I waited alone in the waiting room. Guy left but I didn’t pay attention when he told me the reason why. I was too preoccupied with my thoughts of Kakashi’s well being. He will be fine, Guy told me that countless of times. But he was sent to a hospital, every nerve in my body was on edge waiting for a doctor to tell me anything about him. I was imagining thousands of different scenarios in my head, some more horrible than others.
“Are you here for Kakashi Hatake?” A nurse brings me from my day nightmare. I nod. She jerks her head toward the hallway and I follow her down the halls.
“Is he going to be okay?” I ask nervously.
“We don’t know. It looks like he’s in a comatose state.” She says. I swallow my tears, I need to be strong for him and for myself. “I believe it is an effect from a very powerful genjutsu. It caused severe disruption of his chakra flow in his head.”
We stop in front of room 219, as she slides the door open.
“We’ll have Lady Tsunade take a look at him as soon she finishes her current occupation.” She smiles with hope. I smile at her and I finally feel some relief.
“You should rest, you look like you’ve lost quite bit of chakra too.” The nurse closes the door after her and I take a seat next to Kakashi’s bed. He looks refreshed and calm. If I didn’t know he was in a coma, he would’ve looked like he was taking a well deserved nap. He no longer wore his forehead protector and his unruly hair widely spread on his pillow. He still wore his mask, but I saw his left eye. It was closed of course, but there was a long scar running vertically. I wonder where he got it? The thought of sleep left my mind. I couldn’t sleep when Kakashi was in the state he is in. I remember returning to reality and seeing his face, I want to be here when he opens his eye again. I felt i owed him this much at the very least. In the short time we’ve known each other I felt at home with him. If I return to the apartment it wouldn’t feel like home. I’ll just wait until Lady Tsunade comes and heals him. Until then I won’t leave the room. I hear the door slide open and see Sakura with a basket full of fruit and flowers. She smiles at me, but her face turns into worry as she sees Kakashi.
“They tell me he is in a coma.” Sakura says as she leaves the basket on the bedside table. I nod, my stomach grumbling in hunger.
“There is no need to worry too much, Lady Tsunade is the best Medical ninja in the world.” She boasts about her with great admiration. I was glad she was here and able to heal him, He’ll wake up soon. She gives me an apple from the basket.
“You look like you’re about to pass out any minute. What exactly happened to you guys?” She asks. I take a bite to buy me some time in answering her question. I don’t think I’m in the position to give out that information. One of them was an Uchiha which means he is connected to Sasuke in someway. I promised not to mention anything about him to Naruto or Sakura. I take my time chewing the apple, someone save me from this awkward situation. I can’t lie in her face. I’ve never been good with deceiving people, and I don’t want to do it to someone I trust.
“Um oh you know how Kakashi is, always showing off.” I laugh, trying to brush the subject off. This only raises Sakura’s curiosity as an eyebrow raises.
“Kakashi is nothing like that.” She tells me. I know. I knew he always thinks things through and tries to not make unnecessary moves. Told ya I was horrible. I gulp.
“Well you see, the truth-” I begin to tell her, but was gratefully interrupted by Lady Tsunade’s entrance. I sigh, that was a close one.
She makes her way toward the other side of the bed and presses her hand on Kakashi’s forehead. A green light emits from her hand, and the color of Kakashi’s face returns to normal.
“I’ve helped him with returning his chakra flow, but he’ll still need plenty of rest. Kiyoko I’d like to have a word with you. Sakura if you don’t mind.” She says with a hurry. Sakura nods and quickly exits the room.
“Asuma has told me what happened, but I’m surprised you were able to release a genjutsu under Itachi’s power. I’ve never heard anyone do it.” She says with surprise. I’m surprised too, I thought I forgot everything I knew, but with fear as your motivator you remember a lot of things.
“I just released it like anyone would, but I exhausted myself. I used a lot of my chakra doing it.” I say, feeling my body sag.
