Prey chapter 38

Chapter 38: Goodbye my friend

Naruto sighed as he watched Hinata leaving with her team-mates. “Why didn’t Tsunade send me along?” he sulked. “I could have come along too,” Mitsuki joined him. Naruto gave the girl a sideway look. “You love Kiba, don’t you?” “Eh, what kind of question is that?” The two walked together to the ramen bar. “Well, what about Ryudo?” Mitsuki looked at her feet. “I’m not completely sure about all of it yet. Next to that I’m confused about my parents.” They had reached Ichiraku ramen now and Naruto sat down on a stool. “Your parents? Why that?”
Mitsuki sat down as well and laid her head in her hand as she looked at the blonde. “I don’t understand anything about them anymore. Dad seemed to be good after all, yet he changed a lot of people into animals with that stupid poison of his. He tried to make me leave over and over by treating me like trash, just like those town people did. Mom also gave her live to save mine. It’s all confusing. Oh, and don’t forget that my dad said I had one last family member left just before he died.” “Ouch.” “Yeah,” Mitsuki sighed, “Pork ramen please, big bowl.” “I’ll start with miso today.” “I was already wondering when you two would order,” Teuchi chuckled.
“Ne, Mituski. Want to join me visiting Sakura after lunch?” “Okay, haven’t seen her for a while.”

After five bowls of ramen each of the two left after paying. “Not a lot of people can eat as much as me. Exception is Choji of course.” “Can I help it, I’m just hungry. Next to that I don’t gain weight even if I eat ten,” Mitsuki grinned as she placed her hands in her pockets.
It didn’t take the two long to arrive at Sakura’s home. It was Sakura herself who opened the door. “Naruto, Mitsuki, come in,” she smiled warmly as she let the two pass. When in the living room Mitsuki gained a grimace on her face as she looked at Ino, who was sitting on the couch. “Oh, it’s miss two timer,” Ino smirked as she looked back.

“Uh-oh,” Naruto mumbled, “I foresee trouble.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Mitsuki snapped to the blond haired girl. In the meantime Sakura’s mother came back home from shopping; holding two bags she looked surprised in the living room where two girls were shouting at each other.

“How is that, one boyfriend gone on a mission and you go to the other? It sounds interesting, a trio.” “Oh yeah you would know that! Tell me, how many guys got you laid already?”
Ino glared at Mitsuki who was clenching her fist. “What did you say?!” Mitsuki got a grin on her face, “Oh come on. The way you dress gives it away. Seriously, is your second job giving guys a great time in bed?” Mitsuki asked in a growl. “Look at yourself! You have no sense of fashion,” Ino snapped to the girl. “Well I have a boyfriend, unlike you… oh wait you probably have a million.”

That became too much for Ino and she wanted to slap the wolf girl in the face. Mitsuki ducked and punched Ino instead. The girl fell on the couch. “You’re such a tomboy.” “And you’re such a whore!” Mitsuki shouted as she wanted to walk over to Ino and punch her again, though, she was stopped by Naruto who held her tight by her arms.

“Enough, Mitsuki,” he said as the wolf girl struggled to get free. “She started!” “Hah, tomboyish and childish,” Ino said. “Stop it Ino,” Sakura demanded in a shout. Ino looked at her friend. “Fine.” “Mitsuki?” Naruto asked. “Fine,” Mitsuki growled as she stopped struggling.  Naruto let her go. “Only because Sakura’s pregnant, otherwise you would have had a big problem,” Ino said as she looked Mitsuki. “Wh-what?” Too surprised about the Sakura being pregnant news she ignored the rest of Ino’s sentence and gazed at the pinked haired. “Is that true?” Sakura nodded, not looking too happy about it. “Who…?” Mitsuki muttered still overwhelmed.
“Sasuke,” she answered in a whisper. Mitsuki gained a thoughtful face, trying to remember where she heard that name before. “He used to be our team-mate, Mitsuki,” Naruto explained, sounding a little sad as well. “Oh… now I remember where I heard that name,” the wolf girl softly said. Ino had gotten an annoyed face since she was being ignored.

“Is everything alright here?” The group looked at the woman with shopping bags in the door opening. “It’s alright mom,” Sakura assured.

