Sasuke was panicking, way more than he had before. Even after he had reared his head back in surprise, Mayu was still screaming her head off. He did not know what to do. He had never kissed another person before, but surely this was not the appropriate response. His mother had never screamed when his father had kissed her. "Uh… Mayu…? Cut it out!" He tried to get her to calm down. She did not. She had been screaming longer than necessary. Sasuke was half surprised she still had wind in her lungs for this duration. Annoyed now, he smacked her cheek. The screaming abruptly ended. The Uchiha glared at her. Mayu blinked several times, and then cupped her own stinging cheek. She blinked again.
"Uwaa…!" She hurriedly scurried backwards, not stopping until she hit the tree. Visibly confused, she lifted a shaky finger. Accusing as though Sasuke had done the vilest act. "Y-Y-Y-You just…!" He slid his tongue across the front of his teeth. Crossing his arms, he sharply averted his gaze elsewhere. Damn it. Her reaction was unexpected. Well, he had not known what to expect. Perhaps he should have asked to kiss her. Would she have screamed so dramatically if he had gone that route? Probably. Mayu liked to call him a drama queen—frequently—but she, too, exhibited dramatics. "S-Sasuke…? You-"
"I kissed you," he cut her off, still annoyed. "We kissed."
"B-B-But wh-why?"
Scowling, he risked a glance at the girl. Her entire body was rigid. She still pointed her finger as well. Remembering to breathe—and who exactly he had kissed—Sasuke forced the cursed mark to recede. He felt the power fade just like in The Forest of Death. He could control it to some extent even with the barrier around it. Once the barrier was gone, he would have to practice. His nostrils flared as he returned his full attention to Mayu. He understood why she screamed now. The kiss he had given her was too unexpected for her. Somehow, that annoyed him to no end. The second kiss must have sent her over the edge. He had to explain to her so that she would completely calm down. Mayu was idiotic at times, but she was logical, too. An explanation would put her mind at ease. Just enough to stop her stuttering at least.
It was still frustrating, though. Was it that incomprehensible to her? Sasuke shut his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts to figure out what to say. He decided to keep his distance. "All childish games aside… I…" Again, heat rose and settled in his cheeks. The tip of his tongue grazed his upper front teeth. "I wanted… to kiss you. I-I like you. That's all."
"What? You wanted to?" At least the stutter was gone. "You like me? As in like-like?" Sasuke stiffly nodded his head. Mayu blinked twice. Her mouth opened, and then closed. Her eyebrows furrowed. She repeated these actions several times. Finally, she began to speak. "Sasuke-" However, she was interrupted.
"SASUKE! MAYU!" Uzumaki Naruto shouted their names.
"Damn it!" Sasuke clicked his tongue, and then grabbed Mayu's wrist. "Let's go!" He began to run, forcing the girl to follow him. They moved across the forest floor, still hearing the blond calling after them. "Typical Naruto—so damn persistent…" he thought, and then smirked. The two burst through the forest and ran across a clearing.
"Why are you running away?" Mayu called up to him.
"Isn't it obvious?!" He was nearly dragging her along. "Naruto's only going to interfere!"
"With what?"
"I want to know your answer!"
Mayu tugged her arm free and came to a stop. This caused Sasuke to halt his movements as well. He turned to face her. "My answer…?" she murmured. "My answer to you suddenly kissing me? Or my answer to you proclaiming your love for me?" He could feel his face grower hotter and hotter with each word she spoke. So blunt and so dense she was. Mayu scratched her cheek and shifted her gaze down. "Honestly, I don't know how to answer either question."
Sasuke swallowed hard. That was the thing about Mayu. She did not run on emotions. Well, she did get angry. But honestly, that was the only aggressive emotion she had shown him. Wait—that was not necessarily true. Just a few minutes ago, she had shown her tears. All because of the friendships she gained. She thought they had ended based purely on her assumptions. Hinata was not weak. He sparred with her enough times to figure that out. She could not be dead. And he… Well, he did not want their friendship to end either. Not entirely. "Mayu…" He took a step forward. "I-" Once again, the shouting of Uzumaki Naruto disrupted. His dark eyes glared over in the blond's direction. His teammate had just left the cover of the trees. He appeared out of breath. Sasuke clicked his tongue, and then turned back to Mayu. Her blue eyes settled on him, ignoring the presence of Naruto. Steady and inquisitive, she stared.
"Why do you like me?" she questioned. Sasuke blinked in surprise. He had not expected that. Well, he had not expected a lot of things. Her screaming for one. Now, she appeared calm and truly curious about his answer. "I mean, I know I'm totally awesome-" Sasuke resisted an eye roll. "-But only when it comes to fighting…I don't know how to do much else, so you, of all people, confessing to me and-and kissing… It's a bit on the mind-blowing side." She bit her lower lip. "In that way, I… didn't think it was possible for you as you are. So, answer me. Why do you like me?"
He opened his mouth to reply. However, there was nothing. Blinking, he tried again. Still, there were no words. He could not think of anything to say. Of course, he knew that he liked Mayu. There was no question—no doubt. When he first realized something was changing with his feelings for her, he denied it. Buried it deep enough so that he would not think of it. A good friend, he had told himself. However, gradually, he could not remove thoughts or dreams of her and her affections. He wanted her affections. She was the only girl who could make his heartbeat sound so close to his ears. But that wasn't an answer. Why did he like her?
"I… I don't know," Sasuke finally replied.
