Kakashi sensei
I was bored out of my wits. I hadn't had a decent mission in who-knows-how-long, Ichiraku wasn't getting any business, and I was stuck there all day, taking orders, making ramen.
Teuchi and Ayame were making the latest batch of ramen when it happened. I never thought it would.
Kakashi sensei walked into Ichiraku.
My eyes grew wide. I cleared my throat and smiled. "Hello, Kakashi sensei. What would you like today?" He sat down, smiling.
"Ah, hello, Sen. Glad to see you've got a nice little job. I think I'll just have some normal ramen, nothing special."
I nodded. "We can do that." I went into the tiny back room where we make the ramen. "Teuchi--" I began.
"Yes, I've got it," he said, walking out of the kitchen. "Sen, I think it's about time you go back and help Ayame make some ramen, OK? I'll take care of Kakashi."
"Yes, sir!" I said, bowing, before running back to the kitchen.
As Ayame and I were making ramen, I couldn't help but wonder: what was under Kakashi sensei's mask...? I tried to peer around the corner of the open doorway, but I could see nothing.
I heard Ayame giggling. "What're you doing?" She asked. I put one finger up to my own lips to silence her. "Oh, I get it. You want to know what's under Kakashi's mask, don't you?" She giggled again.
Ayame went back to her work, and I got closer to the open doorway. I could now see the two men. And hear them. "This smells really good," Kakashi sensei said.
"Ah, yes, Sen made that particular batch. She's quite the young chef. I'm thinking of hiring her for good when she gets older." Teuchi's voice had pride in it. "Ah, but, Kakashi, if I hire her for good, we will have to tell her what's under your mask..."
"Why?" My heart beat faster as I peered around the corner. Nothing. He still was wearing his mask.
Teuchi finished, "Mainly so she'll stop eavesdropping, like she is now." I turned back around the corner, laying flat against the door frame. Don't see me, don't see me, don't see me! I thought, panicking.
I heard Kakashi sensei laughing. "No, no, it's quite alright. All of the Genin -- and even some Chunin -- want to know what's under my mask. Sen's no different." He raised his voice a little. "Sen, why don't you come out here? Do you really want to see what's under my mask?"
I slid around the corner really fast. I was very eager. Finally, I could brag to Naruto! Teuchi sighed. "Oh no, here we go again..."
I stared at Kakashi sensei as he grabbed his mask. The suspense was killing me. "Sen, what's under my mask is simply," he pulled down his mask and I was standing in bewilderment, "another mask!" Indeed, he did have another mask under that one. I slid back into the kitchen, and I heard him laughing. Ayame started giggling.
"Did he pull the mask trick on you, Sen?" She asked. I nodded slowly, my eyes wide. And she giggled again.
Late!
I ran, and ran, and ran. Oh, please don't let Teuchi be mad at me! I thought as I rushed to Ichiraku. I was late. Run faster, Sen, run faster...
As I turned the corner to Ichiraku, I ran into someone. "Oh, jeez, I'm so sorry!" I shouted.
Through long and rustled maroon hair, the girl glared at me. "Thanks a lot," she said, and pushed the hair from her face. Her greyish blue eyes shone with irritation.
"Please! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to--"
"Enough, I get it. Hey, you look familiar. Have we met?" She stood up on her own. She was wearing bunches of bandages beneath a fishnet shirt. Beneath a black skirt she wore bandages on her left leg. Ninja-regulation sandals adorned her feet.
I shook my head. "N-no, I don't th-think we have. I--"
She stuck her hand out to me. "My name's Ichigo. Nice to meet you. What's your name?" I hesitated before shaking her hand.
"M-my name is Sen..."
"So where are you headed in such a hurry?"
"Um...work..." I tried to walk away, but Ichigo grabbed my arm.
"Where at?" She said with a smile.
"Ichi...raku...ramen..." I said slowly. She grinned.
