Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden or anything aside from my OCs.
From the shadows, Yui observed Uzumaki Naruto. The jinchuriki had changed in his two years away from the village. He was now much taller than he had been before his journey and Yui could admit that he did not appear as weak as he did two and a half years ago but there was nothing special about him. Although she couldn't really blame him for not being able to defeat Sai, she did doubt his improvement as her companion locked blades with the blond. Naruto was unable to overpower Sai and he was also unable to distract the pale shinobi from the shadow creeping along the floor to entrap him.
Even though Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji had been working together, Sai had managed to escape. The kunoichi made a mental note that Naruto wasn't all that but on top of that she threw both Shikamaru and Choji in the same category. She turned and settled down at a table outside the prearranged tea house, waiting for Sai who was not far behind.
"He was not as amazing as you claimed." Sai smiled that false smile of his, "Are you sure he was trained by one of the legendary trio?"
"That was a common rumor." She shrugged, "But it might have been just a rumor."
"Well I hope your former team is as talented as you claim." He grinned as if he wasn't about to say something insulting, "But I supposed you would be dead by now if they were as weak as Naruto. Or maybe you eagerly joined the Root because they were weak?"
Yui might have been angry if she was a passionate kind of person but that was never in her nature. She had never felt anger for another person, never felt anger in general. She was a stoic and unfeeling person to begin with.
"Hey." A sharp, semi-deep voice growled, drawing the attention of both ANBU members, "I don't know who you are but I can mop the floor with you as a first greeting."
Sai blinked at the blond towering over their table and noticed two things. The first of those things was his obnoxiously blond, spiky hair. The second came much later to the emotionally incapable male but he did notice the cold, fierce expression on the shinobi standing over them.
"Kai-san, you just met him. Don't be so rude."
Sai finally noticed the blond's companion and blinked in surprise. How had he not noticed this one? Out of the pair, the blond's dark-haired friend looked much tougher. His burly and muscular build was threatening in it's own way but his gentle expression was a contradiction in itself. As a talented ninja, Sai could easily tell that this one was less powerful than the blond looming over his table. Sai might've winced or jumped when the blond slammed his hand onto the table if he had the capability of being openly surprised but that was an emotion he hadn't learned to express quite yet.
"Shut it, Toshi." Kai leaned down, sneering right in the pale boy's face, "I don't know who you are but I could take down your entire association on my own if I wanted to so watch your tongue."
Sai's emotionless eyes settled on the blond and without warning, he drew his blade and aimed a killing blow at the arrogant shinobi's throat. The sharp edges of the blade made a whistling noise as it cut through the air almost harmlessly. Sai went rock hard in his position as a shiver rippled down his spine. He blinked at the blank space where his target had been only a split second ago and realized that the blond had practically disappeared. The ANBU operative glanced over his shoulder to find Kai's kunai only a generous centimeter away from his neck.
"You little fucker. Learn your fucking place." Kai snarled at him, pulling away only a moment later to greet a new arrival, "Tch. You're late!"
"I'm perfectly on time. You're just early, Saizo."
Sai spun, his lips parted in disbelief. What was with all these people sneaking up on him? Concealing their presences was an average technique but no one did it quite as well as these people-no one but Hatake Kakashi. Sai narrowed his eyes on the newcomer. He felt no presence, no malice from her but judging by the way Saizo Kai had pulled away, this girl was a significant and perhaps the dominating member of their team.
"Kai-san just didn't want to keep you waiting." Toshi snickered, "And we happened to come across Yui-san too."
"That's convenient." The girl grinned at Sai's companion, "Morning, Yui."
"Good morning." Was Kyrie's emotionless yet conditioned response, "I'll be away from the village on a mission. I am informing you now so don't say I didn't bother to tell you later on."
"We're going on a mission too." Kai cut in before the Hyuga could respond, his stormy eyes shifting a glare onto Sai, "If this guy is your partner, you should be careful. He can't do shit."
"Yes just like your dick." Sai was simply saying it to say it. There was no harm meant but it seemed like Kai had been thoroughly offended.
