I woke up the way as the last previous times. Noises was the first thing that my brain reacted to before anything else, and in the darkness of my wakening I heard the continuously – beep beep beeping sound in my ears. Oh' dammit! I'm in a hospital. Shit, I forgot… Now what? My mind couldn't comprehend anything at the moment and I felt completely numb, and at the same time my mind raced all the possibilities – of what was going to happen to me – through. My head was like trapped in between some kind of hole and my vision came back as a white blurry blob. White floor was the first thing that came into my sight and I wondered if I was flowing in mid air. I could now hear voices talking around me and I realized that I was laying in my stomach, with my face in a small hole. How I'd managed not to drool was a mystery to me and gravity…
I blinked sheepishly a couple of times when I heard a familiar voice.
"She told us not to touch it" Kakashi said.
What, did I tell him? I didn't tell him a god damned thing!
"It's truly interesting. I haven't heard about any clan or anything that would explain that thing in her neck" a man's voice said.
I could feel gazes on me, hear people scrapping notes with their pens and it made me very aware. So aware that I noticed the pain that shot through my back and I cringed over the shock of how massive it was. It took a few moments for me to get used to it and to bite it in me. Then I slowly lifted my arms up so I could raise myself, to take a look at what was going on around me. I received a couple of gasps and then peeped up from the hole my head had been resting in.
"No no, please lay down again! This is not good for you" a doctor exclaimed and went to my side slightly unsure about what to do. But I kept rising, my arms quivering from the pain while ignoring that many cries that I received from the doctors and nurses. I looked around and saw x-rays hanging on the wall, scrolls laying on the floor, and machines by my side. I noticed the jounin – Kakashi – sit in a chair by the wall right in front of me, arms crossed. He looked at me curiously and tilted his head a bit to the side.
"How are you feeling?" he asked politely, but it seemed more like a provocation (to me).
My left eyebrow began to quiver uncontrollably in irritation. What nerves he had to sit there and ask me how I was feeling! Who did he think he was, having put me through all those things and then let me live in shame…
"Screw you" I muttered darkly and received a brief frown from him.
The doctors muttered around me and one who was a bit taller than the rest had the nerves to go forward and talk to me
"If I may ask. How do you feel?" he asked and was ready to take notes. I shot Kakashi a nasty glance and looked at the doctor again
"Fine… " I sighed – " You can let me go now" I lied, turning around so I could sit up, ripping out the drop in my arm in the process.
All the nurses and doctors began to panic and shout at me once again. It was seriously annoying.
"Stop! Your wounds are not healed yet!" a nurse cried, and she actually looked like she was about to die (completely overkill). I yanked another nurse off of my arm, about to feel claustrophobic because of the many people surrounding me.
"I FEEL OKAY, GOD DAMMIT!" I said aggressively. What was it the tards didn't get? Why did they care? I wanted to bang my head against a wall continuously, this was beyond stupid. I struggled a bit to sit up and then get my legs over the edge of the bed. Yanking some helpful hands off of me and not succeeding in death glaring at them enough I really hoped that I could somehow escape (that was the only thing my mind was set on at the moment)
"Hold up everyone" Kakashi sighed. I looked dumbly over my shoulder and saw him stand up – walking around the bed and over to me. I glared at him silently all the way. I swear, if I had been a cat I would've hissed at him and launch for him with a claw…
"Didn't you hear her? She says she's fine. If that's true I'll escort her to her temporary home…" he smiled insuring to the doctors and nurses (with his one visible eye), coursing a nurse to flush a bit and then close her mouth
Noooo, he ruined everything. How vigilant where they here? I wasn't feeling very well; actually I wasn't even sure if I could run! I was just testing if I could… Or was I?... What the hell was I thinking? But I couldn't back out now when I had lied to all of them. That was like quitting a game! (not that I'd played many… and not many think my games are funny)
"But she's not ready! The only reason why she's capable of outstanding the pain is because of the anesthetics!" the tall doctor said and put a hand on my shoulder which I shrugged away. Kakashi walked over to me, towering over me imminently, glancing at the doctor from the corner of his eye.
"If she says she's ready. She is" he said, and I swore that he made the doctor look somewhat blunt. The doctor nodded bluntly to Kakashi, and I looked up at him with a skeptical cocked eyebrow. What was he doing? Was he trying to teach me some kind of lesson? Pff, who did he think he was? Mr know-it-all?
"Come on" Kakashi grabbed my upper arm and began to pull
"Wha-what are you doing? Don't touch me! HEY!" he pulled me abruptly up by my arm like I was as light as a feather. A bit my teeth hard together and stopped whining when the pain doubled and my knees was about to break together. But they didn't, I just shut my mouth trying to look brave.
"Well, since you're feeling so well…" he said, and began to drag me to the window and slid it aggressively to the side which coursed a nurse to gasp. He had a hard grip around my arm, and because of that I was yanked with him out of the window, completely unprepared for that jump he'd just made. I almost scratched my thigh against the sill, knocking over a vase with flowers in the process. I was dragged through the air by the force of his jump like some limp doll.
It was night time, and the air was cold against my skin and the hospital clothes weren't helping much. He landed on a roof, and the impact made me awkwardly land beside him, pain shooting through my back again and this time it was unbearable. I closed my eyes in pain. It felt as if sandpaper was scratching against my back and into my wounds. My knees failed in holding me and I was only held up by his indifferent grip around my arm.
"W-wait" I gasped
"You're really predictable… You were planning to run away weren't you? How stupid do you think we are in this village?" he said
"Who do you think y—" I hissed, head bowed down towards the tiles.
