"Come on, Mayu-san! Wake up!" Hinata said, shaking her darker clone. "Na-Naruto-kun returned this morning! It is already the afternoon!"
"Ahh... come on, Hinata! Can't you wait to see your precious Naruto-kun tomorrow?" Mayu whined as she turned over. It had been a late night of training for the two. Rare though it may have been, Mayu had demanded that she bathe and sleep normally. She had not cared if someone could come into Hinata's room at a moment's notice. She had wanted comfort after such strenuous training. Ultimately, she had managed to convince her counterpart.
"No!" Hinata said in a hushed voice. Mayu cracked an eye open, noting the mild aggression coming from her friend. "I want to see if N-Naruto-kun's okay!" the kunoichi explained. "I heard Team 7 came back with an unconscious member. Do you not want to see if something has happened to Sasuke-san?" Mayu suddenly bolted up, wide eyes, and completed awake now. The action startled her host so much that she stumbled until falling on her rear. "Ow…" She winced a bit before focusing on Mayu. "What is it, Mayu-san?"
"I remember now!" she exclaimed.
"What do you remember?" Hinata asked. Mayu stood up without a word and began pacing around Hinata's room. All four digits rigorously scratched at her cheek. "Mayu-san...?"
"We've got to get to the hospital," she muttered. "I can't believe that I just made this connection! I'm such an idiot!"
"What are you talking about?"
"I… Don't mind me, Hinata-chan," Mayu told her, putting on a grin. "Come on, let's get ready."
0-0
"Here, Sasuke-kun, I brought you some apples," Sakura stated, holding a brown bag. The kunoichi sat in a chair, which had been pushed beside Sasuke's bed. The young Uchiha sat upright, staring blankly ahead. He did not acknowledge the sweet tone of his teammate. Currently, they were in a hospital room. He was the only member to be checked in after their last mission. He had been recovering since the team's return. Sasuke's eye twitched. Then his teeth grind together. The kunoichi to his left did not seem to notice the subtle shift. "You don't hate them, do you?" Sakura asked, taking out an apple. "Don't they look delicious?" Her pretty smile was ignored as well. "Where did I put the knife?" Her green eyes darted around in search of the evasive blade. Then the third genin of Team 7 walked in.
"It's right in front of you," Naruto stated. "Ha! Being nervous because you're with Sasuke? How uncool!"
"Shut up! It's not like that!" Sakura grumbled, frowning.
Sasuke flinched, and then slowly turned towards the blond. His eyes narrowed. "Naruto...!" Unbidden, a frown formed on his face. Both Naruto and Sakura seemed unaware of the heated stare. They continued to bicker back and forth as usual. How had it happened? He could not manage to beat one person. But Naruto… He had fought and won against the same guy. Slowly, the Uchiha felt anger—pure anger—manifest within himself. "Is Naruto stronger than me?!" He swallowed hard. That… Something like that was unacceptable. His teammate could not be stronger than him. Sasuke had to be the strongest. He should be the one to defeat anyone that challenged him. That was the goal until he reached Uchiha Itachi. Otherwise, how could he fight his brother on equal terms?
"Would you stop fooling around?!" Sakura raised her voice, clearly annoyed with the blond. She bopped him on the head. Well, she would have if he had not smoothly dodged her fist. "Huh…?"
"Anyway, you should be more like me, Sakura-chan!" Naruto ignored his teammate's reaction. "The future Hokage never gets flustered!"
"Huuuh?!" Sakura repeated, making a face as though she could not believe his gall. Naruto merely swelled, pressing his knuckles against his sides in a boastful manner. He grinned widely, causing Sakura to roll her eyes. She turned away from him, finally spotting the knife amongst the saucer and apples. Ignoring him now, she began to meticulous peel and slice the fruit. Behind her, Naruto continued to haughtily laugh, saying something about how other people thought he was so cool. Finally, her task done, Sakura reached into the bag again, pulling out a single toothpick. She stabbed a slice of the apple and presented it to her quiet teammate. "Finished peeling, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura chirped. "I cut it so it's easy to eat. Here you go!"
Musings interrupted, Sasuke turned and glared at the pink-haired kunoichi. She flinched, but she determinately eased closer so that he could eat it. The Uchiha's frown deepened before he slapped the apple out of her hand. So startled, the kunoichi squeaked and jerked backed. The rest of the fruit slices and plate fell from her lap and onto the ground. Naruto nearly jumped at the sound. He sharply focused on the scene in front of him, brow furrowing together in confusion. So damn unaware. Sasuke grit his teeth, shifting his entire focus on his fellow shinobi.
"What the heck?!" Naruto questioned. "What's your problem?!"
"Sasuke-kun…?" Sakura murmured.
"Hey, Naruto..." Sasuke began.
"What is it?"
"I want you to fight me."
"Huh? What are you saying? You've just been treated by obaa-chan," Naruto pointed out.
"I don't care! Just fight me!" Sasuke shouted. Triggering his advanced bloodline, his glare intensified. His teammates' eyes widened in even more confusion. "You think you saved me, don't you?" he continued. "I don't care if she is the Fifth Hokage... Doing unnecessary things...!" Naruto, finally catching on, glared right back. Sasuke stood up from the bed and completely faced the blond. "You said before you wanted to fight me, didn't you?" he asked. "I said I'd fight you right here and now. Are you afraid?" Instead of answering, Naruto frowned.
