I apologize in advance for this chapter.
It's kinda repetitive n.n;; and probably written really badly.
Oh! XDD and I didn't realise until I was done writing it exactly how similar it was to a situation a certain canon character finds himself in XD;; that was unintentional.
And I'm sure this is all medically inaccurate ): so.. I'm sorry if anything is horendously incorrect XD;;
uh... just kinda... keep in mind what a jerk Gamabunta was... n.n;;;
oh, and guys! seriously, NAOKO ISN'T MINE. If you liked her, don't tell me, tell Nobukane! He's the genius who writes for her. Everything she says and does is HIS. So yeah! If you liked Naoko, go read his stories! He has another one about her up n.n
Sorry If I seemed mad about that O.o I'm not, I jsut don't want to take credit for all of his hard work, and awesome writing, and stuff n.n;;
Disclaimer: Aoyama Naoko belongs to Nobukane. Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto
It was actually eight months before Kotone managed to get her unreasonable amount of work under control. It was always something. She'd finally finish interrogating, writing or reading a report, or profile (which generally took her a while) and her superior would dump something else on her, or send her to the other side of their country, or even to another, with the trackers. She didn't mind, really, but it was seriously setting back her kuchiyose jutsu plans.
Which is why she was elated one night, in mid October, when she found that she had finally completed everything assigned to her, and quickly put in a request to have the following day off. She scampered home, before anyone could ask her to do more work, noting dryly that there was a few early flakes of snow drifting down from the streetlight lit, red-grey sky above.
She winced as the door creaked open, trying to sneak inside, knowing that this late, or, perhaps this early, her roommate would be asleep.
As quiet as she tried to be, however, she failed, as a shirtless Zabuza lumbered groggily from his room. "What kept you so late?" The now seventeen year old ANBU captain yawned, shrugging a sinewy shoulder. She kept having to remind herself that he was no longer the scrawny little boy she had tackled, however affectionately, in the academy's hallways. He was a young man now, and that was something she had trouble getting her head around, though he definitely looked the part.
A smile flickered across her face for a moment, as he grunted, impatient for an answer. She wasn't sure what it was... his hair, his dark eyes, his gruff nonverbal mannerisms... Perhaps it was simply his size. But if she reminded him of a cat, in any way, he was, to her, somehow reminiscent of a bear. Some big, shaggy, grumpy old grizzly bear.
He just continued to eye her suspiciously, apparently confused by the amused little grin pulling at the corners of her mouth. "I finally finished everything Senpai assigned to me," she answered relieved.
He quirked a thin eyebrow skeptically, voice terse. "Oh really."
"I've finally got time to improve my summoning technique. I never thought I'd get through all those damn profiles-"
"Kotone?" He interrupted.
"Hm?"
"Why is it that, for the last long while," He took two steps forward, still frowning. "All the interrogation reports, psychological profiles, and requisition forms I've been getting are in your crappy handwriting? "
"So?" The smaller of the two shrugged evasively, noting his scornful tone.
"Usually, that would be your superior's job."
"I assume he's been busy."
"With what? You're doing everything."Zabuza's paused, eyeing her carefully. "I assume he's lazy, and has decided to dump his work on you."
"It's because I'm qualified to dothe work." she insisted, eyebrows dipping lower.
"No," He admonished, turning back to his room. "It's because you don't complain."
"Why would I? I'm his subordinate, I just do what he tell me." Zabuza paused for a moment, in the doorframe, muttering something to himself bitterly, just loud enough to be heard.
"They certainly have you well trained, don't they?"
"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"
He gave no reply further than a forceful goodnight, and the click of his door locking as he shut it behind himself, leaving the indignant, fuming kunoichi to glare at the spot where he'd been standing a moment ago.
She sighed, forcing her frown from her face, and returning to the task ahead of her. To perform the jutsu well, that us to say, more powerfully than she'd ever managed to before, she'd need chakra, obviously. And, given her tendency to be completely unprepared for everything, she figured she had better give herself a break, and actually think ahead a little bit. She'd go to bed right away, and actually sleep in the next morning- She took a moment to bask in that notion. sleep in! Oh yes!- and, to ensure that she didn't have to use any unnecessary chakra the next day...
