Sasuke POV
"Sasuke-kun! Who is this girl?! And why's she talking with you so informally?!" Karin screeches. She scoffs as she looks Moriko up and down with clear disdain on her features.
Moriko just smiles her knowing smile.
"You need to chill Karin. I'm not a threat, okay?" She says, which only further upsets the Uzumaki.
"Don't talk to me like you know me! How do you know my name?! Just who in the hell do you think you are? You just came out of nowhere, took down the tracker nin that were after us in one fell swoop and then started cursing out my- I mean, our leader Sasuke!" She marches up to Moriko and gets right in her face.
That's. . . not a good idea.
Moriko. . . still does nothing; just smiles her knowing smile. She must know something Karin doesn't. I expected her to at least insult Karin at this point, but nothing of the sort has occurred.
I wonder what she's got in store for her.
"Look, he and I go way back. He's not in the least offended at my language. It's normal for me to bicker with him. Plus, I cursed him out for playing with the nin instead of just ending it. That was just unnecessary." She scoffs.
It's been two full weeks since I defeated Orochimaru, absorbing what was left of him. I don't feel any different, leading me to believe that he really is gone.
The look on Kabuto's face when he realized it was me inside my body and not Orochimaru, was VERY satisfying.
Immediately after my battle with the snake Sanin, I began gathering the people I needed to complete my life-long mission:
Karin Uzumaki, an exceptional sensory nin and medic nin.
Suigetsu Hozuki, a skilled swordsman from the Hidden Mist.
And Juugo, the strongest person I've come across since my time with Orochimaru. Not to mention, the origin of the curse mark. His unmatched strength and speed in battle is sure to serve me well during my journey.
Karin, Suigetsu and I only just picked him up from the Northern hideout a few days ago, forming the Hebi. I relayed my goals to them and intentions with the group. They all agreed to accompany me on the journey and assist me when needed. Now, we're heading to a small village on the edge of the Land of Rice Paddies. Orochimaru once spoke of a man there who he went to for information.
I'm still officially a rogue nin, as are the rest of my team, so using backroads and forgotten trails to travel has been the norm. The only problem with that is we're not the only rogue nin that use it.
There's been a handful of encounters with bandits, rogue nin who ditched their villages once they became genin, and of course just shady individuals in general. None have been an issue to deal with.
It's just become rather annoying, knocking someone out every few days when they attempt to rob or kill us. I've switched to using genjutus for most of them now, that way when we're seen, they don't come looking for trouble.
The journey has become a lot quieter and smoother since then, but I let my guard down too quickly. A small group of tracker nin ambushed us. It shouldn't have even been possible with Karin here as the Hebi's resident sensory nin, so I knew right away they were exceptionally skilled.
Either that, or Karin was too busy eyeballing me to do her job.
I'll have to have a talk with her later. Not looking forward to it.
Before my team got the chance to act, that's when a hooded, masked figure stepped out the shadows. She took them all down using taijutsu alone, which I suppose isn't all that surprising in retrospect. It turned out to be Moriko, as her tell-tale glowing eyes gave her away.
I had hoped that we lost her back when we were at the desert hideout near Tenchi Bridge, but she must have been tracking me all this time. She did say she'd return once Orochimaru was gone, but I dismissed the comment.
Guess I shouldn't have done that. She stayed true to her word.
Now, my team has her surrounded, and Karin is questioning her as if she's on trial for murder. Moriko is unfazed at Karin's aggression towards her, as she listens quietly and respectfully. She has taken off her hood and mask, sealing it away in a storage scroll and packing it into her weapon pouch clipped behind her. The Hebi have surrounded her, and she stands in the middle, on-guard, but less so than one would normally be if they encountered us.
She seems at ease, despite the tense situation, one hand on her hip and a small smile on her face as she lets Karin talk her head off. Juugo hasn't made any moves, just watches her silently with mild curiosity.
Now that I see Moriko's human form, I can't help but take note of the, um, changes.
