Chapter 3 - Loss

4. Loss

"Man! What a day!" Mimic exclaimed while flopping down on her mattress and letting out a relieved sigh. "First, Robin wakes us up at the crack of dawn to train for some simulation or what not, and then said training lasted for 3 hours! I ought to wring his neck." Mimic huffed and rolled over onto her back to stare up at her ceiling. Her angry expression melted into concern as the day's events flooded through her mind. The image of her friend's ice-cold eyes as she was about to kill Naruto lingered in her head.

'I've never seen Crys lose control like that… It's normally either Fade or myself that loses control over our other side. And to attack Naruto… it was so unexpected.'
She sighs and rolls onto her side, using her arm as a pillow.

'The Crystal I know would have never attacked Naruto like that… especially with what happened.'

[Flashback Time!]

Team Alpha leapt through the treetops, smiles and excitement on their faces. Fade and Mimic were in the lead, the other two falling shortly behind.

"Man, it's been forever since we last visited home." Fade said, anxious to see her father. Mimic nodded, wearing the same eager grin that Fade had on her face.

"I wonder how everyone's grown!"

"I bet Naruto's still at a Genin rank."

All girls sweat dropped and sighed while saying in unison:

"Probably."

Flame smiled and pointed up ahead.

"I see the Hokage Monument!"

Fade grinned and looked over at her teammates.

"What are we waiting for then?"

With that, they ran at full speed.

They jumped down from the trees and onto the dirt road that led to the large gates.

"We should make Asuma treat us to BBQ!" Crystal exclaimed with a giggle as Flame glared.

"My father isn't made of money, you know."

"My father's dead."

"Sometimes I wish it were you instead of him."

"dog."

The two 17-year-olds glared at each other, sparks of anger flickering between them.

"Hey, hey… Calm it. Dinner's on Iruka-Sensei." Fade said with a smile as Mimic gasped.

"MY DAD'S NOT MR. RICH EITHER!"

The girls all laughed as they stepped out of the canopy of the forest tress. Flame was the first to stop laughing as she opened her eyes and saw their village.

"Oh…Oh my god." She whispered, shock and grief in her voice. The other girls stopped laughing immediately and turned in the direction Flame was staring. Their eyes widened and their heart seemed to drop into their stomach.

The village was in ruins.

They could see smoke still lingering off buildings; the scent of death was revolting.

Fade took a step forward, tears rimming her eyes as she stared with disbelief at their former home.

"No…"

The other girls followed their leader, disbelief in their eyes as well.

A single tear fell from Flame's eye as she looked upon the deserted battlefield.

"Konoha… has fallen."

All the girls looked at the ground, trying to wrap themselves around this devastating news, when Mimic's head shot up, her eyes wide with fear.

"Dad!"

She suddenly dashed into the village. The other girls gasped, realizing they should try and see if there were any survivors. They split up and searched the village.

XxXxXxXxX

"Natsumi… why are you crying?" Giant tearful eyes stared at the man leaning over her; his soft smile made her cry even more. She jumped into his arms and held him tight. The older man blinked in surprise, but hugged his daughter lovingly. He patted her head and smoothed out her long red hair.

"Natsumi… did something happen at school?" He asked calmly, already knowing the answer, seeing how she was home far too early.

"E-Everyone was p-picking on me c-cause I c-c-can't manipulate chakra that well… T-they said I wasn't good enough to be a shi-shi-shinobi cause I have su-su-super powers!" She bawled and stained his vest with her salty tears. He smiled, letting out a soft chuckle at his daughter.

"Now, how is it a bad thing if you have super powers?"

She pulled away and rubbed her eyes.

"B-because… I'm not a true shinobi… I'm not like daddy." She whimpered, her green orbs boring into his.

"Baka. You can't be like me." He whispered, staring into her eyes intently.

Her eyes widened and new tears began to form.

Her own dad thought she was a failure too?

