Shuu was engaged in a fight against him at the same time protecting his lover.
She knew sooner or later Shuu would defeat the remaining missing-nin but they didn't have enough time and control was slipping from their hands not to mention their teacher's life as well as Kazuo's. Retreat was he only good choice that was left.
"Shuu!" Miki shouted.
Shuu knew what his blond teammate was telling him even before words were used. He landed beside Kazuo and hurriedly made hand signs. Thick grayish smoked filled the area, immediately dropping visibility to zero.
Green tried counteracting but to no avail. He had to admit that such technique was perfect for escape especially when there was an injured teammate.
-SasuNaru is love-
"Shuu, sorry but I have to take care of sensei first," Miki said as they rested in an area far from their battlefield. "For the meantime, please apply first aid on Kazuo."
"Shuu, I-"
The teen shook his head silently telling his boyfriend not to talk. "You have a broken rib bone, remember?"
Without any warning, Kazuo pulled him for a deep kiss. Even if his lungs burned he needed to taste his boyfriend and if he wasn't badly injured he would have taken Shuu somewhere and screw him senseless just so he could forget about wandering hands and disgusting tongue. Naturally, Shuu melted into such intimate gesture.
Not the first aid I was referring to, Miki thought the moment she glanced at her teammates.
Mao held Miki's glowing hands and shook her head. "Forget about me. Take care of Kazuo."
"No!" Miki retorted almost in horror. "No," she repeated again tearfully and fearfully. She wasn't ready to lose her teacher no matter how sadistic she was. She snatched her hands away and continued with her treatment. She told herself not to falter in her treatment and to maintain the required level of chakra all the way. She bit her lower lip when her left arm was getting numb. Her wound was still attended but that was because her remaining chakra was only enough for healing Mao and Kazuo. With their helpless situation, she was teetering over the edge of desperation and her tears weren't helping her. Dammit!
Even in pain, Mao chuckled at the sight of her student almost closed to breaking. "Until now, I never thought situation like would push you closer to my goal. I wouldn't mind dying knowing I won."
"That's cheating," Miki replied between sobs.
"But I didn't ask him to make me like this."
"Still..." she trailed off trying to search for words for what she wanted to say. "I still need your pushing and your twisted encouragement."
The jounin looked at her, "Miki, I think you're a masochist."
A blond eyebrow arched. "So? You're a sadist. We make a lovely pair."
Mao had to laugh at that statement and her former student's words echoed in her mind when Miki put her to sleep so she won't be distracted from her task.
"I'm going to administer first aid now," a breathless Shuu murmured when they pulled away.
"No need. I feel better. Much, much better," Kazuo who was now delirious with pain and with their shared kiss whispered.
-SasuNaru is love-
"Lovely sight," Green heard a very sarcastic voice commented. He looked up to the tree where the voice came from and found Black Hawk with his woman draped over him. He was surrounded by the remaining four members of seven people who joined him in his defection. Ryouji took in the scene before him. His ego hurt to see few of his personally trained men defeated and killed.
"Who did this?" he inquired calmly although he was bristling inside.
"Konoha shinobis," Green answered automatically. "All of them are injured as well. Two of them in the brink of death," he added seeing the dark scowl on the man's face. The scowl was immediately replaced with a maniacal grin, wickedness glinting in his eyes. He knew the reputation that always preceded the Konoha shinobis and was aware that finishing those injured ones would be good for his reputation. He imagined how people would react to such news and couldn't help but laughed. "Shall we end this party?" he asked.
Although injured, Green grinned and licked his bloody lips. "I also need to retrieve my possession."
Ryouji arched an eyebrow but never asked. He just moved forward and the rest followed closely behind.
Engrossed with their first aid and already weak, they never noticed the approaching enemies until they heard a deep chuckle. The two staggered to their feet. Shuu stepped forward planning to protect everyone. Miki looked at him. She knew all of them were no longer fit to fight but what should they do? They could no longer flee too. The only honorable option left was to stay and put up a fight even if it was futile. No... she won't allow anyone to die a dog's death. She'd protect everyone even with her remaining inch of life.
"M-miki?" Shuu inquired when he noticed hot and reddish wind suddenly coming from and swirling around her not to mention a third tomoe appearing on her almost glazed and blood-red eyes. And suddenly he was scared of and for her. He had never seen this image of her until now.
