Changes

Chapter Thirteen

Clash

She suddenly felt lonely. The presence before her had disappeared.

"Anata wa…soko ni imasu ka?" she called out repeatedly, quietly and slowly. Remembering that she was in Japan, she needed to use all of her knowledge to help her. Yet, the voice spoke to her in English…

"Are you there?" she asked again. Before she knew what was happening, she felt movement. The entire bed felt like it was moving. It sped up gradually, and when the speeds felt high, she braced herself for the impact of whatever was going to occur.

"How was your night?" asked Sasuke.

"It was alright."

"Your arm…"

"Oh, this?" Tsumi asked as she held up her forearm. "We might have a solution, but I have to wait a fortnight until we can do anything to help it."

"What's happening?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Okay."

She was seated beside him at his little kitchen table as they ate their breakfast.

"Do we have training today?" she asked to ease the tension in the air.

"No."

"So what do you want to do?"

"…" Sasuke fell silent, and she took the hint and concentrated more on eating. When she was finished, she picked up her dishes and brought them to the sink and started to wash them up. He joined her soon afterwards.

After minutes of rinsing, scrubbing, more rinsing and towel drying, they wiped their hands on a dish rag and plopped themselves down on the couch. Tsumi picked up the daily papers and Sasuke turned on the television to watch a rerun of last night's episode of his favorite series.

Soon after commencing, they became quite bored, as things become dull quite swiftly.

"What are we going to do for the rest of the day?" she whined. "I hate that stupid man and his spontaneously being lazy!" Tsumi picked up a pillow and chucked it at the wall.

"Throwing pillows around isn't going to help solve anything."

"I know! I'm going to gather more information for Kisame," she sighed. "Are you going to help me?"

"…I don't know…"

"Okay. I'm leaving." She opened the ever handy window and hopped out, as frequently done before. Suddenly feeling adventurous, Sasuke decided to follow her.

Forest

She moved swiftly through the canopy of tall trees, though completely aware that she was being followed. It's not that she cared though, she told herself, but Itachi might not like the idea of another encounter with his pathetic little brother—their brother.

"Shut up, Hoshigaki! It's not my fault that the fish was the only thing left to eat!"

"You could get off your lazy ass and get your own food, dumb-ass!"

"Why you…!"

Tsumi grabbed onto the nearest tree and clung onto it as a mini explosion erupted. It shielded her from the impact and a dozen kunai flying in her direction.

"Boys, stop it!" she screeched and jumped into the mess to separate the two men. "What do I need to do, buy pacifiers for you two to suck on so you'll shut up and stop throwing shit at each other!"

"It's your koibito's fault and you know it!" Kisame roared as he pointed an accusing finger at Itachi.

"You're both so helpless," she sighed and rubbed her temples. "By the way, Sasuke, I know you were following me. You can come out now."

A shadow emerged from the shrubs and Sasuke revealed himself. His eyes flashed red as Sharingan activated, and he glared at Itachi, who merely smirked back at him.

"Well, if it isn't little Sasuke," he chuckled.

"Why did you follow me?" asked Tsumi.

"Oh, but why not? I felt adventurous," Sasuke replied as he walked towards Tsumi and faced her.

"Hmm…you two do look alike," Kisame suddenly cut in. "And Hayashibara makes the triplet. What a lovely family reunion!" He earned nothing but three hard, cold glares at him, causing him to shut up and never use such poor sarcasm to make a joke—like usual.

"I think it's about time to settle things," Itachi said coldly as he walked over to where Tsumi was standing and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Keep your hands off my girl."

"Don't see 'm doing anything about Kakashi," Tsumi muttered.

"He can be dealt with later," he cooed into her ear.

'It's wrong to like either of them…get away,' her conscience told her, but she decided to ignore it. 'They're your adoptive siblings. You can't like them…' She shut her eyes. 'Shut up. Nobody asked your opinion!'

"Ah! Naruto! Get away!"

"No, Sakura-chan!"

"Stop chasing me!"

"No!"

"Seriously Naruto, this isn't funny anymore! Cut it out!"

"You hear that? The vessel is coming right this way," Kisame smirked.

"Naruto…Sakura…" She looked down in shame. "But what about you?" she asked Itachi worriedly.

A rustling was heard in the bushes and trees, gradually growing louder and louder as it came.

"Stop it! Please? Naruto…Naruto!"

