Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, (sob sob) Kishimoto Masashi is the lucky one. Please No Flame
Italics=thoughts
Chapter 5: Familiar Faces
Anko surveyed her room in the orphanage. She was finally back! After telling the police about the Shinobi group, the police had told her not to worry about it any more and that they would take care of it. She had later been informed that when they arrived at the base, it was mostly deserted. The Shinobi must have learned of her escape and evacuated the area.
Now Anko was back at the orphanage and she planned on forgetting about the Shinobi completely. At least that's what she planned.
The purple haired teen looked at her watch and then cursed; she had to get to her job. She ran through the orphanage and then down the familiar streets until she reached the place where she worked.
'Ichiraku's Night Club' stated the sign in large bold letters. The girl sighed in relief; she had made it on time.
Anko walked into the nightclub and let the familiar sights sinking in. I looked like it always had; flashing black and red lights making reflections on the glimmering polished bar.
"Ah! Anko, nice to see you're finally back, I'm glad you got over your sickness." That was Anko's cover story, she had been sick, the information about the Shinobi was highly classified. With a grin spreading across her face, the woman turned to hug old man Ichiraku.
"Nice to see you too! You miss me?"
"The club's not the same without your beautiful voice! Ayame's waiting in the back for you."
"Got it." In a flash, the teen had darted through to the back room. Her friend Ayame, Ichiraku's grand-daughter, was sitting there.
"Glad you're back. Now get on stage and start singing, we have been getting bad business lately because of your absence."
"Aren't you gonna ask if I'm okay?" Joked Anko, putting on a mock hurt tone. The other girl's face softened and she stepped forwards to embrace the teen,
"Of course I missed you." Anko smiled and returned the hug.
This is how life should always be; surrounded by people who care about me. Thought the content girl. Then she freed herself from the other woman and checked herself over in the mirror that stood by her. She was wearing a pair of black dress pants and a long-sleeved shirt over that.
She nodded to Ayame,
"I'm ready," Ayame smiled at her and then disappeared through the doors. The girl could hear Ayame calling out to the waiting crowd,
"And now, your favorite singer is back! Ladies and gentleman please welcome back Anko Mitarashi!" The crowd's roar was like a wave crashing down on a beech. Anko felt slightly smug that she had such adoring fans.
She made her way through the doors and into a bright spotlight. After seeing her, the crowd cheered even louder. Anko glanced quickly at the music the drummer was looking at to see what song she was singing. It was one of her favorites.
Then she faced the crowd and plucked the mike from its holder in the middle of the stage. The guitarist and drummer started the tune and Anko started to sway to the beat. After the introduction, the girl opened her mouth and started to sing,
"Remember the feelings remember the day,
My stone heart was breaking, my love ran away,
This moment I knew I would be something else,
My love turned around and I fell"
Anko started the chorus, pitching her voice to match the sounds of the guitarist. She had started singing when she was very young; learning slowly that breathing certain ways could make you sound better or worse. She never really considered taking singing to another level though; it was more like a harmless pastime. That was until she came to this nightclub to look for a job.
Ichiraku had been looking for a permanent singer with a good voice, and she had decided to go for it. Now she was the all time singer at the club and she loved her job. Nobody who came there knew who she was and she was able to sing and get paid for it.
Anko grinned widely as she finished the last verse of the song.
"Thank you very much! Are there any requests for the next song?" Immediately her ears were assaulted with dozens of voices. The woman smiled as she chose her next song.
Finally, at 12:00, Anko was finished with her singing job. She decided to visit Ayame.
When she found her friend, the girl looked worn out. Ayame was working as bar tender at the moment. Anko decided to take pity on the poor girl,
"Hey Ayame, you want me to take your shift? I'm not tired at all and you look like you need the rest."
The fact that Ayame didn't even protest was proof that she was bone weary. So Anko donned the bar tender's apron and turned to serve her newest customers. There weren't many of them now and it was easy to get them what they wanted.
"Why Anko darling, I didn't know you worked here." Anko spun around; it had been several years, but she would never forget that voice.
"Orochimaru. What are you doing here?" The slit eyed man smirked at her,
"Isn't a man allowed to buy a drink anymore?" he questioned.
