Momochi (Kiba Inuzuka) *CURRENTLY BEING REWRITTEN*

Chapter 23: Complete! Detour to the Wave!

I stretch and let out a satisfied sigh as my team and Shikamaru's make their way back to the Hotel. The mission had gone well, with only a low-jounin level shinobi attacking the Kazekage. All in all it was fairly boring, aside from the Kazekage looking dead-tired. I link my hand with Kiba's as we watch Hinata chase after Shino for some unknown reason, probably said something about Hanabi.
    I flop onto the couch in the lobby, waiting for Shikamaru's team to exit their room after changing. We were going to get some dinner before heading to a hot spring. Once we meet up again and exit the hotel, Ino immediately begins pestering Kiba on how he became so good looking. Kiba grunts, clearly annoyed. "I got myself in shape, did some serious training and got more practical clothing." Ino looks at him, almost adoringly, causing Kiba to step away from her slowly. "Man, you must be really strong.~" She sighed. Kiba grabs my hand, and steps to the side of me.
    "Yeah, I guess I am. It's mostly thanks to Akahana for motivating me and helping in my training. She is the reason I'm where I am, and I couldn't be more grateful to have her as my girlfriend." I feel my face burn as Ino shakes out of her stupor and sighs depressedly. "I'm never going to get a boyfriend." I pat her back sympathetically. "You'll find someone eventually." She huffs and shoots me a look. "Easy for you to say." I laugh softly, looking at her out of the corner of my eye. "Once you find Mr. Right, you'll know. Until then, keep your mind and options open. You never know when he or she will show." She looks at me. "Wow, that was wise."
    Kiba kisses my temple. "She can be like that sometimes." I laugh and turn to him. "It help when you are partially raised by century old deer summons." He nods and shrugs. We make it to a small diner, and it seems like almost everyone stops and looks at me. I look around and try to hold in a grimace. A brown-haired waitress comes up to us quickly. "Hello, you and your team can sit anywhere." I stared at her and nodded slowly. 'Shit is getting REAL confusing up in this bitch.' I sigh and make my way to a large booth, Kiba following right beside me. We take our seats and stare at each other, very unnerved by the continuing silence. Ino grows a tick-mark, throbbing angrily on her head. "Oi! Eyes elsewhere! I get that we look amazing and all but jeez!" People quickly avert their eyes and a small amount of chatter starts back up.
    I rub my temples frustratedly. "It's all so confusing, people have been looking at me strangely after I told people my last name. I mean, it's been weird, but not like this." Shikamaru huffs. "It could be because you are a main branch member of some distant or lost clan." I shoot him a look. "Like we haven't already thought of that." I sigh. "It doesn't matter, let's hurry up and eat. I want to get out of here as quickly as possible." We order and eat in relative silence, with a few small jokes from Asuma and a couple of laughs. We pay and leave, walking towards the hotel. "We can stop at a hot spring on the way back and we are in the Land of Fire." Kiba pipes up. "Why don't we make our way to the wave country? You wanted to visit your father, and it's not too far away." I turn to Asuma. "Is that alright with you?" Asuma smiles and nods gruffly. "It's fine with me, it wouldn't hurt to be out of the village a little more, and we have around 4 dyas before we are supposed to be heading back from Suna, so we have about a week." I nod. "Pack and meet in the lobby at 7:00. I'll head to the see the Kazekage after we make it back to the hotel."
    After a good night's rest, we leave Suna, walking toward the land of waves. I attempt to ignore the feeling in my gut that I was being watched, but I couldn't. After about an hour of walking I stop and turn, pulsing out my chakra in waves. I feel the others turn and look towards me. About half a mile away was a group of 2-3 shinobi. I groan and hand everyone one of the invisibility seals. "I was hoping to do more testing on these before using them, but put on on your shirt and pulse chakra into it, quickly." They do as I say, and they vanish before my eyes. I scan for their chakra, slightly pleased when I found none. I put my own on and clear our tracks using a low-caliber wind jutsu. I turn to my team.
