Categories > Anime/Manga > Naruto > Ghost of a Rose
Kakashi wondered if he was suicidal following the scarred man down the corridor, but then, he was only doing this out of Sakura's wishes. She seemed to have taken a shine to the blonde kunoichi.
"Now, try not to be too hard on her..."
Suddenly, Ibiki turned. The motion surprised Kakashi.
"And what is she to you?"
Kabuto took care to remember his place. "A stranger still, but the girl who could have ties to this village. Nothing is for certain yet."
"No matter how unlikely these 'ties' are?" Ibiki raised an eyebrow
Kakashi admitted himself that the girl's tale was doubtful. Kakashi had once been ANBU, and one never really stopped being ANBU. According to the village whispers anyway.
"Just consider it, Ibiki-san."
Years ago, it would have been "-sama." A title of respect. However, those days were long over. Now, Kakashi was a humble instructor.
A slight smirk. "I might..."
Kakashi wondered what he was really thinking. If anything. Ibiki was so damned hard to talk to, and he was the one with the mask.
Casually, Kakashi shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed.
His task was done.
---
"The test is positive."
Both Misaki and i were speechless when Tsunade held up the two test tubes.
"The DNA does indeed match. What do you think of that Ibiki-san?"
Ibiki grunted in annoyance. He didn't seem too pleased.
"You doubt us?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow
Misaki watched Ibiki stiffen. It was a marvel to see. To Tsunade-sama, he was her subordinate. A woman had all this power. Also, Misaki had a feeling herself that she had supporters of our own, but, she didn't know if she deserved it. Only she knew where she was really from.
Ibiki at last broke eye contact with the Hokage.
"Che. Fine. What is your age, girl?"
Misaki was startled to be directly addressed, yet the savagery in his gaze demanded complete attention. Ibiki's gaze was almost painful; his eyes never left hers.
"Eighteen."
Ibiki sniffed. "I know nin that became Jounins when they were thirteen."
"I could attend the academy," Misaki vocalized her exact thoughts.
Couldn't she?
"That would be a good idea," Sakura chimed in eagerly.
Misaki didn't even have an education. She paled in comparison to everyone in this room.
"Now, can you tell me how this girl is related to you?" Tsunade asked curiously. "Is she a cousin?"
Ibiki closed his eyes "I had a brother."
"Had?" Misaki echoed.
"An older brother. He left and got married early. You know how it is."
Misaki wished that she did. It was evident that he carried a lot of bitterness as dark as coat.
"What was his name?" Sakura asked. She was spellbound.
Misaki frowned. She felt like she should be asking that.
"Itsuki."
Misaki stifled a cry. She had no memory of him, yet now she knew that her father's name was Itsuki. Tree. How apt.
"And my mother?"
"It escapes me. I was only around nine at the time."
It was a shame that he couldn't remember her mother. Misaki was forced to hide her disappointment.
Tsunade smiled. "Another I. Itsuki, Ibiki, and Idate."
Misaki had another uncle. She decided that she wouldn't ask about it yet. Misaki had enough trouble processing the information she already knew.
So much information...
At time, Misaki wondered if Orochimaru could somehow hear her or even this conversation. Maybe one of his snakes had been implanted inside of her while she had slept.
Misaki couldn't blame the direction of her thoughts any more; she hadn't had any sleep for a while now.
"My family was...traditional for a time. "Of the forest." Crop names and cultivation names. At least I wasn't named for a damned tree."
All were disturbed at the bubble of humor that rose to the surface and broke as quickly as it had appeared. Maybe there was a part of him that was actually human.
The pale man and Kabuto had also been tense complex people. It was as if destiny had prepared her for this...
"So, girl are you up for a challenge?"
He was addressing her again. Her name was Misaki, so why did he refer to her as girl?
He obviously had no respect for her yet which was understandable. Misaki didn't expect much now.
"What challenge?"
"We'll meet later tomorrow at 7:30 AM," he informed her in a hushed tone. "I'll send someone. Be sure you are on time."
Ibiki sounded like Orochimaru. What did he really want? What would this private meeting entail?
Did he suspect something?
Misaki still didn't know much about Ibiki or his reactions. If there was danger, she didn't sense it. She was honestly drained from the encounter.
Misaki and the others watched as Ibiki silently exited from the room.
It was then Misaki felt Sakura's reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Misaki-chan. I'm sure with time..."
Time could promise nothing. Misaki didn't know how much time she had until she got the summons.
Misaki wondered how much time she had before the pale man got to her. His presence would be problematic to say the least.
She couldn't help but feel guilty. The people of Konoha seemed nice, but Misaki had been stained through no fault of her own. Still, she couldn't blame the pale man. If it hadn't been for him, she would have died.
In the end, she knew nothing about her future.
And neither did they.
---
"Is she still alive?" Sasuke asked nonchalantly.
Orochimaru cackled for a stretch. The sound even made Sasuke's skin crawl and the stones of the corridor ring out in pain.
"Quite."
So. She had made it to Konoha. She had escaped. Sasuke had wondered if it was even possible. Maybe she was tougher than she seemed. Then again, it could just be simple luck.