"S-Sasuke-kun, what's wrong?" Sakura asked, concerned. Her green eyes then turned to Naruto. "Say something, Naruto! Why so suddenly...?" The blond shinobi remained quiet, and then he smirked.
"Perfect timing," he said. "I was itching to fight you!"
"Why don't the both of you just cut it out, okay?" Sakura suggested, trying to calm the two down.
Both shinobi ignored their third teammate. "Follow me," the Uchiha ordered, and then began to walk away. Sakura watched them go, nervously pressing her thumbnail against her lower lip. In this situation, she had no idea what to do. This was different from any other time. Both seemed too serious. Her shoulders trembled. The kunoichi squeezed her eyes shut as her teammates left the hospital room. She could not understand them. She could not do a thing to stop them. She felt utterly useless.
Sasuke…
The boy nearly halted his steps. Why was he suddenly hearing her voice? That tone—that disappointed tone… Why had he imagined something like that? Sasuke lowered his eyes to the floor, trying in vain to block out an image of the strange clone of Hyuga Hinata. Lip twitching, he mentally shook the girl from his mind. This was not the time to be thinking of her. He had to do this. He had to know for sure which one of them was stronger—himself or Naruto.
0-0
"Stop it!" Sakura screamed. In the palm of his hand, Naruto held the powerful Rasengan. Opposite of him, Sasuke wielded his strongest jutsu, ready to launch the Chidori forward. So caught up in their clash, the two shinobi did not listen to their third member's pleas. Their fight—the final attack—was all that mattered right now. The two rushed towards each other, rearing their respective arms back. Arrogant words exchanged, they moved closer. "STOP IT!" Unable to bear it any longer, the kunoichi of Team 7 ran towards them. The two attacks closed in—closed in on her.
Before the collision could occur and turn the battle into a tragedy, Hatake Kakashi appeared to put an end to it. The jounin grabbed each arm of his two subordinates. Twisting, the he flung them in opposite directions. Sakura stopped her running in surprise. Naruto sailed through the air towards the water tank. Sasuke went towards another tank.
"What are you guys doing on the roof of the hospital?" Kakashi asked, straightening his posture. Both Hinata and Mayu appeared beside the man. The darker of the two crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "If you guys are fighting, that's a bit too much, isn't it?"
"Naruto-kun...!" Hinata exclaimed, running over to the blond. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine..." he muttered, not turning to her. The Hyuga frowned, recognizing how bitter his words had been. "That guy…"
Meanwhile, Sasuke was struggling to get his arm free. He finally yanked his arm out and because of that, water flowed out of the massive hole he had made. His eyes shifted upward to see that Naruto had made a hole as well. However, the size of hole paled in comparison. The destructive power of their jutsu had its victor. He grinned slightly, and then frowned when he saw Hinata helping him stand. "Were you planning to kill Naruto, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked. The Uchiha's face contorted, baffled by the question. He lifted his gaze to see his sensei—and Mayu—staring down at him. The jounin sat, legs over the edge of the tank while Mayu stood by his side. The girl's blue Hyuga eyes held disappointment. It was the same look he had imagined prior to the fight. Sasuke's lips parted. Did she think…? "What are you so angry about?" Kakashi continued.
"Don't look at me like that…" Sasuke thought, lowering his gaze.
"Chidori is not something that you should use against your comrades," Kakashi stated. "Why are you acting like a child?"
"Hmph..." Not bothering to explain himself, Sasuke jumped up and flipped over the fence of the hospital roof. Seriously? A child? Is that what he had seen? Is that what she had seen? Sasuke landed on a nearby shack. He stumbled a bit. Only a little. It really had not been a good idea to challenge Naruto. He had done it again. Hell-bent on fighting someone when he was not at his best. Maybe it had looked childish, after all. Still, he had gotten his intended answer. The last guy had just been lucky. Sasuke would not let the next have that luck. With a sigh, he looked up.
Sasuke nearly choked in surprise. The water tank Naruto slammed into had not suffered much damage in the front, but its back had been completely blown out. The real damage had happened out of sight. And it had been massive. The Uchiha shut his gapping mouth, clenching his teeth so hard that it felt painful. Then he slammed his fist into the wall. "Damn it!" Compared to that, his attack power had been nothing. "Naruto... How the hell have you come so far?" Sasuke could not wrap his mind around it right now. Someone called a loser—dead-last—by many had accomplished so much in such a short amount of time. Why? No, how? How did things turn into him trying to catch up with Uzumaki Naruto? How had Naruto become the one to protect and save?
Deciding that he needed to get away—he needed to think—Sasuke lowered himself to jump again. However, before he could propel himself to another surface, a hand grabbed his wrist. Despite the sudden appearance, Sasuke could not say he was surprised. "What do you think you're doing?" Mayu stood directly in front of him, eyes focused solely on him. Unlike before, her eyes were unreadable to him. Sasuke briefly wondered how she managed to conceal herself so easily. As… colorful as her personality was normally, this seemed an impressive skill. He narrowed his eyes. She could not conceal everything, though. Judging from the increasing grip on his wrist, the girl was angry with him.
