• CHRONICLES OF A NINJA

    -o-o-


    CHRONICLES OF A NINJA: MOONLIGHT MEMORIES

    -o-o-

    Black hair flowed through the breeze as a female ninja, with the name Taki, jumped from tree to tree to go to some unknown destination.

    “Why? Why does this place seem so familiar, yet I have no recollection of whatsoever of treading here.” she whispered, pausing momentarily on a tree branch to try to remember a memory she seemed to have lost many years ago; or a memory she chose to forget.

    She jumped down to the leaf-covered ground and continued her walk on foot.

    Constantly, she saw flashes of incoherent fragments of her past but none of it seemed to help her recollect on where she is and how come she’s attracted to this place.

    Her ears perked up as she perceived a buzzing sound about two or so degrees from the left side of her torso.

    Agilely, she dodged thirty, or maybe even more, sharp knives in the shape of five-point stars in which are called shurikens, that almost hit her if it wasn’t for her quick reflexes and thinking.

    “W-what?! A surprise assault?!” she muttered, reaching for her two weapons: Rekki-Maru and Mekki-Maru.

    She looked around and saw ninjas unfamiliar to her; all wearing the same outfit; tight fitting and sleeveless black outfits, flack jackets, masks, elbow length gloves and long boots.

    Katanas, Japanese samurai swords, were strapped at their backs, kept on hilts made especially for those kinds of swords.

    Tattoos representing the element of fire were painted on their left arms.

    “State your business!” one of them called out.

    Taki noticed that the one who spoke to her has silver spiky hair poking out of his mask.

    Something about it triggered an image to her mind. But she couldn’t make out a face so she decided to take a risk to this unknown ninja.

    “I won’t state my business until you take off that ANBU mask…” she stated coolly, taking off Rekki-Maru and Mekki-Maru from their hilts just in case of an unexpected attack.

    The unknown ninja’s companions looked at him questioning faces, well for Taki’s presumption because she couldn’t see their faces in reaction because of those stupid masks.

    “Well? Don’t tell me you’re scared?” Taki added with a smirk.

    “Sensei…” one of the ninjas said cautiously, obviously a female because of her bubble gum pink hair.

    “Fine…But you must defeat me in a fight.” the silver haired ninja jumped down from his branch a few good meters away from Taki. “I hope you’re ready to taste defeat, stranger…”

    “Whatever dope…”

    Then as quick as a blink, the two suddenly collided, weapons bared, each trying their might to defeat the other.

    Sounds of metal clashing against metal and cries of ninjutsu being called out were heard, but neither showed signs of weakness or backing up from the fight.

    “You can do it sensei!!” one of the unknown ninja’s companions’ cheered, his spiky yellow hair visible above his kitsune ANBU mask.

    “You’re good…” he complimented.

    “And so are you…but not for long!” she summoned her chakra to the hardest part of the body to control, her feet and used it to run fast and charged at him.

    However, she didn’t see the evil smirk on his face as she charged at him.

    Feinting to her left, he took her right arm, twisted it to her back causing her to lose balance and fall forward.

    She wasn’t able to see his free fist collide with her stomach but she felt the pain on her abdomen.

    She spat saliva and started to lose consciousness.

    The unknown ninja caught her form and turned her body to let her see his face before complete nausea washes over her.

    Taki looked up to him before her eyes truly shut itself.

    She saw him take off his mask and mismatched onyx and red eyes met hers.

    And everything went black.

    -o-o-

    “Uhn…” Taki’s tired eyes opened to a sunlit room.

    She looked at her right to find a bedside table with a porcelain vase filled with sweet smelling roses, a get-well card accompanied by a box of assorted chocolates and a pitcher of mineral water with a crystal glass to go with it.

    Shaking her head, she looked around to see anything that could help her locate where she currently is.

    Pulling herself into a sitting position, a sudden pain in her head started causing a memory to flash before her eyes.

    //Flashback//

    “Do you have to go?” an 18 year old boy stood away from a girl the same age as him.

    Tears started to roll down from his eyes but he hastily wiped them away with the back of his gloved hand. Some of it was washed away along with the wind’s breeze.