"I don't know who YOU think you are. But you're not the strongest ninja here. And to rush out in a village filled with ninja's in this condition only proves your incompetence and ignorance" his voice was filled with suppressed irritation.
The harsh, but true words made me flinch momentarily.
"If you thought you could escape in this condition, you can also go to your temporary home. As I've said before we're trying to make the best of you" he said the last thing with a sigh, and I felt his pitiful glare at me.
I looked away and into the far distance of the night. Everything began to sink in to my mind, knowing that he was right, only that I had a hard time with accepting it. In a silent moment, the sickening feeling of regret began to dwell in my stomach.
"Yet, I know that you're only doing what you were told to" I hissed through clenched teeth.
Perhaps they wanted to help me. But who would truly take any care? I could never turn out as they wanted if I my social terms was the same as in my old village. I did not know much about the heart, but I knew that if I should become a fully fletched Leaf ninja – someone had to put their heart into the efforts of making me into one. And who would truly do that? I was just a strong convict.
"Sure, you will probably never be able to tell. No one has ever cared about you…" he said bluntly and dragged me up to my feet again, preparing for a jump. The tone in his voice was so plain, so oblivious that I kept my thoughts and my tongue to myself, like I usually did.
This time I followed him better through the air, trying to match his speed as much as I could manage. I brooded in my own anger as we went silently through the night, barely watching the yellow streetlamps under me.
We landed by the outskirts, on a narrow street. I crouched as I landed on the ground, groaning silently to myself. The Jounin watched my crouched form silently as I tried to get myself together, taking in deep breaths through my nose. I took in one more deep breath and looked up abruptly, eyes widening of a tall building that stood dark blue in the darkness of the night. A sign swung noisily back and forth saying 'Konoha prison; A-rank division'. So I was classified as an A-ranked criminal? That was the second highest, right after S-ranked, right? I'd almost guessed that they would put me in prison, like I'd had any other choice from the beginning, as they'd said… Bastards.
"Come" he commanded and began to drag me along yet again.
"I'm not going in there" I insisted and kicked my foot stubbornly into the ground.
"Yes you are" he answered and began to drag me ruthlessly harder. I caught a glimpse of a large grid that seemed as an extension of the building, probably there to keep criminals from escaping. I sighed shakily, having no other option but to follow the Jounin.
After, being let in by two guards, we ended up in some kind of reception, only more criminal-friendly. The floor was of grey concrete, and the walls were a weird green color, like a puke-color, with cracks here and there. One single lamb hung lonely in the middle of the room, as a sister to the blue light that came out of a bug-catcher by the wall. There was a single desk loaded with papers and an empty wooden chair behind it. The room just screamed of boredom and sadness. It gave me the creeps, and it smelled horrible. Like an old house…
A ninja came from behind the only door there was in the room. He wore the same leaf-ninja clothes as Kakashi, had black hair and was approximately about 35 years old, but looked older because of his ninja life. That was very typical for ninja's who'd fought in the Great War. They were typically pretty rough in their faces. I eyed Kakashi, he didn't look as though he'd taken much damage from the great war. He'd probably been a bit younger then the guard.
"Greetings Kakashi." The guard greeted and eyed me warily.
"What do you have with you?" he asked, a smirk forming around the edges of his mouth. I crouched a bit, narrowing my eyes at the cocky guard.
"A wanted criminal who just came out of the hospital and needs… a place to stay. This I Toshi Setsuko" his voice was now back to normal. I mean serious-mode-normal… Whatever
I wrenched a bit, trying to rip my arm away from his grip. How I hated this pathetic treatment. But when I received a brief glance from the Jounin, everything he'd said came rushing back to me, and that made me realize how overwhelming all of this was. I may never get back my freedom! My train of thoughts wouldn't stop, and my temper began to flare under the surface, despite my wounds. I know that I have a bad sense of situation! I knew very well, that he was getting rid of me as soon as I was in prison. Then he wouldn't have to watch over me in the hospital.
"Well well! I have the perfect cell for you, Toshi" the guard said, smiling smug to me. He creped the shit out of me and that was fairly weird cause the Jounin – Kakashi – didn't. Kakashi dragged me along the reception-thing and behind the door the guard had entered.
I stepped into a long, dark hallway, which seemed to contain many corridors. Faint roars of men were echoing through the halls as we silently walked through them. I had goosebumps all over my body.
"Is this what you call helping me? Putting me in a cell! You can't do that!" I moaned in panic.
"Just quit it already. You have no choice. Why do you even care." Kakashi said, followed by a tired sigh. I knew I had no one I cared for. But I still liked my freedom, and to NOT live in a cell.
"That doesn't mean I want to live in a cell!" I hissed aggressively, trying to follow his quick steps. Kakashi mumbled something incoherent as the guard by my side spoke
"Shut up girl. Whatever you've done, this is going to be the perfect home for you" he said and looked solemn at me, snickering by himself.
I scowled at him. He'd been more than mocking in these few minutes we'd known each other. He wasn't going to get away with that. I gathered some strength and eyed Kakashi suspiciously. Then with a small grunt I launched my head and upper body towards the guard, making an attempt to bite after his cheeks. He leaped to the side as my teeth clasped together with a bone-like noise. Kakashi pulled me back, like a dog in a leach, ferociously looking after the mailman. The guard looked at me wide eyed, walking as far away he could from me now.
"Bitch!" he spat, the bravery seeming to grow in him when he saw Kakashi's good control of me. At the same time we stopped by a heavy metal-door.
"Take it easy" Kakashi got in between the eye-battle between me and the guard. It seemed that I wasn't the only one Kakashi was good at 'controlling'. The guard pouted, and cleared his throat, looking at Kakashi. Yeah, you better do and just pretend that I didn't win the eye-battle!
