Tale of the Nine-Tailed Ninja

Beyond Satisfactory

No Gaara here, sorry. :/ But we're getting closer!

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Five years passed. Five years in which I learned to control all of my gifts, besides shape-shifting. I learned transformation jutsu but it wasn’t the same. I still couldn’t figure out how to take my natural form. It didn’t matter though because none of the rogues found that mysterious ability to be useful. They liked me as a human and trained me that way. I had to learn my extra abilities by myself.

“I knew we’d meet again, Nari Ninetails,” a low voice called from the trees. I glanced up and studied Orochimaru. He hadn’t changed much in the past nine years. I, on the other hand, had grown my black hair down to my bum. I was taller, obviously stronger, and my red eyes could make out every detail of the stitching in the fabric he wore. He still had the same pale skin and black hair.

“What do you want with my student, Orochimaru?” Itachi, my newest rogue trainer, said coolly. He was from the Uchiha clan from the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He was a great fighter but his mind was hard to read so I didn’t really trust him. I only stuck around because of the immense power he could teach me. Of course, I’d never have Sharingan like him but that was all right.

“Why, we’re old friends,” Orochimaru said. Old acquaintances maybe, but not friends. I peered into Orochimaru’s mind to see what he really wanted with me. He was looking for new recruits. He wanted to test me again. The thing about my ability to read minds is that no one knew I could do it. I also had limited control over the gift. I could decide whether or not to search deeper into someone’s mind and I could completely shut out someone’s thoughts as long as they weren’t thinking of me. If they were, then it was exactly as if they were talking to me. I could try to tune them out but I could still hear them. It was frustrating. Sometimes I heard thoughts I really didn’t want to hear.

It did have a lot of advantages, though. I could pick out enemies in large crowds, find people by their thoughts alone, listen in on conversations from up to five miles away, and check on those I’m supposed to be protecting. I couldn’t communicate to them but I could draw out memories to the surface of their brain if I so pleased. I had used the gift for torture only once and the man barely had time to beg for mercy before I snapped his neck.

Being able to read minds also meant that I could find prey easier. No longer would jackrabbits elude me in the desert, or robins’ nests in forest. It really was quite something, not as annoying as I once presumed. That’s why I kept it a secret. It was my greatest weapon and no one else needed to know about it.

“Nari, what business do you and Orochimaru share?” Itachi demanded.

“Nothing, really. What do you want?” I asked, redirecting my attention to Orochimaru. He gave me a sly smile.

“I’d like to see how much you’ve grown.” I already know what you want so just say it straight for Itachi. “Will you let me test you again?” I considered it for a moment. If I meet his satisfaction, he’ll want me to go with him. Then again, Itachi really is a shady guy. He murdered his own family. It’s probably for my own good to leave him.

“You want to steal my student,” Itachi realized.