Chapter two: New genin and a special mission
'Darkness….I can't see…anything' Then came the pain, the fire burning every inch of her body. A scream sounded out.
There was a knock at the door. Karina shot up screaming. She shivered and noticed she was sweating. Tears had pricked the corners of her eyes. She wiped them away angrily and got out of bed. Karina stumbled to the door in her pijamas rubbing her eyes still. She opened the door to find a man in a jonin jacket, silver spicky hair and a mask. His leaf village headband covered his left eye.
Karina smiled sleepily at her close friend Kakashi Hatake. Even though she couldn't see most of his face she could tell that he was smiling back. She stepped to the side to let him in. 'Can't sleep again huh'? Kakashi asked once they'd sat down. 'The nightmares keep coming, I can't make them go away' Karina sighed looking down. 'I keep seeing Rize too'. Kakashi looked at her a long time without speeking. They both remember Rize.
Flashback
A blank eyed girl with white hair left the academy wearing her new anbu uniform. She sat on the bench waiting to meet with her new team mates staring out into space. Shortly she was joined by a younger Kakashi in a similar uniform. 'hi there' he said eye smiling. Karina stared at him and nodded in greeting. He sat down next to her and tried to engage in conversation only to receive another stare. Stopped talking after that and left Karina to look onwards towards the woman who was running towards them. She waved and grinned at the pair of them. The woman was wearing the same uniform and had short bright orange hair and twinkling green eyes. 'hi'! she said brightly 'I'm Rize hayashi, nice to meet ya'! 'I already know your name' Karina said in a bored monotone. 'We were all asked to read over each others files'. 'oh I know' Rize said still grinning 'but I thought I'd be nice to introduce myself all the same'! Karina was surprised by her enthusiasm and attitude. 'Does this woman take anything seriously'? She thought to herself frowning slightly. ' Wow that's the first time I've seen you show emotion' Rize laughed. 'Try smiling once in a while okay'?
Flashback end
'The new genin are coming in today y'know' Kakashi said breaking Karina from her thoughts. 'Are you gonna actually take on a team this time'? Karina said smiling at him. 'Maybe, depends if they pass the test'. Kakashi responded. Karina laughed 'bell test again huh'?. 'Of course', Kakshi looked Karina over, 'planning on staying in all day'? 'I've got an A-Rank that Sarutobi wants me to take'. 'Well better get to it, come along with me to the mission room and scope out the genin. I hear that Naruto made it this time'. Karina smiled, she was surprised and pleased that the boy had finally been able to make Genin, even if he was a pain in the ass. 'Fine, go wait outside, I'll be out in a second'. Kakashi gave Karina a funny look, 'no matter how fast you are, I doubt even you can do that.' She laughed and pushed him out of the apartment so she could get changed.
Soon she headed out to join him. They started walking to the mission room together. Kakashi didn't say anything as yet again Karina was spacing out. 'She's always thinking about it' he thought to himself as they walked.
Flashback
The three of them darted through the building taking out anyone in their path, silently killing and not leaving a trace that they were ever there to begin with. An hour later they were sat in the cleared building their mission complete. Karina removed her mask and looked down at it. The white mask was modelled after a cat and had dark blue stripes adorning the cheeks. Rize yawned and stretched her arms 'Hey, lets all go grab food together when we get back'. Kakashi declined 'sorry I have to report the mission as soon as I get back'. He looked over at Karina. 'Karina doesn't have anything though, you guys should go together' Karina was about to object, Rize however grinned and shouted 'Great! We'll grab some dinner together'! Karina sighed and nodded, glaring at Kakashi as they headed home.
Flashback end
Karina laughed out load causing Kakashi to look at her and smile. 'What is it'? 'Oh I was just thinking about that time that Rize forced me to go to dinner with her and..' She was cut short by shouts coming from the training ground. They distinctly heard the voice of Anko Mitarashi. 'Looks like the snake whores already beating the crap out of her squad' Karina said laughing. 'I wonder if there are any decent rookies this year'. 'Well as well as Naruto there's an Uchiha' Kakashi said as they neared the academy. 'Uchiha huh? One of the last…interesting.' 'There's some mysterious kid that isn't from here too, apparently he just showed up at the gates years ago'. Karina smiled 'sounds like this year's rookies are gonna be interesting, I look forward to the Chunin exams. Sarutobi wants me an the others there this year.
They reached the academy and Kakashi turned to her. 'I'm already late to meet my squad, so I'll come see you once you're done with your mission. Karina nodded and continued towards the mission room in silence.
Flashback
'I've never seen you smile before' Rize laughed as they ate their ramen. Karina blushed and rubbed her head. 'I…I've never needed to' she said smiling more. 'You're funny' Rize laughed at her.
Flashback end
Karina finally reached the mission room and approached Sarutobi who, as usual was sat at the table handing out mission scrolls. He spotted her and looked at her with that expression of his, the one that felt like he was looking right through her. 'Good afternoon Karina, how are you'? 'I'm fine sir, I'm sorry for oversleeping again' Karina stuttered out bowing her head in respect and embarrassment. He handed her the scroll with her mission. You'll need to travel to a small village on the route to the land of wind. It'll take a day to get there, once there you will eliminate the bandits that have taken the village over.' Karina nodded for him to continue. 'They have scouts around the area so they'll spot a squad instantly. They will not be expecting us to send a single shinobi. The entire village will be swarmed so you'll have to use a substantial amount of power. We believe they've taken hostages in case of an attack so be wary. You understand why I'm sending you I assume'? Karina nodded again, 'yes sir' She turned and left.
