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Chapter 6: Dead or Alive?

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Riko's POV
Now I sit in front of my overly exhausted and unconscious Sensei. Sitting, in a criss-cross position, my arms are crossed over my small chest as I stare down at my sensei.

Why am I here?

How did it happen?

Well, after we spotted the masked ninja, the said person took the dead Zabuza away, wanting to dispose of him. While they did that, Naruto grew angry and started punching the ground, cursing the ninja because of how easily they killed the swordsman. Then, Kakashi gave Naruto a speech about how there are 'ninjas younger than him, but who're stronger' and it's all about the training.

So, like the lovely person that he is, Tazuna allowed us to stay at his home and rest. But with our usual and unfortunate luck, Kakashi passed out, due to chakra exhaustion, before we left.

So that's why I'm here, healing his wounds.

But now I'm staring at his unconscious body. Somewhat attractive, but again, I'm not one to judge since guys really aren't my type. Looking at the older male, I smile.

Maybe he's my brother's type, I smirk, nodding my head at the thought. I mean my brother, Ranko, always preferred men to women. Maybe I should set them up.

But before I could think of the different outcomes, Kakashi starts to stir awake. He opens his eyes, lazily, and I watch as he sits up without noticing me. When he looks slightly confused about his whereabouts, I speck up.

"Welcome back to the world of the living," I smirk as I catch my sensei's attention. Before he says something, I continue. "You passed out due to your chakra exhaustion, so Sasuke and Naruto carried you here. We're at Tazuna's house and I healed your wounds."

He nods in understanding. "Thanks, Riko. Can you call the rest of the team, I need to tell you guys something important," he tells me.

I nod, "you're welcome and sure I'll do that."

Standing up from my sitting position, I leave the room and go down the stairs to the dining area. Seeing my team sit around the table, I cross my arms.

"Guys," I call, gaining their attention. "Sensei woke up, he wants to talk to us. He said it's important," I inform my team and Tazuna, who's sitting there as well.

"Sensei," Naruto exclaims, running past me and up the stairs.

I smirk before I look at the pinkette. "You okay," I whisper once I reach her side.

"Yeah," Sakura smiles. "I'm just relieved that he woke up, you know," she states.

"Yeah. Well, let's go see what he wants to talk about," I say, bravely grabbing onto her hand and leading her.

I smile with a small blush forming on my cheeks as I hold her hand. Her fingers slim and delicate as if she's made out of porcelain. Our fingers intertwining as they fit perfectly together. Walking up to the room, I watch as Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter, enters the room.

"Are you alright, Kakashi-san," she asks our sensei.

Entering the room with Sakura, I hear his reply. "Yeah, I just can't move for a week or so," he informs.

Immediately, Sakura rushes up to Kakashi's side seeing as the others are seated around him. Slight sadness fills me as I feel the absence of Sakura's hand in mine. Sighing, I walk over to the wall and lean against it.

"What?!" Sakura exclaims. "The Sharingan is incredible, but if it puts that much stress on your body, I guess you have to think before using it," she scolds our sensei.

Oh, Sakura not everything can be perfect, some things just have flaws.

"Well, we defeated that strong of a ninja! We should be safe for a while," Tazuna states.

About that...

"Who was that masked kid anyways," Sakura asks, rubbing her chin in thought. 

"That mask, they're worn by the Hidden Mist Special Hunter-Nin team. They are also known as the Body Erasers. Their task is to dispose the body without a trace. The ninja's body has within it secrets of the village's Ninjutsu; information on the different chakra natures, herbs, and other things that will reveal things about the village. For example, if I died, the secrets of the Sharingan could be revealed. If you're not careful there's the danger that the enemy will steal your jutsu," Kakashi explains to us the importance of that masked kid.

Before any of us can say anything, Kakashi continues to explain. "A ninja's body can reveal important information. So, killing and disposing of the Missing-Nins who abandoned their village, the Hunter-Nins protect the information from getting out. They're the specialists that guard the village's secrets. No sound, no smell, that is a ninja's end," he finishes dramatically.

Talk about creepy, I shudder.

"So that Zabuza had been chipped up and disposed of? Scary," Sakura exclaims with fear, her face more pale than usual.

Still exhausted with the Sharingan's effects, Kakashi lies back down. Almost immediately, he falls back asleep. Sighing, I remove myself from the wall.

"Come on, guys, let's let him rest," I usher my team out the room.

Naruto pouts before walking out of the room. Sasuke grunts as usual and follows him out. Then Sakura, who's already staring dreamily at the Uchiha, follows him out. I shake my head and ignore the slight disappointment in my heart.

I stay behind and clean all the medical supplies that I left lying around. Picking them up, I quickly place a wet towel on Kakashi's forehead so his fever could lower. Done with that, I sigh and walk out the room and quietly close the door behind me.

Turning around, I almost crash with Tsunami. "Ah, my apologies," I shyly smile.

"Nonsense, it was my fault," she reassures kindly.

"Alright," I say, accepting it. Turning to walk away, I stop as I remember something. "Tsunami-san, do you know which room in staying in," I ask the older woman.

She smiles. "It's the last one to the right," she directs.

"Arigato, Tsunami-san," I thank.

Turning away, once again, I follow her directions as I want to rest for the night since its already late. Thinking that the rooms are gender assigned, I shyly walk towards the door.

If it is gender assigned, then that means, I blush with embarrassment.

Reaching the bedroom, I hesitantly open the door as I mentally prepare myself. Sliding it open, I blush bright red. I quickly cover my eyes with my hands since the person is slightly undressed.

"S-Sasuke? W-what are you doing here," I ask, still covering my eyes as his torso is still exposed.

"Hn, we're sharing a room," he replies like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"B-but why," I persist.

