The Phoenix Child

by Kabooza

Torn, hurt and broken by her surroundings as she is fated to live a life of great pain and pure power. She is the phoenix's child. The prophecy will be fulfilled. Read and review.

4. Fate



The Phoenix Child

Chapter Four
Fate

The sun shone through my window and hit my face. I groaned loudly before pulling the blanket over my face and tried to continue my slumber but I couldn't do so. Even though my blanket was over my face, the sun rays were still able to escape through the tiny holes in the blanket and disturb me from my sleep.

I knew I won't be able to sleep anymore, maybe for the fact I slept too long. I moaned before pushing the blanket off me and slipping out of my bed. I rubbed my eyes awake and then looked around my room, stifling a yawn. I hadn't eaten anything except for the breakfast last morning. I didn't bother lunch neither dinner because I knew that if I didn't sleep, I would have done something absurd so I came to the conclusion to rest my head before I embarrassed myself... more. So when I came home, I hurried to my room, jumped onto the bed without even bothering to change myself and at once fell into a dreamless slumber.

I had a jetlag. I had never slept this long and strangely I liked it. But I knew that it was once in a decade that I had this kind of dreamless sleep.

I looked at myself in the mirror, my hair was fluffy and was sticking around in different directions and I felt slightly glad that my dark circles had slightly lightened and my face had regained some color. I looked more like a lively corpse now then a dead one. Wait… aren't corpses suppose to be dead?

Shaking my head at my own thinking, I stretched and went lazily to the bathroom. I opened the brown door and stepped onto the white tiles, barefooted. I slightly winced at how cold they felt under my feet but I quickly turned on the tap and steaming hot water started to flow from the shower. I took off my clothes which were crumbled because of the long sleep and threw them in the laundry box. I sighed loudly before entering the hot water.

As the hot water fell on me, relaxing my nerves, I allowed myself to think what had happened yesterday.

It took me a total of five minutes to realize that whatever happened seemed like a blur to me and I, surprisingly, couldn't really remember what had happened except for a confusing dozen scenes that probably looked like a dream; an illusion.

But the problem now was that I couldn't remember what exactly the dream was and what exactly the reality was. And I, innocently, pondered on the question, as I dried myself with a nearby towel, at what I had to do and what had happened.



As I changed into another identical pair of clothes, I suddenly remembered a few embarrassing things that had happened. I blushed a deep red color, as I combed my damp hair in front of the mirror and gave myself a final look over (in case I hadn't dressed wrongly), and I told myself countless times that everything would be alright.

Like my life, for example. It was far from being alright. But that's what an unlucky, broken, embarrassed and ugly girl is supposed to do; give herself false encouragement.

I stretched and looked at the plain gray colored clock sitting at my bedside table and suddenly froze. I let out a defeated sigh.

8.00 am.

"Damn it,"

Wasn't I supposed to go to the Third Training Ground at the crack of dawn? I seethed at how pathetic I was before jumping out of the window and falling, firmly, on the ground below.

Wasn't giving a first good impression important? I thought miserably as I made my way through the Yesha Compound, ignoring the hushed whispers, the warnings of mothers giving to their children and the hatred filled stares. Really, when I was eight, I had gotten used to all of them and now, even though I wanted love and kindness, I didn't really mind their stares. Sure it hurt and all, but it also meant that I was only a person that was different. Pathetic maybe?

I started to run as soon as I was out of the compound. I finally remembered a few blurred things including the moments I saw Uchiha and Naruto kissing, and me laughing and Uchiha looking at my suspiciously. Then I had burned the desk and spoke rather arrogantly. I felt ashamed of myself because I only proved that I am a pathetic, miserable and stupid person in front of the people who are suppose to be my team for a couple of months starting today. If I ever reached the training ground that is. I wasn't really a bad person neither was I a mass murderer, a blood thirsty demon etc like the villagers had been gossiping about. I felt ashamed the way I had acted and it only proved that I was the horrible illusion that everybody had created.

My first impression was not really anything to be proud of. It was something I would regret all my life. And the only thing I learned from all the experience was that a person should not stay awake more than forty-eight hours, like I did.

I panted as I stopped in front of the barred Iron Gate which opened to the huge training ground in front of me and tried to think of a solution that would save the rest of my dignity. Well… whatever is left of it that is.



I was already late so I wasn't really worried if I was a few more minutes. I gulped down a huge amount of air and tried to think.

After a five minutes of time wastage and throwing random answers around in my head; from the truth (which was too embarrassing to tell) and from the lies (which I am not in a habit to do so), I only came to one conclusion and believe me, it would have not taken so much of mental effort that I put it, I decided to apologize.

How?

Well… as I didn't want to waste another five minutes of my life pondering aimlessly on this question, I ignored the nervousness that had started to stir in my stomach as I started to walk through the gate and towards the training poles. I fumbled with my kunai pouch, checking if I had a right amount of kunais and other weapons just in case I have to defend myself if Kakashi-sensei thought of killing me.

"Just be yourself,"

Sometimes I get confused at what my Phoenix suggests me to do; sometimes I get confused if his suggestions are a sarcastic remark or a serious advice. Because everybody knows that if I be myself, I would get into trouble for sure.

I halted my thoughts and skipped behind a couple of trees as I stared at the three figures a few meters away from me. Two of them were sitting and another was standing, with his hands on his hips. I bit my bottom lip quietly as I stared at them. They were waiting for someone.

I suddenly realized that Kakashi-sensei wasn't there. I felt a pang of relief in my stomach as I leaned against the tree trunk, my back against them. If Kakashi-sensei wasn't there, it meant that I would not get into much trouble. I straightened myself and turned to walk towards the group when I bumped into a warm body.

