Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Firebird ❯ Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 

*Note* Levii and I are close friends IRL and I have permission to use her characters, as

she does mine.

 

*Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of the genius Masashi Kishimoto.

“…” - Talking

`…' - Thoughts

 

Italics - Flashbacks

 

 

***************************************************************** *******

 

 

“Miaka… Okairi.” In one word and action, Kakashi has managed to express most of the emotions rampaging through him. Miaka smiled shyly up at him. She wanted to say something in return. Something profound… “Domo arigatou gouzai masu.” Miaka could have kicked herself. `So much for profound,' she mentally grumbled. Kakashi grinned, the ruffed the girl's hair playfully. Miaka felt her heart tumble into her stomach as he did so. `Memo to self,' her inner critic popped up one again. `He will NEVER see you as more than a hopeless little child.'

 

 

“Ja ne Mia-Chan,” he said. Then with a grin and another ruff to her hair, Kakashi and the other Jounin turned away from her. Miaka watched their backs retreat and blend in with the crowd, holding a plate of dangos… `Matte! When did I pay for these? … Mitarashi-Sempai!!!' Miaka's mind screamed in realization.

 

 

Once the group of Jounin was out of earshot of the younger kunoichi, Kakashi fixed Asuma with a side long glare. One promising pain. “What exactly was THAT all about?” He hissed at the larger man. “Nani?” Asuma asked the other nin, feigning confusion. “With Miaka… what exactly do you think you were doing back there?” Asuma grinned, `Someone is protective… maybe we were right all those years ago.' With a laugh, Asuma answered the other. “ Nani? I can look all I want. Besides, you're the one who broke ties with her, remember?”

 

 

Kakashi froze at that. Turning back to the girl, he found her walking away. “This is goodbye…” He watched her for a few moments. “I trained you, you're a Chuunin now.” With a sigh, he whispered to himself, “Hai… I did break it off.” “You no longer have a place in my life. I no longer have a place in your's.” Kakashi felt a twinge of guilt as he remembered his words all those years ago. “I was wrong…” With that, he turned and caught up with his companions.

 

 

`He still sees me as a child,' Miaka thought, mournfully, as she made her way through the throng of people. Occasionally she stopped at a merchant's booth to look over their wares, munching on her snack. `Miatarashi-Sempai is right. Konoha really does make the best dangos.' Miaka mused as she finished the food and continued on her way.

 

 

Leaving the market, Miaka took to wondering the village. Eventually she came upon the cenotaph monument. Standing before it, Miaka noticed that there were at least a hundred, if not more, new names carved into the stone. Of course, it had been five years since she had last been to the memorial, but so many? `Could this have something to do with the state of the village?' she wondered.

 

 

Kneeling in front of the memorial, she began the scan the newer names. Three names, near the beginning, caused her to pause and her blood to run cold.

Gekkou Kaida… Shingo Akio… Shakaku Miaka… “This can't be right,” She whispered. “Doushite… would they think we were dead? They never sent anyone after us, not even Hunter-Nin to retrieve our bodies. They had no proof… doushite?” It was then, as she mused over the possible reasons, that she noticed another name right below hers. Gekkou Hayate… “Iie!” Miaka gasped. Gekou-Sempai was… It couldn't be! But it was. “Kaida-OneeSan is going to be devastated,” she whispered softly.

 

 

Miaka finished reading the names on the memorial, then said a small prayer for a peaceful rest for the souls of her fallen comrades. Once she was done she said an extra prayer for Hayate. Hearing a sound in the brush behind her, Miaka drew a Kunai from her thigh pack and slowly stood, keeping her appearance at ease and unaware. “You've gotten good at that,” a familiar female voice sounded behind her.

 

 

Relaxing completely, Miaka turned to face her teammate. “OneeSan…” Miaka's voice was soft, sad. Kaida looked to the stone, “It's true?” Miaka didn't need to ask what the other was asking about. “Hai,” the smaller woman answered. “I see.” Kaida's entire body was ridged, jaw clenched, and tears lining her eyes yet refusing to fall. “OneeSan,” Miaka said again as she tentatively approached the older kunoichi.

 

 

Taking the younger girl by the hand, Kaida proceeded to lead them back to the village. Instead of heading to the Shingo household, Kaida lead Miaka to her family's home. It was vacant now, Kaida's parents having died years before when the Kyuubi attacked. Once inside the house, Miaka was content to be used as a giant living teddy bear as they sat on the dusty couch and Kaida mourned her OniiSan.

 

 

~*~

 

 

It had been almost a month since Miaka's return to konoha. In that time the young woman had learned what had befallen her beloved home while she had been away. Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin turned missing nin, had forged an alliance with Suna and attached the village during the final Chuunin Exam. Hayate had been killed by a Suna nin by the name of Baki, who had later confessed this to the current Hokage, during the second and third exam.

 

 

After a great struggle, Orochimaru had slain the Sandaime. Over all, Konoha won the battle but many lives were lost. Several months later the last of the Uchiha Clan had defected to Orochimaru, leaving behind a broken hearted kitsune and guilt ridden Sensei.