"I work there, too! Only part time, though. Why don't we go together?" This girl seemed a little too excited, if you ask me. Still, I stayed silent and walked with her. I noticed she was a Ninja, as there was a Kumo headband on her head.
By the time we reached Ichiraku, I was worried. Teuchi stood by the back entrance. When he saw me, he got a stern look on his face. But the sight of Ichigo seemed to calm him down. I was suddenly pleased I had allowed her to come with me.
"Teuchi san, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to be so late!" I apologized, bowing.
"Realize, I'm going to have to cut this off your salary, Senari." Teuchi's voice had a stern tone to it.
"Ah, c'mon, Teuchi!" Ichigo said, laughing. "Let her off the hook this time."
"Ichigo, you're not supposed to be working today." Teuchi crossed his arms.
"What if I want to come see some new empoloyees?" She retorted.
Teuchi sighed. "Alright. We don't have very much business today. Ayame's got it taken care of. Sen, you can have the day off." I sighed and let myself relax.
"Thank you, Teuchi san." Teuchi sighed and went back into the ramen shop.
Ichigo looked at me. A small rumbling noise filled the silence. She put her hands on her stomach and moaned. "Ohhh...I'm hungry...What about you? You wanna go get some lunch?"
"Come to think of it..." I started. "I am getting kind of hungry. I had to skip breakfast this morning."
"How 'bout some ramen? We're here already."
"Sounds good," I smiled as I spoke.
"I'll pay," she offered.
"Oh, are you sure?" I asked, willing to pay.
"Yeah, I'm sure. I get a discount anyway. Does Teuchi give you a discount for working here?" I shook my head. We went around to the front of Ichiraku and sat down. We ate in silence for a few moments.
"So...You're a Kumo Shinobi, right?" I said, looking up at her from beneath low eyelids.
Ichigo didn't seem to notice my suspicious look as she ate. "Yep. Sounds like you paid attention in the Ninja Academy, smart one."
"You're not a Hunter Nin, are you?" I asked, worried for Kaede's sake.
Ichigo found this amusing and laughed loudly, almost choking on a mouthful of ramen. "No, no! I'm only a Chunin!"
"How old are you...?"
"Almost thirteen," she replied as she took another bite of ramen.
I looked at her oddly. "You look like you're at least fifteen..."
She laughed again. "Do I really?" I nodded. We spoke until we finished eating. I offered Ichigo a chance to come and train with me, but she declined, saying that she had to be somewhere.
How was it possible I had made a friend, after I had killed one?
Naomi, Daughter of a Lord
A scream rang through the dark hallways. No, it was some shouting Sasori's name. The deep hallways made the angered cry echo. Curious, I watched both hallways, trying to see what was going on. From the hallway in which Sasori's room was came a girl. She had red hair and eyes that seemed almost irridescent. She held her arms in front of herself as some kind of protection. Zetsu didn't look up from his reading.
"Stop it, Sasori!" She said. Sasori smirked at her from ten feet away. The girl turned to me, as if begging for help. "Help me, please..." she said softly. I stood up, and Sasori scowled at me as if to threaten me not to come any closer. I made it a few feet towards the girl before Zetsu shouted.
"Sasori, quit! Leave Naomi alone. I'm trying to read this and her screaming at you isn't helping my concentration at all."
"Fine...You win this time, Zetsu..." Sasori glared at us all before returning to his room.
The girl looked towards me oddly. I averted my eyes, but I could still feel her curious gaze. "Thank you, Zetsu." My brother said nothing. After a few moments of awkwardness, she finally asked, "Who are you?"
I bowed. "M-my name is Senari...ma'am."
Zetsu added in, "She's my useless rat of a sister."
The girl gasped. "Oh, I see! You're Zetsu's sister! You train with Deidara, don't you?"
I nodded. She smiled at me and I looked up at her. "My name is Naomi. I've heard Deidara talk about you several times. He says you're a very determined student!" She giggled.
I bowed again. "It's nice to meet you, Naomi san." Zetsu glared at me for no use of more proper titles. I pretended to ignore him.
