Eep. It's been ages since I've worked on this. Well, I'm actually not really following Naruto anymore, but I'm not ready to let go of this fanfic yet. I've spent too long musing over it! *nods* So I'll still try to write it. But I'll be getting my info from the Wiki, so… Yeah, details will be pretty sketchy. And characters will probably be OOC.
"So you're leaving the team already?" Sasuke questioned his sister.
Midori nodded, pushing her empty bowl away. She'd stopped to eat ramen with Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto while she explained that she would be training with Team 10.
"Aw," Naruto complained. "You've hardly hung out with us!"
"That was the deal," Midori reminded him. "Switch around the teams. Be grateful I can train as a Genin at all, Naruto."
Naruto sighed dramatically. "Fine. But I still don't like it…"
Midori idly traced the edge of her bowl while Naruto ranted a little more. Her eyes flickered outside, and her eyes narrowed suddenly. Her expression turned sour for a heartbeat, before settling into a composed mask. She stood up. "I've got to go. Tell you about training tomorrow."
Before anyone could say anything, Midori hurried out of Ichiraku Ramen. Her onyx eyes were trained on the sky. Now, really?
A small, almost feeble voice murmured quietly in her head. You know, there was once a time when you looked forward to training… Always telling Itachi what a brilliant shinobi you'd be.
Midori gritted her teeth at the memory. A child's dream is always nicer than reality.
Are you not a child then? That voice just kept nagging her.
She quickened her pace, trying to ignore it. I wish I was.
"What do you want?" Midori snapped.
She had managed to get out of Konoha without alerting the sentries. Not that they would stop her, but it was best to be secretive. Safer.
She was now standing in a clearing in the forest. It wasn't too far from Konoha, but far away enough to speak freely without fear of being heard.
"You've had your little holiday. It's time to leave."
"Not yet," Midori protested. "It's only been a week!"
"A week is long enough."
Just as Midori was opening her mouth, a second voice insisted quietly, "Let her stay."
Midori breathed a sigh of relief. The newcomer went on, "I heard the Chunin exams are coming up soon. She can keep an eye on Konoha and Suna too."
"Fine," the first person conceded. "But we'll have to leave straight after that. You of all people should know it's dangerous to stay here too long…"
A slight swoosh told Midori that the other person had left. Well, at least he'd persuaded her 'mentor' – she snorted silently at the word; it seemed much too caring – to let her stay…
Midori began to back away. "Well, it won't help me keep up this charade if someone notices I'm missing," she added persuasively. "And disappearing suddenly like this is too risky. It would be safer for you to stop sending crows as messengers… In fact, don't contact me at all."
There was a snort. "Insolent…"
You really shouldn't push him like that. That voice in her head was whispering to Midori again as she hurried back to Konoha, missing the end of the mutter. Especially since he let you stay.
She can push him however much she wants! Another voice cut in snappishly. He's a jerk!
Midori sucked in her breath sharply at the sudden migraine, massaging her temples wearily. Not again…
"I thought it was supposed to have stopped," she murmured, her voice tight.
Unable to take it, she shut her eyes and made the hand-signs of a teleportation jutsu she'd been working on. Landing just outside the Uchiha compound, she ran inside to her room.
The ache numbing her senses, she blindly grabbed her bag from under her pillow and snatched a small piece of paper from inside. Slapping it on her forehead, she performed the hand-seals that she knew would activate the seal.
The pain began to ebb. Midori gave a sigh of relief, peeling off the paper and tucking it carefully into her pocket. Who knew if it would come back again…
So, what do you readers make of the last part? Review?
