“Just great.” Hisayo spoke under her breath.
He was the one the Hokage said that she knew? She didn’t know him at all apart from agreeing to start up a friendship with him just yesterday, which she was already wary of.
“Well what do you know, Kakashi is here on our team.” Akio closed his eyes and smiled.
“And I have a feeling you’re part of the reason why, sensei.” Hisayo shot a glance to Akio who just gave a nervous chuckle while scratching the back of his head.
“I might have been, yes.”
“So you three already know each other then? That’s great! Saves us a lot of introduction time, so let’s get down to business.” Takeshi gave a grin and Kouzetsu barked in compliance.
“I guess it can’t be helped now. As I said before Kakashi, don’t expect the same treatment.” Hisayo reminded the masked man and walked passed him towards Takeshi and her companion.
“And as I said before, I wasn’t going to, but let’s at least be nice okay, Hisayo?” Kakashi said lazily as he put his hands in his pockets and followed.
“It’s Hisayo-san to you until otherwise noted.” Hisayo turned her head and corrected.
She would agree to their friendship yes, and she would also stand by her words from before, but that didn’t mean that she was going to change or open up so quickly. If she was going to be friendly with him like he wanted, then he would have to prove himself and make her lose the wariness she felt around him.
“Alright fine, but you don’t have to be formal with me, okay?” Kakashi continued to follow behind.
“Fine.”
Akio just watched with amusement. Yup, this definitely was a good idea, especially when he now knew of Hisayo’s intention to keep the bonds she made. Her demeanor could you use a bit of improvement on the matter though, he thought with a small sigh.
“Sensei, you’re going to get left behind.” Hisayo called from across the field that she and the others had started making their way across.
Akio mentally shook himself from his thoughts and caught up with a light smile playing on his face.
******
“So you’re on a new team now? What kind of team? Is it a team for super-secret missions? Come on, tell me, Hisayo-san!” Naruto excitedly questioned as he walked down the road with his white haired friend.
Hisayo had agreed to taking him out to eat ramen and meet his main teacher from the academy, Iruka. He had asked her about what she was doing now that she was cleared from the hospital and when she told him, the result was an explosion of questions.
“Calm down Naruto. Yes, I’m on a new team and I don’t know what we will be doing. I suppose just normal missions for the time being.” Hisayo replied with a light inward chuckle. Sometimes the boy was just so hyperactive.
The subject now started to jump around in her mind. Akio was also on the team, so what was she going to do about Naruto now? She could ask Akio to keep his summon, Karasu, around the boy, but then Naruto would be left completely alone should Akio need to summon him to the field. Perhaps she should just have one of her own summons keep an eye on him from a distance and help him if needed. She had plenty of others she could gain assistance from during a mission, so there wouldn’t be any problem. That did seem like the best option at the moment.
“Here it is Hisayo-san. Ichiraku Ramen! Best ramen in Konoha!” Naruto proudly introduced, pulling Hisayo away from her thoughts.
She looked at it and nodded before entering while pushing back the curtain. The strong smell of ramen did seem appetizing to her and she was hungry, so a bowl would suit her just fine. It was about time she gave cooking a break at home, and Akio would probably like the break too. He did say he was going to go out tonight as well. It seemed he had made friends with a couple of instructors from the academy and they had invited him out for a friendly drink. The outing was something they both needed, especially after how stressful things had been up until today.
“Hey there, Naruto. Back for round two of my ramen today, huh?” The man behind the counter laughed.
“Yup and I brought a friend too!” Naruto grinned as he took a seat and pointed to Hisayo who took her seat and quietly waited for the boy to order.
“Well now, you are a beauty. I have to say that I’m jealous Naruto.” The man chuckled jokingly and turned his full attention to Hisayo. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Teuchi, nice to meet you.” The middle aged man introduced with a smile.
“Nakamura Hisayo.”
Teuchi felt a bit awkward due to her monotone introduction and her silence soon after, so decided to turn his attention back to his number one customer. “So, Naruto, the usual?”
