Warring time jump ahead.
Summary: Eyes glistened with a golden hinge, blood dripping out of her nose. She would save them, even if it killed her. Slight SI. Third War Era. OC
….
Chapter 6: Interlude
"She went to the window seat and sat there, sniffling, hating them all, and herself most of all. It was all her fault, everything bad that had happened." George R.R. Martin, 'Game of Thrones'
….
Mitsuko threw a chewy candy at Kaoru's face. The girl gave her a miffed expression as the candy fell into her lap. Isamu tried to stifle his laughter. "Alright you two cut it out." He called out like a patient father.
The Yondaime's sister stuck her tongue out at him, barely dodging the candy as it made a return trip. Isamu did snicker at that. Kaoru didn't have the greatest aim throwing non-weapons. "Alright so what to you both think of Fox?" Mitsuko finally asked after a moment the real reason they were shacked up in her over the top sealed for privacy Jonin apartment and not her office.
Kaoru made a face. "I don't know Tachio. It just hard to think of anyone other than Stag being the assassin of our squad." And the occasional saboteur but who was counting. Mitsuko nodded her head at that assessment before turning to face her guard.
"Sparrow?" She prompted, and even though they weren't wearing the mask this was still a conversation between Anbu captain and her team. Isamu had a thoughtful expression.
"I say we give Fox a chance if it doesn't work out just transfer him to another captain and pull Badger from Dog." She smirked slightly at that Kakasha had finally picked a mask for Tenzo. It was Mouse approved.
"That could work, I'll let Bear-sama know what we've decided then. Lizard seemed to like Panda so he'll keep him and we'll let Fox go through an interim with us to see if we can work with him. But when he's around Mask names only." Because Mitsuko couldn't fight this feeling she had about him.
The medic and guard nodded their heads in agreement, Kaoru then stuck a piece of the sweet candies in her mouth. Mitsuko managed to hit Isamu in the jaw when he wasn't looking and somehow the two ended up staying the night.
In the morning Kaoru made them breakfast while they all struggled to get up. "Do you ever cook?" Kaoru wondered out loud looking at the prepared bento's made by Kushina-sama. Mitsuko looked in her fridge. That was more than last time she looked, then shook her head at the medic.
"Never in my life. Shina-nee has always cooked for Minato and me. And still does apparently, I didn't realize those were in there." Kaoru laughed at her captain, she then wondered what the woman would do if it weren't for her and Isamu making she ate regularly and stayed on strict sleeping schedule. Because you needed more than four hours of sleep weekly.
Isamu was chuckled at the conversation while toweling his hair. "I'll take over if you want to go take a shower Kaoru." He threw the damp towel over the back of a chair. Mitsuko eyed it warily, she'd probably have to do laundry today. Kaoru nodded her head before handing something to their male teammate and heading towards the bathroom.
Mitsuko had a fond smile on her face towards the two. She was thankful for mornings like these.
…..
Mouse gave Fox the go ahead signal, they needed to do this quickly. She was ready to be back in the Village, her team had made their mind up on Fox after running mission with the assassin for a year and a half. The Anbu captain should have never looked back. Never taken her eyes off the assassin for one second. She'd regret that for the rest of her life.
Mitsuko's mask was laying broken somewhere, she was having a hard time breathing. They had been tricked. Sparrow was dead, his body bloodied and broken among the ruble of the building. Raccoon was nowhere to be found. Or at least the captain hadn't found her medic yet.
She pinged her chakra hoping that she'd get a ping back. When she did, she hadn't liked what she found. Raccoon's mask was nowhere to be seen and she was missing an eye. "Tachio." The bastard girl chocked out. Mitsuko fell to her knees next to the dying medic.
"I'm here Kaoru, I'm here." She allowed the medic to lay her bleeding head on her lap. Mitsuko ran her fingers through the dark woman's hair. There wasn't anything she could do. Not with that bar embedded in Raccoon's abdomen even with medical ninjutsu the iryou-nin would bleed to death before she could heal herself.
"He.. was.. here.." The woman gasped between words, her pain immense. Mitsuko didn't have enough in her to conceal the surprised look.
