Meilin: And we're back!
Sasuke: So soon? I wanted to sleep….
Meilin: So long as I have reviewers, this fic will go on. Of course, reviewers, population: 2. But I will persevere! If you believe in reviewers, clap your hands and they'll live! -Claps-
Duo: You need to stop practicing your lines for the school play.
Meilin: What do you mean? -Halo-
Edward: You're Peter Pan. How you managed that when you're afraid of heights and your voice sounds like nails on a chalk board...
Meilin: HEY! For that, you read the disclaimer!
Edward: -Under his breath- Dam Bitch.
Meilin: I HEARD THAT!
Edward: Disclaimer: Unless you saw Kakashi kissing Iruka, Ino dropping dead, and Haku coming back to life to live happily ever after with Gaara in the latest episode of Naruto, Meilin does not own it. She owns: Meilin, the Lyric no Jutsu, the Traveler Ninja rank, this fic, several very old graphic novels in Japanese, a TiVo with all the Naruto episodes on it, and many random anime-based memorabilia. She does not own Ukiah, Valyon, Zack, Malina, or Edward, as they are owned by her RP friends. She does however, own the rights to their Naruto forms. She also owns her version of Sasuke's home, the origin of Otogakure, and all characters from The Lands of Lightning, Earth, and Mist. She also owns the Land of Darkness, The Village of Wind, and all characters who reside thereof. Use of these lands are restricted to Schweppes, Savanna, and anyone who emails her for permission using the emails in her profile.
Warnings: Mild-OOCness, HinaNaru, SasuOC, Mild to Major Post-Chuunin Exam Spoilers, Mild Angst, Mild Fluff, Disappearing Acts,
Meilin: Now that the legal mumbo-jumbo is over with, on with the ficcieness! Keep your eyes peeled for the literary elements in this chapter, I used it for English extra credit.
-------------- A Shinobi's Fate Chapter Five: Lost Genin and Shameful Memories-----------------
She breathed deeply. "Gaara isn't the first genin to disappear." she said finally. "Lee, Neji, and one of the genin from Amegakure (Hide-In-Rain) haven't been seen in some time. They weren't authorized to leave their villages, and they all had power and potential as young shinobi."
Sasuke blinked. "And you believe whoever took them, took Gaara as well?"
"It fits the pattern, doesn't it?" she asked. "Gaara is Suna's Number One genin."
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Meilin and Sasuke walked out to the others in the morning. "Where's Naruto?" Hinata asked.
Sasuke blinked. "How should we know?"
Hinata looked uncomfortable. "Naruto said... He wanted to see what you two were up to last night..."
You could almost see Sasuke's anger rising as he and Meilin turned red. Meilin put a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder. "When did you last see Naruto?" she asked.
Kakashi shrugged. "Leaving his room last night with binoculars. Maybe nine PM."
Meilin's eyes narrowed. "Kakashi, Kurenai, I don't want you to let another genin, ESPECIALLY Hinata, out of your sights."
The jonin nodded. Meilin grabbed Sasuke's hands. "Sasuke. You need to stay with me, okay? I don't want something to happen to you, too..."
Sasuke nodded. "Okay."
She looked at the others. "Stay together. Stay in contact. We're going to find Naruto."
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Meilin took Sasuke to the intelligence center of Suna. After some debate, and some timely assistance from Temari, they finally gained access to the intelligence regarding the missing genin. She found what information she could regarding the Amenin, and found information on Kusagakure (Hide-In-Grass) Nin missing since the chuunin exam.
When they returned to their room, where they could speak freely, they sat in their pajamas and mulled over the info. "This is no coincidence." Meilin said. "I think it's obvious that these genin were targeted for a reason."
Sasuke nodded his agreement. "For their abilities. But why? Who's doing this?"
Meilin shook her head. "Can you think of no one? I can't say for sure, but I'd bet my life Oto was involved in this."
Sasuke nodded. "Orochimaru." Meilin shivered at the name. Her eyes flicked over the mark on Sasuke's neck. They hadn't spoken of what happened, but she could tell it, whatever it was, scared him. She lay back on the bed, lost in her thoughts. Gruesome visions of the missing genin and their probable captors floated through her mind.
Sasuke reached over to her and grabbed her hand. The touch was electric, sending shivers up her spine. She sat up and looked at him curiously. "What's wrong?"
He glanced at her. "Do you think Itachi is involved with this?" he asked.
Meilin swallowed nervously. "Errr..." The honest answer was 'Yes,' but she wasn't so sure she should tell him that.
Sasuke smiled. The silence was enough. "You think so too, huh?" he asked sadly.
She nodded. "Question is, are we ready yet?"
Sasuke shrugged. "We'll know soon enough."