"Here it is… " he walked past kakashi and I, nose high in the sky as he opened the door with his keys.
The door cracked open, revealing a room that was just about as sad as the reception only smaller. Everything was made of dark grey concrete, the floor the walls… Even the sink seemed as dark as the walls. There was an open toilet in the middle of it all. I noted myself that I'd use that as little as possible. A narrow bed stood by the wall, layered with a filthy madras and some cleaned blankets and sheets. My nose wrinkled in disgust. This was worse than living in the street!
"Looks comfortable" Kakashi said with a shrug and released my arm. I snorted and walked into the middle, looking at the small window by the furthest wall, over the bed.
"Um… guess I'll see you around" Kakashi said. I twirled around just as the door smacked. A rush of panic ran through me. What if I was never going to get out of here! I locked eyes with Kakashi – through the little window in the door - for a few silent moments before he ripped his eyes away and walked away…
I walked anxiously around in my cell, for God knows how long, before I calmed myself enough to sit down. I'd forgotten about the pain until I sat down on my bed. I cringed and leaned against the wall, grateful for actually having a bed. As soon as I were healthy enough I was going to make the run out of this shitty city. They'd underestimated me seriously. I was placed in an A-ranked criminals division, meaning that it was easier to break out of here (well compared to the S-ranked prison), if I only used Eien no Honou. I swung my feet up in the bed and lay down to look at the grey ceiling. The air was chilly and cold so I pulled one of the blankets up over my body letting the train of thoughts flow freely. I ended up in thinking about how normal life here could be. It would mean friends, and friends were something that was fake. Only something shallow to lean up against. I'd never experienced love, and wasn't happy with thinking about it. It bugged me cause couldn't grasp the concept.
"So so so… You know, coming here and acting all smart is not very clever" The guard stood by my door, dragging a kunai over the bars of the small window in the door. It made and awful lot of noise.
I looked at him from the corner of my eye; his eyes were full with mischief. I smirked to myself and pulled out some of Eien's silvery chakra and launched up in sitting position baring my teeth like I did when I was in her form and releasing the chakra from Eien. It roared as if she was there, rumbling in my cell. The guard lashed away, shocked by the sudden noise.
I smirked turning my attention to the ceiling again. The train of thoughts made me tired. I couldn't quite grasp everything that was happening in my life. I closed my eyes, drifting slowly to sleep.
That night I slept heavily, and when I woke up, I momentarily forgot where I was. I rubbed my eyes and looked groggily around the grey cell, jets of sunlight illuminating a few spots around the cell. All hope and life seeming seeping out of me when I remembered where I was. What was worse was that my body was stiff – I could barely move… I'd forgotten that I was on anesthetics yesterday and that had probably worn off. I trembled in cramps which came in waves, focusing my eyes at the small window where sunlight shone in through.
"Breakfast!" someone yelled from the other side of my door, and in was swooped a bowl with a grey, jelly-like substance.
I looked at it with disgust. The pain had taken away my appetite, and I had no strength to move from the bed and to the bowl. For some time, I stared at the window above me, picturing the forest outside the large village. Slowly but gradually I moved to sit in my bed silently. I seriously needed a shower. My hair was greasy, and I probably was stinking not having had a shower every since I'd met the ninja's from Konoha. I told myself to stay away from the prison shower, just the very thought gave me the creeps. Who knew what horrible things could happen in there? I scooted down to the floor and crawled over to the bowl with the weird substance, knowing that I had to eat to heal properly. I coughed disgusted and grimaced when the hideous taste of the substance hit my tongue. It tasted like wet paper, with a hint of salt in it… I managed to get up and went over to the sink to get something to drink, so I could wash away the bad taste.
After a painful amount of time with laying in my bed, the door to my cell clicked open automatically gesturing me to join the other convicts in the yard. Hell as if I was going to join them! I sighed heavily and went to close the door again, so no one could enter. The day went by slowly, and my active mind had a hard time with baring the burden of my worn out body. A doctor and a nurse had been by, guarded by two guards, to change my bandages and giving me some, o' yes, delightful anesthetics. God, I sound like a drug head.
The time in my cell gave me good time to think. Actually, I don't think that I've had so many mixed emotions in one day. Somewhere deep, deep, DEEP down inside I hoped that the silver-haired Kakashi would come by and tell me that I was free again, and that it was all a big misunderstanding… Or that he was going to get me out of here… I smacked myself at my forehead. Since when did I rely on others!
Kakashi knew exactly what the hokage wanted from him, or at least he had a pretty good guess. After training with the team, he'd sat off to the hokages office to meet him, probably regarding the wild blonde. Sure it had been regarding her
"Kakashi, why don't you take her under your wing?" the hokage had said.
At first it had taken Kakashi by surprise. He really had enough in the two boys on his team. The infamous Naruto, son of the fourth hokage and the host of the ninetailed fox, and of course Sasuke the only surviver of the uchiha massacre and the only one left of his kind except for his outlaw brother.
"Me? I don't think I'm very suitable for that kind of job." he said, stuffing his hands more into his pockets.
"Well, who else will be?"
Kakashi thought for a moment. Who could he give the ball to?
"Um, what about… Gai?" he really couldn't come up with anyone who could muster her strength and personality at the same time. Who could turn a person with a past of such greif, hopelessness and all the other factors that applied to her norms and personality? No, putting her together with Gai was like adding fuel to a small flame… Kakashi saw the skeptical look at the hokage's face, taking notice that he suggested Kakashi to reconsider.