"He was here? Your father?" Raccoon nodded her head, closing her one good eye. Perhaps if she could just go to sleep. She could barely feel Mouse's tears as they dripped down into her dark hair. After a moment she couldn't feel anything as she drifted into death's darkness.
Mouse was furious, she pulled the shrapnel from Raccoon's stomach and then sealed the girl. Just like she had done with Sparrow. She would bring them home. Even if it was just too burry them. Fox was a dead man, Mitsuko was going to make sure of it.
She closed her eyes searching for the chakra signature of the rogue agent. From the feel of his chakra he wasn't faring the well. Another moment and she had his location. Eyes glowed with a vaguely gold tone, she could feel the flow of reality around her.
He should have known better than to piss of the Yondaime Hokage's little sister. With a blade in hand that wasn't hers and the temperament of a broken child she was gone in a flurry of glittering gold light. When she found Fox he was hunched over breathing heavy Sparrow had done a number on him before the traitor finally killed him. She held nothing back, he barely dodged her blade.
Mitsuko had never been a master with a sword but she could use one efficiently in a tight situation. This was considered such situation. Fox threw a Katon based jutsu at her, she dodge easily using her reality displacement technique and years of experience being around her brother's Uchiha student and her own Uchiha teammate. "You're going to have to try harder than that if you want to hit me." Fox sneered at the blonde.
"I should have known it was you Namikaze-san, you always were so full of yourself." His tone was terse and dark. Mitsuko sent him flying across the field, her fist made contact with his mask covered jaw while he had been too busy sneering at her.
The man rubbed his jaw, the mask cracked from the impact. Raccoons Mangekyo sharringan caught her gaze and Mouse saw red. Fox didn't last long after that. His head rolled on the forest floor both eyes wide open. Mitsuko discarded the sword, she calmly walked over to the dead body. With a snap of her fingers both head and body went up in flames. Fox wasn't the only one who could use Katon based jutsu's.
Mitsuko summoned a small humming bird once she made it a safe distance from the destruction. "Mitsuko-sama is everything alright." The bird questioned as it flew around her taking in her appearance. She shook her head.
"No Hansuke I am not. I need you to take a message to Konoha." The bird pecked her cheek in acknowledgment. Mitsuko gathered her thoughts before giving the message. Because she still had to finished the mission.
"Report only to the Yondaime. Tell him he needs to get the anbu Comander. Once they are both there tell them exactly this. 'A fox consumed the sparrow and raccoon." She paused in her instructions the next part needed to be phrased right. Mitsuko cleared her throat the summons waited patiently for her to gather herself.
"Screw it. Say this 'Sparrow, Raccon and Fox are dead. Fox was a traitor. Request for back up'." Hansuke nodded his head at her before flying away quickly. Mitsuko collapsed against a tree, she'd needed to go to the nearest Leaf border post.
Lizard's squad came a few days, with the plus one of Stag. Stag took one look at his former anbu captain and frowned behind his mask. "The Yondaime sent Lizard's squad in to complete the mission, an order is out for your return." He informed the mask-less woman, watching cautiously for her reaction. Mitsuko had never been one to quit a mission. There was however a first time for everything.
She nodded her head quietly, gave Lizard everything she knew and walked towards with a slight limp Stag. Mouse didn't have a medic anymore to take care of her, and Lizard's squad hadn't had one. "Alright, let's go."
…..
Her head hit the back of the stone, tears streamed down her cheeks. Eyes were red rimmed from crying and her throat sore. Mitsuko finally buried her face in her hands and just let it all out. For two weeks she held it in, between returning home and arranging funerals for her fallen teammates she hadn't had time to grieve. She sore she'd never do this again. But here she was more than ten years later sitting at that same stone crying over lost teammates. To make matters worse any and all leads on Madara we're now in the wind.
She felt someone sink down next to her in the dirt. They pulled her close. Mitsuko buried her face into their chest. Fingers ran soothingly through her hair, trying to calm the distraught woman. It would have been more effective if they weren't also upset.
It had been two years since Stag ran a mission with his old Anbu squad, but he still made an effort to see Mouse, Racoon, and Sparrow on his downtime. That wouldn't be happening any more. They were gone, Fox had been a traitor. Stag held his old anbu captain close, he knew what else she had lost.
