Chapter 14
"Where is Kakashi?!?!" Naruto growled, "He's already fifteen minutes late!"
"He'll get here, Naruto," I sighed.
"When he does, he's dead meat…" Naruto mumbled.
"Shut up, loser," Sasuke said calmly.
"WHAT DID YOU –" Naruto was caught off by the sudden appearance of Kakashi and two twins, one boy and one girl. They were both pale, the boy had chin length brown hair, and the girl had brown hair down to her waist. Their eyes were pure green emeralds.
"Guys, this is Haruko and Asa," Kakashi introduced us to the twins.
"Can we just get going?" Naruto asked excitedly.
"Don't be rude, Naruto!" Sakura scolded.
"This is Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Mia." Kakashi introduced us. The twins merely nodded.
"HEY! I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI AND I'M GOING TO BE THE NEXT HOKAGE! BELIEVE IT!" Naruto yelled. Haruko flinched.
"I'm Sakura," she bowed a little, "Don't mind Naruto."
"Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke said tonelessly.
"Mia." I replied.
"Hello," Asa's soft voice said, "It is very nice to meet you. Thank you for escorting my brother and I."
"Let's get going." Kakashi said.
We started walking out of the village. Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto were up front, while the twins conversing quietly in the middle, and Sasuke and I were in the back. I scooted closer to Sasuke, who smirked.
"I see I'm wanted by someone…" He trailed off.
"Yup and –"
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura ran over to us, "Do you, um, wanna walk with m-me?"
I inwardly groaned. Leave it to Sakura to ruin a moment.
"No." Sasuke replied, "You're too annoying."
Normally, if it was anybody else, I probably would've scolded him, but I just snickered quietly.
"Aw, please, Sasuke?" Sakura pouted after giving me a death glare. Why? No damn clue.
"No. Go talk with Naruto if you want to so much."
"Please?"
I was seriously getting annoyed here.
"He said no, Sakura," I rolled my eyes, "So just leave him alone."
Sakura gave me a death glare. "Fine," She crossed her arms, "But Sasuke loves me, and he'll want me to stay."
"No, I don't."
Sakura walked back to Naruto and Kakashi brokenheartedly.
"She doesn't give up, does she?" I asked.
"Life would be too easy if she did." Sasuke muttered. I snickered.
"So Haruko, Asa," I walked up to them, "How is it being royalty?"
Haruko and Asa smiled. "It is an honor," Haruko replied, "A challenge, but an honor nonetheless."
I smiled, "I'm glad you like it." I said.
"What is it like being a ninja?" Asa asked, "It seems intriguing."
"I haven't been a ninja long, but I really like it. It's adventurous." I replied truthfully.
Haruko frowned slightly, then his eyes showed acknowledgement.
"Ah, so you're the Spirit Ninja." He stated.
"Excuse me?"
"The Spirit Ninja…the chosen one, who is born with the spirit. It is you, correct?" Haruko asked.
"Oh, yeah," I nodded, "I just haven't been called the Spirit Ninja."
"I see."
I let them be in silence, and a few hours we stopped to rest and have lunch.
I was eating some ramen – which I now know is just noodles – with Sasuke sitting beside me under the protection of a tree.
"Who knew ramen was good?" I muttered.
"Just don't turn into Naruto when it comes to ramen." Sasuke whispered.
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, that'll happen when I wear pink – which will be never."
Sasuke smirked. Then leaned in to whisper in my ear.
"That'll be a sight," He smirked again, "The day my girlfriend wears something hideous – though you'll be able to wear it and look good." His breath tickled my ear.
"You are very bad at flirting, you know that, right?" I whisper back. Sasuke faked looking hurt.
"Hey Sasuke-kun!" Sakura came running over – she just had to ruin the moment. "Did she do something to you?" She sent me a death glare.
"No."
"You looked hurt, are you sure?"
"Yes." Sasuke was getting annoyed. So was I. Did she really have to ruin our flirting – if you can call it that, I'm new to love – and most importantly, why was she spying on us flirting?
I just had to fall in love with Konoha's heart throb, didn't I?
"Sakura, do you mind?" I asked, "We were having a private conversation."
"I can join in if I want to." Sakura pouted.
"You're acting like a two year old." I stated, "Leave us alone."
"Argh! Am not!" Sakura denied.
"Sure you weren't."
"I am not acting like a two year old!" Sakura seethed. She turned to Sasuke, and gave him a smile, "Right, Sasuke-kun?"
"Whatever," I muttered.
"Just leave us alone, Sakura," Sasuke said, almost tiredly.
