In the midst of her dreams, Tsukinoko was awakened by the sound of someone knocking on the window. A figure crouched on the windowsill made her jump onto her bed, katana in hand. She recognized her squad commander against the light, put down her weapon and opened the window.
He didn't have time to greet her before being called names, before having to explain his presence. Tsukinoko was supposed to be working this day, affiliated with the Chief's surveillance, and he had come to fetch her after noticing her absence.
- Concentrate," he sighs. You'd better get up on time tomorrow, or you can go straight to the Academy to recruit your squad of soldiers and turn in your Colony uniform.
She stretched, dejected, while he continued to stare at her. As she jumped out of bed, her disheveled hair fell back over her face and shoulders, but her small eyes and still puffy face drew a smile from him, hidden behind her mask. Her pyjamas, a grey t-shirt adorned with drawings and inscriptions mentioning a contest for the biggest eater organized by one of Hanamaru's restaurants, were far too big for her and served as a nightdress. Kakashi's eyes darted down to her long, slender, but muscular and immaculate legs.
- Have you finished washing your eyes?
- Get ready quickly," he replies tautly. We're waiting for you at the Colony quarters.
- We?
In the depths of Hanamaru, beneath the official buildings, the Colony's lair was already occupied by several agents. Emerging from the checkroom in her uniform, all eyes were on Tsukinoko. She attempts an introduction accompanied by a big smile.
The agents exchanged low masses, and she then left the premises without a care in the world, though vexed. Arriving in the main room, she immediately recognized one of the agents. He had a mask with red and green lines hanging from his waist, like the one from Hebimaru's escape. The agent, shorter than her, had long brown hair and big black eyes, a simple, gentle face. He widened his eyes at the sight of her and approached, followed by the three with whom he had been chatting.
- She'll be with us!" he exclaimed proudly. I'm Kimaru! This is Y?ji, he's usually mute, and I'll let the other two introduce themselves!
As they all stared at her, she felt embarrassed once again. Risu introduced himself, from another squad, while Y?ji and Kimaru were from the Ro squad like her, but the fourth watched her silently behind his eagle-eyed mask.
- So you're the Chief's disciple, are you? exclaims Risu. The little capricious one, according to what we-
A kick from eagle-masked agent cuts him off, and Tsukinoko frowns.
- Yeah, the capricious one," she replies ironically.
- Hey, don't give us a hard time," he laughs, massaging his leg, "it's just fun.
- Fun?" she says dryly.
A heavy silence settled in. Tsukinoko stared down at her feet, uncomfortable and dejected, as if she were only there to entertain them.
Kakashi had said that his subordinates were afraid of her, according to him, so she assumed they were wary. They didn't look mean, but there was apprehension and contempt in their eyes.
The feeling of being a spectacle had been with her ever since she arrived in Hanamaru.
- By the way, I'm K?," says the one in the eagle mask.
- I remember you," she smiled mockingly.
- Get smart. It must be because you're the Chief's pupil that you're here, you haven't got the shoulders for the job in any case," he sneers condescendingly.
- What did you say?" she says.
- Shut up... Risu whispered to K?, you're going to have trouble with him. Or do you still want to get your hands perforated? he sneers. I'm glad I'm not in your squad!
- So, what's it like to be trained by the Chief? Can you give us a demonstration? exclaims K?.
- Demonstration? Well...
- Oh yes!" rejoices Kimaru. Show us later!
- Leave it, she doesn't want to," Risu whispers anxiously. Don't insist or she'll rip your arms off, that's what the others say.
With a dark look, Tsukinoko put an end to the conversation and glared at Kimaru, whom she resented for having approached her when all they were doing was criticizing her
Out of the way, Tsukinoko sat on one of the building's air ducts, under a beam of light. Fortunately, she had taken the book she hadn't been able to finish before her training because of Sagi's test.
But no sooner had she begun than she felt herself being watched again. Kakashi was watching her, sitting directly above her.
- What?! she shouts in annoyance.
- Relax... he sighs. You'll have to come here every day," he continues, "before going to your post, and then-
- I get it," she cuts him off curtly without moving. Let go of me now.
- So why aren't you at your post yet?
