Ardent Acquisition

Chapter Two: Rudiments of Taki

Ardent Acquisition 

Chapter Two: Rudiments of Taki 

“Hitomi! I haven’t seen you since you were a baby! Back when your mother had run off with that funny Leaf Village man…but, never mind that, now. How are they, sweetie?” 

My eyes studied the woman, being almost identical to the images of my mother that I had managed to salvage. Right down to the very color of my eyes. 

“Dead.”

The woman, who claimed to be my aunt, backpedaled. And, then, with fresh tears in her eyes, excused herself from the table. 

“Damn,” the girl, Kasumi, whispered, seeming impressed. “I haven’t seen her cry since I set that school fire, last week.” She threw an arm around my shoulder. “You’re alright, ‘cuz.”

“I still don’t like you.”

She laughed. “Feelings mutual, bitch. Now, wanna go set some fires?”

“It’s nice to finally see you, again, Hitomi.” Tsunade strained a small smile, trying to organize her desk a bit. But, as ninja made their way in and out of her office, things seemed to be a bit strained. 

“Everything okay, Lady Tsunade?” 

“Hmm? Oh, fine. But, there is one thing I regret to inform you.”

I waited. And, knowing I wouldn’t reply, she sighed. 

“I’m re-assigning your team. Sai has taken place of the third member in Team Kakashi. And, as Kasumi will be joining you, we’ve formulated a new team; Team Anko.”

“You’ve got to be shittin’ me,” Anko murmured. “I have to take care of these two? Still?”

“Plus Michiko Suzuki.”

Michiko. 

Anko was pissed. “Another one? C’mon Tsunade, cut me some slack!” 

Tsunade sighed. “I don’t have time for this, Mitarashi. Things are tight enough as it is around here. Once they get the hang of things, it doesn’t matter. But, for now, you are their sensei. So, get a load of things, will ya?”

And, before anything else was said, I left. Before anything worse could happen. This Sai persona, he was obviously his replacement. 

As for me? I was just the washed-out, forgotten girlfriend who couldn’t move on. There was no closure, leaving me an empty shell of what-ifs. 

~       ~       ~

“Are you sure this is safe?” I whispered, watching the match flicker between her fingertips. She snorted. “Are you kidding me?”

I let out a sigh of relief. 

“Of course not.”

Any sort of comfort I had been feeling was suddenly gone as I watched her throw the tiny burning stick. And, then, in a matter of seconds, as the whole place lit up. 

“Shit, shit, shit.” She swore. “Why’d you let me do that?”

“It was your idea!”

“Yeah, well…you’re the one with the official headband! You put it out!”

“I can’t!”

“What do you mean you can’t?!”

“I don’t know any water jutsu! Why do you think I’m here?”

Kasumi’s face dropped. “You little fucker.”

“You seem disappointed, little siren.”

“Don’t call me that.”

Kasumi chuckled, ruffling my hair a bit. “You don’t always have to brood, you know.” I knocked her hand away from me. “I hear you used to be fun.”

“You don’t know anything,” I mumbled. 

“Really? Because, that’s not what this guy hear tells me.”

And, on a whim, I look up. And, my heart almost stops and my throat almost closes. Because, he’s taller, but still has the same goofy grin and orange jumpsuit. He’s more muscular, but he’s still got the same blue eyes and spiked blonde hair.

“Naruto!”

“Hito-chan!” He yells, swooping me into one of his hugs, the ones where he would squeeze me until all the bad things were right, again. 

And, I almost smiled; because he still smells of ramen, and the sweat from hours of relentless training. Because he smells like home. 

The people I’ve spent my last three years with- those people weren’t my family. My family was right here. In Konoha, in my arms. Where he could never leave me. 

!~*~*~*~*!

Idek I love Kasumi okei. And Naruto and Hitomi’s relationship. Idek. Picture on side is Kasumi. Yes I drew her blahblahblah.