So, here comes the inevitable Wave Arc chapter.
It's short. It's sweet. And I swear I can taste poison in my mouth for lying to you like that.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Chapter 3: You Can Do So Much Better, Sister
D-rank. D-rank. D-rank.
That same pathetic cat. That same idiot old man who couldn't watch a paraplegic goat to save his life. An old lady who couldn't find her geriatric way across the street. That same pathic cat. If they weren't trying to keep up appearances, Satsuki was certain that she and Naruto would be crying their eyes out in front of the old Hokage. Another mission. More like Shit-ssion. The Daimyo's wife cannot and should not be allowed to own a pet, any pet. Satsuki, as Sasuke, cringed as the lady wept her fat tears, down her pudgy, puffing, wrinkled obese face, staining her mascara and eye shadow as she wept and wiped through her manic episode.
If I were that stupid cat, I'd run away too, honestly.
Glancing over, it would seem both Naruto and Sakura felt the same way. That feline, its anger, its rage and claws. They couldn't even fight back – if the damn lady received a dead animal, not only would there be hell to pay, no one would get paid. She needed money to keep her pantry stacked since Naruto couldn't shop for groceries. Speaking of groceries, she took a deep breath. It was finally a cheat day to eat as she pleased. Some oven-roasted Pompano, filled with tomatoes and onions, seasoned with lemon pepper and garlic salt with a nice helping of sticky rice; she could already taste the yellow fish on her tongue. Better yet, she didn't have to share anything with the blond oaf who stood beside Sakura.
Inwardly glaring, she knew that changing their diets would be important, but she didn't take into consideration one key fact; higher chakra, means more calories burned, which means more food intake, which means, she'd be in the kitchen almost every night trying to make sure her future partner in murder, can keep up with her when the time comes. As she said before, why walk, when you can run. Itachi had been running since the day he was born, she assumed. With the way people still whisper about him behind her back, the way some jōnin and chunin speak of Itachi with fear and fondness, it was more than enough to get her on her feet and ready to start chasing.
Stopping herself, she caught the somewhat bored look of the Hokage. She remembered his words; she remembered his deal. I just need to do a few more D-ranks and then we'll be cleared for a C-rank. Just a few more. Just a few more. I need to maintain composure, especially in front of the man who can decide whether or not to sanction my search for my brother. I need to prove to him that I am more than capable. Not just as a kunoichi, but as a ninja. If it came out that I were a girl as a genin, the fallout would be immense. Teams would be reshuffled, I would be relegated to a stupid support role as the vast majority of kunoichi are. I can fight and I will prove to him and that stupid council that I can.
I'm not Itachi. I can't hate anyone. No matter how hard I try, even Naruto. Satsuki looked at the blond. His eyes fluttered open and closed, as if he were trying to fight a yawn. As if on cue, however, he stretched, throwing his arms up in an obnoxious manner, nearly hitting herself and Sakura. Okay, I'm on the fence with him still. He's not so bad, honestly, I just wish he'd shut up more. Anyway, Itachi. No matter how hard he tried to make me into him, it's not working. I feel anger, but I don't feel hate. I haven't felt hate in my life. I fear him, I'm angry at him… but hate? He's my big brother. He's my… he was everything I wanted to be and I wanted nothing more than to make him proud.
Even father was visibly prouder of me than he ever was. Satsuki's head tilted low.
As Sasuke, she maintained the indifferent persona to the talks rummaging throughout the Hokage Tower and the Missions Department. Councilmen, old wrinkled crones, watched her with calculating eyes. The one with glasses, kept a stoic face, unable to be read, even on an off day. The one beside him, was a tiny little woman, menopause was not kind to her. The ornaments in her hair jingled with every shaking move she made. Satsuki knew better; she was a relic of a more glorious time for shinobi and kunoichi. She earned her right to be so weak looking. However, the one that made her uncomfortable, no matter how many times she had seen him in the halls of the Hokage Tower, was the one with black hair and wrinkled shut eyes.
A man wrapped in bandages. Yet, no matter how many wrappings he donned, he could not hide the sinister intent waving off of him in droves. Satsuki had to remind herself, they were soldiers in the military machine. Any moment, any step out of line, or rather, in line, could result in a visit from any of those councilors. The one she really wanted to avoid was Danzo, the bandaged wrapped old man. Despite his cane and wounded outward appearance, he did not become the Hokage's councilman without being strong. If shinobi were anything, they were unpredictable and hard to get a read on.
This man personified that.
"So, Kakashi-kun, another D-rank completed." Hiruzen took a long puff of his pipe. "That makes… fifteen done so far. Quite the efficient team you have."