He had jumped in beside her, but she glared at him to leave her alone, hiding behind the cloth mask he never took off. He snatched the book from her hands and held it up with two fingers, too high for her to reach while sitting still
Anger builds. Why were they all picking on her like this? As her nose scrunched up as she braced herself, ready to pounce for her book, he finally exclaimed.
- Oh, I don't want to bother you, but listen to me. Just this once. Can I talk or are you going to jump on me... ? You look like your leopard that way," he suddenly laughs.
She raises her eyebrows briefly in surprise.
- The squad didn't mean to be dismissive," he says calmly, "they only know you from the rumors that circulate about you. They're mostly curious, but you don't make it easy for them with your bad temper.
- What rumors? How do you know?" she asks curtly.
Kakashi had hit the nail on the head. His anger was really a way of defending himself after being irritated and hurt, and he tried to reassure her.
- I was right behind you," he exclaims. They're very intrigued by you; we rarely get new recruits, let alone a Chief's disciple. Kimaru sent them packing when he saw you'd gone offended, and he's glad you're with us," he says softly. And I know because he was bragging about it before you arrived, which is why they tried to destabilize you. It's just hazing," he shrugs.
The pressure eased slightly. Kakashi was looking at her with an air of tenderness, which she thought she could guess from behind his mask. Now in a sulky mood, the unease was still there and she crossed her arms to hide.
- Most of the time, we look after Hanamaru. We take turns, so you won't always have them on your back. There aren't that many special missions, three or four a month at most, depending on how long it takes.
- Huh?!" she exclaims. Is that all?
- We risk our lives on every mission, we're not going to leave every day. If we did, we'd be at war at this rate, and believe me, that's no fun at all.
- Call me back when there's a real mission. I'm going home for the day," she suddenly orders
- You can't," he sighs.
- I don't want to wait here," she cuts him off, sulking.
- You'll be sixteen in two days, so it might be time to stop your whims.
Offended, she was about to retort, but Kakashi beat her to it.
- Don't forget you're a subordinate, Tsukinoko. And I'm your supervisor.
- Sorry Boss..." she said in a small voice.
She lowered her gaze, ashamed to have been called to order, but she no longer had the heart to fight. He watched her motionlessly, wondering if she was really calmed down, puzzled, but trying to lighten the mood as best he could.
- You can't go home," he said calmly.
He paused, but his gaze weighed on her back, and she gritted her teeth, dreading what was to come. But it was her lucky day, the squad had been assigned and was due to leave at the end of the day.
Kimaru, with an unsettled look on his face, asked K? again if they really had to go on, wallowing in a secluded tree. K? beckoned him to be quiet and then turned to Tsukinoko, standing alone in the middle of the path
- We're going to test your skills. Just because you're a disciple of the Chief doesn't mean you're necessarily that good!
- What now?" she grumbles.
With a hiss, the three agents jumped on her. Tsukinoko leapt into the air to slip through their fingers and sign the tiger's incantation.
The muddy ground washes away the agents, but K? extricates himself in time. Y?ji then launches his insects at Tsukinoko, albeit with bogged-down legs, but a fire blown from the new recruit's mouth grills the hexapods.
His fire had covered the mud to harden it, burning even the grass around it. Kimaru and Y?ji opened their eyes to find they were stuck in the clay.
K? lunges at Tsukinoko from behind, but she draws her sword. He avoids her leg, which skims the ground in an attempt to topple him, but Tsukinoko uses her hands to return a fatal kick. He lands at the feet of his colleagues, but as Tsukinoko crosses her sabers over her head to finish him off, a hand firmly grasps his wrists.
- What's going on?" shouts Kakashi from behind.
- They wanted to test me," she shrugs with a boastful smile.
- What's that supposed to mean? If Tsukinoko is with us, it's because she's got the level. You were supposed to show her the attack formations.
- So be it," whispered K?, standing up as the other two tried to free themselves.
- What an asshole... she pisses. You're going to look smart now, you bunch of lunatics!
In a flash, her sabers are charged with electricity and the sizzling sound that escapes startles them. Without wasting a second, Tsukinoko leaps with a pirouette onto K? and the others who were desperately trying to get out of there. They held their breath as she landed, terror frozen behind their masks. Kakashi was about to intervene, but Tsukinoko stopped him with a look from the corner of her eye, coupled with a mocking smile.