    The girl’s long raven black hair also followed the flow of the breeze as she reached out for him.

    The girl cupped his cheek catching the last drop of the salty substance with her thumb.

    “Please, do not weep for me. I must destroy that dreaded artifact that was mistaken to be the Hero’s Sword before it could fall into the wrong hands and if it does fall into the wrong hands, that person might destroy the village and I won’t let that happen.” she added, sorrow clear in her eyes right now. “I promise you that I’ll be back soon…”

    She couldn’t bear to see this man neither in pain nor in sorrow.

    “Please understand me... It’s my duty.” she added

    “Please, I can’t bear it without you by my side.” the boy replied.

    He said this as he took a lock of her hair and kissed it before letting it fall away from his fingers, watching the strands rain down back to their place.

    “…”

    “I love you…” his eyes looked into hers deeply before he bent down to claim her lips with his. “I love you with all my heart… Taki…”

    The girl’s eyes rounded in surprise as this happened.

    She was surprised by the feel of his lips on hers and the fell of his hands caressing her back but never going lower down her comfort zone.

    She felt worshiped.

    She felt so loved far from any other love she experience in all of her life.

    “Hey? Are you ok?” a voice so familiar spoke out snapping Taki out of her memory trip.

    //End of Flashback//

    “Hey, are you ok there?” the voice repeated as an unfamiliar form went near her.

    Taki squinted her eyes for the light was too bright because someone drew back the drapes and her eyes haven’t adjusted to the brightness.

    All she could clearly see were the voice’s eyes.

    Mismatched onyx and red eyes to be exact.

    “Hey, you ok there?” he repeated going closer and sitting on the edge of he bed.

    She could see his face clearly right now.

    He had spiky silver hair framing his mismatched onyx and red eyes yet a mouth mask covered the lower half of his face.

    “I asked you a question…” he stated coldly.

    “Y-yes. I am ok…” she replied hastily. He seems to be so familiar. With those eyes I have seem to have seen them before but where?

    “Sorry to have been harsh on you but I had to do it. It’s my village’s policy.” he stated, looking outside.

    “I-it’s alright.” Everything then came back flooding to her. “Hey, you’re that ninja I fought in the forest…”

    “Yes, I am. My name is Kakashi Hatake, ANBU Captain; East Party and may I know your name for identification, miss?”

    Taki fell silent as he said this.

    “Well?” he raised an eyebrow questionably.

    “M-my name is Taki a renegade ninja of the Fu-Ma clan…” she replied, her eyes falling to the satin white sheets of her bed.

    “A renegade ninja, huh?” he repeated. “Fu-Ma clan…that sounds familiar…Tell me how did you become a Fu-Ma ninja anyway?”

    Taki looked straight at him, hints of confusion and sadness in her eyes.

    “To be honest, I can only recall my days of being a Fu-Ma ninja not the days before that. Master Toki and my former comrades told me, that they found me washed up on the shore near their village. They took care of me until I was strong enough to be able to walk on my own again. They also found me in a ninja’s clothing so I think I was already a ninja before I met them.”

    “I see…” Kakashi placed a hand thoughtfully at his chin as if in deep thought.

    Taki hugged her knees close to her and placed her chin on them.

    She looked at Kakashi, her hair falling off to her opposite shoulder, giving her a mysterious yet beautiful image for an average guy to gaze upon.

    “Is there something wrong?” she asked.

    Kakashi looked back at her, smiling.

    “There’s nothing wrong. I just remembered something.”

    “What did you remember?” she asked, curious.

    “You really look like my best friend, whom I haven’t seen for almost nine years now…”

    Taki blushed as he said this, “Me? Your best friend? You must have mistaken me for somebody else. Besides, that is impossible since I don’t even know you that much, only until your name and position.”

    “I guess you’re right…”

    The door opened and in came a girl with short bubble gum pink hair.

    “So here you are sensei!” she exclaimed, rather pissed at the silver haired ninja.

    Kakashi’s eyes widened as he saw her.

    “S-sakura!?!?! How come you’re here!??!??!” he exclaimed pointing a hand at her.

    “I can’t believe, you’ll just leave us to train by ourselves!!!! I thought you said you’ll be teaching us new techniques for the next exams!” she exclaimed her hands at her hips in an angry fashion.

