Relentless (Book 2)

Restless- Katsu

Katsu awoke with a start, eyes flashing open as her heart rate very gradually began to calm itself. She had dreamt of nothing, though her mind was somehow in a mode of panic. She took deep breaths, wiping the cold sweat from her face before sitting up. Adrenaline was coursing through her.

She knew she could not sleep a wink longer, so she stood up, slinging on her Jonin jacket right over her pajamas. Putting on her green frog slippers, Katsu pulled her hair up into a messy bun and rushed outside. She wasn't posted to patrol the Village that night but she knew the fresh air of a walk would help calm her down. Katsu continued to take deep breaths, hyperaware of everything around her. It was dark in the village, stars providing a calming light. She tried to think about things to distract her as she walked swiftly along the winding roads of the Leaf. The next day, she was scheduled to train the three children with Kakashi very early, most likely before the sun could rise. No doubt only a few hours away.

Tamiko's Red Deer puppet had been completed, the thing somehow never ceasing to unnerve Katsu. The young, redheaded girl had already begun on her second project, this one constructed of ebony, though its figure was still very crude and Katsu was still unsure of the name Tamiko would choose to assign it.

Erika had advanced further on her weather jutsus, managing to master conjuring up small dust devils.

Hibiki had accomplished adding more echoclones to the supply he had previously been able to muster up.

Katsu herself, had also improved. She had managed to accomplish summoning larger animals with scrolls as well as being capable of performing her kekkei genkai for up to a full minute without exerting her body too much. She was careful about how she pushed herself on the latter, sure that if she wasn't, serious and fatal consequences would surely arise. As Katsu was thinking, she suddenly walked right into someone else who in turn, dropped everything they had been holding.

It was dark and Katsu couldn't see who it was. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she said, hastily crouching down with them to help pick up what she realized were kunai knives.

"It's no problem at all," Katsu heard the man say and she froze as Kakashi lightly took the knives from her and tucked them away.

Katsu could see him now, his white hair stark in the darkness. He had regained much of his health since his imprisonment by Orochimaru. Katsu was glad to see that his complexion had returned to normal, his uncovered eye a more rich shade of grey than they had been before.

"Oh," she said dumbly after realizing it was him.

He chuckled, his arms crossed as he looked her up and down. "Nice pajamas," he acknowledged with a small, hidden smirk.

Embarrassed, Katsu swiftly pulled her jacket tighter around herself. Her shorts though, of which she couldn't hide, were patterned with purple kunai, her frog slippers very apparent.

Kakashi chuckled again. "Oh, come on, they're adorable." He looked more closely at her feet. "Wow, Jiraiya would love those."

"Shut up, Kakashi," Katsu demanded, her cheeks flaming. She had not realized he would be posted there that night. If she had, she would never have gone outside. She spun on one heel and began heading in the opposite direction. She heard him laugh in amusement as he followed her, walking just beside her. "Aw, come on, where's your sense of humor?"

"I came out only because of restless sleep. I'm ready to return to my place now."

"Sure that's the only reason?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "Or did you just feel like paying me a visit?"

Katsu rolled her eyes and with the smallest of smiles said, "I'm positive  it's the only reason."

He stopped in the road when she did. "Oh, Katsu, lying to yourself? Really? You don't deserve that."