EM: This chapter has been rewritten and retitled. Thanks for reading!
Note: This story was originally titled Learning to Love. The title has been changed again for reasons.
Summary: Orochimaru and Itachi's whereabouts are unknown and a new power is rising beyond theirs. As the world shifts, a soul, not unlike one we already know, is searching for peace in a world of darkness. Peace that may come at a heavy price.
Disclaimer: Not mine, nor will it ever be.
Hurricane Set in Motion
Chapter 1: A Force of Nature
It was easy, finding them. It was as if they weren't really trying to run. As if they wanted to be seen. It was absurd of course, unless it was a setup. She was settled amongst the trees waiting for her prey. The mission was a joke and she had refused at first, but grandma was insistent that she 'check' it out. She observed her surroundings and took note of the way the sun shone through the branches and kissed the earth underneath. It was a beautiful day to be somewhere else. There was always a time to be somewhere else. She sighed with anxiety.
Her head jerked up at the sound of horse hooves stampeding in her direction. But she quickly ignored them and listened in for the quick, silent steps of the shinobi that should be following. Once she knew the positions of all six, she simply waited for the group to get closer to her position. Missions like this were always worthless seeing as she almost always never got the information that she needed or they were a false lead. Plus she always wasted her energy and her supplies. The choice wasn't hers to make either way. To keep the hunter-nins off her back was the only thing that made her do worthless mission after mission. Even though the hunter-nins would never pose a threat, she didn't need others prying into her life. She supposed she owed the old lady.
The pounding of the horses was getting much louder and still she waited in the treetops for her quarry to make its appearance. She didn't have to wait long. They came as expected and they still hadn't sensed her, as expected. Just as the carriage carrying what she needed came into view she jumped from her hiding place and pounced on the first shinobi she came into contact with. It was so easy to hit the right points on the body of another faceless shinobi. The shinobi was incapacitated just as another sprung on her. She grabbed his wrist and twisted him around just as she leaned back in time for two kunai to fly by her face. She swiftly brought around her own kunai and struck her opponent once in the neck and then threw it at another.
Too easy.
She jumped from the branch she was currently vacating and made it inside the carriage.
"Try escaping and I'll have your head as a mantel for my front room."
The prey in question looked on with steady eyes, but his hands betrayed him. They were grasping his pants tightly and shaking. She removed herself from the carriage and took down the other three shinobi like they were Genin and stopped short.
She wasn't that concerned about her spectator; she just didn't like audiences much. But there was nothing she could do at this point. He had already seen her and some of what she could do. He hadn't moved from his position and he seemed to make no inclination to do so. Fighting him was not part of the mission and risking her life wasn't either. Barely ignoring the unwanted audience, she made her way into the still carriage.
Her mission was still inside, trembling.
"Tell me what I need to hear and you can go free."
His lips trembled and she laughed out loud. She would give him something to tremble about. Before he could even begin to blink, she was sitting behind him, kunai drawn up to his jugular, hand holding his arm behind his back and a growl emitting from her lips. A loud crack could be heard in the distance and then followed by a bloodcurdling scream that was cut off. After holding his arm in that position for merely seven seconds, she snapped it, and then covered up his scream.
"Stop screaming and I'll let you loose. I said it once, and I'll only say it once more. Tell me what you know."
The man had tears streaming down his face, and his head dropped. She was facing him again. Sweat dripped down his face and sobs wracked his frame. The birds outside were unperturbed to the violent acts that were being committed. She fleetingly wished that she were a bird.
"I…d-don't know what you're looking for. I-I'm just…gasp…supposed to go to the H-Hidden Mist Village."
What? Hidden Mist? What the hell is he being sent there for?
"The Hidden Mist? You expect me to believe that sorry excuse for a lie? Bullshit. Tell me where you're going!" She swiftly brought her fist into contact with his stomach and he doubled over from the impact, grunting.
"I…told…you. I don't know why I'm going there, all I know is that's where I was told to go."
So that was it. It was all a stupid trick. Another false lead. Another wasted week.