"But –"
"He said go!" I exasperated. Sakura glared at me then turned away to sit with Naruto and Kakashi, who was reading some orange book.
"You have a temper." I looked up to see Sasuke's signature smirk.
I rolled my eyes. "With Sakura, yes. She needs to learn to give the hell up."
"If only."
I rested my head on Sasuke's shoulder, feeling tired. I hadn't had much sleep the night before, considering this was my first mission and all.
"Wake me up when…" I didn't finish that sentence, for I had fallen asleep.
Sasuke
Must Sakura be so damn annoying? Mia had fallen asleep on my shoulder, breathing deeply.
"Sasuke-kun?" I looked up to see Sakura twiddling her fingers nervously, looking at anywhere but me. When her eyes settled on Mia, her gaze hardened.
"What now?" I sighed.
"Well…you know, she doesn't like you…" Sakura blurted.
"And what makes you think we're together?" If we were going to be found out, Mia would surely die.
"Y-you're not?" Sakura's eyes widened.
"No." I lied. "We're just friends."
"Oh…I kinda thought she liked Gaara…"
"She's only been here a few weeks," I said roughly, "Just because she's best friends with guys, doesn't mean she likes any of them."
"Oh." Sakura shrank a little in embarrassment.
"Hn." I grunted.
"Can I sit with you?"
"No."
"Please?"
"I said no, Sakura." I replied. If only she took no for an answer.
"But –"
"Look Sakura!" I snapped, "I don't like you that way, and if you want to ruin our friendship" – ha! What friendship? – "then fine. But we will never be anything more. Got it?"
Sakura looked like she was going to cry at any moment. She nodded meekly and ran back to where the others were. I leaned back into the tree.
"You know, that was kind of rude." Mia's voice rang in my ear.
"Mia?" I asked, "You heard that?"
"I'm not Mia." She said, "It's Katana."
"Huh?" I was a bit dumbfounded.
"Her spirit." Katana explained, "And yes, I heard that."
"Oh." I shrugged.
"You really love Mia, don't you?" She inquired.
"Yes."
"How sweet." Katana – or Mia, I was still a little confused – smiled.
"Hn." I grunted.
"I just want you to promise me something," She said slowly.
"What is it?"
"I want you to protect Mia from danger," She replied, "She has a tendency to get into trouble."
"I can tell."
"Well?"
It touched me to see that her spirit cared so much for Mia. "I will protect Mia with my life. Shinobi's honor."
Katana – or Mia – smiled. "Thank you," she said. "I appreciate it."
"Tell me something before you leave," I felt my time with her was growing limited.
"Okay."
"How do you know Itachi?" I asked.
Katana frowned, looking almost panicked. "I can't tell you that."
"Tell me." I demanded.
"No."
"Tell. Me." I growled.
"Stubborn," Katana muttered, "Just like your brother."
"Don't compare me to him." I said with malice. "Now tell me."
"When I was in my previous host," Katana began, "He, my host, and I were friends."
She's hiding something, I thought.
"There's something you're not telling me." I stated.
"I'm telling you the truth."
"But you're not telling all of it." I countered, "Why did he kiss you?"
"I-I don't know." Katana stammered.
"At least tell me why you think he kissed you." I said.
"Because…h-he must have u-used to like me." She stammered again.
I was stunned, though I didn't show it. The words "Itachi" and "love" don't go together in the same sentence without the word "doesn't" in between them.
"He probably still does…" I murmured to myself. Katana heard it.
"I'm going to let Mia take over now," She said quickly, "I think she'll still be asleep."
I nodded, and Katana laid her head on my shoulder, closed her eyes, and didn't open them for the next twenty minutes. I sat there and thought.
Itachi loves Katana. He's going to be more persistent – if that's possible – in taking her. I thought. Crap.
I looked down at the sleeping Mia. She looked so peaceful.
"Hey, Sasuke!" Kakashi called to us, "We're leaving!"
"Hn." I grunted. "Mia, wake up."
"What?" She groaned sleepily.
"We're leaving." I replied.
She jumped up. "Let's go!" she said, pulling me up.
We started walking, and I noticed Sakura glancing at me every minute or two. I felt a bit of guilt wash over me, but I ignored it; my two concerns were Mia and the information I just gathered.
I never knew Itachi could love anyone, anything – ever. It didn't fit him, considering the fact he's an S-ranked criminal.
Then it hit me. Katana loves Itachi.
Ironic, Itachi and I, sworn enemies, loved the same girl – or who's in it – that was beside me.
I thought back to the attempted kidnapping. Mia would have killed Itachi, but she was held back. I now know by what: Katana.
This sucks. Big time.