Her hair is longer, evidence of that being the bun her hair is in being bigger than before. And the silvery-grayish highlights are now more prominent than they were when she was younger. She has her hair out naturally, no braids, twists or locs. It's brushed back into a high bun on her head, with a portion out and pushed to the side of her face. The heat of the summer sun has left it curly, making it seem like it was styled professionally when really that's just how her hair is on days like this.
She still favors lavender for her choice in kimono attire, just as Mother used to whenever she made clothes for her. It's lavender and white, but this one she's shortened and made the bottom part into shorts. The one she's wearing is similar to the one she regularly wore on missions, except that it's missing the white waist-belt with the Uchiha clan symbol on the front that Mother made for her. Instead, there's a plain, blue waistbelt in its place.
She's a walking enigma, having changed both a lot and almost not at all in the last three years.
Then:
Now:
Strange that she's not wearing the white waist-belt Mother made her; she always wore it whenever she left the village, no matter what. It was like her most prized possession. Maybe it's underneath the blue one.
"Oi, Sasuke." Suigetsu nudges me, bringing my thoughts back to the present. I barely acknowledge his existence, but he continues to speak, and for some reason, I listen. "You know this smokin' hot chick? You've been holding out on me, ey? Who is she?" He grins as he looks Moriko up and down, his eyes drinking her in.
Tch.
Something in me snaps.
It doesn't feel right; him talking about her like that. Even though I've been traveling with him for a while now and have gotten used to him being flirtatious with passing women. . .
This feels. . . different. Wrong.
So, I fix it.
Using lightning release, I modify Chidori into Chidori Stream and sparks of lightning erupt from my body and strike Suigetsu.
"Ow! Man, what the hel-"
Within moments, I'm in his face, hand around his throat. I activate my Sharingan and glare at him vehemently.
"Don't you dare look at her like that EVER again. Or I'll cut you down where you stand."
The forest is quieter, and it's now that I realize Karin has stopped her bickering.
"W-Whoa, my bad. Didn't know you called dibs on her already. Geez. I thought you were asexual, man."
Moriko looks over to see that I have Suigetsu by the throat, and frowns. I can feel Juugo tense from behind me, and I decide to back down, not knowing what just came over me. "It's. . . not like that." I release him, slowly, and he sighs heavily with relief.
"Oh? It's not? Now, I'm even more curious. Who are you?" He asks the she-wolf, who now has her eyes narrowed at us.
She turns fully to Suigetsu and smiles.
He returns her smile with one of his own and before I can stop myself, I scoff and add, " She practically raised me. I won't tolerate anything even remotely disrespectful said about her. Suigetsu."
He gulps dramatically, but Moriko just scoffs at me.
"What are you, defending my honor now? Unbelievable." She shakes her head. "I can handle myself in case you forgot."
"Shika shi, ana ta ha Karin ga kyou tsu ta koudou o sa se ta da ke desu. (You let Karin wile out on you just now, though.)
"Shi ha sore o namera ra se masu. Shi ha kanojo to tomodachi ninaru tsu mo ri desu." (Imma let it slide for now. I plan on befriending her.)
I scoff. "Ganbare yo. Kanojo ha jin ga suki deha ari masen." (Good luck with that. She's not a people person.)
"Nee?" She says sarcastically. "Shi ha chi rima sen de shi ta; he bi o hashi tei ta tousaku shi ta saiko no tame ni douzaki i ta you na monode haa rima sen." (Deadass? I had NO clue; it's not like she worked for a psycho snake-man pervert or anything.)
"Wait, she raised you? But she looks like she's your age, man. Maybe even younger." Suigetsu comments, rubbing his chin as he squints at the white-haired werewolf quizzically.
Moriko winks. "Black don't crack, hun'. And I am his age. A few months shy of it anyway."
"I see. . . " He trails off. "My, my, my. . ." He whistles low, continuing to eye her like she's a piece of candy.