"Not now, Mayu," he told her, snatching his arm away. For a moment, the girl did not respond to his abrasive brushoff. Her eyes, however, did not falter. Sasuke averted his gaze, choosing to instead look towards the wall. "I just…" he began. "Just not right now, okay?" Truthfully, he did not want to see that disappointed look again.
"Tch…!" Sasuke looked at her again. She did not seem pleased at all. "No can do, bird boy. I won't be kept in an anxious state, waiting for you to muddle through your thoughts." She stepped closer until her face was mere centimeters from his. The rising heat settled in his cheeks. "Come with me right now." Obviously not up for debate, Mayu turned her back to him, and then leapt away. Sasuke hunched his shoulders and slid his tongue over the front of his upper teeth. He shut his eyes for a few seconds to compose himself, and then he breathed out.
"Damn it," Sasuke muttered, and then followed her.
0-0
"Well, are you going to talk or not?" Sasuke finally asked. It had already been about five minutes since they had stopped. Mayu had seemingly chosen the biggest tree in town to settle on. The Uchiha sat on the wide branch, back pressed the bark behind him. Mayu had chosen to remain standing. She had not turned to face him at all. She had not spoken a word since they had stopped moving. There had been times where the girl had been quiet when they were together. The two of them did not need to fill the silence with words. However, this stretch of silence was rare for her. "Mayu, why did you bring me out here?" His clipped tone made the girl flinch. Maybe he had gotten fed up with the silence…
"You know…" she began speaking, voice nonchalant. "I'm sorta surprised. With all the things that have happened so far… I didn't think you would become this."
"Become what?" Sasuke questioned, a sinking feeling in his gut. Mayu did not answer him. "What are you talking about?" Still, she said nothing. He did notice her head lowered a bit. A heavy sigh left her. "Mayu… What happened between me and Naruto—it doesn't matter. Don't worry about it."
"How could I not? You two… were my teammates," Mayu stated. Finally, she turned to face him. She appeared calm, but Sasuke could recognize the restrained emotion in her eyes. It appeared as though she was holding back hysterics. She sucked in a breath and licked her lips. "Do you know how it feels to watch your friends almost kill each other? And what's worse, Sakura got caught in the middle. She could have been seriously hurt if Kakashi-sensei hadn't stepped in! My teammates—the two I have the most faith in—almost killed someone innocent over a glorified dick fight! Tell me again not to worry about it!" Her last sentence had been a shout. Sasuke ducked his head.
"It wasn't like that," he protested. "I would have stopped." He would have. He… could not recall Sakura's presence, though. All he cared about in that moment was besting Naruto. It had been futile in the end. But he would have stopped. No way would he have hurt Sakura. No way. He wasn't… like that man. Sasuke swallowed, feeling bile rise. Even with the feeling of his throat constricting, he could still taste it in his mouth. No. No. No. Sakura would not have been caught in the middle. He would have seen her. He would have stopped. Neither he nor Naruto had been that caught up in their fight. "What? You don't believe me?"
"I don't know what to believe after what I witnessed," Mayu confessed. She narrowed her eyes and frowned. "Were you trying to kill our teammate? You never answered Kakashi-sensei."
"... No..." Sasuke said, snapping his head up to meet her despondent expression. "I wouldn't do that. You know I wouldn't do that."
"Do I…?" Mayu questioned, furrowing her brow. "You had the same… look on your face before. When you were in a blind rage against your brother."
"… It wasn't the same," Sasuke insisted. "I don't want to kill Naruto. I was just… caught in the moment."
"… Caught in the moment of what?"
"Seeing which one of us is stronger." Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "And clearly, it's Naruto." He clenched his teeth, staring down at the bark between his legs. Damn it. It had been Naruto's strongest attack against his, and he had come out weaker. Damn it. Abruptly, Mayu dropped down on her knees in front of him. An inaudible gasp nearly choked him. Mayu continued to move closer, unaware of what she was doing to Sasuke. She continued to crawl forward until her hands were on either side of his legs and she sat on her knees in between them. Did she have no sense of personal space?! "Da-Damn it, Mayu! This isn't funny!"
"Why are you suddenly doubting your abilities?" she questioned, ignoring his discomfort. "And measuring them with Naruto?"
"I… I…" Mayu still hadn't moved away from him. She had yet to look away either. Staring directly into his eyes, she waited expectedly for his answer. "Wo-Would you-?"
"Did something happen on this mission?" Mayu cut in. Sasuke could only nod his head. To his relief, the girl finally sat back on her folded legs, placing her hands in her lap. Sasuke sat up straighter. "And I'm assuming that Naruto was the one to beat the bad guy? Why does it affect you so much? Shouldn't you be happy that Naruto is strong enough?"
"You weren't there!" His fists clenched. "It's not like we worked together to defeat an impossibly strong opponent." That would have been acceptable—like their tactics against Haku. But it had not been like that. Sasuke had tried and failed—failed so hard that he needed to be hospitalized. Naruto had tried and succeeded with no outside help. He had not required any medical treatment whatsoever. "Naruto was strong. I was… weak." Sasuke lowered his head and his eyes looked down at the bark of the tree. "Weak. Weak. Weak." His eyes squeezed shut. "I won't be able to—I won't be stronger than Itachi at my current progression."