"SHIT!" She punched him once more in the face for good measure, hoping to release some of the anger that had so suddenly bubbled up inside her and stormed out of the carriage.
"Get out here! Now. I know you're up there watching me." She waited impatiently for him to come out. He had to. She knew he was here for her. She could sense him all over. It was like he was there, watching her. It unnerved her to no end, feeling his aura so close to her again. She had run so far and so long from him. Stop. She attempted to steady her nerves because getting angry was not an option at this point. She didn't need it coming out. She slowed her breathing, stopped pacing and relaxed her muscles.
She felt him then. He approached her from a shadow to the left. His steps were silent, but she could feel in the vibrations of the air his breathing, which was shallow and quiet. He had been trained to be invisible but that couldn't stop her from hearing him. Not with her senses.
"I know you're here for a reason. So tell me what it is now. I'm not in the mood for games."
He continued to stare at her with those midnight eyes and shadowed face and she found she had troubling telling what he was thinking. His aura was too much like the one she despised with everything she had, and it was hard for her to keep the two separate. He seemed to be taking her in, calculating. She couldn't even guess as to what his motives might be for being here. And then his eyes suddenly reminded her of a different person, one she missed terribly…It was that same look he used to give, the one that used to make her feel as if the world was crashing down around them. It was sad.
She considered his being there. Perhaps he wants us to meet. His plans were always obscure and twisted. She thought about the possibilities of him being sent here, but didn't think he would take commands from that bastard.
"Your silence ignites my anger. Tell me why you're here Uchiha because I know for certain you would never submit to anything he wanted. What does being here gain you?" She enunciated his name and she gained no reaction from him.
Sasuke Uchiha. Brother to a prodigy, last descendant of a diminished clan, was standing before her, nonchalantly. Personally she didn't see what was so special about him. Perhaps he had the Sharingan, but what good was he if he hadn't been used. That monster only kept alive what he was going to use. But Sasuke was alive longer than she had thought he would be. She didn't understand what he was waiting for. An invitation? He would make one himself so that wasn't the problem. He was waiting for something. She just didn't know what for.
"Isn't it obvious?" His condescending tone made her rage boil up again and her eyes narrowed. Where had her control gone?
Asshole.
"He talked about you, you know." Her eyes widened and the last of her control slipped like a knife through warm butter. That monster! I HATE him!
"You look angry. Did I say something to upset you?" His smirk became the center of her focus and everything else went black.
The Uchiha smirked and she wanted at that moment to rip his throat out. Her feral instincts were striving to take control and to actually do it, but she held herself in check. Too long had it been since she had let it loose and she wasn't about to let it take control again. She just couldn't. How could Sasuke Uchiha make her loose her cool?
"No." But it came out strangled and his smirk widened. Mentally she scolded herself and growled internally. She forced herself to take a deep breath and hold it, waiting for her heart to slow its rapid pace. She forcefully relaxed her muscles for the second time in one day. She sighed. Hopefully when she spoke next it wouldn't sound so forced.
"Why meet me? I'm not that special." His face fell back to impassive and he was once again silent. She studied him. His reaction told her that emotions were something he was once accustomed to but no longer.
"Not so quick to talk when I'm not upset are you? Look I don't know what he told you but I can assure you it's a load of bullshit. That monster doesn't know me." He didn't make a move, just simply stood there. His delayed speech was beginning to agitate her and she wondered briefly if he was doing it on purpose. If he was, it was working.
"I'm here to find out." She wondered faintly if he could be any more cryptic.
"Find out what? That I'm O negative and hate wearing shoes?"
"You hate wearing shoes?" Surprise flitted over his face so quick she had thought it was her imagination.
Did I really just reveal that?
"No. I don't. And obviously that's not what you're here for. So just tell me why the hell you are!"
The Uchiha still stood where he was not moving. She was beginning to become annoyed with his small talk and turned around ready to leave.
