A Hero All Along (A Kakashi Story)

Chapter 19.

"Yeah; that's why Nikumu came back-I heard him say it earlier. He wants the dagger and the stone for himself. You know the legends about them, right?" Moriko replied simply, causing Yuuki to nod her head in agreement.

No one really knew where the dagger and the stone had come from. It was believed the stone came first, made from a material found deep in the forest that had existed since before the Sage of Six Paths. From there the dagger had been carved out of the same material and had been protected and hidden from any who might have wanted to steal it. Scrolls had been written about it; about what it could do, what it looked like and what it meant to the world-but no one had ever truly had the dagger and stone themselves. Years had passed and they had turned into legends; myths or a fantasy tale, and it was only some who truly believed it existed anymore.

But from all that was going on...it was clear it did.

"Yeah, I know the legends, Moriko. I just didn't realise how important it was." Yuuki said softly, glancing down at the floor, not wanting people to think she was talking to herself. Moriko nodded at her words, responding firmly,

"Well...its importance depends on what person you're talking to. But by the looks of things, it's important to him, and he's had his heart set on it a long while now. I guess he thinks Ekisha knows where it is-or at least has information that will help him find it. It's supposed to be average-sized, with a blade that curves back on itself to add another tip, along with cut outs in the metal, giving sharp barbs along the edges. There are supposed to be designs on the hilt, as well as designs on the metal that only show up once it is used."

"Apparently it's when someone's chakra converges with the dagger, and it causes the dagger to come alive-the legends say it increases your power. That's why Nikumu wants it," Yuuki shot back; glaring at the floor at all Nikumu had done in his so-called 'quest'.

But as she glanced up and saw the ninjas heading towards the building to help out, Yuuki knew what she could do, and calling out to them, she shouted hurriedly,

"Come with me-I can get you more weapons!"

Before turning and heading back down the street and towards the training grounds. For a moment Yuuki didn't think anyone was following, when footsteps joined hers a moment later, and nodding in acceptance as she looked over at one of the ninjas beside her, she continued on into the training grounds and straight into her workshop. Going over to the weapons she had as general stock, she handed them out equally to the ninjas, giving katanas and such to those who were skilled at using them. The crowd didn't seem too happy at the idea of letting her help fight Nikumu-

But at least she could do something to help.

Thanking her quickly, the ninjas all turned and headed back out, going to go straight back into the fight to protect Ekisha. Yuuki watched them go, knowing it was their job and they were more skilled than she was; but she couldn't help but wish she could be helping them out in some way-that she could be fighting too. Ekisha wasn't a ninja, and she'd need all the help she could get, after all. Yuuki had some ninja abilities, and she'd been learning so much from Kakashi lately; plus, she'd be with the rest of the ninjas. Wasn't that the whole point of learning the ninja arts? To use them to protect people? And not to mention the most important thing about this whole situation in the first place; the one that made Yuuki angry thinking about it now-the fact that Kakashi was hurt. For all she knew it could be seriously, and she was standing here without a single weapon anymore.

Well; not exactly...

There was one weapon she still possessed.

Only Yuuki never liked to use it.

When Yuuki had been left on Ekisha's doorstep as a baby, she had had nothing left with her except the clothes she was in, a gem around her neck, the blanket wrapped around her...and a box. There had been a piece of paper stating Yuuki's name, but no note that came with it explaining the situation or anything, leaving Ekisha with no clue as to why Yuuki had been left on her doorstep or even who her parents were-though she had had a good idea. It had taken her a while to find the box to begin with, having had to unwrap the blanket to do so. But when she had seen the box, she had tried to open it, thinking maybe the note would be inside. Only there had been one little problem with that idea.

She couldn't open it.

No matter what she had tried, the box just wouldn't open. She wasn't about to smash it, as she didn't want to do the same to whatever was inside. What it was, Ekisha hadn't a clue, but gathered that it was stuck in there forever, without Yuuki ever having a chance of being able to see what was inside; at seeing the one thing her parents had left with her as a parting gift. To begin with, she hadn't bothered to show it to her. There was no way to open it-so why bother? But as Ekisha saw the way the villagers treated her and how she lived her life, she decided to give it to her; at least then she would have one thing from her parents.

And it was then that Yuuki had discovered how to open the box.

The village children had pushed her away, and upset, she had looked over the box, fiddling with it until suddenly it just...opened. Inside had been a dagger. Yuuki had never known what use it would have to her; she had just stared at it, confused and almost disappointed. At least when the mystery had existed she could imagine all sorts of things instead of something like this. It barely came out of the box, and if it did it was only for a few seconds. Yuuki had never told a single soul about the dagger-not even Ekisha. The only person who had known about it was Moriko.

Her mind running over it again, Yuuki walked to the cabinet on the side of the room, unlocking the door and removing all the things in the way. She had never used it in her life. The people of Koritsu had never liked her because of her heritage; because of who her parents were and where she came from. Because of this, Yuuki had left the dagger where it had always been-why show off something that would only get everyone treating her worse than they already did? Yuuki didn't want to feel like it, but she knew it was true; she was ashamed of her heritage. She barely even knew anything about it, and still she was ashamed. Wherever she was, she hid it from people, telling Ekisha that she hadn't managed to open the box. That way they couldn't get on at her anymore than they already did for who she was-what she was.

Swallowing hard, Yuuki ran her fingers over the box. She had promised herself she would never use it; as a method of self-protection. She'd gotten her job as a blacksmith and the villagers had let her get on with it; though they'd never fully accept her, they let her be. If she revealed it, it might ruin everything, and so she had hidden it away. Not to mention...what would Kakashi think? He was training her to be a ninja, he knew she was skilled with pretty much every type of weapon out there...but this wasn't like any other weapon. It was different; specifically engineered to a certain shape and size. What if he'd heard of it and pushed her away like so many others? But it had been Kakashi who had said it was her heritage that made her special. That would allow her to do great things. And it wasn't like she had a choice here. Kakashi was in danger and so was Konoha. She had no other weapons and would need to defend herself.

With that thought, Yuuki slowly undid the box and slid off the lid, staring down at the weapon inside. Once again the strangeness of it caught her eye; she'd seen so many weapons-made tons of weapons-but none of them had ever been like this. It was one of a kind. Yuuki gently picked it up, her hands shaking slightly at the idea, and ran her fingers over the blade; the decorations on the hilt. She'd have to use a dagger to stop Nikumu from taking another. A dagger that was just as strange...just as unusual...So closing her eyes, frowning, Yuuki willed her chakra into life, freezing as she felt the dagger pulse beneath her fingertips. Looking down, she saw the designs light up; only to find her necklace was doing the same thing. Yuuki didn't know what to say. She hadn't been expecting it; hadn't suspected it in the slightest. But now that she looked down at her dagger...at her gem...she was beginning to think otherwise as she whispered,

"I've had it all along."