Destiny of the Cursed

Chapter 1: The Coincidence

"Hm-hum-hum-hm…" Hatake Kakashi, a jonin of Konoha, hummed a silent song while strolling down the road of peace. He was always doing this. For the villagers, he's merely enjoying an evening walk. But his friends know better. He may be lazy, to say the least, but he was very protective of his village.

He suddenly stopped, sensing a different chakra signature. Slipping a hand down his pocket for a kunai, he asked out loud. "Who's there? Show yourself." The bushes beside a tree rustled, and out came something that he didn't expect most. It was a young girl about the age of 5, with long brown hair and fading grey eyes. Her black shorts were torn and her shirt was missing a sleeve. She held a long slender sword with a golden handle with one hand, the other clutching an injured part of her stomach. She was badly bleeding as well. "Please, sir… Help m-" She collapsed face forward, and he rushed towards her as fast as lightning. He caught her just in time, her small face centimeters apart from the ground. He breathed out a sigh of relief and teleported to the hospital.

At the hospital…

"How is she?" Kakashi asked a male medic who just got out of the room. The doctor faced him. "She had a lot of injuries, and loss a fairly large amount of blood. But for a little girl, she's pretty strong. She's fine now, nothing to worry about." Kakashi took a deep breath. "Thanks." He said, before opening the room. "Wait."

He stopped, and glanced at the medic. "Hai?"

The medic hesitated. "Uh…Hatake-san, when we were cleaning her wounds, there was this sword-like birthmark on her left shoulder… Does that mean anything to you?" Kakashi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. It is a bit familiar…he thought. "Nope! Nothing!" he lied.

The medic sweatdropped. "Er, okay then."

Entering the room, he saw her lying peacefully in bed with a lot of bandages around her body. Beside her bed was the sword she was holding earlier. He sat on a chair, examining her. She looks too young to be a spy… thought Kakashi. But then again, she was pretty strong…

"W-where… am I?" a small hoarse voice asked. His head snapped up, to see now intense grey eyes staring back at him. She looks…. Wary. Not scared, but wary. Oh well… he decided. "Ohayo!" he greeted cheerfully, perhaps too much. The girl became startled and reached out for her sword. Kakashi put his hands up in defense. "Ah, sorry. Uh, I'm Kakashi. We met earlier. You collapsed, remember?" The girl lowered her guard and slowly nodded. "You're at a hospital. You're safe now, from whatever thing you were running away from."

The girl was silent. After a few moments, she spoke up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be such a burden." He was shocked at the way she spoke. "No, no. You weren't a burden. Not at all." He convinced. The girl looked up with sad cute eyes. "R-really?" she asked hopeful. With those eyes, he had to control himself from hugging the girl. "Yeah, of course." The girl let out a small tentative smile. "Arigatou Gozaimasu." She told him. He smiled behind his mask. "What's your name?"

"Katana." She answered simply. "Katana…?" he inquired waiting for the lastname. The girl visibly tensed, as if she wanted to avoid it. Kakashi noticed this. "It's alright not to say, after all, we only have met."

The girl nodded, silently agreeing. Why is he so kind to me? Should I trust him? She looked at him. He was different. Very different indeed. His silver hair, black eyes… and that look of kindness he gave her as if she wasn't a stranger to him. The people in her village, they all judged her. But him… he was not one to look down on her with hatred. And she liked that. Inside her head she smiled and cried for joy.

"Knock! Knock! Knock!" the sudden noise made her jump. Kakashi remained calm however and spoke, "Come in."

A man wearing a cat mask appeared in the open doorway and bowed. "Hokage-sama summoned you, Hatake-san."

Kakashi nodded. "I'll be right there." And the masked man disappeared. He turned to Katana with an embarrassed expression. "Ne, Katana-chan. I need to attend a meeting. Will you be fine?" he asked as he rubbed the back of the head. "A-ah, of course, Kakashi-san." She said, not wanting to cause the man more trouble. "Okay. I'll be back as soon as I can." With that, he too disappeared, like the previous man.

At the Hokage's Office

The Mountain breeze blew down upon Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, stood on the balcony, waiting for a certain ninja to show up. Feeling a change in the air, he smiled. "Kakashi… What took you so long?" he teased. "Gomenasai, Hokage-sama. I had this unexpected inci-" he tried to explain, but the hokage cut him off. "Oh no, no. There's no need to explain. I know what happened." The Sandaime said. "You do?" he asked, shocked. Sarutobi laughed. "I am the Hokage, after all."

Kakashi smiled at this. "Hai." The hokage turned to face him. "This meeting is about that girl." He said with all seriousness.