"It's nothing my adorable little genin can't handle." Kakashi's eye smile made the Uchiha glare.
"I have a selection of D-ranks for you to choose from." Iruka said with a smile. "There are some wolves who are harassing nearby farmland. A fence needs to be rebuilt after a landslide. A cat stuck in a tree. And of course… helping the old man find his poor goat again."
Naruto visibly paled. Satsuki watched him from the corner of her eye. The idiot was about to explode. Honestly, so was she. They had trained for more than this nonsense. They were shinobi! Even Sakura was starting to lose her mind and she was Sakura! Sure, she was getting better and butting into their training regimen, especially, when not prompted to, but she couldn't deny that the girl had finally stopped with the honorifics and stopped squealing every time Sasuke walked into a room. There was a change in demeanor, some confidence here and there, but what really caught Satsuki's attention, was the confusion. The awkwardness.
Does she know I'm a girl? Did she figure it out?
Sakura gulped as the missions were doled and discussed between Kakashi and Iruka. Despite how riveting of a topic, trivial jobs and missions were to the pinkette, she was doing everything in her small power to keep her eyes averted from Sasuke's intense gaze. D-Did he know that me and Ino were watching them… flirt?! I-Is he going to fight me? L-Listen, Sasuke, y-you can have Naruto! I just don't know what you see in him!
There's fear in her eyes. Satsuki tried to fight the glare. She knows something and she's afraid of other's figuring it out. I mean… that is what a secret is, but still. Her? What kind of secret does she have that requires this kind of reaction from a passing glance? Hn. If she does know that I'm a girl, at least she didn't break into my apartment to harass me. Ugh, at least she isn't fawning over me like she did in the Academy.
I-I just don't get it. Why him?
What is going on in that head of yours?
Like, I mean, sure, he can be kinda endearing at times, but overall, he's just the literal worst!
Maybe I should give her some of the treatment I've been giving the moron. A good smack or two to make her talk.
I mean, at least he's toned down on the orange, but still! Why?
Hn. It's whatever. She'll talk eventually. She always does.
Naruto blinked, sticking his finger in his nose. Man, I'm starving. How much longer before we get a real mission.
Oh god, he finally looked away. Sakura murmured in her head. Emerald eyes quaking in their sockets for the slightest change in hair. Naruto, for all his stupidity, was lost in his own world and Sakura could not be more thankful. You know… he's actually not that bad looking. But still! God. I have been chasing a gay man. Wait. Does that mean Naruto used me as a cover to hide his true feelings?!
Hmm. You know, I've been wondering for a while now; how the hell does a lame goat find its way out of a pen we've built four different times? Naruto asked to no one in particular.
Does that… oh that doesn't help my confidence at all.
Maybe it has chakra? Naruto thought with a smirk. Imagine. A goat. I mean shit, they can climb steep mountain cliffs and climb trees somehow.
God, everything is literally falling apart and we haven't even had a real mission yet! Sakura screeched, pressing her hands to her head. The boy I crushed on is gay and the boy who crushed on me is gay. What does that say about me?!
I'm praying we get a quick and easy mission. I just want to go home and eat. Satsuki murmured in her head.
How… how does it weave hand signs? It doesn't have hands!
My stomach is killing me. My brain is killing me. My heart is racing and I think I'm having a panic attack. Sakura's eyes were wide now, bloodshot by the second. I need to punch something. I need something to do. Something other than glorified chores!
"Give us a real mission!"
Silence.
Naruto and Sasuke both turned to the pinkette whose face was blaring red. Iruka dropped a scroll, labeled as D-rank and even Kakashi snapped his orange book shut. Everyone was staring at her, all eyes leveled at her and her massive forehead. The blond of the three nodded his head, a newfound respect in his eyes. Nice! Who knew she'd have the balls!
Satsuki raised a brow. Huh. Well would you look at that?
"S-Sakura?" Iruka paled as he rose from his seat. "W-What did you just say?"
Red immediately flushed away, replaced with paling white. Eyes as wide as plates, Sakura froze for a moment. Sweat forming in an instant, the metal plate of her hitai-ate began to fog. She was in the thick of it now. Clearing her throat, she stepped forward, shooting her head down in a respectful bow. Neither Sasuke or Naruto knew what was going on. She turned her head, giving the two of them a pleading look, motioning for them both to follow her lead. The Uchiha of course, caught on and bowed, leaving Naruto standing upright like a fool.
Bow too, idiot!
Naruto, don't fucking leave me out to hang.
