Takeshi, the woman that I found out was called Akira and I were standing on top of a roof of the village. We were staring at the explosion, the fires that were starting and the two people that were approaching, flying on two strange looking white birds.
'' What's that? '' I asked with shock. '' Who are they? What are they doing? ''
Akira frowned, narrowing her blue eyes with anger. Now that the hood of her cloak wasn't covering her head I could see that she was actually very pretty. '' Two members of the Akatsuki... They always work in pairs and it looks like they've send two of them to kill me. Sasori of the Red sand and Deidara, the bomber from Iwa. ''
My eyes slightly widened. I had no idea who Deidara was but I've heard about Sasori. The puppeteer from the Sand... There were a lot of scary stories about him and how he liked to turn humans in to puppets. Thinking about Suna made me remember Gaara. How I said goodbye to him and promised that I was going to come back in one piece.
And I was currently in front of two dangerous S-ranked criminals.
My day was just getting better and better.
Takeshi slowly began pulling out his sword. Akira looked at him and narrowed her eyes. '' What are you doing?! We have to leave! ''
Takeshi had a serious look on his face. '' I don't want them to destroy another village and kill so many people. You escape while I'll take care of them. And they're after you anyway. Not me. ''
Akira clenched her fists with anger. '' Takeshi, don't risk your life like that! Not for me! ''
'' I told you to leave! '' Takeshi hissed with a scary tone.
I was just listening their whole conversation. It seemed like they didn't even notice me there anyway.
Akira slowly whispered: '' W-Wh-Why? ''
'' You're an important spy. I don't want to see you dying tonight, '' Takeshi emotionlessly said and pulled out his sword. '' So... go. Leave. ''
Akira was staring at him with wide eyes. Then she nodded. '' As you wish. I'll leave, '' she murmured. '' But please. I don't want to see you dying either... So... Be careful. ''
She looked at me and raised her eyebrows. I just shook my head. She seemed surprised, because she asked me if I wanted to leave with her and I said no. No matter how scared I was... I promised myself some time ago that I'll never run away again. Not when someone'll need me. And this time it was my sensei that needed me.
She smiled at me and ruffled my hair. '' You're an interesting kid. Good luck, '' she whispered. Then her body slowly disappeared and she was gone. I blinked with surprise at that. I still had no idea how did she do that but it was probably some kind of special technique.
I walked to Takeshi. '' So... What are we doing? ''
It seemed like he didn't even notice me before now. '' What? Wait, why are you still here? '' he asked, narrowing his eyes with anger. '' Didn't you leave with Akira? ''
I shook my head, grinning. '' No! I don't leave the people I care about just like that, Take-san! ''
He frowned. '' Care? Why would you care about me? ''
I kept smiling. '' I know that you don't like to be called like that but you're still my sensei. You taught me some important things! And you even bought me lunch a few times! No matter what you say you're still a nice person. It's better to die with someone than to let them die alone. ''
His eyes widened with shock. '' You know... '' he slowly murmured. '' For a stupid little girl you can be pretty wise. '' I grinned while he groaned, and covered his face with his hand. '' I'm so going to regret getting you involved in this.... But... Fine. Could you destroy those two birds the two are on? It's going to be easier to beat them if they'll be on the ground. ''
'' Okay! '' I said and showed him a thumbs up.
That was when he suddenly looked up and then yelled: '' GET AWAY! ''
I wasn't sure what happened but I still quickly concentrated chakra in my feet and jumped on another roof. The next second the one Takeshi and I were standing on already exploded. I looked up and noticed that Sasori and Deidara already reached us on their birds, helping me get a closer look on them.
I slightly narrowed my eyes with confusion because they really looked like a strange couple. The first one seemed like some kind of old, ugly, creepy looking man, while the other one looked barely two years older than me with blonde hair, tied up in a ponytail. I recognised the older one as Sasori and the younger as Deidara.
Deidara was just staring at me and doing something to a scope thing that was on one of his eyes. Then he said something to Sasori that I couldn't hear but by the looks on their faces it seemed like they were surprised by something. The next second a grin appeared on Deidara's face and I quickly noticed smaller white birds, flying in my direction.
I wasn't planning on staying and finding out what those things were. I quickly jumped away on another roof before the birds hit the one I used to be on, making it explode. My eyes slightly widened at the sight of the big explosion. So that was how his bombs looked like?
I quickly landed on another roof and then pulled out my summoning scroll from my back pocket. I got an idea and I really hoped that it would work. Surprisingly the butterflies I could summon actually turned out to be something useful. I quickly poked my finger with a kunai and smeared the blood over the seal on the scroll. Then I formed a handseal and yelled: '' Summoning technique: Butterflies! '' Yup, there really was no cool way to say that.
