Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

(~IF U ARE STARTING WITH THIS CHAPTER, U HAVE REACHED THE PAGE IN ERROR. THE BEGGINING OF THE STORY IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS LIST!!!!~)


ninja Chapter Six
Chishiki
Information











I sank against the back of a tree, my whole body quivering. What’s her problem? Inner Kizuki screamed, What makes her think it’s oki to try and murder my daughter?! I filled with rage and bit my hand to keep myself from attacking anyone. “Don’t worry, though,” Temari said, resisting the urge to pat my shoulder, “Matsuri takes very good care of Suki-chan. She’s in good health, and she’s doing great in the academy.” I sighed heavily. I still can’t believe she’s in the Sand Village Ninja Academy, but I guess I can’t complain if she’s doing a good job. The stronger the ninja the better, right? But I knew that I was going to teach that Kokoro a lesson in both pain and behavior when we returned home. “Kizuki-san,” Gaara murmured as he approached me, “I couldn’t bring myself to tell you. Don’t be mad; I didn’t want to hurt you or stop you from continuing this mission.” He placed a hand lightly on my shoulder, and I sighed heavily. “No, it’s oki, I guess. Let’s just keep moving. I definitely don’t want to stay in one spot for long in this village. It gives me the creeps!” I mumbled.
I turned around to find everyone but Seiji asleep, and I didn’t want to wake the others after seeing just how tired everyone was. “What happened?” Seiji asked in a hushed voice. I shook my head. “It’s nothing but a complication at home,” I sighed. Seiji nodded and stared up at the sky. “I think we should stop by the village’s shops before we continue. You know, to restock and take a break. But it’s up to you guys if we go there or not,” he offered. I shook my head fiercely, hissing, “No way! We need to keep moving as fast as we––” Covering my mouth, Temari interrupted, saying with a polite smile, “Thanks, Seiji-san. We’d love to take a break, wouldn’t we, Kizuki?” Temari used the tone of voice that she scolded me with from time to time back when I trained under her every day. I shrugged her off, growling, but I was the only one who was awake who was against moving forward at dawn. “Hey, if we go into town, you could ask around to see if anyone’s seen the Mizukage,” Kankuro pointed out. “True,” I mumbled, placing a finger to my chin. But it would just be faster to go kill Orochimaru-sama before doing that, because we know she’s gonna be there! That, or at the Akatsuki hideout, which we could easily have Ame lead us to––! Inner Kizuki growled, but I shook my head to interrupt her. Yeah but I’m not going to use my sister for that.
Ignoring her ideas, I walked over to a tree, backed up a step, and scaled it in no time. Making myself comfortable in some of the branches that had been woven together, I settled in for the night. “Good night,” I murmured to the sleeping bodies below me, and to my spouse and his siblings, along with our new addition to the team. My words were repeated back to me, and in a few moments, we all were asleep under the crescent moon.