"I can't do this anymore." She cried, she couldn't train up another squad to be as close nit as her old one. Mitsuko wouldn't be able to lead anymore.
Another person joined them on the ground. "I'll take it from here Namiashi-san." Stag nodded his head, Mitsuko sat up before taking on look at the person and breaking out in tears again. Kakashi wrapped his arms around her pulling her close. Namiashi Raido stood gave one last look to the two anbu captain's bowed his head and left.
"We'll get him." Kakashi's tone was stone called it held deadly intentions. Sparrow and Raccoon had been his friends too. Not to the same level of kinship they held with their captain but he felt their loss.
Mitsuko sniffled, she sure hoped so. They both deserved that much. Truthfully they deserved so much more than that. Her life had been one thing, it hadn't meant much to her but their lives… Oh their lives had meant a tremendous amount to her. Fox had gotten off easy.
….
Mouse stood in the Anbu commander's office. She had never brought up to Raccoon what Bear-sama had wanted to know. Now she wished she had because this felt like betraying the woman's confidence. "Like Uchiha Obito, Uchiha Kaoru had a relation to the previously presumed dead Uchiha Madara." Mitsuko didn't want to do this. Swallowing her pride she continued.
"Hawk-tachio found her during one of our first missions." Bear nodded he remembered when Hawk had brought back the dark hair girl, and placed a mask on her face. Mitsuko remembered it too, like it was yesterday and not eight years ago. Another deep breath and she went to speak, but Bear held up his hand. He could tell that this captain was having a hard time.
"Mouse, just write a report on it. You are dismissed." Mouse bowed her head to show respect and high tailed it out of there.
She didn't go to her office or to her home. Because those places reminded her to much of them. Instead she went to sit on top of the Hokage's monument. Specifically the Nidaime's forehead protector. Mitsuko would have stayed up there all day too if Obito hadn't found her first.
"You can't be up here." Mitsuko barely turned her head to look at what sounded like a member of the Uchiha Military Police. She did a double take when she saw the sad look on Obito's face.
"Obito-kun." She muttered under her breath. He extended his hand to her. Mitsuko took his carefully. Obito pulled her into a small embrace once she stood.
"Oh Mitsuko-chan." He kindly ignored the gross sob that escaped her lips. They had a special bond. One that was formed the moment she saved his life. Obito like most of the ninja she knew was taller than her, so she easily buried her face in his chest ignoring the feeling of being displaced.
The Kumai dimension was a weird place. But it would allow them to speak freely. He could tell she needed to. Kaoru told him everything she knew and most he wanted to know about his sharringan. That being said Minato had been one to tell him of the relation between him and the founding member of his clan. Mitsuko late anbu mate had also told him everything about herself. "He was there!" Obito exclaimed after Mitsuko finished explaining in full what had happened to her team.
"I didn't see him, but it was the last thing Kaoru said. However I was too busy taking Fox's head to go looking for her traitor father. Even if it would have lead me back to Madara. But I wasn't thinking rationally." Like she said all leads on the Madara were gone. Kaoru's father was in the wind and she had killed Fox mercilessly. The bastard had it coming.
"It might be a good idea to bring this up with Fugaku-sama." Mitsuko shook her head. While taking a seat on the ground. Obito readjusted to sit next to her watching her closely. He had never seen her like this.
"I couldn't even get the words out to Bear-sama. Once he reads the report I have to write he'll decide what to do next." Obito was frowning at her, something in her tone didn't sit well with him.
"Mtsuko-chan?" He questioned uncertainly. She finally met his glaze. Mitsuko wondered briefly if he should know the truth, the truth about her. Slowly she shook her head, no she swore to herself she'd never breathe word of that to anyone.
"I'm not okay, but I will be. Come on we need to get back before anyone notices we're gone." Obito nodded his head they stood, Mitsuko took the extended hand before he pulled them back to their reality.
….
Time spoon on for the anbu captain, she was shifted around to lend a hand on several different squads never taking on a new team. Bear-sama and the Hokage decided to sit on the information she had given them. She then ran lots of missions with Dog's squad. Badger, the ROOT operative she had spared stuck close to her during those times. Mouse would tell Dog thank you eventually.