What's going on? Naruto raised a brow at the two of them. Shrugging, he crossed his arms over his chest, turning his gaze to the Hokage, who amusedly smoked his pipe. "She's right. Give us a real mission, old man."
Sasuke didn't know it was possible for someone to get paler than white, but Sakura managed to do it. The pinkette was about to snap. Satsuki was sure of it. Through Sasuke's eyes, she watched and waited patiently for the loose cannon to finally fire. But it was all for naught, as the Hokage began to laugh and choke on his most recent drag. Smoke trickling from his dry lips, he laughed harder, bringing the pipe to the tabletop.
"What a fine team." Hiruzen smiled. "Iruka, give them a C-rank. Let's see how confident they really are."
"B-But Hokage-sama!" Iruka turned to the man. "T-They've only been active for three months! We can't!"
"I am Hokage. I just made an order, Iruka-kun."
"Y-Yes sir." Iruka fumbled through the list of missions. Bringing up a scroll, he tossed it to Kakashi. "Naruto means a lot to me, Hatake-san. Do not let him get hurt."
"You and me both, Iruka." Kakashi gave him a lazy nod. "Alright, kiddos, stop embarrassing yourselves and let's get this mission started!"
Waves. Water. Ninjutsu. Senbon.
So much had happened since they crossed that fake water puddle. Chains and a pair of morons who thought too highly of themselves. Loathe as Naruto was to admit, Satsuki was right; he did lock up. If it weren't for Sasuke's instant reaction time, those guys would have done something far worse than kill a substitution jutsu. Those clawed gauntlets and the spiked chains that seemed to never end. Once more, Naruto looked at the raven-haired boy, rather, the girl who hid behind the smoke and mirrors, something different from the normal emotion began to spur within his chest.
Maybe in the past, he didn't really notice Sasuke because of his dickish tendencies. Looking at the raven haired Uchiha now? It was like looking at art. There was something about knowing a crazy secret that you just had to keep from everyone else. Until that secret came out to the public, it brought people together, namely, a braindead moron and an abrasive asshole. To Naruto, it was a little hard to explain. A shift in emotion was translated into Satsuki's odd, but caring way.
That remark, what's wrong, scaredy cat? Something so annoyingly in character for Sasuke, but for Satsuki, there was a hint of worry in that tone. The choice of wording, the intense gaze she gave him. Naruto didn't know what to make of it, but if there was an inkling of doubt in his chest, he knew that she, deep down, started to care about him.
Satsuki didn't know why she did what she did. Most importantly, she didn't know why Naruto froze like an idiot in the middle of a fight. Those guys were strong, but they had to be stupider than the blondie. Yet, he froze. Unable to think, or even raise his kunai to defend himself. Using the skills she honed as Sasuke, she burst into action, shuriken flying, trapping chains together by their links and smashed through the pair of them, kunai pressed against their throats.
Sakura was watching. She already suspects something is off. "What's wrong, scaredy cat?" God you moron. You can't be Hokage if you can't stand up for yourself and I can't fight my brother alone. I cannot afford to lose the only person who… god what the hell am I saying?!
Standing straight, Sasuke pat his shoulders, yawning at the display. Turning away from the nervous Sakura and the reddening Naruto, he looked to the trees as if he were expecting someone. "Kakashi. What the hell are you doing hiding?"
"Mah, mah, Sasuke, I knew you three had it handled." The jōnin nodded with his ridiculous eye smile. "You were quick to react, Sasuke. Though, I am a bit disappointed in your performance, Naruto. Sakura, you didn't even do anything but at least you moved to protect Tazuna right off the jump. Sorry. I can't be too harsh on you three… after all, we were paid to protect you against bandits… not missing ninja, Tazuna."
Everything was a blur.
Sakura watched from the rear, hands and fingers clasped together, palms pressed into one. A blinding sheet of mist, a cry from Naruto and Sasuke over the blinding barriers. Shuriken, kunai, ninjutsu, all thrown and clashed together in a series of earth shattering, earth ripping explosions. Kakashi and Zabuza met, kubikiribocho and a lone kunai knife met, a shower of sparks left in the wake of their kiss of death. She trembled as she stayed as close to Tazuna as she could, kunai up and hands quivering with fear. She needed to do something, but just like the blond she so vehemently despised just minutes before, she couldn't move either.
Through the mist, Naruto and Sasuke flew back, rolling in the dirt before they repositioned themselves in unison. A pink eyebrow raised, almost like the shadow clones Naruto employed, the two of them, Naruto and Sasuke, shared a glance. Like their spars in the training fields that happened every single day, they were trapped in their own little world. She could only watch, breathless, weak and afraid.
