Amnesia | Naruto Fanfiction

5. Suspicion

The chuunin exams had begun only yesterday, and Hibiki was already curious as to how Team 7 were doing. She knew that they didn't have the potential to become chuunin, yet, but part of her hoped that they would prove her wrong.

  Ever since the exams started, she hadn't seen Yua anywhere aside from when they were at the apartment complex at night. Everytime she saw the older girl, she was always drenched in sweat from training: Team 7 must had motivated her to do better.

  Although Konohagakure felt like any other day, Hibiki couldn't help herself but be suspicious. The air felt tenser than usual, and she took it as a sign that there was more going on in the village than anyone was letting on. If there was one thing that Hibiki could trust, it was her intuition. Even though her memory was still foggy, she knew that she was never wrong with her assumptions, so it made sense that she felt unsettled that day.

  Later, Hibiki was out taking a stroll in the forest. Suddenly, she sensed someone behind her, and immediately turned around, her purple eyes narrowed at the figure standing before her. He had long, smooth black hair and black eyes - the dark hues resembled the interior that Hibiki could sense underneath. A straw hat concealed most of his face, but she couldn't help but be suspicious of his mouth: it felt very snake-like.

  "Who are you?" Hibiki asked, her voice on edge.

  "My, my, you sure are a blunt one, aren't you?" the man smirked, his voice slick and teasing. "When it comes to introductions, isn't the asker supposed to introduce themselves first? You don't strike me as someone who has no manners."

  "I don't think that's anything of your concern," Hibiki coolly replied.

  "Very well then. My name is Shiore," the man introduced himself.

  "And why are you following me?" Hibiki continued with her interrogation.

  "Not only are you blunt, but you're also distrustful - that's not an easy combination," Shiore pointed out. "I wasn't following you, I was just making my way back to my room - I'm participating in the chuunin exams this year."

  Hibiki's eyes widened at the statement. The man named Shiore was an intimidating and sketchy individual, to say the least. Despite his status as a genin, his appearance told Hibiki that he had as much knowledge as an experienced jounin. Did Team 7 really have to go against competitors like him?

  Before Hibiki could reflect on Team 7's competitors, the man swiftly passed her, making his way to where she assumed was where he lived.

  A slight smirk crept onto his face before he left, "I hope to meet you soon, Hibiki-san."

  Something struck a chord with her when he said that, but before she could speak up, the man was out of sight. Her intuition was growing stronger that something bad was going to happen to Konohagakure, and that man was becoming a puzzle piece for the big picture. And it was all because of his final words that she began to suspect him:

  'How did he... know my name?'

***

Throughout the chuunin exams, strolling along the streets of Konoha was becoming a daily routine for her. No matter what, it always felt repetitive to her, until a certain silver-haired ninja came her way.

  "Hibiki," Kakashi greeted, "may I speak to you for a second?"

  "Of course, Hatake-sensei," Hibiki said.

  He led her to one of the more isolated parts of Konoha. Wherever he was taking her, she knew one thing: he didn't want anyone else to listen in. As time went on, he eventually lead her up to one of the roofs in the empty area.