Then, I heard a familiar voice. "Naomi!" It screamed. I looked up, hoping it was who I had expected it to be. And it was. She ran and hugged Naomi, laughing. "I finally joined the Akatsuki!" She paid no mind to me. Zetsu looked at me, with the tiniest hint of sympathy in his stare. I nodded and went back to work on my scroll. I felt like some kind of servant dog, sitting at my brother's feet and writing things in a scroll.
Then Mailo noticed me. "Oh my gosh! Senari! What're you doing here!?"
"I should be asking you the same question." I said quietly.
"You seem so much more sullen!" Naomi motioned to my brother. Zetsu rolled his eyes and told me to go to the library. I did, and from there, Naomi and Mailo followed me. I got to talk to them in there, but quietly. I learned that Mailo had left Lord Orochimaru and Otogakure to come to the Akatsuki. Kimmimaro still believed I was a traitor. Mailo still kept in touch with him, as they were still dating. Naomi, however, was another of Lord Orochimaru's daughters. She was dating Sensei, which why she talked about him so much. I was glad I had finally met someone else in the Akatsuki. And that Mailo was there.
Murasakino
I was talking with Ichigo as we worked at Ichiraku. Well, moreover, I was working. She didn't have to work today, so she was sitting where customers normally do. After I had met her, I realized that she was quite a chatterbox.
I wasn't paying much attention until I heard someone shout her name. I looked beneath the cloth hanging to see the feet of a girl as she came in. Her hair was a raven black that was similar to Kaede's, except it shone only a dark purple and went down to about halfway down her upper arm. Her eyes were a pupilless violet, but darker than the Hyuga's Byakugan. She wore a short black skirt with leggings similiar to Ino's, except they were a black, sheer material instead of bandages. Her dark brown tank top had only one strap on her left shoulder. On her head was a Kirigakure headband. I wonder if she ever knew Haku san or Zabuza sensei...
She was yelling. "Ichigo! Ichigo! It's the creepy bug guy again!" She ran to Ichigo, sitting beside her on a stool.
"The creepy bug guy?" I repeated. I peered beneath the cloth again and saw Shino walking towards the old ramen shop. I hadn't seen him in a week, so I was ecstatic. Sitting on the counter, I jumped over to the other side and ran to him. I could tell he was smiling when I hugged him.
"Ichigo..." I heard the other girl's voice, "what's she doing...?"
"Uh...I don't know..." Came Ichigo's voice.
"Shino, where've you been?!" I asked, smiling.
"My dad took me on a mission," he replied quietly. "It was boring. Nothing more than a C-ranked escorting mission."
"C-ranked?" I cringed. "And your dad took you on it?" Then I remembered something. Putting one hand on Shino's shoulder and walking with him, I said, "You need to let me meet your dad sometime!"
"I'll remember that the next time you almost get yourself killed and my mom has to take care of your injured butt again," he said sarcastically.
I frowned and folded my arms. "Not fair," I whispered, no intention for him to hear.
Getting very close to my face, so close I could feel his warm breath against my deathly cold lips, he whispered, "You're forgetting that I'm used to quiet noises. I heard that. And yes, it's very fair." I could hear a smile in his voice. "You're a danger magnet." I folded my arms again, smiling this time.
Then, I gasped and grabbed his arm. "C'mon, Shino san! I want you to meet someone!" I ran back to Ichigo and the other girl.
"Ichigo, this is Shino, my boyfriend. Shino, this is Ichigo. I met her two days ago."
"When she was running late for work," Ichigo added. "Oh, hey, Sen. I want you to meet Murasakino. Remember me telling you about her?" I nodded and looked toward the other girl.
"Nice to meet you, Murasakino! I'm Sen, and this is Shino."
"I've...met Shino..." Murasakino replied, seeming to be thoroughly creeped out.
Shino explained, "She's a new friend of Unmei's. She comes to training frequently. Thoroughly irritating..."