"You piece of shit!" The blond grabbed a fistful of his shirt and yanked him right out of his seat, "Listen here, asshole. I don't know who the fuck you think you are but if you're picking a fight with me, I'd be glad to hand your ass to you after I-!"
"Saizo!" The Hyuga's voice was not rough nor was it deep and commanding like Danzo's but it held a certain amount of warning and power over the ninja threatening Sai's life, "Put him down."
Sai noticed the flicker of anger that crossed the blond's eyes and he was certain that the male would not relent but contrary to his belief, Kai slammed his palm against his chest and gave him a hard shove back into the seat with an annoyed click of his tongue.
"You got lucky today, asshole." Kai sneered and led the way out of the tea house with another insult or two thrown over his shoulder.
"Sorry about him." The Hyuga whispered to Sai sheepishly, "But you really let him have it, huh?"
"I meant no offense." Sai murmured, stunned at the drastic difference in personality between the members of Squad Nine. Were all people very different like these people were? "I was only trying to be friendly."
She blinked at him in surprise, "You're kidding… Right?"
"No, I'm afraid that was not a joke."
The white-eyed kunoichi smiled in an almost understanding manner, "Well, even if you were trying to be mean, Saizo kind of deserved it. But a word of caution. Those aren't friendly words."
Sai was left stunned and confused as the girl turned with a final greeting to Yui and hurried away to catch up to her team.
Kyrie's usually emotionless visage had embraced a ghost of a smile as she stared at the retreating backsides of her former team. A moment later she was the same expressionless girl Sai had always known, "That was my team. I didn't expect you to be so swiftly outdone by Kai but it seems that you underestimated him."
"Who were those people?" Sai questioned, "And what mission are they going on? Surely not with Naruto."
"Saizo Kai, Tsukara Toshizo, and Hyuga Kori." She answered as if there was no other way to answer that particular question, "They're most likely not going to be with Naruto. Kai can't stand that weakling."
"They're…." Sai thought long and hard about how to describe them but he could put his finger on it.
"Colorful. They're colorful people." Yui finished for him solemnly, "So very different from us."
Sai could do nothing but nod and agree.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
"Fucking bastard." Kai was still fuming as they exited the teahouse, "Where does he get off talking about my dick?"
"He was rather rude but you're the rudest person I know so forgive him." Toshizo sighed, "You weren't exactly nice to him yourself."
"He swung at me first and that was a killing blow."
"It didn't connect! It missed you by a mile!"
"I avoided it! It didn't miss!"
"It's the same difference! Same end result!"
"Kori! Tell this piece of shit that he's stupid!" Kai turned to find his female teammate with a very dull expression. Their entire argument had probably sounded immature to her. "Tch. What? You're taking that guy's side?"
"Not really but I think he's experienced some suffering." The Hyuga murmured, "He's certainly not nice but I think he just wants some friends."
"If he acts like that he'll be making enemies for the rest of his life." Kai snorted, "He'd be better off getting himself a pet if that's the way he's going to try to make friends."
"If a person like you has friends, I'm sure he'll be fine." Toshizo teased.
"You fucker!"
"Calm down, Saizo!"
The passersby simply muttered under their breaths about the usual antics of the rowdy heir of the Saizo Clan as they went around the storm of dust and swearing that Kai was stirring up.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
To Hyuga Kori,
I don't mean to worry you or upset you. I know it's in your nature to worry but that won't be necessary. I am only saying this because I'd like your opinion as a friend. It's already a thing of the past.
I was recently kidnapped by the Akatsuki and they've taken Shukaku from me. In the process, I lost my life. Thanks to the efforts of Naruto's team and the sacrifice of an elder of my village, I've been given a second chance to live. But I can't help but remember that, as I was dying, I felt regret. As it is now, I feel that I would regret it even more if I lost my life again. The same regrets would come to mind if I were to die again and knowing that this second life was given to me in exchange for the life of another, I don't want to waste it. I don't want to regret anything this time.