First I did not know how to react. I just froze, thousands of possibilities coming into my mind. Were they playing a joke on me? So if I came late, they will act as nothing is wrong and then when I relax, they will pounce on me like a predator on a prey?

Or maybe the tall person in whom I had just bumped into was really an assassin set by the Yesha Clan to kill me.

Maybe that's the reason I didn't feel any chakra presence.

Why me?



So, gulping loudly, I slowly craned my neck upwards and stared with my scared terrified eyes at the smiling figure of Kakashi. I blinked my crimson eyes for a second before stepping back a little, surprised.

"So here you are. And I thought only three of my students arrived for the test. Kimiko, you shouldn't be hiding," Kakashi said in a soft gay voice.

I lowered my head, embarrassed. Was I mentally abnormal that people acted like that? Or I was ignored by everyone? Was I mentally retarded that I always hid from everyone?

"So-sorry," I stuttered in a quiet voice. This was what I was good at… apologizing, even for those mistakes that I did not commit. When I was young, I used to stay quiet in front of my father when he insulted me and tortured me but once I went for a walk and I saw my fellow classmate, Hinata Hyuuga, stuttering in front of an old man. All she said was sorry and had gotten away with nothing more than a glare.

But obviously, sorry did not really work for me. But even then, I tried.

Kakashi looked at me with a raised eyebrow and motioned me to follow him. I followed obediently, my head low, my crimson hair hiding half of my face. Why am I always so afraid?

We reached the three-ninja group and were greeted by angry shouts coming from Naruto and Sakura. I was surprised at first at what I had done but I soon realized that shouts were not, surprisingly, addressed to me but to Kakashi. I inwardly smiled; I wasn't the only one who was late then.

Kakashi waved his hands in front of him in a defeated manner.

"Well, a black cat crossed my path and as you know, black cats are bad luck so I had to take a longer route in order to reach here," he said.

I blinked at him and quickly memorized the excuse.

"What a pathetic excuse,"

"It's good,"

"Sheesh…"

After a long awkward silence, Kakashi stepped aside and I was revealed from his shadow. I, nervously, looked up at my staring comrades before focusing my gaze at something else on the ground… like a rock.



Kakashi ignored the awkward silence and the stares and took something out of his pockets which made a jingling sound. I looked back at what Kakashi was holding and was surprised to see that he was holding three small silver bells.

"As everyone is here now, let's start the test. What you have to do is to take one of these bells from me and you pass,"

"That seems easy enough," I thought inwardly as I looked at the three jingling bells dangling from their strings in Kakashi's hands. My eyes widened. Wait… he is only holding…

I felt a dry knot quickly form in my throat as I stared at the amount of bells. Three. Not four. So it was true that I was an extra? A useless idiot? That Kakashi didn't even bother to get another bell for me. I felt a sharp pain in my heart and I tried my best not to gasp out in pain. I bit my bottom lip and controlled everything with an emotionless expression.

"But there are only three bells, we are four in number here," Naruto said, loudly, pointing his index finger at the jounin.

I looked at him. Well, looks like today was a good day. Somebody noticed that I was here and I can be counted as a fourth person. I was relieved.

"Well, that was the test is all about. One will fail eventually and-" he pointed his finger at something behind them. I turned and say three wooden training polls in the middle of the ground "- will be tied on the training post,"

"What kind of punishment is that?" I thought to myself as I remembered my torture times with my father. I could hardly move in the end. But, of course, that was torture and this was just a mere punishment. There has to be a difference between the two and now I knew.

"After the test, you will all be given lunch boxes to eat and the person tied on the post won't get anything,"

I heard a very loud gulp from Naruto and at that time I suddenly remembered that I hadn't eaten anything except for the two bowls of rice at yesterday's breakfast. But surprisingly I didn't feel hungry at all. I first thought having a Phoenix inside me, allows me to eat more than a normal person. But suddenly I realized that I wasn't a normal person so I didn't eat like a normal person. My appetite was less than a bird's. So I act like an abnormal person and ate less. I could go without food for weeks. Sometimes I was grateful for my phoenix's chakra.

So the whole punishment wasn't really anything special for me. I had it much worst but I didn't really want to look like a dork, getting tied against a training pole and getting failed 

whereas others would be holding onto their bells like prized possessions and having triumph smirks on their faces. Then would be the stares. Those horrible horrible stares. I felt a shudder go down my spine.

"Hide at the count of three,"

I jerked my head, putting aside my thoughts and looked at the elite ninja in front of me who was pointing three fingers in front of us.

"Three,"

I felt everyone around me stiffen. I felt a pang of nervousness and confusion in my stomach as I tired to think what to do. Why wasn't my brain working right now?

"Two,"

I tried to tell myself to relax. I was naturally good at hiding wasn't I? So why wasn't my body working?

"One,"

I felt two of my comrades, by the help of their chakras; disappear into the nearby mass of trees.

"Damn it,"

I pushed my chakra into my feet and, doing a quick cartwheel, jumped towards one of the trees. I landed onto one of the branches and hid my petite figure behind the tree trunk. I put my hand on my heaving chest and tried to control my beating heart. It wasn't that I was already out of breath; it was just the nervousness of the whole thing.

I had a bad feeling.

I hugged my knees tightly before turning my head a little and peeking at the side of the huge trunk. I narrowed my crimson eyes when I spotted two figures fighting at the ground.

I spotted the blond mass of hair and quickly recognized him as Naruto. I was impressed at how quickly he had hid himself, analyzed Kakashi's weak points and then quickly attacked. It was, to me, amazing. No wonder he was the Kyuubi's vessel. I had gained new respect for the blond boy for sure.

