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mercedesbennie0612 · 4 months ago

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Tales of An Uzumaki

sometimes when i hate my writing, i remember the awful books that have been passed by professional editors and publishers and thinks: "you know what, hell yeah."

IF THEY CAN DO IT SO CAN I (except i just do this for fun and bc i am incredibly autistic about naruto and have been for nearly 10 years)

☼⭑―――――――――――――――⭒☾

Chapter Three

WC: 2.3k

Summary: Koemi faces a far too familiar face of her past, battling not only him but the terror that was linked to that man.

Chapt. Two

☼⭑―――――――――――――――⭒☾

☼⭑The Bridge⭒☾

A cool breeze brushed against the battlefield. The tranquility of the scene only left a lingering ache in Koemi's chest. She gnawed on her lower lip, tearing the cracked skin until the sharp aroma of copper invaded the surface of her tongue. She forced her shaking limbs to a halt, her eyes narrowing as they remained locked on Zabuza, standing merely a few feet away from her. Hot vile burned her throat as she repelled the urge to hurl just from that malicious glint in his pointed gaze.

She monitored the stand off between Kakashi and Zabuza. The lull of noise left Koemi in agony, praying for something to happen, yet also for the opposite simultaneously. Her body twitched any time either party made the slightest move—even down to their breathing pattern shifted.

Her eyes darted across the battlefield in she search for any escape routes. Through the trees, running back the direction they came: Every route she examined only gave her the same result, and all that haunted her visions being her limp body laying in a pool of her own blood. Her gaze found itself landing on a trembling Sasuke in her search for a solution. Her gaze softened, his foreign display of emotion somehow grounding her. As much as she desired to laugh at him—to get her first hurrah over him, she resisted. Now is not the time... We are all equally afraid right now.

"Deep breaths, Sasuke." She echoed, a hint of a taunt lingering in her tone even through her trembling voice. She watched as a plethora of emotions washed over her face before he settled on a weak smirk.

"You care a lot for an actress." He mused through his own bated breath, earning a light scoff from Koemi.

His shaking body subsided into slight twitches. She let out a quiet breath, delighted that her words provided some relief to him.

"Enough talking." Zabuza's eyes narrowed as his stance shifted. His figure evaporated into a wisp of fog. Everyone took a step back, inching closer to Tazuna and each other. Koemi's shoulder grazed against Naruto's and Sasuke's, her gaze whipping around anywhere Zabuza might show his face.

"Keep your guard up!" Kakashi ordered. As the words left his mouth, needles prickled up Koemi's spine in a discomforting sensation. Suddenly, that presence of the two boys beside her disappeared as she gazed into their eyes full of horror. She stiffened like a block of ice, and her neck refused to even twitch to capture a glimpse of what stood behind her. The chill of cool metal pressed against her neck.

"Caught you, little fox." His voice hummed in a quiet voice, his breath brushing against the shell of her ear. A whimper fell from her lips, and she swallowed a thick lump hindering the entrance of her throat.

She held her breath, a choked cry finding its way out of her throat.

"Koemi!" Naruto cried out, taking a step forward to rush to her aid. That simply action only caused the blade to press deeper into her neck. Her breath stuttered, letting out a quiet hiss as a singe of pain seeped through. A trickle of a thick fluid ran down her sternum, the stench of iron wafting in her nose.

"Ah-ah-ah. Not so fast." Zabuza warned, his smirk widening at the sight before him. Naruto's hands clenched into fists, glancing around him for some type of solution.

"Damn you!"

Sweat poured from every crevice in her body leaving her slick with a layer of a thin water. Her heart boomed in the back of her throat, the thundering beat rattling her ear drums in her attempts to swallow it down. Her fists balled at her sides tightened together, hearing a slight clink of metal clenched between her hands. How could I forget..? Fighting her own paralysis, she clutched her kunai with a new purpose.

I can't die here.

Adrenaline pulsed though her body, every muscle twitched in anticipation. She jabbed her blade into his abdomen with a loud grunt, pushing herself away from him as soon as the window opened.

Silence laid thick in the atmosphere as everyone listened to the thick liquid dripped onto the grass before collapsing. Koemi turned back, hoping to capture the sight of him limp and incapacitate only met with a puddle of water. Her stomach dropped as the illusion shattered.

Before she could even react, Naruto and Sasuke threw her to the ground. She watched as his sword flew just back her head, strands of her distinct red hair falling onto her face. She let out a sigh in relief as she let her head rest on the grass.

"Not bad for a group of kids." Zabuza huffed, pulling his sword out of the trunk of a tree it landed in. Kakashi rushed over to Zabuza, striking him and pushing him away from the three of them. Koemi wrapped her arms around both Naruto and Sasuke, feeling much safer. Sakura and Tazuna rushed over to the group, checking up on the three of them.

"Koemi, are you okay?" Sakura asked, kneeling before her as she placed her head in her lap. Her eyes lingering on the cut on her neck, her lips pursed together as she began rummaging through her pouches.

"I'm better now.." Koemi murmured out, a smile creeping up the corner of her lips. Sakura lifted her head, gently cleaning her wound earning another hiss from her lips.

"That was really cool of you, Koemi!" Naruto hummed, sitting back up to offer her the widest grin. She relaxed, reciprocating his smile with a pat on his leg.