She drew a needle from her sleeve, having long since given up on biting her thumb, as she'd seen other summoners do- perhaps they all had shark teeth, or something- and drew it across her palm, forming a few hand signs, and slamming her hand to the ground. Kogane materialized, sniffing loftily, and trotting outside, as she had always claimed to dislike being in such closed spaces. Kotone sighed, well used to her familiar's temperament, and repeating the jutsu, until the more compliant Hisui, and ever bubbly Menou also appeared. "So I can recover that chakra now, and be fully charged tomorrow," She explained, filling them in on her plans. "Perhaps it will help me summon something else, if you guys are already here."
"I... I see..." Hisui nodded hesitantly, licking a paw, and bathing herself before moving on to a suddenly incensed cub, who hissed in protest.
"Nee san, I don't need a bath-"
Kotone smiled, before heading to her room to change into her pajamas, and satisfy the sleepiness tugging at her weary eyelids now. She may very well have a difficult day ahead of herself.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
There was a thin blanket of powdery snow covering the landscape, as he glanced out the kitchen window that morning, dark green poking through the white. Good for tracking, but only recent movements.
Unbelievably, some pretentious ninja from another country had wandered into Mizu no kuni for whatever reason, and completely illegally, close to the capital, no less .It was his responsibility to straighten them out. Which involved meeting with the other trackers to share information on the sighting, track the bastards down, and then see if they had a valid reason for entering the country. Of course, asking was purely political. They needed to have clarify to avoid an international incident, of any kind. they wouldn't have a valid reason, of course, and he'd undoubtedly end up slaughtering them, perhaps dragging one back for Kotone's lot to deal with.
He smirked, setting his empty coffee mug down on the counter. Idiots.
Not for being in the country, no. As he himself was often in foreign territory, almost always illegally, and almost always to kill people. That wasn't stupid. Getting spotted by civilians, as these trespassers had, now that was stupid.
And in Zabuza's line of work, one pays for stupidity with their life.
He turned, taking his thick ANBU mask off the table with one hand, starting for the door. He stopped, however, crouching down to examine the large, blurred paw prints seeped into carpet, in a distinctly feline pattern: one paw directly in front of the other.
He frowned, following the prints to his sleeping partner's room, pushing the door open, and blinking in surprise. It seemed that, as much as the lioness hated indoors, she clearly hated snow more, and was now lying in bed next to -or, more accurately, on top of- Kotone.
The cat's thick head and heavy paws were resting on Kotone's back, the rest of the animal tucked behind her. Hisui, who he hadn't noticed for a moment in the early morning darkness, was coiled at the foot of the bed, and Menou had snuggled himself somewhere near her neck. As all three were primarily nocturnal creatures, they were awake, and eyeing him evenly.
Kotone had always been a peculiar sleeper. She curled herself up tightly, taking her blankets with her, often sleeping in an uneven little pile of cloth, instead of under her sheets. Allowing her to snuggle against himself, as a child, was the only way he could prevent her from stealing his blankets, in her sleep.
The unusual occupants of her sleeping space were taking up the vast majority of the room, and had, quite effectively, pushed her out of bed. She had half fallen out, her head, neck and one shoulder lolling over the edge. One pale, unmarred arm was resting on the ground, the sleeve of her nemaki scrunched, and dishevelled, baring her shoulder as well.
He tried not to pay too much attention to that.
There was something else that had changed about her sleeping habits, though. Unlike himself, Kotone had always been a rather happy little sleeper. He could remember when he was smaller, she had always been peaceful, either beside him, or in the next bedroll over, sighing contentedly between deep, gentle breaths. But that wasn't something any ninja got to enjoy for too long. For a shinobi, nightmares were inevitable. Her eyes were now flickering behind closed eyelids, as her mouth twitched frantically, from one tiny grimace to the next. He frowned, sincerely hoping that he didn't look this pathetic when he slept. She was fairly quiet presently but on other occasions, he'd hear her murmuring, and whispering to herself pitifully. Generally nonsensical little squeaks, and whimpers, but sometimes, he'd catch something intelligible.