Landing on one knee, she places the tip of both blades on the ground and a shock ripples through the terracotta. The block cracked, then suddenly shattered. The three companions breathe again, freed, but with legs full of ants after the shock.
- She's completely crazy," K? raged.
- You're just saying that because she managed to trick us," Kimaru grinned quietly. I told you this was a bad idea.
Y?ji was about to speak, but Tsukinoko's shrill voice pierced their ears, to denigrate and insult them after their attempt. K? was enraged and confronted her again, but Kakashi stopped them at the last moment.
- Calm down," he said. Tsukinoko, we'll explain the rules and combat training with Kimaru. You two go and train on your own.
Annoyed, Tsukinoko retrieves her sabers, but the remarks rain down again. She loses patience and takes out her anger on the two training puppets behind her, who each end up with a sword stuck between their eyes.
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Kimaru joined them, shuffling his feet and looking confused, while the other two had disappeared into the woods. Tsukinoko explained the techniques of her routine, while Kakashi wondered about his sabers.
- What are you playing at?" she asks curtly.
- I'll evaluate your level, compared to mine.
- Great modesty," she mutters under her breath.
- And copy your technique, it's interesting. I won't use it if you don't let me.
- You can't. I don't sign incantations or anything. I've acquired it through meditation and concentration," she says haughtily.
- If you say so," he wonders. And why don't you sign incantations?
- What do I do when I'm holding my sabers?" she exclaims cheekily. That's the point! It took me months to perfect it with Jīj-le Chef! I don't want it stolen by the first person who comes along! she continues in outrage. I can't believe this guy-
- Shut up..." he snaps. I'm just going to assess your level. Last time I checked, I-
- What a show-off this guy is, unbelievable... she mumbles as she walks away.
Kakashi sighed in annoyance as Kimaru grinned in her corner, telling herself that what followed was promising. She was training on her side, sitting cross-legged facing the targets and signing the tiger incantation to channel her aura.
- You should be able to use your technique without weapons. Like my basic one, I've then amplified it and can combine it with a weapon. As if we were reversing our approaches.
- Huh?" she grimaces, turning around.
- Try it," insisted Kakashi. If you lose your swords, you'll find yourself defenseless, and you won't last long at the Colony," he says condescendingly.
- But that's not all I can do! Fuck him, you try your little trick with my sabers, if you're so strong you should be able to do it," she says arrogantly.
- It's a real technique," he says.
He barely had time to move before the sabers planted themselves in the grass in front of his feet. He scowled at Tsukinoko as she gazed at the clouds, slumped over.
He then stepped back to execute his technique, loading one of his swords as hard as she did, but she haughtily exclaimed that he had to use both swords at once, just as she did. A shrill noise fills the air, and then he lunges forward with both weapons.
The puppets were pierced by the lightning-filled blades but did not explode. Kakashi moves back into position, while his subordinate doesn't notice, not really giving a damn about his arrogance
Kakashi had consumed a quarter of his chakra to match the power Tsukinoko contained in her swords, but without achieving the same result, which would have cost him more. As she nosed over, he continued his assessment.
- Eh... It's not nap time. How much chakra are you concentrating in your swords?
Tsukinoko rolls onto her stomach and is surprised by his question.
- I don't know... I concentrate my chakra, but I only release a certain amount, the sabers just amplify it," she shrugs. I don't force it more than three times, otherwise I don't have enough energy for the rest afterwards.
- I see. Three times as much then," he concludes, going to sit down against a tree.
- What?" she asks in unison with Kimaru.
- Tsukinoko's chakra reserves are three times greater than mine.
Tsukinoko got up with a boastful air and went to fetch her sabers but he immediately exclaimed when he saw her face to be wary, as her techniques were certainly effective but consumed energy, which could backfire.
Tsukinoko sat heavily behind him, cutting off his momentum. Kimaru was waiting for them both. He and Kakashi were supposed to show Tsukinoko the squad's battle formations. Kakashi demanded that Kimaru do it, alone, while Tsukinoko continued to scrape against the trunk with her kunai.
- What do you do anyway?" she asks him, her nose in the tree.