I felt my Phoenix stir inside, telling me to go and fight too. I shook my head at once. No way was I going in there that soon! I needed to make a plan before I go. I bit my bottom lip as I rested my head against the tree trunk and watched as Kakashi dodged and attacked Naruto's clones.



Should I use nin-jutsu or tai-jutsu? Both of course but my first priority would certainly be tai-jutsu. It would be using my skills then, by the help of the Phoenix, I would attack with a fire attack. Till now, I only knew two fire attacks and, that too, were hell simple. I had watched other ninjas doing it and had taught myself.

I must have daydreamed a lot or something because when I again concentrated on the battle in front of me, I saw Naruto hanging upside down, screaming, from the tree, a rope tied on his ankle. Kakashi was nowhere to be found.

"Maybe I should help him," I thought to myself. Would I make a fool of myself if I did? But… wasn't helping people a good thing?

I was about to jump from the tree branch when I saw Naruto cut the rope himself and fell on the ground. I looked at him, feeling suddenly stupid. Of course, we are ninjas now. It's an obvious thing that we, except for me I think, can easily escape from traps like those.

There was a loud yelp from Naruto and I watched him as he fell into another trap set by Kakashi. He was dangling from the tree again. I sighed loudly as I took out a shuriken from my pouch and jumped down from the tree branch and stretched.

I looked around to see Kakashi but couldn't find him anywhere but just to be careful, I made a shadow clone. I nodded to it and I watched it run quickly towards the hanging boy, who was pouting like a kid with his arms crossed over his chest. My shadow clone ran and quickly hid behind the tree.

I, mentally, ordered it cut the rope and it did. Naruto, surprised at what happened, fell face first into the mud. He groaned loudly, rubbed his head and sat up, looking around frantically, a kunai coming from nowhere into his hand.

I made the shadow clone come in front of him. Naruto looked at my identical body in shock and slowly backed away.

"Are you alright, Naruto-sama?"

Even though I wasn't standing and experiencing the scene a few meters away from me, I could still feel the strange silence that had engulfed the two. The strangeness of it all, the shocked and bewildered expression that Naruto was giving my shadow clone, and my clone, looking down at him, trying to care.

But me and care… it wouldn't do as there was an unwritten rule somewhere in this universe that hating me was a must. I sighed loudly before disabling the technique altogether, not caring about Naruto's answer. I watched as my clone burst into a flying shadow and was carried away by the wind. I rotated my shoulders a little before stuffing 

my hands into my pockets before walking through the mass of the trees, trying to find Kakashi so I could get over with everything.

I suddenly heard a loud scream. I stopped in my tracks, my hands making towards my kunai pouch and retrieving a sharp kunai. I gulped and was about to follow towards where the scream came from when I suddenly felt the brewing presence of flames.

It can only be two things. A fire attack or an intense fight. Both consumed energy.

I, still holding the kunai, ran towards where I had sensed the flame and I erupted from the mass of trees after a few minutes of running. I gasped suddenly before, quickly, hiding behind another tree.

Uchiha and Kakashi were fighting. And it wasn't like the fight with Naruto and Kakashi but it was something more. I blinked my eyes, continuously in amazement, as Uchiha planted a kick on the jounin's face and he was hardly able to block but Uchiha again, quite expertly, planted another kick and almost grabbed the bells, which were tied on Kakashi's belt, but he was thrown away a few feet. Uchiha didn't even stumbled, something I would have done in the similar situation, but skidded effortlessly onto the ground.

He clapped his hands together and quickly started to make hand seals of a jutsu. My lips went dry and my eyes widened much more from before.

"Katon: Gaton no Jutsu!"

He blew a string of fire from his mouth towards Kakashi, whose eyes were widened at what was happening, and in a matter of seconds the elite ninja was engulfed into flames so high that I couldn't see him at all.

"Chakra usage: fifty percent in the fire. Chakra left: forty percent. That fire is strong. Almost my equal,"

I suddenly felt a sudden movement disturb the flow of fire and I frowned deeply, staring at the brewing fire.

I gasped in shock.

"H-he escaped?!"

I clinched my hands into fists as I stared at the now dying fire. The flames disappeared and the Uchiha looked at the results.

He wasn't there.

"Where is he?"



I gritted my teeth in sudden anger. What had happened? Where was he?

Uchiha looked around frantically and suddenly he was pulled under the earth. My eyes widened.

"What!?"

In a matter of seconds, Kakashi appeared from the earth and was standing in front of the almost buried Uchiha who looked pissed at the situation. With much difficulty, he raised his head towards the smiling face of Kakashi.

I felt a pang of vengeance in my stomach as I clinched my hands even tighter, my nails digging into my flesh, bruising my skin slightly. How dare he… how dare he escape such a powerful fire? It was like insulting her ability, her power… her Phoenix!

"He is open; I am going in,"

"Remember; don't be too reckless,"

I nodded to myself, determined and pushed a good amount of chakra under my feet. I wanted to be as fast as I can.

I ran, my hair flying in the quickness… I felt I almost disappeared into the air. I quickly appeared behind Kakashi and stopped. Kakashi, surprised, turned his head slowly from the Uchiha but I didn't let him do anything else. I had to be fast.

I raised my leg and aimed to kick his chest, but as expected, he blocked. According to my mental plan, I knew he was distracted at me for appearing out of nowhere and I, taking my advantage, raised my hand and touched the forgotten bells on his waist. Kakashi's eyes widened and Uchiha gasped as my fingers tightened and I tugged at it, freeing it.