The woman nodded as she looked at Mitsuki. “I never met you before…” “Oh, sorry. I’m Tsuwata Mitsuki. Nice meeting you,” Mitsuki said as she bowed, “And this is my partner, Rakuna.” She looked over at the wolf beside her.
“Tsuwata? Don’t tell me you’re Kaiyane’s daughter.” Sakura’s mother gained surprised faces. “You… you knew my mother?” Mitsuki muttered completely thrown of her feet. “You are? Oh my god. I haven’t seen you since… since you were barely one year old. Wait here, let me go get something.”
The woman disappeared as Mitsuki turned her head to Sakura. “Sakura, what is your mother talking about?” “I have no idea,” Sakura shrugged.

Naruto looked at Mitsuki, knowing the girl was already confused about her parents. What would this lead to?

The woman came back with a picture which she gave to Mitsuki. “Th-that’s my mother… there in the middle.” “She is, she was a fine Konoha ninja but then met Tsuwata Katashi and stopped her job to live him in a little town not too far from here.” Shocked and even scared Mitsuki looked at the woman. “She was a Konoha Kunoichi?” She got a nod as reply.
“Why… why did they never tell me?” the girl muttered as she stared at the picture. Naruto looked at it as well and recognized Sakura’s mother. “That is you, right misses Haruno?” he asked as he pointed at the picture.
The woman nodded, “And the other girl is…” “A… Aya…?” Rakuna whispered as she stared with widened eyes at the picture. Mitsuki looked at her pet with surprise that slowly walked backwards in fear. “Wait, that Rakuna is one and the same?” misses Haruno said puzzled. Mitsuki looked at the woman. “Her previous master?” “Aya had a pet wolf, she and Kaiyane found it… it could talk and was called Rakuna.”

Rakuna ran away, using her paws to open the front door. “Rakuna! Wait up! Where are you going?!” Mitsuki shouted as she rushed over to the door, but found out she still had the picture in her hand. “Uhm…” “Keep it,” Sakura’s mother smiled. Mitsuki nodded and rushed after her wolf friend.

Naruto watched her going, understanding very well how the girl was feeling right now. “Naruto? Is something wrong?” Sakura questioned. He turned his gaze to her. “Just a little worried about Mitsuki. She was already confused about her parents. Her mother gave her life to save her and her father was a bloodline hunter, yet he never really killed someone.”
Sakura’s mother looked shocked when she heard her old friend died.

“Mom, you never told me about your old friends,” Sakura said after a silence. “That’s because we had a huge fight the day Kaiyane came her with her husband and Mitsuki. The stupid thing is… I can’t even remember what it was about.”

“Now I understand why she’s such a tomboy…” Ino said softly and feeling guilty. Naruto looked at her. “You know, Ino. In a way Mitsuki is like me. She got treated like trash and was always pushed aside after getting seven. Even her own father tried to get rid of her, though he had good intentions with it; saving his daughter from the bloodline hunters.” Three pairs of eyes stared at the blonde.

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>“Aya! Are you alright?!” <

Rakuna shook her head as she ran.

> “Don’t worry about me. Get away from here and quick.” “Don’t make me leave you here alone!” “You have to! Go to Kaiyane!” Rakuna didn’t move. “NOW!” <

The wolf stopped dashing and looked around. She had no idea where she was and in her panic her instinct or nose couldn’t tell her either. Breathing fast she started to walk circles. “What is this...? I can’t remember more. What happened I had to leave Aya?” She stop walking.
“I did manage to get to Kaiyane though… what… what happened? Why can’t I remember?”

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“Rakuna!” Mitsuki shouted as she looked around to find her friend. She tried to pick up Rakuna’s smell, but there was one problem. She was too panicked and confused at this moment she couldn’t divide one scent from the other. “Damn it,” she started to cry and hit the wall of a house. Leaning against it she tried to find Rakuna’s scent once again, but the more she tried the worse her detection became.

“Mitsuki?” asked a worried familiar voice.

Shocked the girl looked up and saw Ryudo looking worried at her. “Why are you crying? What happened?” “Ra…Rakuna ran away and I can’t find her,” she hiccupped as she looked at him, “A-and I can’t divide the scents.” “Mitsuki, calm down,” Ryudo said placing a hand on her shoulder.
She just looked at him with a panicked, worried and confused face which made the dragon boy wonder what had happened. “Let me help you,” he said and stepped a few steps backwards. “Kuchiyose-no-jutsu.” A small dragon appeared. “Ubuwingu, could you search for Rakuna.” “Rakuna?” “Mitsuki’s wolf partner.” “ROGER!” the little dragon said saluting. After that he flew away and while he searched for Rakuna, Ryudo tried to calm down Mitsuki.