They moved together, jumping in and out of the bout while their sensei fell back to get some air. They were quick, precise and most importantly of all, persistent. Something that was sure to aggravate a legendary missing ninja like Zabuza. She tried to move, she tried to do something anything to join her teammates, but her body just would not listen to her. A child, caught in between a rock and a hard place, caught in a situation that no child should ever have to face, faced it anyway.
Gulping, she stood her ground, standing watch over Tazuna, much to his relative displeasure. She didn't care if he thought they were useless brats, she didn't care if she couldn't join Naruto or Sasuke in the front. She was going to do her job; she was going to be a kunoichi of Konohagakure!
"You know you looked like a total bitch for blowing up at that kid like that, right?"
Naruto ignored the girl as he punched the tree. Knuckles peeling, blood spraying against the flattened bark, he couldn't focus on anything else but the target in front of him. She knew what was bothering him. She knew it too well.
"I get it. The kid was out of line, but can you blame him?" Satsuki said trying to get him to look at her. She had even dropped the seal. Maybe she was running out of chakra, but at least the sentiment was still there. He was letting what Inari said get to him and he wasn't reacting the way a shinobi should. "Naruto, will you at least listen?"
He didn't stop. Fists flying, smashing until the bone was left as bloody paste and reeling skin. Satsuki had half a mind to pull ointment from her pouch, but the trickling steam stopped her actions. She watched carefully as the battered bone and the blood spilling free began to suck in. Skin rolled and merged, sealing over the hills and troughs of his new knuckles. He was in a daze, eyes pressed toward the tree trunk, as if there was nothing else in the world. If she was feeling a little conceited, she jokingly imagined herself standing pressed against the tree. The idiot needs to calm down. "Hey, instead of breaking every bone in your tiny body, try chakra control instead. It tires you out quicker and it most of all you won't be hurting yourself in the process."
"What if I fall?" Naruto asked in an uncharacteristically small voice.
"I'll catch you." Satsuki crossed her arms under her chest. "What? Don't trust a friend?"
"I thought you said we weren't friends."
"What can I say?" She smirked, rolling up her sleeves. Naruto winced as she grabbed his still bloodied hand with a wet rag. Chakra rolled between her fingertips, fire chakra coming to life, igniting into unseen warmth. The boy flinched as she pressed the rag against his hands, careful not to agitate the bone and skin. "Over these last few months, you've grown on me somewhat."
"Sasuke or Satsuki?"
"Me."
Naruto blinked at the word. As simple as it was, it really struck a chord with him. Her sincerity could not be faked. Gulping nervously, she kept her gaze on him, as if there was something stuck to his face. In deep focus, she reached up, surprising him further. A clink and a clank, the shuffling of fabric and linen, she reached up with a dry rag and dragged it across his hitai-ate. No words were shared as she went through her motions.
He sighed, through flaring nostrils before finding the words to say to the Uchiha. Under the moonlight, her face contoured to the shadows, really showing the Uzumaki just how beautiful she really was. A small nose, sharp eyes, fierce fire burning within her soul. She was getting closer, almost uncomfortably close. His hands trapped in her grip. She simply continued her motions, wiping the flaking blood from between the webs of his fingers.
Onyx hair had fallen, framing her face, some bangs gathering to the right side, hiding half her face from view. He had a conversation planned, a declaration to change the mood or something, anything, but whatever he tried to say, choked at the tip of his tongue, leaving him gaping like a stupid fish. Which, being honest with himself, wasn't far off from the truth. Lithe fingers still topped with calloused pads, drifted between the callouses of his own, rough and scratching against the troughs and cracks.
Her chakra springing forth, he sighed again, this time, devoid of the frustration that had been building in his heart and head. It was soothing, relaxing and honestly, the most calming sensation he had ever felt. He couldn't help but wonder where this Satsuki had come from and where she had been since they met. She was always a tough-abrasive-bitch just waiting for the first excuse to insult and hit him. Yet, here she was, handling his broken hands as if they were delicate flowers. Huh. Maybe she is a Tsundere?
"I've been thinking recently, Naruto." Satsuki said, flicking her hair from her face. The silence broken; his gaze fell to meet here onyx eyes. "I have been a little rough with you, haven't I? I want to apologize if I ever overstepped any bounds."
Naruto choked, pulling away from her. "W-What brought this on, all of sudden? We have an agreement and might I add, one we've been very good at keeping! B-Besides, what's a little pain? I've dealt with worse anyway, right?"
