Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't updated in a little while. Life got hectic for a bit, but I am slowly getting things back in order.
Let me just say (can't remember if I have already or not) but I have this feeling like Kokoro and Haruko's relationship is gonna be hella fun. Ha!
Anyway- enjoy! And remember, pictures can be found on my deviantart, link is on my profile!
Also- timeline reminder: This takes place between Naruto and Shippuden.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. I own Kokoro, Asuka, Chihiro, Manami, Tsubaki and Haruko.
Kokoro sat on the floor of the room they all shared. The piece of bark she had been given lay on the floor in front of her. It had been two days, and not one of them had figured it out. Haruko had given up after the first hour- and Tsubaki had stopped trying after the first day.
The four brunettes refused to give up however, especially Kokoro. She was nothing if not determined.
"There has to be an easy way to do this!" Kokoro exclaimed, falling backwards and lying flat.
"Yeah, but that's gotta be the catch. They're seeing how long it takes us do complete this," Asuka agreed.
"What if it's fake? Like, you know," Manami questioned, her hands gesturing about as she spoke," It's a test but at the same time- fake. To see how long it takes us to realize it? Or we are just doomed to fail from the get go?"
"Seems logical," Kokoro agreed with them, and looked to her right where Chihiro sat," What'chu think?"
"Huh? Oh… uh…" Chihiro said, uncertain," I- I think it's a true test. To see our… chakra."
"No catch?" Kokoro asked as she sat back up, and Chihiro shook her head in response.
"While you lot keep wasting time- I am going to go out there," Haruko smirked, pointing out the window," Where living people are. To talk to them. Like a person. Come on Tsubaki."
"Coming," Tsubaki quickly replied, trailing after the blonde as she quickly disappeared.
"Tch. Fine—not my problem if you don't get trained. Wouldn't do you any good anyway," Kokoro sneered, glaring at the spot they had disappeared.
"I'm actually kind of hungry," Manami admitted, as Asuka nodded.
"Same. We're gonna go get a bite to eat. Either you wanna join us?"
"Eh, why not? Won't do any good to starve myself." As they got up and walked to the door, Kokoro turned around and saw Chihiro was still sitting on the floor.
"You comin' Chihiro?" She looked up at the Raven, before shaking her head once.
"I-I'm fine. Thanks..."
"Alright. I'll bring you back something though—see ya later."
Just like that, she was all alone in the room. Bringing her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, Chihiro rested her head on her knees- the silence wrapping around her like a blanket.
0o0o
Tenzou watched in silence as Chihiro just sat there. A part of him thought she might be asleep- since her eyes were closed, but he couldn't be sure with her. Minutes ticked by and she stayed in that position for almost half an hour, before her eyes suddenly popped open. He watched as she turned around, kneeling beside her bed and gently grabbed the chakra bark Shizune had given her.
"Could it be that simple?" he heard her whisper, as she turned back around and sat down once more- the bark still in her hands.
Chihiro crossed her legs and rested her arms on them. The bark was held between her finger tips and she closed her brown eyes, taking a deep breath.
Above her, Tenzou watched with baited breath. Would she be the first to figure it out? Seconds turned to minutes; the clock on the wall ticking away as the time passed. Then— the bark within her hands became soggy, causing Chihiro's eyes to open in surprise. As she peered down at the lump of bark in her hands, a gentle smile crossed her face—a genuinely happy smile. One that was contagious, as Tenzou found himself smiling. The door across the room opened, causing Chihiro to look up in with slight fright- but she calmed when she noticed it was Kokoro, Asuka and Manami.
"—too much fun. We definitely should do it again," Kokoro laughed, walking over towards where Chihiro sat. She handed her a small box," Here ya go. Should still be…. Warm… No way!"
"What?" Asuka and Manami echoed each other, walking over to them. The followed Kokoro's stare- and saw the lump in Chihiro's hand.
"Is that—"
"—The bark you were given?!"
"Y-yes," Chihiro nodded, shyly smiling.
"How'd you do it?!" Kokoro demanded, a wide smile plastered across her face as she fell to the floor, sitting in front of her quiet friend.