Son of a-
"Nuh-uh. None of that, boo." Moriko wags a finger in his face. "Not interested. You have a snowball's chance in hell, my guy."
"Oh, come on. Don't be like that. That's still a small chance, isn't it?" He whines.
Moriko's violet eyes darken as she walks over to him and grabs his chin, her nails sharpening into claws. She whispers her next few words menacingly, but her voice has changed over the years, so it comes out sounding a bit. . . seductive.
Or maybe I'm just hearing things
"Tell me something. . . Suigetsu: if I were to freeze all the water in your body in an instant, would you die immediately? . . . or die a painstakingly slow death, losing feeling in your arms, legs, and torso until there's nothing left but a statute of ice standing before us? Hm?"
She releases her killing intent, and this time the forest falls dead silent.
The wind seems to have ceased blowing.
Even the birds stop chirping. Almost as if the entire forest bows to her will, quieting to let her speak her piece.
The silence is a noticeable absence that even manages to disturb Juugo, though he doesn't verbally acknowledge it. He just stares silently at me, waiting for orders to attack. I let him know with a quick glance that Moriko isn't a threat, but he still stays on high alert. Suigetsu shivers as he attempts to get out of Moriko's grip but fails.
"Should I test it out and see what happens?" She says playfully, but there's no smile on her face.
"You. . . can do that?" Karin whispers from behind them. Suigetsu doesn't dare speak but his eyes ask the same question.
She doesn't respond, but rather smiles her eerie smile to the swordsman after hearing Karin's words. She lets him go afterwards and stands back as he stumbles, regaining his balance.
"I really do wonder though. That'd probably kill you, am I right?" She giggles now, reeling her killing intent back in. "Since your body is mostly water."
Suigetsu falls to the ground, still in shock of her killing intent. He's shaking but he's also. . . smiling.
"You're. . . amazing." He gasps out. And Moriko snorts at the comment.
Tch.
Damn idiot.
"I'm sorry I was disrespectful before." He says, then gets up from the ground and dusts off his clothes. "Allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm Suigetsu Hozuki." He bows very gentleman-like and I roll my eyes.
"I know." She replies. "I know a lot about you, Suigetsu. And I don't actually have any beef with you, so I'm willing to forgive your. . . transgression. Just do one thing for me."
"Of course. Anything for a pretty lady." He says flirtatiously, probably thinking he'll be rewarded.
She smirks, before speaking.
"Remember this: when a woman turns you down, there's no hidden meaning. It's means, fuck off." She growls.
". . . Oh." He says, astonished as he blinks slowly.
I cover my snicker at his reaction with a cough.
"And when it's me specifically that's saying no, it means 'Fuck off or die slowly.' Got it hun?"
"Yes."
"Yes what?" She adds in an authoritative tone, as if she's his superior looking down on him like he's an insignificant ant.
I feel a smile tugging at the corner of my lips as she turns to him with an irritated yet also indifferent expression on her face. It's a look we've both mastered over the years that carries its own unspoken warning.
I've come to see it as roughly meaning 'you're-an-idiot-to-challenge-me,' although Moriko always said to her, it was more of a 'fuck-around-and-find-out,' kind of look.
Strange that we used to label our battle facial expressions for fun.
But it was something we could both enjoy, which was a rarity in and of itself.
Suigetsu raises his eyebrows before looking to me for. . . confirmation, I guess.
I shrug. This decision he should make on his own. And suffer the consequences should he choose wrong. He seems to understand that's what my shrug implies as well and widens his eyes at me.
He gulps before turning back to Moriko and answers accordingly.
"Yes. . .M'Lady?"
"Hm. . . guess that works. Good boy." Moriko grins.
No longer able to hold it in, I chuckle darkly at Suigetsu's reaction to Moriko. He whips his head around to me, surprise on his features.
"He's. . .laughing." He whispers it, like it's a bad omen. I suppose it would be to them. I've only ever laughed when I was about to go for the kill. Juugo and Karin glance over at me as well, shocked.