Suddenly, Sasuke felt Mayu's hand on his cheek. Once again, his eyes shot open. Slowly, he lifted his head. Mayu wore such a subdued expression. The Uchiha lowered his eyelids a bit. He wasn't glaring. He was remembering. She had done this before. When Gaara's taunts were getting to him—overwhelming him—Mayu had touched him like this and had calmed him down. Why was she so good at this? "I won't pretend that I know what you're going through because I have no idea," she said. "I don't know what it's like to want to kill a family member because they murdered everyone that I held dear. I don't know what it like to even think of killing another person at such a young age. But you… You think about it constantly, don't you? Living like that, I have no idea what you're going through."
"Mayu—your revenge-"
"Is unlike yours," she interrupted. "The man I want dead is a stranger. A man that does not even know I exist. Honestly, I'd be happy if anyone killed him. The man you want dead is someone you know and used to love. A man that knows you're coming for him. A man that only you should be able to kill." Sasuke's eyes knitted together. "He set fire to the bond you had with him. Until he's gone from this world, that charred bond will be a part of you." Her hand left his cheek. "But I don't have that damaged chain around me. So, I can't understand or pretend to understand what you feel." Mayu sighed lightly. "But you don't need to doubt yourself because I know that someday you will reach your goals. You have something Itachi doesn't."
"And what would that be?" Sasuke frowned. Mayu had said so herself. He wasn't fit to fight his brother.
"Me, of course," she replied. His shoulders tensed and so did his heart. Sasuke swallowed hard again, but it was not to keep bile at bay. "And Naruto. And Sakura. And Kakashi-sensei. And other comrades and friends. We are here for you." Mayu stood up. She grabbed a couple of small twigs from the tree. She handed one of them to Sasuke. "Here, break this." The ninja raised a brow but did as told. The skinny branched snapped. "Now, break all these." She gave him a bundle of twigs. "Break them all in one go." Still confused, Sasuke shrugged. Mayu sat back down across from him, legs dangling over the sides of the branch. Her eyebrows rose, waiting for him to do the task. Scoffing, the Uchiha tried and failed to break every single one. "Revenge doesn't have to be a one-person thing." His dark eyes shifted back to her. "When there are others backing you up, it doesn't matter how strong you are. They are there to help you and watch your back."
"No… They wouldn't understand!" Sasuke objected.
"So what?" Mayu asked. "We're friends. I don't need to understand why you want Itachi's life to end. He hurt you in a horrifying way, and as your friend, I would help to bring him down. I'm sure Naruto feels the same way. Just let us."
"Mayu…" Sasuke thought. His eyes shifted to the palm of his hand where the twigs lay. True, he had not been able to break them all, but he had managed to break some of them. Uchiha Itachi would do worse. He could not risk something like that. He would not mindlessly throw away the lives of those who mattered to him. He would not become like his brother. "No matter what you say… I don't want you involved. Definitely not you." Sasuke released the twigs from his hand, letting them fall to the ground below.
"Anyway, I'm going now," Mayu mumbled. She blinked, and then pressed her lips together. "Oh right…" The girl reached into her pocket. She pulled out a small heart-shaped frame. "The pictures were finally developed." She leaned forward, presenting him with the frame. "I don't know why but the guy thought we were a couple and decided to put it in this, so don't be mad thinking I did it, alright?" Sasuke reached for the frame, but he did not look at it. "Um… See you tomorrow?"
"Whatever… Let me think."
"Okay…" Mayu shifted uneasily, and then moved to stand. She pressed her lips together, looking elsewhere. "I might be selfish for saying this, but… Whatever you decide to do, I hope you tell me." Not waiting for a response, the girl backed away, and then jumped. Sasuke did not watch her go. He forced himself not to. There really was a lot that he needed to think about. To reevaluate. To take a hard look in a mirror.
"Whatever I decide to do, huh…?" Sasuke mumbled. His fingers uncurled, dark eyes staring down at his palm. The snapshot showed himself begrudgingly posing for the camera. Well, it had been—more or less—an annoyed stare down of the cameraman. Beside him, Mayu had an arm wrapped around his neck, fingers lifted in a sign for victory. Her brown cheek pressed against his. Sasuke could not deny the rise of heat the image induced. Mayu truly had no personal boundaries. Or chose to ignore them. Ignore everything about his 'get back' persona and become as close as possible. Whether it be on a physical or emotional level. She might have been an idiot at times, but she also looked at everything. Underneath the underneath. He needed to do the same. Otherwise, he would remain blind.
Sasuke shut his eyes for a moment, and then slip the small heart-shaped frame into his pocket. He tilted his head back and breathed in deeply. His eyebrow twitched once. Several unfamiliar presences made themselves known. He wondered how long they had been lurking in the shadows. Had Mayu been able to sense them? Or had they appeared as soon as she left? Regardless, Sasuke could feel them now. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and then lowered his head down. In front of him, there were four individuals he had never seen before. Three males and a female—around the same age as himself. Despite not seeing their faces before now, Sasuke recognized the distinct attire. These were ninja of a different country.
These foreign ninja made an offer that he could not refuse.
In the end, this was his decision.