“Yeah, yeah! Miso ramen with extra pork, Old Man! What about you, Hisayo-san?” Naruto turned his head to his companion with a big smile.
“I’ll just have the same.” Hisayo didn’t really know what to get, but she figured that whatever Naruto ordered would be good to her.
“Alright; two miso ramens—extra pork—coming right up!” Teuchi turned his attention away and began getting their order ready.
“I’m not late am I?” A voice asked as they entered.
“Iruka-sensei!” Naruto greeted the brown haired man.
“Hey there, Naruto.” The man smiled as he took a seat next to Naruto. “So is this the friend you wanted me to meet?”
“Yeah, this is Hisayo-san.” Naruto grinned from ear to ear. “Hisayo-san, this is my teacher, Iruka-sensei.” Naruto looked between the two, being as he was in the middle.
“Naruto talks about you all the time. Nice to finally meet you.” Iruka smiled before turning to place his order with Teuchi.
Hisayo just nodded and observed the man. He wasn’t anything close to what she had imagined. The first time she heard of him from Naruto, she thought he’d be more…well intimidating. He held very soft expressions and he seemed very kind to Naruto. She could see that Naruto held a fondness for the man and her mind began to work as she continued to see the two interact.
What if…? No, she didn’t know the man, so she couldn’t just entrust Naruto’s safety to him while she was away…could she?
“Alright here you three go!” Teuchi served the ramen and stood back to watch.
Hisayo stirred the ramen around, still in thought.
“What’s wrong, Hisayo-san?” Naruto’s happy expression from before dropped to a serious concerned one.
Iruka turned from his ramen and looked at Hisayo with a puzzled look. She really was like what Naruto had described—q uiet and calm, with no expression to give away what she felt. How odd, he thought. She was the complete opposite of Naruto, yet at the same time, he felt as though she was the same.
Hisayo looked down to Naruto and her eyes slightly softened. “It’s nothing Naruto. I’m just…taking it all in.”
“Haha! Finally, a costumer who admires my work!” Teuchi happily cried.
“Itadakimasu.” Hisayo began eating much to the delight of Naruto and Teuchi.
******
Hisayo walked down the street the next day with her sensei and began to converse over Naruto and Iruka while they made their way to the Hokage Mansion to get a mission with Kakashi, Takeshi and Kouzetsu.
“Akio-sensei, you have worked with Iruka, Naruto’s main teacher, is he…?”
“Is he what?”
“Can he be trusted with Naruto? Will he treat Naruto like everyone else, do you think?”
“Hisayo, is this why you have been so quiet since I arrived home last night?”
“It’s just that you won’t be around to watch out for Naruto since you will also be gone with me on missions.”
“Iruka is a very admiral person despite the doubts he has of himself. He is someone with great character and he will protect Naruto with his life—I know. There is no need to worry.” Akio assured with a smile.
“But still…”
“You must learn to trust other people, Hisayo. I know it is hard, but sometimes relying on one’s self is not enough. People need others for support as well. Besides, Naruto is a tough boy. If he can get me caught up in a prank of his, then I‘m sure he can handle himself just fine.”
Hisayo listened carefully to her sensei. Yes, another thing she had to learn. Just trusting Akio was not enough in this village. In order to strengthen her bonds and self, she needed to learn that. She needed to trust that Naruto would be fine while she was gone, and also trust that Iruka would be someone that Naruto could be protected by.
“There are the others.” Akio gave a small wave as they approached the rest of their team.
“Morning Hisayo-san.” Kakashi greeted as he lowered his book.
“Yes, good morning, Kakashi.” Hisayo remembered to be informal. This seemed to make the masked man happy as he closed his eye in a smile.
“Are you reading what I think you are reading?” Akio questioned with raised brows.
“You’re thoughts are correct, Akio-san. Perhaps you’d like to borrow it one day?” Kakashi held the front of the book for Akio to view.
Akio merely cleared his throat, fighting the urged to grab the held out book and flipping through it. “Um, that’s quite alright, but perhaps your offer will stand at a different point in time?