Her eye twitched for a moment but for once in his life, he said something that wasn't ridiculous. Before he could walk away, she grabbed his hand once again, forcing him to stay still. "If you're going to keep training, at least remember the other part of the bargain. We train together. As much as it loathes me to say it, Sakura understood the tree walking exercise better than both of us. I'm pretty sure you can imagine the kind of hurt that dealt to my ego."
"So, the Uchiha admits to having an ego!" Naruto quickly surmised. Receiving a head slap, he cringed, giving her a look, "Hello? Injured here!"
"That's only because you don't know how to deal with your problems the right way!"
"That's cute coming from the supposed boy." Naruto raised a brow.
Satsuki didn't respond the way he thought she would. She shook her head, rolled her eyes and smirked a little before returning to her motions. He winced as her grip tightened between his knuckles, but it never progressed into violence. For all her bravado as Sasuke, alone in the woods, far from any prying eyes, she was sweeter than any girl he had ever known. She was tender when she needed to be and a complete slave driver when she wanted to be. There was almost no telling what he'd get when they were alone and the seal was turned off.
Sheathing the rag, she gave him a nod. "Come on, we have trees to climb. Last one to the top pays for ramen when we get back. Deal, loser?"
In the instant the words left her lips, she watched the somber expression, the uncomfortable blush and the glimmering water clinging to the surface of his cerulean eyes, evaporate. All of it. Every emotion was suddenly gone. Like a flick of a switch, or the dropping of a dime. His lips curled upward, his cheeks creasing as the whisker marks contorted to his face splitting grin. His teeth, pearly white in the moonlit night. It was contagious. She couldn't help herself as the smirk of her own began to rise.
They gave each other a nod, drawing kunai from their holsters. Another look, a knowing glance, a connection as strong and as fresh as when their knuckles first bumped in her poor apartment. Matching positions, crouching down to prepare for the sprint; they burst forward.
In the distance, unbeknownst to the two of them, a pinkette was watching with groggy, but confused eyes. She had gone out to look for them. As odd as it was, what Naruto said to Inari really struck home to the young kunoichi who, in retrospect, felt like she didn't belong. In a moment of weakness, this is where they were brought, this is their new mission and with missing ninja, a powerful former Shinobi Swordsman of the Mist and a Hunter Ninja somewhere rummaging through the lands of Wave, it was uncertain what her fate would be.
However, those words, that declaration was made with such passion, such vigor, something within her heart began to bubble. Like a pressure that needed release, like a thought that replayed in an infinite loop; like an itch that refused to be scratched; it had awakened something within her. The will to do what needed to be done, the will to keep progressing further; to be a kunoichi. Whatever that meant, she knew it wasn't what the books told her. It wasn't what definitions could ever quantify.
What she did that day in the field against Zabuza, before that fake Hunter Ninja took him away, was one of the most exhilarating and eye-opening moments of her shinobi career thus far. Their first C-rank, turned into an A-rank mission. If the situation weren't so terrible, she might have laughed at their misfortune. She could only imagine what Ino would be doing if her team were stuck in the same predicament. As she neared the sound of breaking wood and crunching leaves, she stopped.
Eyes turned to the canopy of the forest. Branches rustled, wood was sliced and chakra was expelled. Closing her eyes, she began to sense commotion. Naruto and Sasuke were, of course, training. She wound up her courage, stiffened her upper lip and walked through the bushes, stepping into the clearing. They were always running off to improve themselves, leaving her with the lazy bum their sensei was. Now, with him out of commission from chakra exhaustion, there was no telling how long it would take to get him back up to full strength.
She needed to train and work harder to be on par, or at least close the distance between them. Bringing a hand to her lips, she called. "Naruto! Sasuke! C-Can I join you two tonight?"
Rustling branches stopped. There was a pensive silence, one so deep, she could hear her own blood vessels. Naruto poked his head out from a wall of leaves and fruits. "S-Sure, Sakura-chan! We're trying to practice our tree walking, so I don't know if-"
"I read that a master is an eternal student." She said, tying her hair up. "You can always improve. Wait up!"
Bursting up a third tree, as graceful and perfect as she did the first time, she jumped and landed on the same tree branch, eyeing Sasuke and Naruto, their faces drenched in sweat and small cuts from the branches and sticks. To her surprise, Sasuke was out of breath, but smirking at the two of them. His duck-butt hair, his onyx eyes to Naruto's bright blond hair and whisker marks shrouded in shadow.
"Alright, Sakura," Sasuke said. She immediately snapped at attention. It was rare that he would talk to her so openly. "Here's the deal. You are the most talented one here when it comes to this chakra exercise, so you'll be the judge, alright?"
"Judge?"
