Chapter 7: The Younger Sibling
Sasuke looked at her in the same manner dignified reproach as Itachi that Toriya immediately thought back to when Kisame and Itachi had tried to capture her back in Grass Country. As much as she had originally thought this little adventure to be training, Toriya was in a bit of emotional distress at the time and had no heart for battling. It was the true mark of a shinobi that her glaring expression gave no sign of her weakness. There was a soft shuffling sound behind her; Orochimaru and Kabuto were apparently watching the stand-off as well, though they were probably struggling under layers of debris.
"Mizuiro Toriya, is it?" Sasuke said. "I never thought you would come here."
"My presence seems to be rather unwelcome here," Toriya replied sardonically, "and here I was trying to leave with utmost poise when you came barging in the scene."
"Since you're here, I might as well kill you," he said, unimpressed.
"What am I? A warm-up for your battle-to-the-death against Itachi?"
"I must become stronger."
Toriya fell silent at these familiar words.
"I am an avenger."
With that said, he rushed at her, katana drawn and sizzling with the electricity of his Chidori. Toriya sighed. Fleeing was clearly not a viable option at this time.
She reached for her own katana. As the dagger-like object was drawn from its small scabbard on her right thigh, it elongated and became a fully sized katana. Toriya ran her index and middle fingers of her chakra-emitted left hand along the smooth blade. Filled with chakra, the thin weapon grew into a large sword tall as she was and thrice its original width, ready to utilize its new powers gained during her four years' worth of travels. Just as Sasuke was about to slice her in half, Toriya blocked his katana with hers, which she had quickly covered with a layer of wind. The wind element chakra weakened the electrical katana, and Sasuke was forced to retreat.
"Sasuke, I'll be frank," Toriya said as she casually examined her enlarged katana, "I am in no mood to battle, but I do these words to tell you."
She suddenly stared right at Sasuke, brown eyes gleaming like auburn-colored steel.
"Revenge will take you no where. Your heart will only know cold hatred, and you will never be able to rest. I say this as a fellow shinobi, the younger sibling of a brother who has betrayed his clan. I understand how you feel, but forget about this, Sasuke. Forget about hunting down Itachi and forget about the pain from losing all your bonds.
"It will do you no good."
Toriya turned to walk away.
"It's too late," Sasuke said quietly.
Toriya stopped in her tracks.
"IT'S TOO LATE. I'VE ALREADY GONE THIS FAR!! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT I'VE GONE THROUGH???"
Toriya flickered away to safety just as Sasuke's angry katon scorched the place where she had been standing. She turned around and calmly observed Sasuke. His eyes remained black, though they were now filled with a sort of distress and twisted pain.
"Your choice, then. I'll take a rain check for our battle," Toriya added, "but don't forget what I've said, Sasuke."
And off she bounced into the distance with three pairs of eyes watching her leave.
A/N: Short chapter. It seems special enough, in a sense, to be separated from the previous one. I don't own Naruto.