She quickly visited her apartment again and packed extra weapons. 'It's a large group…I might have to open a gate'. Exiting her apartment she soon reached the gates. Izumo looked bored out of his mind and Kotetsu was napping. Grinning evilly Karina walked to where he was sat and sharply hit him on the head. He yelped and jolted awake rubbing the new lump that had risen on his face. 'Fuck, what was that fo- ' He stopped yelling when he saw who hit him. 'Slacking again I see' Karina growled walking out of the gates.
By the end of the day she knew she was close to the village. She had already taken out to scouts. It had turned dark and Karina was crouched in a tree now observing the silent village. 'It's too quiet, shit they must know I'm here'. Karina frowned and dropped down to the entrance of the village. 'There's no point bothering in stealth anymore' she thought as she stared walking calmly through the village. Kuni launched from the house nearest to her which she dodged and shot a kuni with an explosive tag on it into the house. The windows shattered with the explosion and Karina didn't have to look in there to know that the people who threw the kuni was dead. Karina jumped on the roof of the building and made her way to the centre of the village. As she neared it the noise started. People started shouting and running after her towards the centre.
Once she had jumped down into the middle of the village she looked around spotting a group of villagers bound and bruised. They had been beaten up pretty badly. The hostages were surrounded by the remaining bandits, Karina estimated that there were about thirty. She stopped in the centre and confronted to person stood in front of them all. He had red spiky hair and carried a large axe on his back. He was built like a rock, tough and sturdy.
'I'll give you one chance to release the hostages and leave' she stated, glaring at the man. He laughed and looked at her with a cocky expression. ' I would say the same to you Miss, if you hadn't already killed half my men'! He shouted at her. Karina sighed 'If it comes down to a one on one battle of strength I'm likely to lose, although I'm definitely faster'.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on her chakra flow, she felt it surge inside her like an active volcano, ready to explode. 'First gate, gate of opening open!' she thought opening her eyes to find the bandits running at her. She jumped in the air and lightning speed, weaved hand signs swiftly and crossed her ams. Wind Style: Wind blade jutsu! She yelled opening her arms and launching blades of wind the cut through the front line of bandits. The moment she landed she launched herself forward threw a bunch of shuriken towards the next line of bandits.
A single bandit ran at her and swung his katana at her. She crouched and swept his legs from beneath him, grabbing his sword and stabbing it into him as she fell. She heard movement behind her and dodged to the side just before the giant axe cut her in two. 'Stupid brat'! he yelled pulling his axe out of the ground. Karina flinched, suddenly feeling the drain from opening the gate. 'I can't close it yet' she thought flipping backwards to gain some space. She threw another kuni at the leader, hitting him in the leg. He yelled out and went down onto one knee. 'Fuck' He grunted. Karina didn't give him a second to cover she threw a tagged kuni at the ground in front of him causing a smoke screen. She heard the leader curse again. When the smoke cleared Karina was no where to be seen.
The bandit leader got up and limped forward slightly. 'where'd she-' He was cut off as Karina appeared behind him 'right here bastard' she whispered, slitting his throat. He grunted and then fell forward. Dead. Karina walked over to the hostages and unbound them. They got up cheering and started to spread out searching for survivors. 'Thank you isn't enough' a woman cried tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Karina noticed a child behind her, clinging to her skirt. Karina bent down and put her hand on her head. 'Are you hurt'? she said smiling. 'N..no but you are Miss' She said pointing 'Your nose is bleeding'. Karina put her hand up to her face. 'It's nothing' Karina laughed it off and turned around, heading out of the village. 'ugh' She grunted and stumbled once she was out of the village. She felt the drain on her strength. She leant up against a tree. 'I'll have to sleep off this chakra drain' she thought closing her eyes.
Flashback
'Rize'! 'Rize please'! 'Don't leave me'! Karina crouched over her best friend. The once cheerful and energetic woman was now frail and bleeding from the large wound in her neck. 'Karina, look at me' She murmured, moving her head. Karina locked both eyes on Rize's dieing ones. 'promise me you won't stop smiling' she said. 'I worked hard to get a smile on your face and I don't want my hard work to go to waste'.
Flashback end
Karina woke up still leant against the tree. The sun wasn't going to rise for a few hours. She stood up and started to run home wiping the streaming tears from her face.
Karina finally reached the gates by late afternoon. By the time she got to the gates she was barely able to walk. Her whole body ached as she slowly walked through the gates. Izumo and Kotetsu came running towards her, worried expressions on their faces. She smiled at them to reassure them. Izumo came forward and let her lean against him as all three of them went to sit at the gate lookout. 'So the mission was successful'? Kotetsu asked looking over at a sleepy Karina, leaning on a blushing Izumo. 'Yeah, I took them all out, there were so many' Karina yawned. Kotetsu grinned noticing Izumo's expression. 'I don't think you're gonna make it back to your apartment by yourself sooo' Kotetsu stood and swiftly picked Karina up slinging her over his shoulder. He ran off towards the street laughing, followed by a furious Izumo. Karina yelled at Kotetsu and punched his back to no avail. 'Put me the fuck down you stupid bastard'!
He carried on running until he reached the apartment, once there he dumped outside the door and ran off waving bye to her and grinning like an idiot. Izumo sprinted after him looking seriously pissed off.
Karina sat there stunned for a moment and then laughed. She stood up wobbling a little and made her way into her apartment.
'If only Rize could see this'.