    “Well…you see…” he began, sweat dripping at his face.

    “Kakashi you know it’s bad to break a promise…” another woman came into the room.

    Taki noticed that this one has long red hair and two marks on the cheeks.

    “Well…uh...how should I explain this to you Rin…?” Kakashi stuttered.

    The woman named Rin looked at Taki with her ruby red eyes and then looked back at Kakashi.

    “So this is the girl you were talking about. It seems she’s weary from her journey. You shouldn’t have been that harsh on her.” she stated.

    “Well, it was her fault. She challenged me so I had to accept it. It’s the ninja way.”

    “Fine…” Rin neared Taki and said, “Hey. May I know your name?”

    “Um…Taki…”

    “Hey Taki, I’m Rin…Kakashi’s fiancée. Pleased to meet you…”

    Fiancée…fiancée…ancee…cee…

    Taki held her head as it throbbed painfully when she perceived that word.

    Why? Why do I suddenly have the feeling of hatred and dislike towards this woman? Is she part of my past that I seemed to have lost long ago?

    Taki looked up to the three who were caught back at her reaction.

    “Are you ok, Miss Taki?” Sakura asked a worried expression on her face.

    “I-I’m fine…Just tired that’s all, please it’s not a problem…”

    “O-ok…”

    “I guess we better leave you to rest. Good day to you Taki.” and with that Kakashi, Sakura and Rin left the room with Rin clinging to the arm of a very upset and disgusted Kakashi.

    Taki looked down and closed her eyes.

    Kakashi Hatake…

    Another memory then came flashing before her eyes.

    //Flashback//

    She found herself sitting at a certain roof top her long hair flowing through the breeze. She felt someone land behind her and she looked back.

    “Hey best friend…”

    His hair danced with the wind as he neared her.

    “Hey, can I join you?” he asked.

    “Sure, why not? We’re friends right?”

    Smiling the boy sat down beside her and enjoyed the breeze with her.

    “So this is where you go during your spare time...”

    “Yeah…”

    “Now, I know why you go here, Taki…”

    “Tell me…”

    “The breeze is so great here as well as the view, it’s so breath taking…”

    “I know…”

    “He he…”

    “I hope we can remain as friends and friends only…”

    The boy’s eyes suddenly clouded as she said this, like something was bothering him and his gaze fell.

    Taki noticed this and looked at him.

    “Hey is there something wrong?”

    The boy looked up again and smiled at here but his smile seemed to hide something she wasn’t ready to know yet.

    “There’s nothing wrong, Taki. I just remembered something, that’s all…” he smiled his smile.

    Taki smiled back and continued what’s they were doing with contented looks on their faces.

    //End of Flashback//

    Taki gasped as the illusion died down, tears flooding down her eyes with a reason she didn’t know.

    “W-what was that about…?”

    She looked outside and saw the sun setting.

    “…I must find the Soul Edge. I must leave this village whether my hosts like it or not…” and with that she got out of bed, put on her armor and placed her beloved Rekki-Maru and Mekki-Maru on their hilts, sat cross-legged on the bed and took one last yet short spirit meditation before her silent leave.

    -o-o-

    “Kakashi…What’s wrong with you? You seem so distracted all of a sudden…” Rin commented in the middle of their sparring session.

    Kakashi sighed and tucked away his kunais at its hoister before sitting cross legged at the ground.

    “Is there something bothering you my love?” Rin asked going near him and placing a comforting hand around his shoulders.

    “No…I’m fine Rin. I’m just disturbed and a state of shock at the same time.” he replied.

    “In a state of shock? Why? Did something happen?”

    “Remember the girl I told you before?”

    “Yes…What about her?”

    “I told you that she left the village a few years ago to find that fraud Hero’s Sword but before that I told her that I loved her but I never got a reply.”

    “Get to the point, beloved…”

    “Well, her name’s actually Taki…” he took out a silver locket and opened it as he said this. There inside was a picture of him and a raven haired girl side by side making peace signs to the camera. The girl with Kakashi looked like…

    “Gasp! The girl earlier and the girl you’re talking about is the same!!!” Rin gasped.