And he chose to ignore how often he heard his name mentioned, when he did.
The animals's eyes gleaming in the dim light, as he stepped forward. A few careful paces across her untidy floor, and he knelt down, meaning to correct the precarious position she had gotten herself into.
His hand hovered a few inches from the unbroken skin of her exposed arm, a low growl making him hesitate. The sandy coloured cat was eyeing him disapprovingly, a hint of a snarl apparent on her muzzle. Clearly, Kogane didn't want her pillow disturbed.
Zabuza shrugged, and complied with the lioness's wishes, not really bothered either way. He gave one last glance over his shoulder, at the sleeping kunoichi. The largest of them was apparent, but in the early morning darkness, the other two were like living shadows, green eyes reflecting the light from the hallway. He shut the door quickly behind himself, and left, without a second thought.
vvvvvvvvvv
"Alright then," Kotone interlaced her fingers, stretching, as she plodded through the fine layer of powdery snow blanketing her old training ground. Kogane was sprawled lazily under a pine tree, next to Menou, who was rolling, and bouncing around in the fluffy, white flakes, contentedly. Hisui, however, was pacing the tree line like mad.
"What's your problem?" Kogane growled, while Kotone began her first attempt at the jutsu,
"This is bad, Kogane san," Hisui hissed, nervously. "We should warn her..." The kunoichi scowled, as her hand hit the ground, and nothing happened. She swore, wiping the snow stuck to her hand off on the front of her dark clothing, and starting again.
"He doesn't want us to. We do as he tells us." Another failed attempt, more swearing.
"Still... She's better than a lot of the other ninja we've worked with."
"Meh. She's alright. I don't like that male, though. So I'm fine either way." Louder swearing.
Hisui continued to pace uneasily, now eyeing the oblivious little cub. "Menou likes her," Kotone stopped her cursing, and actually paused to gather her chakra, for a long moment.
"True,"
It was then that another cry of "Kuchiyose no jutsu," cut the crisp, wintery air, as her palm was once again slammed to the ground. Hisui'shead whipped around to stare at the puff of smoke that appeared, a large figure obscured momentarily behind it. Kotone righted herself, panting slightly, as that technique did require a considerable amount of chakra. Of course,Ninja were required to keep at least one soldier pill, as well as one blood clotting pill, on their personat all time while on missions. But she wanted to ensure that she herself had the chakra for it, and of course, the side effects once soldier pills wore off were horrendous.
"Oji san!"
Kotone glanced over at the edge of the clearing. Menou bounded towards the hazy figure happily, only to be deterred by an especially low, and forceful growl.
Kogane hadstood, and was staring intently. Hisui, on the other hand, had ceased her walking, and was now sitting, head down, and shoulders hunched, in what Kotone imagined would look something like a bow, in a human. "Suishou sama," She acknowledgedrespectfully.
Because of the small gap between Kogane's size, and Hisui's, the kunoichi was caught off guard by the size of the creature now standing in the clearing, amber eyes locked resolutely on her own.
Suishou was a deep pumpkin colour, streaked with jet black, and the occasional patch of white. The claws on his immense paws were unsheathed, and he took a graceful step forward, snarling, as he turned quickly towards the two females. "Get Menou out of here." He snapped, and Hisui quickly ran forward, picking the cub up by the scruff of the neck, and spiriting him off to somewhere behind the trees.
The tiger returned his attention to the kunoichi, studying her for a long moment. "So you're the one with your name on our summoning contract, are you, girl?"
"Yes, I am." She replied evenly, noting the large cat's irked tone.
"Insolent little thing, aren't you?" He turned, eyes still locked on Kotone's icy blue ones, slowly drifting back and forth across the clearing. "To think that you can order me around like some damned little house cat?"
"I won that summoning contract fairly."
"Pah," The tiger scoffed, revealing cruel, pointed fangs. "For some, that may be enough." His gaze flickered in the direction of the trees where the other three were hidden. "But I'd prefer to test you myself, human. If I prove you worthy, I might just listen to you. If you have a damn good reason, that is."
The dark haired girl also glanced over at the trees, just barely seeing something slinking out of sight, timidly. "Don't even think of using Kogane or Hisui," The tiger warned. "Those two do as I tell them."
