(Tim Seltzer, seltzer@seltzerbooks.com) Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own Wedding Peach.
I do not own any great quantity of money or property. I'm a STUDENT; that's
why I'm poor, okay?
Potamos rolled on the Fuuma lawn. "Hey, Sacchan, wanna visit the Ninja
Mansion as a guest? It'll be fun!"
Sakura halted her kendo practice. "A private tour? Did your teachers
invite me?"
"No," the water-demon said in a matter-of-fact tone, "but I asked the
principal if any visitors were allowed, and he said yes. Pretty soon, I
was asking if you could come. He told me that it was about time you were
invited, and then he said that he'll talk to Angel Salvia about it. Then
he told me to go back to class."
An idea occurred in Sakura's mind.
"Do you think they might have some old weapons that they could spare?"
the kunoichi asked. "I'm low on shuriken, and my kanshaku-dama expired
a long time ago. I also need kunai."
"Tons!" Potamos exclaimed. "There's a big attic which nobody goes to,
and I play with the old weapons there."
Sakura creased her eyebrows. "I see..."
Sasuke trod down a rocky mountain. He was on a mission to gather data
from some obscure, little village in one of the minor countries bordering
the Cloud Country.
The mission had its risks, of course. Even if this country had no ninja,
there were some hired or missing ones about. And this was a solo mission:
Sasuke had no teammates to depend on.
Overall, though, Sasuke could handle this minor job. He was disguised
as a peasant traveler. If in case of an emergency, he had his Sharingan
and the curse seal at his disposal.
Orochimaru preferred to teach his genius students one at a time — this
was why Anko had no teammates when she was a genin. The snake-man knew
perfectly well that Sasuke could do this meager job his own. He also trusted
that Sasuke would not take this opportunity to bolt.
Quite frankly, Sasuke had barely any chance to go back to Konoha. Although
he did not kill any Konoha ninja or assassinate anybody (yet), the genius
would be in a rough patch if he returned without a reasonable explanation.
He was not an S-rank criminal, but Sasuke would have to do something big
— very important — to prove his so-called loyalty to the village. Orochimaru's
head on a silver platter would definitely do it. Or Uchiha Itachi's.
That would not happen anytime soon.
Sasuke looked at the creek below. He walked up to it, and plunged his
blood-covered weapons into the stream. He had just killed a missing-nin
from the Stone village.
Sasuke did not have much choice. It was the other guy who pounced on
him. It was a rare event when a ninja randomly attacked a commoner; they
would have to be pretty desperate. Perhaps the idiot wanted food — or a
map.
The situation changed when he found out Sasuke's true abilities, of
course. He then went all out, blind to everything except a survival instinct.
Sasuke avoided killing the man — at first. Yet when Sasuke realized that
his enemy was mentally insane, he decided that this was a life-and-death
situation. He slit the man's throat without further thought.
'Amateur,' Sasuke commented inside. 'If you're a missing-nin, you have
to deal with other ninja, not kill them. Nobody can survive in this world
alone.'
Woaw, where did those words come from? It was from rather an egotistical
perspective, true. Yet it held quite a wide-spectrum, social truth. And
Sasuke preferred to be anything but social.
Sasuke looked at his reflection in the rippling water. For an instant,
he turned his Sharingan back on. He wondered whether there was any change
in them after his week-long journey.
Three wheels in each red orb. And they had nothing like the experience
of Itachi. Well, it was not as if this mission was anything challenging.
Sasuke was just hopping from village inn to village inn.
Sasuke blinked, and the normal onyx came back.
That dream-sequence with Sakura was a month ago. And it still tugged
at his conscience. He was trying to figure out how to fulfill Sakura's
request, without Orochimaru knowing about it. Sending anything to Konoha
was ludicrous. Getting caught by Orochimaru had its penalties.
Even writing a letter during this trip was risky. Paper was expensive
and hard to obtain in this dirt-poor country, and Orochimaru gave Sasuke
a thin purse for the journey. Even if Sasuke did find something to write
on, his penmanship would immediately be recognized in Konoha. The material
of the paper would trace its origins, and he would be sought after there.
Orochimaru's plans would turn complicated with more Konoha ninja in that
area, and the blame would immediately fall on Sasuke.
Despite the odds, Sasuke felt obligated to grant Sakura's wish. He wanted
to do justice for at least one dead person.
All right, so there was a possibility that Sakura was not yet qualified
for that designation. But Sasuke did not want to raise his expectations
too high. Sakura was as good as dead to him — which made it all the worse.