She gasped when he smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Because you're going to surpass me, and most likely everyone in your class. Your powers aren't a disadvantage, Natsumi. They're your trump card. I know you'll become a strong kunoichi, someone who will defend this village; defend our home."

She blushed and looked up at her grinning father.

"I'm sure of it."

She smiled and giggled as she hugged her father once more.

"I will be strong, daddy! I promise!"

Tears fell from her green eyes, each landing on the pale face of a man who was the Ninja Academy's top instructor. His lower half was covered in boulders, and dried blood stained his once leafy-green vest. There were bruises and scrapes on every inch of skin.

The girl sank to her knees and her pale hand gently caressed his lifeless face.

"I'm sorry for not keeping my promise…"

She whispered as tears began to flow ceaselessly down her pale cheeks.

"I'm so sorry…daddy."

She leaned over his lifeless form as sobs shook her small form.

xXxXxXxX

Flame leapt from building to building in search of her father and mother. She stopped in midair when she saw a chakra blade lying in the dirt. Doing a nosedive, she reached the blade in a matter of seconds. She gently picked it up and looked back and forth quickly. Her eyes stopped on two figures lying motionless near the old Yamanaka flower shop. Dropping the blade in shock, she sprinted towards the two. She stopped next to the bodies and felt her heart shatter.

Asuma and Kurenai were lying on top of one another, their stomachs slashed and their innards gushing out. Her face paled and she immediately lunged to the left, emptying her stomach contents on the ground.

Once she was able to move again, she glanced at her parent's bodies; tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"What? Momma's having a baby?" Flame practically screamed over the phone, temporarily causing hearing loss for her poor old dad.

"Yeah, she's on her 3rd month. It's been hell."

A feminine voice was heard in the background shouting: "I heard that!"

She giggled as she listened to her father apologize.

"I'm so excited!"

"You should be… because, you and Shikamaru will be responsible for it if anything should happen to us." He said solemnly.

"Ha. Don't worry dad, nothing's going to happen to you, mom, or my new baby sister. I'll make sure of it!"

Flame looks away in shame after closing her parent's eyes.

"I'm sorry… I failed you."

xXxXxXxX

"Dad… do you ever fear death when you're on your missions?" A four-year-old Fade asks her father while licking her ice cream cone. Kakashi blinks and looks down at his daughter.

"You're only four… where do you get such morbid thoughts?"

"Hyuuga-Kun."

'Reminder: Tell Guy-Sensei to keep Neji and his bitter thoughts away from Yume.'

"Well, I do fear death. I think everyone does… because there's something everyone has to live for."

"Like Naruto's dream to be Hokage?"

"Yes…although, sometimes it's better not to live for a fantasy."

"Dad…"

"Sorry, sorry. I know you admire him. Anyway… even though I constantly face my fears of dying, I would still be happy to fall in the line of duty. It's a great honor. Though, I'm not saying I want to die." He smiles, his one visible eye going into an upside down 'U.' "Because I still have something to live for."

Yume looks up at him and licks her lips.

"What's that?"

He smiles and pats her head.

"You, kiddo."

Fade stares down at the burned body of Hatake Kakashi, her eyes hidden beneath her bangs.

"Dad…"

She clutched her chest as a tear fell down her cheek.

"I know you fought hard…and died with honor… so…so I…"

She smiled softly and looked up at the sky.

"I'm proud to be your daughter…"

She fell to her knees and cried into her hands.

Crystal watched Fade cry over her father. Her own eyes were cold and emotionless. She knew this pain, the pain of losing a father. However… her brother was another story.

She held a torn and bloody orange and black jacket with the Uzumaki symbol stitched on it's back to her chest. Her icy blue eyes filled with tears and dripped down her cheeks as she too, cried; her face remaining a blank canvas.

'It sparks a numbness deep inside ones heart when they lose that precious person.'
xXxXxXx

[End of Flashback]

Shaking the bitter memories away, Mimic sat up and crossed her legs. She rubbed her temples as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Finally, she let out an exasperated shout and fell backwards onto her bed while yelling "I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS SH*T ANYMORE!"