Author's Note:
More crack. But some actual sustenance too; those who guessed at the pairing last chapter will see hints if they're right or wrong this chapter ;)
LOSGAP = D
Hayley rolled over and attempted to put her foot behind her head, and to her intense surprise and delight, she succeeded.
"Lookie! I did it!" She cried in excitement, wiggling her foot at everyone sitting around her.
"Awesome." Sibrina yawned.
"Why are you doing that?" Sakura deadpanned. "Because I wanted to see if I could." Hayley said, waving her foot at her. "Hmm." She eyed her other foot and rolled over, attempting to get that one behind her head too. Sasuke rolled his eyes.
They were doing what had become routine; waiting for Kakashi. Team 7 was sprawled around the training grounds, sitting in somewhat of a semi-circle. Well, most were sitting. One was lying on the ground, fast asleep; the other was currently rolling in a circle.
"Sibrina," Sasuke spoke suddenly and she looked away from Hayley rolling on the ground to Sasuke. "Yeah?"
"Is your sister…" He frowned, looking at Hayley. "…mentally delayed or something?" He asked finally. "Of course not, why would you think that?" Sibrina snorted. As though on an unspoken consent, they both turned to look at Hayley, who was trying to lick her elbow again. Her hand inched across the opposite side of her head, her fingers crawling towards her face. She glanced over at the hand beside her and shrieked, falling over in a knot of confused limbs.
"I rest my case." Sasuke deadpanned.
---
"Oh I'm so excited!" Hayley exclaimed, clapping her hands. "How are you so excited at this time of day?" Naruto yawned.
"Be happy, damn it!" Hayley snapped and everyone flinched. "See what I mean, she's totally bipolar in the mornings." Sibrina grumbled as Hayley skipped off.
"If I'm correct, she'll pass out in about a minute or so." Sibrina said as they all fell into step behind her.
They were on their first mission, an escort assignment; it was a B ranked mission. Their escort, Kemuri Taiyou, was a man not much older then twenty. He was a merchant, and had requested an escort because of false accusations for stealing from a neighboring country prevented him safe travel.
"I can believe we've got a B mission." Sibrina muttered to Hayley, finally catching up to her. "I know, isn't it great?" Hayley grinned. "I think Tsunade trusts us a little too much. What if we screw up?" Sibrina hissed. "We've got Team Kakashi to help us!" Hayley whispered back. "If we mess up, they'll help us." She said.
"I don't want to depend on someone else; I want to do this right." Sibrina insisted. Hayley looked over at her in amusement. "I never knew you were so independent. I thought I was supposed to be the stubborn one."
Sibrina shrugged and smiled.
---
Hayley sighed and rolled over in her bedroll to look up at the stars. A small, happy smile tugged at her lips.
If anyone had asked me just a short while ago if I was happy with my life, I would have laughed in their face. She thought, her eyes tracing over familiar constellations.
It seemed like everything was falling into place; she was happy. She was no longer a burden on her family; she had no school to worry herself over, only a village she already felt loyal too. And Sibrina; her happiness wouldn't have been complete without her best friend.
So this is what true happiness feels like. Hayley thought, a smile quirking at her lips as she looked around the camp. Everyone was asleep except for Sasuke, who was keeping watch. She frowned slightly at him.
These are the good days, eh? Before you abandon everything for your stupid need for revenge. She thought. She felt a pang as she looked at him. Sure, she hated his decision and she didn't support it (she also thought his hair was absolutely ridiculous) but when she had seen him leave in the anime, she'd actually felt bad for him. She knew what it was like to feel so alone.
I wonder how he'd react if I tried to talk him out of it. She wondered briefly. I'd probably just push him to Orochimaru faster though. She thought with a sigh.
Besides, I'm not supposed to mess with the plotline. She thought. She flinched inwardly when Sasuke, not knowing she was watching her, absent-mindedly lifted a hand and placed it on his shoulder, over where the cursed seal was as he tilted his head back, looking at the stars. For a brief moment she caught a glimpse of his onyx eyes, gleaming with starlight.
Damn it, how can someone so screwed up be so cute? She wondered in annoyance, turning her back to him. She wondered if she could spy on his thoughts without his noticing. She dispelled the thought almost instantly; she knew there was no chance of fooling the prodigy.
What are you thinking about, Uchiha?
---
"I never thought missions could be so boring." Hayley muttered to Sibrina, who nodded in agreement.
It was the second day of the mission; the second day of walking in silence. Well, not complete silence. To amuse herself, Hayley often picked on Sasuke, since he had annoying Naruto covered. Also, just because she liked seeing expression on his face instead of the same, boring flat look he looked at the world from.
She reached her arm forward, her one finger extended to poke the back of Sasuke's head.
"Wow." She muttered, poking it again. It was soft. She'd expected it to be gelled or something.
"Would you quit that?" Sasuke growled.
"What? I just wanted to see if your hair was as stiff as it looks. It's actually quite soft… and addicting to touch…" Her other hand stretched forward, eager to join in the fun.
"Why don't you go rub Naruto's head?" Sasuke demanded, not bothering to try and shake her off. He probably knew that would just make her more determined.
Smart kid. She thought with a grin.
"Because he'll hit me." Hayley replied.
"I don't hit girls." Naruto snorted. "You'd hit me if I starting rubbing your hair though, wouldn't you?" Hayley asked, raising her eyebrows at him.
"…Yeah, I probably would." He admitted. "Sasuke's too lazy to bother." Hayley said, resuming petting Sasuke's odd hair.
