Arc Two: Team Work
Chapter Ten
Summary: Hitomi wasn't a people pleaser. But at the same time she wanted them to be happy. Hard thing to balance. Never bothered her though.
"You see anything out there?" Hitomi asks Kakashi he next day, pausing in a cluster trees that was their impromptu meeting spot for trading rotation. Rin was on the ground below her, along with Kenji. The girl still hadn't mastered the tree climbing excerise enough to run through the tree tops confidently, so Hitomi offered for the brunette to take lead on the ground and she herself would become a shadow above, watching the girls back.
"No," Kakashi shakes his head, masked face turning to take a glance around before turning back to her. Inconspicuously telling her to keep her eyes open.
Hitomi nods, balled fist on her hip and smirking, "right, I'll do that. Sensei is looking for you by the way."
He nods and turns, flicking a sign to Kenji and taking off through the forest.
"Lead the way Rin."
"Marry me!"
Hitomi stares at the kid in front of her.
"No." She says calmly, looking away and tipping her tea cup against her lips.
"What?" The kid starts turning red.
"No." Hitomi repeats.
"But.." the kid stutters into silence before turning a deeper shade of red. "I command- hey! Where are you going? Im talking to you!"
Hitomi closes the door silently, continuing on until she reaches the outside, both sensei were standing close by, looking over the field and forest.
"Sensei said he doesn't trust them not to act. This thing they're after is pretty important." Minato grimaces.
Hamatsu-sensei nods, "back up will be here soon, we can send the kids back with one or two and lead the mission ourselves."
Minato nods in agreement, side glancing at Hitomi as she moves closer. He smiles.
"You're not going to tell that to Obito I hope." She grins back, "it would be a horrendous trip back for the rest of us."
"No Hitomi-chan." Hamatsu-sensei responds exasperated. "All Obito needs to know is that we're staying and you're all leaving."
"No!" Obito screams, he saw the ANBU masks and standard flak jackets come into the compound from his position at the window figured out that he wouldn't get any chance to kick anyone's butt today.
"Calm down Obito-kun, please." Rin raised her hands in a placating way.
Shisui and Kakashi rolled their eyes as they sat down at the low table, having just been relieved from their posts.
"It's alright Obito, no need to lose your cool." Hitomi smirks, laying back peacefully.
The door slams open, "before you leave you must-"
"No." Hitomi cuts off the kid.
He deflates, shutting the door quietly.
Obito fell to the floor with raucous laughter. "What was that?" He asks between laughs.
Hitomi shrugs, and stares at the door expectingly.
"What is it?" Kakashi asks, his hand twitching for his pouch.
"Seiza." Hitomi says quietly. All six students dove to their knees around the table, all appearing as if they were watching Hitomi and Shisui battle a game of shogi. True to her part, Hitomi moves a shogi piece as the door opens. Shisui frowns, losing the game already.
Hamatsu and Minato exchange amused looks.
"Alright kiddos," Hitomi's sensei says, clapping his hands, "my three will be going with Panther and Koi."
"And my cute little genin will go with Bear and Natsu." Minato says with a cheery smile.
Looks were exchanged between all but a certain pink haired girl and white haired boy who didn't have to make eye contact to understand what was being communicated.
Kakashi raises his hand, "due to the situation I would like for Natsu-San to be placed on the other team."
"Yeah! We don't need to be jinxed like that!" Obito yells.
The corner of Hitomi's mouth drifted up minutely, not enough to be recognized as a smirk by the new comers but both sensei saw it.
"Fine, Panther and Natzu-San will go with my team." Hamatsu didn't need to roll his eyes to get his exasperation across.
"Fair enough." Hitomi shrugs, "we are the better ninja anyway."
Shisui and Kenji radiated smugness. Obito looked ready to jump across the table but thought better of it when he saw the glint in Hitomi's dark eyes. Rin rung her hands together, looking between everyone nervously. Kakashi just crosses his arms and ignores her. But the message between them had already been delivered.
"You'll be taking the same route but paced far so you can provide backup if needed. But not close enough to attract attention." Minato gave them a serious look even as Hitomi actually smirked. It was so hard for them not to run into trouble.