¤ ¤ ¤

“Pein-sama, we have a problem, hmm!” Deidara shouted as he approached me with Kisame. “What is it this time?” I grumbled, stroking a piece of Konan’s hair. “The rescue squad has almost reached Orochimaru’s lair! They have someone leading them straight to him!” Kisame huffed. Rolling my eyes, I said, “Look, all we have to do is lead them on a different trail away from him. Remember: if we can make them get around that snake nuisance, we win the bet. The Immortal Five are ours, and so are the two jinchuriki––”
“Which two jinchuriki? What bet? Since when were we in a deal with Orochimaru?!” yelled Hidan, jumping out from the shadows. “Oh, great. Here we go,” Konan mumbled. “This doesn’t concern you,” growled Kisame, glaring fiercely at Hidan. “I should think it does! You’ve been hiding something from me this whole time, haven’t you? Where is Shirunai? If she’s part of your bet, I’m going to kill you!” Hidan shouted, almost launching himself at Kisame anyway. I sighed angrily as the two of them shot remarks back and forth at each other with malice. “At least I’m not the one who smells like rotten fish all the time!” Hidan smirked.
“Oh, really? Well, at least I’m not so blind as to not notice my cheating girlfriend has gone missing! Idiot!” Kisame growled.
“Alright you two,” I interrupted, but they weren’t listening.
“Shut it, fish stick! Go die in a hole somewhere!” Hidan shouted, an anger mark pulsing wildly above his head.
“Same goes to you, ya selfish crybaby. If you want to find your Shirunai so badly, commit suicide so you can join her!” Kisame spat harshly.
“Shut up!” I voiced angrily, but they still didn’t hear me.
“Excuse me? I don’t think so, you oversized wad of stink and scales!” Hidan yelled, his voice reaching the loudest it possibly could.
“Oh, c’mon!” Kisame smirked, “It’ll be fun! You get to see your Shirunai again, and the world will be a better place with you gone!”
“SHUT UP!” I bellowed. This time, they heard me, and jumped to attention. I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying extremely hard not to kill the both of them on the spot. “Look, Hidan. What’s done is done. We can’t bring her back, and that’s all there is to it. This bet that we were discussing does have something to do with Shirunai’s body, but it has to with very little. She’s just being used as bait,” I lied halfway. She wasn’t really dead, but better to let Hidan think so, right? Hidan’s shoulders slumped, and he began to quiver. “This really is all your fault, though,” Kisame growled, looking down upon his rival, “If you hadn’t interfered with Shirunai’s and my relationship, she would’ve never left me for you and she would’ve never died,” he stated plainly, though the last part was a lie. “So you’re saying that you killed her?” Hidan hissed. Even with his low voice, hatred for Kisame rang through it loud and clear. “Give it up, Hidan,” I sighed, “It’s over. If you two are going to fight, do it somewhere else. Far away, so the rest of us doesn’t have to hear.” I shooed them out of my room, and they walked away, electricity seeming to come out of their eyes to shock each other. “Oh, and while you’re at it, will someone bring me Ame? I need to talk with her.” Deidara nodded, following Kisame and Hidan, saying, “I’ll fetch her for you, Pein-sama. Seeing as those two are too busy killing each other, hmm?” He spoke the last sentence a little louder, trying to get the two to hear him, to no avail.
In a few minutes, Ame was standing before me, her hair sopping wet and a scowl placed right in the middle of it all. I raised an eyebrow, smirking. “What happened to you?” I asked. “It’s called ‘taking a shower.’ Ever heard of it?” she remarked with a snide tone in her voice. “Pein-sama, why is everyone in a bad mood today?” Konan pouted. I shrugged, whispering, “It must be something in the air. And, most everyone is on edge due to the current situation.” Ame cleared her throat loudly to get my attention. “So, what was so important that couldn’t wait for me to at least dry my hair a little?” she asked. “Get out,” I said simply. Ame, taken aback, stuttered, “Err, what? I mean, I didn’t mean to be rude or anything, it’s just, um, I really needed a shower, and so––” I held up a hand to silence her, and she it her lip, worry playing about her face. “If you can’t do what you’re told, then get out,” I restated. Ame shook her head quickly. “No, I can do my job, I promise! Just let me work on this a little while longer, please?” she begged, “I didn’t know they’d skip the first plan they came up with! Kizuki-chan has two minds, and when one convinces the other, there’s no turning back. Just please, let me stay!” I sighed heavily after staring into her eyes, full of worry and fear. “Let me explain the bet to you bluntly, then. Orochimaru is wagering a squad of five immortal––and very powerful––ninja that will help us dominate all of the land here, and even farther out into uninhabited lands. We, the Akatsuki as a whole, are wagering the lives of your sister, the fox, and Sasuke. Both we and Orochimaru are working to set traps for them, hoping to ensnare them all. If we succeed in capturing them, we claim the Immortal Five, along with the other three, and vice versa. The thing is, they, your sister’s squad, have to retrieve Shirunai safely without any of them dying, or else we automatically lose. Same goes for Orochimaru if they all survive, and neither of us are aloud to personally kill them. Either way, whoever wins has the power to dominate the world,” I explained, a smile curling the edges of my lips.
Ame, eyes dark and hands clenched into fists by her side, took a deep breath and hissed, “Just give me a little more time. You’ll have your almighty five and my sister will be dead. That’s what you want, right?” I gave a wicked smile and a snide “Of course.” The girl’s eyes turned from their usual green to crimson red as she shouted, “Well fine! And when you rule the world, don’t be surprised when I come and take all of that away from you––along with your life!” With that, she whipped around and stalked out of my room, pushing Zetsu aside in the process. “What’s her problem?” Zetsu frowned, walking up to me. “It’s nothing, I just ticked her off, that’s all. Now, what news do you have for me?”

