#MitsuChou week

[hotmonkeelove]

MitsuCho Week 2023 Day 1

I was messing around with picrew to make something of Chocho and Mitsuki. So here's the happy couple dancing! I just realised that I dressed Mitsuki as Tony Monero from Saturday Night Fever, lol! And we know what calls for... (Imagine Mitsuki singing this to Chocho!)

[mitsuchouweek]

Hey

Hope you are enjoying mitsucho week! I am queueing the entries this year, but if you ever make one and I don't manage to reblog, please send me a message here or to @decadentboat

Don't forget to use the tags(either is fine) #

mitsucho

mitsuchou

mitsuchouweek2023

mitsuchouweek2023

[migila]

MitsuChouWeek, Day 2!

Day 2: Moon and Butterflies

Mitsuki lay on the ground, just staring at the moon. Otherwise, he’d try to go and get help, but the sword sticking out of his gut was bit of a problem, especially since it had gone right through him and was stuck to the ground.  Oh well, he supposed he wasn’t in the condition to go far even if he could move.

He hoped that Boruto and Sarada were okay. Konohamaru-sensei too of course, though the chances of that were slimmer, for he had yet to catch up. But if he got lucky, the man might show up soon. Or Boruto and Sarada might take down their target and come back for him.

Glancing to his left, Mitsuki sighed in relief. At least the guy he’d stayed behind to hold back wouldn’t be a problem anymore; not with those injuries. He could even be dead already… actually, he better be. If he survived after getting Mitsuki in this condition, he’d be irked.

“Am I going to die here…?” he wondered out loud. The idea didn’t exactly terrify him like it might some others, but he didn’t like it, either. He had many things to live for, now. He didn’t want to die “But… that’s how life is.”

Staring at the moon again, he noticed something small flying above him, its silhouette lit up by the moon. A butterfly, a pink one. Same shade as the dress Chou Chou used to wear back at the academy. It was beautiful.

“Chou Chou…” he kind of wanted to see her, he wanted to see her. He couldn’t really understand why; if he were to want to see someone other than his teammates now, it should be Inojin. Or Iwabe. Any medical nin, really, but certainly not Chou Chou. He remembered how she’d struggled to even wrap up his leg properly back when they had practiced first aid at the academy. She wouldn’t really be of any help even if she somehow did show up. And yet, as he followed the little butterfly with his eyes, Mitsuki found himself wishing more and more that she were there “I want to see her…”

His eyes started to droop closed, but he fought to stay awake. Just a bit longer, just a bit longer and maybe sensei would catch up. Or Boruto or Sarada might come back. Or-

“Chou Chou…?” he thought he saw her leaning closer above him, looking frantic and saying something, but he couldn’t make out the words. Was she real, or was he seeing things? Either way- “I wanted to see you.”

His mind went black.

XXXXX

“Ah, no Mitsuki, don’t fall asleep!” Chou Chou yelps, lightly slapping his cheek a few times, but otherwise not daring to touch him. He’d lost so much blood- “Inojin, hurry up!”

“I’m coming!” the boy yelled, telling Chou Chou to move aside as he reached them, starting treatment. Chou Chou watched them for a while before she had to ask: “Is he gonna be okay?”

“…He’ll make it back to Konoha with this first aid” Inojin says after a while, not stopping what he’s doing “When we’re there, it’s up to the more experienced medics. This is way beyond my abilities.”

“But aunt Sakura and the others can save him, right?” Inojin doesn’t answer “Right!?”

“Let’s hope so” is all Inojin says. Chou Chou frowns “If you want to be of use, then go check on the enemy he fought and make sure that guy doesn’t get us from behind when we’re not paying attention.”

Chou Chou scowls, but does as told, for she knows she’s of no use to Mitsuki right now.

Going over to the fallen enemy, she sees there was no reason to worry; he was already dead. The moon was so bright that Chou Chou could easily see the blood pooling under him, which was a little nauseating for her, even though, as a shinobi, she should be used to sights like this.

“But it’s good that the moon is so bright tonight; without it, we might have missed Mitsuki” she thought, looking up at the moon.

“Hm?” feeling something on her arm, she looked down at it. Two pink butterflies “Wow, pretty.”

She watched as they took off, their silhouettes almost shining against the moonlight.

“Chou Chou, it’s time to go!” Inojin called out, and the girl took her attention away from the butterflies “Coming!”

XXXXX

Mitsuki slowly opened his eyes, closing them immediately after and hissing; the light was much too bright.

“Mitsuki?” he heard “Are you awake?”

He turned his head a little and opened his eyes, squinting. He wasn’t hearing things after all; Chou Chou was really there.

“Chou Chou…?” he muttered, blinking, taking a while to piece together all that had happened. The mission. The fight. He’d seen Chou Chou too, briefly, and then… passed out? “What happened? After… after I passed out?”

“Short version: Inojin gave you first aid and we dragged you back to Konoha” Chou Chou said “After that, it was up to the more experienced medical nin to save you. I don’t know the details, you can ask auntie later, but they had to repair at least some internal damage.”

“I see…” well, that was a given, considering that he’d had a sword through his gut. At least he hadn’t needed his family’s help; that would’ve led to a nagging from his brother again. The next question was something he dreaded to ask, but he had to know “What about the others?”

“Moegi-sensei took care of Konohamaru-sensei; he’s fine, just had a chakra exhaustion that prevented him from moving. Boruto broke his legs, don’t know how that happened, but otherwise he’s fine and his legs will heal too, eventually. Sarada didn’t get any big injuries, but she has a considerable chakra exhaustion, too, so auntie insisted she stays in bed for now. Oh, and your mission was a success.”

“Good” Mitsuki didn’t really care about the mission in comparison to his team mates, but he was glad it had worked out, too “Good…”

Chou Chou stays silent, just watching Mitsuki, who’s starting to look like he’s fighting back sleep. Should she just let him rest and come back later?

“But if I don’t say this now, I feel like I’ll chicken out” she thought, blurting out “I was worried, you know.”

“I was, too” Mitsuki said with a wry smile “I actually thought I might not make it.”

Chou Chou held back a frown; Mitsuki didn’t get it!

She was a little angry but, looking at his drooping eyelids, she decided that this conversation could wait until he had recovered… or at least was in a better shape than now.

“Get some rest” she told him, but wasn’t sure if he heard anymore, for his eyes were already closed “Our Moon.”

[narutoevents]

2020 Events!

NaruHina 2020 - all year

January 2020

JustGaara Week - Jan 12th - 19th

Sai/Ino Week 2020 - Jan 18th - 24th

HidaKona Month - All Jan

February 2020

MadaTobi Gift Exchange (posting) - All Feb

KakaObi Week - Feb 10th - 23rd

March 2020

Tenten Week 2020 - Mar 3rd - 9th

MadaSaku Week - Mar 15th - 21st

ShikaTema Zine - Presales - Feb 29th - Apr 5th

Big Three Zine - Presales - Mar 2nd - June 1st

Sakura Week 2020 - Mar 22nd - 28th

KakaIru Zine - Apps - Mar 15th - Apr 15th

BoruSara Week - Mar 25th - 31st

ShikaSaku Week - Mar 27th - Apr 4th

ShikaTema Writing Contest - ends Apr 1st

TobiIzu Exchange - Apps - Mar 26th - Apr 15th

April 2020

ShikaTema Writing Contest - ends Apr 1st

ShikaSaku Week - Mar 27th - Apr 4th

ShikaTema Zine - Presales - Feb 29th - Apr 5th

KawaBoru Week - Apr 1st - 7th

Udon Week 2020 - Apr 1st - 7th

Exchange no Jutsu - Signups - Apr 3rd - 18th

KakaIru Zine - Apps - Mar 15th - Apr 15th

TobiIzu Exchange - Apps - Mar 26th - Apr 15th

Big Three Zine - Presales - Mar 2nd - June 1st

Seasons of Anime Exchange - Apps - Apr 13th - May 3rd

May 2020

Seasons of Anime Exchange - Apps - Apr 13th - May 3rd

Naruto RarePair Week - May 3rd - 9th

KakaMei Event 2020 - May 5th - 6th

SasuIno Week - May 17th - 23rd

KakaYama Week 2020 - May 18th - 24th

SasuSakuSara Weekend - May 29th - 31st

Big Three Zine - Presales - Mar 2nd - June 1st

Naruto Sensei Zine - Presales - May 10th - June 10th

Naruto x BNHA Zine - Mod Apps - May 21st - June 21st

GaaSaku Fanfest Exchange - Apps Open - May 22nd - TBD

June 2020

Naruto Sensei Zine - Presales - May 10th - June 10th

Naruto x BNHA Zine - Mod Apps - May 21st - June 21st

GaaSaku Fanfest Exchange - Apps Open - May 22nd - TBD

Naruto Canon x OC Week - June 1st - 7th

Big Three Zine - Presales - Mar 2nd - June 1st

KakaIru Mini Bang - June 8th - 12th

ShikaTema Week 2020 - June 24th - 30th

Big Three Zine - Presales - Mar 2nd - June 1st

SasuHina Month - All June

July 2020

SasuSaku Month - all July

MadaTobi Month - all July

Naruto Fantasy Week - July 1st - 7th

Naruto OC Mini Bang - July 3rd - 5th

Kunoichi Week - July 6th - 12th

KakaGai Day - July 7th

Quirk no Jutsu Zine - Apps open Jul 8th

Shikaku Week - July 10th - 15th

Uchihas Zine - Interest check Jul 15th - Aug 30th

KakaObi Mini-Bang - July 18th - 19th

/r/ Naruto Gift Exchange - Nominations Jul 21st - Aug 5th

Nine Weeks of Kakairu - June 28th - Aug 29th

Narutales wlw Zine - Sales end Jul 30th

Sasori Mini-Bang - Interest check closes Jul 31st

August 2020

MitsuChou Week - Aug 1st - 7th

Tsunade Week - Aug 2nd - 8th

/r/ Naruto Gift Exchange - Nominations Jul 21st - Aug 5th

/r/ Naruto Gift Exchange - Sign-ups Aug 5th - 12th

Quirk no Jutsu Zine - Apps close Aug 8th

SasuNaruSasu Week - Aug 17th - 23rd

ShiSaku Weekend - Aug 21st - 23rd

Nine Weeks of KakaIru - Ends Aug 29th

NejiTen Month - All August

Uchiha Pin Up Calendar - Apps - Aug 15th - 31st

KakaIru Zine - Aug 20th - Sept 20th

September 2020

Seasons of Anime Exchange - Reveals - Sept 1st

Sakumo Week - Sept 1st - 6th

KakaIru Fest Week - Sept 8th - 15th

Kakashi Week 2020 - Sept 13rd - 20th

KakaIru Zine - Presales - Aug 20th - Sept 20th

Nara Week - Sept 17th - 23rd

Naruto Secret Santa - Mod Apps - Sept 19th - 25th

RasaThird Day - Sept 26th

Izuna Week - Sept 20th - 26th

GaaLee Bingo - Prompt Submissions - All September

ShikaSaku Week - Sept 30th - Oct 7th

October 2020

ShikaSaku Week - Sept 30th - Oct 7th

Akatsuki Gift Exchange - Apps Open - Oct 1st - 15th

Seasons of Anime Exchange - Signups - Oct 2nd - 17th

Uchiha Sasuke Week - Oct 5th - 11th

TobiDei Week - Oct 10th - 18th

GaaLee Bingo - All Oct

SasuSaku Trends Zine - Mod Apps - All Oct

Naruto Secret Santa - Apps Open - All Oct

NaruHina Exchange - Apps Open - Oct 3rd - 31st

KakaIru Exchange - Apps Open - Oct 3rd - 25th

Naruto Kink Meme - Oct 7th - Nov 7th

Uchiha Shisui Week - Oct 18th - 24th

Founders Week - Oct 23rd - 29th

KakuHida Week - Oct 25th - Nov 2nd

Founders’ Halloween - Oct 31st

Genma HalloWeekend - Oct 31st - Nov 1st

November 2020

SasuSaku Trends Zine - Mod Apps - Close Nov 1st

KakuHida Week - Oct 25th - Nov 2nd

Genma HalloWeekend - Oct 31st - Nov 1st

SasoSaku Month - All Nov

Uchiha Pinup Calendar - Presales - Nov 2nd - Dec 1st

Naruto Poly Week - Nov 1st - 7th

KakaIru Big Bang - Writer Apps - Nov 1st - 15th

Naruto Kink Meme - Oct 7th - Nov 7th

Sasori Mini-Bang - Nov 6th - 10th

Rock Lee Week - Nov 21st - 27th

JiraOro Day - Nov 27th

December 2020

Uchiha Pinup Calendar - Presales - Nov 2nd - Dec 1st

Naruto Scifi Week - Dec 1st - Dec 8th

Naruto Week - Dec 7th - 13th

KakaIru Big Bang - Artist Apps - Dec 14th - 27th

ShikaNaru Week - Dec 11th - 13th

MadaTobi Gift Exchange - Apps - Dec 22nd - Jan 16th KakaGai Week - Dec 25th - Jan 1st

<< 2019 (Archived)         2021 (On-going) >>

[decadentboat]

Sketch dump

Last post of the week! Sekiei comic will come the next one hopefully.

I'm adding some direct commentary this time.

Inoshikacho: it blows my mind how likeable they are? I wasnt fan of the previous gen(I liked their barbecue dates and Shikamaru & Choji's friendship was the cutest and by far the best friendship in Naruto)but they were not my favs. This gen really feels like good friends and not that awkward or one sided.

Mitsuki's white snake: Does he got a name?(Manga translation says is a he, but i can't be sure lol) I can see Chouchou being scared at first but not giving a damn later. Also, anybody else was surprised when Chouchou fought Anko and she had this reaction... Like she didn't know Anko could summon snakes? Perhaps they only went to eat together but these are the weird things that I don't like about Boruto(Like Tsunade being more familiar with Boru than Sara)

Speaking of Anko: What would her reaction be when she finds out? Lol how nobody even suspect is beyond me. There were like a few snake ninjas out there and all of them were linked to Oro. That reminds me... Where is Konohamaru in this arc? It's going to end and we are not getting:

Mitsuki's sage mode wtf

Background about the embryo used for all the Mitsuki

I thought we would see Urashiki and Toneri wth??