From across the table Kakashi signed his agreement to her thoughts.
"When do we leave?" Hitomi asks, the apparent spokesperson for the group.
"Immediately." Hamatsu nods, "pack up and meet at the gates.
"I imagine the other team isn't moving as quietly as we are." Shisui smirks. Hopping through the trees, branch by branch with Hitomi in front of him and Kenji to his left. The two ANBU in the front and back of them with Natsu being the latter and Panther the former.
Hitomi nods.
"Not with dobe and teme there." Kenji glares forward, "everything involving those two goes bad."
"Not everything." Hitomi disagrees. "Sometimes it all works out." She shrugs, "they need to work on their teamwork just like we do."
"True enough." Shisui smiles wide, the only thing that made him stand out from his clan.
"Hmph." Said the Hyuuga of the group.
Hitomi was about to poke fun at her pale eyed teammate when two chakra sequences rung through the air. The first one was standard Konoha nin code, the ANBU flashed this one. And the other was Kakashi, in a code only them and their sensei knew. They all broke path, Hitomi leaping away first, followed by Panther, Natsu, Shisui and Kenji in that order.
Feeling ahead she could feel two semi-familiar chakra signatures of the enemies both her sensei and step-father were supposed to be hunting simultaneously. Koi's chakra was fading rapidly while Rin's chakra was working hard just above him to keep him alive. Kakashi was throwing Obito out of the way of an attack that he just barely managed to dodge, sent from one of the female Kiri nin and Bear was fighting one of the Kumo nin.
"Scatter!" Hitomi orders on a whim, all of them jump from their path as a water jutsu slams through the trees. She flashes her chakra to show she was okay, and Kenji and Shisui do the same. The other three genin following suit a second later. Hitomi looks to the destroyed scene just as Natsu lands on the ravaged tree branch, searching wildly for the attacker. Hitomi blinked and then Natsu had a sword cutting through his chest. And just like that he was dead. Hitomi placed furious dark eyes on the missing female kiri nin who just murdered one of her comrades, the woman gave a smug smile.
"Good call sweetie," her short pink hair bounced as she let Koi fall, "but you're all going to die!" She snarls as she leaps towards Hitomi, the pink haired genin jumped forward to meet her, crystal forming in her hand as she did so. Below them Panther flashed towards Natsu's body, sealing his body and moving to help Kakashi.
"Shisui! Go help Obito!" Hitomi exclaims, kunai hitting kunai. They jumped away from each other, the older pink haired girl flashing through hand signs- the younger pinkette doing the same. "Kenji, protect Rin!"
"Got it!" Shisui took off towards his cousin, who had just lit quite a few trees on fire. It took only a few seconds for Shisui to assess all four nin. It was the same group from earlier, just missing Natsu. They were A and B rank with maybe one C- it didn't matter because him and his friends were genin, and they were in the ANBU's way. Maybe. Hitomi and Kakashi could actually be off some help, they both were so extraordinary even at their young age, Shisui mused. He was too- he knew that, but they were so much more. He didnt have as much experience as they did and their thought process was a level higher than his. But Obito and Rin.. they were definitely in the way- and they were definitely being played with right now. Shisui thought angrily, slamming a kunai into the shoulder of the unsuspecting older female mist nin.
She hissed in pain and leapt back.
Shisui smirks. It wasn't a fair fight, but when was it ever? He'd win or he'd die trying.
Kakashi had fought against plenty of A ranked nin (sure it was sparring mainly, with the occasional enemy that Sensei took out). This one bordered S rank more than A. The kumo min was laughing at him, going easy on him. He was outright mocking him. And that would be his downfall. Kakashi made a resolve as the enemies wire shot out towards him that he would take this nin out, then he would take out the others.
Inside Rin was screaming.. and crying. There were definitely plenty of tears in there. But she shoved it all away because she had a job. Because she was the only thing keeping Koi alive. Natsu was dead, she knew that the moment she saw Panther reach a hand in his pocket- actually when she took a small glance away from her work to see the blade cut through the ANBU's heart. But beneath her hands, a chest heaved, Koi was struggling to breathe, and Rin was going to make sure the woman got the help she needed. She had to.