I was surprised myself. I had expected Kakashi to do something but he hadn't and I had easily taken the bell.

I stumbled backwards, holding the cold bell in my warm hands and blinked at what had happened. The vengeance I had felt earlier had disappeared. Wasn't I supposed to show how powerful fire was than to take the bell?

I noticed the orange book in Kakashi's hand. Maybe that was distracting him?

Uchiha seethed and struggled, trying to get out of the earth. I looked at him, distracted. And then that's when I felt a powerful punch in my stomach, I stumbled backwards as the air was knocked out of me. The bell from my hand slipped and landed with a thump on the ground.



I looked up in a daze and saw a rather blurred Kakashi standing a few feet away from me, his fist raised.

"Why… why did he hit me? Didn't I take the bell? Haven't I passed?" I shook my head, trying to clear my vision. I looked at the bell on the ground and was about to reach for it when Kakashi stepped over it. I looked at him, surprised. He was reading the book again.

"You made a wrong move that leads to the position you are now in. You are now at the beginning, you are now supposed to fight me again,"

"Wrong move? What did I do?" I thought to myself in confusion.

"Whatever it was, you have to fight again,"

I clenched my hands into fists and bent down, narrowing my eyes, trying to find the perfect spot to attack. I could sense Uchiha getting up from the ground a few feet away from us. I breathed out and launched myself on him, without a second thought.

This time, I felt like an idiot, whatever I did, wherever I punched or kicked, he dodged easily, his attention not in the fight but in his book.

I bent down and kicked at ankles, trying to knock him down, but he simply jumped. I gritted my teeth as I planted my hands behind me on the ground and lifted my both feet, trying to kick him at his chin but he simply did a flip and landed a few feet away from me.

My feet still up, froze, at what he had done and quickly did the cartwheel in order to stand up safely on my feet again.

I slapped together my arms.

"Why isn't anything working?!"

I started to make a complicated hand seal. I noticed Kakashi looking at my hands in interest. I stopped and stretched out both of my arms.

My first fire technique.

"Fire Element: Supernova neglect,"

A huge amount of fire erupted from my hands, eating away my chakra. The fire that came from my hands took shape of a small phoenix and Kakashi was engulfed into it. After a minute or two, when I was completely out of my chakra, I stopped and panting looked at the huge wall of fire in front of me.



It was obvious that this technique was more powerful that the Uchiha's. It would have been impossible for anyone to escape.

My eyes widened when I felt a sharp object at the back of my neck. I gulped and turned my head back.

I saw Uchiha fighting with Kakashi a few feet away from me and the person who had his kunai against the back of my neck was no other than Kakashi.

Shadow clones.

I turned sharply, not caring as the kunai cut a long deep cut at the side of my neck and kicked the surprised jounin in the chest. He exploded into smoke.

I panted, a sharp pain stirring up in my stomach where Kakashi had earlier punched me. I put my hand at the side of my neck to stop the bleeding as I looked back at the fire wall that had, now, disappeared.

I turned and watched Uchiha and Kakashi fighting. Uchiha was sending thousands of invisible kicks towards the elite ninja but unfortunately, none of them made it.

The blood was flowing to fast around my neck but it wasn't really affecting me. I was so used to pain that mere cuts like these didn't hurt at all. I shifted my hand from my neck to my stomach. I suddenly coughed. My hand, automatically, reached my mouth and I touched a warm liquid on my lips.

My eyes widened when I saw blood on my hands.

"The punch wasn't that hard! Why am I coughing blood?!"

"Isn't it obvious?"

I froze suddenly, staring at nothing particular.

"Your body is still injured from the last time your father tortured you. The electric shocks doesn't only harms the special organs but the healing also takes time,"

I blinked my eyes and rubbed the blood coming from my mouth. I took a deep breath.

"I see,"

I slapped my hands together and started to make a few hand seals.

"What are you doing!?" My phoenix exclaimed.



I took a deep breath and blew a fire ball straight at the pair fighting. Uchiha's eyes widened as he jumped backwards. But he wasn't the only one, Kakashi, expertly, dodged too.

"This pain…"

I stretched my trembling, blood soaked hands, and clutched them tightly again. The fire ball, which was about to hit the trees, halted in its movements and stopped. I opened my hands again.

"This pain…"

I moved my hands at the right and the fire ball aimed towards the jounin.

"…It's nothing compared to…"

The fire ball made contact with the elite ninja's body but he quickly jumped away so the fire only caught his sleeves. I was about to control the fire again but a sharp pain erupted into my stomach and I coughed. My hands retrieved, breaking the technique, towards my mouth, trying to maintain the coughing and the flow of blood.

"… Compared to the after results,"

I felt Kakashi suddenly running towards me.

"The taunts..."

I looked up, rubbing the blood from my mouth. I had eased my coughing but I had made a mess. Blood was everywhere on my clothes and my skin.

"The hatred…"

Kakashi laid a hand on my shoulder and I looked at him.

"The stares…"

I straightened up and looked up to see the Uchiha panting but staring at me.

"The pain? The blood? It's nothing compared to those things…"

I pushed the last of my chakra into the tips of my fingers and reached quickly for another bell around his waist. I plucked another one and put it in my pocket.

"…Compared to FAILURE!"

And Kakashi hadn't even noticed that the bell was gone. Nobody did.



"It's finally over, Phoenix,"

"I told you not to be reckless,"

"Sorry, I kind of got carried away,"

"Are you alright Kimiko?" Kakashi's voice rang into my ears.

I straightened up and nodded.

"Never been better," I said monotonously.

Kakashi raised his eyebrows at me.

"Can you heal me Phoenix?"

