The Wolf Inside - A Naruto Fanfic - Watty Award Winner 2013

Chapter 50 --Super Chapter--

"Please follow me" Kiyumi urges, turning around and walking away. The girl makes sure to walk slowly, knowing that Sasuke is unable to move without pain in his back.

She didn't mind travelling slowly, even though she wanted to get back to the others as soon as possible. With her Katsuryoku activated, she could sense everything within a one and a half kilometre radius. If even a beetle ran across the ground, Kiyumi would notice it.

The three continue through the forest at a leisurely pace, though none of them feel even the slightest bit relaxed. Except for Keilor.

He trots alongside Sasuke merrily, head tilting from side to side as if he is listening to music. With Kiyumi's sensing abilities and his strong sense of smell, he wasn't worried about suddenly running into any soldiers.

"......Why do you seem familiar to me?" Sasuke finally asks, breaking the long silence between the group.

Ahead, Kiyumi briefly pauses, before continuing on without saying anything. It seemed strange that Sasuke didn't know, seeing as Ashley had been living in the Leaf Village for awhile now. Was there a reason she hadn't told him?

".....I-I'm not sure" the blonde girl eventually replies, her voice low.

Kiyumi had only met Sasuke once in the past, when they were both very young. Her Father had taken her, Ashley and their Mother for a trip to see the Leaf Village. Other than that one time, their Father had only ever taken Ashley for trips to the Leaf Village.

It hadn't made sense at the time and Kiyumi had often thought it unfair that Ashley was their Father's favourite. She had received so much attention from him. Not that he hadn't loved Kiyumi immensely, but he'd shown a special interest in Ashley.

On the day that their Village had been invaded though, it had all suddenly made sense when Ashley had revealed her Sharingan.

".....Do you h-have the Sharingan Sasuke-kun?" Kiyumi asks, sounding a little hesitant.

"Huh?" the Uchiha replies, confused by such a random question. "Yeah, why?"

".......May I see it?"

Sasuke halts his walking as Kiyumi does, the girl peeking timidly over her shoulder at him.

"No" the Uchiha states flatly. "I don't have enough chakra to use it right now."

"O-Oh, I see" Kiyumi says sheepishly, hurriedly turning around to continue walking. "I-I'm sorry....."

His curiosity growing even further, Sasuke narrows his eyes at Kiyumi's back and follows after her. Why would she randomly want to see his Sharingan?

".......What does it do?" Kiyumi asks quietly, not turning around this time.

"The Sharingan?" Sasuke asks, to which Kiyumi nods her head. "It can do a lot of things. It lets me see a person's chakra network, it gives me enhanced perception, it can copy other people's Jutsu and it can perform Genjutsu. Why?"

Kiyumi lowers her head as she walks, her eyes hooded.

".....Is it really so special?" she wonders out loud.

"What?" Sasuke asks sharply, his tone of voice immediately putting Keilor on edge.

The Wolf jumps forwards and stares hard at Sasuke, standing between the Uchiha and Kiyumi.

"What is that meant to mean?" Sasuke demands to know, ignoring Keilor's warning glare.

Kiyumi wraps her arms around herself as if she is cold and turns to Sasuke, an apologetic look in her dark eyes. Sasuke can't help but pause at that expression, not understanding the sadness in it.