0-0
Blue Hyuga eyes stared out of the window. As Mayu thought, she could not sleep peacefully like her mind host could. The girl hugged her knees and averted her gaze to the tatami floor. Her eyelids lowered. There was no way she could sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she could only see Sasuke and that hateful expression he had worn. It was the same as it had been. This whole time—had she truly been powerless to change anything? Only time would tell. Still, the thought of Sasuke leaving the same way caused her stomach to churn. Once again, her eyes looked towards the sky. It was beginning to show signs of morning light. "If I truly can't change anything, then I should probably… spend as much time with him as I can… before he becomes a traitor," Mayu thought.
She sighed loudly, and then stood up. Her arms stretched up. Her back cracked in several places. She twisted her torso. A few more things popped. She stretched down, touching her toes. Then she cracked her knuckles. A groan from Hinata reached her ears, causing her to turn. "M-Mayu-san…? What are you doing up this early?" The cute Hyuga rubbed her right eye, and then yawned. Liquid squeezed out of the corner of her eyes.
"Sorry," Mayu replied. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"Is something troubling you?" Hinata asked. She crawled over. "You didn't get any sleep, did you?" Slowly, Mayu shook her head. "Is this about Sasuke-san?"
"Yeah…" she admitted. "It is." There was no point in lying to Hinata. Over the duration of her stay, the two of them had become something akin to best friends. The Hyuga could read her like a book. And vice-versa. "I'm going to his place."
"This early?"
"Yeah, I guess." She shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first time. The first time I did it, he squealed like a total wuss." The girl suddenly showed her teeth in a mischievous grin. "Ever since, I've been trying to get that sound outta his mouth again, but Sasuke's resilient." Hinata smiled fondly, probably envisioning said antics against the Uchiha.
"I'll come, too."
"Why?"
"Because I want to," Hinata answered. She stood up and moved to get ready. Mayu stared at her. She blinked several times before smiling. Hinata had grown so much. She was now more determined and assertive than before. The forceful training she had been through had done wonders. Not to mention, she had been hanging around Naruto more than she usually would have. So cute. Mayu followed her host's actions to get ready for the day.
Within ten minutes, both girls had changed and had headed out. The Uchiha district was far away from pretty much anything else, so it would take another ten minutes to reach it at their current pace. By now, the sky's dark blue had faded to a light blue. Birds were chirping. Leaves were blowing. And Mayu was a bit agitated. No sleep combined with the sounds of morning was not a good thing to mix. She wanted to strangle those damn birds. Hinata had politely told her Neji would not appreciate such a thing. Then they had shared a laugh about her cousin's weird fascination with birds.
"So…" Mayu began in an overly innocent tone of voice. Hinata barely kept the grimace from her face, causing the girl to giggle. It appeared that Hinata knew her a little too well. "What did you and Naruto-kun talk about yesterday?" As expected, Hinata's cheeks stained red at the mention of the blond shinobi. "What's with that reaction, Hinata-chan? Something good happened?"
"Mayu-san…!" Hinata scolded.
"You'd tell me, right? If it was something juicy. Like the both of you tripping with you on top, leading to an accidental kiss. Or like the both of you sharing ice cream with only one spoon! Or better yet—one cone! Maybe he had to carry you like his bride. Or like-like Naruto putting a sweet treat on his tongue and telling you to take it from him with your mouth!" Mayu pressed her palms against her cheeks, getting more and more excited with each suggestion. "Ohoho! I'm on fire just thinking about it!"
"Mayu-san!" Hinata raised her voice to screeching levels. Mayu went on cackling about NaruHina, wondering when the wedding would be. "We did not-! I-I-I tha-that… No-None of those thin-things hap-happened!" Mayu finally calmed down, only to resort to pouting. Completely red, Hinata stuttered a bit more before managing a comprehensible sentence. "Na-Naruto-kun seemed worried."
"Did he…? So even he could tell…" Mayu muttered. She sighed softly. "What did he say?"
"Oh… Well, Na-Naruto-kun said that there was nothing to worry about," Hinata replied. "However… I-" Her pale eyes turned to the ground. "I believe he said that in order to bring comfort to Sakura-san. Truly, I feel that Na-Naruto-kun is trying to deny what happened because he does not want to believe Sasuke-san would fight him with the intent to kill."
"Hm… I see." Mayu reached up, scratching at her cheek with a single nail. "Was that what he showed? Killer intent?" Hinata nodded her head and frowned. Mayu sighed again, frustrated. "I don't know why he reacted that way, but I think it's just jealousy, Hinata. There's no way Sasuke wants to kill Naruto. He wanted to see which one of them was stronger. He got carried away… At least, that's what he told me. I saw the anger, but he seemed to be angry with himself. Maybe Naruto's right and there's nothing to worry about." She said this to put her own mind at ease. Truthfully, she did not truly know what had happened in Sasuke mind in that moment. Her Uchiha friend had always been so emotional but rarely showed how much. Hinata did not comment on the reassurance. However, her brow furrowed as though she wanted to.
From then on, they walked in silence. Eventually, they reached the entrance of the Uchiha district. Mayu announced their arrival. She gave Hinata a mild tour as they walked the streets. Honestly, she only did that to fill the silence. She had never really explored the Uchiha district. Had never wanted to. The entire area was so bleak. Considering what had happened here, it had not been a surprise how heavy the atmosphere seemed. Sasuke admitted to her once that he remained on Uchiha grounds as a reminder of what he would eventually do. The ghosts of his family would haunt him until he killed their murderer.