“Of course.” Kakashi tilted his head smiling with a closed eye.
Hisayo had no clue what was going on, but figured that perhaps her sensei liked the series—whatever it may be. Takeshi on the other hand, was stifling a laugh at Akio’s response to the masked ninja’s offer. She knew what the book’s contents were and she had to admit that she had read the book, but only once. She wasn’t the kind of person to read over books again after she had finished them a first time.
“Alright let’s go get ourselves a mission!” Takeshi barked out happily, changing the atmosphere.
Kouzetsu barked, waving his tail very fast in anticipation.
“That’s the spirit Kouzetsu!” Takeshi laughed as she petted him over the head and began to go inside.
“Is she always so happy in the morning?” Akio sweat dropped, his attention drawn away from the book.
“She is very…spirited to say the least. Just be happy that you haven’t seen her in any other way. Not a pretty sight.” Kakashi gave a light chuckle as he placed his prized book back in one of his back weapon pouches and the three followed in after Takeshi and Kouzetsu.
******
“Alright, everyone clear on what is to happen?” Hisayo heard the voice of Kakashi in her ear piece.
She and the others were sent west of the their land of Fire, just thirty miles from their border. For just over a day since they left the village, they had been tracking a group of bandits who continued to plague the area. It had been an easy job with everyone’s tracking abilities. All they had to do now was engage, destroy their hideout and, if possible, bring one or two in for questioning. Everyone split up after putting in their radios and confirming the details of the mission.
“Roger” Takeshi was the first to confirmed in a rough yet chipper voice.
“Woof”
“Affirmative. Hisayo?” Akio sighed as he heard nothing but silence.
Splitting up from Akio wasn’t something Hisayo had really wanted. It was bad enough that she had to work with new teammates, but if she was to get this done with total success, then she would need to cooperate with them.
“Clear.” She spoke as she positioned herself.
They had each positioned themselves all around the campsite and waited for the signal. It appeared that the bandits had not caught wind of them despite the reports of there being shinobi among the group—of what rank, they did not know.
Several ravens flew from the tops of many trees.
There! The signal!
Hisayo flashed into the camp throwing many kunai with explosive tags attached. Takeshi and Kouzetsu were both spinning around with such speed and force, that many of the bandits flew in the air from the nearby areas the two hit before tumbling back down to the ground. Hisayo took out both of her short swords and landed non-lethal blows to some, while most others were brought down by more severe attacks. They needed to keep a few alive for questioning.
Explosions sounded in the woods from the other side of the camp where Hisayo, Takeshi and Kouzetsu were. Akio and Kakashi were handling the other half of the bandits over there, and by the sounds of it, they were the ones to encounter the supposed shinobi of the large group.
Large flames erupted soon after and the constant sound of chirping was heard. She knew the owner of the flames, but that noise…what was that?
“Sounds like Kakashi is having himself a good time while we got stuck with this boring bunch.” Takeshi looked around the ground disappointedly. All the ones they were supposed to take care of were all ungracefully scattered along the broken grounds.
“What is it that he’s doing?” Hisayo asked, though seemingly uninterested.
“That’s his special jutsu, Chidori. Beautiful sight that jutsu, but extremely lethal. I’d hate to be the one facing it.” Kouzetsu whimpered in agreement as he tucked his tail between his hind legs.
“What is that jutsu exactly?” Hisayo scanned the area for any danger while she asked before looking in Akio and Kakashi’s direction again.
“Why don’t you go see for yourself? I’ll just wait here for further orders.” Takeshi sat on Kouzetsu’s back and crossed her arms and ankles with a smirk.
Hisayo turned and darted off to the other site. The chirping grew louder each passing second and she could make out the flashes of lightning. Everywhere she looked, many bodies lay, some with kunai sticking out of their backs. Others had been burned to a crisp—Akio’s doing, she knew. She continued to run before hearing the sound of metal clashing hard together, as if trying to beat out the sound of Kakashi’s Chidori.