Almost two years past by without much notice for everyone else. Mouse however noticed and on what would have been the ten year anniversary of the starter of Hawk's squad she turned in her mask. Bear-sama was understanding but stated if they ever needed her skills she would be pulled. The former captain could accept that, she was anbu's best infiltrator and quite frankly no one had measured up to her skill yet.
Mitsuko once finished with her conversation with Bear-sama went to hand the man her mask. He would not take it. "Remember, I might still call on you from time to time." He told her pleasantly and for the first time in a long time he saw the Namikaze woman give a genuine smile. She bowed her head in acknowledgement before he dismissed her.
She left the Anbu headquarters with her head held high. Because they had all seen that she couldn't do it anymore. Dog met her at the entrance in the slandered Jonin uniform, wearing a half blue mask to cover the lower portion of his face. He gave her a lazy look calling out to her from where he was leaning against the wall. "Took you long enough Mitsuko-san."
Mitsuko grinned at him and slowed her pace. He visibly protested her defiant act. "If you don't hurry we'll be late to the party." A party being thrown for whosever's birthday she had forgotten. She was grinning from ear to ear at him when she finally reached where he was standing.
"We're going to be late anyway, I promised to grab Tenzo for Tsunade-sama." Because Minato thought it had been a good idea for those two to meet and the woman all but adopted the then child into the Senju clan. Kakashi made a face at her.
"When you asked me to meet you here I could have grabbed Yamato on the way." He pinned her with a pointed look and she just shrugged. She hadn't really bothered to correct herself with his name change.
"But where's the fun in that Hatake-kun." She teased while looping her arm through his. The silver haired anbu captain and jonin sighed at his female counterpart. Mitsuko smile mischievously before a confused look crossed her expression.
"Whose's birthday is it any how?" The man groaned at her exasperated.
"Gai's." He told her pointedly. She smiled innocently at him, because they both knew she'd forget before getting there. They walked the rest of the way to Tenzo's apartment in silence, after at max five minutes Mitsuko was banging obnoxiously on the Mokuton users door.
"Tenzo-kun you better be ready, or were going to be later than usual!" She half shouted through the door. Kakashi wanted to sigh at her antics but refrained because the door opened soon after. Yamato was standing opposite of them in his casual wear which like the sole Hatake was the standard Jonin uniform. Mitsuko was wearing her usual outfit of dark navy turtle necked side split tunic dress/shirt and tight back leggings with heeled shinobi sandles. Her hair however was not in its common side braid and was hanging in loose waves for once.
"Mitsuko-tachio there's no reason to shout." Yamato told her somewhat tensely, she was smirking at him. He did actually sigh at her antics.
"So you say, come on lets go. I'm certain Shina-nee will kill me if we arrive any later." Because for some reason even being the sister of the faster man alive and having her own technique to ensure she was always the fastest opponent in any fight didn't however mean she was on time for anything not work related. That seemed to include various social events and even family dinner on the rare occasion. Mitsuko proved to be a piece of work without her two squad mates. Neither her brother, nor the two men standing next her seemed to realize how much Sparrow and Raccoon did for her.
Kushina had obtained training field seven for the party, no one's home would have been big enough for all the people. Because while Kakashi had said it was Gai's birthday he might have been lying to her. This was actually a party to celebrate Mitsuko's retirement from anbu, skillful disguised as one of their friend's birthdays. When they finally arrived Mitsuko was engulfed in a hug from her favorite Uzumaki. Well around the calf hug from the almost four Namakaze-Uzumaki child.
"Naru-chan." She scooped the blonde boy up into her arms. Nuzzling her nose against his cheek. The little boy giggled. Kakashi and Yamato blinked, it was obvious that they had been abandon in favor of the toddler. They shared a look before splitting up, Kakashi to make sure Mitsuko was actually okay and not just acting because that was way more enthusiasm he'd seen from her than recently. Yamato went to find his almost clan head.
Obito and Rin wondered over to where the female Namikaze was coddling her godson. "You should probably put him down Mitsuko." Rin suggested as she approached even though Naruto looked perfectly content in his aunt arms. Mitsuko shared a look with the four year old.