Mayu frowned. Sasuke's miserable past—he shouldn't have had to go through it alone. He should not have been led to believe that he was the sole avenger. For him, avenging his clan had been the only thing that mattered for many years. No wonder Sasuke had felt completely alone. Had he known a speck of peace before the walls around him finally crumbled a bit? Until the formation of Team 7, had all this been a constant weight on his shoulders? Had forming new bonds helped him a little in the end? Only time would tell. If only Mayu and Naruto had had a chance to befriend the lone Uchiha earlier on… Perhaps she would not feel so uncertain about whatever decision Sasuke would make.
Mayu slid the door open and walked inside. Hinata followed her, looking around nervously. She was not used to entering someone else's home without an invite. "Sasuke, I'm here! I brought Hinata, too! I hope you're decent!" Instead of the usual angry reply, only silence greeted her in return. "Hm… He's probably still sleeping," she said. "I did come super early." Mayu slipped her shoes off and went further into the home. Uneasily, Hinata did the same. Quickly, Mayu located Sasuke's room. Without warning, she slid the door open. The room was without its sleeping occupant. "Oh…"
"Mm… Perhaps he is out training?" Hinata suggested.
"Probably, but he would've left a note," Mayu replied. Her eyes darted around the room. However, it was Hinata that found the note and pointed it out. It was on his desk under the small heart-shaped frame she had given to him only yesterday. She knitted her eyebrows together in confusion. Honestly, she believed she would not be able to find the thing. Surely, the romantic implication behind the frame would cause the Uchiha to hide it at the very least. Mayu walked over to the desk, eyes noting another frame—a larger squared shaped frame. Both frames had been face-down.
Curious, Mayu lifted the squared frame. Her eyes widened. It was his team picture. However, there was a difference from the one she knew. In this picture, Sakura's hair was dark. She remembered the memory quite well. Naruto did not want to take a picture with Sasuke. Having the same sentiments, Sasuke had not wanted the team picture in the first place, having had called it a waste of his time. However, in the end, they did take a pretty good picture. As Sakura, she had stood in the middle. Just as the camera did its thing, she had grabbed on to both shinobi by their necks and pulled them closer—so close that their cheeks were pressed against hers. Both had surprised expressions on their faces while she had been winking and grinning. Kakashi stood behind them, smiling, with his palms on Naruto and Sasuke's heads.
"I thought the picture was redone once Sakura had returned to her body…" Mayu thought. She pressed her lips together. It had been a nice memory even if Sasuke had tried to hit her for her insolence. Mayu had not thought about it in such a long time. However, Sasuke had kept his copy. It came as a surprise, really. She had not seen it on the many occasions she had ventured into his room. "Was he hiding it until now? Why bring it out all of a sudden?"
Shrugging, Mayu made the frame stand on its own before turning her attention to the smaller frame. After righting its position, she took the note, which was folded down the middle. It had her name written on it. Quickly, she scanned over the words, wanting to find the location of his training right away. She didn't know why, but Sasuke liked to write a lot just to tell her where he was. However, there was not any location on the note. Furrowing her eyebrows, she read over it again. Her eyes expanded, stunned at the message. Not only was it short—and didn't tell her where he was—but it was also a goodbye.
The folded paper fell from her fingers. Hinata questioned her actions, yet the girl said nothing. The kunoichi walked over, and then picked up the message. "Hm… 'I'm sorry. If you're reading this… it means I'm no longer in Konoha. My path is vengeance and despite what you said, I won't bring anyone else down this path with me.' Sasuke-san wrote this?" Her pale eyes turned to her friend. The girl's shoulders trembled. "Did Sasuke-san really-?"
"That son of a—argh!" Mayu snarled. "I'll kick his ass for this!"
"Please calm yourself," Hinata said, placing a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder.
"I will not calm down!" Mayu shouted. The Hyuga narrowed her eyes. "He left me without personally saying goodbye?! I won't forgive him—the coward!" She curled her fingers, making hard fists. "After everything, he only leaves a note… Like hell I'm gonna let him get away with that! Let's go, Hinata!"
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"In that case, please act like a leader and make a pl-" Neji stopped mid-sentence, and then turned his attention towards the town. Naruto made a noise of confusion before asking the Hyuga if something was wrong. "Someone… is coming this way at quite the alarming speed." The rest of the shinobi turned as well, attempting to locate the person headed for their current location. The group of five watched as the person drew nearer. Finally, leaving a cloud behind their running form, Hyuga Hinata nearly screeched to halt. The kunoichi panted a bit but kept her focus on the shinobi in front of her. It did not take her long to properly control her breathing. She stood up straight before bowing her head. "Hinata-sama, what are-?"
"Oh, Hinata!" Naruto interrupted Neji before he could question his cousin. "You've come to wish me off?" He did not notice the slight glare of the older ninja. "Does that mean you know what happened?"
"Yes, I became aware of Sasuke-san's departure," Hinata told him. "However, I have not come to offer words." She breathed in before slowly exhaling. "I have come to offer my services to this mission. I wish to support my friends." The five shinobi seemed surprised by her answer. However, Shikamaru and Neji already had an answer for her.