He sighs. "Because Naruto and I don't get along and I'm not sharing a room with Sakura. We're the only ones who slightly get along in this team," he explains.

Dropping my hands in disappointment, I sigh. "I guess that's true, but then that means-" I cut myself off as my eyes widen in anger.

Naruto's with Sakura, I clench my jaw as my hands form two fists. Naruto, you sly dog.

- - - - - Le Mini Time Skip - - - - -

Waking up the next day, I silently yawn as I sit up. Stretching, I pop all my locked joints. Turning my head to the side, I see that Sasuke's tatami mat is rolled up indicating that he already woke up.

Groaning, I get out from under the warm cover and stand up. Nearly rolling my tatami mat, I place on the other side of the room and pick out my clothes. Since I took a shower yesterday before I slept, I quickly change into my clothes.

Wanting to check up on Kakashi's health, I leave the room and walk down the hall. Sliding the door open, I'm met with my fellow teammates. Now this would've been a normal sight, but right now, I watch as Naruto tries to pull Kakashi's mask off.

Unaware​ of my presence, I inhale and stand straight, crossing my arms. "What are you doing," I snap.

Naruto yelps and falls back on his butt. Sakura squeaks and turns to me in surprise and shock. Sasuke just tenses. But with my outburst, Kakashi opens his eye on alarm.

The door opens once again and Tsunami steps in. "Oh, Kakashi, you're awake," she says as she sees our sensei sit up.

Breaking my tense posture, I walk further into the room and sit next to Sasuke.

"What's wrong sensei," Naruto asks after a long pause of silence.

"Uh, well, Body Erasing teams usually dispose of the body of the person they killed right there," he says.

Crossing my arms, once again, I nod. "Yes, you explained this yesterday. Why are you bringing it up again," I ask.

"Don't you see? How did that masked kid dispose of Zabuza's body," Kakashi suddenly asks.

"Huh? How could we know. That masked guy took the body with him," Sakura states.

"Exactly," I nod. "We didn't see him dispose the body because he took it to who knows where."

"Yeah, if he needed proof of his work, he could have just taken the head. And the weapon that he used, what was it," Kakashi continues.

I look back to the weapon he used and I'm suddenly being slapped with realization. Son of a...

"No way," Sasuke mutters as he, too, remembers the weapon.

"Yeah, exactly," Kakashi nods as we got all his questions right.

"What are you guys talking about," Tazuna butts in, clueless about the situation.

"Most likely, Zabuza is alive!"

"WHAT," Naruto, Sakura, and Tazuna all shout in synch.

"What the hell do you mean," Naruto screeches angrily.

"Kakashi-sensei, you checked and said that he was dead," Sakura exclaims.

"Yeah, I did, but that was most likely just a momentary death," the sensei simply explains. "Riko, you're studying Medical Ninjutsu, aren't you," he asks me from out of no where.

"Yes, that's right. Why," I confirm.

"Tell me, could a senbon needle kill someone," he asks.

"Hmm," I close my eyes and think. I open my eyes and frown, "unless it hits a vital organ, it has a low probability of killing your opponent. It's even an item used by doctors in acupuncture therapy. Let's say that I wanted to become a Hunter-Nin, that would require me to study the body structure thoroughly. Enough that putting a person in a momentary death state becomes very easy. That's what the guy did, right," I theorize.

"Correct. First, he carried away the body of the much heavier Zabuza. Second, he used a weapon that has a low probability of killing. These two points indicate that his motives was not to kill Zabuza, but to save him. We can't ignore that possibility," Kakashi summarizes.

"Aren't you thinking too much? Hunter-Nins are supposed to kill Missing-Nins," Tazuna states, not wanting to believe us.

I can't blame him. I mean, we're talking about a guy who's trying to kill him and saying that he's more alive than dead.

"No, with all the suspicion we will prepare before it's too late. That's a Shinobi rule," Kakashi says matter of factly. "Plus, whether Zabuza's dead or alive, there's no assurances that Gatou hasn't hired an even stronger Shinobi."

From the corner of my eye, I could tell that Naruto's smiling with excitement and determination.

"Sensei, what do you mean preparing before it's too late? You could barely move," Sakura asks, catching my attention.

Yes, what does he mean?

"Hehe, you guys will receive training," he answers with his famous closed eye smile.

"Huh, training," she asks cluelessly. Well, that until her face turn to one full of anger. "Sensei! What's a little training going to do?! Our enemy is a ninja you struggled even with the Sharingan," she exclaims, going into her scary mode.

Geez, remind me to never get her angry.

Calm as ever, Kakashi answers her. "Sakura, who saved me while I was struggling? You guys are growing rapidly. Especially Naruto! You've improved the most," he finishes with his closed eye smile.

I watch as Naruto blushes in appreciation. He really does grow a lot. From a prankster to a ninja who never backs down, I smile.

"But obviously, this is just training until I get better, you won't be able to defeat him without me," Kakashi states nonchalantly.

Man, talk about having a big ego.

"But sensei, if Zabuza is alive he could attack at anytime, so shouldn't we be training," Sakura asks nervously.

"About that. A person put in momentary death situation, it should take a while before their body returns to normal," Kakashi explains.

I smirk. "So, he's just like you; weak," I state, tauntingly. I hear Sasuke scoff in amusement as both Naruto and Sakura giggle.

"Urm, yes," he says, rubbing the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"So we train until then. Sounds like a lot of fun," Naruto exclaims with determination.

I smirk, indeed. Let the fun commence!

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Well, that's Chapter 6! Whoo! 2,246 words, I know short, but I just wanted to update something since I didn't last week. Btw, I'm sorry for that.

So, tell me what you think!

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SAYONARA, MY POTATO ARMY!