"Oh, c'mon, Shino! One person can't be that bad!"
"You'd be surprised..." He mumbled. I jumped to the other side of the ramen bar, and the other three sat on the customer's side. Murasaki was apparently a Shinobi from the Village Hidden In The Mist. She had left the village after she saw how the Chunin exams there worked. She was fourteen and specialized in Water Style Jutsu. We talked until the other two had to go. "Seems like you've been making friends by some stroke of luck," Shino said.
I rested my chin on my hand and sighed, saying nothing. "Are you still upset since Amaya got attacked?" He asked. He didn't know I had killed her. No one did. Nor would they ever.
"I suppose...I mean...there's really been not much of a...change in my life..."
"Karma's getting back to you," he tried to comfort me, "you're a good person, so life is trying to do good things for you."
"Life is confused," I retorted.
"Alright Sen, your shift's up." Teuchi came out of the back room. I took off the apron and sat it on the counter before sliding to the other side with Shino and saying goodbye to Teuchi.
Shino tried to keep up with my hastened steps, but he was left running to catch up once in a while. Finally, after time and time again of trying to catch my attention, he grabbed my arm to stop me. My eyes narrowed and drooping at the same time, I looked at him. "Sen, you're going to have to tell me what's going on one of these days! You can't live the rest of your life opressed by sadness. If it helps you at all, I'm here any time you need to talk."
I turned from him and started walking again. "You'll never know...You don't want to know..."
"Yes, I do! I want to know!" He begged. His voice was growing farther and farther.
I turned to him again, looking at him from beneath heavy eyelids. "If you want to know so badly, then meet me tomorrow night at the dark lake. I'm going to be training all day tomorrow, but if you come to check on me, then I won't tell you. Understood?" He seemed shocked, and he didn't move. I turned away without a word and walked faster through the air as it grew colder. I stopped a few feet away and looked up at the sky. Something cold and pale fell lightly on my face, and another, and another, before they started falling faster and faster and collected on my eyelashes like...well, like I don't know what else!
"Shino..." I mumbled, "What are these...?" I caught one in my hand and it disappeared immediately. I turned to him, puzzled.
"Those are...They're snowflakes. Have you never seen them before?" I shook my head. He walked closer as I kept my head to the sky, watching them fall from the sky. "Well, normally if they fall, it means that winter's coming closer...Are you sure you've never seen them before?"
"No...never. They're...they're beautiful, but they're cold."
"Reminds me of someone I know," he said, looking at me.
"Really? Who?" I looked down and asked. Shino smiled and shook his head. I looked back up. "The only snow we ever got in Kusagakure were tiny pockets that stayed up in the tall grass. After I left, I always seemed to be in a different part of the world where it didn't snow..."
"Do you like it?"
"So far, yes..."
I felt Shino grab my hand and I looked at him. "I have to go now. I'll see you tomorrow night at the lake. Don't stay outside too long: I don't want you getting sick."
I was barely aware as he left. By time I got home, I couldn't feel my fingers or my nose.
Confession
The wind whistled past me as I stood waiting for Shino. The night seemed black around me, and the lake didn't help much.
"Sen...?" I heard from behind me. I remembered what I had done before. The last time we were here.
"So you actually had the nerve to come. After what had happened the last time."
"Of course. Do you think I would hold that against you?"
"I should hope not." The wind whistled loudly, reminding me of a scream. Reminding me of Amaya's scream. Her dying scream.
"Will you tell me?"
"Do you want to know?"
"Very much." His voice came from almost directly behind me.
I turned to him, my own hair almost smacking me in the face. Tears streamed out as I tried to choke the words from my throat. I felt like a dying frog, because I just couldn't spit out the right words. Shino took a step towards me. Just the opposite of what Amaya would have done. She would have stepped back, feared me, walked away, while Shino was coming to me, loving me, trying to comfort me.
"I...k-kill...k-k-killed h-h-her..." I finally spit out.
"What?" Shino asked. "Speak slower: I can't understand you."