In a fluid motion, Itachi and Kisame swept up their belongings and disappeared into the shadows just as Sakura burst into the clearing from the green. She tripped over a fallen branch and landed right beside the pair, who looked up at her.

"Ah! Kobo-chan and…Sasuke…kun…?"

Tsumi looked away.

"It isn't what it looks like, Sakura," Sasuke said hurriedly.

"Then what is it, Sasuke? You tell me!" she yelled out as tears formed in her eyes and Naruto came running toward them.

"What's going on!" he asked forcefully. "What did you do to Sakura?" But he got no reply. Naruto grabbed pushed Sasuke over and grabbed him by the collar, picking him up from the ground. "Answer me!" he spat in his face, fury growing in his eyes as he became more frustrated.

"We didn't do anything to Sakura," Tsumi said silently. "We were talking before she ran into us and started crying."

"You two must have been doing something other than talking!" Naruto hollered at the other boy. "What did you do!"

Sasuke remained silent once more.

"It wasn't his fault."

"Then whose fault was it, yours?" Naruto cried.

"It was nobody's fault."

"You're lying! I knew there was something up with you and Sasuke since the day I met you! You of all people should know Sakura's feelings towards him! Why did you have to team up against her like that?"

"Naruto…stop it…"

"Sakura-chan, are you alright?" he asked anxiously as he rushed over to his fallen comrade and helped her sit up.

"I'm fine. It wasn't either of their faults. I just ran in and I thought…I thought that they…they…"

"Shh…it'll be alright, Sakura-chan. Let's take you home," Naruto bustled as he helped her to her feet and guided her back to the village, though not forgetting to give the other two a quick glare before he was out of sight.

"So tell me…she thought she walked in on us?" Sasuke asked softly.

"Yeah…"

"Good job you two!" bellowed Kisame, who was coming out from hiding with Itachi behind him.

"I wonder what she would have thought if I was there instead of Sasuke," Itachi murmured to himself.

"I doubt she would care if it was you," Tsumi shot at him.

"Whoa! What's wrong?" he asked as he went over and pulled her close to him.

"Ahem," Kisame cleared his throat. "I think it's about time that we moved our camp elsewhere so that we won't get ambushed," he chuckled, eyeballing Sasuke.

"Sasuke, I think you should leave," she said as she looked down. "Please don't follow me again."

"…only for you, nee-chan," he whispered as he walked away.

After he was gone, she leaned into Itachi and hugged him tightly. "I'm so lost," she whispered hoarsely. "I don't want to hurt him again…" She sobbed as Itachi stroked her hair lightly.

"Are you going to carry the mission out or not?" Kisame asked, but was answered with an unexpected kunai that dug its way deep into his arm. "Bitch, what was that for!"

"Don't bother her about the mission at a time like this!" Itachi glared icily and retrieved his kunai. "Do it again and I'll make sure it hits your heart next time." Then, he led Tsumi to the creek nearby.

"Stupid lovebirds keep getting in the way," Kisame cursed to the skies and went to take a nap.

Naruto's place

"I know my place isn't really anything, but you can stay here if you want," Naruto offered.

"Arigatou, Naruto," Sakura thanked meekly while he hugged her tightly and set her down on the couch.

"Here." He handed her a box of tissues, which she accepted and started dabbing her eyes.

She started talking when she had finally calmed down and drenched blotches in his shirt. "Gomen, Naruto. I feel horrible. You're always there for me, and all I care is a-ab-about-t Sasuke," she choked out.

"It's alright. That's what friends are for!" he grinned, and she smiled slightly, too.

Hokage's office

"Kakashi, tell me. Should I give Hageshima Kobochi a jounin rank? Strangely, her shinobi abilities are so…"

"I'm suspicious of her. When I first met her, she was draped in an Akatsuki cloak, claiming that she bought it in a store with her boyfriend when they were traveling. She also had a dog collar on her neck, and was stuck to a tree."

"Now what boyfriend would do that?" Tsunade asked openly. "Only a deranged and obsessive lover would go that far…"

"But the Akatsuki cloak," Kakashi reminded.

"The only way I can come to a conclusion about that is if we asked her where she got it. Until then, keep on her trail, stick near her, talk to her more—I don't know, just do what you can to find out more about her. Got it?"

"Mm-hmm."

"You are dismissed."

Kakashi nodded slightly and turned to walk out of the room, only to be stopped by Tsunade again.

"Kakashi," she said, "be careful."

Then he was gone.

TBC