"Wouldn't want to die on my brother after just meeting him." Koemi joked and attempting to laugh only to cough and choke on her own spit. Naruto's smile widened before shifting back to concern as he hovered over her.

"Don't move. You'll open the wound more—Naruto back up! Give her some space." Sakura scolded, shoving Naruto backward before beginning to wrap the wound with a roll of gauze. He let out a loud yelp in protest, about to start arguing before stopping himself for Koemi's sake. He crossed his arms over his chest, a slight pout jutting out from his lip. Koemi smiled sheepishly in return, uttering a quiet apology before looking over to Sasuke.

"Y'know, for someone who's convinced I'm just an actress, you seem to enjoy saving my ass. That's the fourth time already." She teased, sitting back up after Sakura secure her wrap with a tight knot. Sasuke tensed before turning his head away from her with a roll of his eyes.

"Don't mention it, consider it a debt you need to repay."

With Tazuna helping them all up, they returned to their defense stances as they watched the clash between Zabuza and Kakashi. Koemi's tremors dispelled as she rose to her feet, readying up for a real fight. She clutched onto a new kunai as she watched as the two fought, searching for any openings. She searched for any vantage points, eying the tree branches surrounding them. But how to get them?

Just as her attention snapped back to the battle, the mist thickened once more. She held her kunai closer to her face, trying to sense any traces of him anywhere. Her tremors return to her, fearing he could come and kill her at any moment. She watched as Kakashi warily scanned his surroundings. Just then, in a swift movement, he held up his kunai like he caught something. Zabuza appeared in front of him, Kakashi's kunai to his throat.

"Well played." Zabuza smirked. A clone appeared behind Kakashi, his sword held high as he attempted to strike Kakashi down. Kakashi narrowly dodged the descending sword, but not before being kicked into the air by the real Zabuza. A pit in Koemi's stomach grew as she watched Zabuza outsmart Kakashi with such ease. She looked around at her team, the same sentiment shared by everyone. Zabuza charged after Kakashi as he flew through the air only to be stopped by a trap planted by the latter.

"Don't think you can slow me down!" He taunted as he jumped into the river. Silence fell as Team 7 watched in anticipation. Koemi's heart jumped as she watched Kakashi emerge from the water, something clouding his mind. Zabuza emerged from behind, forming a jutsu as he rose out.

"Too slow! Water Prison Jutsu!" He called out, encasing Kakashi into a pool of water. Koemi grew lightheaded stumbling backward. Her nails dug into the palms of her hand, the sound of blood dripping from her wounds now taking over all her senses. Her mind clouded over as her thoughts overtook any reason.

"Koemi!" Naruto's voice woke her back to her senses. She readjusted herself to her surroundings. A water clone of Zabuza stood between the real one and Kakashi. The four team members huddled into a circle, devising a plan.

"Just find me a distraction so I can get to a vantage point." Koemi added in a hushed voice.

Sasuke charged first, attempting a full front assault on the clone. Koemi darted toward the trees as attention honed on Sasuke. As Sasuke threw an enlarged shuriken, Koemi darted between tree to tree until she stood right beside Zabuza, removing the ribbon from her hair once again. As soon as Naruto popped out, she lunged out from her hiding stop.

Having no other choice, Zabuza disabled his jutsu in order to prevent the blade from piercing his eye. Koemi utilized that to her advantage as soon as he pulled his hand away from the water prison. She wrapped the ribbon around his wrist, grabbing hold of his other hand and tying his hands behind his back. Zabuza let let out a frustrated grunt from his lips, struggling in her hold as she kept him pinned to the surface of the water.

"You bitch!" He roared out, fighting for control of his arms only to be stopped by Kakashi. He placed his foot onto his back before turning back to Koemi. He placed a gentle hand on her hand, an outline of a smile contoured against his mask.

"You all did well. I'll deal with it from here." Koemi looked up at Kakashi with look of awe, her cheeks warming at his sudden praise. She looked away from him, uncertain of how to take his compliment.

"That damned fox! I'm gonna kill her!" Zabuza snarled only to cry out in pain as Kakashi's foot dug deeper into his back. She stood tall as she looked down at the man now groveling on his knees. Her blood pumped hastily within her. She worried her heart would explode from its excessive activity.

Her body twitched. She couldn't decipher why. Was it fear? Excitement? Adrenaline pumped through her body, overwhelming her senses. She snapped from her thoughts at the quiet clink of something whizzing past her ear. In the blink of an eye, Zabuza fell limp in his restraints, a thin needle sticking out of his neck. She glanced over to her teammates who looked just as puzzled as she did. Senbon needles? Kakashi knelt down, placing two finger's to his pulse point. His brows knit together as he turned back to everyone.

"He's dead."

The air went still, only the rustle of the leaves and the ripple of the water piercing through the thick tension. Dead? Just like that?

"Dead?" Sakura echoed, her eyes wide as she looked down at the limp corpse on the water.

Approaching footsteps grew louder as they stood before Zabuza's body, lifting his deadweight with little effort.

"Thank you for cornering Zabuza Momochi, my forces have been searching for him for weeks. Our lives have been made much easier with your aid." Koemi's eyes narrowed as she listened to the masked ninja. She could not decipher why, but her intuition cried out to her not to believe him. She swore to herself she recognized that mask, that silhouette before, but she couldn't recall where.