"I see," Kotone nodded, eyes narrowing as she examined the angry looking animal. "How exactly do you intend to test me? How do I pass?"
Without warning, the tiger curled, and launched himself at the mist nin's throat, teeth and claws at the ready. She dodged to the left, turning to evade yet another charge. "Don't die," He explained, in a harsh growl.
"For how long?" She jumped, avoiding a swipe of one monstrous paw.
"Until I'm satisfied."
vvvvvvvvvvvvv
"Captain, we just heard from a village to the east, inland. They've spotted the intruders." A thin man in a red streaked mask that Zabuza recognized only vaguely started, looking over the mission information.
He inclined his head, pensively, suddenly appearing very interested in the small rodent scurrying around the snowy street. One of Hatsuka's rats, no doubt. He nodded, before turning the dead gaze of his hunter nin bask back to the other man.
"They're farther than I thought they'd be." The taller man mused, not really bothered by the news. The outsiders would die farther inland, but they'd die just the same.
"It'll take a while, and we haven't quite got everyone equipped properly,"
The senior tracker nodded again, more curtly. "You have two hours."
"Yes sir,"
vvvvvvvvvv
It was only when Suishou caught her by the shoulder, about fifteen minutes of dodging, and evading later, that she realized exactly how much trouble she was in.
She spun a fraction of a second too late, and those merciless paws snared her arm, pulling her towards sharp, murderous fangs. She knew enough about cat's habits to know what would happen next. Generally, they attacked the neck- either the spine or throat ( a practice that hunter nin mimicked. The neck was so damn vulnerable, if they aimed for it long enough they'd be bound to hit something important) She squeezed her eyes shut, and yanked herself away, his teeth sinking instead into her shoulder, as the claws holding her arm raked down them, leaving deep cuts as they passed.
Kotone kicked up with as much force as she could manage, and won herself only a moment's distraction. She used it to scramble away, but he was soon after her again, lashing out with his frightful claws, catching her leg before she had gotten to her feet properly. She suppressed a whimper. More slashes, more bleeding...
She struggled to her feet again, this time managing to get to the other side of the clearing, regrouping, mentally, and taking a scan of her condition. She was bleeding, though not too badly. She'd seen worse, though this was the first time she herself had ever been injured this way. Kotone could take a hit, sure, but she was agile, and couldn't remember the last time someone had actually managed to get a her with a kunai, once, let alone... she bit her lip. Four claws on each paw, slashed twice... that was eight small wounds spanning her left arm and leg. Not to mention the bite into her shoulder... But she couldn't worry about those now. He was charging again...
She forced down the rising panic in her chest, her fear growing when her other arm fell victim to his attack. The pain she could ignore, her body had mercifully dulled it, a survival mechanism she was incredibly grateful for. There'd be time for cringing, and licking her wounds later. Now her only concern was her opponent, and the horrible, horrible situation she had gotten herself into.
It had never occurred to her than the new summon might attack her.
And it had never occurred to her how completely helpless she might be if it did.
She was fast, and she knew where, and how to kick, to hurt someone. She wasn't essentially all that strong. When it came down to brute strength, Suishou had her beaten. Generally, that wasn't a problem, but...
Where the hell were the vital points on a tiger?!
Her technique was useless, her chakra depleted, she was bleeding all over the damn clearing, and now...
Her stomach lurched. Oh god, she was slowing down.
Her head had begun to spin, and she could tell, both from the heaviness in her legs, and the way Suishou was now gaining on her, that her wounds were taking their toll on her speed, now. That couldn't happen. Speed was all she had left, now.
Well, not entirely. She had one other thing, left. Tenacity.
The relentless attack technique was one their village prided itself on, and the philosophy she leaned on, as heavily as Zabuza did with his silent homicide. Simply put, keep attacking until the opponent is dead. She could recount numerous training sessions as an academy student, that had consisted of being sent flying by whichever sensei was responsible for them that day, and then being ordered to stand again.
She and her partner had always done especially well, those classes. Though she had always kind of suspected that Zabuza would stand as many times as physically possible, just to spite the instructor.