Soon the Ubuwingu came back; he landed on Ryudo’s shoulder. “I found her follow me,” he said and flew up again, while Mitsuki’s face became somewhat brighter.
Rushing after the dragon in the sky, they ended up in the deep inside the forest. “Rakuna!” Mitsuki shouted happily as soon as she saw her wolf friend. Rakuna looked up and Mitsuki dropped on her knees beside her, hugging her tightly. “Don’t run away like that again, please.” “Is everything alright, Rakuna?” Ryudo asked. The wolf looked at him for a moment and then freed herself from the hug of Mitsuki. “Mitsuki-chan… I can’t remember… it’s… it’s… I only remember Aya was my partner before you and she told me to search for Kaiyane…s-something happened… something bad… I don’t know what,” the wolf muttered at a loss. Mitsuki smiled at her friend. “Don’t worry, it’s okay. Don’t force yourself to remember, you will with time.”
Rakuna watched her for a second and then jumped in the girl’s arms. “I’m sorry for running away.” “It’s okay,” Mitsuki mumbled in Rakuna’s fur, “I got you back now.”

Ryudo smiled as he kneeled down beside the two. “Mitsuki… I… I need to tell you something.” Mitsuki looked questioned at him as Rakuna turned her head to him as well. “Since when did you stop adding chan?” the blonde asked a little curious as she let Rakuna stand on all her paws again.
“A while ago. But what I wanted to tell you… I have sent a letter to my parents; they’re on their way here.” “But that is great news. I’m glad you finally wrote your parents,” Mitsuki smiled, still sitting on the soft soil. “You do realize it means I have to leave right?” Ryudo asked. The girl’s smile disappeared as she nodded, “But still I am happy for you. You can finally see your parents again.” Ryudo stood up. “Won’t you miss me?” “Of course I will! We’re friends!” she jumped up as she looked at her friend with an insulted face. Ryudo closed his eyes as he smiled, “Friends huh… just friends… though I already knew… it’s okay.” Confused the wolf girl looked at him.

“What are you talking about?” Ryudo looked up, gazing at her with a serious face. “Be honest to yourself Mitsuki. You know, you already did for days yet you try pushing it aside, afraid you would lose me.”
Mitsuki could only stare at him with a blank face but soon she turned her head slightly to the ground. “You read people quite well, Ryudo.” “I was taught to read people their emotions by those bloodline hunters,” he replied still looking at her, “But understand… even though I’m gone, even though I’m with my parents, you can always come to visit me. You’ll always be my very best friend forever.”
The girl looked up with a said smile. “It’s just that I lost everything…” “Mitsuki, your parents will always be with you, no matter what. That’s what they told us when we were little, remember.” “Yeah, I remember,” she grinned as she brought up some memories.

Ryudo suddenly placed his left around her shoulder. “But you be careful okay. And no doing it with Kiba until you’re old enough.” “What?! I’m seventeen I can decide that for myself,” she started to blush. “You must be 18 for that,” Ryudo grinned. Mitsuki gave him a sideway annoyed look. “So you mean you can do things like that?” “YUP.” “Pervert, you should meet Konohamaru. I bet you will faint for his jutsu,” Mitsuki giggled.
“Huh?” Ryudo let out as Mitski pushed his arm of her shoulder. She jumped on Rakuna’s back, “Let’s go home Rakuna!” “Hai!” “Oi! Wait for me!” Ryudo ran after the two.

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“Are you sure you want to join me, Sakura?” “I’m hungry and I’m getting crazy of my mom. She keeps telling me to eat healthy! You have no idea what that’s like.” “No… I don’t,” Naruto replied as he looked the pink haired who gained a shocked face. She averted his gaze. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.” “Don’t worry about it,” the blonde sighed as he put his hands in his pockets.
Sakura gave him a confused look. “Then why the depressed sigh?” “I’m just worried about Hinata-chan,” he mumbled as they came closer to the ramen shop. “Naruto, Hinata is a kunoichi, you shouldn’t be worried.” “I know, but I still am. I can’t help it. I don’t want to lose her again.”
The two entered the ramen shop and two surprised face looked around. “Hey Mitsuki, Ryudo,” Sakura smiled at them. The two smiled back as Naruto and Sakura sat down and ordered their ramen.