After a few grueling moments a pink crystal kunai ripped through the throat of a pinkette. Hitomi didn't flinch as blood sprayed across her own face and chest. She ripped the kunai back from the woman's neck, more blood sprayed but she didn't care. Because she won her battle. With one foot, Hitomi kicked the woman to the ground. Only pausing for a moment before taking off to help her team.
"Fire Style! Great Fireball Jutsu!" Obito and Shisui roared in unison, seeing an opportunity.
Hitomi makes a sprinting jump over the two, time seemed to pause for her for a second as she flipped above them, her head just above theirs, her feet high in the air as she sped through the correct hand signs.
"Wind Style, Great Breakthrough!" Hitomi smirks, the wind caught and blew the fire, intensifying and causing a blaze. The woman was burned to death and the two Uchiha quickly set out to put the fire out. Hitomi landed paces away and kept moving, heading towards Kakashi who was still fighting the Kumo nin one on one.
Hitomi could feel Jiraiya closing in on their location. Moving almost too quickly for her to follow as she zeroed in on her silver haired best friend.
"No!- Kakashi!" Hitomi screams, the wire flew her way and she skidded on her heels, and stuck her arm out. The wire slices across her forearm and Hitomi violently swings her arm in an arc, wrapping it all the way down her wrist and catching it in her hand.
"Hitomi!" Jiraiya yells, because just what was she doing?! That could tear her arm off! But he was too far away to stop her or to save her.
Hitomi rips her arm back, tugging the deadly wire with her and the Kumo nin at the end towards her. In her right hand a small ball of solid crystal forms, before thick chakra coated the outside in a rasengan.
Jiraiya stopped midstep, in awe, watching as the Kumo nin wasn't able to stop himself and Hitomi launched her very own rasengan right into his chest. His grip on the wire coiled around Hitomi's arm was loosened and he was sent flying.
The Kumo nin rolled to a stop and Hitomi watched his motionless body. Jiraiya came to a stop beside her, bending to her level. He was sure she was out of chakra at this point. And the way her eyes started to glaze over, he knew he was correct. But at least she was alive. At least all the kiddos were alive.
"That was some jutsu." He says quietly.
Hitomi nods silently, watching as he carefully pulls the wire from her arm. The blood started to seep even quicker once the one thing stopping it was removed. "I've only had it in theory before now... i guess it was a success though."
Jiraiya sighs, "you sure did make a mess of yourself while showing off, Hitomi-chan." He pulls out gauze and starts to wrap her arm, gently pressing and tying it off around her palm.
The corner of Hitomi's mouth turns up, starting to feel woozy she put her free arm around his shoulder and leans into him.
"Are we going home now?" She whispers, eyes half closed.
"Yes Hitomi-chan we are." Jiraiya smiles, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her up, holding her close to his chest.
Hitomi nods, tilting her face into his neck. His heartbeat was was just under her ear, lulling her and calming her own senses.
"Sensei!"
"It's about time," Jiraiya exclaims, "where have you idiots been?!" He turns and sees his three students, their own students not far behind with an ANBU squad. Kakashi was propped up on Minato's back. Jiraiya couldn't help but feel annoyed with them. If he wasn't there then what would have happened to his little Hitomi-chan. A spark of pride rose up in him at the thought, because she was his little Hitomi-chan.
"Is that Hitomi-chan?" Fumiko asks, worry soaking her features. She had been with him on his mission, and had been promptly left behind a few miles back when Jiraiya had felt his step daughters draining chakra.
"Meh, she'll be fine." Jiraiya dismisses her, because saying don't worry most this blood belongs to that one dead woman back there didn't sound too good, even in his head.
"Hitomi-chan!" Obito yells, passing the ANBU and running towards his friend. Shisui follows and even passes him causing the others to all start running as well.
Jiraiya rose an amused brow at Hitomi's teammate and best friend. Two Uchiha. His little girl sure could pick em. "She's really just tired. A little bloody, but mainly just tired." He shrugs.
"Is she even breathing?!" Obits screeches, ripping at his wild hair.
Shisui bops him over the head, "don't say things like that! It's Hitomi! Of course she's alive!"