"Yeah, sure you can come!" Naruto said, grinning in excitement. Hinata smiled, and then lowered her body at a perfect angle to bow. "This is gonna be awesome! We'll drag Sasuke back for sure!"
"Uh... excuse me," Shikamaru interjected. "Who died and made you leader?"
"Well, she wants to come!" Naruto exclaimed in a whine.
Shikamaru ignored the pout and turned towards the kunoichi. "I'm sorry, Hinata, but you are not coming," he stated. The Hyuga flinched, but the flinch was not caused by Shikamaru's blunt words. Rather, it had been caused by the sharp snap feeling within her own mind. Without any other warning, Mayu took control over her body. The girl's lip twitched as she straightened her form. Shikamaru continued to stare, so unaware that a change had occurred in his comrade. "This mission could become quite dangerous, so as leader, I have to decline your offer."
"I apologize, Leader..." Mayu began. Her eye twitched. "I'm afraid I have to disobey that order. I will be going on this mission. Unless, of course, you give me a valid reason that I cannot."
"I… I just said it could be dangerous," Shikamaru repeated.
"That is not a valid reason," Mayu refuted with a slight shake of her head. "You have gathered my peers—my own teammate—for this dangerous mission. I am no different from them. Unless, you are calling attention to my gender. Are you doing that? Are you saying that because I am a girl, I am not strong enough for a mission that could become dangerous?" A smile crept slowly across her face, but her eyebrow twitched. Naruto winced and wisely chose to back away from the Nara.
"Uh... well, I wouldn't put it like that," Shikamaru said.
"But that is your intent, right?" Mayu questioned. "How foolish of you." She walked forward until she was in front of the newly appointed chuunin. "Shikamaru-san, I will say this only once… Underestimate me again, and you're going to regret it. Just. Like. Neji." The Nara jerked backwards, clearly surprised by the rage the kunoichi conveyed with her words. The Hyuga genius crossed his arms, turning his eyes away. "I will not beg. I will not falter. I am a ninja of Konoha, and I will willingly go on any dangerous mission for the sake of my village."
Shikamaru blinked, and then sighed. "This is such a drag," he said. "Fine, you can come along. Thanks for the reminder of your fight with Neji. You're unorthodox, and I might need your tactics. It's been months since chuunin exam, so you must have gotten stronger."
"I am at your service, Leader," Mayu said. "Let's get along."
"Troublesome…" Shikamaru averted his gaze. He then coughed to get everyone's attention. "Until I say, we are on the offense," he said. "That means, it would be easy for the enemy to make the first move. That's why, in order to protect against the enemy's random attacks, I will be deciding the formation."
Mayu silently breathed a sigh of relief as Shikamaru went over the formation. More than likely, her persuasion of Nara Shikamaru had something to do with Yamanaka Ino. He probably dealt with threats and anger from her on the daily basis. The blonde kunoichi most likely conditioned him to agree with minimal argument. Otherwise, it would be too troublesome. Finally, Shikamaru turned his attention to Mayu, and so she paid close attention. "The fourth will be Hinata. By using your Byakugan, you will be able to warn Naruto and the person behind you about any approaching danger," he stated. "Also, you could support Chouji in times of danger. He will be behind you…" The chuunin went on to explain the rest of the formation, including drawing a diagram using a pencil and scroll paper. The addition of sixth member did not alter the formation all that much.
"Are you ready for this Hinata?" Mayu questioned her host.
I will do my best.
"That's my girl."
"… And finally, this is the most important thing that I have to say," Shikamaru said, intending to wrap up his instructions. "I don't have a deep attachment to Sasuke. Nor is he someone that I like." Mayu made a face, thinking that many people could say that. "But… he is a shinobi of Konoha—a comrade. That is why we risk our lives to save him. This is Konoha's view. Even though I don't like doing troublesome things, I am responsible for your lives."
"Brilliant pep talk, Leader," Mayu remarked.
"Now you're starting to sound more like a chuunin," Kiba said.
"Alright, let's go," Shikamaru announced, turning towards the exit. Those under his command followed without hesitation. The six ninja headed towards the gates of the village, quiet in their musings for what may come. Nearly there, no one expected a delay. However, one came in the form of a loud voice.
"Wait...!" The shout caused them all to look back. Haruno Sakura raced towards them, appearing desperate to speak with them. "Wait, I just-" She finally came to a halt in front of them. She swallowed hard. "I-"
"I heard the story from Hokage-sama," Shikamaru cut in. "Sorry, but no matter what, I cannot bring you on this mission. Your words were not enough. All that's left is for us to force him to understand. Sakura, your chance is over." Sakura frowned deeply, lowering her gaze to the ground. She gritted her teeth, seemingly not having a rebuttal.
"That means... You and Sasuke..." Naruto trailed off, glancing at Mayu. The girl refused to meet his gaze. She, instead, stared at Sakura. The pink-haired kunoichi began crying. Tears ran down her face and dripped to the ground. Mayu pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes.