"Don't I always?"

I wiped the blood from my mouth again as I felt a nice sensation in my stomach. Like water running smoothly on tiles, with no rock or debris to stop its flow. Like the sun which burned forever without stopping. A wonderful sensation. My Phoenix was already healing me.

"Thank you,"

I looked up at Kakashi who was still looking down at me.

"Please don't stop because of me. I can still fight,"

"WHAT!?"

Kakashi shook his head and straightened up.

"No. Time's already over. It's time for lunch anyway. Let's go,"

I nodded obediently, slightly relieved. I looked up at the Uchiha who was muttering something under his breath and seemed to be in a bad mood. Kakashi walked towards the main ground and I and Uchiha followed him, quietly.

Soon the bleeding in my neck had also stopped but I didn't wipe off the blood just in case anybody noticed my quick healing abilities. I looked sideways at the quiet yet irritated boy walking beside me but quickly regretted it because my neck gave a sudden pang of pain. I straightened my neck again and fixed my eyes on the dirt.

Soon we were all sitting against the training poles, quietly. Well three of us were except for Naruto who was tied against the middle of the training pole and was groaning about something. Sakura looked shaken up and I felt her suddenly sigh in relief when she saw 

Uchiha walking beside me. Naruto and Sakura were both horrified and shocked to see my blood stained exposure. It was strange for them to notice because my clothing and my features were both red in color and I always thought that more red would stay insignificant and unnoticed in me. But I guess I was wrong.

"Phoenix?"

There was no answer. It didn't always mean that the Phoenix would talk to me. It was rare when I was little, a word or two every week but during my growth, he became more talkative. But sometimes he ignored me too. I didn't really mind.

As I sat down on the ground and looked earnestly at Kakashi, whose eyes were hard and he was staring at all of us, I felt a sudden urge of ridiculousness come over me. Here I was, covered in blood and maybe the only one who had gotten the bell but nobody knew that I did. And neither had I had any courage to stand up and say "HEY! I PASSED! I AM THE ONLY ONE! HOORAY!" Why not? The reason was VERY simple.

One, I wasn't brave enough to do that. I didn't want to be in the middle of attention. Maybe because I never got it and suddenly getting it just seemed awkward to me.

Two, what would the others feel? I mean, they didn't get a bell so they all failed right? They would feel bad as though their hard work was useless because they didn't get a bell at all.

Three, if any of the word reached my father's ears, I would be skinned alive and would barbecued on a camp fire then my meat would be thrown to the dogs for their dinner.

Four, I didn't take the bell with a proper fight. I just sneaked it in my hands and that too, after when the time was over.

So, hugging my knees cowardly and as though my bravery was just an illusion to myself and everyone else before, I sat there, looking up at Kakashi with my crimson eyes. And then, at once, feeling my loss of blood, I jerked my head a little and my ruby colored bangs came in front of me.

My shield was always there to protect me.

There was a minute silence. Naruto finally shut up.

"Looks like you all worked hard… I have similar news for you all," Kakashi said with a light smile on his face and with a very satisfied expression.

My heart leapt and I stared up at Kakashi in an unbelievable expression. I passed? I couldn't believe it.



"I passed! Isn't that great!?"

There was no answer from my Phoenix and I didn't mind at all; I was relieved and happy and I didn't want anyone to tell me otherwise.

I noticed Sakura get up and started yelling happily of getting passed and Naruto was swinging his leg aggressively, shouting "NOWAY!" I smiled a little and the only person who was acting somber and suspicious was Uchiha sitting a few feet next to me. My smile flattered as I glanced at him from the corner of my eyes.

Kakashi suddenly spoke.

"The news is that you all fail,"

My heart stopped beating and all the previous celebration from Sakura and Naruto stopped in a sudden halt, making the atmosphere dead quiet. I jerked my head in shame as my bangs covered my eyes. Of course, it was obvious. Nothing could go right in my life. I was ashamed that I even thought of getting passed by shedding so much blood and even though I had taken the bell, it was when the time was over and it wasn't like I did with a cool jutsu or something but I took it in a pathetic sneaky way.

Like a thief.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE FAIL!?" Naruto yelled on top his lungs and I flinched at the loud noise. A sudden headache pondered in the back of my head.

"Not only fail, but you all were so pathetic that I will not allow you to go back to the academy… which means that you all are not good enough to be ninjas,"

I ducked my head in my knees. I, not being a ninja, fitted so rightfully in my fate that I didn't doubt Kakashi's decisions for a second. If I wasn't a ninja, then I was nobody and that wasn't surprising for me to handle at all… though if I went back to the academy, I would be disgraced even more in my Clan and I wouldn't want my brother's comments and my father's harsh looks.

But not being a ninja for me was nothing at all but only confusion. If I was a ninja, I wouldn't be powerful at all. If I wasn't a ninja… what do I do?

In either way, I was still a roasted idiot that my father wanted to throw to the dogs.

There was a sudden movement from beside me and my hair fluttered at the sudden wisp of wind. Surprised, I looked at my side and saw that the place where Uchiha was sitting was empty. I furrowed my eye brows as I heard gasps from my teammates and there was a loud thud in front of me.



I, lazily, looked straight and saw Uchiha underneath Kakashi, his hands held back and his face, which was grinded into an irritated expression, down on the earth with Kakashi's foot on top of his head.

"What just happened?" I thought to myself.

"How pathetic… there is something wrong with all of you here that prevent you of being a ninja,"

"I know… I lack everything,"

Kakashi looked sharply at Naruto, who was yelling like an idiot again.