It was as if she were a yuurei: a vengeful, female ghost who haunted the
living for sins committed against them.
Except that Sakura held nothing against Sasuke. She had even wished
him success in his endeavors.
Sasuke had no idea whether it was the curse or himself that made him
glare at Sakura like that. But he immediately regretted it. That meeting
became his most recent nightmare. Oh, he must have been a sight: the curse
covering him, blood-red eyes, and a harsh glare.
But what was strange was, Sakura no longer showed a look of hurt. Instead,
her face revealed something else: horror. Even disgust, and loathing. Those
beautiful, emerald eyes, which could see right through him — they only
spoke of one word.
Monster.
(( Sasuke looked at his hands.
Naruto stared at him from behind. He swore to himself that just a second
ago, Sasuke's skin and hair were of different colors. He shook the thought
away, and yelled at his teammate. "Sasuke, what the hell are you doing
with these guys? Let's head back! C'mon!"
Sasuke did not answer. He did not even turn around.
Instead, he started laughing. He lifted his hands out slightly, and
tilted his head back a little.
Sasuke laughed.
It scared Naruto: Sasuke NEVER laughed. And this laugh was abnormal.
This was a laugh of someone corrupted by power.
This was not the Sasuke he always knew.
"Can't you hear me, damn it?" Naruto exclaimed. ))
Sasuke thought back to that event. And then he compared it to Sakura's
last look at him.
The manical laughter seeped out again. He could laugh here, couldn't
he? No one was around.
'Really, Sakura. You call THAT a monster?' he asked inside, in a moment
of dry humor. 'You should see me when the curse is at its second level.
After all, I gave myself entirely to Orochimaru's curse to become stronger.
I even tested it on Naruto; that Idiot.'
A tingle ran down his spine. 'I don't even regret leaving the village.
I'm working, so that he can kill my murderous brother. OF COURSE I'm a
monster, you silly little girl. Among ninja, it takes one to kill one.'
Sasuke stopped laughing. It did not make him feel any better. It tired
him excessively. It was too fake. Hell, it was so inappropriate that he
yelled at himself for even trying. What a waste of energy laughing was.
What a waste of energy any emotion was — except hate.
A compassionate, living yuurei: a contradiction through and through.
What the hell was she?
Sasuke scrubbed the blood off his hands in the cold water. His fingers
trembled slightly. He remembered back to his younger self, when his entire
clan was slaughtered. He had cried his eyes out, the weak boy and sensitive
boy that he was.
The creek was the only sound Sasuke heard. Nobody was around in this
godforsaken place. He had the chance to cry. He could cry himself out,
here and now, just like when he was younger. Nobody would know.
But he couldn't, even if he wanted to. He had forgotten how.
Takuji lay in the hospital bed. That last attack from Linton broke a
few of his ribs, but they were now healing. The doctors could mend bones
easily. Yet they insisted that he stay put for about a week.
Takuji was bored. Not to mention, very depressed. He had thought that
his Shi Shi Houkoudan would prove, once and for all, that he really could
match up to a strong, full-blooded celestial like Linton, using only human
powers.
He heard a knock at the door. "Come in!" he called out.
In stepped a pink-haired girl. She held a daisy in a thin vase. "Hello,
Amano-kun," Sakura said.
"Haruno-san!" This was the first time for Takuji to have someone outside
his family visited him in the hospital. "It's... good to see you!"
"How do you feel?" Sakura asked. "That fight was awesome. You had Linton
scared there for quite a while."
"Thanks," Takuji coughed. "I'll have to get better, though."
Minoru's head thumped on his desk. An open letter was sprawled in front
of him. It was the answer to yet another failed request.
'If this keeps going, we'll have no chance in the Rifts. Most of the
elfin tribes will talk and trade with me, but I don't know whether they'd
allow Sakura and Potamos in for lodging... Well, there are also dwarves
and sprites around, but they have very few traveling supplies — they only
stay put where they live.'
Minoru glanced at the clock. It was time for practice.
Minoru opened his closet of weaponry. A few large bows hung on the wall.
Various arrows rested in boxes. But in the far corner lay a slim, angular
briefcase. The elf crouched down, and slid it out of the closet.
Minoru carried the old box to his bed, and set it down. He wiped the
dust off with a tissue paper. He then unclasped the locks, and lifted the
cover.
A set of knives lay in the case. A few spaces were empty — their associated
weapons were lost years ago. Yet the remaining knives were still in fairly
good condition. The elf smiled to himself as he pulled one out.
