Hello beautiful people! :)
First off, a huge shout out to my new story followers
~ Bookdragonslayer
~ sirachacha
And a big thank you to Bookdragonslayer for the wonderful words 3
You guys are my motivation!
Here's the next chapter my lovelies!
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Chapter One
She could feel his gaze like pins attacking every point of her body, painfully aware of his presence.
Keiko had been under the command of Shichiro Sensei a majority of her life, forced to tolerate his grueling lessons and severe punishment silently.
As a child, she was his punching bag. The object of his frustrations. forcing her to strengthen her body.
As she grew she became the object of his passions, enduring his leering looks and chilling touches. Forcing her to strengthen her mind.
He had molded her into the killer that she was today, the monster she wished she didn't have to be. It was only when Lord Hiroki took notice of her specific talents that she was free of him, and in a way she was grateful to her master for that. She only needed to endure Lord Hirokis temper, it was easier to endure wounds of the body instead of wounds of the spirit.
Turning her attention to her master she turned her mind away from her demented Sensei.
"If you succeed in eliminating your target, though it will bring me great sorrow to see you leave, I will grant you your freedom. You have my word on that Keiko."
Your word? What good is the word of a man without honor?
Struggling to hold her tongue Keiko stood before her master, her hands clenched behind her back.
If she could only manage to live through the coming confrontation she could finally walk away from it all. No longer would she be required to report her comings and goings, no longer will she need to guard her back from those surrounding her. She could live in peace, could obtain a normal lifestyle and never look back on this part of her life if she so chose to.
"If I may ask, Lord Hiroki, what is so special about the boy? I understand that he is a Jinchuuriki, but he is not the first we have come across. The others pose no threat to you, why this Naruto Uzumaki?"
Laughing deeply, his jowls quivering with the action and his abundant waistline rippling underneath his kimono, Hiroki met her gaze and lifted his immense form from his self proclaimed throne, stepping down to stand before her. raising his hand to her face he caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. Keiko had only a moment to react before his hand whipped out and slapped her across the face, the skin of her cheek screaming at the contact as she stumbled back a step, catching the soft huff of humor coming from Shichiro Sensei.
"My dear, because you are my favorite pet do not presume that you can be so bold as to question my decisions. I will not tolerate it, and I will not tolerate you."
Raising her head she stared at the thick chest before her, ignoring the fire in her face and the anger in her belly.
"Yes, Lord Hiroki. Forgive me, it will not happen again."
Turning away from her he once more returned to his throne, its legs protesting against his massive weight. As his cold gaze landed on her she fought the chill that ran up her spine. She had met many despicable men and women during her twenty two years of life, but this man seemed to embody pure evil. It was as if he too carried a demon within him, a demon with an unquenchable thirst for blood and pain.
"Tell me, do you know what you must do Keiko?"
"Yes, Lord Hiroki. Observe, integrate, eliminate."
She had done it many times before. Spending days, even weeks, watching her targets. Learning their patterns, their habits, until finally she could slowly integrate herself into their lives where she became close enough to ensure their elimination. She was a very patient predator, and she had never once failed. It was part of the reason why Lord Hiroki had chosen her for this mission. But Keiko couldn't quite shake the feeling that there was more going on, like there was another reason he requested her specifically. She learned to trust her feelings, and she felt like she needed to be very careful on this one. She couldn't afford to fail.
She wouldn't.
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"Ichiraku Ramen!" Naruto loudly exclaimed, his smile widening as he and his friends made their way to his favorite ramen stand. "I love Ichiraku Ramen!"
"Really, I couldn't tell." Came Shikamarus dry response. "Don't you ever get tired of eating this stuff?" He asked as he lazily sat on the worn seat, yawning as he did so.
"Yeah Naruto. A ninja needs more sustenance than Ramen." Ino said haughtily, flipping her long platinum blonde hair behind her. "I'm honestly surprised you've survived up to this point."
"Oh come on guys, why do you have to be so rude." Naruto said, pouting slightly. "Hey, Hinata. You like Ichiraku Ramen too, right? You always come to eat it with me!"
The shy girl lifted her red face, her black hair falling across her shoulders. "Y-yes, I do."
"Of course she goes with you, idiot." Shikamaru said.