Log?????

Konohamaru is going to appear at the last minute like every adult in a kids show proving he is useless without the power of(young)friendship

Lol sorry this was rambly and ranty... Anyway, as Chouchou not giving fucks, I can see Anko holding no grudge against Mitsuki if she finds out.

Mitsuki and Inojin are confirmed to be the medical ninja of their teams: Tho I can't see Inojin being a doctor like Tsunade or Sakura...

Mitsuki: Mitsuki

I was going to draw a tiny comic about this, maybe other day...

Mitsuchou in my regular style: I think there isnt a significant difference?

[hotmonkeelove]

MitsuCho Week 2023 Day 5

Detail of the mini wall scroll I recently purchased. I mostly just got it because 1) Mitsuki and Chocho are right next to each other (subtle hint...) and 2) it was small enough to easily fit in my luggage (this was during my trip back to my home state of CA a month ago). I was sorely tempted to also get a full size wall scroll of Claude, Hannah, and Alois from Kuroshitsuji/ Black Butler, but I would've had to ship it home and that's a pain. Last time I was in Los Angeles, I bought a big scroll of Lee and Guy, as well as a gorgeous Severus Snape poster, and the wall scroll turned out to be too big for any shipping tubes my mom could find. She finally had to leave the cap off and extend the tube with heavy duty paper and packing tape. Not that I have much room left for more my scrolls, as it is. This one; however, is about the size of a sheet of notebook paper, so no problem!

Anyway, aren't they adorbs?!

[hotmonkeelove]

MitsuCho Week 2023 Day 4

Mitsuki and Chocho vinyl keychains. These are so adorable! I got them early on in the show's run, as you can see from their academy arc outfits. They didn't have one of Chocho by herself. This one is actually of her and Sarada. I keep them hanging on my wall like this, with Mitsuki overlapping Sarada, so they can be together. Sorry Sarada, but you're a third wheel on their little date. lol

[hotmonkeelove]

MitsuCho Week 2023 Day 6

Another picrew. Looks like teen!Mitsuki and teen!Chocho got caught making out. Chocho is freaking out, while Mitsuki is oblivious to the possibility of being in trouble. Let's face it, Orochimaru would simply be relieved it's mutual and that he isn't peeping on her, like Jiraiya would do.

[hotmonkeelove]

MitsuCho Week 2023 Day 7

A final picrew for Mitsuki and Chocho. I wonder what's going on here? Maybe Mitsuki has finally told Chocho he loves her! 🐍❤🦋

Another MitsuCho Week has drawn to a close. I had a fun time this year! It was nice participating again, and in a more relaxed way. (Writing those drabbles in 2021 was a lot of work!) Since things have been hectic for me irl, getting to make cute stuff in picrew made me feel like I'm still being productive, without draining too much of my energy.

[hotmonkeelove]

MitsuCho Week 2023 Day 3

I finally got a Chocho to go with my Mitsuki Funko Pop! It took forever to find one for sale that wasn't part of a set. I also saw special versions: Butterfly Mode Chocho and Snake Hands Mitsuki, but I decided I liked the chubbier Chocho and that my regular Mitsuki would suffice. (I know there's also a Sage Mode Mitsuki, but it's super expensive and rare. I've never seen it in a shoppe.) So now these two stand on top of my bedroom tv. (Chocho has to lean against Mitsuki, as she's top heavy.) They're next to Orochimaru and Kabuto. I still need to figure out where to put Gaara and Lee.

[hotmonkeelove]

MitsuCho Week 2023 Day 2

I know this isn't much, but at least I'm managing to do something. (I think this is only the third year I've participated.) Have some more picrew dolls. I wish Chocho's hair could be a darker orange, but I do like the very butterfly-looking pigtails.

[migila]

MitsuChouWeek, Day 1!

Theme of the day: Crossover

Day 1: Crossover

Mitsuki, already a joonin by now, waited for his partner for this mission on a remote island in the only bar he’d been able to find. He didn’t like bars, but as there were no restaurants or cafes in the village, it was either to wait there or outside in the pouring rain. Well, there was a motel, apparently, but he knew what she’d say if he’d wait her at a place like that. Better save himself from the misplaced lecture.

Fortunately, there was one good thing about bars. As people were usually completely focused on their drinks or whatever company they had, they rarely noticed Mitsuki at his hobby, which was observing people. Of course, he preferred observing people he knew, but observing strangers from time to time was interesting, too. Plus, he might learn something related to his mission.

“I can’t believe that idiot lost the map!” Mitsuki’s attention was drawn to a loudly yelling woman, her orange hair flowing around as she gestured wildly with her hands to the man in from of him “Why did you give it to him in the first place!?”

“I’m sorry, Nami-san, that was so stupid of me” a blond-haired man admitted, holding his hands up “It was only for a few seconds; I didn’t think even Luffy could- “

“How long have we known him again?” the woman interrupts “Of course he could and with our luck would lose the map!”

“Yes, Nami-san” the man says, clearly defeated.

“And why did you not stop this idiot from giving the map to the other idiot?!” the woman turns her anger to another man, this one having a broad build and three swords on his hip. Not that that necessarily meant anything; the man could be poor with them for all Mitsuki knew. However, if possible, he’d rather avoid testing his luck. As interesting as it might or might not be, he was on a mission, one that the man was no part of as far as he knew.

“What am I, a babysitter?” the swordsman asks “Quit the ruckus, we’re being stared at.”

He was looking at Mitsuki as he said this, and as if on cue, the other two turned to look at him as well. He wasn’t supposed to attract any attention… ah well, too late. The blond was already walking his way, looking angry, and he hadn’t even done anything… yet. He wasn’t supposed to fight now, but if someone else threw the first punch, he was allowed to defend himself.

“And what are you staring at, punk?” the blond asks as he reaches Mitsuki “Are you ogling at my beautiful Nami-san!?”

“Not at all” he replied honestly, continuing in his never changing blunt way: “You were simply being so loud that anyone would pay attention.”

“Told you so” the swordsman muttered to the woman, Nami, they’d called her, hadn’t they? She wasn’t listening though as she too walked over, sitting down on the stool right next to Mitsuki.

“Oh? Are you sure that’s not an excuse?” she asks him with a smile, and he might have mistaken it for genuine flirting had he not noticed how the woman’s eyes had trailed over the rolled-up map sticking out of his bag. For a moment, he was slightly curious if she’d try to convince him to give her the map, distract him long enough to snatch the map or distract him long enough for her friends to snatch the map, but he didn’t give in to temptation to find out. While he was fairly confident, he wouldn’t lose the map, better safe than sorry. Plus, if it came down to an actual fight about the map, it might get damaged.

“Perfectly sure” he says “You don’t interest me in the slightest, not in that sense.”

He hears the swordsman snort, and the woman stares at him, a small frown forming on her face. She seemed a little irritated… he supposed he’d been a bit too blunt, as usual.

“Huh!?” it’s the blond man who actually voices his thoughts “I’ll let you know that our Nami-san is the most beautiful woman on earth; there is no way any man can resist her cha-!”

“Oh!” Nami interrupts him as her eyes light up in realization “I see, so you’re not in to women at all, are you?”

This was not the first time someone had come to that conclusion, but this time Boruto wasn’t even in the room. Strange.

“I am” not that he needed to fix this misunderstanding. In fact, letting it stick might’ve saved him from some trouble. Oh well “It’s just that I have my eyes on one woman only, and I mean no offence when I say her beauty exceeds yours.”

Nami stares, but then shrugs, smiling good-naturedly.

“You sound like a man in love” she says, and had Shikadai not thrown the same comment at him just last month, Mitsuki might’ve lost his composure. He wasn’t sure what love was, but if even strangers thought he was in love, perhaps that was the case?

“Perhaps” he says, pulling his bag closer to himself not so subtly. He can pinpoint the moment that Nami realized that he’d known exactly what she was up to.

“You’re no fun” she says, sticking out her tongue. Mitsuki grins “So, where is this stunning beauty of yours?”

“I don’t know, actually” he admits “She’s late.”

“Maybe you got ditched?” the blond says, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that he was pleased about the idea “Too bad; I would’ve liked to meet such a stunning beauty!”

Mitsuki doesn’t answer to that, considering that it might be time for him to go look for her.

As if someone heard his thoughts, the door to the bar slams open with a shout: “Mitsuki, you here?!”

Mitsuki didn’t need to look to know it was Chou Chou. Normally, he’d cringe at her way of arriving as they weren’t supposed to attract attention, but having been worried, he lets it slide this time.

“Ah, she’s here” he mutters, standing up “Excuse me.”

Before he’d turned his back to them, Mitsuki had caught the disbelieving looks on the faces of the two he’d talked with, gaping at him and Chou Chou. He supposed he wasn’t surprised; it’d become clear to him over the years that Chou Chou at her full power, when she wasn’t pretending to be something she was not, wasn’t what most people considered attractive. But it’s not like he cared; gender, appearance, such things were irrelevant to him.

“There you are” Chou Chou says as he reaches her, already dragging him out the door the second he does despite the rain outside. As soon as they’re a bit further from the bar, she asks: “Were you flirting with that girl at the bar? We’re not supposed to attract attention, you know.”

“Funny you’d say that after how you came to the bar” Mitsuki chuckles “And no, I was not. Not my type.”

“Oh?” Chou Chou asks “Then what is your type?”

Mitsuki grins at her.

“I think you already know”

The woman blushes before clearing her throat.

“We have a mission, you know. Save it for later!”

Mitsuki chuckles, biting back the urge to tease Chou Chou of her red face. She was right; they had a mission.

He’d have plenty of chances to tease her after it.

[migila]

MitsuChouWeek, Day 3!

Day 3: With Pets

“I’ve got to admit that a D -rank mission once in a while is nice; it’s easy money” Chou Chou says, cuddling the three puppies she was taking for a walk for the kennel “And I don’t mind walking dogs; these guys are so cute!”

“Are they?”

She turns to glare at her partner for the mission, who was totally not cute. Curse Shikadai the Chuunin for pairing him up with Mitsuki; she would’ve rather gone with Sarada!

…But at least she didn’t need to stay behind to clean the kennel like her friend did. Her and Inojin, that poor sucker.

“They are!” Chou Chou hisses, though it probably wouldn’t do any good “But I suppose going after those runaway puppies would’ve been fun, too.”

“Shikadai is in charge, so leaving the task that needs most tact to him was the right call” Mitsuki says “Though Boruto lacks tact, so that might hold them back.”

“More like it will hold them back” she says “Shikadai should’ve gone with Inojin.”

Mitsuki tilts his head.

“I don’t think teaming Sarada and Boruto up without supervision would be the best of ideas; they’d just get in to a fight” he says, and the girl knows he’s right. However, she counters it easily: “I could’ve gone with Sarada, and Boruto with you.”

“Perhaps, but that would’ve ruined the practice of working with different people” Mitsuki says “Did Moegi-sensei not lecture your team about the importance of being able to work with others than just your three-man cell?”

“She sure did” Chou Chou says “But we already did that at the academy too.”

“There is no better teacher than experience, right?” Mitsuki smiles “And we better not get rusty.”

“But our teams work well together anyway” Chou Chou said “So choosing some other teams would’ve- whoah!”

One of the puppies Chou Chou had been walking suddenly dashed off, and while the girl managed to keep her hold on the leash, she’d been mid step and lost her balance, causing her to fall forward. Mitsuki’s reflexes were fast though as he released his own dogs, catching Chou Chou with one arm around her waist while the other reached out several meters to snatch the lively puppy up so that it wouldn’t get hurt when the leash no longer gave in.

“…Thanks” Chou Chou says, her face reddening “Good reflexes.”

“I am a shinobi after all” Mitsuki says as he steadies Chou Chou and puts the puppy down. The girl frowns, seeing that as an insult to her own, slower reflexes “Are you saying I should’ve been able to react to that faster?”

The smile Mitsuki gives her is all that Chou Chou needs to grab him by the collar, none too pleased.

“Don’t get so cocky just because I made one mistake!” she hisses. From the corner of her eye, she notices the puppies start to run around them, but since she still has a hold on all three leashes, she ignores it. They won’t be running away.

“I didn’t even say anything” Mitsuki defends himself, hands up in front of himself as a sign of peace. Jabbing his chest with her finger, Chou Chou says: “Look, you-!”

That’s as far as she gets, before she hears a bark, and then something tightens around her. And around Mitsuki. The next moment, they’re pressed close together, the leashes she’s still holding keeping them in place. The puppies had circled around them before going far enough to tighten the leashes.

“Great, just great!” Chou Chou snaps, fighting back a blush “Did someone train them to do this?”

“I wouldn’t put it past Shikadai” Mitsuki says, far less embarrassed than Chou Chou. In fact, he’s more amused than anything “Or past Inojin.”

“No kidding” she says “…Mitsuki, where are the puppies you’re supposed to be walking?”

Mitsuki blinks. He looks around, as much as their tied-up state lets him, at least.

“…Not in my line of sight, that’s for sure” he says, sweat dropping “Guess we got the puppy hunting mission you wanted after all.”

“…We are not telling the others about this!”

“Agreed” Mitsuki says. Now, it was time to chase some puppies.

…Once they untangled themselves, that is. That might take a while.

[migila]

MitsuChou Week, Day 6!

Note: I cut it really close with this one, but made it in time! I actually really like this idea, and am considering making a multichapter story out of it later, with more details.

Day 6: Isekai

Chou Chou honestly had no idea how the hell did this happen. She and her team went to what was supposed to be a perfectly regular C-rank mission, escorting a wealthy merchant. All was going well; they were almost at their destination…

…And then the attack happened.

Everything had happened so quickly; she faced the enemy head on with Moegi-sensei and Shikadai while Inojin stayed back to guard their client. The enemies were weaker than she’d first thought; they were actually bringing them down pretty easily. They were winning, or more like they did win. But as they proceeded to tie them up, one woke up too soon and used a jutsu. What kind, Chou Chou had no idea. She hadn’t even seen what signs the redhaired man had done. She just remembered the light that had spread out, how Moegi-sensei had pulled Shikadai with her as she jumped, but Chou Chou herself had been too close to the source. She’d been pulled to the center of the light, and everything had gone black.