"You hear than Naru-chan Rin-chan says I got to put you down. So I need you to go on a top secret mission." The boys smile widened at that. Mitsuko did as the other woman suggested but not before whispering something in his ear. They shared an evil grin, Mitsuko kissed his forehead and then sent him on his way. Rin raised her brow, Mitsuko held her index finger to her lips. The Uchiha chuckled he couldn't wait to see what Mitsuko told the little boy to do.
Raido slung his arm around his former captain as he approached the small group. "You're going to get poor Naru-chan in trouble Tachio." Mitsuko smiled at the former agent Stag, it was the sort of fond smile she had often given the other two and the members of team seven when they suggested something stupid.
"I would never do such things Raido-kun, you hurt me to even suggest such things." Her smirk said otherwise and the totsubeku jonin laughed at the blonde women. Besides Naru-chan wouldn't get in trouble just her brother. She's never let her nephew risk his mother's wrath like that. Mitsuko wasn't irresponsible.
"Congrats by the way." Raido let her go and wondered off at that. Mitsuko looked down at her feet a small smile making its way across her lips. She was for the first time since Sparrow and Raccoon's death almost happy. Kakashi eyed her carefully, something was going on with her.
….
Mitsuko ran actual jonin missions for the first time in a long time. Her first mission out of Konoha was been a diplomatic mission to Ame. The Ame trio had been happy to see her even though she didn't stay nearly as long as the first time. While she was there she also got some advice from Konan on something she didn't fully understand and hadn't wanted to ask any of the leaf konoichi she knew.
"I just don't see how that's possible." Mitsuko argued with the older woman who raised her brow and gave the girl a week smile.
"From what you describe it sounds like he has affections for you Mitsuko-chan." Mitsuko made a whining sound at Konan and the fact that the blue haired woman was smirking at her.
"But how? We aren't even that close, he knows my former mask better than he knows me." She complained throwing herself down on the couch. Konan laughed quietly to herself, her sempai's little sister was surely amusing.
"From how you describe yourself and what I've seen they're mostly the same Mitsuko-chan." She groaned, put out with the explanation and a little with herself how she had missed that. This was a disaster. Konan watched with an amused expression as the younger woman's face turned bright red.
She patted the girl's raised knee as she passed by the couch. "You'll figure it out Mitsuko-chan. But you should probably rest for your return trip." That's right she was leaving in the morning. On the plus side she was bringing Nagato with her so he could finally meet his cousins. Diplomatic and Escort mission of a high profile foreign shinobi. She could check that off on her mission to do list.
"That is probably for the best. Okay I'll see you in the morning Kanon-sama." Mitsuko bowed her head, before jumping up off the couch and heading to her designated sleeping quarters. Konan shook her head at the blonde. She was something else.
The next morning a half-awake Nagato and the leaf konoichi who looked like she hadn't gotten any sleep were standing together at the main gate of Amegakure accompanied by the two other leaders of new Ame and a small salamander. Mitsuko took one look at the summon nodded her head in approval and moved on. "So are you ready Nagato-sama?" She questioned taking in the red heads half-awake state. He nodded his head partly confused. Hadn't they told her not to use sama on their names.
"Have a safe trip back Mitsuko-san and don't be a stranger." Yahiko's large hand landed on her small shoulder, he had a calming smile on his face. Mitsuko nodded her head the oranged haired leader of Amegakure.
"Of course, I'll make sure to keep a good eye on your teammate as well." Konan and Yahiko nodded their heads in approval soon after the two set off for Konohagakure. Nagato and Yondcaime's sister made light conversation the whole way back.
Mitsuko liked the Ame Uzumaki. He had been kind enough to accept the offer to come and meat both of his cousins once they had their leadership more stabilized. As they walked up to the village gates Mitsuko shook her head as something occurred to her. "How long are you staying again Nagato-sama?" She asked him, Nagato wondered where this new train of thought had come from because the woman had been content enough to ramble about her nephew/godson and his little cousin most of the morning.
"A few months a think, why?" He wondered, the blonde woman sighed loudly shaking her head. A laugh broke from her lips the moment after he answered. She patted him on the back.
"Shina-nee is most likely going to try to teach you Uzumaki sealing. I hope you're prepared." She was not laughing at him. Really. Mitsuko walked up to the two chunin working the registration booth at the gate.
