Chapter 10
"Yeah, I'm pretty worn out too." Ren says, panting.
"Lets take a break." I suggest. "After all.. If we keep this up.. We're sure to graduate soon too!"
"Yes!" He cheers. I smile, this reminded me of my spar with Kiyoshi yesterday, then that dream... "What's up? You look like you just realized something."
"Uh.. Yeah. Ren sorry, I gotta go check something." I say. He nods.
"Yeah, I'm hungry, I'm gonna go find Kiyoshi and get some food." He says. We both nod and jump off in separate directions.
I finally found Sasori, he was coming through the arch that leads in and out of the village. "Sasori!" I call then run up to him and give him a bear hug. He laughs and gives me a quick hug back.
"I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon." He says. I let go of him and walk beside him.
"Did you just get back from a mission?" I ask.
"Hm, and how has your day been?... It's a bit early to be out of the academy yet isn't it?" He asks, looking up at the sun's position. I chuckle.
"Kiyoshi set our teacher on fire so now he's in the hospital and we get the day off." I explain.
"Did he allow that?" He asks.
"I dunno. I've been training with Ren since." I say.
"Good. The more you train, the more likely you'll graduate sooner." He says. I nod.
"You've told me that heaps of times! That's why I've been training harder than ever!" I exclaim. He laughs and nods.
"That's good. Soon you'll be a Chuunin like me." He says. I shake my head, confusing him.
"I'm gonna be Jonin!" I say. He smiles.
"I hope so." He says, ruffling my hair. I wanted to bring it up without seeming suspicious, but perhaps being a dream, he probably has no idea about the whole thing. "Something on your mind?"
"Hm? Oh, I was just thinking." I reply. He nods. "Hey Sasori, what does it mean when you have a dream, and you talk to someone and they answer your questions?" He gives me a blank look.
"You had a dream like that?" He asks. I nod, I explain to him about the dreams I've had about those two voices then say he was the one who told me they could be memories, I watch his expression to see if he knows about it. Apparently he didn't. "Hm.." He got a slightly worried expression. "Was there anything else I said?" I look down. I may as well tell the truth, after all, he is my closest friend.
"Well, you did say something, but I woke up before you could finish." I explain. He gasps slightly.
"What.. Did I say?"
"Well you said you had to tell me something then you didn't know where to.. start.." I notice he raises an eyebrow in concern. "Um.. then you said 'in 3 years' then I was woken up." I notice a drop of sweat run down his face.
"Is that all?" He asks. I nod.
"Pretty much."
"I see." He looks relieved. "Hm.. Maybe something is going to happen in three years."
"Yeah maybe, hey Sasori! I think I can take you on now!" I exclaim. He just smiles at me. "I've trained hard with Suki!"
"Haha, I bet you have. Though I think you've still got a ways to go before you reach my level." He sniggers.
"I can beat you!" I declare. He just chuckles.
"Come on, we'll go report my mission then we can see." He says. I nod and follow him to the Kazekage's building.
I haven't been there before, and it's HUGE! It's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside! Well, that's what I think anyway. Sasori leads me around this giant place, there are so many people in here, then we stop in the front of a door near the top of the building. Sasori knocks on it.
"Come in." Calls the Kazekage. Sasori turns the doorknob and we go in. The Kazekage looks up from his paperwork. "Hm? Ah. Sasori-san, that was fast, I suppose I should get your rewar- who's this?"
"S-sir, I'm Hatano Ayama." I reply.
".. It was her birthday nearly two weeks ago, you wished her happy birthday when you visited the academy." Sasori explains, seeing his blank expression.
"Ah, yes. I recall that. So, Ayama-chan, how is your training coming along?"
"Great! I can take on Sasori!" I exclaim. Sasori sniggers to himself and the Kazekage laughs. I was beginning to feel very underestimated.
"Ah, alright. Sasori, here's your reward money." He says, holding out an envelope to Sasori. Sasori steps forward and takes it.
"Thank you." He says then turns around, headed for the door. I quickly bow to the Kazekage before rushing after him.
"Ayama. Would you like to come over?" Sasori asks. I nod happily.