"Okay, maybe not Gai." he muttered and looked somewhere else to avoid himself being chosen again to take care of her. He felt his beloved book burning in his pocket; what will Ryo do when he finds out that Miu is cheeting on him?
"Enough waiting, you'll take her, Kakashi. She's only 19, she can still change" the hokage said and waved his hand in a swattering way to infer that he didn't want to discuss it anymore. He took a sip of his pipe and began dig into his paperwork again. Darn he should've foreseen it.
"So, she'll stay in prison until she seems trustworthy?" Kakashi asked, just to be sure.
"Yes yes, that's up to you. She'll probably never get out though." he said, not looking up from the pile of papers.
The hokages distrust to the 'project', or the girl, only made Kakashi's belief in the 'project' lessen. If the hokage didn't care, cause he obviously seemed to be uninterested in the matter, then why would someone who wasn't even agreeing in the idea from the start, have his determination in the matter? Still he could feel some kind of determination, exactly because no one else was interested. After all, it was kind of like a long termed mission, and if he had full authority of her, he could spend time on her when he didn't have anything else to do or perhaps force her to watch the kids train… His mind seemed to already be spinning with ideas of how to solve this problem that would take much of his precious free-time. He nodded agreeing to the hokage and disappeared out of his office instantly.
I woke up having had a bad night of sleep. Count; day four.
I slapped a hand over my eyes to block the sun, and turned sullenly in my bed and looked out at the grey room before me. Nothing had changed, except for my fiery spirit and seemingly high vigour. It had completely left me and I was sure they'd cast some kind of depressing jutsu over the place. My wounds were still bad, but more manageable to walk around with now. Surely the Jounin had been lying to me when he said that they were going to help me, and how they could make a kid, around 12 years old lie too was a mystery to me. I found out that I was completely out of my own rhythm, when I looked out of the window and saw that the sun stood high; must've been around 12 o'clock. I plumped down on my bed again and rubbed some dirt off of my arm. I still hadn't gotten a bath and looked tan with all the dirt on my skin. If I could just run freely through the forest and bath under a nice waterfall everythi— I jerked up when someone knocked on my door three times.
"You have visitors" a raspy voice yelled outside my door and looked at me through the small window. I popped myself up on my elbows to see better and listened while the keys clicked open the heavy lock.
"Hello there." In stepped a familiar grey haired man, smiling with his eyes as he put down an orange book in his pocket.
I cocked an eyebrow expectantly, suppressing a simmering hope of seeing the outside world beginning to grow in me. Cocky as I was, I didn't answer him but simply waited for him to say something, while he took in the sight of the room.
"Um… So, Toshi. Since you're going to be my apprentice."
I was sure that he'd chosen that word 'prentice' very carefully.
"- I thought I might show you my better side and take you outside with the team, so I could show you what great things you've been missing out. Oh' and I brought you some basic ninja clothes for you to wear." his voice was carefully neutral, though I could feel that he was tense despite his body language which showed the complete opposite. He threw me the clothes which I caught in a bit of a surprise. Sitting in my bed, I looked at it silently without interest. With my sharp senses I noticed how my silence made both Kakashi and the guard a bit awkward about the situation.
"Perhaps you're not healthy enough to go outside? Or perhaps you just don't want to?" he shove his hands into his pockets looking at me expectantly. Almost as if he was hoping that I would say no to his offer. Yeah, like he could get rid of me that easy (I would also really like to get out of the damned cell)
"No, um, I mean yes, I'll come with you." why the hell was I falling over my own words? Must've been because of the lack in speaking with anyone.
"You sure you're healthy enough?" he asked again.
I shot him a nasty glare and rose from my bed, ignoring the pain that struck me like a lightning bolt. I held a plain face from years of practice, taking a better look at the clothes he'd given me. Then I looked at him again with a cocked eyebrow and nodding towards the clothes in a suggestive way to make Kakashi and the guard, close the door. Kakashi immediately got the message, though was the guard a bit slow and sprinted out after Kakashi, mildly red around his cheeks. The clothes consisted of the ninja clothes I'd seen everyone here wear; navy-blue loose pants with a navy-blue cozy shirt, white bandages and some blue sandals. The only thing I wasn't comfortable about was that he'd picked out a pair of sporty panties and a sports-bra… An unpleasant shiver ran through my spine. That was just awkward… ugh.
I knocked on the door twice to make the guard open again. I looked plainly ahead, ignoring the guard and Kakashi. I felt so stupid in the new clothes that it made me want to puke all over it… I looked like a leaf ninja.
"Come" Kakashi said, as I had an eye-battle with the guard.
Outside I had to narrow my eyes and put an arm over them to shade from the sun. Everything seemed extra white and bright, and I had to stand a few moments to get used to the pricking in my eyes. By the entrance where Kakashi was heading in front of me, stood the bright blonde Naruto smiling to his teammate the Pinky girl. Her laughter filled my ears though I couldn't see her face properly because of the sun.
"Shut up you idiots, she's coming" the one called… Sam? Saburo?
"Of course Sasuke"… Oh yeah, that was his name. The kids shushed in each other as I took in a deep, hungry breath of fresh air and began to walk again, the colors of my vision settling to normal none-bright colors. God, it was nice to breath in the fresh air. It was like it cleaned my lungs for the dry old air that had been in my cell.
I stopped by the entrance of the prison, looking at the three (well mostly two because the Sasuke kid was partly looking at me and the ground) faces staring at me. The pinky looked somewhat intimidated cause her eyes were big and round and she held her hands like a hamster. Naruto's eyes were staring at me so intensely that his eyes seemed to appear as simple lines. He pouted as if I'd offended him, and his posture was very stiff. Kakashi stood on my other side, looking dumb-founded at the kids and me. I snorted and rolled my eyes away from Narutos while crossing my arms.