¤ ¤ ¤

“Neji-sensei, everyone is staring at us!” Ringo fretted as we discussed the plan for today over a steaming cup of green tea and some dango. Sora turned, glaring at the ninja behind us a little ways. “Hey, you idiots, quit freaking out my sister––aagh!” Sora squeaked as Neji touched a pressure point on her neck with chakra. She whimpered as she rubbed the back of her neck, and when she tried to talk, she found her jaw wouldn’t move. Shi meowed questioningly at her, and Neji said, “Not to worry little cat, she’s fine. I relaxed a muscle to where she can’t open her mouth and get us in trouble!” I smiled, but turned back to my plan. “Oki, so I’m going to ask around and find out if anyone has seen our friend, and the rest of you are going shopping, right?” I asked. Sakura nodded. “That’s the plan,” she said. “Right then,” I finished, and stood up. “Catch you later!” I waved goodbye to everyone, but Gaara stopped me. “Wait, don’t you want someone to go with you? I mean, we only arrived yesterday, and you’re already splitting.” I smiled at him, shaking my head. “No, I’ll be fine. Plus, I’ll have Shi with me, so it shouldn’t be too bad without another human in my presence.” I walked away before he had a chance to say any more and started my mini-journey through the Sound Village.
I started the main street and was amazed to find that most of the shops were barren and empty. This village is in pretty bad shape, I noted, gazing into each one as I passed. “Hey, you! With the purple hair!” a raspy voice called to me. I turned to see an old woman wrapped in rags sitting under a tattered paper umbrella with a crystal ball in her hands. “Don’t listen to her, she’s crazy!” a shopkeeper called out to me. Ignoring him, I felt myself being drawn to the old woman. Besides, how bad would it be to have your fortune told to you? It’s not like it’s so bad to spare a few bits loose change, I reasoned. “You are being rushed to regain a jewel of your past, and if you fail, something precious along with your jewel shall be lost from the world forever. Be careful, because you are just a small playing-piece in a game of shogi. But you have a secret that will give you the upper hand, though it will be Death that plays about your door. Listen closely little one, for you will hear the bells of war, sorrow, victory, and defeat all at once very soon. The spirits and the elements dance upon your future now, and one misstep could send you down below the earth for eternity, but if they favor you, you could defeat the ones that haunt your future,” she spoke as I sat before her, but it almost sounded like singing. She reached for my hand, and soon as she touched it, she drew back in shock. “Such power that wells from your soul! I haven’t seen anything like this since. . .” She shook her old head, smiling at me. “There’s no way that you could be a jinchuriki. That Akatsuki group has killed all of the demons except the fox, and everyone can live safely. All we have left to fear now is ourselves!”
That’s right. . . Naruto-kun is the fox, but doesn’t she know that there are others still? I frowned to myself. They should at least know of Shirunai-san; she is the Mizukage after all–– “What did I tell you? She’s crazy!” said the shopkeeper from across the street, now behind me. “What are you talking about, Getsuei-san? I’m not crazy, I’ve seen it! The red cloud cult will kill them all!” the fortuneteller exclaimed. “Right. All of your crazy predictions are going to come true in the blink of an eye! Old bat!” the shopkeeper said sarcastically. I stood, bowed to the old woman, and left the two argue it out.
Continuing on my way, her prediction tang through my head. But what set me on my feet again in reality was a long spear whizzing past my head. I turned to see a drunken man swaggering behind me with another spear at the ready. “Ya lookin’ fer a fight, ya unwanted foreigner?” he asked, speech slurred to where I could barely understand. Shi hissed loudly at him, warning him to back off. “Akui-baka, you drunken idiot! Leave her alone, she’s with me,” a stranger said as he threw my opponent’s spear back to him. A man a little less than my age stood beore me, and I had to admit, he wasn’t too bad looking. He grabbed my arm and dragged me away from this “Akui” person, Shi following behind, glaring at him all the while. “May I ask your name?” I said when we were away from any others on the streets. “The name’s Akatora, meaning ‘Red Tiger.’ Nice to meet you! Now, what’s yours?” he said, running a hand through his spiky whitish gray hair. “I’m Kizuki. I’ve come form the Sand Village with several others to rescue the Mizukage before the Akatsuki or Orochimaru get a hold of her. My cat’s name is Shi. Thank you for getting me out of the fight. I don’t want to have to kill the drunk, or anyone else for that matter, unless I absolutely need to.”
Akatora nodded as he asked, “So why are you here around the shops? Shouldn’t you be hunting her down in the trees or something?” I shook my head. “No, I’m going to try and gather information about if anyone has seen her, but it’s not going out so well,” I sighed. He took my hand and led me out into the open, saying, “Alright, well let me help you!” I yanked my hand out of his grasp and planted my feet in the ground. He turned to look at me confusedly. “One, I can do it myself, and two, I’m married. Don’t get any ideas if I eventually let you help me!” I said sternly. Akatora was as speechless as he was embarrassed. “No, that’s not what I was trying to say at all! Please don’t think that I was hitting on you or anything! I’m so sorry, it’s just that. . . I was hoping that maybe you could help me find my sister if I help you find the Mizukage.”