“You have enormous amount of chakra. More than Naruto. Kakashi took it pretty hard because he doesn’t have much chakra to begin with. I’m glad you released it, who would have known if Itachi found out you are a jinchuuriki.” Lady Tsunade looks at Kakashi once more before she leaves the room. What would have happened if Itachi figured out I held a tailed beast? Was that the reason Kakashi took the attention away from me and pointed it at himself? Was it to protect me or was it to protect the beast? I steal another fruit from the basket and eat it with pleasure, I stare at the open window. Taking in the view. My body demands rest, but I don’t want to sleep in case Kakashi wakes up. I stay there for a few hours, but my body finally wins, I rest my head on the bed and use my forearm as a pillow. I close my eyes with effortlessness.
Kakashi’s POV
My head felt like it was going to explode when I finally opened my eyes. It was still dark outside, and the clock on the wall said is was ten till three in the morning. Itachi was a powerful foe to put me in here. I have to make myself stronger. If Guy didn’t come to our rescue, I don’t know what would have happened to Asuma, Kurenai, or Kiyoko. Kiyoko is she alright. I move my head to the sound of deep breathing, and notice black hair cascading onto the bed. Kiyoko sleeping peacefully, it looked like she didn’t go home. She had some dirt on her hands, and a smudge on her cheek. I wonder how long she has been here.
I pull the blanket over her. There was something that made me want to protect her, when I heard her drop to her knees, after she was a genjutsu, all I wanted to do was make her feel safe again. I’ve never felt like this. It was strange. I look at her and I can’t describe it, its just her. Its Kiyoko, just being around her makes me feel better. Having her by my side. What a lovesick fool I’ve become. Its all because of Jiraiya’s books. Man I have to stop reading them. I’m glad its me thats is in the hospital and not Kiyoko. She would have been in more danger if they figured out she is a jinchuuriki.
So Itachi is after Naruto, just like Jiraiya predicted. Their organization, the Akatsuki, are after the tailed beasts. Naruto will be safe with Master Jiraiya, even Itachi and Kisame can’t defeat him, he is a legendary Sannin after all. I’ll miss him, but I have my hands full too, training Kiyoko and keeping her safe. Sakura will begin training with Lady Tsunade soon, to become a medical ninja. Sai is still with the organization, but it seems like he wants to stay loyal to the team.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry” I hear Kiyoko whisper in her dreams, it looked like a nightmare. Her head moves away and she soon opens her eyes. Her green eyes are glossy with tears, but she doesn’t let them fall. She sighs “You’re awake.” Kiyoko smiles. “Is there anything you need? I can get a doctor.”
“No I’m fine. I just need rest, and you too. You were under a genjutsu too weren’t you.” I ask. She nods. “It wasn’t as bad as yours. What was it like, if you’ll tell me.” She asks. Kiyoko is full of interest. She reminds me of a child sometimes, like Naruto once was. Maybe all the Jinchuuriki’s are this curious because of their lack of human involvement.
“Well I was stuck in an alternate universe where Itachi controlled everything. It felt like days, but really it was seconds. I was nailed to a cross as thousands of Itachi’s stabbed me. The pain was real. If anyone else was stuck in that genjutsu they would have died, but since I have the sharingan I was able to withstand it.” I tell her. She takes in the information.
“Are Itachi and Sasuke related?”
I nod. “They are brothers.” She stiffens. “Their hatred runs in the family. So the eye you have and they have are the Sharingans?”
I confirm her assumptions. She was biting her nails as she thought. Her attention was drawn to the dark village on the other side of the window.
“If they were both from this village then why are they rouge?”
“Itachi killed everyone in their clan. Leaving Sasuke as an orphan, now Sasuke’s only reason for existing is being an avenger. He left the village to train with Orochimaru and gain skills to eventually kill Itachi.” I follow her gaze.
Kiyoko’s POV
Revenge such an ugly emotion. I’ve wanted to go down that path so many times. To harm everyone who lived happily,while I lived miserably. I harm my father for out casting me, I wanted to harm Eri and her friends for fooling me into thinking I could actually make friends. I felt an anger so deep, so young, I didn’t want to feel that. Being an avenger, what a hard life it must be. Having the conscious of your clan on your shoulder, burdening their deaths, and taking the responsibility to bring the killer down. Sasuke has turned his emotions off, and I don’t think Naruto nor Sakura can bring him back. I’ve seen his eyes they were lifeless.
