Chapter Twenty-Five:
Diata stayed high in a tree outside of the city. Her arms were behind her head and eyes towards the strangely blank sky. She did not like the lack of stars, not one bit.
A short rap sounded at the bottom of the tree. Diata glanced down to see a familiar face. She didn't move and stared back at the sky.
"Can we talk?" Asuka called up at her. Diata was still silent. "Please, Diata-chan, it's been three weeks."
"I have nothing to say," Diata replied, still staring up. She heard Asuka sigh. Then, there were footsteps before she settled on a branch lower than hers and more sturdier to support her weight.
"Diata-chan, please," Asuka begged. "Everyone is worried - even Kakashi-kun regrets his decision."
"Why? He was not wrong. I am traitor," Diata said, but the words tasted bitter to her and Asuka probably noticed too.
"Diata-chan, you aren't," Asuka assured. "You did what you had to do!"
"I chose wrong," Diata grumbled. "Do not try to convince me otherwise." Diata shifted and tilted her head for a better angle at the invisible stars. "How did you find me?"
"One of Kakashi-kun's summoning," Asuka replied. "Took me three weeks, but I finally did. You are one hard girl to find, Diata-chan."
Diata did not laugh at Asuka's attempt of a joke. Asuka sighed loudly again, and leaned back further. Diata could smell the copious amounts of chakra she used to keep herself connected to the tree. She really didn't want to fall.
"Why didn't you go home?" Asuka asked curiously. "Nothing's stopping you." Diata didn't answer, so Asuka continued. "You've had every single chance to, but you haven't. You decided to stay here and live in trees. And, occassionally sneak up on the café." Diata finally looked down, surprised by her last comment. Asuka laughed instead. "You do realize I am a shinobi, right?"
"You knew I visited, yet you did not stop me?" Diata asked curiously. "Kakashi would have called that treason."
"Well, Kakashi-kun isn't the best at taking the benefit of the doubt," Asuka shrugged. "I supposed you needed some time to think. That, or you'd run. Either way, it was your decision. Kakashi-kun probably would have tried to catch you and send you to the Hokage so you could be punished for your mistakes."
Diata frowned. "Kakashi is not... That bad..."
"Course he is," Asuka scoffed. "He's thick-headed, arrogant, and frankly and annoying." Diata stared in shock.
"No, he... He is good leader. He puts his people first. If I were in same position, I would to. He is... Kind, as well. I... I think he great person. I called him a bastard, though. I was mad. I... I know nothing about this village. A lot things new to me, but Kakashi help, you help. It make it easier." Diata sniffed, realizing she was crying. "I miss my teammates and working with them, but I know I cannot go back..."
"Why not?" Asuka asked softly.
"Well, I am no longer a shinobi," Diata said. "And... Orochimaru..."
"What about him?"
"I get feeling he watching me," Diata admitted. "Even here. I feel prescense. I do not want to put my team in danger. I must protect them. That is why I cannot leave. Orochimaru wants me, he takes me alone. I do not want him to hurt my friends."
Asuka stared in admiration at the girl. "Diata-chan, you are a brave girl, I'll tell you that."
"I am sorry if I made you upset. It not intention. I just... I do not want you... I do not want anyone hurt," Diata looked back at the stars. The emptiness of it made her own lonliness grow stronger.
"We are shinobi too," a different voice said, far too close for her standards. Diata looked down. Kakashi sat on a branch adjacent to Asuka's. He, too, stared up at her. "We know how to protect ourselves." Diata stared at him, shocked. "It's not your fault Orochimaru came and hurt Sasuke-kun," Kakashi said. "None of it was. I'm... Sorry I made you believe that..."
"But-"
"You had to protect the orphans, Diata-chan," Asuka said. "You did what you had to do. And, you're... Just a kid, Diata-chan. You're only fourteen. You don't deserve to have this kind of weight on your shoulders."
Diata was silent for a minute. "Kakashi was right," she said softly.
"Diata-!" Asuka interjected, but Diata kept talking.
"I made vow when I became shinobi to protect people. I made vow when I came to Konoha and met Naruto. I broke both. I have seen the café after I left. People like it."
"They believe in the message," Kakashi spoke up. "They want to support the children. And, the fact that it was started by a child. It turns heads."
