Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Outcasts: My Crystal Angel ❯ Ketsueki and Mikaze ( Chapter 4 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

“I hope I'm not late yet!” Hitomi thought as she hurriedly ran to the gates in the darkness of early daybreak.
“Naruto-kun's so stubborn; it's so hard to explain these things to him…”
“Don't worry you're not late…” said a voice.
She slowed down her pace and turned to see her team captain, arms crossed, leaning in the wall and looking to her direction.
“Oh, Ita - I-I mean, Uchiha-taichou*, I didn't see you there, u-umm, w-where are the others..?”
Itachi looked down and shook his head.
“They're not here yet? S-so, u-umm…” She stammered, “w-where's our client?”
“Hiroshi-san hasn't arrived yet either…” He said looking back at her.
“And I thought I was late already…” Hitomi said scratching the back of her head.
“You're early actually.” He said chuckling.
“T-that's good…” She said and walked to his side and leaned on the wall too.
“Are you okay?” he asked, she was acting awkwardly.
She took of her mask, sighed and nodded. Itachi took his off as well.
“You sure? You're acting weird.” he asked again, this time putting his hand on her forehead.
“G-genki yo*.” She said jerking his hand away from her head then looked away.
At the corner of her eyes, she saw him smile warmly at her. Her face started to turn red.
“Don't overwork yourself.” He said still smiling at her.
“I said I'm fine.” She said firmly, her face was serious, too.
He chuckled, “You should wipe that solemn look on your face.”
“Oh, alright.” She sighed looking back at him and returning the smile with her eyes closed.
Itachi kept his smile, looking intently at her. Hitomi opened her eyes bewildered.
“You really should smile more often. I told you, you look cuter that way.”



“Y-yeah, u-umm, a-arigatou, Itachi-san.”
And right on time, I felt three presences approaching, finding an excuse to put my mask back on, but I just did that so Itachi-san wouldn't see my beet red face.
“They're here.” I stated.
He, too, put his mask back on as I saw three figures walking to the gates.
“Ah, gomen nasai, Uchiha-taichou.” Kaede said, scratching the back of his head.
“We went looking for Hiroshi-san.” Homura added.
“That's fine.” Itachi replied. “So where is he?”
“Right here!” said a man with spiky auburn hair. He was smiling and waving his hand with his eyes closed.
He's about a year older then Aiko, I think.
“The last survivor of the fabled Ketsueki clan, Ketsueki Hiroshi, correct?” Itachi stated.
“That would be me.” Hiroshi replied, his face became serious.
I was surprise when I saw his eyes. His eyes had a mauve color…
“…and no pupils either….” I narrowed my eyes.
“Konoha no Suishou Tenshi*…” He muttered.
I snapped out and looked at him baffled, “How did-“
“My grandfather informed me of an ANBU member from Konoha who could manipulate Hyouton* as excellent as a bona fide Ketsueki.” He said then bowed.
“You're younger from what I had been told back home.” He added, standing straight.
I blinked in confusion.
“Pardon my sudden statement.” He said scratching the back of his head and smiled.
“Why does he talk so formally…?”
“Betsu ni*.” I said, laughing nervously.

We swiftly jumped tree to tree.
What I didn't get though: Why does this guy have to have bodyguards when he's a shinobi of Suna and a Special Jounin?
“Um, Hiroshi-san, do you have any idea of other shinobis are after you?” I asked unable to hide my curiosity.
“There is another I suppose, my grandfather warned me, he said that a squad of suspicious ninjas confronted him and were looking for me.” He replied.
“Is there anything he told you to identify them?” Homura immediately asked.
Hiroshi nodded.
“They had black fang shaped tattoo on both arms; they wore maroon-colored half-masks too.”
“Kuroitsume…” Kaede muttered.
“That's definitely them.” Homura agreed, I nodded in accord.
“Kuroitsume has really been busy lately.” Itachi said.
“Somehow, our recent missions have their name written all over them…” I said casually.
“You've fought them?” Hiroshi asked surprised.
“A lot of times already.” I replied.
“But we're used to it. Namikaze-san can take care of them is a flash!” Kaede said jokingly.
Hitomi stopped and signaled her teammates to do so as well.
She snickered, “I see your senses are very keen, Suishou Tenshi.” a woman's ominous voice echoed.
“Show yourself.” Hitomi demanded. Her fellow teammates quickly prepared for an ambush.
“That would be an honor.” A girl with snow white hair and red eyes about her age jumped down the tree just in front of them. She was wearing a maroon half-mask and her arms were tattooed with black fangs.
“Why do I get the feeling that she isn't normal…?”
“I suppose you're one of them.” Hitomi said.
“Yes, I see you already know a Kuroitsume when you see one.” She said, smirking under her mask.
“What do you want?” Itachi demanded.
“Oh you know. Your Ketsueki friend right over there.” She said motioning her gaze on Hiroshi.
Hiroshi flinched, “She isn't human…” he muttered.
Hitomi was shocked. “But that's…”
“What do you mean Hiroshi-san?” Homura asked, baffled by his statement.
“She's a half spirit.” He said, narrowing his eyes at the girl.
“Ah you've noticed. I'm not surprised, you are a Ketsueki after all, and you would know that very well.” She said.
“A Mikaze, right?” he asked.
“M-Mikaze?” Hitomi stammered.
“They were once with the Ketsueki. But after the massacre, they became rogue shinobis, that's what my Grandfather told me.” He stated.“Am I right?” He turned and asked the girl.
The white-haired girl chuckled. “Yes. Very right. Mikaze Sora, at your sevice.” She said smiling and bowed.
“Now I'll get what I came here for.” Her smile disappeared and she swiftly maneuvered to attack Hiroshi.
Hiroshi narrowly evaded the attack and got wounded on his side.
Hiroshi was shocked when a pillar of ice appeared in front of him and stabbed Sora, the whole pillar piercing trough her chest.
He turned to Hitomi who was kneeling, hands on the ground, “She was probably the one who triggered that jutsu…”
But as he was going to relax, `Sora' disappeared. “K-kage bunshin!”
She appeared behind Hiroshi but Kaede quickly kneed her side, sending her flying to the tree.
Another appeared in front of Hiroshi. It was Itachi's turn, he quickly jabbed a kunai on her back.
The clone disappeared. In just a moment they were surrounded by Sora's clones.
Homura and Kaede worked as a pair and attacked the clones.
One of the clones charged at Itachi with a kunai at hand. He quickly evaded the blade and grabbed her hand and threw her to three other clones that then disappeared into smoke.
Three clones charged with kunais at Hiroshi, alerted, Hitomi jumped in front of him and formed hand seals.
“Inu, Tori, Hitsuju, Tora, Tatsu!*”
“Hyouton no jutsu!” She yelled and struck the ground with her palms.
Multiple ice pillars protruded from the ground and stabbed the clones that surrounded them.
The wind caught up and Hiroshi saw something at the back of Hitomi's neck.
“Wait, that symbol!”
Hiroshi stared at the glowing blue mark: a fox's head with 5 tails.
“Hiroshi-san, be careful. We maybe your bodyguards but that doesn't mean you can't help us in getting rid of her!” she said demandingly.
“Wakatta*.” He replied. “That symbol, no doubt about it, it's her…”