"I'll take him off your hands."

"Hang on a minute! You're just gonna show up when the fights already over?! Where were you while we were busting our asses?!" Naruto seethed, taking strides toward the man with a burning fury within his gaze. The masked man remained unperturbed by his outburst, adjusting his grip on the body before turning away from him.

"We thank you for your efforts." He replied before disappearing into the woodlands without a second glance. Another beat of silence fell before the six.

"Dammit!" Naruto slammed his fist into the ground, breaking the stillness.

"We struggled so hard to beat that guy, only for this guy just to swoop in and finish him off in one blow," He grunted out. His fist collided with the floor again and just as he went in for a third, Koemi caught his arm.

"Let's just be grateful we're alive, Naruto." Kakashi spoke as he approached the group. Everyone subconsciously let out a breath in relief, a calmness washing over the atmosphere. That tranquility lasted only a mere minute before Kakashi soon passed out from his own exhaustion, his body falling limp on the floor with a loud thud.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura cried as she rushed over to the limp teacher with everyone else in two.

"He's alive." Sakura sighed out, two fingers resting on his wrist.

"He probably overexerted himself." Sasuke concluded. Motioning to Naruto for aid, the two of them lifted Kakashi up with a slight grunt.

"Allow me to take you to my home." Tazuna suggested.

"It will be best to get your teacher some help and allow you all to rest."

"You're right, let's hurry and get Kakashi-Sensei some help!" Koemi urged, ushering everyone to follow her and Tazuna back to their home.

☼⭑𝕋𝕠 𝔹𝕖 ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕦𝕖𝕕⭒☾

#naruto uzumaki #naruto fanfiction #naruto #team 7 naruto #sakura haruno #sasuke uchiha #kakashi hatake #naruto oc

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mercedesbennie0612 · 4 months ago

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Tales of an Uzumaki

blep :p

i'm having so much fun revisiting this fic though, it's like looking back in time—cringing at it—but thoroughly enjoying seeing how far i've come

i hate writing combat, sorry if it lwk sucks i'm trying to step out of my comfort zone LMFAO

☼⭑―――――――――――――――⭒☾

Chapter Two:

WC: 3.6K

summary: Their travels to the Land of Waves unravel as chaos and bloodshed follow hot on their trail. This would be no ordinary C-rank mission.

Chapt. One

☼⭑―――――――――――――――⭒☾

☼⭑Team 7⭒☾

A silence rippled through the office, even the smallest rustle of movement seeming like a deafening clamor. Nothing, however, spoke louder than the eyes all glued on to Koemi. Each pair staring into her very being, clawing at her for answers.

"Papa?" Naruto echoed, his blaring voice tearing through the quietness. "Is he my—" All eyes shifted with an expectant glint in their eyes. She tensed, her eyes darting between each figure in that room before landing back on Tazuna's gaze.

"We aren't related by blood. He and his family took care of me after I wounded up in the Land of Waves." Everyone in the room deflated at her answer. Her chest tightened at the sight, keeping her gaze locked on Tazuna. They both shared a knowing glance, dread creeping into every invasive crevice of her body. He must have left not long after me... The elder man cleared his throat, recuperating himself from his initial surprise. He glanced between Naruto and Koemi, though kept his comments to himself.

"My name is Tazuna, a bridgebuilder in seek of some protection on my return." He instructed. His gaze turned back to Koemi, his eyes softening apologetically.

"You four have your instructions, best to make haste now." The Hokage ordered, his voice never wavering from its usual tenderness. A unanimous echo of affirmative grunts followed his order as everyone took their leave from the office.

An awkwardness lingered in the air as they traveled out of the building and back down to the gates of the village. Koemi remained lost in her own gaggle of thoughts, running through every possibility of their mission. She didn't take joy in the idea of spending her next few nights with total strangers, and the other two—especially the dark-haired boy—didn't appear to take kindly to her either. His piercing glare burned a hole into her very existence, a sharp prickling sensation stinging the back of her head. Her lips parted to comment on his aversiveness only to be interrupted by Kakashi.

"How about we all introduce ourselves to Koemi. It's important to make each member feel comfortable in a team." Kakashi advised as they stepped foot out of the borders of the Leaf Village. Buildings transformed into trees, and the bustling sounds of the city faded into a quiet ambience of rustling leaves.

In that moment, it became apparent to Koemi just how alone they had become in just a matter of minutes, a pit aching the bottom of her stomach.

"Any volunteers to go first? You all know the drill, state your name, interests, and dreams."

"Me! Me! I'm Naruto Uzumaki, my interests are trying different kinds of ramen and comparing them. My dream is to become Hokage! That way, people will finally respect me, and I can keep my family safe!" Naruto swung his arm around Koemi with a dorkish smile sprawled on his face. Koemi let out a gentle chuckle at his excitable behavior, patting his arm.

"I guess I'll go next. I'm Koemi Uzumaki. I haven't thought deeply about my interests... but I guess I like jewelry making.. oh! Traveling is really nice, sewing too; I also loved gardening back home. As for my dreams...I never really thought about it, my dream had been finding my brother ever since I found out I had one." She paused in her words to ponder one up.

"I guess my dream now would be to learn who our parents are now, and to get stronger." She beamed.

"Okay, well...My name is Sakura Haruno. My interests are studying, reading.. hmm, shopping is also fun! And..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes met the back of the dark-haired boy as a tint of pink appeared on her cheeks. Him? Of all people...