"Guys, we talked about this." Kakashi said to the silent team. He'd expected them to react this way even though he'd just had a talk with them about Toshi.
He had thought that involving the team with Toshi would ease the progress and make it less weird. Of course he had told them it was some kind of mission to get them more enthusiastic about it even though Naruto would've agreed in the first place. He didn't know Naruto that well yet, but he was good at reading people and he could tell that one of Naruto's "unique powers," was that he seemed to change the world views of everyone he met, and inspired courage for the future within them. When he looked at Toshi, she looked more than reluctant to hang out with the team though. It almost stirred up a headache, just the thought of getting Toshi to even smile. He realized that he had to start from the bottom and make her comfortable, or just a bit happy about another person. And the easiest way was to get her to like at least one of the kids from the team, or him for that matter.
I cocked an eyebrow at Kakashi. What'd he mean about 'we talked about this'?
"What was your name again, lady?" Naruto asked, his voice harsh yet suppressed.
"Why does it matter?" I asked him, sending him a smug glance. Naruto seemed to drop his guard some more and looked at me dumbly
"We're kind of, like, going to hang out." He said and scratched his head.
"Naruto!" Sakura muttered and elbowed him, before she smiled wide and put out her hand out to shake mine.
"I'm Sakura Haruno" the girl I before had labeled as timid and scared now smiled to me with her green eyes. I pouted; it was quite uncomfortable to have her being so polite to me. Fine! She could have her way!
"Toshi" I muttered darkly and took her hand to shake it once. The girl nodded in recognition and put her hand behind her back and swayed a bit on her toes.
"Toshi, I like your hair color." she said. I couldn't catch any trace of phoniness in her and it gave me the chills. No one had said to me that they liked my hair.
"Let's get going before Toshi gets all sentimental." Kakashi said before I could say anything. His voice was now… How could I put it? Relaxed and warm as if he was enjoying the moment…
I walked silently behind the group with the pain as a constant reminder that I couldn't do anything but walk stiffly around. Perhaps he had taught me a lesson that day. I couldn't escape the city in this condition at all. It was my first time actually, to see the city and it was very different from the one I'd been living in. Subtly I took in all the new impressions of the city. It had many small alleys of wooden fences and the houses stood very close together. The buildings were modern, in some way seeming to very up to date. No one of the kids spoke to me and neither did Kakashi for that matter, but I was glad that they left me alone to my own thoughts.
"Hey… Toshi?"
I looked to my side to see the blonde Naruto walk by my side, judging from his tense expression that he had something on his heart.
"I-I'm sorry for blowing up on you that day… um yeah" he scratched his neck and looked ahead again seeming to be a bit embarrassed. My eyes widened slightly because of this. He had seemed completely angered at me not long ago and now he was apologizing. I didn't know what to answer to that. No words came to my mind at all.
"Um…" I stopped when I lost Naruto's attention.
"Naruto!" a voice of a smaller kid called out from behind, but I didn't bother to look and just shrugged the apology off. Naruto trudged backwards by my side as he yelled
"Hey Konohamaru!" he shouted and waved with his hands. I rolled my eyes and looked elsewhere.
"Catch!" I only heard this subconsciously and was too absorbed in my own world to actually figure out that the kid – Konohamaru – was throwing something in Naruto's direction. The next thing I knew was that something hard hit my back, and though it was a light force it was enough for me to go into a state of physical shock, because of the shooting pain I suffered under. I held in a growl, biting my lip while trying to hold a brave face but exceedingly failed.
It was like a chill had run up Naruto's spine and he clenched his teeth tight, looking like he was praying for me to be okay.
"Konohamaru, you have a terrible aim! Look what you did!" he shouted.
Everyone had stopped and now looked at me, tense because of the thought of what my reaction would be. But their worry was unnecessary; I had no intension of blowing up even though I wanted to. The pain was simply too massive.
"Um sorry Toshi" Naruto said, not knowing what to do. I fell to my knees yet again, crouching and shaking because some of my wounds were reopened. I was usually good at surpassing pain, especially in tense situations. But never had my wounds been so severe.
"Toshi" I gasped when a womanly voice spoke in my head. Her voice demanding, and frightening despite the resting silence in her voice. Just like the silence before a storm. Eien no Honou had for the first time since I'd arrived here decided to speak to me in this moment.
"Get up" she demanded. When she wanted something, her voice would increase in my head until it was deafening. It clenched my jaw and breathed hard.
"Have you forgotten what I've taught you?" she said.
"The body MUST obey the mind!" her voice was getting more and more agitated. I had to get up. Her angry voice would haunt me for days if I didn't get up.
"Pain is a weakness you must ignore. The body doesn't control the mind!" I took myself to the ears. I couldn't stand her voice when she was angry. It was nightmarish. From the corner of my eyes I could see the team gather around me, questioningly looking at me. But I couldn't hear a word of what they said.
"The body MUST obey the mind!" her ferocious lion-roar was evident in the base of her shouting voice. With a few quick breaths and then one deep, I struggled to me feet again, her intense watchfulness disappearing like a gust of wind.
"Toshi, are sure you're healthy enough to be walking around?" Kakashi looked at me, seeming to be a little bit flabbergasted about me sudden breakdown.
I clenched my jaw tight as his voice broke through my ears and all the noises of the city began to come back again. I needed a shower if my wounds were going to heal faster… And if I wasn't going to grow swamps on my feet.
"Do you know a place where I can shower or get clean?" I asked through gritted teeth, ignoring his stupid question. Of course was I healthy enough. I could push through anything.