"I-I just sat here… hold it between my hands…. And concentrated on w-what I wanted." With a smirk, Tenzou watched as the other three quickly grabbed their own bark pieces and sat on the floor, surrounding the spot where Chihiro sat.
"So… just sit here?"
"And concentrate on…. What?"
"That you want to place c-chakra into the bark. Like you're willing it…. From your body to the bark…" Chihiro explained. She watched quietly as her new friends closed their eyes- and waited.
And waited.
The time seemed to pass much more slowly- until Asuka's bark burst into flames and her brown eyes opened in surprise as she stared at the pile of ash on the floor. Smirking to herself- and to Chihiro- the two of them began watching Manami and Kokoro. The clock on the wall ticked with each minute that passed, and Tenzou wondered which would be successful next.
"If either of them…." He thought, finding himself hoping Kokoro did. Suddenly, the bark in Manami's hand sliced in half and fell to the ground. Her gray eyes opened widely as she stared at the bark in surprise. Turning to Asuka, she saw that her bark lay in a pile of ash and smiled at her friend. The waiting continued, as all watched Kokoro in silence.
After moments of nothing happening, Kokoro peaked an eye open and saw them staring at her- and frowned. Her brown eyes fell to the floor where their bark remains lay and her frown only intensified.
"Damn it! Why aint it working?!"
"A-are you concentrating?"
"YES I'M CONCENTRATING!"
"…."
The Ravenette lowered her hand and took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Sorry Chihiro. I know you are only trying to help. I didn't mean—"
"It's okay. Just, keep trying every so often. You'll get it, I know you will," Chihiro shyly admitted, as Kokoro grinned to her quiet friend.
"Thanks!"
0o0o
"You witch! Just tell us how to do it already!" Haruko growled, her hands on her hips as she glared in anger at Kokoro. The Ravenette leaned against the wall as she sat on her bed, smirking at the blonde.
"Nope."
The two had returned to the room well after midnight- and Haruko had made no attempt to be quiet as the others tried to sleep. Upon waking up the next morning, Asuka and Manami had brought up that Chihiro had found the secret to the bark- and since then Haruka had been demanding to know. Chihiro had almost instantly told her- but Kokoro had silenced her, kindly denying the blonde the satisfaction of knowing.
"CHIHIRO!"
"She aint gonna tell you either. None of us will. We've all figured it out and got our chakra types. You decided to go out and galavant around town yesterday instead of staying here with us. Your fault."
"DAMN YOU!" Haruka yelled, storming out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Tsubaki stared after her, uncertain of whether or not to follow.
"Did you really finally figure it out?" Asuka asked Kokoro from her spot at the kitchen table. Kokoro turned her attention to the brunette, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Nope!"
"Evil woman," Manami laughed.
"I know—"
"—That's all there is to it?" They stopped and all stared towards where the red-head stood, only to find Chihiro standing beside her, nodding.
"Y-yepp."
"Chihiro! You didn't-!" Kokoro laughed, as the brunette turned to face her friends- a sheepish smile on her face. "Oh fine, I guess there is no harm in telling her. Just- let blondie suffer a while longer, will ya?"
"I… I guess?" Tsubaki shrugged, uncertainty obvious in her face.
0o0o
Two days later, Tenzou knelt in front of Lady Tsunade's desk- waiting patiently.
"Any news?" Tsunade asked, between shuffling papers.
"Yesterday, Tsubaki managed to successfully place Chakra into her bark sample. Her chakra is Wind, just like Manami. This morning, Kokoro managed to get hers to transfer. She is a Lightning Chakra. Haruka still has yet to do it."
"I see. Interesting- that it would take the Raven this long to complete it. I would have bet on her being the first. Though, it doesn't surprise me the quiet one was first to figure it out." She spun the chair around, and looked out at the village as the sun sat behind the trees. "Tenzou- tomorrow I want you to take all but Haruka to one of the village shops. Find them all ninja wear. Under no circumstances is Haruka to join you. Dismissed."
"Yes, Lady Hokage." With that, he disappeared, leaving Tsunade to her thoughts.
"Let us see if being left out helps push her forward any…. She seems to be the kind that that would set a fire under."