Puppet Strings// Naruto Shippuden Sasori Fanfiction (Complete)

Results Pt. 1

*Chapter 8*

My parents and I were having our usual breakfast in silence. 

Today is the day where Aki, Takahara and I would become a team again. As I drank my soup, the butterflies in my stomach wouldn't stop fluttering. "Kivi." My father called me in his booming voice. "Yes, Father?" I murmured. My father slammed his hand on the table, making me jumped. "I don't want to hear such a weak voice from you! Speak up!" 

"Yes, Father!" My voice cracked from shock, making my father tsked with annoyance. "Today you will be in a team again and I don't want you to fall back from your other team mates. You are a Kagura so don't you dare to shame me again." My father always told me not to shame him every morning ever since what happened 6 months ago. If he heard what happened to Sasori and I yesterday, I will probably never see daylight again.

I clutched onto my mask and place it firmly on my face. I bowed to my father and mother. "I won't, Father. I'll be leaving now." I received no response in return as usual and walked out of the house, silently. 

"Kivi!" I turned around to see Aki running towards me, it almost reminded me of what happened 6 months ago when she ran towards me before flashing the picture of Sasori and I. It scarred me and my heart accelerated in panic for awhile. "Kivi, we're finally a team again, aren't we?" Aki cheered as she took my hands in hers. My heart setted down. "Come on, we need to go meet up with that annoying Takahara and our teacher-in-charge." She pulled me along before I could even say anything.

We reached our meeting place and Takahara was there, wearing his usual goofy smile as he waved at us. "Ladies, you're here!" Aki let my hand go as we approached him. "You're early, Takahara." Aki grinned with mock fascination. "Where's our teacher?" 

Then, as if on cue, someone jumped down from behind us. "Here." All three of us turned to see a black hair guy with very sharp-looking red eyes. He looked like he is almost the same age as Mr Haruki and his flawless face features made him look very handsome. "I'm Sendo Tanaka. Why don't we proceed by introducing yourself before we go ahead with the real game."

Real game? Takahara raised his hand first in excitement and Tanaka-sensei pointed his jaw at him to proceed. "I'm Takahara Yuya and I wished to be a kazekage for a certain someone." He announced. Then I remembered what he said from 6 months back.

I'll become a Kazekage if it means for you to look at me.

Is he still...

Aki raised her hand next and got the same signal from Tanaka-sensei. "My name is Asahi Aki and I want to be the best female ninja in the sand village." Tanaka-sensei nodded, "Looks like you two have very strong ambitions and I want to see the same energy later." Tanaka-sensei turned to look at me. "What about you?" 

I looked at him straight, wearing the mask really gave me a little more guts and also, from all the training my father had given me. "My name is Kagura Kivi, daughter of the Kagura clan." Aki and Takahara were waiting for me to say more but I met their disappointment. "No ambitions?" Tanaka-sensei asked as Aki and Takahara looked at me again. I bit my lower lip. I want to be someone worthy for Sasori.

I bit my tongue. I can't say that so I repeated the words that my father had drilled into me everyday. "As heir to the Kagura clan," I began. "I have no other ambitions than to protect my clan and strive to become the strongest." I murmured. Aki and Takahara exchanged looks with each other.

Tanaka-sensei just nodded. "I heard many things about the Kagura clan. I'm looking forward to see it for myself later." Tanaka-sensei walked towards us with his arms crossed as he studied us. "We shall proceed with the real thing now. I will be testing on your strengths as a team, the results will determine whether you three can handle the nin world and if you fail, you three better quit being ninjas. Follow me." Aki and Takahara looked extremely nervous. "We'll be fine." I told them. "I won't let that happen."

We followed Tanaka-sensei to an underground base. "I will challenge you three here." He brought out an empty can and placed it on the ground. "All you three have to do is to kick the can and you win. Of course, I'll be there to prevent you to do that." Tanaka-sensei crossed his arms again. "Come at me as if I'm really your enemy and the can is someone you're tasked to save. You have 5 hours." 

"Kick the person we're suppose to save?"  Takahara joked. "Tha-" 

"Begin!" Tanaka-sensei interrupted before his body turned into sand and scattered onto the ground. "A replacement technique?" Aki gasped. We all looked around. It's quite a big place with many rooms, almost like an underground dungeon but the place is so empty that any sound can turned into echo.

Aki, Takahara and I ran to find a hiding place to plan our 'rescue'. We laid low in a dark area and started whispering. "We can't make a lot of sound. This place is almost impossible for us to hide properly." Takahara whispered, looking around. "We can come up with a distraction. Kivi and I could distract Tanaka-sensei while you take that chance to kick the can." Aki whispered.

"What if Tanaka-sensei use his Clone technique while you two were busy?" Takahara countered. "I will cover you." I reassured him. "But Tanaka-sensei won't go down that easily so we need to at least find his weakness." Aki and Takahara looked at me, "How?" I put a finger under my chin and think before I signalled for them to get closer to whisper my plan to them. 

"Ready?" Aki and Takahara nodded. "Let's go."