When she’d woken up, it was only her and the attacker, the later still unconscious, fortunately. When he woke up, she’d been determined to know what happened to the others, happened to her team. She’d beat the information out of him. To her relief, the man said nothing had happened to them. To her horror, the man informed her that it was them that something had happened to. According to the man, he’d sent them to a parallel universe with his jutsu. She didn’t even know what that was, but after he’d explained, she had refused to believe it.

But after she’d reached Konoha in order to get help, the man following hot on her heels, she had no choice but to believe. The village looked so different, much older. The stone faces were there, but she didn’t recognize the face, there was only one, after the Fourth Hokage. She’d seen familiar faces, tried to talk to them, but they’d had no idea who she was. Not the one who looked exactly like her uncle Shikamaru. Not the one who was like aunt Ino.

Not even the one who was a splitting image of her dad.

She’d fled the village, the redhaired man waiting for her not too far from the gates, and she’d demanded that he send her back.

But he couldn’t.

Apparently, it took him three years to gather enough chakra to cross dimensions. She was stuck.

That was two years ago.

Chou Chou had had no choice but to temporarily settle down in to this familiar yet so different world. Fortunately, the man, Nagato she learned his name was, knew the Hokage, who was aware of the man’s strange power. He’d arranged her an identity and a place in the village for the time being until she could go home.

“Hurry up, Chou Chou!” a blond boy called out. Her place in the village included placing her in a three-man team as well. She hadn’t known if she should’ve laughed or cried when she had met her new teammates.

“Yeah yeah, I’m coming” she called out as she walked over to this world’s version of Uzumaki Boruto. Yes, Boruto existed, same name and face, but the personality was different. This one wasn’t so much of a prankster and didn’t have daddy issues.

“So troublesome…” again, Chou Chou hadn’t known if she should’ve laughed or cried. She’d ended up in the same team with Nara Shikadai. He was exactly the same, inside and outside. It was heartbreaking, for as familiar as he was, he wasn’t her Shikadai.

“You’re late” said her new team leader.

“Sorry, Ino-sensei” she said. Ino looked the same too, but Chou Chou had found out that in this reality, she had married a man that wasn’t uncle Sai.

In other words, Inojin didn’t exist here.

It wasn’t just the blond artist; over the past two years, she’d also learned fast that neither did she. Or any young Akimichi heir for that matter; Chouji Akimichi of this reality had never married. Sarada’s parents were both married here too, but not to each other.

Her best friend didn’t exist, either.

Metal did, but he might as well not have; while his name and face were the same, he neither acted or dressed the way that the guy Chou Chou knew did. Iwabe was around, not all that different, but seemed to be more of a jerk than in her world. Wasabi and Namida were here, almost the same as ever. She hadn’t met Denki, Sumire or Mitsuki, but she hadn’t heard of their families either, so there was no strong reason to believe that they didn’t exist.

Not that it mattered to her either way; even if she met them, they wouldn’t be the friends she knew.

“A-rank mission, finally” Boruto breathed out, but Shikadai scowled “B-rank, idiot. It only becomes A-rank if we’re unlucky and get noticed by the wrong people, which we do not hope.”

“It can even become S-rank if we’re really unlucky” Ino pointed out “The danger of death is real here; if there were people available, the Hokage would’ve sent an all jounin team instead of a jounin and three chuunins.”

“But all’s good if we don’t get spotted, right?” Chou Chou asked, going the mission details through in her head. They were to break in to a certain S-class criminal’s assumed hiding place, steal certain documents and get the hell out of there. If they weren’t noticed, all would be perfectly fine. Even if they did get spotted, as long as the criminal, Orochimaru was the name if she wasn’t mistaking, wasn’t there himself, they could still all make it out alive. The abilities and numbers of his subordinates was unknown, but it was considered likely by the Hokage that their team could handle it. The only thing that had Chou Chou truly worried was the possibility that the man would be there.

“True enough” Ino said “But if we’re unlucky, get spotted and the boss is there, we’ll all likely fail and die.”

Chou Chou gulped, and she was sure Boruto did too.

“…He’s that strong?” the blond asked.

“Yes” Ino confirmed “Which is why I tell you this: if we get spotted by him once we already have the documents, Boruto will make a break for it with them while the rest of us try to hold the man back.”

“Wha-!?” Boruto started, but Ino cut him off: “No objections!”

“It makes sense” Shikadai spoke up, nervous sweat running down his brow, but otherwise he appeared unaffected “You’re undeniably the fastest of us, Boruto, and that way we still have a chance for success of the mission.”

Boruto no longer protested. Her Boruto would have, but not this one. Instead, he glanced at his team mates, taking a deep breath.

“Okay, let’s do this”

They left the village gates, and like every time before, Chou Chou prayed that she’d make it back, that she wouldn’t die in this world.

---------------

They managed to brake in. Chou Chou had noted in her mind that there was something familiar about the place, but quickly dismissed the idea. If she’d been here in this world, she’d remember, and she certainly hadn’t had any super dangerous missions in her world, their little adventure in the land of Earth not counting, so she couldn’t have been here in her own world, either.

…Right?

She jolted as she saw Shikadai give a signal. Someone was coming. They hid and held their breaths as two men passed. Neither were the S-class criminal, they’d been shown a photo, but it was still better to go unnoticed. And they did.

“Let’s go” Ino said quietly, and they continued on.

They got the documents, and Boruto took a hold of them as planned, just in case. So far so good; now they just had to get out.

But of course, their luck wouldn’t last. As soon as they’d stepped out of the room, they were surrounded by twenty or so people. They’d been spotted after all.

Shikadai, the most observant of them all, quickly gave them the signal they’d agreed upon beforehand. The place’s boss wasn’t around, at least for now. Good. Still, with this many enemies, Chou Chou knew what Ino’s orders would be. And sure enough, she shouted: “Boruto, go!”

The blond ran off, and Chou Chou stopped the two that tried to follow him. They all still had a chance for survival, but it was for the best to secure the mission’s success by letting Boruto go ahead.

“Even if I die young, there’s no way in hell I’m dying here!” Chou Chou roared. It was chaos all around, but she and her team held their ground. Ino of this world was differently stronger than the one in their own, which was something Chou Chou was very grateful for right about now.

But even this world’s Ino didn’t seem to see the huge explosion coming.

Chou Chou cried out as she got hit by falling debris. Blindly scrambling for safety, she lost sight of her team. When she finally stopped to catch her breath, she realized that she was alone with one of their enemies, though fortunately the man seemed to be unconscious, perhaps even dead.

“Okay, all’s good” Chou Chou muttered “Everything’s gonna be okay, I’m gonna be okay.”

She looked around, realizing that she was stuck in a rather small space, the walls having given in in both directions. She was strong enough to move some of the debris, she was sure, but she was worried of the ceiling collapsing on her.

“Ugh…”

Chou Chou froze, realizing that the enemy with her wasn’t quite as dead as she had hoped. Damn.

She’d have to kill him.

She’d killed before, in this world. It was scary, but she was a shinobi. Even if she hadn’t come to this world, she knew she would’ve had to kill eventually. Still, she always hated it.

“I’ll just get this over with” Chou Chou thought as she took out a kunai, hoping that the enemy was still at least somewhat out of it. She wanted to make this quick, both because she didn’t like to make her enemies suffer needlessly and because she didn’t want to risk a fight that would make the ceiling collapse.

As she approached, she noted that the enemy still lying on the ground looked young. And familiar. In fact, he looked a lot like-

“Mitsuki?”

---------------

When Mitsuki regained consciousness, the first thing that his mind registered was the pain. For a brief moment, he wondered what had happened, but the memories rushed back to him quickly. Juugo had noticed intruders. He’d alerted the others, and Mitsuki had joined them out of curiosity. He hadn’t planned to take part in the fight; intruders were his parent’s problem, not his, even if Orochimaru wasn’t present. However, as the blond boy who’d tried to flee on his own spotted him and attacked, he had had no choice but to fight. The guy had been good, but Mitsuki was better, getting the upper hand quickly on their short one on one. He’d had a perfect opportunity to kill the boy, but he’d plunged his kunai in the blonde’s shoulder instead. He was Orochimaru’s enemy, apparently, but not Mitsuki’s. Mitsuki did as he pleased, and killing an enemy that wasn’t his wasn’t on the list of things he wanted. However, when the boy he’d stabbed turned out to be a clone and he himself got stabbed in the side on the next second, the boy had become his enemy. Mitsuki didn’t enjoy getting stabbed.

They’d fought, and the collision of their attacks had caused an explosion, far larger than he would’ve expected. It might not have been much of a problem outside, but inside not only did the force throw him back, but the walls and the ceiling had started collapsing. He’d scrambled out of the way but, apparently, he’d hit his head at some point. Or maybe he’d lost consciousness due to blood loss, who knows. But he was alive, and right now that was enough.

“First I need to heal my injuries” he thought, attempting to reach out for the wound on his side, but found out he couldn’t move his hands. At first, he assumed them to be stuck under something since they didn’t hurt all that much, but after a moment he realized that they were tied. As were his legs.

Eyes snapping open in full alert, Mitsuki came face to face with a chubby girl eating potato chips, where the hell had she gotten those from, he wondered, that had to be one of the intruders. He could see the Konoha headband, which wasn’t good. He knew how much the Konoha shinobis hated his parent… which made him wonder, how come he wasn’t dead yet?

“Morning” the girl said with a smile after he’d opened his eyes “That’s quite bad injury; I wasn’t sure if you’d make it.”

This was not the kind of interaction Mitsuki had been expecting. Was this some new form of interrogation?

“Do you want some?” she asks, lifting up the bag of chips “Onion flavored.”

“…”

Chou Chou sweat dropped when Mitsuki didn’t react to anything she said. She had no idea what she’d been expecting him to do or say; she didn’t know how her Mitsuki would’ve reacted in this situation, either. And even if she did, this wasn’t her Mitsuki, a genin from Konoha. This was a Mitsuki who, apparently, worked for an S-class criminal.

His own parent.

While she’d been tying Mitsuki up for safety reasons, tending to his wounds too while at it of course, she’d realized why the place had seemed familiar. This was Orochimaru’s base in their world as well, the one she’d gone to with the Uchihas and Lord Seventh. And the S-class criminal they were dealing with was none other than Orochimaru, though the photo she’d seen looked way different than the person she recalled meeting.

Not that it mattered. What mattered was that Mitsuki was here. Even though he was not her Mitsuki, her annoying as hell friend, there was no way she could bring herself to kill this guy who looked so much like him. Not that she even needed to right now since they were both stuck and she had the upper hand, being less wounded and not tied up.

“Is there a reason you haven’t killed me yet?” Mitsuki asked after a while when the girl didn’t say anything. In this situation, he could still gather information. He should also try to keep her distracted, keep her talking until he figured a way to save himself.

“Is there a reason I should kill you?” she countered, much to Mitsuki’s surprise. The boy had assumed she just considered him an enemy, one of Orochimaru’s lackeys, and would try to kill him for it. But the thing is, he wasn’t. Unlike his parent, he had nothing against Konoha and wouldn’t attack its shinobi if they would just leave him alone. But apparently, his face was already in a bingo book, marked down as Orochimaru’s subordinate. And all that just because he’d been in his parent’s company when a group of anbu attacked them and he’d defended himself. If the girl didn’t know he was on Konoha’s kill list, then maybe it made sense he was still alive. Maybe she thought he was Orochimaru’s prisoner.

“I suppose not” he answered with a small smile of his own “Is there a reason I’m tied up, then?”

“Just to be safe” she said, smile still in place “I didn’t want you to attack me in fright when you woke up.”

That made sense, Mitsuki realized.

“Can you untie me, then?”

At this, Chou Chou hesitated. He seemed calm and civil, but the Mitsuki of her world was a good actor, and she was willing to bet that this one was too. Even if he seemed like he wouldn’t attack, there was no guarantee.

“I think I’ll keep playing it safe for now” she tells him “Sorry.”

Not naïve, then. Of course, she wasn’t, she was a shinobi, but Mitsuki had to try it.

Shifting a little, he took a look at the wound on his side, only to find himself bandaged. He certainly hadn’t expected that.

“Don’t move around too much; your wound could open” she tells him “Just take it easy.”

Maybe she was a bit naïve, after all. There was no way he could “take it easy” in this situation. Surely, she had to know that.

Popping the last chip to her mouth, Chou Chou tossed the empty bag away.

“Alright” she stood up, making Mitsuki tense “Back to work.”

He watched as the girl moved debris aside bit by bit carefully, always pausing to see what would collapse after each one. Seems like she prioritized getting out over getting information from him. That was good; it gave him time to wiggle his way out of his steel wire binds. They dug in to his skin painfully, but he was flexible, he could do this.

Keeping his eyes on the girl, only occasionally glancing down at his work, Mitsuki focused on not letting out any sounds of pain in order to not alert her. When his hands were finally free, he quickly untied his legs. The girl had yet to notice. Now would be a good time to sneak up on her, take her by surprise and kill her fast, but he decided against it. He wasn’t in the best shape, so he might as well allow her to do the heavy lifting for him. He’d kill her after the debris was cleared. Were he not injured, he could just knock her out or even leave her alone; she seemed somehow different from the other shinobis he’d encountered over the years and he was curious, but right now he couldn’t take any chances.

She was almost done, he saw. He could move the rest himself; now was the time to move. He got up, or he tried to, but the burning pain in his side as soon as he tried to sit up stopped him. Hand flying to the wound, he was unable to hold back the gasp of pain, alerting the young kunoichi immediately as her head turned sharply. So much for his sneaky assassination plan.

“Don’t move; your wound will open!” Chou Chou yelled, rushing over. Pushing him back down, she observed his bloody side, which was already turning even redder. The wound had indeed reopened “Shit.”

She’d already used up whatever little bandages she had with her for emergencies, so she’d have to improvise… she could make bandages out of her own clothes, but her dress was rather short as it was, so she’d rather not… but there wasn’t much of a choice.

Seeing her pull out a kunai, Mitsuki attempted to do so too, only to find out that his pouch of weapons was no longer where it was supposed to be. Of course, she had removed it. Taking a piece of debris instead, he swung it at her, but the girl dodged just in time.

“What the hell, you jerk!?” she cussed “Here I’m trying to help you and you try to smash my head open!?”

“I don’t see how you’ll help me with a kunai” Mitsuki simply said, wincing in pain as he fell back down again. The blood loss was making him dizzy.