Kakashi has a sharingan, but he is not an Uchiha. Where did he get it from? I wanted to ask him, but he has fallen into a deep sleep. It was still dark outside, and I went to the bathroom to freshen up. I scrubbed the dirt away, and thought about Naruto. Sasuke left the village, and Naruto is gone too. Sakura must feel alone, I vow to take her out from time to time, even if I am broke. My stomach still feels empty, since I’ve arrived Kakashi has been the one supply me with food. There must be something to eat back the apartment, but I don’t want to leave Kakashi on his own. I peek my head and sure enough he is still softly snoring away. Maybe a little trip home won’t hurt.
The streets were alone in the early morning, the temperature has dropped, making me shiver. A few market stands were barely opening for fresh produce to be delivered. A stray cat crossed my path, meowing as if it was saying good morning. I entered the apartment and it felt colder. Everything was were I left it. I took a quick dip, I couldn't stand being in there alone, it was too quiet and it reminded me when I was traveling from town to town. Sometimes I imagined others talking to me from the loneliness getting to me. The fatigue rolled off of me, and I quickly returned to the hospital after eating a big breakfast.
I was walking through the main door, and bumped into someone.
“I’m sorry miss.” She says, that voice makes my body run cold.
“Kiyoko? Is that you?” She says. I turn to see the girl who tried to keep me in a well when I was five. Eri was taller now, and her voice has changed, but she still looked like the Eri I remember. Her orange hair was down, she had a curvy figure now, thanks to puberty. I notice she taller than me. I gulp, my past doesn’t leave me alone does it.
“Eri, why are you here?” I asked ready to run and fight if i have to. Kakashi is still recovering so it looks like I’m on my own this time.
“I live here now. I moved when I was twelve, my father was ill and we thought they can cure him here, where the Lady Tsunade was. What are you doing here?” She says. I look for any weapon pouch and find none. She doesn’t even have a head protector. I don’t know if I can trust her, not after what she has done to me. I don’t trust any one from my past.
“I settled down here a couple days ago.” She nods and looks at me, her eyes taking in every inch of my body.
“Now that we know we live in the same village, I just want you to know I’m sorry for everything I did. I never realized it would push you enough to run away. I hope we can start fresh and be friends. I no longer live in the Moon Village so I don’t work for them as a spy. I promise you can trust me, I want to repay you.” Eri hold her hand out for a reply. Every instinct in my body tells me no, but my heart is tired of being alone, I want a friend, so I shake her hand. She smiles.
“You know I was jealous of you when we were younger. You were so beautiful, and you still are.”
“Thank you. Why are you here in the hospital?” I asked trying to start a conversation.
She puts her hand over her flat stomach and smiles. “I’m pregnant. I just found out, and I must go and tell my husband before he leaves for a mission. I’ll see you around Kiyoko.”
“Congratulations.” I say as she quickly walks outside, a smile plastered on her face. She was going to become a mother, I wonder if i will ever become one. I don’t know if I would be a good one, I never had a mother so I don’t know how I would be able to take care of the child. I prayed that I made the right decision trusting Eri. She did seem sincere in her apology and she did sound like she wanted to be friends. I walk to Kakashi’s room as I thought about the possibilities she was a spy. I knock and enter.
He was looking outside, the sun was rising and colors bled into the sky. I used to watch the sunrise every morning while I made my way from village to village. It was the only time I felt relaxed because after that I would be on my guard for any attacks.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Kakashi says, he looks a lot better now.
“I might as well have.” I say thinking of Eri. I continue watching the sun rise, a birth to a new day.
“I bumped into an old childhood friend from the Moon Village.” I tell him, even if she only acted to be my friend, I can say she is my friend now. “She’s cut her ties with our village, I put my trust into her. Do you think I did the right thing, putting my trust into her?”
It takes a while for him to take his eyes off of the sunrise, but he does to answer me.
“I don’t know.I haven’t met her yet. What kind of person was she?”