She could remember the lessons almost exactly. You can always get up once more, He'd say, ensuring that they all took the words to heart. That's how fights are won. Doesn't matter if the opponents twice your size, with more chakra, or whatever. If you get up once more than they do, you win. If you stay down, you're choosing to die. You get that? Our village has no time for quitters. Right...
She winced. Being put so wholly on the defensive was beyond unsettling.
"Kogane-"
"Hisui, Stop it." The lioness snapped. "You can't help her."
Menou whimpered. He was hiding in between the dense branches of a fairly low fir tree, decidedly not watching the fight.
"She's lasted longer than any of the others have...Perhaps he'll actually accept Kotone San?"
Kogane sneered, baring a fang. "Humans are weak. Even if she survives... She'll bleed to death, at this rate, before she can get home."
Hisuihuffed, pawing at the snowy ground, pensively. "It wouldn't technically be helping, if I went and fetched someone, to assist her once the test is over...?"
"Hisui, surely you don't mean-"
"Watch Menou,"The large black cat bounded off, towards the village, as the larger cat stammered an indignant protest.
"Augh," She groaned, plunking down in the snow again, thinking of the scolding she would give the smaller cat once she returned. With that pesky male, no doubt.
Her ears perked up as, a strangled cry was issued from the clearing.
Kotone had fallen again, as one paw dragged down her good leg, but Suishou pulled himself closer, raising his free paw. The dazed, and run-down kunoichi didn't have time to move, before he swiped at her torso with his claws, blood spattering more of the white on his belly, and muzzle.
Kotone managed to pull herself free... though it was more likely that he had let her go. She pulled herself up to her knees, choking and hissing in pain, trying not to pay attention to the growing patch of reddened snow beneath her.
She shook her head, getting back to her feet, though less solidly than she'd have liked to. She was alright, she told herself. She'd just keep trying... this wasn't so bad... She threw herself out of the way, ungracefully, as a mass of orange, and black flung itself at her.
Just keep this up... she repeated, numbly. Just keep dodging...
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
Zabuza glanced over at the clock stuck to the outside of the building, impatiently. They had another forty five minutes...
His head jerked suddenly over to the edge of the woods near the village, as movement caught his eye. The cat was stark against the light coloured snow, and was staring at him intently, pacing small circles.
A few interested steps brought him closer, the leopard making a deep huffing noise of acknowledgement, hissing when he turned to leave again.
"What?" The tracker snapped. He disliked being ordered around- let alone by an overgrown alley cat.
She made another low growl, bounding a few paces deeper into the woods, then turning to eye him again. She repeated the movement, more insistently. Zabuza didn't budge. A hushed, screaming sort of roar was directed at him, when he refused to follow.
"Damn it," He cursed under his breath, as the noise caught the attention of some of the other men milling around the square, waiting for the group to move out. "Alright, alright. If it'll shut you up." He started after the hurrying feline, at a more steady pace. He'd give the damn thing ten minutes, and if he saw no point to whatever the hell it was she wanted, he'd go straight back to where he'd been waiting for his subordinates.
A few hastened minuted towards, as he had suspected, his home, found him growing more frustrated. He raised an eyebrow, though, as the cat lead him past his house. He shook his head, exhaling loudly as he turned. "Forget it. I really don't see what you're getting at." He resisted the urge to smack his own forehead. "And now I'm talking to a cat."
Zabuza spun back around, and Hisui sat up straighter suddenly, as a dimmed, far off noise caught them both off guard.
His dark eyes narrowed, in the fraction of a second it took him to analyse the sound. A cry. Human... pained. Judging by the pitch, a woman's. "Kotone?" Before he knew it, he had taken off at a run, Hisui racing along beside him.
He couldn't think of anything that could make the kunoichi scream like that.
vvvvvvvvvvvvv
Kotone grit her teeth, jumping to avoid another blow. She landed clumsily, taking a long moment to regain her balance, an amused Tiger watching contentedly.
"Had enough, human?"
Kotone shook her head weakly, pulling herself back into a ready stance. "'m still fine..." She mumbled. Oh god... She grimaced, inwardly. She was staggering, now. He had managed to get her remaining good leg, and though the bleeding was rather sluggish, seeping through her shorts, and now tattered happi, she was definitely falling victim to it now.