Chou Chou gave him a hard look, but told herself to not be too unreasonable. He didn’t know her; he didn’t know she wasn’t going to harm him. The more she thought about it, the more understandable his reaction was.

“I’m just gonna make some new bandages, okay?” she says, starting to cut the hem of her dress “I already ran out of the actual ones.”

Mitsuki stared. Had she not already treated his wounds once and had she not already been cutting her clothes apart, her rather short clothes he might add, he never would’ve believed her words but currently, she was doing nothing that went against what she said.

She was interesting indeed, along with being very confusing.

The stare didn’t go unnoticed by Chou Chou.

“Would you mind being a gentleman and stop staring?” she says “I know I’m gorgeous and that it’s probably hard for guys to keep their eyes away, but you could at least try!”

“You’re delusional” Mitsuki said with a chuckle, but looked away anyway. Normally he wouldn’t even consider it, but with the girl’s irrational, amusing behavior, he found it extremely unlikely that she’d attack him now, so he considered it to be safe.

“Keep telling yourself that” Chou Chou said with a wink, one that he wouldn’t see. Her smile dropped as she realized that what he’d said was very much like something she could imagine her old friend Mitsuki saying, and it clenched painfully at her chest. She had to keep in mind that this was not her Mitsuki; this was a stranger, apparently a criminal, and she mustn’t let her guard down.

But even so, she couldn’t bring herself to abandon him.

Mitsuki didn’t fight back as the girl started to bandage him up, supporting his own bodyweight the best he could when she rewrapped the wound. As she did, the idea of killing her now briefly entered his mind. She was so close that it would be easy. His teeth were sharp; if he wanted to, all it should take would be one quick movement of his head to sink his teeth on her throat, ripping it open. It’d be so easy-

“What did I say about staring?” Chou Chou asks, finishing up her task before pulling her kimono styled dress to cover more of her front “Pervert.”

Well, Mitsuki supposed that it was natural to mistake staring at her throat for staring at her chest, at least for someone who thought so highly of herself. Perhaps the idea that he was considering the idea of slitting her throat really didn’t even cross her mind.

Lucky him, but it made him wonder the level of Konoha shinobi in general.

Maybe this really was a bad idea, Chou Chou realized. Similar as they were, her world’s Mitsuki would never get caught staring at her like that. While he could be a jerk sometimes, he did have a certain set of manners… or maybe he was just more subtle in order to not get in to trouble?

“Urgh, now’s not the time to be thinking of this!” she scolded herself. She had more pressing matters to address, mainly what she should do now. Should she just leave Mitsuki there and walk away? That might be the safest option for her, but what about him? What if the wound was worse than she thought and he didn’t get help in time? What if the ceiling collapsed on him? What if someone from her team stumbled upon him and killed him in his nearly defend less state!?

“I can’t leave him here” she realized with finality. Taking a deep breath, she swung his arm over her shoulder, apologizing when he hissed in pain.

“What are you doing?” Mitsuki asks, though at this point, he feels like he has an idea.

“I can’t just leave you here with the ceiling in the danger of collapsing” she tells him. He had expected something along those lines, though the possibility of her taking him along as a hostage had also crossed his mind. Who knows, maybe that was the case and he was being tricked.

“No” he decided “She’s not smart enough.”

With that in mind, Mitsuki decides to let her support him and lead the way.

Especially since she didn’t seem to realize that she was walking deeper in to his home, not away from it. Unless the whole place was in shambles, she’d be trapped soon enough.

This was going to be interesting.

---------------

“Told ya she’d get caught too” Chou Chou heard Boruto say after she was literally thrown in to a cell, the door locking behind her. The girl glared at him, though she supposed that this time his lack of faith in her was well earned. Just how had she let herself get ambushed like that?! It’d been three plus Mitsuki on one, so her loss wasn’t unexpected, but it still irked her. As did the amused look Mitsuki had had on his face after she’d been defeated and his friends, or whatever they were, tied her up.

“Shut up Boruto” Shikadai snarled “You were supposed to run!”

“I did!” the blond protested “…Well, I tried.”

“We all messed up” she heard Ino say, much to her surprise. She hadn’t seen the older woman; apparently, their teacher was somewhere behind her “But it’s too early to give up.”

“How come none of us are dead yet?” Chou Chou couldn’t help but ask. She felt like that’d be something that they’d do, even if they kept one or two of them alive for information.

“Apparently, they want to leave it up to their boss to decide what to do with us” Shikadai said “That’ll give us some time to think of an escape plan, at least. Though if he gets here before we get out…”

“Then it’s game over” Chou Chou realized, gulping “Please tell me you have a plan.”

Turns out he didn’t.

---------------

Mitsuki sighed in relief, finally free from Karin’s worried fussing. Not that she didn’t have a reason to worry, but it had still been annoying. Besides, his mind was stuck on other things. Other people. One person in particular.

“I didn’t catch her name” he realized, afterwards wondering why it even mattered to him. Well, he supposed he was curious by nature. Still, it wasn’t what was on the front of his mind right now. Instead, he was wondering about the kunoichi’s actions before getting caught.

When they were surrounded by his comrades, he had expected her to use him as a living shield. The idea of her slitting his throat on the spot so that she could get rid of at least one enemy had also crossed his mind, but instead of doing either, she’d pushed him aside, seeming to try being careful, almost like she was trying not to hurt him, before lunging in to the fight. Fight that hadn’t lasted long, which was no surprise as the shinobi was badly outnumbered, not to mention their side had Suigetsu, who was one of their strongest. He’d dragged the kunoichi away while Mitsuki had been taken to Karin. Now that he was patched up, he wondered what had happened to the girl. Was she still alive? Knowing the people around the base, probably not, unless they were in mood for some torture. But he supposed it wouldn’t hurt to check.

Getting up, he immediately winced. Turns out it would hurt to check; moving hurt.

“No pain, no gain” Mitsuki muttered wryly, proceeding to gather some information. It wasn’t too hard. He found Juugo quickly, who told him they were waiting for Orochimaru’s decision and had all four prisoners locked up and alive. He supposed it made sense; his parent could use some more material for his experiments. Or something to annoy Konoha with. Or just someone to torture. Prisoners had a lot of uses, after all.

Finding out the exact location of the prisoners, he slowly made his way to them, wondering what he’d see. Would the kunoichi act the same with her comrades around? Did she do things like this often, or would they be surprised if he revealed how she’d treated him? Would they believe him if he did and she denied it? It would make sense for them to not believe; he was the enemy after all.

“There’s always the chance that her naïve personality was just a well-done act” he reminded himself “Very well-done act.”

Be it this or that, he wanted to make sure of it himself.

---------------

“…Still no ideas?” Chou Chou asks, making Shikadai sigh.

“Again, no”

“And you’re supposed to be a genius…” the girl muttered, and it clearly irked Shikadai.

“Why do I need to be the one to come up with something?” he asked “You know what? If you want a plan then here’s one: you always go on about how gorgeous you are, so how about seducing a guard to make him let us out of here!?”

“Shikadai!” Ino yelled, scandalized “Stop that!”

“Not that she’d be able to…” Boruto muttered, eyeing Chou Chou up and down with the girl staring back, unamused “No offence, but since it’s you…”

“No offence my ass, Boruto” she snapped.

“But there’s some idea in that plan” Ino says with a sigh “I’ll try it.”

“You’re married” Chou Chou points out.

“And you’re a child” Ino shot back “This is for the mission; it’s a natural course of action to take.”

Her three students exchanged glances, but didn’t argue further.

When the door opens, Chou Chou can’t help but think that she could try going with Shikadai’s original plan, for Mitsuki was at the door. As gorgeous as Ino-sensei was, the younger kunoichi was convinced she was too old to get Mitsuki’s attention in the slightest.

“You!?” Boruto asks “I thought I took you down already!”

“Almost” Mitsuki admitted with a coy smile “But I got help in time.”

Chou Chou gulped, wondering if he’d rat her out. For a split second their eyes locked, and the girl was quick to look away, praying he’d keep his mouth shut.

The girl’s reactions were enough to tell Mitsuki that the girl had indeed helped him out of good will, without having permission from her team. Very interesting.

“Well next time you won’t be so lucky” Boruto told him.

“Don’t provoke him!” Shikadai hissed, but Mitsuki ignored him, turning his attention to Boruto. Tilting his head, he asks: “What makes you think there’ll be a next time?”

Boruto doesn’t answer, and they stare at each other. Mitsuki takes out a kunai, walking towards the blond. While the rest were Orochimaru’s enemies, this one had stabbed him, which made him Mitsuki’s enemy as well. This was personal.

“Stop!” Chou Chou calls without thinking, and to everyone’s surprise, the boy actually does stop in his tracks. Turning to look at the girl, he asks: “Why?”

“Why?” she echoes.

“Why should I stop?” he clarifies patiently, tilting his head with a small, curious smile on his face “Why should I not kill someone who attacked me?”

“Ah… um…” so it was Boruto who had stabbed him. Damn, he was always causing trouble! “Well… uh…”

Mitsuki tilted his head, patiently waiting for the girl to come up with something. Depending on what she said, he might actually choose to not kill her friend. He didn’t have a permission to do so anyway, but he wasn’t really a fan of rules. If he wanted to kill someone, he’d kill someone, even if Orochimaru wouldn’t like it. Not that he’d get in to too much trouble; there’d still be three more prisoners, and it’s not like his parent even knew about any of them yet.

“Well… you could be the better person here?” Chou Chou says uncertainly. That was all she could think up; to give him a chance to consider himself better than Boruto. She saw Mitsuki blink, still looking at her with that same smile, but he wasn’t making a move to attack anyone. She supposed that was a good sign.

“What if I don’t care if I’m the better person or not?” he asks, smiling at the girl’s dumbfounded look.

“Well… that’s…” she seemed to be thinking hard. Mitsuki weighted his options. He could just go and kill his enemy now, but if he did that, he doubted the situation would stay the same. The kunoichi would get mad for sure, and there’d go his entertainment. He didn’t want that, but would it be worth of getting rid of his enemy?

“I can always kill him later” he thought, chuckling as he put his kunai back, walking towards Chou Chou instead.

“Hey! Stay away from her!” Boruto shouted, but Chou Chou wasn’t too worried, if not a little nervous. She’d already gotten him to leave Boruto alone, for now at least, which was a good sign. Maybe this Mitsuki did indeed listen to reason.

“Why?” Mitsuki asks, looking at Boruto over his shoulder, smirking “Are you afraid I’ll steal your girl?”

The reactions are immediate. Boruto sputters, but Chou Chou barely notices it as she bursts out laughing, finding the idea way too funny. Also, a little disturbing, but mostly funny. Her and Boruto? Her and Boruto!? No way, never, not in this world nor hers! Even Mitsuki of her world would have a better chance with her than either Boruto!

Mitsuki watched her, amused. It was just a simple jab that he hadn’t really been expecting any reaction to, but this was certainly interesting. Then again, maybe he shouldn’t be so surprised. She seemed to be like this all the time; at this point, he highly doubted it’d be some kind of trick.

Swiping out a kunai, he ignored the shouts of the three shinobi, noting that oddly enough, it was the girl who stayed calm, although her eyes were fixed on the weapon as well. He cut the ropes on her legs, again taking note of how unconcerned she looked when he brought the weapon closer, though he did notice her tense.

“Come with me” he says “If you cause trouble, I might as well kill one of them, so I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“And if I kill you, your friends will kill us” Chou Chou added with a raised eyebrow. Mitsuki smiled “Exactly.”

“Chou Chou, don’t follow him!” Ino said sternly. Normally, the girl would’ve listened to her team leader, but she was dealing with Mitsuki now. She’d take a gamble. Besides, what’s the worst thing that could happen, considering their current situation? At the very worst, death might just come a little earlier, not that she believed Mitsuki planned to kill her. She just had to make sure she wouldn’t give him a reason to, either.

“No worries, I got this!” she says as she stands up wobbly, her body sore and her hands still tied behind her “I know what I’m doing.”

Mitsuki wondered what the girl, Chou Chou, they’d said her name was, meant. Did she have a plan or was she simply trying to reassure her friends? If the former, then he was sure she was up to something amusing. This would be fun.

Kunai still in hand, he led her outside of the cell, this time ignoring the blonde’s shouts of kicking his ass if he did anything to her. The guards gave him questioning looks, but didn’t try to stop him. Perks of being the boss’s son.

Chou Chou kept eyeing the route they were taking, attempting to memorize it and look for possible ways to escape. She knew that if she made a run for it now, she’d probably get away from the wounded boy behind her and if she got lucky, she might even be able to sneak out. However, that was not an option with her friends still inside. If she went to get help on her own, they’d probably kill everyone else so that there’d be no one left to save.

“But if I can get Mitsuki to our side, he can help us escape” that’d be ideal, but how would she do that?

“In here” Mitsuki said, pushing a door open before shoving Chou Chou forward. It was a small push; had the girl not wanted to move, she could’ve easily stayed put. But she didn’t.

Observing the space, she saw it was completely empty. Weird. Pushing that thought aside, she looked at Mitsuki who’d just closed the door and was now standing in front of it, staring at her. She decided to wait for him to tell her what he wanted, but as time ticked by and he just kept staring, Chou Chou started to get a little unnerved.

“What?” she finally asked, unable to help herself.

Mitsuki smiled, having wanted to see how long she’d stay quiet if he didn’t say anything. She’d lasted longer than he’d expected.

“When you told me not to kill your friend, I was expecting you to say that I could spare him to return the favor” he says “Why didn’t you? Did you not want your team to find out that you helped an enemy?”

Chou Chou stares, her mouth slightly gaping. Right, she could have tried that!

…But even if that was an option…

Mitsuki stares at the girl, who now looks surprised.

“Could it be?” he smiles “It didn’t even occur to you, did it?”

Chou Chou blushes, and that is all the proof Mitsuki needs. His smile widening, he points out: “You’re not very smart, are you?”

Her blush deepens. She’s interesting to watch alright.

“Well excuse me for not being a genius!” she hisses, and Mitsuki almost points out that it doesn’t take a genius to consider something like that, but ends up keeping his mouth shut anyway. Basking in his amusement, he almost misses the girl’s next words “…Even if I had thought about it, it wouldn’t have been right.”