"I'd love to!" I say. So we head for his house. Apparently Sasori has a well out the back of his house where Chiyo likes to fish.
"Granny Chiyo, I'm home." Sasori calls out to her. I saw another old man there too. I wonder if he is Chiyo's husband. Chiyo didn't respond. Sasori sighs and goes outside, I follow. The old man looks at the two of us. He's creepy, I can't even see his eyes.
"That you Sasori? And I see you've got a friend, how nice." He says. Sasori nods.
"Yeah, this is Hatano Ayama, Ayama, this is my granduncle Ebizo." Sasori says.
"Well well, nice to meet you Ayama." Ebizo says. I nod.
"You too." I say. We all turn our attention to Chiyo.
"Chiyo? Chiyo you've go a bite... Chiyo?... Are you dead?" Ebizo asks. Just then Chiyo bursts out laughing, scaring Ebizo.
"Gahaha, got you then Ebizo!" She cackles. "Hm? Oh, Sasori, back already? Oh and hello Ayama."
"Hello." I reply.
"Come on Ayama." Sasori says, putting his hand on my shoulder. I follow him back inside.
Sasori and I go back into his basement and I swear there are more puppets than before.
".. Doesn't that get heavy?" Sasori asks. I just realized I was carrying my puppet and bamboo stick on my back. I blink a few times, trying to figure out if it's heavy or not.
"... No, not really." I reply.
"I'll just grab my puppet then we can see who's stronger." He says. I nod.
"I'm gonna beat you!" I declare. He chuckles.
After heading to his secret training place we get our puppets out.
"Hm, you have certainly improved." He says, referring to my chakra strings.
"Hey! How come you have two puppets!" I question.
"Hm? Oh these two are my favorites, couldn't decide which one so I grabbed both." He says with a happy face.
"But.. That's not fair.." I complain.
"Alright alright, I'll use this one." Sasori says. "By the way, I call this one the mother and this one the father. I made them in memory of my parents.."
"Oh.. What happened?" I ask.
"They were killed by Hatake Sakumo, also known as the White Fang." He says. "But.. That doesn't matter now, I have these two puppets to give me the same comfort they did."
"And now you. Ayama. You're a good friend." He says. I smile.
"Thanks, you're an awesome friend too, Sasori." I say.
"Then I shall fight with the father." He says, putting the other puppet back inside the scroll it was in. "Now then.. If you think you can beat me, prove it now." He says. I smirk.
"Okay!" I reply then charge Suki towards him. He stood still until Suki came close before blocking her with his puppet. He then maneuvered his puppet around Suki and towards me. I recalled Suki to block it but he was too quick. I ended up jump to the side to dodge it. I make Suki attack his puppet then as it's down, I make her charge at Sasori again.
Just before it hit him something grabbed my wrists. It was his puppet. Then it's mouth started moving as it spoke. "Perhaps you're not quite at my level yet." It says. I was really freaked out. Since when could puppets talk! "I guess this means I win"
"N-no! I haven't given up yet!" I exclaim, acknowledging the fact that his puppet can talk. I go to break out of it's grip.. No prevail. For a puppet, it's grip sure was good.
"Heheh.. You were saying?" It spoke again. My eye twitches. I send I kick up to it's face, expecting it's grip to weaken, but that was pretty useless. "That still wont work."
"Tch.."
"And you just lost control of Suki." It says. It was right, I just realized my chakra strings were gone. "Does this mean I win now?"
"No!"
"Hm? But it seems I have. Your arms can't move so there's not much you can really do."
"Heh, that's what you think." I snigger.
"Hm?" I twist my hands around to grab the arms of the puppets and pull them off. Apparently Sasori wasn't expecting this, and I threw them aside.
"Now your puppet is armless!" I exclaim, then regain control of Suki to punch Sasori, but he easily evades, then disappears. He reappeared behind me and grabbed me.
"But I'm not." He whispers into my ear, scaring the crap out of me. "Do I win now?" I look down. His hold is stronger than the puppet.
"Yeah.." I grumble. He chuckles and lets me go.
"Though I must admit, I never expected you to rip it's arms clean off." He laughs and goes to pick up his puppet.
"Sorry." I say.
"It's a two second job to fix." He says.
