Summary: Kokoro reunites with Sasuke and Naruto. They head to the tower when they gain help from a helpful foe.
Kokoro discreetly walked through the forest, tense and ready for any confrontations. Thankfully, it was still light outside, and she hadn't run into any vast bugs or other genin. She peeked over her shoulder, paranoid and anxious to find her teammates. She searched for any orange and yellow colors, figuring Naruto was easier to spot than Sasuke, who had a calmer coloring. She fiddled with her blue bow with one hand and held a kunai in the other. She ran her fingers over the sharp edge of the bow and pricked her finger on the hidden blades keeping her bow ramrod straight.
It was an idea her dad gave her. She had been persistent in wearing a bow because it reminded her of the purple bow he gave her for her birthday. Her dad suggested she put the bow to use if she wanted it so badly. Her bow was detachable, a trump card, but she hadn't used it yet. She wanted to keep it a secret as long as possible.
She heard splashing ahead and gripped her kunai tightly in her grasp. She concluded she had either walked in a complete circle, or she got turned around. Either way, she had to be careful not to be caught. She didn't know if she could survive another disadvantaged fight. She sneakily crept up to the edge of the treeline and caught sight of a small precipice. She lowered herself to the ground, crawled to the side of the cliff, and peeked over it to see two shuriken flying her way. She ducked out of the way and jumped away. She hid in the trees and prepared herself for another fight.
A familiar genin with black hair and matching black eyes appeared. They were wearing a blue shirt with a high collar, light shorts, and blue sandals. A Konoha hitai-ate donned their forehead, keeping their hair out of their eyes. Kokoro sighed in relief as she watched Sasuke scan the surrounding area. She tried to think of a way to let him know she was friendly, but he looked haggard and stiff. Tired. They had to have been in a fight. She grimaced and clenched her hands. If only she had been with them to help.
"Show yourself!" Sasuke shouted. She sighed and climbed down the tree she was perched in. She placed a smirk on her face and walked into his sightline with her hands up.
"Is that any way to greet your favorite teammate?" she asked cockily. She masked how tired she was and held herself straight yet lackadaisically. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her and assessed her without putting his guard down.
"How do I know you're who you say you are?" he demanded. She shrugged and thought about it before an idea came to mind.
"Sneak up when a lot of enemies are fighting. The quiet place has no secrets. Shinobis need to know the right time. The time an enemy is tired," she recited to the best of her abilities. She grimaced and hoped he would take her answer. She waited with bated breath as he studied her. After a moment, he rolled his eyes and relaxed his body, crossing his arms and scowling at her.
"What happened to you? And what took you so long?" he questioned. Kokoro sighed tiredly and trudged up to him.
"I got into a fight. Where's Naruto?"
He jabbed his thumb downwards and motioned for her to follow him. They walked down the cliff and caught sight of the back of a cheerful, wet blond holding a couple of fish in his hands. He cheered and faced them. When he saw his female teammate, he rushed out of the water and embraced her in a hug. While she was grateful for his happiness, she was trying her hardest not to gag at the wiggling fish in front of her face.
"Finally, you're back!" Naruto cheered. "It's been so boring with just this teme."
Kokoro shot Sasuke a look of desperation, to which he pulled Naruto away from her. She thanked him and tried to tame her curly hair. She followed the two boys to their small, makeshift camp. Sasuke lit the campfire, placed the now-dead fish on sticks, and steadied them over the fire. She dropped to the ground in a heap close to the fire and took refuge in the warmth it gave her.
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An Unexpected Friend (Book 1 of the Unexpected Series)
Fanfiction[Book 1 of the Unexpected Series] Kokoro Hatake had a lot to bare and a lot to live up to. Her grandfather had abandoned a mission, tainting the Hatake name, and her father, while known as the Copycat ninja, was known as the friend killer, too, and...