"Afternoon fellows! Namikaze Mitsuko reporting back from diplomatic mission in Amegakure. I also have Uzumaki Nagato with me." She pointed her thumb at the red headed young man. The young man with a piece of cloth covering his nose nodded his head at her.
"Welcome back Namikaze-san, I'm sure you can take Uzumaki-san to the right place." She gave him a cheery smile.
"Yep. Have a good day fellows. Come on Nagato-sama." She made a follow her gesture before she hopped up on a nearby roof. Nagato followed her with a small sight, he did not recall her being so enthusiastic last time she was in Ame. The Uzumaki leader of Amegakure had not been able to spend much time with her this go round up until the return trip. They suddenly came to a landing on the first story roof of the hokage tower just outside the Yondaime's office window.
"Shouldn't we go in the other way?" He questioned as Mitsuko peered through the window discreetly. She shook her head.
"Minato and I have an agreement." Too many people tried to talk to her when she went the normal way. Mitsuko didn't always like to be disturbed. Nagato shook his head as she pushed the window open, she climbed through first. He didn't see it but Minato shook his head at her. Once she was sure Nagato was in good hands with her brother she mock saluted them both.
"Alright boys, this is where I leave you Nagato-sama. I have a genin team to go harass." A genin team she'd gotten half a year ago around the same time she retired from running Anbu missions, one that was still doing D-ranks so she hadn't taken them on her B-ranked diplomatic mission. They'd would however take the C-rank escort mission a few months from now when they returned Nagato to Ame.
….
Mitsuko sighed as she watched her genin from the tree above. Kushina had basically guilt tripped her into taking them. 'Mikoto would sleep better knowing the Yondaime's sister was the jonin-sensei of her oldest son' she had said, 'it only be until they made chunin' Mitsuko rolled her eyes at the memory no way she was little this group of brats try for chuhin anytime soon. Sure little Itachi was skilled enough to be one but like a young Kakashi he didn't fully appreciate the thought of teammates. The other two needed some work but she'd eventually have a great intelligence based team once they improved and could actually work together.
She jumped down from the tree branch, and pulled apart the wild little girl and the little boy who wasn't an Uchiha. "That is enough Gaki's." Little Itachi snickered at the two while munching on a rice cracker. Mitsuko leaned against the target post after a moment and sighed. Hadn't she asked Obito to look after them?
"Welcome back Mitsuko-sensei." The little girl exclaimed happily once she realize who had pulled her away from Daichi-kun. She sighed at them. Why had she agreed to this? Because Kushina had asked on behalf of her friend, and the little girl on her team. Mitsuko had promised to look after the kids they found in that base and that girl had been one of them
"Yeah yeah, I'm back. Tell me where did Obito-sensei get off too?" Itachi perked up at the mention of the fellow clans' member.
"Hatake-san came to get him, said they had a mission and to wait here for you until late noon." Daichi the tallest of her genin answered. He'd make a good medic one day, right now he just needed to calm the hell down.
"Right, wonderful. Okay well we still have enough day to do a D-rank. Alright gaki's let's go to the mission office." Mitsuko let the kids lead, she dragged behind them slowly. They'd get one maybe two d-ranks in before there wasn't enough light in the sky. Another sigh escaped her lips. Joy.
XOXOX
So I'm sorry…. Truly sorry, but it had to happen. Uh please don't hate me.
Moving on, so much is going on in this chapter. Raccoon and Sparrow are dead, Mouse left anbu, we found out a little about Kaoru's past, and Stag's identity had been confirmed. More stuff happened too, but those are the important features of this chapter well sorta. Yes I made Mitsuko Itachi's Jonin sensei. No I will not apologize. I have plans for that.
Bonus, the little girl's name is Aiko, it's mentioned briefly in a previous chapter. She called Mitusko a stranger. Aiko and Daichi are about ten and eleven here. Itachi seven or eight. Mitsuko in the last part is like twenty or so and is older than team Minato by two-ish years. I'll figure it out eventually.
So let me know what you think!
Sincerely, La'Rae
Music Inspiration for this chapter
Let it All Go- Birdy, RHODAS
The Keeper- Kina Grannis, Marie Digby
Wings- Birdy