“Mitsuki, is everything alright now?” Sakura asked looking at her friend. “Yeah… I’m okay,” the blond girl mumbled as she received her ramen. Sakura looked at the ground and stroke the wolf that was laying there. “How about you Rakuna?” “Other than confused I’m okay,” Rakuna said, liking the stroking.
“I still can’t believe your mother was from Konoha, Mitsuki,” Ryudo said as he placed ramen in his mouth. “Like I can,” she gave Rakuna the second bowl of ramen she got. “By the way, Naruto. What are you gonna give Hinata for her birthday?” The blonde, who just received his ramen and was about to bring it to his mouth, lowered his chopsticks. “I don’t know yet. I thought about a few things, but…” he ended in a sigh, “I’ll find something in the end though.”  
They all sweat dropped as they continued eating their lunch.

About an hour later they left the ramen bar after paying and saying goodbye. “I can’t believe it! Three more people that eat the amount Mitsuki eats,” Ryudo let out as he saw his friend running over to a rice ball stand which freaked him out even more. “Somebody else who wants one?” Mitsuki offered Naruto, Sakura and Ryudo a rice ball. “Yup, gimme one,” Naruto smiled and Mitsuki gave him one. “Just one,” Sakura said. Rakuna got one as well, she swallowed it at once.
“What the hell is it in the village and eating?” Mitsuki laughed, which was hard because she had food in her mouth. She swallowed it. “Sakura is pregnant of course she eats a lot.” “Then what about you?” Ryudo asked Naruto. “I just have a big appetite, next to that I need to eat enough so I will be able to train and go on missions… although baa-chan won’t send me on a mission for a while.” He got confused faces looking at him. “Why not?” Mitsuki asked.
Naruto sighed, ate the last of his rice ball and then looked at his empty hand. “Because of my chakra system. It’s changing.” “Huh, I didn’t know that was possible,” Ryudo said puzzled. “Only in special occasions,” Sakura said, though confused about this as well, “Why is it changing?”
“Things at the seal changed, it’s quite painful. Tsunade gave me something it wouldn’t hurt so much. I now got three types of chakra in my body.” “Three? I know about two; your own and foxy-chan but what’s the third?” Mitsuki said as the three had stopped walking. Naruto stared at her and then burst into laughter.

“FOXY-CHAN?! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT WOLF GIRL THINKING?!”

“Whaha, that is a great nickname,” laughed Naruto while Ryudo had no idea what this was all about. “Well, I didn’t want to use his real name…” Mitsuki muttered and got a bite of her third rice ball.

“Ryudo!”

Mitsuki stared into nothing, recognizing that voice. Ryudo did as well, even though he hadn’t heard it for years. He turned around and saw two people further away in the street. One of them, the female, was running towards them.
Soon he got tackled in a hug. “Ryu-chan, you’re alright,” the female cried. Mitsuki began to laugh because of that, choke in her rice ball and started to cough whilst laughing. “Mom… can’t… breathe,” Ryudo managed to say as he tried to free himself. She let him go and by that time his father had caught up with them. The man slammed his son on his shoulder. “You grew a lot, son.” “Well what do you expect,” Ryudo said as he tried to keep standing. Though the dragon boy smiled. “You have grown too, Mitsuki.”
A little shocked the girl looked at the man and then smiled. “Yeah, but her eating habit hasn’t changed at all,” Ryudo grinned. “Ow! Ryudo!” Mitsuki said annoyed as she glared at him. Sakura and Naruto laughed at it.
“Well in that case, why don’t you all join us with dinner tonight, to celebrate Ryu-chan is alright,” misses Akamara said with smile, still crying though. “ALRIGHT FOOD!” Mitsuki exclaimed together with Naruto. “STOP CALLING ME RYU-CHAN! I’M ALREADY 18!”

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The next day, around eleven o’clock Mitsuki stood at the gate to say goodbye again, but this time she wouldn’t see the person for some time… a long time. She hugged her friend tightly. “I hope I’ll see again soon,” the girl whispered as she let him go. Ryudo smiled at her. “Yeah, let’s not wait around ten years again,” he grinned and received a friendly punch on his arm. Rubbing his arm he looked at Mitsuki.
“Be careful you. And say goodbye and thank you for everything to Kiba.” “I’ll pass the message,” Mitsuki smiled with a blush. She then turned to Ryudo’s parents and looked at the ground. “Again, I’m really sorry for what my father did.” “Don’t worry Mitsuki, it wasn’t your fault,” Ryudo’s mother said as she hugged the girl, “Come by when you have some time, okay?” “H-hai, I will. I will for sure,” the girl replied as she kept herself from crying.

