The Imperfect (Kakashi, Sasuke, or Itachi?)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

            The next morning, I got up and went to the training location. It wasn’t really a regular training day, but I found that Kakashi was gone again, just as I had yesterday. I decided that this morning I would do some actual training before going around town for a bit.

            When I got to the training area, I discovered I was alone. Good. It’s better this way. I was used to training alone. I sat in the center of the little clearing and channeled my chakra to make sure it was all evenly distributed through my body to make a total balance. I relaxed myself and blanked my mind as I did every time before I trained alone. I worked much better when I was fully relaxed.

            I stood up, making sure the balance was still there as it always was. I first practiced throwing my kunai, aiming at one tree, pretending there was a person right there. Each kunai hit the dead center of where the chest would be. After retrieving those, I practiced with my throwing stars with a similar method except making multiple trees into multiple people. Each hit as they had before.

            For my final main part of training, I practiced the same move Itachi had used sometimes. It was one of the few things I’d actually managed to pick up from hanging out with him. I jumped up in the air, turning myself upside down. I focused midair; it felt as if time froze for a second as I was able to visualize where every single tree was. I tossed all of my kunai, and I heard a yell coming from someone very close to me. I recognized it was Sasuke and lost my focus after the kunai left my fingers. I fell awkwardly.

            Sasuke caught me. “Idiot. Why are you doing that?” He let me down. “You know Itachi used to do that.”

            I was a little shaken, but I didn’t let him know that. “I know. It’s still a good move, Sasuke.”

            “Tch. Whatever.” He looked away from me.

            “Why are you being so mean to me, Sasuke? First, you completely pretend you don’t even know me. Second, you’ve insulted my intelligence.” I looked him in the eyes, this time not backing down.

            He didn’t seem amused. “You, baka, are acting like what Itachi did meant nothing. Why would I say I know you when you don’t care about what happened?”

            “I’m not a baka!” I was getting pissed off, I admitted. I don’t know why Sasuke could do that to me. Tons of other people had called me a baka, and I hadn’t cared. Suddenly, Sasuke saying it made me incredibly angry. Maybe it’s because you think he could never say something like that to you.

            Sasuke grunted. “You’re acting like one.”

            “I am not!” I grabbed Sasuke and tackled him to the ground. “I told you already, I didn’t think he could do that kind of thing. I also didn’t think you could be so spiteful, Sasuke! It’s like you hate me for what he did. That’s screwed up.” I was seriously angry.

            “Then take off that locket.”

            “Why?”

            “If you think he’s so bad now, then take off the locket. I’m not going to believe you until you do.”

            I sat up, on his stomach, and unclasped the locket from around my neck. I dropped it on him. “Happy now?!” I felt like I wanted to cry. I got up, collected my stuff, and ran off, not bothering to stop even after I heard him mumble something.