"I do not want to disappoint the children," Diata admitted. "Even if I fail at everything, I do not wish to fail at that. I want to help. I want them to grow. I do not have my ebi now. I want them to." Diata stared at her hands for a minute. She felt so old. Like the oldest person on earth. "You ask me why I do not go home and why I do not go back to orphans. I do not want to hurt children, Asuka, Kakashi. I do not want them to feel pain like I do. Not anymore. And, I do not want Orochimaru to hurt them. I watch to make sure he stay away. That is why I cannot go home. I do not leave until Orochimaru leave."
"Well, you can't stay here," Kakashi said, scoffing lightly. Asuka gave him a look. "It's true! You can't live in the woods forever. If Orochimaru is watching you, you can't just be isolated like this. If he attacks you, we can't help you."
"Maybe that is what I deserve," Diata murmured, pulling her legs to her chest. "Maybe I am supposed to be with Orochimaru..."
"Don't say that," Asuka snapped. "You're better than that - you're better than him! You two are nothing alike. You deserve to be with your family, Diata."
Diata was silent and Kakashi tossed something up at her, then flung a kunai. It was lodged in the wood and Diata stared at it while it hung. Her hitae-ate. Diata pulled it out as Kakashi spoke. "Whenever you're ready, we'll be here." Diata stared at the hitae-ate in her hands, then moved and dropped it towards Asuka below her. She caught it before it fell fifty feet and hit the ground.
"I would not want to keep you waiting," she told him remorsefully. "I must go. If it get too late, I cannot hunt."
"It's getting colder, it'll be harder to find game," Asuka worried.
"I be fine," Diata assured, standing carelessly. Asuka watched, slightly terrified for the girl's life. "Thank you... Both of you. You make me happy and I grateful." She morphed into her lioness form and began to jump from tree to tree as she went to the ground. Then, she scampered off.
Asuka and Kakashi stayed quiet for several minutes. "She doesn't deserve this," Asuka spoke up. "She's scared. I can tell."
"She doesn't want help either," Kakashi replied, moving to a crouching position, keeping his chakra at his feet. Asuka followed suit and looked at Kakashi. "Let's go home."
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Diata prowled the near-empty streets of Konoha. It was the final day of the Chunnin Exams, and the majority of the village was in the stadium, rooting for their contenders. This gave Diata the chance to walk along the ghost-like alleyways. Once she had wasted her time catching mice easier and fatter than the ones in the field, she decided to go to the stadium.
It wasn't hard for her to climb near the top and hide in the shadows of one of the overhang. And, although she couldn't see much, she could see movement on the ground and she could hear the crowd's reacting. They oohed and awed at the different strategic abilities the shinobi used in the pit. As some gained leverage, they were excited, and when they lost it, they died down again, upset.
Diata felt a hand pat her head and jumped. Kakashi was behind her staring out into the fight. "You missed Naruto - he won. Now, Sasuke-kun is fighting a sand shinobi, Suna no Gaara. The sand one is the same one that incapacitated Rock Lee in the preliminary matches."
Diata blinked, Lee, one of the most powerful, young shinobi she's met, was defeated? And immensely injured at that?! That must have been exceedingly hard to do, and a very good fight.
The fight began and Sasuke was faster than she could see. He used taijutsu to land several good blows on the boy, but then a clone of sand formed. Sasuke evaded his attacks, until he finally kicked him in the chin, making the boy to flying.
The crowd cheered at this and Diata winced a little, it was very loud. Diata turned back to Sasuke and the fight. Cracks had appeared on the boy's chin and he glared at Sasuke with a look Diata had never seen before. She could smell his bloodlust, but it had been a little faint.
Sasuke and the boy panted for a minute, trying to control their breathing. Then, Gaara moved, making a hand sign and standing. The sand on the floor began to form around his body, creating a haphazardly formed circle.
Sasuke ran at it, and punched the sand. However, when his fist hit it, it didn't penetrate, leaving Sasuke standing there, blood dripping from his knuckles.
Diata heard fast footsteps and turned sharply. Naruto was running up the steps and entered the balcony. Diata turned to hide in the shadows, hoping Naruto didn't see her.