It wasn’t your fault… finally someone was saying it. People that were harmed because of her father yet they didn’t blame her. It made her feel really, really happy at that moment even though she was confused about a lot of things. Right now she was happy, because she knew she would always be welcome no matter what.

A few minutes later Mitsuki was looking at how they went on their way home. “Goodbye my friend… until soon,” she whispered and then turned around.
“Goodbye Mitsuki!” Ryudo voice was carried by the wind. Mitsuki looked over her shoulder and saw her friend waving for a short while and then rushing after his parents. Mitsuki laughed as she stroke Rakuna. “So what are we gonna do now?” the wolf asked. “What about some training?”

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Naruto threw a kunai at Konohamaru who jumped away just in time. The blonde panted as he placed his hands on his knees. “Nii-san, everything alright?” Konohamaru asked as he ran over to the blonde.
“Naruto, you should stop for a while,” Mitsuki said with a worried voice.

It had been five days since Ryudo left and Mitsuki had been training with Naruto and later on Konohamaru had joined them as well as Hanabi, who was giving the blond boy a worried look as well.
“A break would be appreciated, yes,” he said out of breath and let himself fall in the grass on the Hyuga grounds. “You seem weaker than during the chu-nin exam,” Konohamaru said as he hang with his head over Naruto. “Chakra system is chancing, can’t manipulate chakra in a perfect way, which makes me tired faster.” Konohamaru sat down in the grass as well. “Can a chakra system change?” “Baka, apparently it can,” Hanabi said annoyed to him. “Well I never heard of it,” Konohamaru spat.
“Kids calm down,” Mitsuki said sweat dropping. ‘Sheesh they are always fighting.’

Rakuna, who was laying, raised her head as her ears went in the direction of a sound. Mitsuki turned her head to it as well. Running footsteps were coming closer and Naruto sat up, hearing it as well.
A panting Kiba came through the gate of the Hyuga grounds. He looked worried and was out of breath. “Kiba-kun,” Mitsuki whispered. She wanted to go hug him, but his worried face kept her from doing so. “What happened Kiba?” Naruto demanded to know. “Hinata… hospital,” only said. This made Naruto jump up and rush pass Kiba. Hanabi jumped up as well and rushed over to her father inside the house.

Mitsuki stared shocked at her boyfriend. “What happened?” she asked him. Finally back to breath he averted her gaze. “She was being stubborn. Some ninja were attacking us and to escape she pulled of quite some jutsu I have never seen her using. She was hit several times, but even though wounded she kept on fighting and killed the ninja. Because of her we completed the mission but… I don’t know it’s worth it.”
In the meantime Hiashi had appeared and had heard everything. “Kiba, Hinata did what a shinobi should do.” “Such harsh words! To hell with the shinobi code! We should have helped her, but we couldn’t! There… there were so many…” Mitsuki hugged him to comfort him. “Kiba-kun, with shouting we won’t gain anything. Besides we have Tsunade-sama, she will be able to help Hinata.” The dog boy buried his face in the shoulder of his girlfriend. “I just hope we were here in time.”

As he started to sob Hiashi walked over to the two and laid a hand on Kiba shoulder, which surprised the boy. “You did the best you could, Kiba. Now let’s go to the hospital and see what the situation there is like. Though, have some more faith in Hinata, lately she became a lot stronger and I think she will be too stubborn to die.” “H-hai…” Kiba sniffed, “Gomenasai.” Hiashi walked to the gate, followed by Hanabi and Konohamaru. “We will follow in a moment,” Mitsuki told the Hyuga leader.

Now alone in the garden the Mitsuki was still hugging Kiba. “Kiba-kun, it will be alright.” “But it’s my fault. It’s my fault those ninja came after us. If I had just been more careful none of it would have happened.” The girl stepped back and looked him as he faced the ground. “If there is one thing I learned by now it’s you cannot change what happened. Please don’t blame yourself for it.” Kiba looked up, “But…” “Everyone makes mistakes! Stop blaming yourself, it’s not gonna help anyone!” Mitsuki suddenly shouted at him. Taken aback he stared at her. “Still…” he was unable to finish his sentence for Mitsuki kissed him. Shocked at first Kiba soon kissed her back as his arms wrapped around her.
When they stopped Kiba lay his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “Hinata will be alright. I’m sure she’ll be alright and I’m sure she will tell you not to blame yourself for it.” “Yeah, that’s what’s Hinata is like,” he whispered.