"Ma she's fine." Minato smiles, but the tightening around his eyes said otherwise.
"Let's just get home." Hamatsu didn't even try to play cool like Minato was. "Our replacements are here anyways."
Everyone nodded tiredly. Kakashi a little bitterly.
The ANBU went to collect all the bodies. They would no doubt beat this group home.
Jiraiya watched all the students, amused by their antics. It was going to be a long trip home.
"It was incredible!" Jiraiya exclaimed over midnight drinks with his closest friends and his students. "I went to check out the body, and it turned out that Minato-kuns rasengan - used by Hitomi-chan of course - had ripped through his chest and the crystal ball she had planted inside it, had exploded into him!" Jiraiya's hands waved back and forth as he excitedly told the story. "Her jutsu was rough around the edges but just in-"
"Incredible?" Minato finished dryly. Hamatsu smirked his way.
"Laugh it up, you didn't see what she did." Jiraiya settled into his chair, shaking his head and reaching out to grab his cup. "It surpassed any damage you've ever been able to do with yours." He didn't say it in a mean way, and thankfully his blonde students red haired, fiery tempered girlfriend wasn't here, or shed be having an unholy fit. Minato understood what was said. And it was let go.
Back at the counter, Aiko wiped down some glasses, smiling fondly as she listened to her husband talk about her only daughter (for now). He always spoke about her, always. Hitomi did this today, Hitomi did that yesterday! Honestly Aiko was so relieved that her new husband loved her daughter so much. Otherwise how would they all survive together? She had often worried about that when she first began seeing him, but even in the early days of their relationship, he spoke about her in that fond tone. Aiko's heart swelled and she couldn't wait to get home to express her gratitude to her husband in the way she knew he liked best.
"She is amazing." Fumiko nods in agreement. Jiraiya raises his brow in a see? She understands what I'm saying way. "She should've long since run out of chakra with her own opponent. Then she went off and released an enormous gale wind that we all saw the damage to. Then she went and coated her whole arm in chakra- because that's the only way that arm is still attached to that body! And then she exerted kore chakra dragging him to her, then she unleashed this new jutsu. The girl is incredible."
"Nobodies disagreeing." Hamatsu shrugs.
"Honestly who would?" Minato mumbles, whistling as he tossed over his teammates wording in his head. The little girl was incredible. He shrugs to himself, crossing his arms behind his head and tuning out the bickering that began. It was going to be a long night.
"Honestly, you are one crazy kid."
Hitomi rolled her eyes. Inside she was noting how good Tsume looked for just having a baby a few months ago.
"And I know crazy! I'm an Inuzuka." Tsume smiled with all her teeth, looking more like she was snarling.
"Is there something you need or are you just harassing children for fun? Because if the latter's the case then go have your own child to terrorize."
Tsume let out a barking laugh.
"See? This is why I like you." Tsume's grin dimmed minutely as she reached into her pouch.
Hitomi didn't give any indication that she was paying attention to the woman pulling an unknown object from her weapons pouch, but Tsume knew the young ninja had a plan of attack already formulated in her head should something go south.
With the scroll in the open, the older woman waved it in the young girls face.
Hitomi ignored the mission scroll (because that's obviously what it was) and flipped a page in her book.
"Come on Squirt," Tsume says, "you know you wanna look-"
"Inuzuka-sama, I am not interested in whatever mission that is." Hitomi deadpanned.
"Sure you are, you love stacking up favors." Tsume shrugs, unrolling it and handing it over. As Hitomi reads the brief Tsume says, "I can get us there," she referred to the target, "but due to issues I'll need you to get us the rest of the way."
So she could get Hitomi close enough to the target to get a read on him and then needed Hitomi to keep track of him as they headed into the rain where Tsume would lose his scent.
"You have a lot of faith in my abilities." Hitomi rolls the scroll and hands it back, "I'm not even sure if I could from that distance."
Tsume's grin widened, "I'll take that as a yes." Then she shrugs, "and if you do get it, you can do the fun part."
"Not interested. I'll get you there but you do the fun part. Sensei gave us a monthly limit and my quota is full." She smirks, pocketing her book and jumping off the contour.