"As for my dreams, I want to marry..." She covered her face as a muffled giggle escaped her lips. Koemi maintained a polite smile as Sakura continued her drab about him. She glanced between her and the boy, trying to capture a sliver of what Sakura saw in him: A strange thing to envision in her mind. To each their own, I guess . I'm sure she's a sweet girl... She pushed away her reservations about Sakura, offering a small clap of applause as Sakura exchanged a smile with her.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha. My dream is to revive my clan and kill the one who caused their genocide." A sting of grim silence followed, only the sound of sandals crunching against the dirt trail polluting the void of noise. "I don't have anything that interests me except for one thing." That same sharp gaze shot right at Koemi.

"You." She froze in her tracks and directed her own finger to herself for confirmation. Should I be flattered? Instinctually, her gaze captured Sakura's, watching her visibly deflate. Koemi let out a quiet sigh, before turning back toward Sasuke.

"Huh? Why me?"

"I think it's weird that Naruto's sister from the Land of Waves shows up miraculously right before we're assigned an escort mission there. You could be planning to put us in danger." He scowled, now approaching her.

"Sasuke may have a point... how can we be so sure that you and Naruto are actually related..?" Sakura added. Koemi caught a glimmer of relief in her gaze as she took a step closer to his side.

She fell quiet, absorbing his accusations with bated breath. He spoke with such conviction, she second guessed herself. Had she been wrong about Naruto? Perhaps their last names being the same had only been a coincidence.

"What are you going on about, Sasuke?" Naruto scoffed, his voice snapping her from her mind.

She met those blue eyes of Naruto's, blue eyes she saw reflected in the mirror. You're wrong. Her head whipped back, her eyes flaring with a newly lit fire. She stomped right towards his approach, standing just mere inches away from him as she balled the collar of his shirt in her fists. Now inches away from his face, she eyed him with great intensity.

"Whether or not it's fake is not up for you to decide. Stop acting like you know everything, you litt—"

"Get your hands off Sasuke!" cried Sakura.

"Hey! Leave Koemi alone!" Naruto yelled.

"Now, now.. let's not fight—" Just as Kakashi cut into their disagreement, a link of chains snaked their way around his body. With one swift motion, Koemi watched as his body tore to shreds, and her rage washed over with terror.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" Sakura cried out, her hands flying over her mouth and her body trembling. Naruto stood as still as a statue, his face stuck in utter horror watching everything unfold before his very eyes.

Taken out just like that?! Koemi's eyes burned with a layer of water, the taste of the steamed bun from earlier that day lingering in the back of her throat. A splash of reality passed through her brain, that previous pit in her stomach sprouting into a sinkhole. Her feet stood glued to the uneven ground, every sound around her quieting.

She snapped from retreating into her mind upon the sensation of a harsh shove and meeting the back of Sasuke's head. A snarky remark about his immediate and peculiar switch dared to make its way to his ears, but she kept those thoughts to herself. Mostly still trying to gather her bearings without being sucked into her absolute terror.

Taking a breath, she pushed through her anxieties, rushing to Tazuna's aid along side Naruto and Sakura. Reaching into her thigh pouch, she took out a single kunai as she mentally counted how many assailants surrounded them.

"That's one down~" Number One, as Koemi deemed him, sang, an eerie giggle sending a shiver down Koemi's spine as he pranced toward the four students. Koemi's heart pounded in her ears. Sweat dripped from her temples. Every instinct in her body ached, her chest heaving up and down in rapid gasps. Number Two beelined right toward Koemi. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Deep breaths, Koemi. Stay focused." Sasuke's serene voice brought her back down to reality. She relaxed slightly, gathering enough strength to roll her eyes at him.

"I don't need to hear that from you." She huffed, her gaze honing back in on the assailant.

Her grip on the kunai tightened as her eyes narrowed. He advanced, leaping up to attack her. She reacted faster, narrowly avoiding his descending kunai as she ducked between his legs. She struck him with a kick to the back of his knee. He dropped down to his knees in a snarl. She struck him down with another kick to his head, knocking him to the ground. Just as she moved to strike him again, she cried out in pain as a harsh hand pulled at her ponytail. Her kunai slipped between her fingertips, clawing at her scalp to fight back against the attacker's hold. Time stopped as her eyes watched him drive his kunai closer to her head. Now a hair away from her face, her eyes shut as she braced for her death.

A loud cry broke her away from that image, her eyes fluttering back open. Once more, she only met Sasuke in front of her instead of the attacker. Perplexed, she searched around now finding Number One bashed into a tree. Before she could even utter a thanks, the Number Two charged at Naruto who stood frozen in his spot.

Koemi let out a string of silent curses as she pulled the ribbon tying her hair up out. She knew she wouldn't be strong enough to take him on head on, but she needed to think of something. She couldn't lose Naruto already. The attacker stood just a hair away from Naruto. Koemi's heart thumped against her ribs.

"Naruto!" She cried. She wrapped the ribbon around his arm, placing a foot onto the small of the attacker's back. Using his weight as leverage, she pulled tight on the ribbon, yanking his arm backward. Hot vile gurgled in her throat as a series of cracks followed. The attacker screamed in agony. Seizing the opportunity, Sasuke charged in with a kick, taking the final enemy out of commission.