"Yeah," Naruto smirked, wiping sweat on his sleeve, "whoever reaches the top of top of their tree last, has to pay for ramen when we get back to the village."
"Y-You eat ramen, Sasuke?"
"Hn. What can I say? Hanging out with the loser has rubbed off on me in all the wrong ways."
Sakura tried to hide the blush growing on her cheeks. Oh my god, wording.
"Yeah," Naruto snickered, "if anything, it's you rubbing off on me. When was the last time you let me even have ramen outside of a cheat day?"
"That… that's the point of a diet, moron."
They're feeding each other?! Sakura brought her hands to her cheeks. She shook her head, trying to get the images out. They couldn't be. It just couldn't be true.
"In all fairness, the last time we had a cheat day, you ate all the cookies I made and my ice cream. I was saving them both for a dessert I had planned for weeks."
"W-What? Listen, you left them on the counter unattended for."
They go to each other's houses?! Oh, my fucking god! What have I missed?! Sakura snapped her eyes shut. Her heart was racing, her thoughts were churning. Opening her eyes, her hallucinations were taking hold, her mind running rampant with her own fantasies.
Sasuke laid, in Naruto's lap, the two boys watching tv, snacking on warm cookies and hot chocolate. A bowl of ice cream they share as they laugh and giggle with one another in their own apartments. She shook her head, the blush beginning to burn against her palms. Naruto digs his spoon into the vanilla bean scoops, raising the utensil to Sasuke's waiting lips. He shakes his head, giving the blond a glare, but being the idiot he was, he made the Uchiha take the bite in one go.
Sakura.
They leaned in, the tips of their noses touching. Their blushes matching in perfect unison.
Sakura.
Their leaning continued, Sasuke in Naruto's lap, their lips inching ever closer.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto clapped his hands.
The pinkette flinched, turning to the two boys. Tired emerald eyes softened, but quickly widened as she began to realize what was happening. Neither seemed to notice. Sasuke gave his usual grunt but Naruto narrowed his eyes as if he had found something off about her. Crawling across the branches, he stopped just a few inches away from her. "A-Are you okay, Sakura-chan? You're really red right now. Are you sure you want to train? You can go to sleep if you want."
"No, I don't think so. I don't trust you to be honest if it's just the two of us." Sasuke glared. "I for one, refuse to lose, because I am not buying you ten bowls. That is expensive. How you're able to pay your rent is beyond me."
"Even though I eat a lot, I know how to budget, asshole."
"I'm surprised you can even count higher than ten, moron." Sasuke rolled his eyes. "So, are you down or what, Sakura?"
"U-Uh huh…"
Sakura weakly nodded. Jumping up once more, she pierced the forest canopy, flipping and landing on the highest point. Running a hand across her face, she rubbed her eyes, slapped her cheeks, massaged her temples, anything to get the images out of her head. There was nothing confirmed, nothing that said anything about a secret, scandalous relationship between the last Uchiha and the dead last. Slapping herself once more, she focused, leveling her emerald eyes on the two boys who fell back to ground level.
They paced one another, saying inaudible words to one another, before bumping fists once again. They didn't move, they didn't even take positions to make a run for it. They stood there, lost in each other's eyes for what felt like hours. Beneath the rising moon, Sakura wanted to puke.
I… I am telling Ino everything about tonight. Sakura cursed. T-There is just no fucking way.
Satsuki cursed.
Cursing was putting it lightly.
Her mouth running in her mind, with every expletive she could muster. Every word, every insult, every profane vocabulary she had ever heard, used or made up on the spot. Trapped in ice mirrors, surrounded in blinding mist, that girl she and Naruto met in the forest, she was here, hurling Senbon in rapid succession. It was impossible to follow, impossible to dodge, even for her agile body. Gone were the bulky movements of Uchiha Sasuke, all that remained was Uchiha Satsuki, trapped in the heavy, baggy clothes of her male persona.
Rolling about the finished section of the stone bridge, she reacted as her body made movements of its own. She kicked out, throwing Naruto back. Despite how stupid it was, despite the Senbon digging into her shins, she didn't regret it. Thoughts whirled in her head, chakra burning in her arms and legs. She moved, wincing with every crease and tense of her muscles. She tackled Naruto, and he tackled her. Over and over, everything they did, mattered nothing against the Mist ninja hiding in reflections. Nothing they did mattered, when this bitch sped in and out of their vision.
As the girl sped past them, Satsuki glared at the afterimage. Naruto was yelling at her, throwing kunai and pulling the needles from his body. He ran out, throwing Satsuki across the arena, her back crashing against an ice mirror. He screamed as the girl crashed against Naruto's back. Needles, poked through his clothing and armor sewn into his outerwear. He was weakening by the second.