I noticed how Sasori and Deidara almost fell from their birds when thousands of butterflies began flying out of the seal on my scroll. I knew that they probably expected me to summon something like a dragon or a tiger... But butterflies? Not really.
Once they stopped they were surrounding me in a huge cloud. I quickly put away the scroll again and formed another handseal, concentrating on the butterflies. I wanted to control them with the help of chakra. The summoning scroll said that I was actually supposed to be able to do that.
A grin appeared on my face when the butterflies actually did what I wanted. A few of them landed on my back, quickly followed by others.
Deidara just threw some more bombs at me but I quickly concentrated. The butterflies on my back began moving their wings and then I was already rising in the air. A triumphant grin appeared on my face. '' Hell yeah! I'm pure awesomeness, flying like that! '' I yelled, clenching my fists. That was when I lost balance for a second and did a flip in the air. I quickly controlled the butterflies again and seriously murmured:. '' Okay, maybe I need a little bit more practice before flying so carelessly. ''
I stared at Deidara and Sasori again. They were looking back at me with surprise. Then I grinned again and began flying higher to their birds. I stopped only a few meters away. At first we just kept staring at each other.
'' Who the fuck are you, un? ''
Deidara was the first one that spoke up.
I pointed at him, smiling. '' Chiharu Haruno! I'm your worst nightmare, yeah! ''
His eyes slightly widened with surprise. '' What? ''
That was when Sasori and Takeshi spoke up. Sasori looked at Deidara. '' Kill her, brat. We're looking for the spy and we don't need to waste time with her. '' At the same Takeshi yelled from a roof in the village: '' Do something, brat! ''
Deidara just stared at eachother for a second, the looks on our faces saying: '' I feel your pain. ''
Yeah, being called 'brat' all the time wasn't really the best thing ever.
Then a smirk appeared on my face. '' But Take-san is right. I have to do something... You two killed a lot of people tonight and destroyed their homes. I don't like seeing that happen to someone that doesn't deserve it. ''
Deidara shoved his hands in to his pouches. '' You think you can stop us, un? '' he asked with a smirk. '' Do you have any idea who are you talking to? '' he continued. The same second the wind blew, rising his black cloak with red clouds in the air.
I wasn't sure what was he doing but I didn't want to give him the time for another attack. I quickly pulled my fans out of my back pocket, opened one of them, concentrated chakra in it and threw it in Deidara's direction. My eyes widened with surprise when Sasori's scorpion tale quickly moved and blocked it before it could hit it's target.
'' Stupid brat, '' he murmured in annoyance.
I suddenly noticed more of Deidara's weird birds, flying at me.
Then Deidara formed a handseal and a huge grin appeared on his face. '' Prepare to be turned in to art! Katsu! ''
One of them exploded right next to me, destroying some of the butterflies that were on my back. I screamed with surprise when I suddenly began falling. Then I quickly concentrated again, making other butterflies replace the ones that were gone. I quickly flew back up to Deidara and Sasori, frowning. '' Okay, now I'm mad! '' I yelled.
They both seemed slightly surprised that I was still alive. But not as much as when I began doing handseals for my next jutsu. '' I don't care that much about me but your explosion destroyed another house! I'll stop you from doing that again! '' I yelled and then narrowed my eyes. '' Flower prison! ''
I felt how some chakra left my body and the next second giant pink petals began forming around the houses under me, keeping them safe inside different big flowers. Deidara was looking down with shock while Sasori was staring at me, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. '' Who are you? '' he asked with his raspy weird voice.
I grinned and kept floating in the air in front of their birds with the help of the butterflies on my back. '' I already told you who I am! But maybe you already heard me as the girl with the power of the Hana clan! '' I yelled. Sasori's eyes slightly widened with realisation. I smiled at that. '' So you've heard about me? About the power to manipulate nature? I can create the most poisonous of all flowers that would kill you in a second. '' I said, trying to sound cool. The truth was that I was still only learning about poisons. '' I'll show you what I can do! '' I quickly formed other handseals. '' Flower prison: Deadly roses spikes! '' I yelled.
Stems, covered with spikes began wrapping themselves around the two birds. The stems first made them unable to move their wings, then the spikes on them suddenly got bigger and went right through them.
To my disappointment Deidara and Sasori both managed to land on two different roofs but at least the two birds were gone. I was still floating and flying in the sky and watching how Takeshi began attacking Sasori, holding his sword in the air. My eyes stopped on Deidara. I wasn't sure why he kept shoving his hands in his pouches but I knew that somehow by doing that he created those explosions. And now he was planning on using them on Takeshi.
I narrowed my eyes and began flying to the ground, holding one of my two fans in the air. Deidara quickly noticed me and threw some more explosions at me but I quickly dodged them. When I was a few meters from the ground I made the butterflies that were on my back disappear, did a few backflips in the air and landed on the roof a few meters away from Deidara.
Like a completly ultimate boss.