The sound of quickened breath seeped through the stillness of the forest. Koemi looked down at the unconscious foe beneath her, her breath bated and her mind in shambles. With a shaken hand, she unraveled her hair ribbon from his arm. She looked down at the ribbon in her shaken hands, eyes wider than saucers.

After a moment of recuperation, she tied her hair back up and approached Naruto, her eyes fixated on the cut on his hand. He still got injured... She grit her teeth as her brows furrowed together. She tightened her grip around his hand.

"What's with the long face, Koemi? I'm fine, really! Believe it!" Naruto pushed away her hold and gave her a big thumbs up. Before she could open her mouth to speak, Sakura rebuked.

"This is insane! We need to turn back and let someone more qualified handle this, Kakashi-sensei is dead! There's no way we can carry this out!"

"I wouldn't say that I am dead," A voice from behind chimed. Everyone spun to the source to find a very much alive Kakashi. Koemi's jaw dropped to the ground, glancing at everyone like she needed to confirm the sight.

"But we just watched you—"

"What you saw get ripped to shreds was a substitute." He explained, motioning to the broken log that laid where his corpse should have been.

"Then why did you leave us alone?!" Koemi snarled.

"I was scoping the surroundings to make sure there were no more attackers. Besides, it seems you handled it well enough. I applaud you and Sasuke. That was an excellent show of teamwork." He praised, clapping as he did so. Koemi scrunched her face up as she looked over at Sasuke, his gaze already fixed on her tresses of red hair. She huffed, folding her arms over her chest as she looked away from him.

"That doesn't make me feel any better." She grumbled.

"By any means, Sakura is right. We should return to the village. You four are certainly underqualified for a mission like this."

"But, Kakashi-sensei! I just have a cut, I'm fine to keep going! Believe it!" Naruto persisted. He showed the wound to Kakashi who only shook his head.

"Those weapons were coated in poison. If that poison spreads anymore, you will without a doubt die. We need to return to the village so it can be treated properly." Koemi affirmed his statement with a nod and planted a hand on Naruto's back to push him back to the village. He only refused her touch and pulled out a kunai. Just what is he about to do..? She watched as Naruto plunged the kunai through his hand, an involuntary yelp falling from her lips as she took a step toward him.

"What are you—"

"I'm so sick and tired of being looked down upon. Seeing how people look at me like I'm a disease. I refuse to let it go on for any longer. I'll never run from a fight no matter what. I don't care how injured I get..." Stillness lingered in the air, only the light sounds of his blood pattering against the ground cutting through. Kakashi made the first noise to break the quietness.

"That was a wonderful speech Naruto—and it was very cool how you took the poison out. But if that bleeds for any longer, you'll die." Naruto's face dropped in an instant, flailing around in a panic as he cried out.

"I can't die yet! I just met my sister! I still have so many plans in store!"

"Naruto, stand still! I can't tend to your wounds if you're constantly moving around!" Kakashi exclaimed. He crossed to Naruto and gripped onto his wrist. Immediately, Naruto stood as still as a statue. Kakashi let out a huff of air, taking out bandages from his pouch. He wrapped up Naruto's wound, tying it into a knot once he finished.

"Now that that's settled, let's keep moving—Tazuna, Koemi, I suppose you two have an explanation to this." He crossed his arms. Koemi turned to Tazuna who only sighed and nodded.

"But—Kakashi, shouldn't we go back?!" Sakura opposed.

"Well, all of our problems have been remedied, and it'd be rude to make Tazuna wait to return to his family." Yes.. but I don't like how nonchalant you are about this... Regardless of objections, the group continued to tread down the path to the Land of Waves.

Sasuke made his way over to Naruto and Koemi with a sneer written on his face.

"This can't be good." She muttered to Naruto.

"Hope you're doing better... scaredy cat."

"What did you just call me?!" Naruto raised his fist to inflict harm upon Sasuke.

"As much as I'd like to sock him, let's save this for after the mission," Koemi hooked her arm around Naruto's and pulled it back down.

☼⭑* ~ *⭒☾

The squad reached the body of water needed to cross into the Land of Wave and boarded onto a boat. Once settled in, Tazuna began his explanation of the Land of Waves's situation.

"I came to Konoha in hopes of being entrusted to ninja of—at least—jonin level to help fend off the threats we faced back home. Our village has been under the dictatorship of a man named Gatou, leaving us incredibly impoverished. We've been trying to build a bridge to expand our outreach to the world, but Gatou knows it will pull him out of power, so he's been threatening us against it."

"If you needed a ninja of jonin level, why did you rate it C-class?" Sakura asked.

"Higher class also calls for higher pay, we can't afford to pay that off." Koemi interjected. She turned to Sasuke with a glower.

"Hope that quells your suspicions of me," Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Well, you don't exactly fight like a well-trained assassin, hiding behind me the whole time. Maybe you're just a really good actress, but I'll breathe easier if we survive this mission." He taunted.

"The hell did you say?!" She jumped from her seat to attack him, causing the boat to sway back and fourth rapidly.

"I think I'm gonna be sick..." Naruto gagged as he clutched onto the boat tightly.

The other four yelped as Kakashi dragged her back to her seat, trying to keep the boat steady. So arrogant!

The boat reached the shore of the Land of Waves, and everyone trudged through the pathway to Tazuna's home.