Ryouji and his companions seemed to flinch at the sudden display of power. The leader arched an eyebrow as he recognized the dojutsu and the bristling power. She was an offspring of the Uchiha and the Uzumaki jinchuuriki.
"Watch out for that kid," he told his team while the desire for that power coursed through him. "She's danger personified."
"Leave this to me, Shuu," Miki said. She could feel it- the hot burning power she sometimes heard Yuuzuki and Akemi talked about- the power that could be maximized with the sharingan.
"Ridiculous! They're seven of them, Miki."
But his teammate was no longer listening as she went to manipulate all the plants in the area.There were only two things in her mind: fight to protect and maim to save.
"What a defense! Is she a monster?" Green muttered. They, their weapons and technique couldn't get close to her because of the plants that automatically protect her. And the water techniques were useless as they evaporated at the heat of her power.
One missing-nin decided that if the kunoichi was untouchable then they'd attack her most vulnerable part- her heart. While his comrades distracted her, he sneaked towards her teammates but much to his surprise, thorny twigs sprouted into the air twisting around each other making an impenetrable shield.
Miki who was in mid-air, smirked. As long as she was in her element, the tide would always be against her enemies. She fixed her gaze on Black hawk- her main target. She quickly moved towards him leaving her shadow clones to deal with everyone else.
She scowled when the only woman in his team stepped forward to protect him but the Konoha kunoichi could see that her hands as they held a kunai trembled. Whether it was in anticipation, excitement or fear Miki couldn't tell but she wanted to believe it was the third that caused it.
"Move," she ordered as she extended her hand where vines moved restlessly around it.
To her credit, the woman remained firm so Miki had a plant swat her away. She grinned maniacally as she stood in front of Black Hawk.
Ryouji's fear was defeated at the amazement of such raw power that he was oblivious that vines were wrapping around his neck. He moaned as he felt that same chakra tingling his skin. He wanted it, desired it even. Strangely he was developing a hard on.
Miki was relieved at the same time disappointed that the infamous Black Hawk could be killed so easily. She was about to go in for the kill when somebody swooped down and took her prey. She gaped when she recognized the man's savior -Rina.
With him distant from his object of desire, Ryouji snapped out from his lustful state and looked at Rina. "Are you here to let me escape again, Ri-chan?"
A look of betrayal and shock settled on the blond kunoichi's visage. The person she thought to be a friend and sister was a traitor. But even if it would hurt, she had to kill Rina if she was a threat.
"No, not this time, Taichi."
Miki frowned. Taichi? But didn't she say that... Rina had lied. Deception for her sincerity.
Ryouji/Taichi frowned. "Don't call me that! I'm no longer that person." That person had been living for the village alone with no dreams and no hopes. Taichi was just one of the many dogs.
"Rina, you said your boyfriend Taichi died," Miki said, bewildered.
Ryouji snorted. "You've been hallucinating. I had and will never be your boyfriend. You and I were just childhood friends."
Rina looked away.
Miki finally understood the sadness and pain that perfectly brushed her elfin face. It was caused by unrequited love and dead childhood friendship. "You're wrong! She had never hallucinated. I assumed."
"I could never love a traitor," he continued making his former friend flinched. He could never forgive her for trying to discourage him from defecting instead of showing support and following him.
The light-haired kunoichi stared at him levelly and proudly said, "I can and that's why I'll kill you."
Smirking, he retorted, "You couldn't stop me how much more kill me."
The kunoichi smiled at her implying her decision was final.
The missing-nin ignored her and went straight to Miki.
Rina recognized the hand signs and jumped between him and the younger kunoichi whose eyes widened when blood drops flew off to different directions and Rina's pearl-white-colored hair slipped from its constraint and beautifully cascaded on her back.
Ryouji looked at the kunai that had been plunged in an area uncomfortably close to his heart. He never thought she'd do it. "Why?" he asked while his hand was deep inside her chest.
"Because I love you regardless if you're Ryouji or Taichi." Was her simple reply.
The shinobi leapt away and watched her as she was pulled by gravity but Miki was there to catch and laid her gently.
"Let me-"
Rina interrupted the other girl by shaking her head. "It's useless," she stated between gasps. And she knew Miki understood when the latter gasped, horrified.
"Wha-" the blonde couldn't finish even one word as she was still reeling from the sight of Rina slowly turning into marble starting from her wound. "There must be something..."