Kimaru replies at the same time as he raises a wooden rampart from the ground. She turns around abruptly and observes his technique.
- Wood..." she exclaimed, knocking over her kunai. How is this possible?
Kimaru and Kakashi looked at her strangely after her reaction, and she went back to her work to calm herself, seeing this technique for the first time.
- Shortly after his birth, Kimaru was kidnapped by Hebimaru and became one of sixty children who were his test subjects. He's been injected with DNA so he can reproduce and use wood techniques," exclaims Haruo behind her.
The latter had come to see for himself how his disciple was getting on, and also to remind them not to delay their departure on mission. Tsukinoko, puzzled by these explanations, left to train with Kimaru, while the Chief wished to speak with their squad commander. Standing next to him, he sneered at what Tsukinoko had carved into the bark. Kakashi immediately takes offense when he discovers the work, a crudely engraved portrait of himself, adorned with the title of pretentious.
- I came to see how things were going on his first day. I thought you'd get on well, but on reflection... he said, pointing to the drawing on the tree. Everything okay with Tsukinoko?
- She has trouble with authority," sighed Kakashi.
At the same moment, Kimaru crashed hard into a puppet and fell back to the ground, in front of Tsukinoko with her hands on her hips, who brushed aside his explanations to counter the weaknesses of the formations he was demonstrating to her. The Chief sighed his smoke at her attitude, but the two continued their racket, sparring in the ruckus under the eyes of their superiors.
- Indeed, it's definitely not that," he laments. Where's the rest of the squad?
- It would have ended worse if she'd stayed with the other agents," says Kakashi phlegmatically. I preferred to take her away.
- What do you mean?
- Let's just say she doesn't go unnoticed, like a scapegoat. She's your disciple, she attracts gossip, Master Haruo," he explains to her astonished look. And her reputation since the incident with Sagi at the prison doesn't help. Are you sure it's a good idea to integrate her into the Colony? With all due respect, but she still seems very childish.
- Her techniques are S-ranked, and her targets inevitably succumb. I understood that she had been trained to kill her opponents before. Tsukinoko was predestined for the secret forces.
- This remains to be verified.
- I've included her in your squad because she complements your skills, and you'll be able to delegate certain tasks to her. You've had time to observe her with all the nonsense you've had to catch up on since she arrived in Hanamaru. By the way, she'll be out of my care in a few days, but I don't know if she'll make it," he sighs. I figure the Special Forces will help her channel herself on a personal level too. I actually adopted a dependent child four years ago," he chuckles. I'll ask for a member of the Racine to keep an eye on her, to make sure she doesn't get into trouble. You won't have to worry about-
He is cut off by Kimaru, who crashes into his own wooden rampart, stalked by Tsukinoko.
- Wait!" he bellows. I said I surrender!
- Chicken!" she shouts.
Without waiting, she leapt into the air, drew a saber, charged it with Lightning, gave herself speed with a salto, then fell back on her colleague, blade forward.
Kimaru fled in time as the wooden rampart was split in two and the ground excavated. He had hidden in the forest, transformed into a random oak tree.
With her back to the wood, Tsukinoko seemed to be looking for him with her eyes, and with a false look exclaimed that she couldn't find him. The Chief laughed beside Kakashi, who wondered why. One saber was thrown straight at Kimaru, followed by the second, and he found himself hanging from the tree behind him by the straps of his breastplate, losing his metamorphosis in the process.
Panic-stricken, he hadn't dared to make a real attack from the start and was content to wriggle free, a few centimetres above the ground. The Chief sighed into his beard as Kakashi frowned at Tsukinoko's skills, despite his agitation.
She really needed to be channeled, and as a leader, that was her role, even if he wasn't very happy about it. But it would save him from being spied on by Sagi, whom he could stand even less.
- She's formidable on the battlefield, but a real clumsiness magnet the rest of the time," he laughs. Tsukinoko, you must train together," he shouted in her direction as she prepared flames for Kimaru, who was panicking as he tried to free himself.
- That's what I do Jījī, I help him push his limits. I thought he'd be stronger than this with abilities," she exclaims haughtily, swallowing her technique.
Kimaru takes offense, finally getting both feet on the ground with Kakashi's help, and Tsukinoko looks menacing as she retrieves her sabers.