"A-Amaya...sh-she wasn't...wasn't attacked...I k-killed...killed h-her...I killed her...I killed her! I killed Amaya! She's dead because of me! It's all my fault!" I managed.
Shino was holding me by my shoulders, but pulled me a little closer, comforting me. That's something he seemed to do a lot: comfort me. "Shhh...it's OK now...everything's OK...I'm here for you."
"No, it's not OK!" I sobbed, shaking in his arms. "I'm a murderer!"
"It's going to be alright now, I promise. No one's going to blame you for this. You're not a murderer. You just need some sleep."
"You...you think I'm crazy now, don't you...? You don't...you don't believe me. P-p-put it together, Shino! That day that I was in the...the hot spring, the water was...was a-a r-redish or-orange, wasn't it? That was...that was because I was...was covered in...bl-blood: h-her blood! I'm an...I'm...puh...please...I want to trust you...can...can I...tr-trust you?"
"You can trust me with anything."
"I'm an...an...an...Akat...Akatsu...Akatsuki m-member...A-Amaya knew that, and she...she hated me for it." Shino froze. "Please!" I screamed. "Don't leave me! I need you! A-Amaya left me, she was afraid of me! You're not! ...A-are you...? D-don't leave! I-I love you, I need you! Please--"
"Shhh...I'm not going to leave you. I love you, too, and I wouldn't dare leave you, even if you were the worst monster on the planet. I'm not going to tell anyone about you. I believe what you're saying. But I honestly think you need some sleep. You look like you haven't slept in weeks, and I can tell that you're tired." I shivered, but I was unsure if I was sobbing still or if I was cold.
I lost myself then, and retreated to a mere memory.
"So, Sen, what kinds of things have you done?" The old man said, smiling behind a beard. His cane was gripped firmly and digging a hole into the soft earth. Green grasses towered overhead. The young girl turned from her battle, looking towards her sensei. Dark grey circles were hiding beneath her eyes, but dedication and determination shown in the small, dull blue orbs that sunk into her skull. "I've killed people," she answered simply. Her dark green tank top and brown shorts made her blend into the surroundings, but her bone white skin made her stick out against the dark grasses. Suddenly, her opponent shoved her forward, and she landed face first in the dirt. The old man's sweet laughter rang in her ears. Such a pleasant noise. "You've killed people, eh? Such a strong young girl! Ah, but such is the life of a Shinobi." He aknowledged the other boy that had been watching the girl's battle with Midori. "Tsuba, it's your turn. Sen, you must stand and fight. A Shinobi who gives in wins no battles." He sat on a stump, smiling and chuckling at his students' talents. And the memory froze on the sweet old man's smile.
My body was weak from being shuddered by sobs, but I had stopped, and my breathing was beginning to regulate. I was still in Shino's arms, and he was silent. I pulled away from him slowly, wiping tears from my own eyes. I tried my best to avert my eyes from him, but I could feel his gaze on me intently.
"What...?" I whispered, trying to sound calm, but my voice shook.
"Are you serious about those things?"
"Would I lie to you?" I looked up at him, wanting innocence to show, but none did. I turned away. "I'm going home now," I told him. I felt like he was going to say something, but he didn't. It almost upset me that he didn't say anything, but I ignored it. I walked home alone the entire way.
Found!
The air was growing colder as I came closer to the ice waters. I had been sent on a mission, but it was for Lady Tsunade. I was on my way back. Around me was the cold mud that was aroudn the cold water. A few miles into the water, the ice was already thick enough to stand on.
"Sen?" I heard a familiar voice. Upon turning around, I saw something that made my eyes grow wide and my jaw dropped. Taboo. "What do you think you're doing here?" His black eyes narrowed. The wind blew his blue-ish black hair around his face, framing his pale skin.
"What are you doing here," I asked in turn, "after what you did to Naruto?"
Sasuke's eyes eased. "I refuse to speak about such a matter."