“Right?” he repeats, puzzled.

“It’s not right to help someone just to get help myself” Chou Chou huffed. It was at that moment that she remembered what Mitsuki was like in their academy days. He’d seemed to have very little sense of right or wrong, using Boruto as a moral compass. But this Mitsuki had had no such influence-

“Oh boy” she realized, paling “I might be in a far bigger trouble than I thought.”

Mitsuki blinked as the girl’s face suddenly got a lot paler. That too was interesting, but also puzzling as he couldn’t think what could’ve scared her so just now. He shifted his stance a little, and did not miss how Chou Chou took a step back at that exact moment. Curious, he took a step forward, only to see her taking another step back. Interesting. Normally, it would’ve been a logical thing for her to do, but the change in her behavior had been very sudden. Why did she seem so much more afraid of him out of the blue?

With every step that Mitsuki took forward, Chou Chou took back. Why had he gotten so menacing right after she realized how much trouble she was in? It was like he was reading her mind!

“Or maybe my worry was just shown on my face” she gulped “Damn.”

The girl yelped as her back hit the wall, but Mitsuki was still advancing on her, taking his time. Or maybe he just walked slowly because of his injuries. Regardless, he ended up reaching her, standing right in front of her. She could see that he seemed a little confused, like he was thinking of something. Right now, she wasn’t all that sure that she’d want to know what that something was.

She was afraid; Mitsuki knew. He wondered what she’d do if he extended his hand. Her options were limited as her hands were still tied, but she could try to run; there was enough space to her left. She could try to swipe him off his feet, she could headbutt him or bite his hand. She could cover in fright, too, and that was starting to feel like the most likely option. Curiosity getting the best of him, he decided to do just that.

As Chou Chou saw a very familiar twinkle in Mitsuki’s eyes, she froze. It was the look he, well, the other he, tended to have when he was making fun of her. Fear overtaken by a familiar annoyance that she hadn’t really felt in a couple of years, she cast him a fierce glare, not moving an inch.

Mitsuki froze in turn, again not understanding the sudden change. They stared at each other for a good while before Chou Chou raised an eyebrow, asking: “What? You afraid I’m gonna bite or something?”

Withdrawing his hand, Mitsuki confessed: “That did occur to me, yes.”

Chou Chou tried, and ultimately failed, to hold in the chuckle, which turned in to full laughter in no time. She was laughing so hard that she was doubling over, having to squat down.

Mitsuki blinked, completely baffled, yet he was unable to keep a smile from forming on his face, soon laughing as well. He had no idea what she was laughing about, but it was infectious. She, with her very presence, made him laugh.

Chou Chou noticed this, and it only made her laugh harder, his laughter fueling her own. When she finally calmed down, he’d already stopped. It still took her a minute to regain her composure, but when she did, only one thought was in her head.

What now?

“Why did you bring me here?” she asks, and Mitsuki has to wonder the same. Why indeed? He could’ve just talked with her in the cell… but would she have been the way she is now in front of her comrades? Probably not, and he decided that was the reason why.

“I wonder…” he muttered instead, and Chou Chou recognized that smile; usually, it meant that someone would get in trouble. And she was the only one with him now “Why do you think?”

“…” part of Chou Chou’s earlier wariness returning, she chose not to say anything. If she gave him nothing, he could not be angered by it or use it against her.

“…” she was wary, Mitsuki realized. Even though she’d been laughing so hard just now…

…

She was an enigma, alright.

His silence was unnerving her, so much so that Chou Chou started to wonder if her not saying anything would anger him. Gosh, what a mess she’d gotten herself in to!

“Well…” she started uncertainly “Maybe you wanted information? Why we’re here, how many of us came… and stuff?”

Mitsuki chuckles.

“I already know what you were after and that it’s just the four of you” he said “And if I wanted more information, the fastest way to get some would be torture.”

He said it so casually that Chou Chou almost thought he was joking. Almost.

“…Then I have no idea” aside from one, but she found it very unlikely.

“In a way, you could say that I do want information” he said, smiling “You are rather peculiar. I’m interested to know how someone can be… like that.”

It sounded like an insult, but she wasn’t sure if it was one or not. Her Mitsuki tended to use the same word of her, so maybe it wasn’t? Either way, getting angry at him wouldn’t help her. Taking a deep breath, she decides to try to forget where she is and that she’s in the company of an enemy. It’s a move that could turn out to be fatal, but it’d help her think, and she’d yet to abandon the idea of trying to get Mitsuki to side with her. Sitting down on the ground, she says: “I don’t really know what you mean by “like that.” I’m just being the way I always am.”

“Hm” Mitsuki hummed, sitting down as well “Interesting.”

“You’re not exactly normal either you know” the girl said. She saw Mitsuki blink “Who just pulls along an enemy for a casual chat?”

“Who joins their enemy for a casual chat?” Mitsuki shot back. Chou Chou rolled her eyes “I’m tied up, unarmed and in a heavily guarded enemy territory. What other choice do I have?”

Mitsuki realized that she was right; she wasn’t here because she wanted to be, not in the least. Somehow, he found that realization slightly depressing.

“But you don’t seem like a bad person, so it’s not like I mind” she said, much to Mitsuki’s surprise. He couldn’t doubt the sincerity behind that smile “What did you want to talk about?”

For starters, there was one thing he wanted to confirm. He knew things about Konoha’s most powerful clans, and judging from her body shape-

“You’re from the Akimichi clan, aren’t you?” he asks, and the reaction is instant as her eyes widen, a hint of panic forming in them.

“No” Chou Chou quickly denies. There were people in the village who’d come to the same conclusion, but with her and the clan denying, had quickly dropped it. She hadn’t expected it to come up here “I’m not.”

Mitsuki smirks.

“I think you’re lying” he says, and the paling of her face is all telling “Unless, of course, you’re not officially part of the clan. An illegitimate child, perhaps?”

Chou Chou doesn’t answer. His guess is so close, yet still so far. It made her wonder if some people in this world who she had gotten to know actually thought the same but kept their mouths shut.

“I’m not” she said “Do not tarnish the Akimichi name with such accusations.”

Mitsuki tilted his head to the side with a coy smile.

“Why so defensive of them?”

Chou Chou glared, refusing to say more on the subject. She couldn’t let anything slip.

Mitsuki’s smile faded at the girl’s glare. If he tried to press her on the subject, she might not be as willing to talk anymore. Better change it.

“Which clan are you from, then, miss Chou Chou?”

She was momentarily surprised he knew her name, but then realized it must’ve been because he’d heard her friends calling for her.

“…None” she decided to answer, for it was true in this world “I have no clan.”

“She’s lying” Mitsuki found himself thinking. For whatever reason, she was keeping the clan she belonged to as a secret; he could see it from her eyes.

But even so, he decides to leave it be, for it’s her he has interest in, not her clan.

“What about you?” she asks “What clan do you come from?”

“I don’t know” he answers honestly “It’s just me and my parent left, and he doesn’t talk about our clan in the slightest.”

“I see” she hums “So is your parent Orochimaru?”

She probably shouldn’t have asked, Chou Chou realized as she saw the alert, which was soon taken over by cautiousness, in Mitsuki’s eyes.

“How did you know?”

Fortunately, she had an excuse formed.

“Just a hunch based on your behavior” she said “You don’t seem like someone who’d work for a man like Orochimaru, yet here you are. Blood ties seemed like the most logical reason.”

Mitsuki stared. Her logic was so simple and full of flaws, yet she got it right on the first try.

“I shouldn’t even be surprised anymore” he thought “Even if I don’t work for him, being his son makes me your enemy.”

“Does it?” she asks, much to his surprise “My enemies are the ones who hurt my friends or my village. You haven’t done so as far as I know” she pauses “Well you did clash out with Boruto, but he can be a jerk sometimes so he might even have deserved it. Plus, he’s fine, so it doesn’t really count.”

Mitsuki stares at her smiling face, again so sincere. He chuckles.

“I suppose it doesn’t” he admits. Then, he asks her something that he has always been wondering “What’s Konoha like?”

“Konoha?” she echoes, and he nods. He knows some things, things he’s heard by coincidence, and some things his parent has told, though those aren’t much, for the man hated his former home. But Mitsuki was interested.

“Well, it’s lively” Chou Chou starts, proceeding to tell him what he wants to know. She tells about the views, the places, the people, careful to make sure she talks about this world’s Konoha. Few times she slips with certain details, but he doesn’t notice, he can’t tell the difference. When he asks a question, she answers. Some of the things she says make him laugh, including some that weren’t intended to do so. She pouts when that happens, knowing he’s partly laughing at her, but she’s not angry, not really. She was having fun; she hadn’t talked this freely since she ended up in this world.

“You really love Konoha, don’t you?” he asks suddenly.

“Yeah…” Chou Chou says, but to Mitsuki, she looks sad “But... it’s not really home.”

“It’s not your home?” he echoes, confused.

“Well, it is now, but it’s not where I’m from” she mutters, and he can hear that the joy has departed from her voice “But I can’t go back home yet…”

He’s curious, he wants to ask why, but he’s sure she won’t tell even if he does. She refused to talk about her clan, so he highly doubts she’d speak about her home, either.

He’s brought out of his thoughts by a loud growl. He jolts, jumping to his feet and wincing at the pain in his side before drawing out a kunai, looking around.

“Relax, that was just my stomach” Chou Chou said with a snort. Mitsuki looks at her in disbelief, his mouth dropping open in to a small “o.” Then, unable to stop himself, he starts laughing, hard, wincing again as it hurts his wound.

“It’s not that funny!” Chou Chou snaps with a blush.

“I have to disagree” Mitsuki says after he gets his laughter under control. Putting his kunai back, he says: “I’ll go get you something to eat.”

He’s already at the door before the girl can react.

“Stay here” he says before he goes “For your own safety.”

The door clicks shut, and Chou Chou hears it lock. She’s not sure if that just now was a threat or if he was simply warning her about his comrades. She considers disobeying, but decides against it, knowing that she wouldn’t get far.

Mitsuki comes back soon enough, and Chou Chou wonders if he’s going to untie her or if he’s planning to feed her. Normally, she would never allow the later, but right now she’s really hungry.

Mitsuki puts down the lunch box he’d swiped from Karin, knowing that he’ll be her last suspect when she notices it’s gone. He just hopes it has something Chou Chou likes.

“Turn around” he says “I’ll untie you.”

“Right” Chou Chou says, relieved. Having to be fed by him would’ve been awkward.

She opens the small lunch box, finding rice balls. Yummy.

Smiling happily, she starts eating. After being done with half of them, she asks: “Aren’t you going to have some?”

“I don’t eat” he replies simply. Chou Chou shrugs “More for me, then.”

As she keeps eating, Mitsuki wonders what to do from here. He would like to just continue speaking with her, he wanted to know more, but he knew that wouldn’t do. Even if no one found them here, his parent would be back eventually and find out there was a fourth prisoner as well. He’d want to know what Mitsuki’s been up to, and he’d kill Chou Chou, unless he had a way to make her useful. But Mitsuki didn’t like either option, so that left-

“I can get you out of here” he told her just as the girl finished the last rice ball.

“Huh?” Chou Chou was surprised. She had aimed to get an ally out of him, but this easily… “How?”

“Right out the door” Mitsuki smiled “With my parent gone, we only need to avoid his three most trusted men. None of the others will question me even if they see me with a prisoner.”

That could work, Chou Chou knew. If she got out, she could go get help… the problem was that she didn’t believe she’d manage to do that in time to save the others.

“I’m not leaving without my team” she told, firm and simple. Mitsuki frowned.

“I can’t let that many people out without it being suspicious” he said “And I’m not interested in doing so, either.”

“Looks like I’m staying, then” she said, standing up “I’m not abandoning them.”

Mitsuki stood up too, wondering what such determination to protect someone felt like, what it felt like to be protected. He knew that he wouldn’t put himself in such a risk if his parent or any of his subordinates got caught by the enemy, and he highly doubted any of them would take the risk for him, either. Why were they so different? Perhaps finding out would be worth a risk?

“Alright then” he said, smiling “I’ll sneak all four of you out.”

Chou Chou stared. Was it really this easy, or was he leading her in to a trap?

“No… don’t doubt, not now” she told herself “Even if it turns out to be a trap, this is the best chance you’ll get.”

And probably the only chance.

“I trust you” she says, hoping that it really was the right move.

---------------

Mitsuki knocks down the guards before they can even realize what he’s up to. As Chou Chou opens the door to the cell, she sees the relieved faces of her friends.

“Chou Chou, you’re okay!” Boruto says in relief.

“Of course, I am” she says as she runs in to the cell, kunai in hand “We have to hurry.”

“Did you knock out the guards?” Ino asks from behind her as she releases Shikadai and moves on to Boruto. Chou Chou bites her lip before muttering: “Well… not exactly…”

“We need to hurry” she hears Mitsuki say from the door, and recently released Shikadai jumps, immediately attempting to catch him with his shadow, but misses and ends up with a kunai held to his throat. Smiling, Mitsuki says: “Please don’t give me a reason to kill you.”

“Hey, cut it out!” Boruto yells, about to lunge at the pale boy, but is stopped by Chou Chou “No Boruto, you cut it out!”

Her team looks at her in confusion, so she hurries to explain: “He’s helping us escape, so don’t pick a fight with him!”

Shikadai looks down at the kunai almost pressed against his skin. Chou Chou knows that look; it’s calculative, he’s going over his options. She hopes he won’t do anything stupid.

“I see. I’m sorry, then” he says, but the smile doesn’t reach his eyes. Chou Chou wonders if Mitsuki notices this “Could you move that, please?”

It takes a few seconds too long for Chou Chou’s liking, but eventually, the weapon is removed. She sighs in relief, moving to help Ino. After the woman is free, they all leave the cell with Mitsuki in the lead.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Ino asks Chou Chou in a hushed whisper.

“This is the best we can get” Chou Chou says back “So I’m gonna trust him.”

“How did Chou Chou manage this?” she heard Boruto ask Shikadai, though it seemed like it was supposed to be a whisper “Could it be that she actually used your plan and it worked!?”

Chou Chou’s face heated up and she cast Boruto a glare, which he answered with a sheepish smile. Shikadai however, was watching her thoughtfully.

“Chou Chou, be honest” he said “Did you?”