Just as she'd soon fall victim to her opponent's harsh claws, and cruel fangs. It wouldn't be long, now.
Her limbs were heavy, and numb. She bit her lip, regretfully. She was a practical woman, after all. A kunoichi. She'd have greatly preferred pained, and mobile to deadened and lame.
Her mind had also slowed from it's usual keenness, and she only half noticed her opponent charging again.
She reacted too late, and heavy paws crashed down on her shoulders, she tried to free herself, but the large, predatory animal readjusted his grip on her in the time it took her to process what had happened. "Hm. I daresay you were a bit more trouble than I'd have thought. But still... It seems you were as weak as the others, in the end." Both large feet grasping her right shoulder, he bared his teeth, lunging for the soft skin of her throat she had tried so hard to protect.
It was only as his razor sharp fangs began to press against her neck that her focus returned.
Kotone threw herself to the right, away from the imminent threat to her carotid artery, and through the grasp of those deadly claws.
At least, that had been her intention.
The claws were dug into her shoulder more deeply than she'd have hoped, and as she pulled away, raked down her already injured body. She was unable to hold back the pained scream as she fell to the ground, Suishou's deep barking laughter ringing out gleefully.
"Oh my..." He chided, still smirking as the trembling Kunoichi struggled to her knees, doubled over in agony.
There were twin sets gashes along her back, criss-crossing the earlier ones across her chest. Her breathing was ragged, and shallow, her strength seeming to flow out with the blood. These wounds were far deeper than the others, and she could tell from the way the warm, sticky substance was spurting, that he'd severed another major artery.
In a few minutes, she'd die of exsanguination. Her own heart forcing the blood from her body.
She gasped, and sputtered, mouth moving uselessly, trying to draw in more air. She whimpered slightly, as she drew her feet back under herself, slowly putting her weight back on them, though they were far from stable.
The tiger sniffed, resuming his steady pacing, back and forth. "And just what do you think you're doing, hm?"
His only answer was more laboured panting, as she straightened her back, struggling to raise her head. Another lesson she'd taken to heart. Shinobi don't get last words. If you have the strength left to speak, while dying, you weren't fighting hard enough beforehand.
Her eyes were blank, and listless when she finally managed to look at him. And noted with no small amount of satisfaction that his own amber eyes widened as her hands clenched into frail little fists, once more.
If she was going to die, she'd do it on her feet.
"Still standing?" Her head was reeling, as she waited lamely for him to finish her off. He just continued striding back and forth, head lowered angrily. It felt like an eternity before he stopped, and returned his gaze to her.
"I underestimated you, It seems." He answered quietly. The immense creature nodded it's large shaggy head, though he still sounded cross when he spoke next. "Fine. Since you're that determined, I'll accept your ownership of our summoning contract. But if ever you do ask for my help, it had better be worth my while, you understand? There'd better be at least five bodies for me to eat."
Kotone nodded, fighting to keep her eyelids open. It didn't matter much, what Shuishou wanted. Her head spun, as she tried to think of any time she had felt this weak...
With that, the great cat turned, and vanished as quickly as he'd appeared.
Kotone wavered, though her dulled muscles seemed to have frozen in place, not allowing her to lie down, as she so desperately wanted to. Her head dipped lower, dark spots eating away at the corner of her vision, even though she kept her eyes open.
She didn't hear the shouts from behind her, or the shuffling of feet through snow, and was only vaguely aware of the strong hands that took hold of her shoulders, as she collapsed against something solid... Her eyes fluttered open and shut, as a familiar blur flickered in and out of view, hazy mutterings, who's words were unclear lost to her stupor. Kotone's vision went black, and slowly, the confused sounds silenced themselves, her head lolling to the side as consciousness left her.
Yeah O.o sorry about that. lame, I know XD;;
Oh! XD and I have nothing against tigers. I love them, seriously. D: It was supposed to be more of a "mauled by summoned ninja-animal" than by a tiger, if that makes any sense O.o
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it, please review, (please go check out Nobukane's page! n.n) and have an awesome day!
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