"Why did you leave?" I hissed.
"Lord Orochimaru misses you back in Otogakure," he said, ignoring my words and smiling.
"Why did you leave?!"
"I left for the same reason you did," he turned away from me as he spoke, facing the sun that seemed cold as the ice in his presence. The situation didn't feel right. It was a warm, yet wintery, day. But in Sasuke's taboo presence, it felt too cold. Perhaps it was just the hate that coursed through my veins.
"And what was that?! Stupidity?! Lust for power?! Or was it hate, hate for your only family left?" My eyes thinned.
"You said that you hated your brother," he retorted, "and that you wanted to kill him. Why are you asking me such a question when you are merely doing the same?"
"I have my reasons," I whispered, looking down at my feet.
"And I have mine. You said we were so alike."
"We are."
"If you really were a true Uchiha, Uchiha Senari, and you weren't just adopted by an Uchiha, you could have the Mangekyo Sharingan by now." Sasuke turned back to me, smiling.
"What do you mean?" I glared at him.
"I mean, you did kill your best friend, didn't you?" A wide grin spread across his face.
Tears pooled in the corners of my eyes. I clenched my fists, digging my fingernails deep into the soft flesh of my palm and feeling the warmth bleeding over my cold fingers. "How do you know? And she wasn't my friend! She never was..."
"I know someone who is...a spy of his own accord." A small chuckle escaped his lips.
"Come back with me," I urged. "I'm on my way back to Konoha! Naruto's there. He misses you. We all do. You're nothing but taboo now."
"I should be." He turned away again.
"You don't want to make the same mistake I did. Come back with me, please!" I smiled sweetly and folded my hands together. "You're only going to get yourself hurt. I thought Lord Orochimaru was a good person," and I still do, "but I know his true intentions! He's going to--"
"Enough. If you're going to mumble and shout and plead like a worthless rat, then we may as well be fighting," he hissed. "Let's let our fists do the talking this time, Sen."
My eyes narrowed. "If that's the way you want it," I drew my kunai, "then that's the way you're getting it. I'm going to bring you back, even if you don't want to. I'm going to prove to everone else that I'm not the evil monster they think I am!"
He smirked. "Hmph. Do you know who you sound like?"
"I'm fairly certain," I hissed. I ran at him, striking with my kunai. He blocked it with his own kunai, and pushed me back. I stood up. "I won't let you beat me, I swear it."
"Upon what? You've nothing."
"I've everything!" I protested. I bent down and took the weights off of my ankles. Looking up at him, I ran and attacked. He blocked every move.
"Sakon did...tell me that you were an incredibly fast fight--Oof!" I landed a blow to his diaphragm. He fell backwards, and his Oto attire blew around him. A dust cloud billowed around him.
Snake, ram, monkey, boar, horse, tiger...Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!
"How did she...? Is she really an Uchiha...?"
"I'm not an Uchiha, Sasuke. But I have a Kekkei Genkai, and I was adopted by an Uchiha. You're forgetting that, aren't you?" I shouted.
Through the clearing smoke came four kunai with paper bombs. None of them were aimed for my heart, my head, or my throat. What was he thinking? They exploded directly behind me, but not close enough to hurt me.
"C'mon! You can do better than that Sasuke!" I shouted. I felt my Cursed Mark burning up over the side of my face, and the entire left side of my body.
"I did." I heard his voice and saw a silhouette of him hunched over. "Chidori: One Thousand Birds!" I knew what Chidori was, and knew it well. I also knew that I had to block it, somehow, someway. I attemtped a Jutsu, but it didn't work. I was too late. The electric charge surged through my body and I was sent flying into the cold water.
The water felt like ice itself as if stung through my skin. The plant fibers beneath my skin were meant to keep me warm as chloroplasts let actual plants use photosynthesis, but they were doing the exact opposite. I heard Sasuke whisper a few words as the water engulfed me: "Hush, now, don't cry." His image grew darker and small, sinking away. I realized I was the one sinking.