 

 

Miaka sighed, mulling this over in her head yet again, as she made her

way to the memorial stone. She had taken to visiting it at least once a week. `Hatake-Sempai really blames himself for UchihaSan's betrayal. He should not, I am certain Hatake-Sempai did everything he could to prevent it… demo, if he ruffs my hair or pats my head one more time…' Miaka's mental rant came to an abrupt halt as she neared the memorial. Someone was already there. Sneaking closer and hiding behind a tree, Miaka spotted the telltale black clothing and red scarf of one Onibashi Kaishi. Miaka winced, and turned to leave before the Onibashi woman spotted her.

 

 

She froze in her tracks when the Onibashi woman started speaking however. “Hey gaki. Made you a new bento box. Some of my special gouza, secret recipe, onigiri, a little tempura, I remembered that you liked my vegetable tempura, and some donburi, those were your favorite, ne? I remember that you liked those. I'd ask you how the afterlife was treating you, demo I know you're probably still too damn skinny…” That statement sent a cold chill down Miaka's spine. `She couldn't be… iie. She hated me.' Miaka thought.

 

 

She almost walked away before she heard what the other woman said next. “Is it strange that I'm here again? That I'm coming to your grave when you didn't really like me, and I wasn't exactly friendly to you? I wish I had been. I wish I hadn't been so stupid and just dumped his ass when I knew he loved you and not me. He still does, you know? He loves you still. He regrets saying the things he said, pushing you away.... I should have been there, been sent to find you and your team. That was so badly planned... no hunter nin or ANBU  teams sent to find you or your team. Of course, I wasn't there. I was...” Miaka listened intently, waiting. The other woman stayed silent though. The extended silence caused Miaka's mind to mill over what she has just heard.

 

 

Onibashi-Sempai couldn't be visiting for her, could she? Miaka had been back for a while now, but Onibashi-Semapi was always away on missions. So it was possible that she hadn't yet heard. But… And what did she mean by “He loves you still,”? Who was she talking about? “I should have dumped his ass…” Hatake-Sempai?! `Iie! He's never felt that way for me. Has he?'

 

 

Miaka was jolted from her thoughts as the older Kunoichi resumed her speech. “I was somewhere I wish I hadn't been. I wish we could have been friends, that I had been the one to train you, I wish so many things that can never be. So many regrets in our lives, ne? So many that can't be counted, so many that eat at our souls until we are nothingness. Such is the life of a ninja, ne? I'll be back tomorrow with a new box for you, kid. Until then, see you, Miaka.” Miaka felt her blood turn to ice. `Onibashi-Sempai… was actually here to visit… me.' Miaka watched as the older woman left. The other had been there for her. She hadn't hated her after all.

 

 

After a few minutes, Miaka emerged from the trees. She walked over to the monument and just stared at it and the bento box for a while. She then leaned over and traced her name, as well as her teammate's names, on the stone. She wasn't quite sure what to think. Kneeling and coming to rest in seiza on the ground, Miaka lifted the bento into her lap as tears threatened to fall and memories began to resurface.

 

 

~*flashback*~

 

 

“MiaChan, keep your back straight and bend at the hips when performing that kick” Hatake-Sempai admonished her gently. Attempting to do as she was told, Miaka performed the kick again... only to end up flat on her ass. She could hear Hatake-Sempai's sigh as she stood and dusted off. “Well, that was pathetic,” a rich feminine voice droned. Turning, Miaka spotted Onibashi Kaishi lounging against a near by tree. “Remind me why you're even bothering to try?” The older woman asked mockingly as she sauntered over to her boyfriend.

 

 

“Kai…” Hatake-Sempai said in an almost warning tone. `He's beginning to agree with her,' the gennin found herself thinking sadly. She watched as the older Kunoichi draped herself over Hatake-Sempai with a playful “Kaka-Kun!” that caused the red head to clench her fists as jealousy raged through her. Turning away from the two lovers, she went back to training.

 

 

A few minutes later Hatake-Sempai called to her, “MiaChan, let's stop for the day.” Surprised, Miaka turned to him. Seeing that he was serious, Miaka bowed and went to leave. “Oi! Gaki!” Turning back to the two older ninja, Miaka found herself catching an item the Onibashi woman had thrown at her. Miaka now found herself holding a wrapped bento box and thoroughly confused. “You're too damn skinny,” the other woman stated, then went back to flirting with Hatake-Sempai.

 

 

~*end flashback*~

 

 

Without realizing it, Miaka had been snacking on the bento as the memory flashed through her mind. Looking down, she sweat-dropped when she saw the box was now empty. `Well…technically it was for me.' With a guilty smile and a blush, she set the empty box in place and stood. Saying a prayer for Gekkou-Sempai, she left after a quick bow, her stomach now full and a spark of hope in her heart. `Hatake-Sempai… loves me?'

 

 

 

**Author's Note**

 

 

 

Okairi = Welcome Home

   Domo arigatou gouzai masu = The Politest form of thanking someone

   Sempai = A term of respect. Used for someone who is your senior in a job or at
school. Miaka uses it because the older ninja are her seniors.


   Oniisan = Big Brother

   Demo = but , however

   Ja Ne = See you, bye - less formal

 

Gaki = Kid

 

Bento = a less formal way of saying lunch. The shortened version of Obento.

 

Bento Box = A specially made box for carrying bento in.

 

Seiza = The traditional way of sitting, with one's legs folded beneath them.

 

* Special thanks to everyone who has reviewed! Daisukiyo minna-san!

 

Daisukiyo = The platonic version of “I love to.”

 

Minna-San = Polite “everyone”

 

Please remember to R&R!