"There an assassin there..? Maybe.. there! Or..." Naruto skulked around the grounds, recklessly throwing his kunai around in possible 'hiding spots'. My brother is quite... dumb.

"Naruto, that might not be the smartest thing to be doing right now..." Koemi cautioned, though her concerns went ignored unsurprisingly.

"Don't worry about it, Koemi! Just stay behind me, your brother will keep you safe." He beamed, only receiving a deadpanned stare from her in return.

"Is he always like this?" Koemi asked, leaning in close to Sakura's ear as she watched him prance around with a kunai in hand. She gained a quiet huff of a laugh from the other girl as she nodded.

"That idiot is always looking for trouble in some way... it's a miracle he's made it this far." Sakura huffed, watching the blonde boy along with her. Koemi let out a slight snort, shaking her head at the sight.

"That...doesn't surprise me one bit."

"Bet the assassin is right... there!" He tossed the kunai into a bush. A rustling came from the bushes causing everyone to guard up and anticipate an attack. Was his stupidity right this time? The rustling concluded. Everyone inched in to see what would pop out.

Boom!

A rabbit. Everyone relaxed and glared at Naruto who only sheepishly laughed it off.

"Now look at what you've done! Scared the poor rabbit to death." Sakura scolded, hitting the back of Naruto's head. Koemi's lips pursed together as her eyes locked with the rabbit. Never once had she ever seen a rabbit with a coat of fur as pure as snow native to the Land of the Waves.

A shiver ran down her spine as the mist surrounding them thickened. Her sight grew obscured, a wall of pure smoke barricading her eyes from seeing anything beyond the members of her team in front of her. Before she could remark anything, Kakashi took her suspicions right out of her mouth.

"Duck!" He barked as a large sword hurled toward everyone. Koemi didn't need to be told twice before diving onto the patch of grass in front of her. A sharp sting of metal whizzed just past her head, her breath shaking.

"Get into formation! Protect the client and do not leave his side under any circumstance!" Kakashi yelled out again, now several feet ahead of them. Koemi and the others jumped to their feet and got right in front of Tazuna armed with their kunai.

"It's always so delightful seeing fresh new prey." The attacker spoke, the fog clearing a path to reveal whoever lied beneath it. As his face grew less obscured by the mist, her knees buckled together. She instinctually grasped onto the shoulder of whoever stood beside her to steady herself. That damned bandaged face... Their eyes locked and a smirk shaped from behind his bandaged lips.

Naruto looked over at Koemi, his brows furrowing together as he observed his sister's trembling figure. He glanced back over at the man before him, his eyes trailing from that distinct cow-print design of his pants to the large sword he equipped in his hand. Without a word, he placed his hand over hers, running his thumb over her knuckles.

"So you're still alive... good. Then you can repay me after you scratched the hell out of me." Koemi's body tensed. That same low, near demonic voice echoed like a broken record in her mind. She clutched her kunai, blood dripping from the handle as her nails drove deeper into her skin. She didn't utter a word. She had no strength to. Ever single word she wished to say to him lingered in the back of her throat, like a barrier in the wind pipe kept them from escaping. With all she mustered, she continued to glower at him with gritted teeth.

"That's no way to treat an old friend." He mocked, placing a hand on top of his heart.

"What's he talking about, Koemi?" Naruto inquired. All eyes shifted on her. Her body quaked as vivid memories of that fated day intruded her mind like a parasite devouring her brain.

"It's best to save it for later... but he's no friend of mine." She seethed out, her voice low and boiling with malice.

"It would be smart for you to focus on your real threat, Zabuza Momochi." Kakashi interjected, stepping in between his vision of Koemi.

"Killing that fox will have to wait then... but I will take joy in her suffering when I kill all her little friends. Then I'll be taking the old man." The laughter that left Zabuza's lips sent shivers down Koemi's spine. Like a hyena's giggle as it circled its prey before sinking its serrated teeth its prey. Only this hyena's prey would be no animal, but Koemi herself.

"Like hell I would let that happen." Kakashi scoffed. His hand raised up to his headband, pushing it off his left eye. A crimson eye pierced through the battle field, and Sasuke let out an involuntary gasp from the sight alone.

"Then let's see what you got," Zabuza taunted, readying his stance.

"Copycat Ninja, Kakashi Hatake."

☼⭑𝕋𝕠 𝔹𝕖 ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕦𝕖𝕕⭒☾

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mercedesbennie0612 · 4 months ago

Text

Tales of An Uzumaki

erm... went through some old google docs and found this WIP in the drafts this is an edited version because i'd rather die before i post the OG 2017 version. i was 11 when i first wrote this, so this is kind of me paying homage to my first ever fanfiction! this is just a fun little passion project for me, honestly! i really miss writing, so this might be a fun chance for me to get back into it!

☼⭑――――――――――――――――――――――⭒☾

WC: 2.2k

synopsis: Raised separated for years until finally, Koemi Uzumaki makes her way into Konoha.