    “After all these years she’s returned but…”

    “But what Kakashi??”

    “She can’t remember who I am because she lost her memories somewhere in her journey…”

    “How’d you know about it?”

    “I asked her when I visited her at the hospital. And I guess she’ll go away again for it seems she hasn’t finished her mission yet.” his eyes looked at the hospital’s direction.

    Rin cupped Kakashi’s face with both hands and mad him look at her.

    “Kakashi…I understand that you love this woman and you look at me as friend and I’m ready to face that. Even though you’ll never love me as much as I do even though we are betrothed to each other, I want you to be happy with the woman you truly love…”

    “Rin…” Kakashi whispered amazed.

    “Now go after the one you love…”

    Kakashi nodded, got up and jumped from tree to tree while calling back to his now former fiancée.

    “Thank you Rin!!! I owe you one!”

    Rin just smiled and whispered to the wind, “No, I owe you one Kakashi. Thank you for setting me free…”

    -o-o-

    Later that night, Taki was now standing outside the village’s gates, standing on an oak tree branch with misty eyes.

    She couldn’t understand why she felt like this but that didn’t matter to her.

    What mattered to her is to destroy the fragments of the so-called Hero’s Sword to save the Fu-Ma clan from total destruction.

    Now nothing will stop her from her mission.

    Not even a certain silver haired ninja.

    Or so she thought.

    Just as she was about to jump away to parts unknown, she was stopped by a gentle yet firm hand that came from behind.

    She looked back and gasped.

    “K-k-kakashi-san?!” she exclaimed.

    “Yeah. It’s me.” His eyes seemed to say something but it seemed that he couldn’t put it into words; his eyes were cast down on the ground momentarily before looking up again.

    Taki looked away refusing to see anymore emotions in his eyes for it seemed so familiar to her.

    “Please let me go. I must finish my mission…”

    “I understand but please let me have my say first…”

    Before she even knew it Kakashi, pulled down his mouth mask, bent down and claimed her lips with his own.

    Her eyes widened as this happened flashes of her lost past came flooding to her mind as if it had no tomorrow.

    The kiss stayed like that sweet and innocent before Kakashi let go.

    “I’m sorry if I had bothered you, I’ll leave you know…” he said as he withdrew and put his mouth mask back on.

    And he turned his back at her and left.

    Taki on the other hand was left on where she was standing with her fingers brushing on her lips.

    Her memories had now returned.

    “Kakashi…” she whispered.

    Tears trickled down her cheeks as her love for him returned with full force but it was too late to turn back.

    She had to continue her mission. Resentfully, she turned her back and jumped away to parts unknown.

    Don’t worry my love…I will come back to you soon…



    [Five years later…]

    Kakashi found himself sitting at the rooftop were he almost confessed his love for Taki when they were young, with the sunset at his back, still a bachelor for those curious enough to ask the author.

    He looked reflectively at the sunset, basking in his memories of her.

    “It’s been five years now Taki but I will never cease to wait for your return because my heart tells me that you will return someday. And I will wait even if it takes an eternity.”

    “And now your wait must come to an end my love…” a voice called out behind him.

    Surprised he looked back and saw his Taki sitting a few meters from him looking out to the horizon.

    “T-Taki?!” Kakashi gasped, not expecting this kind of surprise.

    Taki looked at him with a smile on her face.

    “Did you miss me my love?” she asked getting up and going closer to him.

    Kakashi also got up and pulled his love of his life in his arms tightly and loving as if never letting her go again.

    “Taki…you came back…”

    “Yes…and I’ll never leave your side again Kakashi…”

    “Hey! You have all of your memories back!”

    “Yes and it’s thanks to your kiss…”

    “But how about that Hero’s Sword?”

    “It’s gone now my love, now nothing will ever get in out way again…”

    They neared to each other and claimed either’s lips into one passionate yet loving kiss.

    Their tongues dueled for dominance.

    Feeling the need for air, they parted their kiss.

    “I love you…always…” Taki murmured.

    “I will always love you too…” Kakashi replied, kissing her again.

    They both knew that nothing will ever separate them again.

    And if something will, they will wait for each other even if it takes for an eternity.