"Oh really?"
"Mmhm. Come, lets go back to my house." He says.
"'Kay!" I learned the jutsu to wrap my puppet back into it's bandages, so I do that and carry it on my back as we walk back to his house.
In the basement Sasori lays out his puppet and begins fixing it. In the meantime I sit at my desk that Sasori got me and modified my puppet.
"There we are." Sasori says randomly. I turn my chair around (it's a swingy chair :D) and face him. He had repaired the puppet already. I blink a few times to realize he actually has fixed it, after all, it's only been 4 minutes. I think my jaw was close to falling off. ".. What?"
"N-nothing." I reply and swing back around on my chair. He chuckles and walks over to see what I'm doing. "Look, I'm putting secret blades in here." I say.
"I see, be careful not to cut yourself." He says.
"Heh, that wont happ- OW!"
"Ayama!" I stick my finger in my mouth. "D-don't do that, here, I'll fix it." I take my finger out of my mouth then all I could taste was blood, I look down at my finger, I sliced down my entire finger, no wonder it hurt, and is covered in blood. Sasori grabs something out of his pocket and sits it on the table and pulls out a cloth and wraps it around my finger. "Just leave it there for a minute." He says. I try my hardest to hold back that tear that is threatening to leak. Sasori takes out some sort of ointment and unwraps the now red cloth. "Um.. I hate to do this.. It might hurt." He says. I nod bravely.
"I can handle it." I declare. Sasori gives me a doubtful look before dipping two of his fingers in it then holding my hand with his other hand. I brace myself. "Gaaargrh!"
"Tch.. Sorry Ayama." He says, running the ointment up my finger. Tears leak uncontrollably from my eyes. "It's all done now." He says, then wraps my finger up in a bandage. I quickly wipe away the tears. Sasori strokes my hair. "It's alright Ayama, I wont think any less of you for crying. It hurts me too." I look at him kinda shocked.
"It.. hurts you?" I ask. He nods and stands up straight.
"That's right. Only.. If granny Chiyo does it, she's really rough." He says. Sasori chuckles and shakes his head. "You should be a little more careful."
"Hmph." I look the other way, pouting. He just laughs.
"Lets get this blood cleaned up." He says, grabbing the blood-stained cloth and wiping the drips off the table.
"... You should've seen your face." I snigger. He laughs and shakes his head.
"Kiyoshi, Chikari, DETENTION!" Masaru shouts.
"WHAT!" Kiyoshi roars. Chikari looks down. I stand up.
"Sir, Chikari-san is the one who saved you!" I imply.
"AYAMA! DETENTION!" Masaru screams. Ren grabs my arm and pulls me back down.
"Would you shut it!" He hisses. I didn't know which one to glare at.
"NOW, AS FOR YESTERDAY, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE LOT OF YOU! BECAUSE OF THIS, THE WHOLE CLASS WILL BE DOING THEORY!" Masaru shouts.
"WHAT!" Ren complains.
"REN! DETENTION!" Masaru screams, pointing at him. I punch him in the arm.
"Good on ya." I mutter.
"Ayama? Why are you here?" Katzumi asks. I look at him.
"Hey, aren't you Baki's teacher?" I ask. He nods.
"Was, he's graduated and is a Genin now." He says. ".. Did you get in trouble?"
"... Sorta."
"Next time, don't show up so late to detention." He grumbles. I roll my eyes and join the boys up the back of the classroom.
"Good one Ayama." Kiyoshi chuckles.
"Yeah, you know what he's like with being on time." Ren says.
"Besides that, I never expected someone who is apparently advancing in class to get detention." Says one of the boys. I look at him.
"Who are you?" I ask.
"Heh, I'm Daibuta. And I've heard all about you." He says.
"Don't look at me! I barely know this guy." Kiyoshi says, raising his hands innocently. I glare at Ren. His blank expression shows his ignorance. I roll my eyes and sigh.
"I told him." Says the other boy.
"And who are you?" I ask, noting his black fringe covers both his eyes, I think I've seen him before somewhere.
"Kujirako." He replies. ".. I'm in your class." He says.
"Haha, I am too in fact, but I never take notice of anyone." Daibuta says. "I sleep."
