At a Crossroads #Wattys2015

Loner- Mizuki

A sheen of sweat covered Mizuki's hot skin. She had been training for hours. Her white bangs lay plastered to her forehead, irritatingly blocking her view from time to time.

Mizuki stepped out of the training dojo to get some fresh air. It was growing darker, the faint pinpoints of stars beginning to show through the orange blanket of sky. Mizuki walked to the rail of the rap-around porch and clutched the red-painted wood. Closing her eyes, she willed her breathing to calm. The air was clean tonight, like any other in the Hidden Leaf Village.

A light wind cooled her skin, carrying with it the scent of mint grass and cherry blossoms. Mizuki heard voices in the distance, people on their way home from a long work day. Soon the village would be peaceful, as most of its citizens slumbered. But not her. She had more training to do. But a short well-deserved break was appropriate, she thought. After all, she was one of the highest ranking ninjas in the entire village. Some might even say she was the greatest. That is, if they weren't too busy being afraid of her.

It was also because of that Hatake ninja. He loved to show off when he and Mizuki trained at the same times. That sharingan of his would prove to be a problem for her if she couldn't best it. But she didn't worry about that too much. In fact, she smirked. No one in the village knew of Mizuki's kekkei genkai. But if they did, they would treat her differently.

Mizuki didn't jump when a voice spoke behind her, though her hand instinctively moved to a pair of kunai knives strapped to her waist.

"Mizuki Amara," said the irritatingly familiar voice. It was a male's. And he sounded amused. "I am curious as to why she insists on training all day on the only few days we have off."

Mizuki turned to face Kakashi Hatake, her grey eyes steely. "I am curious as to why you care. And why you insist on interrupting me instead of training for yourself."

Kakashi raised a slim eyebrow over a dark eye, his other one, the sharingan, concealed by the peculiar mask he wore. "Why would I need to train extra," he said, in mock puzzlement. "If I am already better than you? "

Mizuki glowered at him and smiled a sickly sweet smile. "Cute," she said.

"Thanks for noticing," Kakashi winked. He strode over to the railing to stand next to her. He looked out at the village and exhaled, breathing out the fresh air. "It's nice up here," he acknowledged.

Mizuki nodded. "Yes. It was anyways," she muttered.

Even though he was wearing the mask she could tell he grinned. "Oh come on," he said. "You have to admit my company is much enjoyed. I can tell by the way you persist on doing any and everything you can to make me believe you hate me. But that's impossible, of course! I'm Kakashi." His eye shut in a smile.

Mizuki rolled her eyes. "You don't know who I am," she said simply, heading for the exit of the dojo. That ninja wasn't worth her time. No one was. She had one mission. And one mission only. She didn't have time for lousy distractions.

Kakashi was suddenly in front of her, blocking the exit. "And you don't know who I am," he said. "But Mizuki, I want to know who you are. We are colleagues. We must learn all we can about each other to perform our jobs successfully as a team."

Mizuki groaned inwardly as well as outwardly. "Look," she said, seriously. "All you need to know about me is that I am powerful and loyal to this village. Like all the other shinobi here."

She moved to go around him but he blocked her path by sticking out an arm. "Not good enough," he said simply. "I wish to know more."

Mizuki elbowed his arm and almost broke through, but it was like iron. She glared at him. "What do you want from me, Hatake?" she snapped. "I'm not in the mood for childish games."

"Not even one?" he asked hopefully. He was so immature, she thought. His face finally became serious as he said, "Well, Amara, I want to know exactly what  you are. I have people to protect in this village and I don't think I can do that successfully if I don't know all of the the potential dangers they're in."

A brief silence followed his statement before Mizuki laughed in his face. "You think I  am a danger to the Hidden Leaf Village? No, Kakashi, I was serious when I said I didn't want any games. That included jokes. Now leave me alone."

Mizuki ducked under his arm and this time, the white-haired ninja didn't stop her. It was dark out now as she headed to her small apartment building. She had planned on remaining at the dojo for several more hours, yet those plans had clearly been foiled.

Why did Kakashi have to be so nosy? He was the only thing close to an acquaintance that she had had in many years. Some part of her wanted him to know all about her past. That way she might have someone to confide in. Not that he could ever truly understand. No one could.

But the half of Mizuki with more sense knew she could never tell Kakashi or anyone the truth about her. It would put her, as well as those around her, in danger. And she wouldn't allow that. Her problems were hers and hers alone. And nothing he, or anyone else for that matter, could say or do would sway her of that logic. She was a loner. And it was that way for a reason.

Image: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_maadioRRTj1r53y44.jpg