I didn’t know what kind of person Eri was. She was always quiet but popular. She was the one who came up with the idea of locking me in the well. Always be aware of the quiet ones, they are most likely to be the dangerous ones. An old lady told me that once, I don’t remember what village i was in or how old I was when I heard it but it stuck to me. When I was on the run all the years blend in and some years I would forget my birthday. I had to be aware of myself too, I was a quiet person.
“She was the girl who locked me in a well for hours, when I was five. She was the one who always picked out my mistakes and my insecurities. She teased me because my mother died cursing me. And yet I trust her, like I trust you. Like I trust the strangers who took me into their village. You trust me, so I trust her. Am I wrong?” I say confidently.
“So you decided to put the past behind you, and start all over?” He asks.
I nod. I see him smile, but doesn’t say anything. We turn to see Guy, Asuma, Kurenai, Sakura, Sai and a handful of kids that looked around Sakura’s age.
“Good morning!” Guy says with too much enthusiasm. I honestly think these many people in one room is a hazard.
“You can’t spend your youth in bed, Kakashi. Get better so we can have our challenges.” Guy says as he pushes me out of the way to get closer to Kakashi. Kakashi sighs.
“Why bring your teams?” He says.
“We are all off on missions soon, we came to just stop by.” Kurenai says. There were about nine children I didn’t know.
“We haven’t introduced ourselves. My name in Ino.” The girl with a blond ponytail says to me. The other proceed.
“I’m Shikamaru.”
“Choji here.”
“I’m the youthful Lee!”
“Neji.”
“I am Tenten, pleased to meet you.”
“I’m Kiba and this is Akamaru, my partner, is that right buddy.” The dog on his head barks in agreement.
“Hello my name is Hinata.”
“Shino is my name.”
I try to remember everyone’s name, but that was a tall order. All of their eyes landed on me waiting for something. Oh right my name.
“My name is Kiyoko.” I say quickly. I’ve never met so many people at once. Children nonetheless. I personally think they are a tougher critic than the adults are. Ino’s eyes widen, and she holds her hands under her chin.
“Are you Kakashi’s girlfriend?” She asks.
“What?” I say at the same time Kakashi says it. They all look at us, and I feel my face grow warm.
“No, of course not, I’ve only known him for a short period of time. I was just checking on him like any friend would.” I explain, she laughs as I stutter from embarrassment.
“Alright stop teasing her Ino, we have to get going. I’ll see you when you’re back on your feet Kakashi.” Asuma says as he waves his team out the door. Kurenai and her team leave right afterwards. Leaving Guy’s team, Sakura, and Sai in the room. My face still felt warm as Guy asked me to step out for a bit with him. I follow and close the door, sensing that Guy was getting serious.
“When I’m off I’d like you to teach Kakashi whatever you did to release that genjutsu.”
“I don’t know if I can. I mean he already knows how to release a genjutsu, the only difference was that I used excessive amount of chakra. Lady Tsunade says he couldn’t release it because he lacked the amount of chakra I have.” I explain to him. He nods in understanding, then he sticks out his right thumb and gives me a flashing smile.
“Alright then, he’ll just have to have you around next time he faces Itachi.”
I nod my head, I don’t know if we’ll ever face him again, but if he needs me then I’ll be there.
“Okay team Guy let’s move out.” He says as he sticks his head through the door. Lee springs into action, yelling something about the power of youth, what is up with him and youth, he is young. I raise an eyebrow as I notice from afar that Leen and Guy are wearing matching track suits. Lee takes after Guy alright, its kinda disturbing in a weird way, but kinda adorable too. Neji and Tenten lack enthusiasm as they walk behind their energized Sensei and teammate. I walk back into the room and see Sakura peeling an apple while Sai draws something in his sketchbook. They were comfortable with silence and I didn’t want to bug them.
“What did Guy want?” Kakashi asks.
“He just wanted to make sure you recovered so you guys can have challenges after he comes back” I lie and smile, he believes it and returns his book. I guess Sai and Sakura can keep him company, I’ll go ahead and train. If what Guy said is true, then I have to get stronger. I need to be able to fight against Itachi if we will fight him again.
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