"8:20…" said Katana, with her eyes closed. Then she opened one to look at the clock. It was indeed 8:20. "Two points." She smirked. She was bored and had nothing to do, nothing to play with. So, she did this. Time guessing. "Knock! Knock!" Katana's head snapped up. "Come in!" she said. Silver hair and a familiar face poked in. "Ohayo! Feeling better, Katana-chan?" Kakashi asked her. She nodded in anticipation. "Uh-huh!"

He entered and sat on the chair once again. "You look livelier compared to before." He stated. "I actually am feeling better." She answered. Awkward silence fell on them. How am I supposed to tell her the news? 'Hey, I'm your new father by the way?' Kakashi thought.

What now? Is he going to leave me on my own? What am I going to do? Live on the streets? Katana asked herself bitterly. Kakashi opened his mouth, when he heard hysterical crying and a voice begging. "Please, don't leave me! Please! I don't want to be alone anymore! I have no home! I can't go back! Please!" Katana begged him, tears flowing down her cheeks. Kakashi stared at the crying little girl, awestruck. He blinked. "A-ah?" The girl's crying worsened, thinking that he didn't want to have anything to do with her. That was when he realized it. "Ah, Katana-chan! Don't cry!" he said anxiously, trying to calm her down. "I won't leave you! I swear I won't!" he said again. The girl's sobbing subsided. "Please… don't leave." She pleaded in a small helpless voice. "I won't. I promise." Said Kakashi. He'd say anything just to keep her from crying again. He didn't know why, but it broke his heart to hear her like that. Perhaps, he really did get attached with the girl. He went towards her and sat on the side of her bed. She reached out her arms and hugged his waist. He froze. He wasn't really used to hugging. She felt so fragile and small. His heart aching, he wrapped his strong arms around her frame and hugged her back. "Shhh, it'll all be alright. Trust me, Katana. The Hokage spoke to me. He told me everything. But you don't have to worry. I'll take care of you now. As long as I'm here, no one can hurt you, okay?" He raised her chin using his index finger to see her tearstained face. Her eyes were filled with new hope and trust. "Okay." She answered weakly, tired from fighting and crying. He kissed the top of her head. "That's my girl. Let's take you to your new home now, shall we?" He didn't know what took over him to speak, let alone act like that. But he did know one thing: He would be dead before anyone could harm her again.

An apartment close to the market was where he lived. It wasn't too great nor too small. It was just right. A home that you can call cozy. He carried Katana on his back, shifting to get her more comfortable. Her eyes fluttered half-open to see the sand-colored walls in the living room. There was this soft-looking red couch, a coffee table and a small television set. They went inside the bedroom. Kakashi laid the tired girl down his bed. Well, no choice but to take the couch now. He thought. He started to get out the room when she whimpered. "Don't leave." She said. He hesitated. He wasn't ready for the whole thing. It was all fast.

Flashback:

"What do you think, Kakashi?"

"Hokage-sama, it's too much to ask. I cannot handle that on my own."

"Very well then. I'll send her to the orphanage right a—"

"The orphanage? Hokage-sama, you can't do that!"

"But no one will take care of her, Kakashi. What should I do, hm?"

"I— I'll do it. I'll take care of her. "

The hokage smiled. "I knew you would. From this day forward, she is no longer Katana Yotsuki, but Katana Hatake of Konoha."

Kakashi sighed.

"You are dismissed."

End of flashback

"Alright." He answered with a shrug. Katana moved over one side of the bed, so he could slide. When he got comfortable, he turned the lights off. "Goodnight, Katana-chan." He mumbled, wrapping a protective arm around her. "Goodnight, Kakashi-san." She said back. Kakashi cocked his head to the side. "It's okay not to be formal." He said softly. Grey eyes looked up to him. "Then, can I call you Tou-san?" He smiled. "Of course..."

After 7 years...

It was a peaceful morning in Konoha. The sky was clear, a great day to start the Chuunin Exams. Katana was taking a walk down the road of life. She wore a smile on her face, her intense grey eyes alert, long brown hair swaying with the wind. Black shirt and pants, she always wore simple clothes. A pouch of shuriken around her left leg and a katana hanging loosely by her hip. "I wonder where Naruto is…" she said aloud."TEME!" a familiar scream wrecked the whole peacefulness. Katana sighed. "Looks like that answered my question." And with that she ran back to find them.

"Let go of him you fat pig!" yelled Naruto to the boy wearing thick purple make-up. Katana calmly walked towards them. As she went nearer, she saw the unfamiliar genin holding Konohamaru by the neck. Meanwhile Sakura bopped Naruto in the head for being noisy. Katana sped up. That Konohamaru was quite annoying, but she didn't want him hurt. "Heh, I hate kids. Especially the bratty ones. Makes me wanna kill 'em." The guy said. Naruto and Sakura shuddered.