Intimidated, the young soldier crashed into the tree and she laughed affectionately at him. Despite his reputation for anger and violence, she enjoyed and appreciated him. The agents lined up in front of the Chief, one knee on the ground.
- Kakashi, Kimaru, you are my two best Hanamaru Special Forces agents. Tsukinoko, I know your abilities better than anyone. The three of you will henceforth form my personal guard and answer only to my orders. You will also be sent on the most important missions now that there are three of you. I'm counting on your seriousness and unfailing loyalty to Hanamaru.
Finally on their way, the three agents' mission was to oversee a political council between several of the country's village chiefs, to be held the following day in a large town a few hours from Hanamaru. Their presence was required because of suspicions of attacks by the villages against each other.
Finally, as the afternoon drew to a close, the chiefs were able to conclude their trade agreements, and some had taken the decision to build a hangar for food storage, which would serve all the villages in the agreement.
The mission over, which had gone off without a hitch, the agents returned to Hanamaru on foot. Tsukinoko was starving after spending the day on the lookout without a meal break. She had refrained from making remarks all day, but was now letting her feelings out.
- Hey Boss?" she grumbles, catching up with him on the way. Why didn't we eat today? Is it always like this?
- We have military pills in case of need.
- Huh? Why don't I have any?! she shouts abruptly.
He lifts his mask to reveal a dejected look as he tries to read in peace on the road.
- If you'd woken up in time yesterday, once again, you could have picked it up before you left. Be serious, we're not here to have fun.
- But where?!
He sighs but doesn't answer her, and she grimaces behind her mask.
- To the storeroom in the quarters," shouts Kimaru behind them. You can help yourself freely.
- Are you serious? Nobody told me anything," she snaps. Now I'm starving!
- You'll know next time," exclaims Kakashi.
She repeats her last sentence in a haughty, insolent tone. After a few short minutes' respite, her stomach rumbles again.
- Hey, Boss?
- Now what?
- Can we stop to buy some food?
- Where do you want to go? We're in the forest, there's still a way to go before Hanamaru. We'll be there in an hour, you'll survive.
- An hour?! she shouts. That's a long time...
- Here.
She turned back to Kimaru, who was handing her two pills with a hesitant look on his face. She thanked him and gulped down the pills.
- And what's more, you've got great hair, unlike that other guy with the scarecrow," she giggles.
Kimaru chuckled in turn, flattered. Kakashi had heard him, but he quickened his pace, without repartee, preferring to ignore him.
- Do you have any more?
- They were the last. One pill normally equals one meal...
- It sucks... she moans. I didn't come here to starve, it's slavery here...
They continued on their way, then Kimaru asked her about her reasons for joining the Colony, which turned out to be the same as his own. To protect Hanamaru, her family, her friends, everyone you love.
As Tsukinoko questioned Kakashi in turn, calling him Boss, he scolded her again, asking her to stop calling him that.
- You don't want me to call you Commander, Chief, Boss either... Sagi will hit me again if I don't "respect my superiors", she grumbles, imitating him.
- It's not by using a polite formula that you show respect, but by bowing to authority and behaving properly, which you don't," he says condescendingly.
- As you wish, Mr. Scarecrow. Is he always so pretentious? she blurts out to Kimaru.
Kimaru held back a laugh, suddenly anxious, as Kakashi turned around with a dark look on his face. Tsukinoko, who had been walking sulkily with her arms crossed, bumped into Kakashi, who had planted himself in front of her.
- What's the matter?" he snaps. If you've got a problem, say it now. I'm not going to bicker with you every day.
- What's that? But no! she gets angry. You're the one who changes your mind like your shirt!
- You're not here to have fun, so behave yourself. I'm your supervisor, and I'm counting on you to do your job properly.
Tsukinoko listened with one ear as she concentrated on his mask, wondering what the look behind it might be, whether he was really pissed off or just fed up.
As she continued to grimace, Kakashi grew impatient. Beyond the deep annoyance in her eyes, you'd swear smoke was coming out of her ears. She giggled nervously and smiled broadly to coax him along, as best she could.
- No, because your mask is confusing. I can't tell if you're really pissed off or if-
- Listen to me and concentrate for a second! he shouts.
- I'm not deaf," she grumbles.