“Of course not, asshole!” she yells at him, immediately getting shushed by the others, Mitsuki included “Sorry…”

“What I don’t understand is why are you helping us” Shikadai addressed Mitsuki, but the pale boy just shrugs.

“I felt like it’d be fun” he says.

“You’re betraying Orochimaru for fun?” Boruto asks in disbelief, but Mitsuki shakes his head “I don’t work for him in the first place.”

Chou Chou would really like to know what the others are thinking right now.

“Then why are you even here? Why did you attack me!?”

“I didn’t; you attacked me first, so I defended myself” Mitsuki points out as he looks over his shoulder, a slight frown on his face “And I’m here because my parent is here.”

Chou Chou prays that he won’t mention who his parent is.

“So… you’re not a criminal?” Boruto asks, and Mitsuki shakes his head before turning his attention forward again as they sneak through the mazelike hallways.

“But your face is in a bingo book” the blond argues.

“Because I defended myself against the shinobi that attacked me while I was in the company of my parent” he says simply “I have no desire to cause trouble for Konoha or it’s shinobi, aside from the ones who cause trouble for me.”

Everyone goes quiet, and Chou Chou wonders if they believe him. Eventually, Boruto asks: “What’s your name?”

Chou Chou gasps, realizing that she hadn’t asked. Thank god she hadn’t said his name on accident!

“Mitsuki” he replies, suddenly extending his hand “Halt.”

Mitsuki hears their footsteps stop, obeying him, but his attention is focused on Suigetsu, who’s loitering at the front door, possibly waiting for Orochimaru. He wonders how to go about this. Could he distract the man enough for the four to slip past? Should they go past by force? He didn’t want to risk alerting others and truth to be told, he didn’t want to harm Suigetsu, either…

“We need another way out” he finally says.

“Or we can just knock that guy out” Boruto suggests, but Mitsuki stays firmly on his decision “No one’s harming him.”

“Hey, you might not be a criminal, but that doesn’t apply to whoever is guarding the door, right?” Boruto tries to reason “We can just kick his ass!”

Chou Chou shifts uncomfortably, afraid that Boruto’s going to piss off Mitsuki and cost them their chance at escaping. One look at Ino and Shikadai tells her that they’re probably thinking of the same thing.

“Kick who’s ass?” they all, even Mitsuki, jump. He whirls around, only to meet the gaze of amused Suigetsu. They were caught “Well?”

Boruto dashes forward, but Mitsuki trips him before he can reach Suigetsu.

“Suigetsu” he greets with a wide smile “Mind letting us pass?”

“What if I say no?”

“Then I’ll make you” Mitsuki says, the smile not leaving his face. It’s a bluff, but he knows Suigetsu won’t take the risk; his parent has made it clear to them all that Mitsuki is not to be harmed.

Suigetsu sighs.

“You’re lucky that I’m not allowed to harm you” he says “Fine, shoo. But don’t think for a second that Orochimaru won’t hear about this!”

“I won’t” he says “Let’s go.”

Chou Chou sees how Ino hastily pulls Boruto, who’s eyeing Suigetsu suspiciously, along as they flee from the door. And then they run.

---------------

After what felt like hours, Chou Chou has no idea how long it’s actually been, they all stop running. Mitsuki is still among them.

“I think… we’re safe for now…” Ino says, out of breath “Let’s take a short break.”

Everyone collapses on the ground, trying to catch their breaths.

“We actually made it out…” Shikadai mutters as he stares at the clouds “Weird.”

Chou Chou notices that Boruto is staring at Mitsuki.

“What are you going to do now?” the blond asks “You were seen; you’ll be in danger if you go back.”

“I’ll manage; this isn’t the first time I cause trouble” Mitsuki says with a chuckle, wondering what his parent would have in store for him. He’d probably get off rather easy since these weren’t people that Orochimaru had specifically wanted captured.

“You sure about that?” Shikadai joins the conversation, also looking at Mitsuki “I think you should run away.”

“I’ll be fine” Mitsuki insists, turning to look at them “And if I’d run away, I’d have to defend myself from all the shinobi on my own.”

“Can’t we get him off of the Bingo book somehow, Ino-sensei?” Chou Chou asks, knowing from the looks on their faces that she has surprised everyone “He’s not a bad guy.”

Ino stares at her, before glancing at Mitsuki.

“…I’ll have a word with the Hokage, but I can’t promise anything” she says “Honestly, what I should do is to capture or kill you right now, but I think we can all pretend there was no chance to do so.”

Mitsuki blinks.

“Agreed” Shikadai says.

“Hell yeah!” Boruto.

Chou Chou just smiles, looking at Mitsuki, who gives a small smile back. Her smile fades as he stands up.

“I must go” no one tries to stop him. Before leaving, he looks at Chou Chou one last time “I’m glad to have met you, Miss Chou Chou.”

“Likewise, Mitsuki” she says with a grin. When the boy is out of sight and far away for sure, she says: “That guy’s totally in to me.”

No one tries to deny it.

---------------

It had been three weeks since she met Mitsuki, and now she was on another dangerous mission. Again, things didn’t look too good. Ino-sensei? Down. Boruto? Down. Shikadai? Nowhere to be seen. She still had energy, having arrived later than the others as she’d been guarding the other side of the valley, but she wouldn’t last forever, plus there were too many enemies. Unless Shikadai showed up soon and in good health, she was screwed.

She noticed the enemy coming from the left with a sword drawn, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to dodge as she was too busy holding back another one. He’d get a hit in, there was no avoiding it.

“C’mon, Shikadai, please come!” he didn’t, yet Chou Chou heard metal clinking against metal. She saw the back of a kimono shirt, and the light blue hair accompanying it was all-telling.

“MItsuki!?” she breathed out in disbelief.

“Hello Miss Chou Chou” he said before slitting the stunned enemy’s throat, moving on to the one Chou Chou was fighting right after, but that one managed to dodge “I see you’ve gotten yourself in some trouble.”

She scowled, and he didn’t miss it.

“Would you like some help?” he asks, smiling. Chou Chou blinks, staring at him for a while, but decides to not to look at the gift horse’s mouth “Sure.”

Mitsuki is strong, she soon learns, stronger than in her world. Or maybe it’s just because he’s older; she’s stronger than few years back too, after all. Together, they actually manage to take down the enemies, though neither of them gets out unharmed, either.

“Finally” Chou Chou says as she collapses, having just taken down the last enemy. She winches, the large gash on her left arm rapidly bleeding.

“Let me see” Mitsuki commands as he walks over, and Chou Chou obeys without a second thought. Turns out this Mitsuki is a medical ninja, and he manages to stop her bleeding rather quickly, before wrapping her arm up in bandages.

“Thanks” she says. Looking around, she sees Boruto and Ino still in the same places they’d collapsed in to, hopefully still alive. Wanting to find out, she walks over to Ino. There is still pulse, and her injuries don’t seem deadly. Thank god.

“This one’s alive” Mitsuki calls out and Chou Chou sees he’s gone over to Boruto. She doesn’t have the time to relax before Mitsuki continues: “But not for long if nothing’s done to that headwound.”

“Shit!” Chou Chou curses as she rushes over, checking the injury. Her limited medical knowledge wouldn’t cut it “Mitsuki, can you help him?”

For a moment he doesn’t move, and Chou Chou fears that this was the extent of how much help she’d get, but then he moves his hands to Boruto’s head, much to her relief.

“He’ll live” Mitsuki said after he was finished “As will the other one at the entrance to the valley, but it’ll be a while before he can walk again.”

Chou Chou froze. Shikadai!

“You mean Shikadai?” she asks, but clarifies at Mitsuki’s questioning look “The guy that was with the three of us last time.”

“Yes, him” the boy confirms “The fight was over when I got there, but he’d somehow managed to evade death.”

Chou Chou sighs in relief.

Mitsuki stares at the girl, amused. Unlike the boy, Shikadai she’d said, she hadn’t seemed to think even for a second that he’d be an enemy. She’d accepted his help without hesitation, like he was one of them, and even asked for his help. It was weird, but the feeling he got from it was… nice.

“She truly is something else” he muses.

“I need to get to Shikadai” Chou Chou decides, picking Boruto up “Can you bring Ino-sensei?”

“Of course” he says, going to pick up the woman. Really, it’d be easy to kill her, kill them all, doesn’t the kunoichi realize that? Doesn’t she even consider the possibility? He wondered how someone so naïve had lasted this long as a shinobi.

---------------

“Shikadai!” Chou Chou cheers as she sees the boy slowly limping towards them, bloody and out of breath, but still alive.

“Chou Chou” he breathes “How are the others?”

“They’ll be fine, and the enemy’s down” she says “No worries; mission accomplished!”

Shikadai smiles before his sceptic gaze turns to Mitsuki, who has a calm smile on his face, but who is also eyeing him. Chou Chou sweat drops, realizing that the two men are pondering if the other is a threat.

“C’mon you two, we’re all friends here!”

Raising an eyebrow as he turns to her, Mitsuki asks: “We are?”

Chou Chou sighs.

“Why are you here?” Shikadai asks, and Mitsuki’s attention returns to him.

“I was simply passing by on my way home” he answers as he puts Ino down “I have no intention to cause trouble -unless you plan to attack me, that is.”

Shikadai stared, but then he smirked.

“Think I’ll pass on that; it’d be too troublesome” he says “Thanks for the help.”

Chou Chou smiles, relieved.

“Don’t mention it” Mitsuki says, turning to Chou Chou “I’ll see you again, Miss Chou Chou.”

He runs off, the two staring after him. Chou Chou had not missed how he’d only addressed her. She chuckles.

“Honestly, that guy’s so- “

“Smitten with you” Shikadai finishes for her with a snort “We were saved because of that, I think, but in case you do encounter him again, be careful.”

“He’s not a bad guy, Shikadai” Chou Chou said, a slight blush on her face, caused by someone else saying it out loud.

“Let’s hope you’re right” the boy sighs “Otherwise things might get troublesome for you.”

---------------

That was far from the last time Chou Chou saw Mitsuki. She had a few more dangerous missions that went wrong and he showed up to help, which she was grateful for, but he also appeared randomly during some of her easier missions, coming to sight the moment she was alone, once even when she had night watch and her team was asleep right around her. It’s not that she minded, in fact she enjoyed his company. She could be herself with him without fearing any consequences. The thing that worried her was the possibility of getting in trouble for being seen with him.

Or to be exact, being seen by someone else than her team members. Those three had caught them red handed at least once each already, and she wouldn’t be surprised if she had missed some times. She wasn’t worried about Boruto; he was actually becoming friends with Mitsuki, which was good since she wouldn’t be around forever. Shikadai and Ino-sensei however…

“Chou Chou, you need to cut ties with that boy” Ino said “Even if his name is no longer in the bingo book, he’s still considered a suspicious individual. Interacting with him the way you do will eventually put you in danger.”

This wasn’t the first time she’d told her that and, as usual, Chou Chou told her not to worry before walking out of the café. And then she ran in to Shikadai, which wasn’t uncommon thing to happen after one of their sensei’s rants. She was starting to suspect that they planned these supposed chance meetings.

“Don’t you start too” she said, walking away, but as expected, Shikadai followed her.

“You know I don’t have anything against that guy” he said “But logically thinking, whatever you two have going on won’t end well.”

Chou Chou glared.

“And why is that?”

“You’ll be going home soon, right?” he asks, and she freezes. How? How did Shikadai know? What did he know?

“I heard from the hokage, the whole team did” he said “That you’re not from around here.”

“…”

“Does Mitsuki know?”

“…No” that was the one thing she hadn’t told him. Maybe she should have, considering that she knew that once she got a chance to go home, she would and they’d never see each other again.

“You’ve clearly become close” the young Nara says “And the closer you are, the more it’ll hurt both of you when you leave.”

Chou Chou stops walking.

“Just keep that in mind” Shikadai says, but unlike his friend, he continues to walk. Chou Chou bites her lip. Of course, she’d known that Mitsuki would be sad when she eventually left, but she hadn’t really thought it’d be that big of a deal. She’d thought that it’d be fine; he had other friends…

…But did he? He wasn’t her world’s Mitsuki; he certainly wasn’t friends with the same people as he was in her world. Some of them didn’t even exist. He sometimes talked about the people he lived with, it sounded like some were his friends, but how close were they? Perhaps not that close, perhaps there was reason he always sought her out, even when it was dangerous.

“What have I done?”

As Chou Chou was musing over this, a messenger from the Hokage came to tell her Nagato was back.

It was time.

---------------

Mitsuki smirked, about to sneak in to Konoha again. He’d done so few times before, though in neither time did he reveal himself to Chou Chou. With how often she told him to avoid the Konoha shinobi, just in case, she’d certainly worry if she saw him in the village. Sometimes he just couldn’t help it as he got the sudden urge to see her, like now.

He wasn’t sure if his parent knew about him sneaking in to Konoha from time to time or not, but he certainly knew about what he’d been up to. Had laughed about Mitsuki having normal teenage behavior and how that was an interesting find. Not that Mitsuki cared. He just wanted to see his amusing, unique friend.

The first friend he’d ever had, Suigetsu and the like not really counting in his opinion.

Reaching her apartment, he saw the lights were out. She wasn’t home, then. It was late though, so was she out on a mission? Or maybe a late-night snack-

“To think that you’d appear tonight of all nights” Mitsuki froze as he heard the voice. Slowly turning around, he saw Shikadai and Boruto staring up at the tree he was in. He relaxed, but only slightly. Boruto wouldn’t attack, he knew, but he still wasn’t sure where he stood with Shikadai, if the boy would attack when having a chance or not.

But right now, none of that mattered. What Shikadai said had awoken his curiosity. Jumping down to join them, he asks: “What’s special about tonight?”

The two exchange glances. They’re hesitant, Mitsuki realizes. That’s nothing new with Shikadai, but Boruto usually does whatever he wants without really thinking much, so his behavior puts the pale boy on edge.

“Give it to him” Shikadai finally says, addressing Boruto. Reaching in to his jacket, the blond pulls out a scroll, holding it out for Mitsuki to take. He blinks before taking it. He doesn’t need to be told to know that it’s from Chou Chou. He unfolds the scroll.