"I created this for him," she weakly said. "But I don't know-"
"Why?" Miki asked brokenly. "Why do you love him so much? Why are you doing all of these?"
"I love him because I can. His rejection won't stop me. B-but what do you know about i-it? Y-you… you just date and discard them. You never love anyone from the deepest part of you."
At such accusation, an image of Shouhei fleeted to her mind.
"You're wrong," Miki fiercely said a second later. "I-" she stopped when she realized that Rina was no longer listening to her. She was staring at a marble statue. She let out a cry of anguish and the plants around her responded. She angrily regarded Ryouji with hatred pulsating in her veins. When she took one step, Ryouji was surrounded by his men who were intent in protecting him.
"Let's fall back," his woman said. She knew they won't stand a chance against a very angry female and Ryouji needed to be attended.
"We should. An army is coming this way," Green weakly said.
Miki was about to follow them when a hand gripped her wrist. She looked over her shoulder to find Shuu.
"Don't!"
"No!"
The lad tightened his hold. "What about Kazuo and sensei?"
It was only then that she remembered her dying teammates. She hurried to them after giving the missing-nins' escape path and the statue a last glance.
"Hurry up, Miki! Someone's coming!"
But the warning or notice was too late. They were surrounded. Miki looked up to see familiar masks and she and Shuu knew they were comrades. So relieved was she that exhaustion overwhelmed her.
"Miki!" Shuu cried out as Miki fell to the ground ungracefully.
-SasuNaru is love-
Miki groaned and turned around before she opened her eyes.
"Maki-san?" she murmured as she saw a male figure standing near the window at the side of the room. She frowned. Room? When did she get here and-
"Miki-chan," the man said with a smile on his face. "You're awake." He quickly moved to the bed when the girl moved to get up. "Don't. Your examination earlier showed that you still need bed rest."
There was no mistake that she was in Suna. The almost unbearable heat and the scent of sands in the air that fleeted from the open window confirmed her thought. "How long was I out? How is everyone?"
"Everyone is coping well. And you slept for six days straight." Looking at her with something akin to brotherly affection, he said in a tone laced with frustrated worry, "Miki, your body was beyond strain. It was a miracle that your body wasn't destroyed at the sheer intensity of your hidden power."
"I..."
"Promise me that once you get back to Konoha, you'll ask someone to give you thorough check just for second opinion."
Miki threw an arm over her eyes. "What for? You said all I need is bed rest."
He perched his hip on the bedside and tapped her forehead. "I was there, Miki. I felt the chakra. Anyone within the ten meter radius could. It was bad. Really bad."
"Why were you there?"
"Suna had a friendly military game with one of our allies. We were on our way home and you were near the border of our ally./
"I see."
Not liking the seriousness of the atmosphere, Maki smiled cheerfully. "My girlfriend tried to salvage your bracelet that was destroyed but couldn't find all the red stones so she decided to make it into earrings." He took the pair of earring from his pocket and placed it on her palm.
The kunoichi looked at the earrings with ten blood-red little circles dangling from it. An image of a ruby bracelet came to his mind followed by the arm that had worn it and the arm's owner- Rina.
"This isn't mine but I'll keep it. Thank you," she said, blue eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Maki nodded, pat her shoulder once then left the room, leaving Miki to hold the earrings closed to her broken heart.
Not a minute before her door was closed when it was slid open. The blonde looked up to find her uncle Gaara who gave her body a check up. She wished she was as stoic as her uncle. She scrambled from her bed and ran towards the redhead. Against his chest she cried all her pain. Awkwardly and hesitantly, Gaara wrapped his arms around her in comfort. Despite the many times his godchildren, nephews and niece had cried in front and against him, he still wasn't use to comforting them.
-SasuNaru is love-
After the team's debriefing with the very relieved hokage, Miki went straight to Yamanaka's flower shop instead of going to the hospital as she had promised.
Chie greeted her the moment she stepped inside and Miki returned her smile before ordering what she wanted.
"I'm glad you're all ok now."
"You probably heard it from Akemi-nii,right?" She dramatically sighed, "the wonders of love."
Chie nodded her head in agreement and turned around so she could drop her forced smile and hide her confusion about the things between her and Akemi because even when the latter had told her that she could stay as long as she wanted, nothing was settled between them.