I thought of you in my last moments. I thought of you and of Naruto, the village, and my past. I'm no longer the same person - the same monster - I was when we first met but my feelings haven't changed. I would assume that you would prefer to be my friend now since I'm no longer a monster but I cannot make important decisions for you. Are your feelings unchanged?
And if your feelings remain unchanged, what do you think of my situation?
Signed,
Gaara
Danzo hummed to himself in a mix of amusement and disdain. Gaara was the Kazekage of Sunagakure and apparently, Tsunade had given permission for him to exchange letters with a young lady of Konoha. It had recently been brought to his attention that Tsunade no longer bothered to read the messages for traitorous information or plots against the village so he had taken it upon himself to read them in her stead.
The letter itself held no suspicious information but that didn't mean there was no code involved. What feelings has the Kazekage written of? Traitorous feelings that would lead the young Hyuga to betray her clan and village? Surely the two were not in a romantic relationship… Were they? Either way, it was impossible for foreign ninjas to be companions. It was just not possible.
A sneer of disapproval made a wrinkle into Danzo's face and he made a very important mental note. He would have to take this up with Tsunade. This kind of personal relationship between a foreign ninja and one of their own should not be permitted. Something would have to be done about this.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
"Welcome back, Kakashi." Asahina smiled coyly at her bedridden lover, his droopy eyes meeting her own with a glint of embarrassment, "It was a lovely sight, you riding on Gai's back I mean."
"Don't remind me." The copy ninja groaned, "It was a nightmare."
"It was the most entertaining thing I've seen in a couple of months." She mused, "By the way, my students are out on a mission so you won't be seeing Kori for a while."
The white-haired jonin came to favor Hyuga Kori quite a bit in their time together. They often saw each other at the memorial tablet and in the training fields. They were quite the pair in combat too.
But alas, he simply shrugged, "Oh well, she'll be back."
"Try not to play favorites too much. You'll make our Kai jealous." Asahina snickered, "We all know that boy admires you."
"I don't enjoy being admired by men." He teased quietly.
"I suppose that's a good thing."
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
Yui crept along in the shadows, warily staying out of the range of sight and senses of Yamato. She knew nothing about the man but if Tsunade had chosen him to replace Kakashi and watch over the jinchuriki, he was an able-bodied shinobi. She would do well not to be caught by the man she was supposed to be stalking in silence.
Yamato was not at all like Kakashi. Yui attributed his strength to the fact that he held a secret technique that only he could use. Mokuton (Wood Style) ninjutsu that was said to be a technique that only the first Hokage, Senju Hashirama, could manage but this man commanded that same skill with ease.
Sai, as expected, seemed to have a hard time fitting in with Team Kakashi. Yui watched in amusement as Sai's horridly blunt comments and fake smile earned him a punch to the face by Sakura's monstrously powerful fist. Yui's observation was not derailed by the fact that Yamato had led his team to an open hot spring. She simply continued to watch Naruto because those were the orders she had been given.
She watched as he argued with Sai, cleaned himself in the bath, and dressed himself for the following travels. She simply followed them into the woods where the continued on their way towards Tenchi Bridge. She continued after them until the sun had gone down and they proceeded to make camp. Yui made a careful mental note that Yamato was clearly more powerful than she was so she would be unable to bring Naruto back by force if he decided to oppose her.
He would have to be brought down first. She mused, And hopefully, Sai would be alright at the end of the mission. He would help capture Naruto and I could easily bring down Sakura when there's no one to protect her.
Her plans were settled as she took a perch atop a tree for the night. Her mask gleamed in the moonlight as she peered into the window of Naruto's makeshift quarters and she watched him sleep because that's what she had been ordered to do.
Hello Readers and Reviewers! :)
As you all know I've been struggling with my story because all the cannon ships have been revealed and solidified. I had a mental crisis about writing Non OC X OC ships because of the release of Boruto and such but I'm over it now! I was told by a fellow writer that fanfictions are for the sole purpose of ruining cannon ships! (it was a joke but hey, i'll take any old excuse to continue) The story continues on!
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