"Oh well, I'm not involved." Said a blonde girl with four pigtails beside him. As he was about to punch Konohamaru, Katana beat him to it, landing a punch directly at his face, and catching the stone the hidden Uchiha threw. She glanced at Sasuke. He smirked. "Nice catch." He remarked. Katana smirked back.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun!" cooed Sakura, while Naruto looked like he wanted to throw up. Konohamaru went running fast towards Naruto, hiding behind him. The guy got up, scowling at Katana then at Sasuke. "Ah, two other more that piss me off." He hissed. "Get lost." Ordered Sasuke, making Sakura drool. "Go Sasuke!" she cheered. "Naruto-nii-san, you suck." Said Konohamaru. "What? No! I could easily defeat that guy." He said nervously. Damn you Sasuke! He thought.

"Get down from there so we could settle this." The guy said, taking out something wrapped in white bandage cloth. Katana raised an eyebrow. "I'll take care of this. Take care of the others." She told Sasuke. "Hey, are you even going to use Karasu?" asked the blonde girl incrediously. What the hell is that? Katana asked herself.

"Kankuro… stop it." A menacing voice said. Sasuke froze. The two others tensed. Katana looked behind Sasuke. There was another boy hanging upside down on a branch, whose hair was brick-red, skin as pale as marble, black rings around his pupil-less, aquamarine eyes and a "love" kanji on his forehead. He's certainly unique. Thought Katana. "You're an embarrassment to our village." He told the previous guy again.

"Ga-Gaara…" greeted the "Kankuro" guy nervously. Sasuke stared at Gaara. When did he? He's very good… he thought as well, fear creeping down his spine. "Losing yourself in a fight, how pathetic… Why do you think we came to Leaf village?" said Gaara. Kankuro tried explaining. "Listen Gaara, they're the ones who started it and then.."

"Shut up… or I'll kill you." He threatened. Kankuro gulped. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." He started apologizing. Gaara turned to Sasuke. "Sorry about that." He said. Sasuke merely nodded. Gaara disappeared in a cloud of sand, making all of them shocked. He reappeared again, between Kankuro and the blonde girl. "We didn't come here to play around."

"I know, I know." Kankuro told him. "Let's go then."

"Wait!" called out Sakura. They stopped and looked at her. "What?" Gaara asked. "Your head protectors say that you're from Sand. But even though the Leaf and Sand are allies, it is forbidden to enter without permission. State your purpose." She said.

"Hah, don't you know anything?" remarked the blonde girl. "We are here for—"

"— the Chuunin Exams" finished Katana for her. "Am I correct?" she asked them. "Hn." The blonde grunted. Naruto looked at Katana. "Chuunin Exams?" he asked. "I'll tell you all about it later." She reassured. Sasuke got down from the tree he was hiding earlier. "Hey, what's your name?" he asked Gaara. "Sabaku no Gaara." The redhead answered. "I am also interested in your name."

"It's Uchiha Sasuke." He said with an arrogant smirk. He turned to look at Katana. "And yours?" Her eyes widened. He wants to know my name…

"Hatake Katana." She told him, not a trace of fear in her voice or eyes. Gaara stared at her, she stared back. Their eyes met, seafoam to grey. They both had the same thought.

He's interesting…

She's interesting…

Naruto glanced back and forth then interfered, "Hey! What about me?" he shouted. "Not interested." Said Gaara, turning around and walking away with his team. "WHAT? Hey! Come back!" he screamed.

"Dobe.." muttered Sasuke as he walked away to the opposite direction. Naruto turned his head slowly, glaring at the raven-haired boy. ""Why you…!" he mumbled before charging head-on to Sasuke. Katana sighed, tired of the same thing, same fight everytime. "Kuroi kago no jutsu!" Black electric bars shot up from the ground, closing in on Naruto, and preventing him from attacking Sasuke. "Eh? Katana-channnn!" he whined out. Katana sighed once again. "Come on, Naruto. I'll let you go if you promise not to attack that arrogant jerk over there and perhaps I'll treat you some ramen, okay?" she bargained. Naruto pumped his fist in the air like a child and grinned. "Yay, ramen, ramen, RAMEN!"

"Who are you calling an arrogant jerk?" demanded Sasuke, losing his cool demeanor. Katana released the jutsu and raced with Naruto to the Ichiraku shop, laughing.

End of Chapter

Ohayo! This is actually my first time submitting fanfiction soo... yeah. I'm still pretty nervous and I don't know if you guys would like it but please enjoy!

Truly yours, KatanaSabaku _