I was quiet for a bit, but then said, “Well, I guess we can work something out.” He smiled again as we walked out into the open, this time our hands by our side. “So, what’s your sister’s name?” I asked. “Kurohana, the ‘Black Flower,’” he told me. I cringed as my head began to pulse wildly. Why does that sound so familiar? And why does it hurt? I asked myself, but it suddenly cleared as two fingers were placed in the middle of my forehead. “Your hidden memories need not be discovered right now, little one,” whispered the old fortuneteller. Where the heck’d she come from?! Inner Kizuki asked. “Akatora-chan, I’ll help you find your sister as well, but this one has a mission. I will take her place and she must seek the information alone. There is something that she must discover about her jewel before the spirits bid her forward in her journey,” she sang again, “They tell me that there is a lot to learn about our new friend, but first she must learn about her task before we can. Come now, Akatora-chan, let’s be on her way,” she said, her voice returning to normal, and she dragged him away by his shirt. Strangely, he couldn’t escape the old woman’s grasp, so he gave up and waved goodbye to me. “See you later!” he said to me. “I ‘must seek the information alone,’ huh?” I said to myself, “Well, I guess it’s good that I met some friends here.”
I walked awhile along the streets of the Sound Village with Shi, only to find that each shop was worse of than the last. Starving children sat in the streets, holding their sides and moaning with hunger. I felt so sorry for them, for they had no food or money, and their clothes were rags tied together. My heart ached for these children, and I did everything I could in my power to give them a bit of food of a few yen to buy something to feed their empty stomachs. I walked back up the street the way I came after an hour or so, and in the doorways of the shops stood the mothers of the children, staring in awe at me as I passed. “Please, Miss, will you stay for a bit?” one of the children asked, and I just couldn’t say no. I turned, and a little girl ran to me. I scooped her up in my arms, holding her close. But beneath the filth that covered her face, I saw the same eyes as Akatora, gleaming with hope, even through the hunger that everyone in this village felt. Her raven black hair was plastered to her face from the humidity of the place, and my heart jumped out of my throat as I realized that this was Kurohana, Akatora’s little sister.
“Is there anything I can do for you?” a woman asked me, drawing nearer. I shook my head and smiled kindly at her. “No, it’s alright. I was happy to give, you don’t have to trouble yourself by giving back,” I told her. “No really, there must be something! You have given my child another day to live, I must give you some sort of token of my gratitude!” she said, clasping my hand in hers.
“And I!” came another.
“And I!” said yet another.
Soon enough, there were so many people surrounding me, thanking me, that I began to feel a little overwhelmed and Shi had to jump on my shoulders to avoid being stepped on. “Well,” I said after a time, “Can anyone tell me if they’ve seen or heard of anything about the Leader of the Mist Village?” There were a few silent murmurs, and heads shaking, and I felt my spirits sink. The first woman’s face fell as she realized she couldn’t help. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think any of us have––”
“I know something,” a man interrupted. “You’re talking about the wolf jinchuriki that was kidnapped ‘bout a week ago, right?” The man was dressed like the other villagers in rags and turtle shell-print cloth, but he was different. Could he be a ninja from the Sound? Inner Kizuki asked warily. “I heard that Orochimaru-sama and the Akatsuki are trying to win a bet they placed. She’s being used as bait to lure in some rescue team. At least, that’s what I heard, anyway.” He turned to leave, but I stopped him. “No, wait! Tell me more?” I asked. “Well,” the man sighed, “I can’t tell you more than I already know, but what I can tell you is that the Akatsuki are going to be the ones to kill the poor girl, and that it’s going to be at the same place that they’ve killed all the other jinchuriki.” I shuddered. They’re going to kill everyone close to me in the same room, I thought darkly. “Thank you, sir. That will help me greatly,” I said, bowing, and disappeared with Kurohana in my arms before the others had time to turn around.
“Where are we going, Miss?” Kurohana asked me. “Your brother misses you,” I told her warmly, and tried to follow his scent through the streets. At last, I found him sitting on the side of the road, his head hung sadly in his hands. He was fighting tears, and the fortuneteller was smiling. “The Black Flower will bloom again, after being hidden in the darkness for the longest time. The Red Tiger before me shall rejoice again at the sight of her beauty, though he does not believe in miracles anymore,” she murmured, looking up at me. At that, I set Kurohana on her feet, watching her run towards her brother. “Onii-chan, onii-chan!” she called happily as tears streamed down her face. Akatora snapped his head up at the sound of his little sister’s voice, tears flowing from his eyes, also. “Kurohana-chan! Oh, Kurohana-chan, you’ve come back!” He rejoiced as he wrapped her in a hug. “Thank the Great Spirits in the heavens for bringing my sister back to me!” he cried, lifting his face to the heavens. I smiled as I stepped back deeper into the shadows. I fed the starving, found the lost, and learned great knowledge of what‘s to come. I think it’s time to head back, I said to myself. Shi purred happily as he nudged my leg to find my friends.