☼⭑――――――――――――――――――――――⭒☾

Chapter One:

☼⭑Konoha⭒☾

Konoha: The Village Hidden in the Leaves. Koemi stared at the voluminous gates. Her breath trembled with each precarious stride she took closer; a step into this village led to a step closer to finding her brother. Her mind raced with images of who her brother was. Was he some miraculous genius? Was he a gifted ninja? How would she compare to him? Her stomach bubbled and churned with an overwhelming sense of emotion indiscernible to her. She tore her eyes away from the gate and forward to the city that lay within it. She drew a deep breath in, putting one foot in front of the other and approaching the guard post. To her surprise, the two guards there, supposedly keeping look-out, were dead asleep. A slight huff of air befell her lips as she rolled her eyes. She slammed her hands on the table of the post, hoping that one motion would wake them from their slumber. Both guards awoke with a jolt, their heads whipping side to side wildly before falling on Koemi. Upon seeing her face, their bodies straightened like a shoot of bamboo—one even cleared his throat—and shifted their composure in the blink of an eye. Koemi nearly wanted to laugh at the two, but she held her poker face. Ruining her only direct shot at meeting her brother didn't fit into her agenda at that moment. "Who goes there?" One asked, eyes narrowing into slits as he peered into Koemi's being. "I've come from the Land of the Waves. My name is Koemi, and I'm looking for the Hokage Tower," She informed. She tried to maintain a composure of formality as she spoke, just as she practiced on the way over. Even if these two irritated her—their voices grating to her ears. What she found most irritating being how relaxed they seemed to even have the luxury of sleeping on the job. Koemi wished home had that same security.

"Ah—of course. It's the largest tower near the Hokage faces," The one on the left described. He proceeded to elaborate the directions on how to reach it. At least they seem competent enough to relay directions. She nodded as she took in the information and continued on her way.

The village held an air of liveliness to its atmosphere—an atmosphere robbed from the Land of Waves. Her heart ached as she reminded herself of the home she abandoned. A fish out of water in a village that prospered in its lands. A child unused to wealth to this degree. Could life truly be so easy had she been dealt better cards? Lost in her clouded mind, she came close to running face first into the Hokage tower's front door. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight before her. She gazes at the handle of the door blankly, her body frozen in place. Another moment of hesitation clouded her mind. Another step closer. Breathe in. Breathe out. She pushed away her anxieties, planting her right foot on the first step of the stairs and began her ascent.

Several flights of stairs later, she found herself in front of the Hokage's office. She expected a view more grandiose than the one that greeted her. Instead, all she met with was a humble looking hallway, lightly decorated with hand painted scrolls on the walls and a few framed pictures. Even the foliage looked simple, a small potted tree sitting in the corner of the hallway. Two guards stood at either end of the door and took a step in front of the door, blocking Koemi's way. She could not make out their faces, hidden behind navy blue masks, and she had only their piercing eyes to gauge any form of cues.

"State your business." The guard positioned to the left of the door ordered.

"I must speak to the Hokage." Koemi affirmed, her tone firm. If one listened closely, however, a slight tremble shook her voice as she looked her potential future in the eye. The two guards looked at each other and then back to Koemi.

"For what reason must you speak with the Hokage?" The guard positioned at the right end of the door queried, crossing his arms.

"I'm searching for my brother. I was told he may be from Konoha." She explained as calmly as she could. She understood why they were questioning her, but that didn't stop her from getting annoyed from it.

"State your full name, and your message will be relayed to the Hokage. He is currently in a meeting, you may enter once it is complete." An involuntary sigh slipped from her lungs. She didn't enjoy the idea of waiting even longer, but it had been 12 years; an hour more didn't make much of a difference.

"Koemi Uzumaki." She stated just as they directed. The two guards share a look, a flicker of surprise sneaking out past their mask of stoicism. Koemi's eyebrow twitched in response, gritting her teeth to stop anything unpleasant from leaving her throat. This village must love staring contests.

"Perhaps it may be best if you enter now." One suggested, knocking on the door. A faint "enter" passed through the thick slab of wood before being pushed open by the guards and allowing her access into the office. Koemi stood face to face with the leader of Konoha. Her heart hammered in her chest as she caught the old man's pleasant gaze. She hadn't anticipated for him to be so...old. She knew to expect an older person, but not elderly. He appeared stern—intimidating Koemi with his sharp yet gentle gaze, which in response returned Koemi's presence with a welcoming smile. His smile allowed her a breath of air to relax.

Before him sat a team of kids around her age consisting of a blonde boy bearing whisker-like birthmarks, a girl with long, pink hair, and a pale boy with black hair kneeling in front of him. Kneeling along with the children was a man with gray, spiky hair who she assumed to be their teacher.

"How may I help you, young lady?" The Hokage spoke up, the crinkle of his eyes intensifying. His soft-spoken demeanor offered Koemi a deep sense of relief as she cleared her throat.

"I hoped to find my brother here in Konoha, and I thought you were the best person to ask." She replied. Her gaze remained glued to her fingers as she twiddled with down at her lap. The Hokage's expression shifted, that smile flickering in the slightest twitch but enough for Koemi to capture; he knew something. She followed his eyes as they darted towards the blonde boy then back to her. So it's him.

"That is quite a bit of faith you have in me." He joked, a light, raspy chuckle following. "You were smart to come to me, Child. All we need is your full name."

"Uzumaki Koemi." Emphasizing on her last name, she observed the reactions of the students and teacher in the room; eyes fell again on the blonde boy. The Hokage nodded, placatingly absorbing the information given to him. His mouth was agape, and he gestured his hand to the blonde boy whose eyes had grown to the size of saucers .

