the storm bringer | ✓

Chapter Thirty-Three ~ Making Memories

~Chapter Thirty-Three~

In the morning the group of ninja found themselves looking around the house they were occupying while Winter cooked. It was filled of pictures of a teenage girl with purple hair and silver eyes as she grew up, some pictures even with a little Winter. The pictures seemed to stop when the girl turns seventeen, the last picture of her kissing the cheek of what appears to be Winter's older brother.

"That's Emiko Fukkishimi, she was a Jonin of this village." Winter speaks up leaning against the doorframe. "She dated my brother for a year before she was assigned a mission that was only known by my father and her. She left six years ago, and should've returned a year after she left. They announced her MIA a month before the village was attacked."

"So she could still be alive?" Winter shrugs her shoulders at Sakura's question. "If she is she must be completely off the charts, she was pretty well known by her name in the Bingo Books." This sentence caught the attention of Kakashi as the group migrated into the kitchen to eat the simple meal.

"What was she called?" Winter stares at him for a moment before replying softly, "Emiko the Destroyer. Emiko the Eraser. Emiko the Soulless. The list goes on really, but she was a lot nicer than those names made her out to be."

He blinks in surprise before turning his attention back to his miso soup, "I see." They eat in silence, the slurping sound of Naruto scarfing down food filling the space. Finally they pack up and make their way out of the desolate village leaving it empty once again. The journey back to the Leaf Village took two weeks taking the main roads and traveling at a pace that those with injuries could deal with.

Over this time friendships became cemented, Naruto and Winter growing closer. In retrospect she also gained a closer bond with Sakura, the two now getting along pretty well. Even Sasuke chimed in once in while, their conversations ranging from cool jutsu's they heard about to random plants they saw on the side of the road.

Winter opened up, smiling more and laughing once in while. Though the first time she laughed happily it honestly scared everyone but Naruto who'd heard the sound once before. But the biggest surprise came when they were reaching the end of their return home, when she was walking ahead of them and opened her mouth.

We were born ready, ready to be free

Chasin' every thrill we could see

With our eyes steady, waking to the dream

Aching to be thrown in the ring

Their mouths gaped open to some degree as the hardcore, crazy strong, loyal and fierce ninja started singing... and she wasn't bad at all.

If nothing comes easy as long as we're breathing

We'll go all the way or go home

We were born ready, wherever it leads

What we have is all we need

She turned her head slightly and sent them a genuine smile as the gates of the Leaf Village came into view, singing the last part of the song she wanted to.

'Cause if it's fast or slow

All I really know is I'm gonna enjoy the ride

And if it's hard or soft before we get off

I'm gonna enjoy the ride, enjoy the ride

Then she was promptly tackled into the ground by a half crazy Jonin, her arms wrapped securely around Winter. "You stupid idiot." Inazuma murmurs and Winter immediately hugs her back the two still laying on the hard packed dirt. "I know."

"I swear I'm going to make you the Route all by yourself for making me worry so damn much." The purple haired teen hops to her feet, offering a hand that Winter accepts. The two smile at eachother and Inazuma ruffles the girl's hair. "C'mon, let's go and catch up." Winter waves goodbye to Team 7 who watch the two walk side by side. Even though they didn't look alike, the group of ninjas couldn't help but think how much like sisters they acted.

***

Winter blinks in surprise as the two Genin pulled a tied up Sasuke into her house. "Do I want to know?" Sakura grins triumphantly, "I had a wonderful idea and Naruto here agreed with me, Sasuke was a little harder to convince so we just saved time by carrying him here."

"And what is this wonderful idea of yours?" Sakura smiles sweetly and looks at her, a hint of a threat in her jade green eyes. "A team slumber party of course. And don't think you can run... because Naruto and I will catch you."

Involuntary shivers racked down her spine at the not so subtly threat and she plasters a enthusiastic smile on her face. "That sounds that a great idea Sakura." The pinkette claps her hands together and nods her head happily, her eyes glinting again, "Plus I have a list of things we can do!"

And that is how Winter found herself at 1:23 AM sneaking into Kakashi Hatake's house.

It was messy and full of take out containers, a faint wet dog smell surrounding the place. Her hands felt clammy and her mouth was dry as she crept around, peeking her head into rooms to find his bedroom. Her chakra was carefully hidden and she barely breathed not wanting to alert the ex-Anbu of her presence.

Grabbing her can of silly string she gets to work, making his entire place turn into one big pile of colored and flexible plastic. She was so dead if he woke up, but luckily for her Kakashi seemed to be heavy sleeper in the safety of his own house. Now for the grand finale...

Her face was dead white as she carefully poured glitter all over the sleeping silver haired man, the lower half of his face covered by a white sheet. Wait a minute... this might be her only chance... to find out what was underneath his mask...

She looks at the sheet, her hand twitching slightly. With one fluid motion she rips the sheet off his face effectively waking him up, and rendering the girl speechless as she stares at his face. "What the?!"

She snaps to her senses and snaps a picture of him before vaulting out of his window and landing on the streets below. The silver haired man pulls on his usual mask before following the young girl. As he gives chase in his sleepy state he realizes that it was in fact Winter he was chasing, and it was very late at night... or early in the morning depending on your point of view.

As he caught up he caught a glimpse of her face, a carefree smile plastered on her lips with her visible eye sparkling with happiness. And that was what made him stop running. Even if it meant one person knew what his face looked like, he'd never seen the girl look so happy. He'd seen her with her old team and to see that same joy come back, to watch her crawl back through her cabin window and high five the others, it made him flip out his famous orange book and casually stroll back to his house.

Though he wasn't happy to find the silly string.

The four Genin laugh, yes even Sasuke, as Winter retells her dare that she completed. The four tell stories, eat ice cream and come up with pranks late into the night, watching the sunrise before crashing in a pile on some blowup mattresses. With Naruto's head on Winter's stomach, Winter's head on Sasuke's stomach and Sasuke's head on a pillow like a normal person, the final member didn't feel jealous.

Instead Sakura snapped a picture before laying down and falling asleep herself, the four feeling happiness settle into their very being. It was a moment that would become cherished for each of them, something that would help them in their darkest times.

It was bittersweet, the fact that this would be the last truly happy memory the four Genin of Team 7 would share.

Fun fact: Inazuma used to stalk Kakashi so she could see, "What the hell he is hiding under that god forsaken mask of his!"