“Did you find anything?” Gaara asked as I emerged from the trees. I smiled at him. “You have no idea how great today has been.” The others stared at me confusedly, so I had to explain what all had happened. “Wow, that was quite a day!” Seiji smiled when I’d finished, “But I think everyone is tired, and it’s almost nightfall. Should we stay another night here or continue moving?” Everyone looked around at each other, and we came to a conclusion: “I think it will be best if we stay here for the night,” Gaara announced. “So one more night it is!” Nakago exclaimed. Seiji led us to the best inn we could find in the area, and we settled down for the night. For it being labeled “The Best Inn in All the Sound Village,” it was kind of rundown, and a little on the messy side. But I guess that’s normal for living in a dirt-poor town, right? As soon as I laid my head on the pillow, my stomach immediately began to knot, and I felt that something was seriously wrong. Sleep overtook me instantly, though, and I dreamt of my sister giving me a warning for the second time this week.

¤ ¤ ¤

“Kizu-chan! Kizu-chan, are you there?” Ame asked as she wove through the trees in the dream. “Ame-chan? What’s wrong now?” I asked. I heard her somewhere around me, and I saw flashes of her clothes, but I never saw her face as we chased each other through the trees. “Kizu-chan, I’m sorry, but if you set foot into Orochimaru’s land, then you immediately become his. There’s no way for even me to save you! I’m taking a big risk now, telling you about it, and there’s something else I need to tell you, but I don’t think there’s time!” Ame said quickly. Her voice now faded in and out as she picked up her pace. “Slow down! There will be time if you hurry; now tell me what’s up!” There was a heavy silence as she stopped, and I couldn’t sense her anywhere. “Ame-chan?” I called out in a small voice. “Pein-sama says I have to kill you!” she sobbed, tears soaking her words.

¤ ¤ ¤

Just like that, I woke up. Sitting straight up in the dead of night, my sheets were plastered to my body just as much as I was gasping for breath and blinking through my blinding tears. Shi mewed at me worriedly and I slumped back into my bed. “Just how much more can I take before I crack?” I whispered to myself. “Kizuki-san, you were shouting in your sleep,” Gaara mumbled sheepishly when I noticed the others were staring at me, apparently startled awake. “Err, Seiji-san? Can you not lead us straight to Orochimaru-sama? We’ll become property of the snake-man if we set foot in his land,” I said, trying to force my heart not to beat so fast. “What do you mean, ‘we’ll become property of the snake-man’?!” he asked, bewildered. “Ame-chan spoke to me again––” I started, but then gasped in pain as my side started aching terribly. Crouched over on myself, I felt a warm liquid seep through my fingers on my side. Looking down, the scent of my own blood welled within me, and my vision started to sway. “What the heck just happened?” I heard Sora ask as the others scurried about to aid me and find the source of attack.
“You’d better watch out,” came the snide voice of someone familiar––Konan. “The crap’s your problem, you brat?!” I screamed out to her voice, my rage getting the better of me. “Watch your temper, dear,” she chided, her voice fading out. I growled with hatred as Sakura placed a hand on my wound. “Easy there! I’m just going to heal you, don’t growl at me!” Sakura murmured frantically, trying to keep her voice calm. I smacked her hand away as chakra started forming in her palm. “But if I don’t heal you, you’re going to bleed to death––oh!” she said, but my wound began to heal as she was talking. Unnoticed by the others, Shi’s eyes turned from lime green to dark purple as the demon-cat’s chakra inside of me began to make itself known by lacing back together the ragged flesh. A calming peace washed over me as I healed, finally knocking me out cold as I relaxed completely. The last thing I heard was Gaara telling the others that my demon had taken over some when the wound was inflicted.