"Naruto," he said in a strict solemn voice "you fell for easy tricks, are reckless and you don't think at all. You just went all high and mighty and start to fight without thinking,"

Naruto frowned, his eyes closed, his lips in an angry position.

"NO I AM NOT!"

Kakashi ignored him as his eyes fell on Sakura who jerked her straight, looking at Kakashi is surprise.

"Sakura, you did not help Naruto when you saw him get stuck in the tree but you were trying to help Sasuke. Naruto is your teammate too… team work is important and in missions you have to make quick decisions. For example…"

Kakashi took out a sharp kunai from his pouch and pointed towards Uchiha's throat that narrowed his eyes sharply.

"Sakura, kill Kimiko or Sasuke dies,"

I felt sweat roll down my cheek as my eyes widened slightly as I looked at Sakura in shock. What is she going to do?

Sakura looked shaken up as she frantically looked from Sasuke to me and from me to Sasuke. Sakura took a deep breath, took out a kunai and then looked at me with an evil smirk on her face.

"No problem!" she said.

I yelped, got up from the ground and hid behind the training pole.

There was a minute silence as Kakashi twitched in irritation and withdrew the kunai back into his pouch before glaring at Sakura who grinned sheepishly and put her kunai back too.



"I hope that doesn't happen in real missions," Kakashi sighed.

"Wait. That was a joke?"

I felt relief wash over me as I inwardly sighed. I peaked from behind the training pole at everyone.

"Kimiko,"

I jumped and looked at Kakashi suddenly who was glaring at me.

"I order you to quit being a ninja,"

I, again, felt the thrashing pain in my chest that I often felt when people say too dramatic words against me and they stare me to death. I always took them to consideration and then had a battle with myself that what they said was true or not and always, in the end, those nameless, faceless people won who judged me before even knowing me.

When I was eight, my powers went out of control a lot of times because of those words because I rejected them. When my powers went out of control and suddenly somebody got a wound or two, my father would get furious. He would take me home and torture me until I was bled from every cut on my skin.

From that day, I decided that rejecting things would only cause me trouble and pain and even more hatred from people all around me who were only looking for an excuse to trap me in their hatred filled illusions. From that day, I accepted people's insults without battling with myself that they were true or not. They called me a monster and from that day, I became a monster. They called my ugly, and from that day I was ugly.

Accepting things were much more painless that I could have ever imagined and slowly my powers started to stay in control. Until those days when the phoenix couldn't take it anymore and started to act up against my will. It came out, saying that it will teach them a lesson… all those humans who were blind.

And the torturing from my father did not cease but soon enough, as I started to walk alone in those same streets filled with stares, I realized that even if I object, in the end, I would never win and I have to face the same circumstances that were of before.

So even though my chest pained and I felt my heart squirm around painfully, I ignored that harshness inside and agreed to what they had to say.

And this time, I did the same too. Though my face was hesitant and my voice stammered, I was glad that I did not cry… now.



"O-okay," I stammered, my voice first had a little wobble then it maintained into an emotionless voice and my expression became monotonous.

Kakashi raised his eye brows.

"Tch… that's your problem… you are hesitant and you don't think for yourself. Yes, you did take advantage of Sasuke's fight with me but your moves were hesitant and you lost your concentration in the middle of the fight, allowing me to take you on. And the fact that you foolishly allowed my kunai to stab you on the neck shows that you won't last long in a mission at all. You don't have to get into other people's words,"

It was slightly surprising for me. It was like Kakashi wasn't telling me about the fight but was actually telling me how to deal with problems in my life. Does he mean that if they called my ugly, I wasn't ugly? But wait… then there has to be a reason why they called me that.

But even if I was ugly, was it going to be in the way if I had to fight with a ninja? Not at all… maybe my ugliness would scare them off or prevent them from…

I quickly rejected that thought but taking Kakashi's words into consideration, I thought I was pretty foolish, stopping the fight when I was progressing so nicely and then getting drenched in blood.

I assumed that if an enemy in the mission would say to me that I was too weak to fight him and I should probably quit being a ninja, I would, if I would be alive, do it.

Sasuke suddenly groaned, breaking my chain of thoughts, and tried to shove off Kakashi from top of him. I looked at him in wonder.

"For how long can he stay in such a position?"

"And you Sasuke… you regard the other members of your team as useless and think that they are not worth your time. You are arrogant and you think too highly of yourself. You prefer to work alone and don't like teamwork," Kakashi said before releasing him.

Sasuke scrambled gracefully onto his feat before glaring at the elite jounin who didn't even budge at his glare.

"As you can see, your entire problem is teamwork and planning. If you all had worked together, then you would have easily taken the bells away from me and you would have all passed,"

There was a minute silence and then Kakashi turned around to go.



"It's time for lunch. After you have your lunch, you will try to get the bells from me again. If you fail, yet again, then you will all have to quit being ninjas,"

Before he walked away, he looked sharply at us before speaking in a deathly voice.

"And don't give any to Naruto. He cheated,"

Naruto grumbled as Kakashi walked away.

As Sakura handed the lunch boxes, which were only three and were lying a few feet away from them, I noticed that the silence was as awkward as in the classroom but maybe this time it was more. Then, when Kakashi wasn't there, everybody didn't even know that I was a part of the team. But now we did and maybe the silence was because that nobody knew each other.

How were we able to work together?

I sat down with my lunch box and opened it. It was rice, eggs and dumplings. Although it looked delicious, I had no appetite to eat and to me, the food looked disgusting and I felt a sudden feeling of nausea in my stomach.

After spitting so much blood, it was obvious that my stomach would reject food even if it was as good looking and delicious as in the lunch box.