However, it was too late for Sasuke. This was his life now.
"Now, try not to be too hard on her..."
Suddenly, Ibiki turned. The motion surprised Kakashi.
"And what is she to you?"
Kabuto took care to remember his place. "A stranger still, but the girl who could have ties to this village. Nothing is for certain yet."
"No matter how unlikely these 'ties' are?" Ibiki raised an eyebrow
Kakashi admitted himself that the girl's tale was doubtful. Kakashi had once been ANBU, and one never really stopped being ANBU. According to the village whispers anyway.
"Just consider it, Ibiki-san."
Years ago, it would have been "-sama." A title of respect. However, those days were long over. Now, Kakashi was a humble instructor.
A slight smirk. "I might..."
Kakashi wondered what he was really thinking. If anything. Ibiki was so damned hard to talk to, and he was the one with the mask.
Casually, Kakashi shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed.
His task was done.
---
"The test is positive."
Both Misaki and i were speechless when Tsunade held up the two test tubes.
"The DNA does indeed match. What do you think of that Ibiki-san?"
Ibiki grunted in annoyance. He didn't seem too pleased.
"You doubt us?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow
Misaki watched Ibiki stiffen. It was a marvel to see. To Tsunade-sama, he was her subordinate. A woman had all this power. Also, Misaki had a feeling herself that she had supporters of our own, but, she didn't know if she deserved it. Only she knew where she was really from.
Ibiki at last broke eye contact with the Hokage.
"Che. Fine. What is your age, girl?"
Misaki was startled to be directly addressed, yet the savagery in his gaze demanded complete attention. Ibiki's gaze was almost painful; his eyes never left hers.
"Eighteen."
Ibiki sniffed. "I know nin that became Jounins when they were thirteen."
"I could attend the academy," Misaki vocalized her exact thoughts.
Couldn't she?
"That would be a good idea," Sakura chimed in eagerly.
Misaki didn't even have an education. She paled in comparison to everyone in this room.
"Now, can you tell me how this girl is related to you?" Tsunade asked curiously. "Is she a cousin?"
Ibiki closed his eyes "I had a brother."
"Had?" Misaki echoed.
"An older brother. He left and got married early. You know how it is."
Misaki wished that she did. It was evident that he carried a lot of bitterness as dark as coat.
"What was his name?" Sakura asked. She was spellbound.
Misaki frowned. She felt like she should be asking that.
"Itsuki."
Misaki stifled a cry. She had no memory of him, yet now she knew that her father's name was Itsuki. Tree. How apt.
"And my mother?"
"It escapes me. I was only around nine at the time."
It was a shame that he couldn't remember her mother. Misaki was forced to hide her disappointment.
Tsunade smiled. "Another I. Itsuki, Ibiki, and Idate."
Misaki had another uncle. She decided that she wouldn't ask about it yet. Misaki had enough trouble processing the information she already knew.
So much information...
At time, Misaki wondered if Orochimaru could somehow hear her or even this conversation. Maybe one of his snakes had been implanted inside of her while she had slept.
Misaki couldn't blame the direction of her thoughts any more; she hadn't had any sleep for a while now.
"My family was...traditional for a time. "Of the forest." Crop names and cultivation names. At least I wasn't named for a damned tree."
All were disturbed at the bubble of humor that rose to the surface and broke as quickly as it had appeared. Maybe there was a part of him that was actually human.
The pale man and Kabuto had also been tense complex people. It was as if destiny had prepared her for this...
"So, girl are you up for a challenge?"
He was addressing her again. Her name was Misaki, so why did he refer to her as girl?
He obviously had no respect for her yet which was understandable. Misaki didn't expect much now.
"What challenge?"
"We'll meet later tomorrow at 7:30 AM," he informed her in a hushed tone. "I'll send someone. Be sure you are on time."
Ibiki sounded like Orochimaru. What did he really want? What would this private meeting entail?
Did he suspect something?
Misaki still didn't know much about Ibiki or his reactions. If there was danger, she didn't sense it. She was honestly drained from the encounter.
Misaki and the others watched as Ibiki silently exited from the room.
It was then Misaki felt Sakura's reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Misaki-chan. I'm sure with time..."
Time could promise nothing. Misaki didn't know how much time she had until she got the summons.
Misaki wondered how much time she had before the pale man got to her. His presence would be problematic to say the least.
She couldn't help but feel guilty. The people of Konoha seemed nice, but Misaki had been stained through no fault of her own. Still, she couldn't blame the pale man. If it hadn't been for him, she would have died.
In the end, she knew nothing about her future.
And neither did they.
---
"Is she still alive?" Sasuke asked nonchalantly.
Orochimaru cackled for a stretch. The sound even made Sasuke's skin crawl and the stones of the corridor ring out in pain.
"Quite."
So. She had made it to Konoha. She had escaped. Sasuke had wondered if it was even possible. Maybe she was tougher than she seemed. Then again, it could just be simple luck.
However, it was too late for Sasuke. This was his life now.
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