“That was a dream, right?” I asked the next morning, sitting up and stretching high above my head. Shi meowed at me and pawed at my stomach, his eyes returned to normal. “Unfortunately, no,” Kankuro sighed as he folded a blanket over his makeshift bed. “So, I actually was attacked in the middle of the night?” I asked. Kankuro nodded. “And I was warning Seiji-san about going to Orochimaru-sama?” I asked, placing a fist to mouth, frowning. Kankuro nodded again. “Look, I know this will sound rude, but do you really believe everything Ame-san says these days? She is in the Akatsuki, after all––” he started. I glared at him, anger and hurt filling my eyes. He didn’t know yet about what my sister had said before I had awoken, and I’d have preferred it to stay that way, but it seemed like I was going to have to tell him this one. “I have to believe her, Kankuro-san, because she’s the only thing I have to warn me about what’s coming,” I tried to explain without my madness slipping into my voice. Kankuro raised an eyebrow and gazed deep into my eyes, and I knew what was coming. “Okay, so then what’s going on? Aside from being turned into Orochimaru’s pets if we set foot on his land,” Kankuro asked. “She told me last night who’s been ordered to be killed,” I whispered, mentally banging my head against the wall and screaming at myself to tape my mouth shut.
My brother-in-law stiffened and leaned inwards to me as to not let the others hear us. “Who did she say was supposed to die?” he whispered, worry plastered on his face. I looked away from him and pointed to my chest, my heart about to burst. “She’s supposed to be the one to kill me, too,” I sighed quietly, tears threatening to spill from my eyes. “Aw, Kizu-chan, it’s not that bad!” Kankuro murmured, wrapping me in a hug. Are you kidding me, you idiot?! Yes it is ‘that bad’! As a matter of fact it’s very much WORSE than ‘that bad’! Inner Kizuki screamed. “Okay, maybe it is that bad,” Kankuro said after a second with a sweat drop, as if he’d heard my Inner self scream at him. As much as I tried to resist, tears exploded from my eyes onto his shoulder. He held me the way Gaara would, making me uncomfortable, but I didn’t pull away.
We sat in the corner of the room away from everyone else and mourned silently. “Err, Kizuki-san?” Gaara mumbled as he neared us. I pulled away from my brother-in-law, wiping the tears from my eyes. Urgh, I hate crying so much! Why don’t you grow a backbone, eh? You’re a ninja, we face death every day! My Inner self scolded. “What’s going on?” he asked, the fear of betrayal seeping slowly into his voice. “Ame-chan told me last night,” I hiccupped, “that Pein ordered her to kill me!” Gaara stood frozen in front of us, sadness flowing into his expression. “Oh, Kizuki,” he sighed, reaching out and holding me close. “You know she wouldn’t do that. She loves you too much to even lay a finger on you!” I nodded, but whispered, “But I can’t help but worry. The Akatsuki could’ve hardened her.” The fear of her future action struck deep into my heart.
Not the fact that I had to be killed, but the fact that my sister had to be the one to do it.
“C’mon, you guys! We’re burning daylight here!” Naruto impatiently called. I gave a heavy sigh and stood, wiping the tears from my eyes. “Naruto-san is right; we should get moving,” I told the other two, and they reluctantly followed my actions. “Hey, are you alright?” Sora asked me when I ran into her in the hallway. “Yeah, I’m fine. It doesn’t even hurt anymore, so I should be oki,” I told her, sliding my shirt up a little to show her the scar. She nodded and left, and I wondered why her expression was so grim. Meeting the others at the front door, I noticed that everyone else’s face mirrored Sora’s same expression. “What’s the matter?” I asked nervously. “Seiji was attacked this morning by another one in the Akatsuki while you were asleep. He’s been healed by Sakura-san, but this has become a very serious matter now,” Nakago informed. A huge weight had now been dropped onto my shoulders. I had to rescue Shirunai while there was still time, along with avoiding both the Akatsuki and Orochimaru, persuading Ame not to kill me, and keep everyone else out of harm’s way. Well, the gods sure don’t want my life to be easy, do they? My Inner self growled. I adjusted the strap on my pack and opened the door to our room. “Well, I’m sure we can pull this through. We’ve got the brains and the strength of three different villages in our hands; we’ll get through this,” I promised, and exited with the others following slowly behind.
“Kizuki-chan is right!” Naruto said suddenly. I turned to face him, and I saw the determination just plastered onto his face. “We need to follow through with this! How bad would it look to every other ninja out there if we ––the Leaf, the Sand, and the Mist, three of the Five Great Shinobi Countries–– couldn’t rescue someone and avoid two bad guys who are out there just to make trouble?!” He clenched his fist and threw a punch in the air before saying, “C’mon you guys, we’re strong enough! Let’s show the world what we got!”
I saw the others straighten their backs and their eyes also fill with the determination Naruto had fed them in his short speech. He turned to me and gave the thumb’s up sign with a smile. I couldn’t help but smile back and thank him silently as we passed the check-in desk and head out the main doors. The sun was hidden behind a dense cover of trees, but I could feel it’s great warmth (along with the humidity) as I stepped out into the open. Heading down the main street, I felt slightly confused as to which direction we should go. I mean, we weren’t supposed to go to Orochimaru’s hidden lair anymore, and I had no idea how to get to the Akatsuki’s hideout so –– !!
I paused when the realization hit me. But I think I know a few people who can lead me there, I said to myself. “Neji-san,” I said without turning.
“Yes?” he asked, confused.
“You helped find the Akatsuki hideout before, right?”
He nodded, but said, “I don’t think they will keep her in the same place. It ––”
“There’s only one place fit to summon that thing. If you had noticed, the density of the chakra was at least ten times larger than anything that’s usually summoned! They would need a place that could keep them hidden for days on end and a space that’s large enough to hold it. That cave thing that they used is the only place that meets their standards, you see?” I explained. Naruto’s widened and he nodded when he saw my point. “Good thinking, Kizuki-chan!” Naruto exclaimed, and took the lead.