I was about to close my lunch box and put it aside when I heard a VERY loud growl come from Naruto's stomach. Surprised, I looked openly at him as Sasuke and Sakura ignored the sound. Naruto noticed my surprised gaze and suddenly tried to cover it up.

"Oh that's nothing… I can stay alive without eating for weeks!!" he shouted.

"Wow… weeks! I can too but I was never confident or daring enough to test it. But Naruto-sama actually did it and survived for WEEKS! He is so brave!"

There was another loud growl that came from his stomach and I blinked.

"Maybe he was already hungry for weeks and now he is at his limits… and that is why he is hungry,"

"Or he is lying,"

"Phoenix! You are back!"

"I am going back to sleep… I will wake up when you need my power,"

"WAIT!"



I suddenly felt the Phoenix presence gone as I sighed to myself and looked up at Naruto again.

"Do you want to have my lunch, Naruto-sama?" I asked in a low whisper.

I didn't even thought that I would go on and say something like that. It was an offer and I didn't even thought about the consequences. Kakashi told us, strictly, not to give any food to Naruto because he cheated and it was obvious that if the person who will break his order, would certainly end up stripped away from his or her Konoha protector.

But I couldn't help it. I wasn't eating it anyway and it would go to waste. And as Naruto was so courageous and could stay away from food for weeks, it was obvious that Naruto deserved the lunch box more than anyone especially me.

Naruto at once brightened up and looked at me with a huge smile.

"REALLY UGLY RED!? YOU WANT TO GIVE ME YOUR LUNCH!?"

"Ugly Red? Is it my nickname now?"

I tried to smile but couldn't because of the offensive nickname. But before I could react in any way, Sakura objected in her loud obnoxious voice.

"Are you crazy Ugly Red? Wait… you are. If you give Naruto your lunch, you will be going against Kakashi-sensei's orders and then we will all get into trouble,"

I lowered my eyes, now confused but didn't say anything.

"I think Kimiko has a point," Uchiha suddenly added.

I spun my head towards him in surprise.

"WOW! He called me by my NAME and AGREED with me! I have a supporter! Wait… what point do I have? I was sick and was giving my lunch to Naruto because it wouldn't go to waste? What kind of point was that?"

"If Naruto doesn't get anything to eat, he will be weak and would be a burden to the team. And if he becomes a burden, he would be in the way and we won't be able to get the bells as we have to do teamwork,"

Sakura's attitude changed at once.

"You are right, Sasuke-kun," she squeaked.

I inwardly scowled.



"Although it sophisticated, it's still mean. Doesn't he care that Naruto is hungry and Sakura and he are just being mean by eating in front of his face? I would have been more pleased if Sakura had said that…"

I stood there with a quiet look before I looked back at Naruto and cocked my head sideways before outstretching my arms and raising the lunchbox until his face.

Naruto blinked.

"I am tied," he said.

"Oh…"

I took out a kunai and cut down the ropes so Naruto was free from his binds. He stretched and grinned before, aggressively, snatching the lunch box away from my hand and started to eat it in super speed.

I, having to get up to give the lunch box to Naruto, was about to sit down again when I felt a sudden change in the atmosphere.

Kakashi emerged from behind the trees, his eyes full of menace and were steel cold, his hands clenched into tight fists, ready to strike. His strides were big and powerful as he walked towards me. The sky, dramatically, started to darken.

I trembled as he ran towards us, his face etching with anger. I gulped loudly.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" He shouted loudly.

Naruto choked over the food that he was eating. Sasuke straightened up and Sakura got up in fright, her legs shaking. I was already standing before and my face had gone paler than before.

"Naruto was hungry! If… if he didn't eat then our…our team would be… weak and… we… would…fail and all," Sakura stammered out words.

"We had to do teamwork anyway," Sasuke added.

It was my turn and the way Kakashi was looking at me, it me wanted to go behind a tree and weep until late night again. Trembling, I bit my lip.

"Urrr… yo-u told me not to… not to…you don't have to get into other people's words!" I said, mustering all the rest of my courage.

The atmosphere even got more dangerous. I stepped back and stumbled over a mere rock before falling on my buttocks, scared to death.



Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he looked at me sharply. He, then, without waiting another second, charged towards us.

I closed my eyes and embraced myself for the hit but when I didn't feel one, I peak opened one eye and saw Kakashi, smiling, standing a few feet away from me.

"Congratulations, you all pass,"

The breath that in me, surprisingly, didn't went out like I had expected from the start, when the results would be out. I was still sitting there, my shoulders stiff and my eyes suddenly wide in surprise, as I stared at Kakashi-sensei.

"What the hell is going on?"

Kakashi looked down at us, suddenly acting very friendly.

"You agreeing to feed Naruto shows teamwork and you did that in order to help your teammate even though you had to disobey me. The goal of this exam was to work in a team and you already did that… making you the first team to do so,"

Naruto, who was looking around stupidly before, punched the air and yelled in a loud voice.

"Yeah! I passed!"

Sakura laughed slightly before looking at Kakashi-sensei again.

"But… there were only three bells and there were four of us…?"

"The aim of the test was to see if you all worked as a team or not and having one less bell only showed that the team would have to go through this obstacle that one of them is going to fail and would, in the end, turn to against each other to fight for the bell," Kakashi answered before tapping the bells on his belt. He stopped and stared down at them. I felt my body go numb.

"Ahh… there are only two bells here… which means that one of you either got the bell or I accidentally dropped it," he mused to himself.

I tried to concentrate my attention at something else and finally fixed my attention at a stray rock on the ground.

Kakashi shrugged carelessly.

"Oh well… let's us go. From tomorrow, we will start our missions," he said before turning around and walking away.