"Naruto, please come up and greet your sister." The blonde boy jumped to his feet and dashed to Koemi.

"You're my sister?! Like—actually!?" He exclaimed. He grabbed hold of Koemi's hand. His aqua blue eyes--eyes just like her own--gleamed with excitement, that wide toothy grin of his contagious. He's kind of a dork. But in a good way. Seeing his joyous reaction, she found herself unable to resist returning him a smile of her own. She set her hand atop Naruto's feigning an uncertain nod to his question.

"I believe so." She laughed softly. The skin of her face burned like a wildfire, and her eyes glistened over with a layer of water. She held her breath, doing everything in her power to stop the water from spilling over. Naruto engulfed her in a hug, his embrace capturing a fraction of the desperation and yearning for a family.

"All this time...I thought I had no one. I'm—I'm so happy you're here..." Naruto's voice cracked and trembled, and his hold around her tightened. He buried his face into her shoulder, droplets of his own tears staining her clothes.

Koemi's heart shattered, each cracked syllable that left his throat leaving a sinking feeling in her stomach. I'm here for you now. You won't ever be alone anymore. She returned his embrace, reciprocating his desire for affection as she held him tight.

It seemed like hours had passed before Koemi pulled away, turning back to the Hokage with an arm still around Naruto. With a swipe of her thumb, she wiped away a tear that snuck its way down her cheek. She bowed her head down to the Hokage, taking in a deep breath before she spoke.

"Thank you."

"Please get up, child, there is no need. However, I must inquire you on a couple of things." Koemi's brows knit together at the mention of any sort of interrogation. Does he need something in return for reuniting me with my brother? Her body tensed as she braced for what compensation he may ask her for.

"I won't bite your head off." He chuckled, maintaining a light tone of voice that eased her up slightly. "I simply wished to know of your knowledge of Shinobi skills." She raised her eyebrow, but she chose to keep her comments to herself. She nodded.

"Ah. I was top of my class." Subconsciously, Koemi puffed her chest to display her headband tied loosely around her neck proudly.

"Perfect, then a transition to a Konoha genin should be child's play to you, yes? I could hold the exam right now for you." He's being considerably generous right now. She held her poker face even as her suspicions rose toward his hospitality. He could be compensating for something. She turned her attention to the gray haired teacher in the room in hopes of a sign of confirmation; to her luck, his face remained completely unreadable to her with ninety percent of it covered by his mask and headband. She relented for the mean time, only annoyed that more questions popped up in her stay.

"That's very kind of you, I would greatly appreciate it." She replied, offering him a polite smile.

"Very well. Please perform a clone transformation jutsu." Taking her arm off of Naruto, she stepped to the side. Koemi signed each symbol with precision, gathering her chakra in her body to unleash at her command.

"Water Clone Jutsu!" She announced. Three pools of water formed beside her. The pools whirled and swished beside her until with fluid movements taking shape into three perfect copies of herself. Her gaze fell back on the Hokage who offered a smile as he glanced between each clone with a nod of approval. With a drop of her hands, her clones dwindled down into little puddles before evaporating entirely into oblivion.

"Wonderful." He smiled. His hand trailed off his desk and into the drawer beneath him. Out of it, he pulled a dusty, rugged looking Leaf Headband and set it on his desk. "The Leaf Village welcomes you, Koemi. I apologize for its age, a newer one will be issued to you on a later date." He chuckled sheepishly. She grabbed the headband from the table, wiping away at the dust on the skirt of her dress. She removed her current headband, replacing it for the of the Leaf Village and stashing her former on into her bag.

"Thank you again."

"You're the best, Koemi!" Naruto praised, flashing her the brightest smile as he slung his arm around her.

"That was nothing." She replied, shaking her head as she leaned into his half-embrace.

"And Kakashi, to simplify things, may I place Koemi in your hands along with your team?" The Hokage hummed, turning his gaze over to the gray haired teacher who merely nodded indifferently.

"That's no issue for me." He replied, his tone matching his indifference. Naruto eagerly sat back down and patted the seat beside him for Koemi to sit. She wasted no moment of time as she obliged to his request and took her spot beside her.

"Excellent, then we may return to business. Per Naruto wanting a harder mission, I'll oblige what he said and give this squad a C-class mission." He mused, his tone holding a hint of reluctance. Naruto celebrated and clapped his hands. Hearing the groan and scoff of the two team members beside Naruto sent a burning flame down to her chest. She grit her teeth, keeping her attention up at the Hokage. Don't cause a scene. You just got here. She paid them no mind.

"It's an escort mission and-"

"Who are we escorting?! An imperial lord? A prince? A princess?!" Naruto interrupted, leaning forward to take in every word the Hokage would say.

"I'll let him in right now." On cue, a gentle tap of wood echoed through the office. "Ah—right on time. Please enter." The offensive odor of booze singed Koemi's nostrils as soon as he took the first step inside. She scrunched her face up, her hand flying up to her nose. Despite its offensiveness, a sense of familiarity followed the stench. Her stomach twisted into a knot as she met his crinkled gaze.

"Papa." She blurted out, just loud enough to capture everyone's attention. Everyone's head whipped over to Koemi, their eyes the size of saucers.

☼⭑𝕋𝕠 𝔹𝕖 ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕦𝕖𝕕⭒☾

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