I folded my arms and looked coldly into the distance. Embarrassment filled me when I thought about the day, 5 days ago. I'd always been taught to ignore pain and just fight. But somehow I slipped and ended up being defeated. Was I becoming soft? Or was he just such an excellent ninja? I eyed Kakashi briefly when I didn't get an answer and he seemed to be a little irritated because of my stubbornness.
"Sorry again" Naruto said and put a hand on my shoulder to force a reaction. I jerked a bit under his touch, not being used to being touched in general. He removed his hand immediately as if he'd touched something electric.
" Well… We could go the hot springs" he suggested shifting a bit to see what the kids thought about the idea.
"Yeah! The hot springs! Way to go Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto jumped into the air and began trotting on his place while smiling like a maniac. I was sure that his cheeks were a bit red, but it was probably just me who wasn't used to the lighting yet.
"Wait, you haven't had a bath since you got here?" Kakashi asked, his gaze sickening a bit when he looked me up and down.
"Do you think I look like this?" I snapped angrily and pointed to all of me.
"Well, um—"
"I did…" Naruto's kind of innocent voice cut through the awkward silence. I swore that everyone would slap themselfes hard at their foreheads, if they didn't do it already in their minds. Only Sakura did it visibly while muttering something incoherent about Naruto.
I followed behind the team as we went from roof to roof. Again I had to ignore the pain which I did quite well. Naruto kept trying to talk to Sasuke but he simply didn't seem to listen to the poor boy. We ended up somewhere in the outskirts of Konoha, having crossed the whole city in minutes. Hot springs where nice, but I wasn't quite comfortable with them. I preferred to have my own, or sit in a dark corner by myself. Steam floated lazily up from the behind the house and a few birds chirped peacefully. Finally a place where I could truly relax.
"Okay… Sakura and Toshi you go to the girls room" Kakashi waved the two boys over to himself as they disappeared behind a door, leaving me alone with Sakura.
I followed her silently into the bath-house knowing that she was very nervous about being alone with me. After all did we all know that she couldn't stop me if I tried anything. But me knowing that the jounin was on the other side of the wall made me humble as a dog.
"No. Don't tell me that this is a mixed bath?" I sighed taking a look around the room.
There was a strong scent of herbals in the steamed air, and it was quite empty. There was one woman changing her clothes and then a couple of occupied spots with clothes around the wooden room. Sakura seemed very stiff and tense as she began to undress. I couldn't care less though. I'd been to a hot-spring two times…
"I don't like the mixed baths either. But I guess that Kakashi-sensei choose this one so he could keep an eye on you" Sakura flushed a little bit and stuttered.
"You know, so you don't run away" she whimpered afraid of saying something that would push some of my buttons. I raised an eyebrow
"I wouldn't have considered him a pervert until you stuttered like that" I said biting my lip annoyed. Sakura flushed again and looked away from my eyes while pouting
"All guys a perverts somewhere deep down" she muttered seeming to recall some memories which she should (please) keep to herself.
"Those white bikini-things over there are for those who don't want to be naked" she said turning around to finish off.
"Think I will go with the bikini" I said, feeling an uncomfortable feeling spread in my body. As long as people just stayed away from me out there it was no problem.
It took a little bit longer than I'd expected to change cause I had to remove the bandages as well. Since there was a very good layer around my upper body I probably caused Sakura some impatience but she waited patiently though. Kind of weird to have someone wait for you.
She smiled timidly when I was finished and opened the door to the hot-spring, disappearing into the steamy air. I stood in the door way and checked the surroundings for any familiar chakras. Apparently it seemed like me and Sakura were the first out and the boys were still in changing. And I thought girls were slow. I twisted my hair in my fingers and places it to the left side over me breast so it wouldn't get in the way of my wounds.
"Are you coming Toshi?" Sakura called and I could only see her dimly by the edge of the hot-spring, thanks to her pink hair.
I walked over the wet stone-floor, my feet making splashy sounds as I did. I scowled around one last time before I let the towel glide of my sore but toned body. Sakura was nowhere to be seen now, the hot-spring being very large apparently. I dipped my toe in the warm water to feel the temperature. It was hot, just like it was supposed to be and I plopped my legs into the water which embraced my legs with warmth and comfort. I sighed in relief, taking in a deep breath full of heavy steam and herbs. But I hesitated with the rest of my body; there was no question about how much the hot water was going to sting in my wounds. Slowly I lowered myself to the waist, breathing out a heavy relief again. The warm water felt so good around my abdomen. It had been a long time since such a nice sensation had filled me. I could skim a few figures of people around the hot-spring and looked for a nice corner I could sit and relax in. Then a giggle broke the silence… Naruto's giggle, followed by several footsteps across the wet stone-floor. A rush of panic ran through me and I plumped quickly down into the water without any second thoughts, hoping to hide myself and my body and immediately beginning to walk through the water. I bit my lower lip as I noticed how the water was biting my wounds.
"Shit, you moron." I cursed for myself as I moved through the water to find a safe spot.
I found a nice spot under a large bonsai-tree still trying to get me body used to the hot temperature. I lowered myself as much as I could into the water, avoiding the stone edge behind me. It wouldn't feel very good if leaned up against it with nothing on my back.
I heard Naruto let out a long moan when he entered the water and I immediately tensed up as I saw his and Sasuke's figures in the steamy air. A moment after Kakashi's tall figure appeared in the steam only as a black shadow moving by the edge of the water. I looked away and moved uncomfortably; every time doing that feeling my wounds burn slightly until they became a subtle tickling. I dipped my hands in the surface of the water and cleaned my face from all the dirt that was stuck there. I felt unusually vulnerable compared to what I would usually feel and it was probably because of my knowing of someone in the hot-spring that actually knew me and wasn't afraid to talk to me… Like, the thought of someone coming over and talk to me like they were actually interested.