He slowly narrowed his one visible blue eye. '' Who are you, un? ''
'' Why do you keep asking me that?! '' I groaned in annoyance and pointed at him. '' I already introduced myself two times today, bomber, '' I said and grinned. '' Sometimes the fact that no one ever listens to me really annoys me. ''
'' What did you do earlier? '' he continued, still carefully staring at me.
My grin widened. '' I also have a cool power. Just like you, bomber. Your partner recognised it but you didn't. You don't seem as smart as him... '' I sighed with disappointment. '' A total waste of cuteness. ''
We were both quiet for a few seconds. Then Deidara narrowed his one visible blue eye. '' What did you just call me? ''
I suddenly flinched in realisation and my face slowly began turning red. '' I... Uh... Nothing. ''
'' No, you said- '' he began but I already interrupted him.
'' No, I didn't. You heard me wrong, '' I said, now with a completely serious expression on my face.
He narrowed his blue eyes. '' But I- ''
'' Nope, '' I interrupted him again.
I could see that he was slowly getting annoyed. '' Y- ''
'' No. '' A grin appeared on my face and I nervously scratched the back of my head. '' I usually don't even listen to myself when I say stuff so.... '' The look on his face was just making mine even more red. This was so embarrassing. I wasn't even sure what I said that. Did I think he was cute? I slowly scanned him with my eyes. Actually... He wasn't bad. He had pretty blonde hair, blue eyes and I knew that he probably had an amazing body under that black cloak.
Wait a minute... Why am I even thinking about stuff like that right now?!
'' Why do you follow around the Flaming black ninja? '' Deidara suddenly asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I smiled like we were best friends for years and we were currently on a tea party. Then happily explained: '' He's my sensei. He's training me for the Chunin exams. ''
'' You're still just a genin? '' he questioned, raising an eyebrow. '' This'll be easy, un... '' Suddenly he smirked. '' You're about to be turned in to art, yeah! '' That was when I noticed that the bombs actually came from his... hands? My eyes widened at the sight of the mouths on his hand. Did he actually have... But it wasn't the time to wonder how the hell was that possible because the next second there were already six of those birds flying in my direction.
I screamed with surprise and quickly dodged the closest one.
'' Katsu! ''
The bird exploded a meter away from me and I shrieked with pain when I felt a burning sensation on my arm. I staggered for a few steps, only to get hit by another explosion. When it was over I was on my knees, covered with bruises and burned marks. I was catching my breath and my vision was blurred. I was staring down at my bloodied hands.
'' You're weak... '' Deidara emotionlessly said, walking closer. '' I thought you were stronger, un. What a disappointment. ''
Then he already grabbed my neck and I began gasping for air when he slowly raised me in the air. My eyes widened with shock at the sight of the kunai in his hand. He grinned at me: '' You're shaking from fear. You should've left when you still had the chance, yeah. ''
My lips suddenly lifted up in to a smirk. '' You think that you already beat me, bomber? ''
He seemed confused by that. '' You can't even walk anymore, un. You have way to much confidence. ''
'' The fight's not over yet! '' I didn't give him a lot of time to think about what I just said. The next second I raised my leg and kicked him right in to the place where it hurt him the most. He groaned with pain and instantly dropped me on the ground. I staggered for a few steps and the butterflies that were still flying around us quickly helped me so I didn't fall. The truth was that I wasn't sure how I was still able to stand up. My whole body hurt and everything around me was slightly blurred.
But I still took a few steps to Deidara, grabbed his head and began focusing my chakra. I knew that in a real fight I would never be able to beat him. So I had to take advantage of the few seconds that I had until he'll be able to stand up again. '' I don't like hurting people, '' I slowly said, making his blue eye slightly widen. '' I don't like seeing pain... That's because I felt that way to many times. Pain. But if I have to... I'll forget about that and... and I'll kill you. Even if I don't want that. ''
I squatted down and slowly moved my face closer to Deidara's. His eye widened even more, he was probably confused about what I was going to do next. Then I focused chakra in my head and hit his forehead with mine. He groaned with pain and I dropped him on the ground. I slowly stood up and staggered for a few steps, feeling even weaker because of the lost of chakra while Deidara was laying on the ground, cursing. '' Stupid Leaf ninja... I'm going to kill you. ''
I looked at him and slowly grinned. '' Awesome ninjas like me don't just die... Remember my name, bomber... I'm Chiharu Haruno, and one day, I'm going to become as strong as a legendary Sannin... '' My eyes slowly stopped on another roof where Takeshi and Sasori were just fighting with each other.
This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. Takeshi seemed like he was barely able to stand up while Sasori looked just a little hurt. That was when I noticed something moving behind Takeshi and my eyes widened. Sasori's tail was aiming for his back and I knew that he could kill Takeshi with it.