“Hisayo, how was your end over there? Get along with Takeshi and Kouzetsu?” Akio asked as he saw her coming into view; the shinobi he was clashing with stood several feet away from him panting heavily from the many cuts Akio’s blade had made.
“Just fine, and you?”
“Just this one and the three Kakashi followed into the woods. Care to assist him?” Akio smiled innocently, but Hisayo knew better.
“Sometimes you are too much, sensei. Oh, and he’s coming back in for an attack!” Hisayo warned as she darted off again, following Kakashi’s scent and the sounds of fighting.
“Hmm?” Akio turned at Hisayo’s comment and gracefully dodged the angry man’s attack as though it were just some game. He quickly looked over his shoulder where Hisayo disappeared to, before dodging another attack with a smile. Perhaps he should just knock this guy out and put an end to his pathetic attempts to beat him.
*****
Kakashi stood facing the last three of the bandits. It was apparent by the way the three fought, that they used to be highly ranked. Kakashi’s headband was lifted up and blood was dripping down his hand from the victims of his Chidori. He was starting to feel the fatigue of the many uses of Chidori and from the use of his sharingan.
The three in front of him had managed to drag out their fight against him, and unfortunately for Kakashi, they had an affinity for wind. Using Chidori against them would be difficult to do. He would just have to rely on other forms of attack. He brought a kunai up in front of him, waiting for one to make another move. His eyes constantly looking for any openings one might have.
“You’re crazy, Copycat, if you think that facing the three of us will be easy.” The one in the middle spoke. He wore a bandana over his head that bore a scratched out village symbol. The other two each had similar forehead protectors with the same symbol.
“Yeah, just look at you. You’re all worn out shinobi.” A second chimed.
The third remained quiet. His mouth was covered over by his headband.
“Go Taizo, Goro!” The middle man shouted as he and the other two began circling around Kakashi.
He looked over both sides and crouched slightly to be prepared to move when needed. The three were circling so fast that they became a blur. Kakashi squinted his eyes, his sharingan working with him to pinpoint the first attacker. The wind around the area of the four picked up and sharp streams of it nicked at Kakashi’s clothes, gradually becoming more violent.
“Do you like our jutsu? Bet you can’t copy this one, Copycat!” One of the rogue shinobi seemed to say from every direction.
“I think I could.” Kakashi guarded himself form the attacking wind.
“Oh really? I hear that sharingan users can’t copy any Kekkei Genkai.” Another voice sounded.
“What?” Kakashi narrowed his eyes.
So these three were using a Kekkei Genkai. Okay, definitely not good now. He needed to find a way to separate them and stop the cyclone he was trapped in.
“Did we forget to tell you when this all began that we three were born of the Teikiatsu* Clan? The last three wielders of the Kekkei Genkai we like to call Mikonuindo**.” A voice laughed.
Kakashi focused some of his chakra to his fist and tried to make a break in the cyclone only to have his gloved hand recoiled back; with the glove shredded and his knuckles bleeding from the contact made. The only thing he could think of was using the Hidden Mole jutsu to escape. If he tried using a fireball jutsu to combat this violent wind, then he feared he might just get it blown back in his direction and cause a fire storm, with him in the middle of impact.
Kakashi began forming his hand signs for the Hidden Mole. As he sent his palm to the ground, the wind picked up and lifted him up high into the air.
“Uh, uh, uh. We wouldn’t want you to get loose from this cyclone now would we?” The leader of the three spoke dangerously.
The wind kicked up even more and forced the airborne shinobi’s arms and hands to be forced to his sides. His headband flew off his head and his hair whipped around wildly. He closed his sharingan. It would be no use right now and would only drain the last of his energy. All he could do at the moment was be violently spun around in the now towering cyclone.
“Hahaha! We have you now Kakashi, the Sharingan Warrior!” Kakashi could barely make out the forming of several kunai ready to be thrown in his direction as the distorted voices laughed in anticipated victory.
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Translations:
*Teikiatsu - Cyclone
**Mikonuindo- Wild Winds