To Mitsuki

I’ve finally gotten a way to go back home and once you read this, I’m probably already there. It’s not easy to get there, so once I’m back, I won’t be returning to Konoha anymore. Don’t worry though; Boruto is your friend too, isn’t he? And Shikadai’s warming up to you too, I know he is, so you won’t be lonely.

I’m happy we met, even if it was in an odd way. I’ll always remember you.

Chou Chou

Mitsuki just stared. She’d left? For good? She hadn’t said anything about it the last time they saw each other! Why?

“When did she leave?”

“A bit over an hour ago” Shikadai told him. Mitsuki was relieved; perhaps he could still catch up. He was about to break in to a run, but was stopped by the black-haired boy holding his arm “What do you plan to do? Stop her from leaving, from returning to her family where she belongs?”

That’s what he wanted to do, no doubt. He didn’t want to lose Chou Chou, and if Shikadai got in his way-

“Let him go, Shikadai” Boruto interrupted, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder “Mitsuki will do what’s for the best, I’m sure.”

Shikadai didn’t agree with his friend, that much was clear, but he seemed to trust Boruto.

“You need to hurry” the young Nara said as he let go “She’s leaving with the help of a jutsu. It’s meant to be activated 30 kilometers south from the village. Activation takes time, so you might still make it.”

Mitsuki nods, taking off.

He had to reach her in time.

---------------

Nagato was almost ready, he’d said, but Chou Chou didn’t remember another time she’d felt this impatient. It was finally time, so she just wanted to hurry and get this over with so that she could go home. She’d miss the friends she’d made here, but she missed her family and the friends back at home more. If there was one thing, she might regret about leaving, it’d be not telling Mitsuki the truth. Unlike to her team, no one had told him that she’d one day leave for good. She had planned to, but Nagato had gotten ready sooner than she had expected, and she had had no chance to see Mitsuki again.

She hoped he’d forgive her.

“I’m almost done” Nagato tells her “Sorry about this whole mess.”

Chou Chou chuckles.

“I’d tell you that you better be sorry, but I think I’ve yelled at you enough over the years” she tells, smiling at him, and he gives a sad smile back. Right, he was another friend she had to say goodbye to. Not right away as he’d be stuck in her world for a while after using his jutsu, but eventually. And truth to be told, she didn’t really want to be around him much after she got home in the fear of ending up here again.

“CHOU CHOU!”

She’d recognize that voice anywhere, in any world.

“Mitsuki!?” she sees the boy rushing towards her, and she can only stare. Just what are the odds that he’d be passing by here, this close to the village, in the same direction she’s in, today of all days?

…

It couldn’t be a coincidence. Somehow, he’d gotten a word of what was happening. Boruto must’ve told him.

She didn’t know if she should be happy or upset. Now she could say a proper goodbye, but this also meant she had to face him. She’d have to see the hurt on his face, have a painful goodbye.

Mitsuki comes to a stop in front of her, panting slightly. It was rare to see him so out of breath.

“I got your letter” he says “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was planning to, but this came faster than I thought” she said “Sorry.”

“Why do you need to go?” Mitsuki asks “You have a home in Konoha. You have friends.”

“You have me”

That was left unsaid.

“…I know” she said “But I also have a home and friends elsewhere. And my family. This isn’t where I belong.”

“But it could be” Mitsuki tries “You could decide to belong here, to not go back. Make a new home here.”

Yeah, she knew she could.

But she didn’t want to.

“I know” she says, a sad smile on her face “But I’ve decided not to. I miss my parents, I miss everyone. And they don’t even know for sure that I’m alive.”

“But- “

“Chou Chou, it’s time” Nagato interrupted whatever Mitsuki was about to say.

“I’m coming!” she called back, giving Mitsuki a sad smile “I’m glad I got to see you again, but I need to go now. Bye Mitsuki.”

She turned to walk away, but was stopped by Mitsuki taking a firm hold of her hand.

“Mitsuki…?”

“Don’t go” he simply said. He didn’t want to lose her. She made him happy in a way no one else did. He needed her.

“I have to” Chou Chou said. She had been so sure she could leave without crying, just glad to finally head home, but as she looked at Mitsuki now, not crying became an impossibility. The tears gathered in her eyes, soon falling down her cheeks “I’m sorry.”

He could stop her from leaving, he was strong enough. Fast enough. More so than her, he knew. He didn’t know how strong the redhaired man was, but if he acted quickly, he should be able to catch them by surprise. He could make sure she stayed here, with him.

…

She hadn’t tried to pull her arm away. She hadn’t told him to let go. Looking in to her eyes, he saw no fear or anger, only the tears and sadness of having to leave. She didn’t fight against him because, unlike her friends, she had full faith in him. She didn’t even consider that he’d seriously try to stop her, try to keep her from going home.

“You’re too trusting, Chou Chou” he thought, his lips curling in to a small smile “You’re one of a kind.”

He lets go.

“Stay safe” he tells her.

“You too” she says “And if you have time, look after Shikadai and Boruto for me. Especially Boruto!”

Mitsuki laughs.

“I will”

He watches her rush towards the man. He watches the peculiar sight of a portal appearing. He watches as she looks over her shoulder one last time and waives. He waives back.

And then she’s gone.

---------------

Home at last. She’d said goodbye to Nagato, not knowing where the man headed, deciding not to ask. She’d walked in from the gates of Konoha, sighing in relief when she saw the familiar stone faces, all seven of them. She’d reported to the Hokage, who’d been shocked to the say the least. She’d explained everything to the best of her ability before being taken to a hospital for a checkup. Her parents came to see her there. She wept. Her team came too, and she wept some more, later hoping that she hadn’t broken any of Inojin’s delicate bones when she’d hugged him.

Now she was out of hospital and, while she wasn’t given any missions yet, she was out for lunch with her team. She sure had missed the Kaminari Burgers.

“Chou Chou!”

But not as much as she’d missed her best friend.

“Sarada!” she yelled as she saw the girl rushing in from the door. Both of them stared, tears forming in the eyes of each girl, before they ran for a hug.

“Lord Seventh told us you’re back” she said “Gosh, where have you been?!”

“I was told not to say anything” Chou Chou said. It seemed that dimension traveling was best to be kept secret “I missed you!”

“We’re here too, you know” Boruto said. He might have been trying to sound offended, but failed poorly as he was grinning from ear to ear “Welcome home!”

Chou Chou laughed.

“Good to see you too, Boruto” she said, wiping her tears “Have you stayed out of trouble?”

“You’ve completely forgotten who he is, haven’t you Chubs?” Inojin snorts, and they all share a laugh in Boruto’s expense.

“It’s good to see you’re back, Chou Chou” the girl freezes. This voice…

Slowly, she looks behind Boruto. That’s right, she’d completely forgotten that, in this world, where Boruto was, Mitsuki usually followed. And such was the case today as well.

“Mitsuki…” she muttered, and the boy smiled in reply. This wasn’t the Mitsuki she’d learned to know during the past year, this was her Mitsuki, the one she’d longed to see along with the rest of her friends. And she was glad to see him, she really was…

And yet, her heart ached as she looked at him, the one who was so similar to the man who’d asked her not to go, not to leave him.

“Ah what the heck, it’s like I’ll always find something to complain about” you gain something, you lose something “I’ll never forget them, him especially, but…”

“It’s good to be home” she says, winking “Bet you missed me, huh? Sorry to say this, but remember that I’m still out of your league.”

“Even time can’t cure your condition, I see”

Chou Chou laughed. She was home alright; this was the Mitsuki she knew.

Her Mitsuki.

[migila]

MitsuChou Week, Day 7!

Note: This came out darker than I originally planned... maybe I should’ve just gone with bright future instead. What a way to end the week...

Day 7: Dark Future

The explosion threw Mitsuki against the wall and he gasped as the air escaped from his lungs. He kept his anger in check by assuring himself that at least the two enemy shinobi he’d been fighting must’ve gone down with the bang.

As he got up, he wondered if Sarada and Boruto had reached his house already. It wasn’t that far, but with all this chaos…

Mitsuki shook his head, trying to clear it. The way to the Uzumaki household was in flames; he couldn’t catch up with them anymore. Of course, he’d known that was a possibility when he’d offered to stay behind to stall the enemy. But it was alright; they’d agreed on a meeting spot, he’d meet them there. He just had to get there.

There were bodies all around, both civilian and shinobi alike. The attack had come out of nowhere; there had been no time for proper evacuation. The Hokage’s order to leave the village and reassemble at the emergency evacuation locations had rung out not too long ago, but by that point many had died already. He wondered if some of his friends or their families were among the dead. It was highly possible; the village was burning, and most of it was probably in ruins by now. He’d know for sure when he’d get to his team’s meeting spot, on top of the stone faces.

“Mikazuki” Mitsuki mutters in surprise when the cat runs out of a collapsed building, heading straight for him. He picks it up, deciding to take it with him. He had no idea how it had survived in this chaos, but he didn’t really care, either. Getting it to safety was the important thing here.

Which is why he became slightly annoyed when the cat jumped out of his arms.

“Mikazuki” he said “We need to go.”

Of course, the cat didn’t listen, returning to the collapsed building. It wanted to show him something, Mitsuki realized, it had done so before, too.

“What’s in there?” he asks despite knowing that the cat couldn’t answer. Curious, Mitsuki followed. And he was glad that he did.

“Chou Chou?” he saw his friend, buried under the debris. Reaching a hand to her neck, he found pulse. She was still alive. There didn’t seem to be that much blood either, so perhaps she was just stuck. Perhaps he could still save her.

“Good work, Mikazuki” he muttered, eyeing the collapsed structure. He could move it, he just had to be careful to not to crush his friend in the process. Carefully, he reached for the first piece, then another and another. When it did start to collapse, he’d already done enough that he managed to pull Chou Chou out of the way, escaping the building with her in his arms just in time. Ducking in to an alley, he looked at her injuries. There didn’t seem to be anything life-threatening, but her left leg seemed to be broken. He needed to treat it-

An explosion occurred not too far away, and the boy realized that he had no time. They had to get away. Now.

Mitsuki ran across the city with Chou Chou in his arms and Mikazuki on his shoulder, doing his best to avoid any enemies. Fortunately, the ones that managed to spot him were weak and he managed to get rid of them without even having to put the girl down.

“We’re almost there” he muttered as he closed in on the stone faces, but he came to a sudden stop as he spotted a body on the road ahead. He’d seen many bodies already of course, but the difference was that he knew this one.

Shino-sensei.

Fearing the worst, Mitsuki dared to take a look around, and immediately wished he hadn’t. Anko-sensei. Principal Iruka. Few dozen children. All dead.

“They must’ve attacked the future generation on purpose” he realized, gritting his teeth. The attack had been more organized than he originally thought “I hope Sarada and Boruto got to Himawari in time.”

He continued his way, hoping that no other familiar faces would show up among the dead.

No such luck.

Udon-sensei was dead, and judging from the clothes, that was Denki’s arm next to him. Fortunately, he didn’t see a body, but he decided to not get his hopes up. No sign of Iwabe or Metal, but again, he wouldn’t get his hopes up.

“Ugh…”

Mitsuki looked down, seeing Chou Chou waking up. He quickly ran forward, deciding that it was for the best to not let her see the body right now. He could always inform her about it later.

“Chou Chou?” he questions “Can you hear me?”

She blinks a couple of times, clearly disoriented.

“Mitsuki…?” she mutters “What happened?”

“We’re under an attack” he simply says “The whole village is in chaos.”

“Attack…?” she muttered. From her slowly changing expression, Mitsuki could tell that whatever had happened to Chou Chou before he got to her was getting back to her “Ah…”

She started crying. Not loudly wailing like he’d expect of his friend; the tears simply fell silently down her cheeks as she stared ahead with glazed eyes.

“Chou Chou?”

“They killed dad” she said “We managed to fight off some of them, but there were so many… and he tried to protect me… now he’s…”

Mitsuki said nothing, simply pulled her a little closer, tightening his grip. He could understand her pain, he supposed, but the time for mourning was not yet. She’d have to get herself together.

“What about your mother?”

“I… don’t know” she answers silently. Mitsuki smiles, and he hopes it looks calming.

“She could still be alive, then” he says “They say no news is good news, right?”

If getting her hopes up was something that’d help her now, then that’s what he was going to do.

“Yeah…” she muttered. Mitsuki raises an eyebrow as she suddenly looks more determined “Yeah! I gotta go find her!”

Before he can stop her, she slides away from his arms, but falls down immediately due to her broken leg.

“Ow!”

“You can’t walk like that” he says “Let me carry you.”

“I need to go find my mom!” she insists.

“She’ll probably head for a meeting point outside of the village” he reasons “We should too after we reunite with Boruto and Sarada.”

Chou Chou freezes. That’s right; it wasn’t just her mom. Sarada, her team mates, all her friends… were they alright? What if-

“We can’t act aimlessly” Mitsuki says “We have to get a better picture of the situation. For now, we’ll go to the stone faces.”

“…Okay” she finally says, attempting to stand up. She does so with great difficulty, but Mitsuki scoops her up in his arms before she can fall.

“Try not to move so that your leg won’t get worse” he says.

“Okay” she replies. Normally, she’d be embarrassed to have Mitsuki carrying her like this. She’d tell him to not get any weird ideas, to keep his hands to himself, but she does none of that right now. Her mind is way too occupied by their surroundings, and for once Mitsuki’s not sure if that’s a good thing. This silent, shaken girl isn’t the Chou Chou he knows. His Chou Chou is lively, so full of life and energy. That’s what makes her so interesting, but now…

“That hurts, Mitsuki” the girl says as the boy holds her close, having pulled her tightly to his chest. Mitsuki jolts, relaxing his grip immediately “Sorry.”

“It’s okay…” the situation is getting to him too, Chou Chou realizes. It’s odd to see the always so calm Mitsuki like this. It’s unsettling. Still, she’s glad he’s here with her. She has no idea what she’d do if she was alone right now.

They speed through the village, and Chou Chou tries to not look at all the bodies lying around, but she can’t help herself. She keeps looking, hoping that there won’t suddenly be a familiar face among them. She’s so focused that she doesn’t notice Mikazuki until the cat jumps down from Mitsuki’s shoulder right on her stomach.

“Wha?!” she shouts out, her first instinct telling her to throw off whatever landed on her, but she manages to stop herself just in time “Mikazuki!?”