Orochimaru had adopted Anko when she was 9, that was where Anko had learned her fighting skills. She had worshiped Orochimaru, until the mad started to beat her. At this point some people would have given in, but not Anko. The girl had endured the beatings for a short time, and then she had snapped.
Anko had been sent back to the orphanage and Orochimaru had been charged with child abuse. Anko still had the scars from the snake man and often nightmares would haunt her dreams. Now she faced the man again.
"I'll have a Vodka. Plain with extra ice." Hissed the man. Anko growled under her breath, but went to fetch the drink anyway. She had to resist the urge to poison it when she brought it back to her one time father.
"Here." She snapped tersely, and then left to find Ichiraku. She should warn him that there was a known criminal in his bar. After quickly locating the old man, Anko whispered to him what had happened,
"Hmm. We must reserve judgment, Anko. We cannot throw him out without a reason. But you should keep a watch on him." The girl nodded and then slipped through the passageways and back towards the bar.
However as she was crossing through one hallway, a dark form pinned her to the wall,
"Now, now Anko darling. Do you really think I would let you get away that easily?" hissed Orochimaru into the girl's ear.
Anko was in a bad position, her hands were pinned to the wall and her feet were clamped tightly in-between the other man's.
"Let go Orochimaru. Now!" her voice cracked in the middle. The man heard this and leaned in closer,
"I heard from some unnamed sources that you were the one responsible for ruining the Shinobi. You're a bad girl Anko, I owned that you know?" Anko stiffened in surprise,
That slimy bastard owned it?! I'm glad I ruined it!
"Anko, you will be punished for ruining me." Whispered the man. His hands tightened on Anko's wrists, they would already leave a bruise. The girl was completely defenseless, no one would here her and she was unable to move.
Then suddenly Orochimaru was pulled off of Anko. There was a brief scuffle and Orochimaru landed on the ground, unconscious.
The girl looked up at her rescuer and saw a man with bright blond hair and blue eyes. He turned away from Orochimaru to face Anko.
"Sorry if Orochimaru was giving you trouble. My name's Minato!"
Anko stared; the man was smiling at her like she was an old friend.
"Umm. Hi, how do you know Orochimaru?" She didn't know whether to thank the man for saving her or run in the opposite direction.
"I know him through my work. He was my boss."
Boss, that means that Minato is one of the Shinobi. Shit! I have the worst luck in the world! Okay, what should I do?
Anko thought for a moment, and then launched herself at Minato. She feinted, punched, kicked, and dodged. Unfortunately for her, Minato's surprise wore off quickly and he started fighting back.
After several seconds, the blonde managed to hold Anko's hands in front of her while stepping sharply on her feet. He frowned down at the panting girl,
"Now is that anyway to say thank you? Who taught you manners?" Anko leveled a death glare at the blue eyed man,
"You worked for Orochimaru, you deserve this! Shinobi!" She saw the surprise in the man's eyes when she shouted the name.
"Hmm. Interesting. I'm sorry, but you're going to come with me now. I have some questions and you have the answers." Before the girl could protest, he had jabbed the same pressure point that Kakashi had. Anko felt herself being lifted up in the air before she lost consciousness completely.
Anko raced through the darkened grounds, her voice came in rasps as she gasped for air. She looked back and saw a figure coming towards her. Gulping, she raced on even faster. But now there was a figure ahead of her too. She spun around to meet Orochimaru crazed yellow eyes.
"Come with me Anko darling! Come with your master!" The girl whimpered and turned to the other figure. She saw the silver hair of Hatake Kakashi,
"Anko, hurry. You have to leave this place." The woman was trapped between the two men. Kakashi put his hand on her shoulder and shook her,
"You have to leave. Wake up. Wake up!"
Anko jolted awake. She took a moment to take in her surroundings; she was lying on a sofa and someone was shaking her. The girl sprang out of the bed and dropped instinctively into a fighting position.
A girl was looking at her from the other side of the bed. She had long brown hair and wide chocolate eyes that looked at Anko in surprise.
"Hi, my name's Rin. You're at my father's house right now." Anko just stared at the girl, she couldn't be much older than Anko herself.
Then her eyes fell on the door that stood in the corner of the room. She strode over to it and sprang out.
"Hey! Wait!" called the girl from behind her, but the teen paid no heed. She jogged through the hallways until she reached a large room.