Something about Moriko making him bend to her will and him giving in so easily is funny. It's to be expected from her but even still.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Moriko. The Uchihas took me in when I was a kid. So that means me, Itachi, and Mr. Dark And Gloomy over there were raised together. When I say he and I go way back, I mean it."
"Oh! So, you're like. . .his adoptive sister or something?" Karin says questioningly. She sighs heavily in relief at the thought and Moriko chuckles.
Before I could counter that and clarify, she replies to the redhead with, "That's not quite what I'd call our relationship, but yeah. I was more like an in-house bodyguard for him growing up. Later, I became more like. . . um. . . I guess, his annoying cousin? If you wanna put it in familial terms."
"No. We're not like cousins either." I say, trying to get away from the family talk. She ignores me, waving her hand like it's a trivial matter.
I told myself that it didn't matter anymore.
That I moved on because that's all she'll see me as.
A childhood friend. A second family.
Just some kid she grew up with.
But it still stings. It feels like an insult to call us mere. . . cousins.
We were closer than that, weren't we?
I guess that was before I poisoned her. And before I left.
Okay, so maybe her calling me a cousin is her way of insulting me?
She's still pissed, right? She could be saying that on purpose.
Sometimes her insults have their own hidden meaning, so it's hit or miss when I guess.
"Annoying cousin? Annoying and he grew up with you? He barely tolerates me. Sasuke doesn't tolerate annoying." Suigetsu says matter-of-factly.
"He does when they're impossible for him to kill." She quips and winks again.
"You're that strong, eh? I'd love to fight you."
"I bet you would." She says, then walks right past him like he doesn't exist. She crouches down and inspects the sword on the ground from the fallen tracker nin.
"Hidden Mist? Hm. Interesting development." She mumbles to herself. "I'll have to send a clone to talk to Haku about this. They shouldn't be this far out."
"What are you doing?" I ask her.
"You know what I'm doing." She says as she picks up the sword and inspects the hilt. "I've shown you how to track---"
"I mean what are you doing here?"
"You know the answer to that too." She jumps up, throwing the sword behind her as she spins around to face me. It goes flying through the air, deep into the woods despite her putting minimal effort in the throw. I walk up to her, and she starts to do the same to me, until we're both in each other's faces.
I glare at her, and she glares right back, no fear in her eyes.
"If this is supposed to be a staring contest, I think we'll tie, so let's move on to something more challenging." She jokes, but there's no smile.
"Leave." I demand from her.
She raises an eyebrow at me, surprised at the tone I'm using no doubt.
Next, she smirks, somehow amused with me.
"Pfft. I don't take orders from you anymore. Never really did anyway. Just pretended to take orders. All to stroke your little ego. And it worked obviously. You're so full of yourself. Surely you realize this by now. That nothing you told me to do I actually did because I wholeheartedly believed I had no other choice. Or are you just that stupid?"
My companions gasp at her insult, but I just scoff, and she growls low.
"I'm not going anywhere." She bites out the words.
I activate my Sharingan. "I'll make you leave if I have to."
She activates hers in turn and smirks. "Boy, please. Who you foolin'? Cuz it sure as hell ain't me. You can't get the jump on me. I see your next moves before you even know what the hell they gonna be."
Dammit.
How do I get her to leave?
Even if I manage to knock her out, we'd have to travel all day and night for several days to get far enough away for us to be untraceable. We'd have to travel through mud and water to lose her, and that's still no guarantee.
Another option is to go to a crowded town or village where there are too many scents to keep track of for her, but that'll put us out in the open for more attacks from tracker nin. We'll be spotted. Doing that still isn't a guarantee either.
Not without wolfsbane to dull her senses.
She's the best tracker there is and has definitely memorized my scent by now.
"Um. . . Sasuke-kun. . ." I hear Karin from behind me. "Should we. . . step in?"
"No. Stand down." I order. " I don't want you to get hurt." Then I wince at how that sounded, knowing Karin will read too deeply into it.