"We're two days into this month..." Tsume's grin was absolutely ferocious. Hitomi only shrugged. "Every time I see you I like you more and more kid. We leave immediately. Meet at the gate in ten." Tsume called as she walked out of Hoshi.
Hitomi blew a strand of hair out of her face, turning back to look for her mother before remembering her mother was starting to take off more days because of how pregnant she was.
Shisui and Obito stared in awe at the rounding of their clan Matriarch's stomach.
Mikoto giggles at the shocked boys that she hadn't seen in a few months.
"B-but...!" Obito pointed. Shisui slowly raised his own hand to push Obito's down.
Shisui regained his senses and bowed. "Congratulations Mikoto-sama. We shall guard this secret with our lives."
Obito could only nod in his stunned state as he bowed too.
"Thank you." Mikoto smiles softly.
"So what do you need us to do?" Shisui asks, sitting seiza across the low table from the Matriarch.
Obito followed suit, starting to smile wide, "we'll get it all done! Everything Mikoto-sama!"
Mikoto laughs, "well, I only need help with a few things that the doctor says I can't do anymore- like the laundry. And the floors.."
Mikoto gave them a list of things needed done and promptly went to take a nap. Her due date was looming over head and even though she was afraid of the unknown that involved giving birth, she was excited to finally have her baby in her arms.
A week later Hitomi returned from her mission - her successful mission she'll have you know - to find things the way they were left. Her mother was still very pregnant and tired and currently on temporary bed rest.
Hitomi snuggled up to Aiko who wrapped her arms around her little pink haired daughter and pulled the blanket up to their chins.
"This is a dumb movie." Hitomi giggles.
"You're right." Aiko tapped Hitomi on the nose, "which makes it great."
Aiko fell asleep within forty-five minutes leaving Hitomi worried and giving her time to think. With her mother in this state either her or Jiraiya would always need to be in the village. It wasn't ideal for either nin but if they wanted a safe mother and safe children they would have to do something.
Sighing Hitomi snuggled up to her mother and dismissed the thoughts. She'd speak with her step father when he returned.
"How's your mom doing?" Kakashi asks Hitomi who was laying on the grassy side of their hill. He was sharpening a kunai while she rested.
Hitomi moaned quietly and Kakashi grimaced. He was one of the few to know of her mothers pregnancy, due to him spending the night so often. It was quiet for a while.
"Add me to the rotation."
Hitomi popped an eye open to look at the back of her friend, Kakashi was focussing intently on his motions. And when Hitomi didn't respond he sighed, agitated.
"I know you have one with whoever the father is. So.." he trails off awkwardly. "Just do it Hitomi!"
"Ma, calm down Kashi-chan." Hitomi smirks, "I'll do it."
They fell into a comfortable silence and Kakashi laid down too. Until Hitomi rolled over and snatched one of his arms from under his head and laying her own head in the crook of his arm causing him to blush scarlet.
"H-hey! Get off!" He exclaims, but doesn't move to physically move her. Then he groans and resigns himself to it. Hitomi was an unstoppable force- or in this case would she be the immovable object. Kakashi laid back and found his eyes drifting from the blue sky to Hitomi's pink hair and smooth skin.
He gently moved a few blowing strands out of her face, behind her ear. Retracting his hand and closing his own eyes. He could fit in a small nap into his agenda for the day.
The next few weeks had Hitomi and Kakashi rotating watch on the prego and doing missions outside of the village. Jiraiya was due back any day and he was supposed to be in the village until after the birth of his children.
Hitomi sighs.
Well that was the plan. Until Aiko went into premature labor on June fourteenth.
Hi mina! Uh... it's been a while... please don't kill me! I have no good excuse. I'm sorry.. oh and this is not edited. I wrote it up and am publishing it so I don't forget I did write it!
Also! What do you want Jiraiya and Aiko's babies to be named?
It's June 14th at the end of this chapter which means Itachi is five days old! And Hana is two months! Any others that age? Let me know!
Reviews
loyal fan! I love you! I kept getting your comments and they encouraged me to get another chapter posted. Thank you for allllll your posts!
DarkDust27 - i know right! I was tempted! Like seriously tempted! Thanks for the review!