I know I haven't updated for a while and I am sorry. The standard excuse school, busy, no time, writer's block and so on and so forth. I think this chapter is boring but I hope you will read it anyway :).
Sitka was growing increasingly frustrated. The Uchiha had something she wanted but she couldn't seem to grasp it. She had found something she wanted desperately and now she was at a loss as to how to go about getting it. He had drive, a reason to live and exist, she didn't exactly know what his was but she wanted a reason also. The only things she could think of were goals, like Nikkia striving to get out of Akatsuki and the Riukage wanting power. She had never come across anything like the Uchiha had; his was not a goal, his actions denied it at every turn.
She couldn't see what it was so she asked him, after puzzling over it for hours, days, and weeks.
They were fairly deep in fire country, buried within the giant forests that covered the country. Because of their depth they didn't start a fire. They faced each other each with their backs to trees, when Sitka pulled back the disguise from her face so he could see her clearly. She knew that even in the thick darkness he would be able to see her lips move and divine her unspoken word's meanings.
'I want to know' Sitka began, knowing she had his attention after removing her disguise (something she hadn't done in his presence before). 'What your reason is'.
He raised his eyebrows in question. Sitka's lips quirked into a smile sensing that she was getting close to the answers she so craved.
'The reason you keep going' she said in reply. 'You and me are a lot alike in many things but there is one area in which we strongly differ' she continued. He still did not understand, that she could tell. She paused and let it stretch out like a blank page letting his thoughts take him where they would. Finally her lips moved again.
'You have a reason to live, and I do not. Tell me what it is that keeps you going'. His face grew hard at her words, for he seemed to perceive some sort of threat in them. She had to find a way to pacify him if she was going to get the information she so desperately craved. But she couldn't think of anything, if she did not know what it was. Instead she just let her emotions fade through her mask; confusion, earnestness, eagerness, and hope. She wanted to show the Uchiha that she meant no harm.
She was starting to loose hope in him answering. His silence stretched on for what seemed an eternity. The hard look in his eye did not change and he stared out into the trees like they held his life's answers, possibly his reason. She studied him, hoping to gain a hint at his thoughts but non-came.
"My Brother" he said at last. The confusion shinning in her eyes begged him to continue. He was silent for another long stretch before speaking again. "He is going to get revenge" and then in a barely discernable whisper "he is going to kill me". Confusion marred her face once again. He was living for his death, that was his reason? That didn't make sense, but she did not have the whole story, she wished whole-heartedly for him to continue but doubted he would. So she was surprised when more whispered words escaped his lips.
"He is the only one left…I killed the others" another of his loooong pauses before "He is going to right my wrongs and kill me for what I have done". His head was tilted forward so his bangs hid his face, she could no longer see or read his eyes. She let the silence settle again before venturing a question. She knew nothing of sensitivity and didn't know how to approach the emotions that would be applied to this situation. So she was straightforward as always.
'Why did you do it'? She asked leaning forward in a sick sort of eagerness. His head shot up at her question and he gave her a piercing glare. She tilted her head to the side but did not withdraw the question.
"What is your interest in such matters?" he asked abruptly. She settled back for a moment and considered. He had given her some of what she wanted; equal exchange would demand that she give something in return.
'I have nothing' she said her emotions and inquisitions taken from her face. He watched her carefully, looking for more than what she said. 'No village, no comrades, no sensei, no kage, no goals' pause 'no reason to keep going on this way'. She looked hard into his eyes almost attempting to convince him through her eyes alone. 'I need to know what other people do in this situation, I am at a loss'. The defensiveness was gone from his look but its intensity did not leave.
"Precious people" he said simply. Confusion once again came to her features. He would say no more; he simply stood and walked away from their discussion. She let him go, she needed to ponder what he had said to figure out its meanings.
Apparently one could live for more than just the fulfilment of goals; the Uchiha lived for a precious person. Interesting, very interesting indeed.
They were walking through foothills on their way to the mountains in River Country, the Uchiha held their target slung over his back like a sack of potatoes. The slashed cloud headband identified the missing nin for what he was. Their rendezvous point was in the mountains with yet more missing nin.
The Uchiha had given her a lot to think about, about caring about and protecting another person. It was a very interesting concept to say the least but she was slightly sceptical that such a thing was possible, for her in any event.
A ruckus was heard around the bend in the path. Neither of the black-cloaked figures moved to quicken their step, appearing at the scene of the commotion at a slow leisurely pace. Before they could see anything they knew exactly how many nin where there and what appeared to be the problem.
Looks like the missing cloud nin's buddies had become tired of waiting around. Six of the missing nin's had surrounded what looked like a genin team from the resident ninja village. There was no sign of their Sensei and their situation was looking rather desperate as yet another missing nin appeared out of the surrounding forest. A certainly terrified looking middle aged man stood petrified in the middle of the little triangle the three genin had formed around him. When the two Akatsuki members appeared around the corner their Sensei suddenly flickered into view in front of them glaring with hard eyes at the Akatsuki.
Because of the Sensei's hard look all those present turned to see the new arrivals, or what could be seen of them considering their black cloaks and hats pulled low. Those who knew who they were could be immediately differentiated from those that didn't mostly by the looks of horror on their faces.
The missing nin that recognized them slunk off at a record pace, their buddies that didn't know what was going on weren't going to stick around and find out what the problem was. This left the genin team standing there, the three children stood with openly surprised faces as did the civilian man with them. Their Sensei had taken a fighting stance and continued to watch the intruders with hard eyes.
Sitka flared her chakra, just to get a reaction out of the dumbstruck children. She felt the Uchiha's eyes flick toward her at the motion not liking the direction she was taking. Two of the children flinched from the chakra the other seemed to have mostly recovered and attempted to remain indifferent.
Sitka stepped forward again non-threatening in her actions, the Uchiha did also a second later, she noticed he was suddenly very wary of what she might do. But she didn't do anything she simply walked past the surprised little team and continued on. She could feel the team's eyes on her back until the two of them disappeared from sight.
Once again the Uchiha glanced at her, this time it was a calculating gaze, he never expected this from her. She smirked from under her collar, it was fun rocking the boat and shaking up what her partner thought he knew about her. She didn't welcome violence, why fight if such a thing was not ordered of her or she was not attacked first. With the reputation of the organization she was with usually the target attacked first saving her the instigation of a fight. The Uchiha would remember that now, she was not a senseless killer.
But even as she thought of this an idea came to her. It turned her smirk into a full-fledged smile. The newly conceived plan was defiantly worth a try she decided, it would make things more interesting…. and maybe she would even find her reason, just maybe.
K as always reviews are awesome. I have absolutely no idea how long until the next chapter is ready because as I said before it is crazy here. Hopefully it wont be as long as it was this time though.