She walked slowly around him, ready to flee.
- Are you listening to me?!
- Sorry man- Uh... she grimaces. Boss! Take it or leave it!" she shouts as she takes off running. Sorry, man!
The squad arrives at Hanamaru's doors in the evening and reports to the Chief on their mission. Barely out of the office, Tsukinoko decides to set the record straight, after Kakashi reminds her to wake up on time the next day.
- Is it customary to come and spy on your subordinates in their beds when they wake up? Or how does it usually work? No, because there are other ways than showing up in my bed when I forget to wake up.
Kimaru turns to him in surprise, while the latter starts to blush, caught off guard.
- Huh?" she insists.
- It was your fault," he says, "because you weren't at your post.
- What's the matter? You took the liberty of spying on me in my room?
Kimaru lets out a gasp of astonishment and Kakashi grimaces with discomfort.
- Do your job," he says curtly. You can't just stay home and sleep in.
She raises her eyes to the sky, haughty, but before she can reply someone calls out to them from the end of the corridor. Hina, accompanied by her father, approaches to greet them.
- Tsukinoko?" she wonders when she sees her. Are... You're at the Colony?!
- Oh yeah!" she replies proudly as the others greet each other. So your mission-
- Why?" she replies, sounding annoyed.
- You're in the Ro squad, I see," resumes her father, with an air that's part pride, part doubt.
Hina looked at her, her eyebrows furrowed, before suddenly walking away without saying a word. The four of them looked at her in surprise. Without hesitation, Tsukinoko took off after her and planted her colleagues.
- Excuse them, Hina's worried about Tsukinoko," resumes Hina's father.
- Worried?" Kakashi asked.
- Yes, Hina was against Tsukinoko's wishes to join the Special Forces. She's his little protégé as you might say, and she's been helping him since she was on her own. She's kind of part of the family now," he smiles.
- Alone?" asks Kimaru curiously.
He watched the two friends walk away, puzzled, but the father changed the subject and asked how Tsukinoko was doing. The agents exchanged awkward glances, not daring to answer. He laughs when he sees their faces and guesses the answer, then greets them. On the way to the lair, Kimaru shyly exclaims, but Kakashi questions him with his surprised gaze.
- I mean, she's... They say she's violent, temperamental and even deliberately mean. Still, wouldn't they say she was the same person today? he hesitates again. Well... She doesn't seem to get along with you, but all she does is complain," he smiles, confused, "she's not mean. Or is it because she means well, do you think?
- You didn't notice her, but she was there during Hebimaru's hunt," he said suddenly. Sagi had tricked her into thinking she was supposed to escort him to the cave to be shot. You can trust her, Kimaru. She's unbearable, but she's upright and loyal.
- How?" he wonders.
Kakashi then explains his meeting with Tsukinoko that day, and that she had agreed to keep quiet about the background to protect them both, along with the survivor.
- You'll make up your own mind. You shouldn't listen to rumors, they only bring out the bad in a person.
- You're right..." he says shamefully. Finally, I feel it's going to be good to have her on the squad, even if she does complain," he smiles. It's an honor to be with the disciple of a Chief, I'm sure she has a lot to teach us! he rejoices.
Kakashi was surprised by her persistent infatuation, but he couldn't help but agree with him. The capricious, ill-tempered disciple didn't seem so bad after all, once you got to know her
While they were talking, Tsukinoko had caught up with Hina and was trying to resolve the situation.
- The risks are the same for everyone," annoys Hina. And you could have told me!
- Come on, stop sulking," she insists, making googly eyes at him. I'm inviting you to dinner, I'm starving.
- I'm not hungry," she replies curtly.
Tsukinoko sighed at her stubbornness but didn't give up. She knew her best friend's weak points well, and led her to a sushi bar on the main avenue. Clinging to her neck, chatty as ever.
- You've got to tell me about your mission! And then I have to tell you about my boss, how boring he is," she complains.
- Kakashi?" she wondered. But he never says anything!
- That's just it," she grimaces. I talk to a wall all day!
Hina finally relaxes and lets herself be carried away by the gossip. Reassured, she finally spends the night at Tsukinoko's, although she's sure to take it back because her plants were dying of thirst all over the apartment.