Meilin crawled under the covers of her bed. She shivered. "All too soon, I fear." She said. Well, 'fear' might've been an understatement. She didn't just fear Itachi... Maybe terrified would be a better word. Yes, that was it. She was terrified of him. He was the stuff of the nightmares that haunted her sleeping hours and the ghost that haunted her when awake. The mere thought of the look in his eyes when she'd last seen him made her blood run cold. Of course, she would've died before admitting that any missing nin, even Itachi, scared her.
But Meilin was no fool. She knew, even with her abilities, she couldn't beat Itachi and the Sharingan. But Sasuke... Sasuke could, if only he was given the time to mature... Given the time to master the Mirror-Wheel-Eye.
Sasuke put a hand on her shoulder. "Mei... You've seen him, haven't you? In your travels... You've seen Itachi."
Meilin sighed, resigned to the inevitable. She closed her eyes. "Yes. Once."
Sasuke nodded. "Tell me."
"Promise you won't go running off without me?"
"Promise."
She took a deep breath. "Once, I had to deliver an intelligence report through Kage no Kumi, The Country of Shadow, to Yamigakure, the Village Hidden in the Darkness. The path went straight through the country of Sound, but I though nothing of that at the time. I was twelve, with a young girl's confidence in my abilities, and all the naivety of the child I was. It was my first S-Level Mission... A mission where you are almost guaranteed a fight with a foreign or missing jonin. Not far from the border of Oto no Kumi and Kage no Kumi, a figure stood in the middle of the road. It had been a quiet trip... Too quiet, I realized later... And I foolishly stuck to the main path rather than the trees. I let down my guard, and therein lay my mistake. When I saw who stood there, and how they appeared, I was shocked to say the least... And in that moment of distraction, I was knocked out from behind."
"Itachi was there?"
Meilin nodded. "Yes. Wearing the clouded robes and marked headband of the criminal organization Akasuki."
Sasuke grimaced, but his concerned gaze never wavered. "And then?"
Meilin looked down. "A bloodbath I'd rather not speak of. In the end, I refused to ever return to Oto. The Hokage understood."
Sasuke nodded. "I'll admit it, I'm surprised you got away untortured and unmarked."
Meilin cringed inwardly at the half-truth she was about to tell, but she'd resolved to never tell him what happened there. It would only cloud his judgment more. And it would only cause her to remember that it had happened, that it wasn't a nightmare. Besides, he was only asking about what Itachi did, right? The rest of Akasuki was her concern. "I was too." She said, "But the strangest thing was that he ordered his men not to touch me. He even offered me a chance to join them as a captain of the guard. I escaped when they let me think it over alone."
Sasuke looked at her in disbelief. "He gave you the opportunity to escape unharmed?"
"He did." She said simply, turning under the covers in shame. 'I owe him for that much, at least.' She thought. 'But I swore to help Sasuke...'
Sasuke put a hand on her shoulder. "Does it confuse you? These conflicting messages?" he asked.
"Of course it does." She said, ashamed. "How could it not?"
Sasuke nodded. "I know. It's not in your nature to hold a grudge. But please understand... I can't forgive so easily."
Meilin turned around and threw her arms about Sasuke's waist. "How could I not comprehend? They were your family... Yours is a natural reaction."
Sasuke pulled the blankets around them. He wrapped his arms around her, smiling. "Thank you." He said softly.
She lay down next to him. Memories of that day, which she had tried so hard to forget, floated back to her mind...
Meilin moved away from him. "What are you doing? Get away! No... NO!"
Meilin sniffed. It all led back to them then. "Sasuke..." she said tentatively, guilt heavy in her voice, "What would Naruto say... If he were here now?"
Sasuke grinned. "That bonehead? He'd fall outta whatever tree he was watching from, yell, and run before I could kill him in anger, in that order."
Meilin giggled. "Yeah..."
He ran his fingers through her hair. "Don't worry. We'll find them. ALL of them." His soft lips landed on hers. She pulled him closer, smiling into the kiss. As long as she and Sasuke were together, everything would be okay. She was sure of it.
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Meilin: OOOOH! Foreshadowing!
Sasuke: Oh God No... :(
Meilin: What?
Sasuke: Even you wouldn't... You can't...
Meilin: I can... AND I WILL!
Penguins: REVIEW HER!
Rouge Penguin: Or we'll be stuck here forever...
Meilin: Hey! I never taught you to say that! EDWARD!
-Edward is hiding under a couch-
Meilin: ED! WHERE ARE YOU!
Duo: He's under the couch.
Edward: Dammit Duo! –Runs away-
Meilin: He'll be back. Once he realizes he left his pocketwatch here... And if you guys are wondering what happened to Meilin, you'll find out. Just not in this fic. In the second part of the trilogy, unless I decide to move that forward.
Next update:
The end of Februray, as I'm going on vacation!