I pulled and clawed at the water in vain. No, not in vain. I pulled myself farther and farther up, closer to Sasuke. I saw he was standing at the edge of the water, in the mud. The clouds above had closed in, creating darkness around us. The water had turned darker and murkier with the coming of such clouds. Closer, closer, until...
I grabbed his foot and dragged him into the water.
He emitted a small noise that sounded startled. Through the dark of the water, I could barely make out the shape of Sasuke's face. Putting my hands on his shoulders, I pressed down harder. I felt his hands ripping at my arms, trying to pull himself back up. Several times, he managed to push me below him. It was like a race to see who could get the closer to the surface. Judging by the temperature of the water, I figured we were getting closer and closer to the ice. I felt Tsume's power taking over and the changes ensued. The purple Chakra engulfed me, and lit up the image of Sasuke struggling for breath. He pulled on my Ninja-regulation sandals and they slipped right off. As they sunk to the bottom of the who-knows-how-deep lake, I wriggled free of his grasp, and he of mine.
I climbed onto the cold and freezing ice, coughing and sputtering for air. The ice froze to my palms and the bare sides of my feet as I poised myself into an animal-like stance. Sasuke stood staring at me, prepared to strike. Suddenly, Tsume made me start running. I felt the ripping and slicing as the flesh and some muscle was ripped out of my hands and feet from the freezing ice. I smelled blood in the air. As I neared, Sasuke hit me so hard that I was knocked back onto the ice, on my back. The water on my back caused me to become frozen to the ice, and I couldn't move. Not even Tsume's incredible will allowed me to sit up. I screamed in frustration.
Sasuke stood over me, watching me with uninterested eyes. "Sakon told me you work better with your Cursed Mark. He also said that you've been slacking off your Cursed Mark training since you left. You don't finish what you started. You really are worthless," he whispered before leaving me. I thought I could feel hypothermia sinking in, but I wasn't sure. I was stuck there, stuck to the ice, in that position, and I was all alone. I was fairly certain I was going to die. And then it suddenly went black.
--
"Sen? Sen?" A voice sang.
"Quit it, you dummy! That's gonna hurt her!" I eased my eyes open to find myself in my room in the Akatsuki lair. Around me stood Sensei and Tobi. Sensei's arms were folded and Tobi was jumping up and down.
"Is Sen awake? Is Sen awake?" Tobi asked, hardly audible through the gaps in his speech due to his chronic jumping-up-and-down.
"Shut up, and maybe we'll find out, hmmm!" Sensei hissed.
"What happened?" I moaned.
"Yay! Sen's awake!" Tobi started clapping, and Sensei rolled his eyes -- er, eye.
"You had a run-in with Itachi's brother Sasuke. You got the skin ripped off of your hands and feet, hn. Also, you've got some of the skin torn off your back, along with some intense frostbite. I suggest you stay laying down, un." I saw all of the bandages on my body. I was in nothing but bandages and underwear. There were bandages wrapped tightly around my hands and feet, too.
"Sasuke...?" I asked, squinting one eye in pain.
"You're not supposed to train for about a week. Got it?" I nodded as the two males exited my room and in came Kaarayomihi. I smiled at him, even though he slightly feared me.
"Why are you here?"
He replied, "Thought I'd see how you're doing. Pein told me we're supposed to be mission partners when you're all healed, and I've noticed how Kisame is worried about Itachi's well-being, so I figured we need to be good partners and worry about each when we're hurt."
"It's not good to worry." I frowned.
"Well, not 'worry' necessarily, but...We should at least be concerned, right?" He folded his arms.
"In other words," I taunted, "you actually care about me, Kaarayomihi. You don't want me to get hurt, do you?"
"You are sort of like a little sister to me," he admitted. I smiled. He frowned and pretended to be tough by clearing his throat. "Well, I just wanted to come in and see how you're doing. I have training to get to!" Kaarayomihi rushed out of the room. I closed my eyes and was sleep soon enough.