"Hey Toshi are you okay?" I jumped as Naruto's voice suddenly spoke close by, and when I looked down was he right by my right side, lingering by the surface so only half of his face was visible. I moved instinctively to the side. He was way too close!
"Huh?... What?" he asked dumbly, his words making bubbles in the surface of the water.
"Y-yeah. I'm alright. G-go find your teammates" I stuttered resentfully and crossed my arms.
"Ah, okay." he said loudly and enthusiastically as he made what only seemed as a dolphin jump into the water, daunted splashing water into my face in the process.
Seriously, what a weird kid. He probably felt bad about what happened before, with the ball. I looked after him annoyed and having an uncomfortable exposed feeling inside. I took in a deep breath and relaxed into the water. A cold chill ran through me when memories of the rainy day outside Konoha gates – crossed my mind. I'd been looking into the water and when I absentminded took a peek to the bigger area of the hot-spring and saw Kakashi's figure dimly. I tensed up again and gazed at the rings in the water that hit me which got bigger and bigger; equalizing that he was moving in my direction. My eyes widened as I frantically looked to my sides to see if there was anything I could hide behind.
"Damn it!" I hissed and stayed stiffly under the tree, waiting anxiously for whatever would happen, though I already knew it somewhere in my mind. His figure became clearer and clearer and my body tensed gradually with his appearing.
"Hey Toshi. Mind if I join?" he asked. Okay, he had spotted me.
"Hi… Kakashi." I answered sullenly, feeling like a trapped animal in a corner. Now should I reject him and tell me to get the hell away from me, or should I play brave and just let him sit near me?
"Sure, suit yourself" I heard my own mouth say, spilling out of me like vomit.
I looked up at him terrified of seeing some kind of perverted side of him. Ugh, there was nothing more repelling than men who looked at you the wrong way. But my eyes glad over the visible part of his upper body which made me almost jerk in the water if I hadn't slapped myself mentally.
What are you doing Toshi? Embarrassing yourself by checking out his body. It's not like you at all I shouted at myself angrily, especially because he wore the same plain expression which he did most of the time. Who's the pervert? I'd never been to a mixed hot-spring for god sake! I rarely checked out people, there was no reason for it, but this had been quite unintentional.
"hn?" he let out a sound of confusion while I sat there stunned by my own actions.
He's a fully fletched ninja of high class, a professional. Suspecting him for being a pervert (in public, what do I know?) was like suspecting a pig to fly… And why did he wear a mask or a mini-towel when he was in the hot-springs? He sat down by my left side, under the tree as well which was a bit too close for my taste. I turned my head to him, wanting make less uncomfortable.
"Why are you wearing a mask in the hot-springs?" I asked him, looking resentfully out of the corner of my eye.
"Why do you care?" he asked cocking an eyebrow imitating my way of looking at him. I pouted, knowing that he used my personality against myself. As if everything I asked would backfire. I pouted and looked away indifferently.
"Is it because you want to see my face?" he asked, his eyes curving as if he was smiling.
I stiffened and felt unusually hot around my cheeks. It must be the warmth of the water getting to my head or because I'm not used to people taking any kind of interest in me, I thought. I mean, why would I want to see his face? Whatever he was hiding under there it probably wasn't worth wanting to see.
"Um, no it's not you moron" I said, the sentence not coming out as brave as I'd wanted it to.
IF I was blushing was it to my luck that it was impossible to spot in the heavy steam (I'M NOT SAYING I'M BLUSHING!). Kakashi snickered at me which seemed to provoke my temper the slightest. How could he just sit there looking smug and giggle at me like he was somebody important. How I wanted to punch that smug expression off of his face. That would teach him a lesson! I groaned subtly and tried to see if I could rest my back against the stone edge but my wounds were unfortunately still too sore. Kakashi seemed to notice my discomfort cause when I looked at him he gazed intensely at me like something in him was worrying. I felt small and timid under his serious gaze which still haunted my eyes since five days ago.
"Let me take a look at your wounds. It was me who caused them after all" he asked tilting his head a bit towards me.
"Wha-what?" I snapped, looking as if he was kidding me. And he had to be! What was he thinking? Like I would let HIM take a peek at my vulnerable wounds!
"Do I have to repeat?" he asked, eyes getting more indifferent.
"Do YOU have to ask? Why should I trust you?" I asked bewildered and downright violated by the question. He lifted his eyebrows and let out a sound of confusion.
"Why shouldn't you?" he asked. I pouted sullenly not knowing what to answer. It was something I'd asked myself many times. The chances of someone being trustworthy were in reality 50/50 though my own experiences were that the chances of someone being trustworthy were about 99/1.
"And you couldn't have asked me that somewhere else than in here" I snapped, not really having thought through a good answer. Seemingly, I tested his patience on a high level.
"Wouldn't it seem weirder out there? I'm simply offering my help" he said, seeming to move an inch closer to me.
He was right though. The picture of me throwing away my shirt in front of him, in my prison cell just seemed wrong in every way. I frowned and looked into the water. For some reason was there a small ball of guild of being so rude to him beginning to grow in my stomach. Pig-headed I changed my mind and took in a deep breath as I turned around and used the stone edge to support my arm while my back faced him.
"Is it bad?" I asked reluctantly. I couldn't remember one time in my life I'd felt so vulnerable and naked.
The domino effect of the water that moved towards me when he moved made my body's tenseness worsen, only because I knew the one who moved the water towards me. Strengthen you mind Toshi! Stop your body from acting so ridiculously! I thought clenching my jaw tight as he moved closer to me. I moved so I was sitting on my shins so he could see all of my back. He was silent for a while, just scanning my back.