"I don't have time to swap stories with you. You can go back and let him know that I'm not falling for any tricks he thinks he can throw at me. Tell him that I will personally kick his ass if he tries anything with me. And anyone he might send after me." She finished it off with an over the shoulder glare. The effect on any normal person would have made them shrink back in fear, but Sasuke wasn't normal and glares were probably his strong point.
She headed off without another word and listened for the Uchiha's breathing. It stayed the same and told her he didn't care or she was right about his control on emotions. She turned on her heel to make another point when she came face to face with him, effectively startling her. Which then made her angry again that he could disarm her so easily. She was slightly disconcerted by his closeness but refused to let it show. He continued to stare into her eyes and she looked on into his coal ones. As she was staring him down she felt an overwhelming sense of sadness, confusion and denial. She knew it was emanating from him, but she couldn't decipher the feelings. Was he trying to convey something to her? Or was it unintentional and these were his true feelings? She didn't know exactly but she stored this for later inspection. She felt this was going to go nowhere and turned away first. She continued to walk on her way and knew he would follow. He had something planned but she didn't particularly care at the moment.
All she wanted was a bath and some sleep.
But his next words would diminish all peaceful thoughts.
"You're like him you know." She stopped dead in her tracks and all the breath left her lungs. He wouldn't dare.
"Orochimaru."
As soon as that name left his lips she felt her anger rise up like bile in the back of her throat. There was no stopping it this time. He had crossed the line. Pointed ears formed above her head and her hands became claws. A snarl ripped past her throat and she threw the Uchiha against a tree. The force of her push brought the tree out of the ground and they continued to plow through the forest leaving wreckage behind. Her lip curled back to reveal fangs and her eyes glowed blue.
"You say that name by me again and I will personally be sure that you never use that Sharingan of yours again." It came out more as a growl, ruining the effect of her words.
The Uchiha seemed a little stunned by the sudden impact of her attack but he recovered quickly. He laughed instead.
"Orochimaru didn't tell me about this."
She roared and instinctively went for his eyes. His sword appeared between her claws and her target.
"I told you Uchiha, say that name again and I would take your eyes!"
Sasuke seemed interested in her reaction to his name. He was struggling with the unexpected strength of the girl pinning him down, but didn't seem scared. He didn't think she would actually kill him and he wouldn't let her take his eyes. He had already survived a much harder struggle for them and he wasn't about to lose them now.
"You won't be able to take them."
She growled once more and let out a howl of rage. Why am I doing this? He can't possibly do anything to me and I've already shown him more than I wanted.
Berating herself for allowing the Uchiha to get a rise out of her she released her grip on his neck, with some trouble. Every cell in her body was screaming for freedom, to tear him apart. Who was he to mock and taunt her? But allowing her emotions to get the better of her was worse. She took a couple steps backward and took deep meditative breaths. Sasuke watched in fascination. His feet touched the ground and he brought up his sword ready for another attack.
He was stunned by her next action.
She went absolutely still and it was as if a curtain fell. Any threat he may have felt disappeared.
"You want information from me and you're going to pursue me until you get it. Fine. I'm not going to guarantee anything at all for you, asshole. But I have someone to see about this useless mission, so if you want to take a trip back down memory lane you're free to come along. I think there are plenty of people who would be delighted to see you."
It was her turn to smirk and her teeth, which were still sharp and pointed like canines, became evident. His eyes narrowed.
She turned once more to head for Konoha and her fangs, claws and ears disappeared from her body. She felt her body making the proper repair to her damaged inside due to her lack of control. She cringed at her rashness in letting Sasuke see her other side. She hadn't let that out in 6 years. She fumed at her impulsive behavior and knew that she would be lectured about this when she got back. And to top it off she had an unwanted companion, if that's what you could call him.
Damn that monster. He should die a thousand times over for all he's done.
She took her time going back. It felt like she had just carried a couple tons and her body was screaming for her to just lie down and rest. She would have loved to stop and rest but extra baggage kept her moving, albeit at a very slow pace.
Damn Uchiha Sasuke.
Damn.
Reviews are a sign of your kindness.
EM