¤ ¤ ¤

“Good morning, class!” the sensei called.
“Good morning, Hiro-sensei!” the students called back.
I fidgeted nervously beside my new sensei as all the kids around me started to stare. “This is Suki-chan. She’ll be our newest student. Suki-chan is a little younger than the rest of you, so be nice to her, okay?” He smiled warmly at me, showing me to a seat. I sat next to a boy about a year older than me. He had spiky orange hair, purple eyes, and a band-aid plastered across his forehead. “My name is Ibara. Nice to meet you!” he said happily. “H-hi,” whispered shyly, and my attention was drawn to the sensei as a poof sound echoed through my ears. “Where’d he go?” “What happened to him?” some of my classmates asked. There was another poof, and sensei’s voice came from behind us. “How’d you do that?” Ibara asked, a smile placed in the middle of his face. “That, my students,” Hiro sensei said, walking down the isle between the rows of desks, “was called using ‘chakra’. Does anyone know what chakra is?” No one raised their hand, so I did after a moment. “Do you know what chakra is, Suki-chan?” Hiro-sensei asked me. “Isn’t it the energy of all ninja?” Hiro-sensei raised an eyebrow. “Yes, that’s true. Chakra is what many ninja use as a weapon, but does anyone know the official definition? No? Well, chakra is the energy source of jutsu and is made by kneading your spiritual energy and physical energy together by the cells in your body. It is woven around your circulatory system and other body parts by little invisible strands––”
“Uh, Hiro-sensei?” Ibara asked, leaning back in his chair, arms folded behind his head. Hiro-sensei cleared his throat, and answered, “Yes Ibara? And please raise your hand to speak next time.”
“I know you’re in the middle of a really great speech and all, but would you mind telling us in a way we understand? We do have a four-year-old in the class, you know,” he smirked, glancing at me. I clenched my fist and resisted the urge to punch him like my Mama had taught me how to do to bad guys. The others giggled at his comment, but a boy in the back of the class was not impressed. “Aw, leave her alone, Ibara-baka. It’s not nice to pick on others, you know!” I turned to find a boy who looked a lot like Ibara, but his hair was brown and his eyes were green. I smiled at him, but he didn’t notice. “So? What makes you think that I’ll listen to you, huh?” Ibara snidely asked, standing. Hiro-sensei let out a huge sigh as he walked out of the room, leaving these two boys to fight it out in front of the class. “Look, I’m just saying be nice to the new girl, or else, got it?” the boy in the back of the class sighed.
“Uh-oh, it looks like they’re gonna fight again.”
“Do you think Hiro-sensei will go get help this time?”
“I wonder what the new girl thinks.”
“Yeah, it is kind of her fault.”
I teared up as I overheard the others whispering to each other. “Do you want to fight, kid?” Ibara snarled, holding up a fist. “Who are you calling a kid? You’re younger than I am!” the boy said, standing up.
“C’mon! Right here, right now, in the front of the class!”
The two of them made their way up the isle, resisting the urge to hit the other before getting to the chalkboard. They’re fighting because of me, I sniffled. Before I realized what I was doing, I stood up and shouted, “Stop!” with tears leaking out of my eyes. The boy looked up at me, but Ibara punched him in the jaw. Hard. “Stop!” I shouted again, and placed myself between them. “I don’t want you to fight! Please, just stop! School isn’t a place for fighting, it’s for learning! If you have to fight, then do it when class is over!” I sobbed. The whole room was quiet as I spoke. “Please,” I cried as they looked at each other guiltily, “I just don’t want to see you fight.” Ibara stepped back after a moment. “I guess we don’t have to fight today,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
And so, everything settled down and it seemed almost as if nothing had even happened in the first place.