"Yeah, through the whole class." Kujirako says.
"Wait, then how are you two in detention? I never heard Masaru-sensei mention your names." I say. They look at each other.
"It's just a natural thing." Kujirako says.
"As a matter of fact, I shall sleep now, it'll pass the time quicker." Daibuta says, and lays down across the table. Ren, who is sitting beside him lays down also.
"Count me in." He says. Kiyoshi, Kujirako and I laugh.
"U-uhm.. E-excuse me? Ayama-san?"
"Huh?" I stop laughing and turn my head to the side. Chikari. I jump down off the table and stand in front of her, I feel happy when I'm taller than someone. "What's up?" She looks down and presses her fingers together nervously.
"Um.. I just.. wanted t-to um.. s-say thanks." She stutters, her quiet voice was hard enough to hear then alone her stuttering.
"Uh.. It's fine." I say, pretending to hear what she said. She looks at me with those purple eyes of hers.
"U-um.. Thanks... M-Masaru-sensei isn't that easily um.." She stops and looks down again with a loss for words. I heard her loud and clear that time.
"Heh, it's no biggy, I just didn't want you to get in trouble, after all, you were only helping." I say. He timidly nods. Ren was noticing how much I have changed since joining the academy. I playfully punch her shoulder, and she winces. "Oh. Sorry!" She bites her lip. This is what I get for hanging out with only boys - I become rough as heck.
"N-no, it's fine.. It didn't really h-hurt... I just... didn't expect it." She stutters.
"Eh, aight." I reply.
"Um.. That was all..." She says and turns around and lets her bright blonde bangs curtain her face. "Um.. Thanks again.." She says and goes back to where she was sitting on the other side of the classroom with a group of girls who grimace at me - probably because I hit her. Ren lays back down and Kiyoshi jumps up and punches my arm.
"Tch, what?" I ask, hiding the small amount of pain.
"You don't punch girls." He says. I frown at him.
"You just punched me." I grumble.
"Haha, you totally suck Kiyoshi." Kujirako laughs. Kiyoshi huffs. I punch him back.
"Yeah!" I concur. He rolls his eyes and I jump back on the table and sit on it and Kiyoshi sits back down on the seat.
"Huh? What did you do there?" Kujirako asks, pointing at my finger. For someone with hair covering his eyes, he could sure see good.
"Oh um.. I.. cut myself." I admit. Kiyoshi cracks up laughing and Kujirako pounds him, knocking him out of his chair. I could see where this was heading.
"Don't laugh at her injuries! Baka!" Kujirako gushes. Kiyoshi glares back at him. The girls gasp and stand up, watching in fright. Kiyoshi jumps to his feet and swings at Kujirako, but he avoids it and knees his stomach. Kiyoshi lands on his back then rolls onto his side, grasping his stomach.
"Hey, that was uncalled for." I hiss. I think he rolled his eyes.
"Argh!" Kiyoshi punches him in the face, sending him into the window, but not through it. The window shattered and Kujirako landed on the ground. The sound of the glass shattering and hitting the ground caught everyone's attention, even Ren and Daibuta sit up.
"Hey! Settle down over there!" Katzumi scowls. "What the heck do you think you're doing!"
"He started it!" Kiyoshi exclaims, pointing at Kujirako who had no worry in the world. The girls all quiver in fear.
"Violence is not tolerated in this academy! Do you want to be in more trouble!" Katzumi bellows.
"Kuji-san! Your back!" I exclaim, noticing blood dripping. He turns his head back to see.
"Tch... Kuso." Kujirako gushes.
"YOU! WATCH YOUR MOUTH!" Katzumi scolds.
"Crap.. Hold him back!" Daibuta orders. Us three (me, Kiyoshi and Ren) look at Daibuta with confusion as he jumps up and grabs Kujirako from behind, causing him to shout out in pain from his wounded back.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT!" Kujirako shouts at Katzumi, ignoring Daibuta. I could see he was gonna lose it. Kiyoshi and Ren grab either of his arms to restrict his movement. Katzumi slams his hands on his desk and stands up, agitating Kujirako. I stand in from of Kujirako and put my hands on his shoulders. I glare at his face.