I quickly opened one of my fans and focused some of my chakra in it. I gathered the remaining of my strength to spin and threw the fan. Thankfully it hit Sasori's tail and pushed it away before it could stab Takeshi.
A thriumphant grin appeared on my face.
That was when an explosion suddenly went on right next to me. My eyes widened with horror and then it was like everything around me disappeared. Everything besides the burning sensation, going through all of my body, the endless pain. I heard Deidara's laughter before my body got thrown somewhere between the ruins of another exploded house. It rolled a few times before it stopped.
I tried to move again, I really tried but I couldn't. I wasn't able to even feel my body anymore. Everything around me was blurred and dizzy. I stared at my arm, covered with bruises and wounds. And the red liquid on my pale skin. Blood. That was the last thing I saw before I closed my eyes and fell in to darkness.
***
My eyes suddenly shot open. For a few seconds I was just staring at the white ceiling on top of me, not really knowing what happened, where was I, what was going on, or anything else. Then a single thought reached my head and a grin appeared on my face.
The next second I already sat up and pointed in a random direction. '' Yeah, baby! Chiharu is to cool to die! '' Then I felt how my arm suddenly hurt and groaned with pain.
'' Chiharu? '' a familliar voice asked.
I looked around the room and just then noticed five familiar people that were staring at me with serious looks on their faces. I grinned with happiness. '' Hitomi! Ren! Ryo! Madoka! And even you Take-san! You're all here! ''
Hitomi smiled. '' So you're finally awake. ''
Suddenly my eyes widened, remembering what happened. '' Deidara! Sasori! Explosions! Bam! Katsu! Pain! Explosion! AGHGHGHGHGH! '' I began yelling and if my whole body wouldn't hurt I would probably jump from my hospital bed and start running in circles while holding my head in panic.
Takeshi sighed and facepalmed. '' And she's back... ''
'' Don't move to much! '' Ryo said, walking closer. '' Your body was in a pretty bad condition when Takeshi... ehm... dragged you here. I healed you but you still need to rest. ''
'' No, rest, no, no! Take-san and I are leaving for the next mission! '' I said, shaking my head.
Everyone looked at Takeshi that seemed a little nervous, standing there. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head. '' Err... I think we can stay here until tomorrow morning. So you'll get better and you won't hold me back, brat. ''
'' By the way, where 'here' is? '' I asked, looking at them with curiosity.
Ren smirked. '' Takeshi-san dragged you all the way to Kumogakure. ''
I stared at Takeshi with a surprised look on my face. He just shrugged, looking away. '' After that explosion that blasted you away I managed to stab Sasori. That was when him and Deidara decided that they could leave. They were looking for the spy anyway and she was already gone then. Fighting us wasn't in their plan... Then I found you in the ruins of that house. You were still alive so I decided not to leave you there. And I couldn't find your fans so I got you new ones, brat. '' He pulled two fans from his back pocket and threw them at me. Everyone sweatdropped when they hit my forehead before I could catch them.
I slowly held them, staring at them with wide eyes. So my two fans were gone? This was kind of sad, considering that I got them from the Hokage, but they were also old so maybe I needed new ones anyway. And the ones that I had now weren't even so different. They were in a bright pink and red colour, with white flowery pattern like my last ones.
I carefully opened them, looking at the edges that seemed even sharper than the ones on my last two fans.
Then I closed them again, stuffed them in the back pocket of my dress and slowly raised my head again, looking at Takeshi with a creepy grin on my face.
'' What? '' he asked, frowning.
I grinned even more and pointed at him. '' I knew you cared about your student, Take-san! You would totally miss me as your sidekick if I would leave you, yeah! And don't even say that it's not true! ''
Takeshi crossed his arms. '' Where did you get that idea? '' Then the expression on his face became slightly nervous. '' Are you leaving? ''
I giggled. '' You totally do care. And no, I ain't leaving. You still got so much to teach me, yeah!
Takeshi sighed and lighted himself another cigarette. '' To bad. I was hoping that you would leave. ''
I kept smiling. '' No you didn't. I'm the best sidekick you could have. ''
'' I work better alone, '' he simply said and a sight smirk appeared on his face.
I shrugged. '' Maybe, but you have more fun when I'm around! ''
Ren, Ryo, Hitomi and Madoka just watched our babbling. I heard how Ren sighed after a few seconds and murmured: '' Two idiots... ''
Hitomi was staring at us with a grin on her face. '' I don't know... They really seem to work good together. Like two people that actually found each other. They look like a brother and a sister... Or maybe a father and a daughter. I don't know... ''
With that Takeshi turned at Hitomi. '' I'M NOT THAT OLD, BRAT! '' Then he just turned around and stormed out of the room.
I just grinned, waved and yelled after him: '' Don't get to drunk tonight because like you said, we're leaving tomorrow morning! ''