The edge of the blade glinted silver. Years and years ago, Minoru made
sure that he cleaned these before he retired them to the inner recesses
of his closet.
(( "Minoru, just go! Take her and run!" ))
Minoru closed his eyes, as if doing so would erase the memories. Perhaps
he should not have chosen this particular case of weapons. He could have
bought a new set of knives, instead of taking an old friend's mementos.
He had enough money.
Yet something told him that these had to be it. Nothing else felt more
trustworthy in Minoru's hands. For quick, personal combat that the bow
failed to give, these were perfect.
'I thought that I would never use these again,' Minoru thought. 'But
I presume that fate says otherwise. Now that I feel them in my hands, it
is well that I grow back into them once more.'
He glanced to his side. In one, quick movement, he flung the knife.
The blade made a dull thud as it stabbed into the wall. Minoru walked
over, and examined the imbedded weapon.
'Right angle, with two centimeters depth. Not the worst aim.' He yanked
the knife out. Its handle was warm.
'I might even learn some new methods from Sakura-san,' he thought to
himself, reviewing his knife-fighting skills. 'After all... my old friend,
you were the one who taught me how to use them in the first place.'
"Well, I have to go now," Sakura said to Takuji. She slowly got up from
her chair. "I hope you'll be released from the hospital soon."
"Wait, Haruno-san," Takuji said. He fidgeted with the hem of the hospital
bed-sheet. "What did you mean the other day, when you said... that I taught
you something?"
Sakura thought back for a moment. "It will sound VERY corny," she said
with a little snort.
"Try me," Takuji challenged. "I promise I won't laugh."
Sakura brushed away her pink hair. "Well — when I realized that you
didn't know how to mold chakra, I kind of got a little too... uppity. That
was a big mistake on my part, as a ninja. The experience reminded me not
to let my guard down."
Sakura peeked behind her shoulder. "And speaking of letting one's guard
down...
"YOU! Right behind that door!" the kunoichi yelled out, startling Takuji.
"If you're going to eavesdrop, at least do it without being noticed, amateur!"
The door slid open. To Takuji's surprise, in stepped Angel Linton. He
was in the same attire as the day before, only that his clothes were cleaner.
His silver armbands with tiger-eyes shone with perfection.
Linton smirked. "I had no idea you had a girlfriend, Amano."
"She's not my girlfriend," Takuji said with flushed cheeks.
"That's good." The brown-haired warrior then turned to the pink-haired
genin. "I advise you, human girl, to not associate with too many celestials.
And you know what I mean."
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked with a scowl.
"Stay away from Amano — he is an angel, even if he's only half. Humans
like you will prove to be the demise of this city."
"Linton, that's too harsh, even for you!" Takuji fumed. "What do you
have against her?"
"I have no quarrel with you, Amano," Linton continued. "And I have nothing
personally against the girl. But Haruno — take my advice."
"Sure," Sakura said pertly. 'And then I'll tear it up and burn the
pieces!' "And call me 'Haruno-san'."
Linton had already grown bored with other people's sarcasm. "I'm trying
to be civil with you, Haruno."
"Haruno-SAN."
"Okay, Haruno-san." Linton glanced to the side. "Never mind. I'm sorry
to have intruded on your — date. You probably already have received orders
from Angel Salvia, anyway... but I only want to warn you. Minerva is a
haven for a wide variety of beings, but its security depends on the flow
of all the realms. There are enough purists in each who cannot compromise
on anything."
Sakura was confused. She also was a little creeped out. How much did
this angel know of her connections?
Linton turned to Takuji, and saluted him. "Keep up the good work. You're
impressing us." He paused, and turned to Sakura. "You impressed us, too.
And make sure that you keep your secrets quiet."
He turned and left.
"Whose side is he on?" Sakura asked Takuji.
"Linton is an interesting fellow," the half-angel said. "He doesn't
let certain theories get in the way of conversing with other people. He's
a good guy, really. Don't let him get to you."
"Of course not," Sakura said coolly. 'I'll just use the memory of
his high-and-almighty attitude for generating chakra, SHANNAROO!'
Takuji gave a thankful smile.
Sakura breathed. "But is he really a friend of yours?" she asked. "Didn't
he go a little too far in that fight with you?" 'What am I saying; it
was OVERKILL, for crying out loud.'
"I always tell him not go easy on me in combat." Takuji gave a tiny
smirk. "And he actually complied this year. That means that I'm starting
to match up to him."
If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please tell me! If
I suck, by all means tell me. In an intelligent manner.
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