Part 9
-Land of Waves-
Naruko looked down at the reflection of herself and the gleaming moon behind her. It took all day, but she finally managed it. She could walk on the water. Hearing a delicate, almost silent footstep, she swung around to the trees behind her.
She took a step backward in fear seeing a man wearing a black cloak and spiraling orange mask staring at her. Looking for anything that could identify the man she frowned seeing a small leathery book in his hand.
Haru's journal!
Directing both of her anger filled eyes at the silent man, she didn't notice the water beneath her pulse and vibrate violently. She snarled and chased after the man when he held up the book and casually walked within the deep forest.
"Where's Haru bastard!?" Naruko yelled, while jumping tree to tree as fast as she could. She stopped on a branch across from the masked man, who halted his dash. It surprised her when he casually threw the journal to her.
Naruko glared despite the fact that the man had just given her the journal. Clinching it she was taken off guard by the man putting his finger to where his mouth would be. A sign that said to be silent.
Who did he think she was? Opening her mouth to demand for her friend's whereabouts, she followed his pointed finger to a girl who had just walked in view beneath them. It was the woman who had taken Haru captive, despite the cute dress and civilian get up she was going for.
She'd never forget those empty eyes.
Snarling, she looked up to the man to say her thanks, but found that he wasn't there, only hearing a faint, "Don't tell anyone," carry through the air. She could do that. But who was he and how did he have Haru's precious book?
Shooting aside those thoughts, Naruko frowned down at the girl picking flowers and other useless things she didn't care about. Forcing the book inside her stretched out pocket, Naruko jumped from the branch down below, crashing in front of the ice user. Knocking away her basket of plants and crushing the flowers beneath her.
Staring into her lifeless eyes, Naruko grabbed the girl by her blouse collar and knocked her feet underneath herself. She then snatched the girl's wrist with her free hand and let go of her dress, instead opting to grab a kunai.
Leaning down to the restrained girl's ear, she whispered harshly, "Where's Haru or I'll kill you?"
It was a promise, one that she was fully prepared to carry out if the girl didn't speak. She knew that the Shinobi world was dangerous and was full of unremorseful killers and was prepared to join it if it meant saving her teammate and friend.
"Haru-san," Haku repeated, turning her head to the side, her cheeks flushing red, further infuriating the blonde genin.
Lifting and slamming the girl's hands down on the ground until she felt and saw crimson liquid flow from the girl's hand to the ground and to her own hand did Naruko stop. Letting her rage filled blue eyes, she asked again.
"Where's Haru?"
Nothing, the girl still had her blush present and her eyes just the same, empty. Placing the kunai to the girl's throat, Naruko scowled deeper, not noticing any reaction from the girl. She didn't care if she died.
Throwing the kunai away she slammed her fist down on the herbs, crushing them beyond use. She was surprised when the taller girl frowned and buckled forward. Looking from the girl back to another pile of leaves, she slammed her hand down on the ground again only to stop seeing an ice spike rise where she was aiming.
"Those herbs are for Haru-san and my master Namikaze, please refrain from causing more harm to the plants," Haku said almost robotically, but with a tinge of annoyance in her voice.
"What happened to Haru and give him back!" The blonde demanded, choosing to ignore the fact that the girl was still a threat. She would deal with that when it occurs.
Haku blushed again at the first question, earning another slam of her hands from the girl. She would just eliminate the girl, but she just couldn't. She was the name Haru muttered to himself for the past few days. In his sleep, leaf training, and she knew he was thinking of the blonde during their session, she just couldn't kill his loved one.
She knew firsthand how painful it was to lose one or four and wouldn't do that to him.
"He's sick right now, I need to treat him with those," Haku muttered forming a one handed hand seal, creating ice kunai in the air all pointing to vital spots on the girl on her. Perks of having one of the greatest assassins in the world as a sensei.
Hearing the growl escape from the Namikaze she ignored the killer intent sent her way from the girl and gazed into her icy blue eyes and then to her small chest cracking a smile. "We will come in three days at noon Naruko Namikaze, defeat me and I will release Haru-san into your care, but for now, he is mine."
Rolling off the ice manipulator avoiding the rapidly approaching ice made kunai she glared at the emotionless girl as she picked herself up and then her basket. Naruko wanted to snatch the basket from the girl and bring it to Satsuki to burn, but remembered they were for Haru… and Zabuza.
With her hands shaking in anger she tucked them in her pocket and watched as the girl plucked up the remaining useable herbs, placing them in her basket and take her leave, not sparring her a glance or any words. Each of the many floating ice kunai following behind her.
Naruko frowned at the blood staining the green grass. Haru didn't belong to that girl. If he belonged to anyone, it was her… and her team. "Nothing's changed. She was planning on beating the girl's ass regardless, now she had a date and time.
Why was she looking at my breast like that? She thought to herself, gripping at the journal in her pocket.
-Tazuna's Home-
Sneaking inside the house, Naruko puffed out her cheeks and frowned when she opened her door only to see her rival sitting in the dark room with her Sharingan peering into her blue eyes.
She sighed in relief when the raven-haired girl closed her eyes and patted to the floor next to her. Sitting down, Naruko crossed her legs and assumed a meditative form just like the Uchiha.
"Why are you so angry now? You've kept it under wraps for the past few days," Satsuki asked, having a good idea about what happened. Satsuki's answer was a familiar journal being dropped on her lap.
"We have three days left is what she told me," Naruko stated, with her eyes still closed forcing back her raging anger.
-End-