No! Satsuki cursed, pulling needles from her legs. Tripping over herself, she shot ahead. A sensation burned in her head. As the girl prepared her next attack on the two of them, Satsuki realized something. Everything was beginning to slow down. Her steps echoed like rain water dripping and spilling into gutters and puddles. She could see Haku leaving her mirror.
Naruto was static, his face empty and demoralized. Satsuki didn't care, throwing herself between the blond and Haku. Bringing her fist up, she smashed her knuckles into the wooden mask, sending Haku back into her own mirror. Panting, Satsuki turned to Naruto, reaching into her pouch. Pulling out a small wooden container, she slapped into Naruto's hands.
"G-Get ready." She whispered. "I'll hold her off."
"W-Wait!" Naruto grabbed her arm. He needed to be quick. As Haku's mask cracked and shattered, the two of them glared at her and her disbelief. "Satsuki, I can still fight! I don't have time to apply this!"
"You're going to get hurt idiot!" Satsuki shouted back.
"Satsuki…" Naruto blinked. "Y-Your eyes…"
"Listen… I can see her. I can predict where she's going to go." Satsuki said. "But she's skilled. We might need a power up."
Naruto paled at the words. "W-What?! No! I don't even know if that's possible!"
"She will kill us both." Satsuki shook her head. "She will. If either of us fall… I swear that I will complete your dream. If I fall… find Itachi. Tell him I couldn't do it."
"What?!" Naruto pushed himself off the floor, grabbing handfuls of needles, he winced as he ripped it from his shoulder. "I am not doing any of that shit without you! You said it yourself, we're in this together!"
Sasuke turned to the blond. "Do you trust me?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"Naruto."
"Without a doubt."
"Then follow my lead. Do what feels natural. Just like we trained."
Haku burst from a mirror, her brows furrowed, a sense of discomfort in her chocolate brown eyes. It was quick, but Satsuki was able to catch it. She made a shout and Naruto immediately followed, throwing himself to the ground. Slow motion, after images, things happening before they actually happened. Satsuki's sharingan blared wildly as she moved in to apprehend the mist ninja. Throwing her fist out, Haku yelped, at the knuckles cracking against her jaw.
Before she could fly back, Naruto jumped up, wrapping his arms around the girl, bending back and slammed her on the stone slabs. Haku spun about, rolling away from Naruto's next body slam. She steadied herself, raising needles and kunai in defense. Before she could disappear into her mirrors, she panicked at the glimmering reflection of ninja wire, wrapped around her arm. She gasped, following the strands as they led directly to Naruto's teeth.
Eyes wide, she pulsed her chakra trying to defend herself. There was no way that the two of them were able to figure out her abilities. There was no way that even with some power up that they were able to see through her movements. Pulling back on the ninja wire, it gave Satsuki enough time to close the distance. To her surprise, Naruto was incredible sturdy, not once moving an inch and he wasn't even pulling back.
To their surprise, Haku did the unthinkable. Taking the kunai of her hand, she sliced through the ninja wire and sunk back into the mirrors. Naruto and Satsuki threw their backs together, eyeing the mirrors as Haku appeared and reappeared, blitzing between each image, never once leaving the confines of her mirrors. Despite everything; despite how annoying her skillset was and how woefully outclassed they were, she was glad that Naruto was still standing beside her.
"This ends now. Satsuki-chan, Naruto-kun."
No fucking way.
I should have seen this bullshit coming. Raising her kunai, she prepared herself. I've fought Naruto a million times—literally because of his shadow clones! This bitch thinks she's fast, well I'm faster!
Naruto. You're right. Neither of us are dying here. None of us.
Naruto had a dopey look on his face as they entered the gates of Konoha. Sakura giggled at Kakashi's offhand comment and Naruto laughed too, but Satsuki, back under the guise of Sasuke, had her hands shoved into her pockets, head lowered and eyes planted to the ground. Something about the whole mission hit her somewhere personal.
Her sharingan had awakened, her chakra control had never been better and on top of that, their training sessions together had worked. They proved that through brain dead persistence and having someone to compare yourself to helped in ways wooden training dummies could never.
But something irked her. It was almost personal.
Red chakra had spilled from Naruto's body. Haku was treated horrendously because of her kekkei genkai and was used and experimented on until Zabuza found her and made her parade as a boy for her protection. If things weren't contrived enough, even when Naruto was on his last leg, he convinced Zabuza and Haku to turn away from their mercenary work, embrace each other beyond master and student but into father and daughter.