"Sensei!" Naruto cried, "Stop this fight right now! He's totally different from us! He's not normal! He lives to kill others!" He panted for a second, before continuing. "Anyway, at this rate... Sasuke-kun will die!"
Diata blinked, shocked at his words. Kakashi wouldn't put Sasuke in fight he knew he couldn't handle. But, Kakashi did say that this is the same boy that nearly killed Lee. Sasuke isn't as strong as Lee at all, but Lee can't use ninjutsu, and Sasuke can.
Diata frowned again, Sasuke wouldn't fail, in any rate, he has too much of a big head. Besides, this far into the fight and Sasuke has had the upperhand each and every time.
Naruto was wrong. Sasuke wouldn't lose. His ego couldn't afford it.
Diata heard the noise that sounded like a thousand birds screeching at once. It shook her bones and tormented her ears.
Diata cried out in pain, making a loud whine, bowing her head to the ground, and breathing heavily. Nobody took notice it her, except for Kakashi, who turned to her, slightly surprised.
Diata heard contact to the big sand ball, and then minutes later, there was screaming. "My... My blood!" He screamed, and Diata this was relieved that it wasn't Sasuke's voice, but his opponent's. Diata sat straight, the noise had ended, but left a full ring in her ears.
Sasuke pulled his arm back, and repeated the screeching noise again, and Diata winced, but it was only for a second. He plunged his palms into the sand and created a large hole, exposing the boy inside. Slowly, he came out and the sand retracted back to his gourd. Gaara was clutching his shoulder that had been dripping with crimson blood. A dark look passed the boy's face - a look of absolute murder.
Feathers began to fall from the sky, and people began to quickly nod their heads, falling unconcious. Diata sat straight, shocked by the sudden drowsiness of the crowd. Even Kakashi looked sleepy, which made Diata panic slightly.
She pounced on him, making him stumble back just before his eyes shut. Kakashi stood straight as Diata jumped off and shook herself. "I was about to do that," Kakashi said, eyes narrowed. Diata rolled her eyed and stood, poised for attack.
A loud explosion and a puff of smoke sounded. Diata's attention turned to a seating area on top of a building. It was covered in plums of smoke making sure no one could see.
Diata heard another explosion and sharply turned around. A three headed humongous snake was destroying the Konoha Wall. Diata gaped shocked as debris rained over the village.
Then, the enemy attacked. Diata moved as a enemy shinobi tried to drive a kunai into her fur. Instead, she pounced on him. Her claws tearing through his clothes like silk as she ruthlessly sank her sharp canines into his neck. He stopped squirming under her and she pawed him away.
Dists morphed to her human form, taking out a kunai to defend herself. "Who's attacking us?" She demanded, pulling a enemy away from one of the sleeping citizens, and then creating a deep slice in his throat.
"Sound shinobi. Orochimaru is attacking us," Kakashi explained and Diata froze.
"Orochi... Orochimaru?" Suddenly, the snakes and the Sound shinobi attacking them made sense. Orochimaru planned this he was going to destroy the city.
An enemy threw a kunai at her, and it whizzed past her arm. Diata gritted her teeth in annoyance, going to fight the intruder. They were strong and blocked all her attacks, but the didn't count for her nails to be razor sharp and her anger running high.
Once Diata had finished with him, she saw Sakura and Kakashi talking, Kakashi was giving her orders and she nodded solemnly.
Diata threw another kunai at an enemy who tried to sneak up behind Kakashi while his back was turned. It landed right in his throat and he gagged, choking on his own blood. He stumbled back and tell fifty feet into the arena. If the knife didn't kill him, then the drop would.
Diats glanced back at the large snakes and the sound shinobi harassing the villagers. "I have to go secure children," Diata said to Kakashi, and he turned to her, obviously not approving of this. "If Orochimaru is here, then Kabuto is too. He want kids to test with. I have to make sure."
Kakashi sighed, but nodded anyway. "He careful," he chided. "I'll send Asuka-chan your way as soon as I get the chance." Diata gave him a look of gratefulness as she morphed into her lioness form and ran.
Diata pumped her legs as fast as she could praying desperately that nothing had happened to the children.
And, if something did happen, Diata thought darkly, then blood would most certainly be spilt.