"Calm down." I say in a calm voice. He huffs and looks away and breaks out of their grip somehow. I know how strong Ren and Kiyoshi are, and together they're even stronger, plus, Daibuta, however strong he is, so how the heck did he manage to escape their grip. We watch him as he walks over to the broken window and makes a few hand signs.
"Glass style: Glass Wall Jutsu." He says, then a wall of glass fills in the empty space in the frame, creating a flawless new window. I was in total awe.
"Wh.. what was that?" I ask.
".. I'm from the Garasumura clan." Kujirako says. "We have a talent for Glass type jutsu."
"I've heard of that clan." Ren says. Kujirako nods.
"I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to get... angry.." He says. Katzumi huffs and sits back down.
"How do you do glass jutsu?" I ask.
"Well for one, we're a Sunagakure clan for a reason. Sand is a key ingredient when it comes to making glass. With our chakra and Kekkei Genkai, we can combine the sand with searing heat and two other things our chakra creates and that creates glass, but it happens so quick that it just seems glass just appears." Kujirako explains.
"That is so cool!" I exclaim.
"Don't forget me!" Daibuta exclaims, raising his hands excitedly. We face him.
"Are you in a clan too?" I ask.
"Uh-huh! I'm in the Taiyō clan! We excel in light jutsu!"
"Light jutsu?" I ask.
"Yeah, we control the light, we like to blind our opponents." He says. "My eyes are yellow because of the Karugan."
"... The what?" I ask.
"It's only purpose allows the user not to be blinded by the light we create, and be able to see through it to keep an eye on our enemy." He explains.
"That's cool as!" I exclaim. He shrugs modestly.
"That's pretty bright." Kiyoshi jokes. We all laugh.
"Hey.. Sorry 'bout before. My temper is easily disturbed." Kujirako says.
"Eh, it's fine." Kiyoshi says.
"You two are cool as!" I exclaim.
"Damn straight. But.. you're pretty cool yourself Ayama." Kujirako says.
"Really?" I ask. They all nod, almost in sync, it was kinda creepy.
"Whenever you're not around Masaru-sensei never shuts up about how good you are and that we all should be as good as you." Kujirako explains.
"Huh? When aren't I around?" I ask.
"When you go to the toilet or whatever." Kujirako says.
"He.. really says that?" I ask.
"Yeah, it's really annoying. Especially since you showed off with that puppet." Ren grumbles.
"Yeah, that was really awesome. Who taught you? Your parents?" Kujirako asks. I look away.
"... A friend..." I reply. "I don't have parents." They all gasp. I forgot Ren and Kiyoshi don't know I live with Baki, they just thought our houses are in the same direction, that's why we always walk together.
"You don't!" Ren questions.
"Ayama-san.. I... I'm really sorry." Kujirako says. I shake my head and give a reassuring smile.
"It's fine. I never knew them anyway." I reply. They look at each other.
"So then.. Who-"
"Baki." I cut Ren off.
"BAKI!" Kiyoshi and Ren question in unison.
"Hm? What about Baki?" Katzumi asks.
"Nothing." I reply.
"Haha, yes, then he was like, 'Oh no, we're gonna die!' heh, it was funny as." Ren chuckles.
"... You're not funny." I say.
"Who asked you?" Ren growls.
"Nah, I agree, you're not funny." Daibuta says.
"Well, my house is down this way, I'll see you guys tomorrow." Kiyoshi says and takes off down the street.
"So anyway, who did teach you that puppetry?" Kujirako asks.
"Sasori did." Ren answers.
"SASORI! As in, the Sasori!" Daibuta questions. I nod happily.
"Heh, no wonder you're so good." Kujirako says. His flattery was getting to me now.
"I don't really think I'm the strongest in our class." I say.
"Bullshit." Daibuta says.
"Yeah, none of us could beat you." Kujirako says.
"Then why don't we have a spar right now? You three boys against me?" I suggest.
"Isn't that a little..? Unfair?" Daibuta asks. I shake my head.
"If I am the strongest, then it shouldn't matter how many opponents I verse." I say. They look at each other and shrug.
"Wow... You guys really are weak." I say, looking at the three of them laying there panting.