“It found you under a collapsed building” Mitsuki tells “I would’ve missed you without Mikazuki’s help.”

Chou Chou smiles a little, petting the cat.

“Thanks” she tells it, wincing as another explosion goes off near them.

“I have to pick up the pace” he says “Hold on tight.”

“Okay” Chou Chou grasps the front of his shirt, holding on to Mikazuki with her free hand. When the smoke around them gets thicker she closes her eyes, hoping that they’ll reach their destination soon. Fortunately, Mitsuki is by no means slow.

Standing on top of the Fourth Hokage’s statue, Mitsuki gazed at the burning village. He’d seen lots of bodies on the way, but now there was no doubt that there were many, many more.

“Will Sarada and Boruto really get here?” Chou Chou asks as she looks at her burning home as well.

“They will” Mitsuki answers, but Chou Chou can hear the uncertainty in his voice “I can’t lose my Sun.”

“Right, he has his priorities” she thought, but realized that she was no different. She too put her close friends before the not so close ones and strangers.

“This is my team’s reassembly point in the case of an emergency, too” she tells “Maybe they made it out safely… maybe they’ll show up…”

Mitsuki heard Chou Chou’s voice crack. It was no wonder; the girl had already lost her father and didn’t know where her mother was. On top of that, she had no idea about the whereabouts of any of her friends.

…

Not that his situation was much different, he supposed. He just didn’t get overtaken by emotions the way people usually did.

The way humans did.

This situation made him question his humanity once more. It’s not like he wasn’t sad or worried, but he considered himself to be rather calm considering the situation. Was that because he was not human? Did he have no humanity?

“That matters not” he reminded himself, shaking his head “What matters now is keeping Chou Chou safe.”

“Mitsuki?” the girl asks as she sees her companion shaking his head.

“We could get spotted here” he says “The edge of the cliff will be safer.”

They got there with a few jumps and, much to their surprise, they were met with familiar faces.

“Chou Chou! Mitsuki! You guys made it!” Metal said. He’d definitely seen better days; there was blood all over him. Judging from how lively he was though, most of it can’t have been his. From the way he had his hand to his side, Mitsuki concluded that he must’ve had a few cracked ribs. Few broken fingers too, no doubt, and there was a hastily made bandage, one that was already stained red, around his right arm.

“Are you two okay?” Iwabe asks from little ways away, but doesn’t take his eyes away from Denki, whose arm, or what’s left of it, he’s tending. The boy himself seems to be unconscious.

“Chou Chou’s leg is broken, but other than that we’re fine” Mitsuki said. He probably had a few broken ribs as well, but Iwabe didn’t need to know that right now.

“Have you guys seen the others?” Chou Chou asks, but they shake their heads.

“Chou Chou!” they all look around as they hear the voice, startled. Mitsuki is the first one who realizes to look up, making him also the first one to see Inojin’s ink bird “You made it!”

“Inojin!” she cheers, hopping off of Mitsuki’s arms only to stumble to the ground again due to her broken leg which she had forgotten “Ow…”

“Chubs, you clutch” the boy scolds as he leaves the bird and runs over to her “Where does it hurt?”

“Her leg is broken” Mitsuki fills in before Chou Chou can deny anything. Not that she was usually that kind of person, but just in case.

As Inojin examines her leg, the girl asks: “Have you seen Shikadai?”

“He already left the village with Moegi-sensei; she got badly hurt protecting us. He tries to get her some help” the blond answers “I can get away fast if I need to, which is why I’m the one who stayed behind to wait for you.”

Chou Chou doesn’t know why she’s so moved. They were a team; she knew Inojin cared for her despite his constant jabs and the rather insulting nickname, but even so, the fact that he’d stayed behind for her came as a surprise. She was ashamed for being so surprised.

“What about Boruto and Sarada?” Inojin asks.

“They’ll be here” Mitsuki answers. Again, Chou Chou notes that he doesn’t sound all too convinced “They just have to pick up Himawari.”

“And Konohamaru-sensei?”

“I haven’t seen him”

“What about Udon-sensei?” the blond asks as he starts healing Chou Chou’s leg. Mitsuki wonders if Iwabe and the others know, if he should tell-

“Dead” Iwabe states “He’s dead.”

They knew.

Inojin and Chou Chou say nothing. After the blond finishes, the girl’s leg is still sore, but now she can support her weight on it.

“We’ll wait for Boruto’s group and whoever comes here for ten minutes. After that, we need to go” Inojin says, and Mitsuki doesn’t argue. Of course, if the time limit comes up and they don’t arrive, he’ll go look for them, but the blond doesn’t need to know that just yet.

Looking down at the burning city, he wonders where the Hokage is. It would make sense for him to be one of the main targets of the enemy, so he could very well be dead already. Or he could be somewhere fighting whoever was in charge of the enemy. Or he could have already headed for an assembly point away from the village.

“I would’ve thought there’d be more people here” he thinks “Some must’ve already fled by now, but since it’s only us genin… just how many shinobi have been lost?”

Unable to bear to look at her burning home, Chou Chou watches Mitsuki instead. Not that that’s much better; the conflicting emotions that flicker across the normally so unexpressive boy’s face unnerved her. Biting her lip, she limped over to the boy, putting a hand on his shoulder. He jolted in surprise, obviously having been lost in his thoughts, but she ignored it.

“I’m sure everything will be fine” she said, trying to give him a reassuring smile “Don’t worry.”

Mitsuki couldn’t help but be puzzled at her behavior, as usual. She was the one who had already lost a parent, she was the one whose home was up in flames, she was the one who was injured and yet, here she was, trying to comfort him.

He’d never learn to understand her, he knew.

Chou Chou really hoped they’d make it here in time. Of course, she was worried about Sarada and the others, but mostly because she knew that if they didn’t come, Mitsuki wouldn’t leave. In fact, he’d be sure to go look for them. He’d go out there, alone. She couldn’t allow that; it’d be too dangerous. But she knew she wouldn’t be convincing or strong enough to stop him, either.

Four minutes passed.

Denki woke up. It seemed like he was going to make it. They were glad.

Six minutes.

No sign of anyone.

Seven minutes.

Few enemy shinobi had wandered to their location. Iwabe took them down before they could properly even realize they were there. Chou Chou wondered when the boy had gotten so good at acting under pressure.

Eight minutes.

The seconds were ticking by, and Chou Chou started to wonder if she could stay behind with Mitsuki when the others left. Normally, she could do it, but she was injured. Wouldn’t she get in the way? What if Mitsuki got hurt protecting he-

“Mitsuki!”

All heads snapped to the side, and they saw Himawari rushing towards them.

“Himawari!” Inojin was the first to react, running over “Are you okay?”

“Uhhuh” she said “But big brother- “

That was all that was needed for Mitsuki to come running over before she could even finish.

“What happened to Boruto?” he asked urgently “Where is he!?”

“He’s fine” came a voice from behind the girl “Sarada too.”

Mitsuki looked up.

“Konohamaru-sensei” he was indeed there, carrying Boruto under one arm and Sarada under the other. For a brief moment Mitsuki almost panicked, but then realized that they were just unconscious. They were alive.

He rushed over, noticing Himawari and Inojin following him. He took Boruto from the man, noting that Inojin took Sarada.

“I think it’s time we move” the blond says “Don’t you agree, Konohamaru-sensei?”

There was no answer.

“Sensei?” Mitsuki asked. He saw Konohomaru just standing there, a glazed look in his eyes “Sensei?”

When he fell forward, Mitsuki caught him.

“Kono- “he stopped short as he saw the wounds on his teacher’s back, some knives still stuck in his flesh, the blood having stained his vest crimson.

“Shit” Inojin cursed “Iwabe, get over here!”

The boy ran over, taking Konohamaru from Mitsuki together with Inojin. The boy just stood there, staring at his teacher that was bleeding out, wondering how much pain he was in. Was one able to feel the pain when unconscious? Those injuries would take a long time to heal properly, he was sure.

…

They were really bad injuries.

“Brother Konohamaru protected us” Himawari sobbed “He got hurt because brother and Sarada came back for me… because I was too slow…”

“It’s not your fault” Chou Chou, who’d limped over, said, putting her hand on Himawari’s shoulder “It’s no one’s fault.”

The glow on Iwabe’s hands stopped, and soon Inojin’s followed suit.

“I’m sorry” Iwabe said “He’s gone.”

Gone.

After that word, Mitsuki barely registered what was going on around him. He heard Himawari lunge at Inojin, begging him to try again, but his mind barely registered it as he stared at his teacher’s body.

He was dead, gone. How would he tell Boruto and Sarada? Could they forgive him that he hadn’t gone with them? If he had, maybe their teacher would’ve survived.

Could he forgive himself that he hadn’t been there with them?

“Mitsuki” he vaguely heard Chou Chou say “You’re crying.”

Mitsuki blinked, reaching his hand to his face. Crying? Him? That was impossible, yet he still felt wetness on his cheeks. Blood, maybe?

No, they were indeed tears.

He clenched his teeth. What was the point? What was the point of being able to cry? What was the point of resembling a real human if he couldn’t protect anyone!?

“It’ll be okay” Chou Chou said. She had no idea if it was true, but she had to try to comfort him. Her voice cracking, she repeated: “It’ll be okay.”

Mitsuki felt her arms wrap around him. He let her, his gaze drifting to his still unconscious team mates. This was no time for crying; he had to protect them. He had to. He had to. He had to. He-

He closed his eyes as he felt the arms around him tighten. Touching the arms around him, he reminded himself that they weren’t the only ones he had to protect. He’d protect her too.

He’d protect all of them.

He had to.

[migila]

MitsuChou Week, Day 3!

Day 3: Kabedon

That guy from class C, Mitsuki was his name if Chou Chou wasn’t mistaking, was really in to her, she knew. They’d barely spoken a few words to each other, but she’d caught him staring at her plenty of times during breaks, especially lunch break. That in itself wasn’t surprising; lots of people openly stared at her when she ate, even though she wasn’t a messy eater. She just ate a lot. Most people stopped staring after some time, especially if she caught their eyes at some point and gave them a glare, but not this Mitsuki guy. In fact, she’d already given him her glare a handful of times, yet each time he just smiled back at her. He was definitely in to her alright. It was flattering, but he wasn’t her type; he was too creepy. She had hoped he’d just come and confess so that she could turn him down and he’d stop staring, but no such luck. He never even approached her to try and start a conversation.

It was time for her to rip off the bandage for him.

Finally finding the boy, she’d been looking for him, Chou Chou took a moment to study him as he leaned against the wall, focused on his phone. He had a smile on his face… was it okay for her to go and ruin his apparently good day? …Wait no, that was exactly what she had to do; she didn’t want disappoint him on a day when he was already down. So yes, now was a good time.

Which was why she wondered why she wasn’t moving already.

“Get it together, girl!” she told herself “You’ve turned guys down before!”

Taking a deep breath, she marched over, slamming her hand against the wall right next to Mitsuki’s head. To her shock, he didn’t look startled. Heck, he didn’t even look up from his phone!

“Do you need something, Miss Chou Chou?” he asked, still not looking up.

“This one time that I want him to look at me, he won’t!? That’s- wait!”

“How did you know it was me when you didn’t even look?”

“Lucky guess” he said, finally looking up. Somehow, Chou Chou did not like that smile of his “How can I help you?”

“I want you to stop staring at me” she said. He blinked, asking: “If you don’t want me to look at you then why did you come over?”

“Is he a smartass or stupid?” Chou Chou wondered “Probably the former.”

“You know what I meant” she said “Quit staring at me all the time; it’s creepy!”

“Staring at you?” he echoes, cocking his head. Chou Chou realizes she’d slightly taller than him “What makes you say that?”

He’s pissing her off.

“Gee, perhaps the fact that you stare” she hisses “Cut it out!”

“I won’t deny the staring part” he said without batting an eye “But I do have to deny the you part.”

“Eh?” Chou Chou stared at him dumbly. Mitsuki stared right back, not clarifying. Slowly, the pieces started to get together in the girl’s mind. And then they clicked.

“Oh” she let out “He’s been staring at Sarada!”

She felt heat rise to her cheeks, and if the guy’s smirk was anything to go by, he certainly didn’t miss it. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she could find her voice again.

“W-well it’s still creepy and I bet Sarada doesn’t like it, so quit it!” she told him, walking away. Honestly, she should’ve been relieved that she hadn’t been the creep’s target, but she wasn’t. Despite what she always said, she was fully aware that guys didn’t tend to look at her like that. She’d thought that this one time… but no, it was Sarada. It was always Sarada. Not that she was surprised; her friend was athletic, smart, gorgeous…

“Ah well” she thought “Maybe next time.”

------------

Mitsuki watched Chou Chou’s retreating back before shaking his head and putting his phone away. He had to head for the class. Stepping around the corner, he was surprised to find his friend Boruto there, leaning against the wall with a frown on his face.

“Something wrong?” the pale boy asks with a smile, but the blond doesn’t return it.

“Why did you lie to her?” he asks instead “I know it’s her you’re always staring at, not Sarada.”

Ah, so Boruto knew. Well, of course he did, Mitsuki had told it to the blond himself. He was glad that his friend automatically assumed that it was Chou Chou who was being lied to and not him.

“I just didn’t want her to know” was all Mitsuki could say.

“But it was the perfect time for you to confess!”

“…” Mitsuki didn’t comment. Boruto stared at him quite a while before suddenly grinning. It was the kind of grin that he knew well, but was rarely aimed at him. It was Boruto’s mocking grin.

“You panicked!” he said in glee “You’re so smitten with her that you, ever so level headed Mitsuki, panicked!”

“…” he couldn’t deny that.

“Oh boy, wait ‘till Shikadai hears about this” Mitsuki’s eyes widened. He’d seen Shikadai with Chou Chou often; he assumed the two were close. If the boy were to know- “You’re not telling Shikadai.”

Boruto looked at Mitsuki, progressing his harsh tone.

“Oh yeah?” he asks “Who’s gonna stop me?”

Mitsuki knew how to play this game.

“If you tell anyone, I’ll let Sarada know that you have a crush on her” he said. Red in the face, Boruto yelled: “I do not!”

Mitsuki tilted his head to the side, his smile back in place.

“…I’ll keep my mouth shut if you keep yours” Boruto finally said, sighing in defeat.

“Deal.”