"Whats that supposed to mean lazy?" Naruto growled out.
"I swear, you're denser than a brick wall."
Everyone around the table laughed as Naruto yelled at Shikamaru, Teuchi smiling at the young groups antics as he came over to take orders.
It was a day like any other.
But those days would soon change.
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Keiko had spent the past few days watching the boy, noting the possible obstacles and adversaries she may come across upon enacting her mission. It was all rather dull to be honest and her target was very predictable in his actions. She had hoped that because Naruto was a Jinchuuriki it would make everything a little more interesting but he was just as normal as anyone else. It was almost disappointing.
Sighing, she watched the boy enter the small stand.
"Ichiraku Ramen again? how many times can you eat the same thing before you get bored of it?" She said softly, twirling a strand of blonde hair around her finger. She liked ramen, but no where near as much as this guy. Hsis love of it was bordering on obsession. Sighing out a breath Keiko settled in for another night of boredom.
In the quiet of the night her mind drifted back to the hours before she left her masters home and the words Shichiro Sensei had spoken to her.
"Lord Hiroki has much faith in you. Faith I hope is not misplaced. If you happen to fail, my dear Keiko, know this. You will be mine, and there will be no hope for you."
Shuddering she forced her mind away from any thoughts of the sadistic man. If she did fail this mission she refused to allow Shichiro Sensei to have her. She would die before returning to that snake. She would make certain of it.
"Hey, Kakashi Sensei!"
Sitting up in excitement, all thought left her mind but one as Keiko gazed down from her perch at the approaching figure.
It's him.
"Naruto. Well, why am I not surprised." came the reply, his deep voice resonating within Keiko and sending chills of excitement skittering up and down her spine. This man, he fascinated her in a way that worried her as much as it excited her.
"You want to eat with me Kakashi Sensei?"
Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.
"Sure, I've got nothing else to do."
Yes!
This night just got a little more fun.
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She was there again. That woman.
Kakashi had noticed her only a couple days ago but he suspected that she had been watching them longer, which told him that she was very good at what she did. Normally he could sense a spy easily, but this woman knew what she was doing.
He didn't know what she wanted, and she hadn't done anything other than watch, but Kakashi remained alert nonetheless. It unnerved him that she could infiltrate the village relatively undetected. Of course he had notified the hokage upon realizing her presence, yet Lady Tsunade had only ordered him to observe until further action was required.
And so he observed her just as she observed him. There was something...familiar about her presence. It was this feeling that unnerved him most.
"Kakashi Sensei?"
"Hmm?"
"I asked if you wanted to order something? My treat."
Glancing at the blonde haired boy Kakashi froze. There were moments when Naruto was so much like Minato it made him pause. It was in these moments that his guilt would almost swallow him.
Would she look like Minato too? Or more like Kushina?
Shaking his head Kakashi smiled. "No, but thank you."
There was no point on thinking of the past, it only served to bring him pain. He had no hope of her survival. They had searched for Mikanami for days, praying she survived. and then they just hoped to find her body. Now, twenty one years later, Kakashi had long given up that hope.
He could never make up his failure, but there was one thing he could still do. Looking at Naruto as he slurped his noodles Kakashi could now only hope to ensure his Senseis final childs survival.
He would die to keep Minatos lineage intact.
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The following day Keiko awoke in her small tent hidden away with a smile as she felt excitement swell within her like a wave, enveloping her being. It was time to enact step two. It would be quite simple really, seeing as how friendly Naruto was to even a stranger. But it wasn't the possibility of the mission coming to an end and her freedom in sight that excited her, it was the possibility of meeting Kakashi that caused her heart to beat faster.
She knew it was a dangerous thought to have, yet she couldn't stop it. She couldn't afford to let anything get in her way of completing her mission, yet she couldn't stop herself. She had to meet him, it was almost as if something within her commanded her to do so. She couldn't fight it. Her only hope was that as she began to know him she would loose this fascination for him.
She found it difficult to form attachments to anyone, always finding something to not like or trust about the person. It was a hazard of her job. These feelings would go away and she could continue with her plans.
If only she could actually believe it.
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Well, things are starting to fall into place!
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I'll see you all next time! :)
~CAT