Karin makes a weird noise behind me, which I assume is her swooning. Moriko bites her lip to stop herself from laughing at whatever Karin is doing. I was being honest when I said I didn't want her to get hurt, but it doesn't go farther beyond that. Moriko went toe to toe with Zabuza when we were genin and then later fought off hired muscle of Gato, and the majority of them were ex-shinobi. Not to mention, she used water as her main weapon of choice. Water.
Even if I haven't seen what she can do in three years, I'm positive she could take down Karin and Suigetsu without breaking a sweat.
Well, Juugo might live if he fought Moriko.
Maybe.
I've got to get Moriko to leave somehow, or we have to escape. Juugo and I stand a chance against her, but the others. . . not so much. That doesn't help much though; the point is I have to get away from her.
Problem is, even if we do get away, she's not going to let this go.
That damn promise she made to protect me and Itachi will put her back in harm's way.
Wait. . . that's it!
I smirk as I've found my solution. "And who do you think you're fooling Moriko? You can't stop me."
"The hell I can't!" She shouts in my face.
"No. You can't. Because you'd have to kill me, Moriko. That's the only way."
Her eyes widen and she backs away slowly once she realizes I'm serious. "You know it's the truth. You promised Mother you'd never hurt her sons, didn't you?" I say with an amused tone, and I smirk as an added bonus.
I see hurt flash in her eyes, but she growls at me to hide it.
This is cruel, I know. But I must.
Her eyes darken so much they're no longer even purple, but a deep shade of indigo.
"You promised that day in the hospital. You can't stop me from going after Itachi. You said you wouldn't. If you plan on getting in my way, you'll have to break your promise to Mother and kill me. That's the only way you can stop me. I won't let up attacking you if you get in my way. You'll have to put me down. Think you have what it takes to kill someone you swore to protect?"
". . . You. . ." She points a shaky finger at me, shaking her head with disbelief.
"Tch. Go home, Moriko. I'll come find you when it's done." And with that, I turn to leave. My subordinates follow me, albeit cautiously, not knowing what to do about Moriko.
I don't bother turning back to look at her. She knows what I said is the truth.
There's no point in her trying to stop me.
I have to do this. It's who I am.
I'm. . . an avenger.
I can't move on with my life until I face him.
And he has to face what he's done. This is the only way.
Juugo follows me and comes to walk on my right silently. He asks no questions and has no qualms about leaving her, as expected.
Karin and Suigetsu take a moment before shaking off the shock and scurrying after us.
We walk in silence for a good hour or two before I feel a hand on my shoulder. I didn't sense anyone, but I assume it's Karin trying to suck up to me or something. She usually wants to talk about. . . well. . . everything. And anything. Her not-so-subtle ways to get close to me are very irritating, but I know I still must silently endure it. She's still useful in many ways.
Just a few days prior, she sensed the four Leaf ANBU nin that would've otherwise had the jump on us.
I sigh heavily with contempt before speaking making sure she doesn't get the chance to talk.
"Karin, how many times must I tell you. I don't fuck with chit-chat. That's for children. There's no use for it as a shinobi."
I turn to shove Karin off me but am instead, pleasantly surprised.
It's Moriko.
Interesting. I'm not a sensor nin, but I've should've at least sensed her at this proximity.
When she'd learn to do that?
I'd jump in surprise, but years of being around Orochimaru's weird-ass kind of makes me immune to jump-scares. All I can manage is a raised eyebrow.
Karin screams for some reason, making Suigetsu and Juugo jump.
"What the hell Karin?!" Suigetsu shouts. "The hell you screaming for?" Both he and Juugo turn to see Moriko on my left and instinctively take a step back. We left her a good while ago, so it only makes sense to be a little shocked she's here.
But still. . . the jump was a bit much.
"How'd you do that?! I didn't sense you!" The red-haired woman says, pointing her finger at Mori. She adjusts her glasses, something I've learned can be an indicator that she's using her sensory abilities to heavily inspect someone's chakra signature.