"We need to hurry and get to the forest, we are being followed. 2 chunnin and one jonin. Move!" We quickly start running, not stopping even when the sun sets. I could feel the chakra's following, but more slowly. We make it into the forest just before dawn, and Asuma's team looks like they are going to pass out. Each member of my team supports Asuma's as we continue, jumping into the trees to keep our tracks off of the dirt. After about an hour of running, I don't sense the chakra anywhere near us.
    I jump down to the floor, setting Ino against a tree. "We'll rest here for a few hours. Then we will continue. We should reach the town where we need in about half-a-days travel. Keep your guard up until then, we don't know if those shinobi were hostile." My team nods and settle against a tree. Asuma looks at me. "How are they not tired?" I look at him. "Oh they are, just not as tired as your team. They trained hard, and stamina was one of the things I focused on the most. They are also very good at deception." He pulls out a cigarette and lights it.
    After a 3 hour break, we hop up into the trees once more, determined to make it to the town where we needed to be. I hand Ino a soldier pill and support her until she regains her strength. We make it to the wave after about half a day, and the town a short way after crossing the bridge. I smile at the title of the bridge and stuff my hands in my pockets. I look to the graves of my father and brother and force myself to look away. 'We will be back father. They need to rest.' We check into an inn and eat some quick food, Team 10 heading to their rooms and falling asleep. I dismiss my team to relax for a bit, setting my stuff in my room and taking my hair down. I soon go into town to get some flowers and some sake. I grab a bouquet made of Zinna's and Chrysanthemums and make my way to their graves, brushing off the dirt that had collected. I sit on top of my legs, placing flowers on top of their grave and pouring out the sake on top of Father's. I link my fingers together, placing them in my lap, and look up to the sky.
    I look back to the grave and slowly hum a song I heard when I was little, something that Father had sang to me to get me to sleep. "Are you going to scarborough fair?" A gust of wind surrounds me, blowing leaves in multiple directions "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme." I take a deep breath, looking up and trying to keep the tears out of my eyes. "Remember me, to one who lives there. He once was, a true love of mine." I smile softly, my mind going through the varying memories of when I was younger. "Tell him to make me a cambric shirt. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme. With no seam, nor fine needle work. Then he'll be a true love of mine." Playing with Monomi and Daisuke, running wildy down the streets. "Tell him to find me an acre of land. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme. Between Salt Water, and the Sea Strand. Then he'll be, a true love of mine." Tackling Haku into the snow and building large structures, and then pelting father with snowballs. "Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme. Remember me, to one who lives there. He one was, a true love, of mine."
    A hot tear streaks down my face and I quickly wipe it away. I trace the names on the headstones softly, a sad smile on my face. I take a deep breath. "I miss you, but I am glad I get to be here so close to my birthday. I needed this. I wish I could tell you everything that happened, and I have so many questions to ask you, but I'm sure you already know that." A small breeze ruffles my hair, just like father did. A small laugh escapes me. "I must look so dumb right now, but who cares." I fiddle with my hands, before folding them neatly on my lap. "I miss you guys, more than I can express, and I really wish you could be here to guide me at times. But I know you guys wouldn't want me to mope around, and for a while I was numb, not that expressive around my team, even around Kiba. I guess I'm finally growing past this, and I know that is what you guys would want."
    I look at Father's headstone. "I will do my best to carry on your legacy, and master the use of Kubikiribocho. I wouldn't have grown to the level I am without you." I look to Haku. "And I will always keep that pendant you gave me, I have some of your senbon still as well. I will do my best to master their use as well. I want to make you proud, and when I meet you again, I want it to be a happy reunion." I stand and brush of my pants. "I've been here for almost two hours, my team is probably getting worried, I'll be back tomorrow." I give a bow before turning to leave. As I am walking away I recognize the old drunkard, or the bridge builder heading towards the bridge, a large stack of wood in hand.
    His eyes widen in recognition but I ignore him, and move past him to get to the hotel. He spins around to stare at me, but is consequently ignored. When I make it to the hotel I collapse onto the bed with a huff, quickly falling asleep as Kiba comes in from the bathroom.