On the other side of the room was a door that lead outside, but standing in the middle of the room was Minato. He smiled warmly at the girl,
"Ah, you're awake. Sorry about having to knock you out, but you might have struggled. And I didn't want to get in a fight." Anko eyed the door, wondering if she could make a run for it. But Minato stepped in front of the door,
"You can't leave yet, we still need to clear up a few topics. Now please have a seat."
Well there goes that idea. Guess I should find out what this man wants then escape. Anko gingerly sat on the edge of one of the many chairs in the room. Minato sat across from her and was about to start speaking when a disheveled Rin burst into the room,
"Oh! There you are! I was afraid that you'd run away." She flopped down on a sofa near the girl and held out her hand.
"Like I said, I'm Rin." After deciding that it would do no harm, Anko reached over and shook the girl's offered hand.
But as she brought her hand back down, she saw Minato staring at it. Or more specifically, the leaf shaped brand on her wrist.
"What's your name?" spoke Rin's voice right my the teen's ear. Anko jolted in surprise.
This movement caused Anko's necklace to fall out from inside her shirt. The girl didn't know why she had kept on the Shinobi necklace, but she still wore it. It was as though it was proof that her strange adventure had really happened.
But now Anko cursed herself for wearing the damn thing. She quickly pulled it back under her shirt but it was too late; Minato had seen it.
He now stared at her with a knowing look in his eye.
"I see. You were captured to be a Kunoichi. And you are probably the kunoichi responsible for the discovery of the Shinobi."
Look's like my cover's blown now! Anko nodded, there was no use denying it.
"And proud of it! You dirty bastards deserved it!" Rin and Minato sweatdropped for a moment,
"Okay. Well at least that explains how you know all that stuff. So how do you know Orochimaru?" Anko decided she would answer that question,
"He was my foster father at one point in time. But then I was sent back to the orphanage."
I don't need to say why I was sent back to the orphanage.
But Minato's eyes were filled with kindness and understanding as he looked at the girl. It made her want to shrink back into her chair.
Just then, a boy in a wheel chair wheeled himself into the room. Anko gasped when she recognized the boy, Obito, who had been crushed by a tree. The boy turned to the kunoichi and his eyes widened in recognition,
"YOU!!" they both yelled at the same time.
"I thought you were crushed by a tree."
"I lived. I thought you were a kunoichi."
"I escaped." Replied Anko, smirking. The orange goggled boy turned to Minato,
"What's she doing here?" Minato grinned,
"Well I had an encounter with her and she tried to attack me. I got curious so I brought her here." The boy's mouth dropped open,
"You mean she tried to attack you too? She did that to me the first time I saw her."
"And if my memory is correct, I beat you up pretty badly!" smirked Anko smugly. The Shinobi glared at her,
"Whatever. Anyway, Dad, I came to tell you that bro's gonna be back any second now." Minato's grin grew even wider, if that was possible,
"That's great news. Then we'll all be one happy family!" Everyone else sweatdropped. Then Anko stood up,
"Well looks like you don't need me any more! Bye!" She backed towards the door, keeping a watch on the occupants of the room.
But then the door opened and Anko knocked into someone. The kunoichi felt a strong sense of déjà vu as she looked up from the floor. Her eyes met the single dark eye of Hatake Kakashi.
"YOU!!" Shouted the girl.
"What are you doing here?" The man seemed to have gotten over his surprise quickly,
"I live here. What are you doing here?" He spoke calmly, like he bumped into associates from illegal businesses every day. He probably did.
Leaning down, the Shinobi grabbed the girl's shoulders and lifted her back onto her feet. As soon as he had done this, Anko struck. She feinted left, and then punched right.
The man seemed to have expected this and wasted no time in appearing behind the girl and locking her arms behind her back.
"I thought we'd gotten past this point. Obviously I was wrong. So Father, care to tell me what this girl is doing here?"
Anko grumbled rebelliously but didn't struggle. She answered the question herself,
"This girl is here because, like you, your father had the strange urge to knock me out! I should have known you two were related." Kakashi chuckled,
"Is that anyway to greet your friend Anko?"
"I'm not your friend Kakashi!" hissed the girl. Minato cut in now,
"Umm, could someone please explain to me what's going on? I feel lost!" Everyone sweatdropped.
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I'M SO SORRY. I realize I haven't updated in like two weeks. But please don't kill me! RnR peeps!