I have to thank that boy, I thought to myself when the bell rang. I stood up and tried to follow him out the door, but Hiro-sensei stopped me. “Suki-chan,” he said, “I don’t think that this environment is safe for you. Another sensei has offered to teach you, if you’d like.” I frowned a little, but smiled happily when the sensei who offered to teach me walked into the room. “Hello, Suki-chan. Please, call me Kisako-sensei.” I repeated her name back to her and smiled. I like her, I thought happily, Maybe it’s not so bad to switch classes. “I hope we can be friends, don’t you?” Kisako-sensei said, bending down to pat me on the head. “I heard that your mother and father left to help someone. If you need anyone to talk to, I’m right here, Suki-chan.” As she said that, tears welled up in my eyes against my will. “Thanks, Kisako-sensei, but I’m oki,” I said, mimicking my mama’s word for “okay.” She straightened and left, and Hiro-sensei led outside to where the other kids were waiting for their parents. I looked around for Ichi, but was sad to see that I couldn’t find him anywhere. “Suki-chan!” I heard someone call. Looking up, I saw one of the girls from my class running towards me. “Hi! I’m Ayame. Nice to meet you!” she greeted me. “Hi––” I started, but she interrupted me. “Hey, is your dad really the Kazekage?” she asked. I looked behind her and saw a lot of other kids staring at me. “Um, yeah, he is?” I answered, questioning why she was asking.
“Wow, really? That’s so cool!” she squealed, and all the other kids circled around me. All at once, I was being asked tons of questions!
“Hey, does that mean you’re super-rich?” one kid asked.
“Wow, your family is really strong! How strong are you, Suki-chan?” another said.
“Can you get an autograph for me?” a girl from the back asked.
“Um, well. . .” I started. The crowding of people made me feel happy inside, but I got kind of scared to have them so close.
“Wow, your parents are so cool!” I heard someone say.
I smiled. “Yeah! My parents are the coolest in the world!” I boasted. “Whatever! My parents are so much cooler!” came Ibara’s voice. Everyone turned to see him inside the Academy Tree with Ichi; I smiled at Ichi, who smiled back. “Just because your parents are rich and famous doesn’t mean that they’re any cooler than ours.” He climbed down to face me. I felt myself getting mad at him. He’s so rude! I thought. “No way, Ibara! There’s nothing cooler than your dad being the Kazekage!” a kid shouted. “Yeah! Quit trying to show off, Ibara-kun! The new girl is awesomer than you, and we all know it!” Ayame growled, coming to my defense. Ibara climbed a little higher in the tree before taking a deep breath and shouting at the top of his lungs, “Yeah, well, at least my parents aren’t jinchuriki! I don’t have any demon blood in me like she does!” He gave a defiant smile and I felt like something was taking over me. The urge to send him flying was unbearable, and before I knew it, I had scaled the tree in no time. “Take it back,” I growled, tears threatening to spill over. “Whoa, calm down, Suki-chan! He’s just trying to ruffle your feathers, that’s all!” Ichi coaxed from below me. I ignored him, and with all my might, I punched Ibara in the jaw. Retracting my fist and gaining my head, I saw him fly from the tree and land ten meters or farther then where he should’ve fallen. I was speechless, and so were the kids below the only tree in Suna for miles.
“See? I told you she had demon’s blood in her from her parents!” Ibara smirked, spitting out blood. “Come on, demon child, show me what you can do! How many tails do you have?” he asked in a snide voice. I couldn’t control myself, and I shot out from the tree and I threw him to the ground. With a mixture of cheers and protests behind me, I hit him again. This time he spit out a tooth. “Hey, calm down! I mean it, we’re all gonna get into serious trouble already!” Ichi’s worried voice whispered. “Let go of me!” I shouted through tears, “He deserves it! He’s disrespectful to the village if he’s disrespectful to my dad!” He ignored me and pulled me back to everyone else under the tree. Walking back to Ibara, I could tell he was really mad just in the way he walked. “Don’t worry, I was rooting for you the whole time,” Ayame whispered in my ear, giggling.
“What on earth happened here?!” I heard a familiar voice exclaim. “Suki-chan, where are you?” Oh, no! I thought. “M-Matsuri-chan! Hi! Uh, can we go home now?” I stuttered. She stared at my clothes in fright. “Why are you bleeding?!” she squeaked. I gave a heavy sigh. “Matsuri-chan, it’s not my blood. I’m not bleeding. I got mad at someone. . .” Ichi appeared by my side, looking straight at Matsuri. “Miss, it’s not her fault. My brother is an idiot who made her mad because he was disrespecting her parents. He got what he deserved: a few blows from a girl who knows how to deal with problems.” He smiled at me, but I didn’t know what to say. How could I?! Matsuri shook her head and started to laugh. “Just wait until your parents hear about this, Suki-chan!” My eyes widened big as full moons. “You’re not gonna. . .are you?!” I’m in big trouble!!



~End of Chapter Six~ ninja