I sighed in relief as I got up from the ground and touched my neck. The wound was healed but my skin was covered in dry blood. I, unconsciously, started to rub the spot, trying to get rid of the blood but it was no use.

But I was glad that it didn't hurt anymore.

I was about to follow Kakashi when I felt a pair of eyes looking at me.

I turned back and saw Uchiha's eyes fixed on my neck. I blinked in horror and started to walk away, trying my best to ignore the fact that he might have noticed that my cut had healed.

As we walked away, I allowed my gaze to look at the sky and I sighed, silently, not wanting to get any attention from my team.

"Nee… Ugly Red?" Naruto's voice broke my thoughts and I averted my eyes from the sky towards him, questioningly. I could feel the others listening secretly too.

"Yes?"

"You didn't eat your lunch but instead gave it to me. Weren't you hungry?"

I panicked. I was NEVER good at lying! Neither was I good at recognizing people LYING! I and lying were heavens away and that was the reason why I tried to memorize excuses that were given by my brother and now… Kakashi-sensei.

"PHOENIX HELP!"

"Just say anything… he is so dumb, he would believe you anyway…"

I gulped silently.

"I just coughed blood so my stomach wasn't working right,"

"Nicely put in…"

"Are you making fun of me?"

"You are so oblivious… even of a joke,"

"But that doesn't tell me that you were hungry or not," Naruto said, stupidly.

Sakura frowned and punched him on his head. Sasuke rolled his eyes. I stopped in my tracks and stared at Naruto in surprise. Everyone stopped too.

"WAIT! IT DOESN'T!" Naruto yelled, staring at me, expecting me to answer.



"Uhh… food good through the gullet into the stomach," I answered him, surprised that he didn't know this fact.

Sakura and Sasuke stared at me in an unbelievable expression.

"What?" I asked them.

"What's a gullet?" Naruto suddenly asked.

"That," Sakura muttered.

I looked at Naruto.

"Gullet is the Esophagus," I answered him.

There were more unbelievable looks from Sasuke and Sakura.

Naruto blinked at me in confusion.

"But that still doesn't tell me that why you didn't eat," he whined.

"I just told you that my stomach…"

"SHUT UP!" Sakura yelled on top of her lungs.

I froze, scared.

Sakura glared at me.

"Ugly Red, Naruto is too stupid so if you started to explain him how the body works, he will destroy your mind," she seethed.

I blinked and looked at Naruto, closely.

"He is?" I asked curiously.

Sakura growled and I blinked again in confusion. She turned fiercely towards Naruto who gulped loudly and took a step back.

"She didn't eat because she is monster and monster don't eat,"

"But I do eat," I objected "I just said that my stomach…"

"UGLY RED!" Sakura turned towards with a menacing glare. My eyes opened wide and I stepped back.

"Don't talk!" she ordered me.



I felt a pang of hurt in my heart. I lowered my eyes; my face suddenly became emotionless as I steadied my steps. But I never talked… I never ever talked and when I do, I am a burden?

"Kimiko, don't take it too hard,"

Remembering Kakashi's advice, I nodded at Sakura and started to walk again.

I could feel the stares of Uchiha, Sakura and Naruto on my back but I still kept walking.

I was in my bathroom, taking a hot shower and rubbing off the blood when I suddenly realized that Kakashi-sensei had suddenly disappeared from the view when Naruto had asked me that question.

Oh that freaking question.

I closed my eyes as I felt the hot boiling water in my hair.

"I hate to be called Ugly Red," I said to myself before turning off the shower and slipping into a white bathroom gown.

I got into my pajamas and was lying in my bed, looking out of the window, at the stars as I started to pounder on things.

When I had reached home, there was nobody there. Actually most of the important people in the Yesha Clan had suddenly disappeared especially my whole family. I had walked into the kitchen and saw that there was nothing to eat. I drank some warm water, trying to sooth my scratched throat and went to my bedroom.

I suddenly remembered the third Hokage's and Kakashi's conversation when I was eavesdropping.

"They are going to do something bad to me and I can just feel it…" I told the stars twinkling high above through my window.

I sighed.

"What is the duty of a Phoenix's child? Just living like this? I don't understand anything at all,"

"I don't want to be hated anymore," I whispered, suddenly my eyes filled with tears.

"SHUT UP!"

"DON'T TALK!"

"UGLY RED!"



"ARE YOU CRAZY!?"

I closed my eyes, trying to get rid of the sudden thoughts in my head. Sniffing, I wiped the tears away from my eyes and looked dizzily out of my window again.

A line creased the sky, lighting it up for a second. A shooting star.

I closed my eyes at once.

"I wish there would be someone that would respect and love me,"

I kept my eyes closed and I eventually fell asleep.

yo everyone. These past few days has been very annoying for me. My electricity keeps going and before that a murderous virus attacked my laptp which is only used to write stories and I had to install another windows. Sorryfor the delay...

btw... there are a couple of things I want to tell you all, this is an oc fic but it also contains a couple of other oppinions too. now the thing is I want you to
worry about changing the storyline. The storyline, like that in show and manga, will be changed slightly but it would probably stay the same.

Another Iwanted to clear up is the reason why naruto isnt defending kimiko when sakura calls her a monster is because naruto likes sakura and he doesnt understand what to do himself... he isconfusd.

ok... the next chapter will probably about the teaming and blah blah... there would be some interactions.

one more hing befor i go... kimiko is a confused lost girl who say different things that isnt what she wants to say. she is lost and deprived of love. she underestimates herself a lot.

the caracter more or less matches mine. please dont get bored reading this.

comment and make me happy.