"Hmm" he mumbled his voice deep in wonder.
Then he put two fingers along a scar and that felt as if someone sent a jolt of electricity through me which coursed me to yelp and jerk away from the touch. He snapped his hand away, afraid of having touched a sore spot. I turned around quickly and shook the cold shiver that had run up my spine off.
"Sorry, I'm not used to being touched" I said shrugging on my shoulder. In that moment I realized how soft I was acting and took in a deep breath to man myself up while I slapped myself mentally for beginning to open up.
"You don't say" he said with a cocked eyebrow.
"At least your wounds seem to heal fine, apart from those Konohamaru's ball hit" he said and moved back to his old spot. That distance suddenly seemed to be very far away.
Silence fell upon us, me sitting awkwardly not having anything to rest on, and Kakashi leaning backwards with closed eyes while his arms rested on the stone edge revealing his muscled shoulders and chest more. He looked quite young despite his grey hair color. I rolled my eyes and brushed some wet hair away that was stuck on my face.
"Narutooo!" Sakura's voice could be heard all over the hot-spring and both me and Kakashi looked up.
"S-sakuraa?" Naruto stuttered somewhere. Her raging roar could be heard followed by a splash of some sort.
Someone moved fast through the water, and not a moment after, Sakura appeared looking real pissed. I had to give her credits for that. I didn't think that she had that kind of temper in her.
"Kakashi-sensei can we leave yet? Naruto is such a perv!" she growled, crossing her arms stubbornly. Naruto appeared in the steam looking somewhere between heart-broken and frightened
"Sakura it wasn't me, it was Sasuke" he complained walking up to her side looking like a humble dog.
"Shut up! Sasuke would never do such a thing! Kakashi-senseeei?" Sakura put her hands together in a pleading attempt to convince her sensei to leave.
"Aaw, Sakura" Naruto whined plopping disappointed into the water, muttering something incoherent into the water.
"Well I guess this is enough" he said pushing himself off the stone-edge.
I didn't really want to get up yet, but it would be nice to get away from these uncomfortable situations. Sakura was quick to get up from the water and wrap herself up in the towel, followed by Sasuke and then a sullen Naruto. I wasn't very comfortable with getting up in front of the others and waited subtly under the tree as Kakashi lifted himself up.
"Need a hand?" he asked politely and offered me his hand, bowing down in front of me.
"I can get up myself" I said resentfully and pushed his hand away turning my back to him.
"Well okay" he said indifferently and left me in brooding silence.
Seriously, how could I just have let a stranger take a look at my almost bare back? What was wrong with me? Was this how I was when people were nice to me? Was this really my true persona? Why had I never prepared myself for such a situation! Now I just looked like a complete moron, whenever I opened my mouth. I sighed and lifted myself slowly up from the water, making sure that my wound were okay and then wrapped a white, soft towel around my sore body. I tiptoed inside and over the wooden floor looking around to see if there were others in the room apart from Sakura, who was almost ready. How long did I wait in there?
Sakura glanced absentminded up at me and suddenly seemed to have a hard time with not staring at me, her eyes flickering back and forth from her clothes and me. I tried to ignore her sudden change in behavior
"Toshi?" she asked
"That's me?" I said indifferently as I tried to find head and tail in my bandages. Sakura seemed to consider her words cause there was a long pause before she spoke again.
"What?" I asked getting impatient with her intense staring. Did I have something in my face?
This seemed to make her snap out of it.
"Um, you just look different when you're all cleaned… Like, really pretty" she said sounding somewhat amused.
"Erh… Thanks… I guess" I muttered, scowling suspiciously down at her for a moment.
Sakura waited patiently for me by the exit as I tried to wrap up my body and then take on my clothes. It was apparently a longer process.
.
Outside stood Kakashi with Naruto and Sasuke, waiting for the two girls to come out. He leaned up against a railing taking some time to read his book while he could.
"Why do girls spent so much time in there?" Naruto groaned and crossed his arms impatiently.
"You'll probably find that answer yourself when you grow up" Kakashi said, lifting his eyes over the edge of the book.
"Huh… You know? Tell me tell me tell me tell me?" Naruto suddenly hopped enthusiastically in front of Kakashi, hoping that his teacher would tell. Kakashi moved a bit to the side to avoid the eager kid
"Easy Naruto" he said looking at Naruto as if he was dumb.
"Hey guys!" Sakura called from the entrance of the bath-house.
Kakashi instinctively looked up to at Sakura and the blonde woman behind her… Naruto went silent and narrowed his eyes to, approximately, identify Toshi who was walking sullenly behind Sakura. She must've been very dirty, cause she looked completely different from before. She was actually kind of beautiful. Pretty enough to stand out in a crowd of other girls. He watched her silently as she neared, taking a good notion of her looks, cause this what not the picture that came into his mind when someone would mention her. Her long, sandy blonde hair hang mussed and wet down her back and her cheeks were flushing red from the temperature of the hot-spring. Kakashi suppressed an urge to look surprised and glanced down at Naruto and Sasuke seeing that they were about just as surprised as he was… In their own way. Toshi scowled at them when she got closer and when she moved her vicious eyes to his, he felt suddenly intimidated by her and fought the urge to look away in surrender.
"What're you looking at?" she snapped angrily folding her arms.
This time Kakashi looked away at the same time of Naruto and Sauke. It was quite obvious how they all looked at her. How lame… He scratched his neck embarrassed as Naruto looked into the sky and began to talk about the weather. She was Toshi after all.