A minute later, Miki stepped out from the shop and went to the nearest river to let the bouquet of flowers floated. As she watched the flowers getting farther and father, she recalled her last conversation with Rina who lived and died for love. She had never met someone who had the strength to live like that. She envied her and wished... She sighed before leaving the place.
I love him because I can...
Miki stopped at the middle of a cross-intersection. The street in front of her led to the hospital and other administrative building. The one on her left led to the business area while the other on her right would lead her to the training area. Each path led to different places just as her choices would. She nodded to herself. If there was one thing she learned from Rina it was that love was a privilege and one could love freely and selfishly. For her dead friend, she would confess her feelings for Shouhei without expecting anything in return. And even if his rejection would hurt at least she had been honest. There won't be any regrets and what-ifs as she would continue to walk forward with eyes focus to the future.
And for the second time, Miki postponed her hospital visit and took the street that would lead to the training area where she saw no once but Hisayuki.
"Hisayuki-nii" she called out as she neared the place. Her heart was drowning with trepidation but despite that Miki's steps were light and bouncy knowing that for each step she was closer to her liberation.
Shouhei for the last twenty minutes was standing under the ice-cold waterfalls, meditating and getting ready for his team's mission the next day.
"Shouhei-san."
His eyes snapped open at that longed voice. When he saw her alive and in one piece, relieved gladness flooded within him causing him to poof in front of the girl and was about to embrace her out of impulse when Miki none-too-gently slapped his arms away and stepped away to place a distance between them.
Rejection.
"Don't come near me," she shouted making the lad flinched. She didn't want to be near him afraid that his presence alone would melt whatever courage she had. She repeated the same words but this time softly pleadingly and Shouhei was about to apologize for almost embracing when intense blue eyes focused on him, rendering him silent.
Miki clenched her hands behind her back and mentally took a deep breath before she plunged ahead. "I want to be honest with you. For quite a long time now, I like you. I like you a lot... more than as a friend." She paused because she felt like her heart was on her throat ready to slide outside. She swallowed once... twice... thrice.
"I just wanted to convey my feelings clearly and properly."
Shouhei continued gaping at her. No, he didn't hear it wrong. She really said it and her words flashed in his head in bright neon colors. He even heard the fluttering sounds coming from his heart. When did it have wings anyway?
Miki smiled. "Despite this, let's remain friends. I expect another scarf when you arrived from your mission." With this, she turned around to leave when Shouhei's hand shot out to grip her wrist.
Never again...
"Miki, I-"
The girl looked at him over her shoulder. "It's okay. I understand." I'm not gonna cry.
"Do you really?"
She nodded immediately. The lad's grip tightened.
"Let go. You're hurting me."
"I won't because you don't understand anything."
She whirled around intent in lashing out on him when Shouhei pulled her in a tight embrace. "I like you... since you're eight."
Minako stepped into the clearing bringing two lunchboxes with her and froze at the sight- her boyfriend holding someone or to be exact her ex-boyfriend judging by the way he was embracing his friend. It didn't take a full minute for her to understand what was going on. A part of her expected this to happen and yet it didn't stop her heart from breaking or tears from falling. Being a substitute hurt a lot and so was being dump. Defeated, she left just as quietly as she came.
"Since I was eight?! Then why..."
"Because you were too young then the next thing I know you just see me as a brother so slowly I was getting used to what we have but that didn't mean I stop feeling this way for you." He could never stop because the girl haunted him both of his waking and sleeping moments.
The girl nodded and returned his embrace. A moment later, chuckling, she commented, "you're cold."
"But I feel warm inside," he replied honestly even if it was corny. He leaned back to gaze at her smiling face and he was totally certain that everything was real. He brushed away the hair that was partly covering her eyes.
"You're really enchanting." So lost was he in those blue pools that he didn't knew what he was saying. Gently and slowly, he bent down to give the blonde her first kiss.
TBC
While editing this, I noticed that the team's enemies were mostly perverts. Hahaha. I don't know why but instead of changing their attitude, I am pleased that they are perverts. Flamboyant perverts make a good enemy, that's away among all the OC enemies, Green is my fave. Green reminded me of Nathan of Blood+. In fact, I think I unconsciously base his character on Nathan. LOL
Next chapter will be posted within the next two hours if I won't get frustrated with the document manager's current state.