After a good long look, she shivers before backing away in fear. "I actually. . . still can't. . . how is that. . . possible? It's like your chakra. . . it's doesn't exist. . . h-how are you. . . W-What are you. . ."
"Losing your touch, Karin?" Suigetsu teases. "Ha. I knew we shouldn't have brought her along." He tells me.
"Shut up. Both of you." I order before turning to Moriko. Her head is down, so I can't see her face. "What?" I ask harshly.
"You. . . you can't kill me either. . ." She whispers.
"Doesn't mean I won't hurt you." I counter. "I've done it before. I'll do it again." I answer honestly.
"Yeah. . . I know. . ." She lets her hand that was on my shoulder drop to her side. Then she lifts her head up and glares at me. "That doesn't mean I can't handle it like last time. That I'll run away with my tail between my legs. That's not happening. I mean it. I'm not going anywhere. So, deal with it."
Fuck.
"I'll use wolfsbane the moment I find some." I threaten.
She growls. "Fuck you. I don't care. I'm still coming with you."
We're silent again, just glaring at each other.
Maybe it's because I haven't seen her in years, but she seems even more alluring than before.
Being this close-up, I can see flecks of different shades of purple in her eyes.
Almost like her eyes are a violet galaxy with each star its own unique shade of purple.
Were they always like that?
"Hn."
I have to force myself to turn away from her gaze. Despite it being a glare, I didn't feel any of her anger. I was too wrapped up in her. . . presence.
She's right. Damn, she's always right.
She can't stop me, but I can't stop her either. Not without wolfsbane and a clear shot.
Guess we'll both be playing the waiting game.
Whoever strikes first, wins.
"Let's go." I tell my team. "If she falls behind, don't wait for her. Abandon her at every opportunity." I hear Moriko scoff from behind me as I march forward.
"Are you serious?" Suigetsu questions. "I thought you guys were---"
"She's right. She's like someone you want to get rid of, but killing simply isn't a viable option." I reply.
"Hmph. Way to put it." Moriko deadpans. "And you're an ass."
"And you're a pain in the ass." I retort.
"Takes one to know one." She fires back.
"Tch. Get lost."
"Go to hell."
"Hope you have nightmares." I say, hoping to piss her off even further, although I don't actually mean it. She must not have been listening to my heartbeat this time, because she takes it seriously.
"You too hun! Hope you have them during the day." She says with a fake smile.
"Hope you fall off a cliff." I add.
"It wouldn't kill me you know."
"I know." I shrug. "Still hope it happens."
"Tsk. I hope you fall off a cliff."
"Hn. That's all you got, Moriko? Really?" I raise an eyebrow. That was pretty weak compared to her usual.
"Well. . . no." She says in a nonchalant tone. "I was going to say I hope you wake up tomorrow and your dick falls off, but that seemed a tad too distasteful to say in front of your nice new friends here."
Suigetsu covers his mouth to stop from laughing, while Karin gasps with shock. Juugo just shakes his head at the two of us.
"My, my. . . is the great and powerful Sasuke Uchiha speechless?" Moriko teases. It's been a while since I've felt this humiliated. She's really not holding back.
"Tch. Whatever. I'm not stooping to your level." I announced, never bothering to look back at her.
"Oh no hun. There'd be no stooping. You'd be climbing to reach my level. Matter fact, scaling a mountain. I am on god-tier level of clapbacks. You know this, so I don't even know why you tried." She laughs haughtily.
"I don't care how close you and Sasuke-kun were growing up!" Karin huffs. "You can't talk to him like that!" She screeches.
"Huh? Girl, bye." Moriko dismisses her, not even bothering to look over at her as she continues to speak. "I already said you have nothin' to worry 'bout from me. And while I will for those who need me to, I don't like repeating myself, so learn to shut up and listen, m'kay? I'm trying my hardest not to hate how whiny you are. Please don't make it harder for me hun'."
Suigetsu laughs so hard, I'm pretty sure he busted a gut since he starts wheezing.