Biting her lip, Satsuki lowered her head further.
What would life had been if instead of leaving her to suffer, Itachi took her with him. Instead of torturing her, breaking her mind in Tsukuyomi, he pitied and ran away with her to wherever he went; what life would be like, the two of them, brother and sister against the world. Biting her lip, tears watered in her eyes. Haku was just like her. Powerful blood flowed in her veins just as her own, and people just saw a monster, or something to examine. Was that the life of powerful people? Was that the life she thought she would ever want?
Her thoughts turned away from the darkness creeping at the back of her head. Fists began to clench at the dopey smile, dopey eyes, a blush marking his whiskered cheeks like a red flag. Onyx eyes narrowed at the blond as he laughed with Sakura as if they were the best of friends. The pinkette even looked back at Sasuke, only to immediately drop all joy for a split second and look away.
First Haku kisses him, then Sakura wants to be his friend all of a sudden?! Satsuki wanted to gag. Rolling her eyes, she reached in her pouch and pulled her wall. Naruto, hearing the jingling of coins and the shuffle of Ryo notes, turned to Satsuki. A knowing look in their eyes. She lost fair and square and it was time to pay up.
Wave was a wake-up call for all three of them. Sakura had proven herself somewhat useful and willing to learn. Naruto outpaced her at an astonishing rate and she now had to learn how to utilize her sharingan. Shaking her head, she frowned, looking away, a hint of red beginning to form on her cheeks. Haku was all she could see. Clinging to Naruto's arm like the annoying fangirl days of Sakura and Ino. Her stupid brown eyes and stupid black hair.
In case we never see each other again… I just want you to know that you can do so much better, sister.
Satsuki sighed as Kakashi gave them a wave and disappeared toward the Hokage tower. Entering Ichiraku, Teuchi and Ayame were quick, knowing immediately what Naruto would order. Satsuki rested the little satchel of money on the counter and sighed in defeat as Naruto already finished his first bowl. Looking over, Sakura's face was blue with disgust—she hadn't even ordered yet. With a palm to Sasuke's face, Satsuki sighed in defeat once more.
It's not so bad. But god does this annoy the hell out of me.
Maybe I am a Tsundere?
The only time I've ever enjoyed writing this arc was in the Search For Greatness, in which, there were some things I really liked. Like Haku being a girl (which given the context of Sasuke/Satsuki, is fantastic drama and content), but I really fucking hate writing the Wave Arc in any real capacity because, as I said in the last update, it is such an overdone and beaten arc, we all know what happens and how it happens, and it's fanfiction so fucking obviously they aren't going to die. A lot of people really like Zabuza and Haku and would come up with any super convoluted way for them to survive and go on and live a happy life. Me especially LOL
Some changes were kinda obvious, like with Satsuki being y'know, Satsuki and Haku being a girl.
I'll be honest, the dynamics could be written better, but I really, really, really didn't want to linger on the wave arc longer than 7k words, so I kept it at a bare minimum lmfao since she's alive and Zabuza's alive, there's definitely going to be plenty of interactions in the story, especially since in my very honest opinion, I'm beginning to fashion this story as the spiritual rewrite and successor to Search For Greatness.
In the wise words of George Lucas; it's like poetry, it rhymes. My first fanfic is getting a proper rewrite into my final fanfiction.
Just a heads up, the first few chapters of this fic are going be like a fever dream and whiplash mixed with caffeine. I'm going to breeze through the Chunin Exams, which we all know are coming next. But I will focus on some parts that are actually important for the rest of the story; character interactions, important discussions, training and of course, that elephant in the room.
No one gives a fuck about Ibiki and the first section, so that's not gonna happen. This time, we're gonna skip straight to the second test because that's where things are going to get interesting, at least to me lol
Curse mark this, curse mark that, Orochimaru's creepy, Kabuto's annoying as hell. Just wait and read and we'll figure everything out from there, kay?
To one of the reviewers, I update incredibly fast when my inspiration is through the roof like it is now. There was a point in time, where for one of my fanfictions I wrote about seven chapters in one day and didn't write for a week and just made daily updates. To tell you how my muse works, as soon as I finish and post a chapter, I write about one thousand words of the next chapter then go to sleep and add on to the chapter throughout the next day and restart the cycle until my inspiration is taken out back and put out of its steaming misery.
Anyway! Thanks for the reviews and I'm honestly surprised that I've already got over 100 follows after two days! Keep it coming and keep dropping reviews! I'm a whore for feedback so keep giving it and I'll keep churning out more chapters LMFAO
Ja ne!
gottahavekyuubi