"Naruto..." Sakura began, voice cracking with the strain of sobs. "I beg of you, please bring him... Please bring back Sasuke-kun! I couldn't do it... I couldn't stop him. The only thing left that could stop Sasuke-kun is-"
SMACK
Mayu had walked right up to Sakura and smacked her across her face. Everyone gapped, dumbstruck by the girl's action. Sakura was in shock, too. Head turned to the side, her eyes widened and lips parted, completely taken aback. The vicious strike caused her cheek to turn red, already swelling. "Hinata...!" Kiba exclaimed. The others were just too stunned to say anything. Naruto, however, merely lowered his head.
"How dare you?" Mayu tried to keep the hiss from her voice. Pale eyes glared at the pink-haired kunoichi. Sakura slowly turned her head back. She covered her red cheek with the palm of her hand. Still baffled, Sakura could only utter the Hyuga's first name. "You couldn't do anything?" she repeated. "And yet, here you are, trying to make Naruto promise to bring him back?! Don't be so pathetic, Sakura! Sasuke left willingly! Don't you dare make Naruto promise to bring back a traitor!" Most winced, letting the word sink in.
"Sasuke-kun-!"
"Sasuke was not taken! He left by himself! He made the decision to leave his village, knowing full well what that could mean—what it would do to the people left behind!" Mayu raised her voice. The girl shook her head, suddenly giving a mirthless laugh. "You know, I used to support your feelings for Sasuke. I thought that maybe he would open up to you if you two actually went a date. I thought you might be the one to soothe his negative thoughts. But he didn't open up to you. You didn't have what it takes to soothe him. And now I know the reason. You're not the one he needs." Mayu narrowed her eyes. "You couldn't stop him and now you're crying and begging someone else to do it for you? You're definitely not the one for Sasuke."
"You… You have no right to say that!" Sakura yelled. More tears escaped her eyes. "I… I love Sasuke-kun! It-It hurts so much to know that he left—that I couldn't stop him!" She squeezed her eyes shut and hugged herself. Mayu sneered, unbothered by the tears or the declaration.
"You don't love him," she said.
"Wh-What?!" Sakura stammered, eyes snapping open.
"Sasuke was right…" Mayu continued. "You love his name. His looks. His talent. But you don't love him—the person that he is." Sakura gasped quietly, holding a hand over her mouth. "How could you love him when you don't know who he is? Do you even know him? Do you know what he does when he is embarrassed? Do you know what he does in his free time? Have you heard him talk about things other than getting stronger or training? Have you heard him laugh? I don't mean chuckling, Sakura. I mean, full blown out laughter. To the point where he can't breathe… Do you know how vulnerable he looks sometimes? Do you know how to comfort him when he does?" Sakura did not have an answer to any of those questions. "Tell me… How can you love someone that you just don't know?"
"Ho-How could I know…?!" Fists clenched at her sides, Sakura shouted in anger. "You're always with him!"
"Oh, would you look at that?" Mayu sarcastically replied. "Sakura shifting the responsibility or blame to someone else in wake of her own ineptitude. We haven't seen that before." Her words were met with a sharp slap to the face. The impact seemed to echo throughout the area. Then complete and utter silence. No one moved. No one spoke. The wrath of a kunoichi—let alone two—was not to be tangled with. Finally, Mayu breathed in. She lightly touched a hand to the redness of her cheek. "I… I deserved that," she admitted. "What I said was harsher than intended. I'm taking my frustration at the situation out on you, and you don't deserve it. I apologize." Her eyes focused on Sakura again. "But do you honestly think you're in the right here? What you've done—what you were trying to do—is despicable. How about you stand for yourself? Do something on your own. Strive for you. You are a kunoichi of Konoha, so act like it. Stand on your own two feet before you go begging Naruto—a person you treat like slime, might I remind you—to promise to do something for you!"
Sakura lurched backwards as though Mayu had attempted to strike her again. The girl finally turned her back on the kunoichi. "Yo-You…!" Sakura did not know what more to say. More tears streamed down her cheeks. However, by this time, Hinata had taken control of her own body.
"Please do not use Naruto-kun the way you do," the Hyuga said. "Treating him unfairly—Sakura-san, you should not have the right."
"Hinata…" Naruto blinked in surprised.
"Everyone… Everyone is risking their lives on this mission. Please do not only think of Sasuke-san," Hinata continued. Sakura wrapped her arms around herself and continued to cry. Guilt and shame bubbled up within her, replacing the anger she had felt towards Mayu. The pink-haired kunoichi choked out an apology before dashing away.
"Oi…!" Naruto whispered, walking over to the heiress. "Are you sure that wasn't a little harsh?"
"It needed to be said, Naruto-kun..." Hinata answered, lowering her voice as well. "Mayu-san is angry, but… she is not wrong. A promise such as that should come from one's own heart not because someone else begged." She turned and smiled at the blond shinobi. "Sasuke-san is your best friend, is he not? So you do not need another to motivate you to bring him home." Naruto flushed a bit, lowering his gaze to the ground. Then smiled. He shook his head a bit, and then raised his fist to the sky.
"All right! Let's go!" Naruto shouted.
"We've lost a bit of time," Shikamaru murmured, still eyeing Hinata as though she were a puzzle. He then cleared his throat. "The mission starts now." The newly appointed chuunin walked towards the entrance of Konoha, taking one last deep breath. It took a beat, but those under his command followed him, each steeling themselves for what may come.
So… it begins, after all... Sasuke...
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I feel a bit better since last update. I hope it shows :D