Moriko only sighs at his laughter. "Sad thing is, I wasn't even tryna be funny."
"Is this. . . normal for you two?" Juugo turns to me, talking low probably so Moriko doesn't hear him. "Is it alright for her to talk to you like that?"
"She's anything but normal." I answer, and Moriko mutters something incoherent that I'm pretty sure was just a 'fuck you, yo' ass ain't normal neither', but I can't be too sure. "That was nothing compared to what she's said to others in the past. She's. . ."
How do I put this in terms for him?
"She's my equal in strength, Juugo. Talking shit is pretty much all we can do to each other since battling gets us nowhere." I decide to say, hoping that lets him know where she stands and how to treat her. He nods, eyes widening as he looks back at her.
"Ha." She scoffs. "Juugo, don't listen to him hun'. He's not as strong as I am. Or fast. He might have kenjutsu on me, and battle strategy, but that's it. I beat him in everything else. Hands down."
"If I beat you in battle strategy, that means I beat you in battle Moriko." And I roll my eyes.
"What?" She scoffs. "Baby, who told you that lie?" She laughs, and I grind my teeth in frustration. "Battle strategy implies you're given time for preparation. If given a heads up and a run-down of my abilities, you beating me is a strong possible. I rounded that shit up to a 'yes' for you, just to be nice. But who said I'm givin' you time to come up with a way to beat my ass? I don't waste time. My ass-whoopings come right. On. Schedule."
Suigetsu busts out into another fit of laughter, but one look from me and Moriko makes him go radio silent.
"Plus, if you want to get technical, my claws are sharper and tougher than chakra metal, so kenjutsu is probably out of the equation too."
"Claws?" Juugo questions. I don't let her answer him.
"You make it sound as if you're invincible." I comment.
"Might as well be." She says arrogantly. "You only have one option, and I'll see it coming a mile away. There's nothing you could do to faze me."
"Is that so?" I say, intrigued. "So, if I summon a giant centipede---"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. There's no need to pull some drastic shit." She immediately counters, changing her tune as soon as I mention her greatest fear. I have to hold in my laughter at how quickly she switched it up. This time she must've been listening to my pulse, because I wasn't bluffing. I can actually summon those.
"Fine. Say what you want. I don't give a damn; we both know the truth. Just please don't do that. Did. . . did Orochimaru really teach you to. . . do that?" She speeds up and now walks besides me. Her eyes beg for an answer to her question.
I nod and she grimaces.
"Ew. Just. . . ew." She shivers.
"Still afraid of them?" I tease.
"They have too many damn legs! It's. . . unnecessary." She starts swiping at her arms and neck, like there's one on her and I laugh at her.
"Don't laugh! You know that feeling when you're talking 'bout a bug and all of a sudden, it's like they're everywhere all at once! I know you do! Everyone feels that!" She argues.
"No. Pretty sure that's just you." I smirk.
"Fuck you!"
"Fuck you too." I smile.
She catches me smiling at her and the corners of her lips reluctantly turn up into a half-smile.
She never did stay mad at me for too long.
Things really haven't changed.
Having her here makes things difficult, but not impossible.
If she and that loser back at home have taught me anything. . .
It's that nothing's impossible.
I'll find a way to keep her from Itachi. If push comes to shove, I'll use Juugo.
He should at least be able to hold her off long enough for me to do what I need to.
Meanwhile, I guess. . . it'd be alright to enjoy her company as we travel.
Nothing wrong with that.
I mean, it's not like her being here will change things. I already made up my mind to not fall for her again.
We're just old childhood friends. . . yeah. . .
I can still focus on my mission with her here; if anything, she'll keep me on track.
"I hate you." She mumbles, turning her gaze away from me. "And I will stop you." She adds, before pulling her mask back up to cover her nose.
"One: you're a liar." I counter, ignoring the questioning looks from my other companions as I smirk playfully at Moriko. "And two: We'll see who strikes first."