"So it really just grows like that? Poor boy." She clucked.
"I like Sasuke's hair." Sakura piped up quickly.
"Of course you do." Hayley muttered. Sasuke sighed and finally just sped up, going to walk beside Kakashi where he clearly thought Hayley would stop bugging him.
She debated for a while, wondering if Kakashi would notice her petting Sasuke right next to him; would she get in trouble?
She was interrupted in her wondering when Kemuri slowed down and came to walk beside her.
"You're Hayley Mikomi, right?" He asked. Hayley glanced up at him and nodded.
Kemuri was a man with the look of a merchant about him; he was small and wiry, with an oddly charming, open face. He had short cropped black hair and friendly, curious brown eyes. His skin was like dark honey, stretching over his thin frame. He wasn't much taller then her, and Hayley was the shortest person she knew, next to Naruto.
"We were never properly introduced. I'm Kemuri. Call me Kem if you like." He said, offering his hand. After a moment Hayley shook it, unsure of how to act around him. She'd never trusted strange men.
"So I hear you're a mind reader?" He asked and Hayley forced a fake smile. So he was out for information then. "Yes I am." She said.
"Wow, that's amazing!" He exclaimed.
People think this guy stole some junk? Hayley thought as Kemuri started to babble about how he wished he could do that, though he would never make a ninja, he didn't have the body or the determination for it…
Hmm. I don't believe I've ever met such an annoying person before.
"But anyway, you're probably wondering about the whole reason I need an escort." He said. Hayley glanced at him, her interest aroused.
"It happened a long time ago," He admitted. "My father and I have never gotten along. He wanted me to be a ninja, I wanted to sell things. I like talking to people, you know? I like striking up a conversation, and finding a bit out about someone and helping them find what they need. But anyway, I needed a boost to get started for my own store. Kick-start, y'know? Anyway I just took what was rightfully mine from the family trust; my share, and he acts like I stole it! Next thing I know, he's got a price on my head!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air, startling Hayley.
"But anyway, that's pretty much my story. I used that money to start over in a new village, and so far it's been great, except for the odd assassin creeping into my room at night." He said it so seriously it took Hayley a minute to realize he was kidding.
"Sounds like an interesting life." Hayley said, mostly out of politeness. She really just wanted to shoo him off and go back to annoying Sasuke.
"It can be." Kemuri replied, crossing his arms behind his head. He reminded her oddly of Naruto.
Sighing, she readjusted her pack and settled herself to wait for a long, boring, one-sided conversation with Kemuri.
---
They had been traveling for two days, and were now about half way there, according to Kemuri.
"Perhaps you'd all like to come by my shop? I can give you all a great deal!" He said.
"What do you sell, anyway?" Naruto asked, tilting his head. "Women's clothing." He replied.
Why am I not surprised? Hayley thought, sweat dropping as Kemuri practically twirled, singing about how he loved dressing up all the lovely ladies.
Sasuke was actually the first one to notice what was going on; Kakashi was distracted by Kemuri throwing an arm around him, asking him something Hayley didn't catch when Sasuke suddenly drew his kunai.
It all happened very quickly then.
She darted to Kemuri as soon as she saw Sasuke's kunai, throwing herself into Sasuke's mind.
Where are they? She demanded silently, drawing her own kunai and looking around warily. Kemuri shrieked and leaped into Kakashi's arms, his reaction several seconds slower then everyone else's.
Through Sasuke's senses, she pin-pointed a strange man crouched in the bushes along the path.
Good eye. She thought silently, withdrawing from his mind.
"Who's out there?" Kakashi called, dropping Kemuri, who landed in the dirt with an indignant squawk.
The man melted from the bushes, and Hayley took a step closer to Kemuri, sensing he was dangerous. He looked oddly like a bigger, more muscular version of Kemuri, but he had green eyes; she guessed that people from his country were all tan and dark.
"He works for my father." Kemuri whimpered, hiding behind Kakashi. Hayley sweat dropped at his cowardice.
"Hayley! Behind you!" She whirled at Sibrina's cry, and felt something scratch her cheek as she ducked.
That could have been my throat. She thought wildly, rubbing off the blood on her cheek.
The woman behind her frowned, clearly annoyed she had been avoided. "Sibrina!" Hayley called, jumping clear.
"Already on it!" Sibrina replied, her hands forming the seals. "Kemuri, Kakashi, get back!" Kakashi crouched down and picked up Kemuri, leaping clear as Sibrina's lightning bolt struck the ground.
Everyone shielded their faces from the blast as debris and heat blew past them, ruffling their hair and clothes.
"Holy crap!" Naruto exclaimed as the smoke cleared, revealing a small crater. The woman was nowhere in sight.
"Did we kill her?" Hayley said in surprise. She cried out when she was suddenly knocked off her feet, slamming into the dirt. Sasuke was off of her again before Hayley could fully comprehend the fact that Sasuke Uchiha had been that close to her.
Was she blushing?
…no. She was just over-heated, she told herself.
"Idiot." He growled, getting back to his feet. Hayley glared at him as she got up, refusing to thank him for saving her life, even as the dark haired woman removed her sword from where Hayley had just been.
"Well," She grinned, slinging her sword on her shoulder. "This is going to be interesting."
---
Author's Note:
Gah I'm sorry for ending it there! D: I have been so busy lately, you should all be grateful for just this; I won't be updating for a while, so enjoy it while it lasts!
Review please! ^^
LOSGAP =D
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