Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Ancient Wind ❯ The Return of an Old Friend ( Chapter 3 )

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update the chapter…I just wanna thank Bryanna and LunaGoddessOf Foxes for reviewing, I really really appreciate it! I hope you enjoy!!! And yes…Gaara will turn up at some point in this chapter. ^.^

 

 

Ancient Wind

Chapter 3 - The Return of an Old Friend

 

 

Sakura's eyes snapped open. Those couldn't have possibly been her memories. She looked around at the group that was staring down at her and her gaze fell upon a raven haired girl. Somehow, she seemed familiar….

Naruto suddenly gave a whoot and jumped up and down around Sasuke and Sakura. Sakura made a face until she noticed the black haired ninja staring down at her. Her eyes lit up and she hugged him. “You were taking care of me, weren't you? Thank you!”

Naruto stopped and frowned, crossing his arms. “Hey…how come he gets a hug?”

Sakura stuck her tongue out at him and Sasuke gently pushed her off him. “It's good to see that you're awake,” his voice didn't carry much emotion, but the small smile on his face was sincere.

Sakura stood up and quickly thanked Hinata for all her help. She then turned her attention to the raven haired girl, who'd been standing back and watching quietly. “You're the girl from my dream, aren't you?”

Keifumi blinked for a moment, letting the words sink in before smiling gently at the kunoichi. “It was a most likely a flashback. The ring you were wearing before gave you some of my memories in exchange for your energy…”

Sakura frowned, fingering her now epmty finger and spotting the ring on the hand of the girl standing before her. “But if that's the case then…you don't have a family, do you?”

Keifumi shook her head. “The memory you most likely saw took place 2 years ago,”

Naruto turned from Sakura to Keifumi and back again. “Anyone mind telling me what's going on??”

Sasuke stood up and approached Keifumi, almost staring her down. “Then you're like me…aren't you?”

“Except for the fact that I don't have anymore living family members…yes,”

“Why don't we go an discuss this over some ramen?” Kakashi suggested, noting Naruto's frusteration before walking off towards the village.

Naruto's face immediately lit up and he hurried after Kakashi, slowing down a bit to walk next to Hinata and talking to her happily about ramen.

“Shall we?” Sasuke motioned to the others, slowly making his way forward with Sakura.

Keifumi stayed back for a moment, watching the small, carefree group. I can't stay here long…I'm only putting them in danger…

Sakura turned around, waving her over. “You coming?”

Keifumi smiled and nodded, hurrying to catch up with Sasuke and Sakura.

 

She sighed, satisfied. It had been quite a while since she'd had a decent meal. She sat back, watching the others. Kakashi had his nose buried on some book, Naruto was chattering away happily with a blushing Hinata, Sakura was swooning at Sasuke who was mostly ignoring her. Keifumi couldn't help but giggle. They were the most interesting group she'd met in a long time. Kinda reminds me of Kai, Ryu and Kyo…

“Hey, hey! So what were you guys talking about before?” Naruto suddenly piped up.

All heads turned to Keifumi, who sighed again. She'd had a feeling that someone was going to ask. I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell them a little…Sakura already has a few of my memories after all.She took a deep breath. “As you may have guessed, I'm the sole survivor of the Funabashi Clan…”

“Is that like Sasuke's clan? Or like Hinata-chan's?” Naruto asked, scrunching up his face in thought.

Keifumi nodded slowly. “Something like that. The main family was made up of my parents, my three older brothers and me. My father was the leader, and my oldest brother, Ryu, was the heir. At that point, the only one who possessed `The Ancient Wind' was my father. My brother was still trying to learn it,”

“'The Ancient Wind'? Is that a technique? It sounds somewhat familiar…” Sakura inquired, reaching back in the crevices of her mind. “As far as I know, the technique is not only fatal to the victim, but also to the wielder, because it's difficult to learn and control,”

“It is a technique that no one but the main family of my clan has possessed. It used to be that every member possessed it, but too many deaths occurred trying to teach the technique, so it was banned…more or less,”

“Let me guess,” Sasuke said slowly, resting his chin on his hands. “Some guy wanted to learn the technique and attacked your village to get it?”

“Not quite….the man who attacked my clan already new the technique…but he wasn't part of the main family or the clan itself. Before becoming the leader, my father had run away from home, disgusted by the idea of already having his future laid out for him. During his escape, he met a boy who was his age, but was poor and weak. My father took him in and, in essence, became his teacher. He taught him the technique to help him survive. The boy left my father during the night and he woke up to a group of clan guards around him. He suspected that the boy somehow informed my grandfather of my father's whereabouts and then left,”

“Wait…so your father taught a fatal technique to some random stranger?” Sakura stared. “But I thought you said that there were too many deaths even within your clan learning that technique…so how can an outsider master it?”

“The technique depends on the skill of the mind. If you don't have the ability to concentrate properly, then there's no way you can use the technique,”

“Well that definitely counts Naruto out,” Sasuke stated lightly.

“Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!” Naruto yelled across the table, jumping up out of his seat.

Kakashi placed a hand on the blonde's head and forced him to sit back down. “So what does that have to do with the extinction of your clan?”

“The man my father had taken in as an apprentice is the one I suspect of having killed and attacked both my clan and the village my family was taking cover in. I don't have any real proof, except for the fact that he controlled the technique, was definitely not from my clan and had piercing red eyes…”

“Ano…why are the red eyes important?” Hinata asked, timidly looking at Keifumi from across the table.

“The only description my father had given me about the boy he'd taught the technique to, was that he had piercing red eyes…” her voice trailed off and she closed her eyes, fighting back the memories of her family.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something, when a sudden scream broke through the peaceful silence.

The six of them immediately jumped up and hurried towards the sound, right at the outskirts of the village.

When they arrived they found a dark silhouette standing over a fallen figure, sand swirling around him. “Never get in my way,” his voice was cold and sent a shiver down Keifumi's spine.

The silhouette turned and the light of the full moon lit up his face. His red hair waved gently in the wind as he stared down at them with piercing green eyes.

Keifumi took a subconscious step back. Of course she recognised him. Who else could kill mercilessly and without a flinch? It all made perfect sense…the symbol for love on his forehead, the sand swirling around him. “G-Gaara…?”

 

 

There yah go! I realise it's a little short…please forgive me!! *sniffle* But I'll try to get the next chapter out soon. I just needed something to keep the story going so I wouldn't veer off the plot like I usually do….-.-;; Please review!! My next chapter may just come out faster that way! ^.^

 

Translations:

Ano - Umm