"Hm…" Mayu took a step backwards, dropping her gaze again. "I knew it. Having one thing going for you isn't enough. All I'm good for is fighting. Why would there be a reason?" She awkwardly scratched at her cheek. Her chuckles were as dry as her attempt at humor. Sasuke's eyes widened as a familiar feeling overwhelmed him—absolute dread. "I guess it doesn't matter, right?"
You'll regret saying that! One day, you'll find yourself in love, too!
Sasuke flexed his jaw, suddenly remembering Sakura's words. It had pissed him off before. No, it had been indifference towards her words concerning love. After all, he had not been interested in it. At the time. He narrowed his eyes and shifted his gaze to the grass below. He could not exactly base his like for her on her looks. Even if it was a stupid reason to fall for someone. He had no idea what she really looked like except that she had dark skin and blue eyes. Could it have been for her personality? It was not exactly award-winning, though it was leagues better than the inane hive mind of a fangirl. Sometimes, she drove him insane with her antics. But… He still liked her. It just happened this way. Did a change in his feelings automatically need an explanation?
And when you can't find any logical reason why, you'll regret what you just said!
Stupid Sakura. Why did she have to be right all the time? Now that Mayu needed an explanation as to 'why,' he could not give her one. Sasuke swallowed. "Listen… Just because I can't give you a good reason, doesn't mean that I'm wrong about this," he said. Her blue Hyuga eyes looked his way again. He met her gaze. Wanting to smack himself for regurgitating Sakura's words, he continued. "Love doesn't need an explanation. My feelings might not make sense to you now, but I'm serious." Sasuke stepped towards her, cautious in his movements. However, Mayu did not recoil from him. She only stood there, allowing him to reach for her hand. He directed her palm to his chest. Underneath, the beat of his heart sounded like a drum. Surely, she was able to feel it. Mayu's eyebrows rose, disappearing behind bangs. Still, she did not jerk away. Instead, her fingers curled a bit. Again, Sasuke swallowed. "I know… I know what I feel for you developed to something else. I don't know the reason for that, but I want… I want something else. I know it's real. So, please accept my feelings."
It was probably the most earnest Sasuke had ever been, Mayu realized. She blinked once. It was still baffling, but… Maybe she felt flattered by the unexpected confession. She blinked again. "… Sasuke, I'm not denying your feelings," Mayu stated. He seemed surprised by her response. She ignored his expression, though, and took her hand back. She shifted her weight from foot to foot. "I'm just… shocked, that's all. The fact that you're saying stuff like this—hell, admitting these types of bonds in the first place is kinda freaky…" She pressed her lips together, shutting her eyes for a second. "Honestly, I'm wondering if emo fit your description perfectly all this time," she said under her breath.
"What'd you say?!"
"Nothing," Mayu quickly replied. She then coughed. Sasuke glared, and she almost chuckled helplessly. "Anyway… Just so we're clear… You said that you didn't think of me as a friend anymore because your feelings for me evolved, right?" His cheeks turned pink again. It was a sight. A nice one. Despite his embarrassment, Sasuke nodded. Mayu almost released a sigh of relief. She had thought he would not want anything to do with her. "Sasuke, you idiot! Be more specific next time! It felt like I was going to have a heart attack! Stupid bird brain!" Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him into her embrace. "Scaring me like that—I should hit you!" She squeezed her eyes shut and held him tighter, pushing back the urge to cry again. They would be happy tears, though.
Sasuke huffed lightly and returned the embrace, arms circling her middle. "You already hit me," he pointed out. He sighed lightly, obviously relaxing her in her hold. It made her smile. After standing like that for a time, Sasuke cleared his throat and reared back. Mayu dropped her arms, allowing the action. "So… This means you… you like me back?" The pink of his cheeks deepened to red. Cute, Mayu realized. Then his words processed, causing her to grimace. Fortunately, Sasuke did not see because his dark eyes focused on the grass beneath them. "I'll come back so we can start properly then."
"Start properly…?" Mayu repeated.
"SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!" Naruto shouted. Mayu flinched, having forgotten about her former teammate. She glanced at the blond as he approached them. "You really mean it, Sasuke?! You're coming back? I thought I would have to beat some sense into you!" Then he leaned forward, scrutinizing. "Looks like Mayu already did." Sasuke raised his hand, fingers brushing against the drying blood on his mouth. It instantly reminded Mayu of their kisses, and her gaze darted down. Trying to push that way down, for now, Mayu concentrated on the last thing Sasuke had said. Start properly… He would come back to the village to do so. Could this be an opportunity? All she had to agree to… to dating. She had to agree with SasuMayu. Hinata was going to have a field day with this. "Well, Mayu, let's hear it!"
"Eh…?"
"Come on! Your confession of looovvvee!" Naruto exclaimed, clasping his hands together. Mayu winced. Apparently, her former teammate was already having aforementioned field day. The blond snickered, staring expectedly. Mayu slid her eyes back to Sasuke. He, too, stared. Although his face remained passive, he also appeared to be waiting for her confirmation.
"Uh… Sure, let's do it," Mayu clumsily replied. Sasuke frowned deeply, obviously not pleased with her response. "What?"
"You think I'll accept that half-assed answer?" he retorted.
"What? Should I say it with my chest?"
Not liking that either, Sasuke stepped closer, grabbing her arms and pulling her towards him. Mayu stumbled. For the first time, she lost her breath because of the dark eyes boring into her own. "I already told you…!" Sasuke raised his voice. "I'm done with childish games—that part, I meant!" Mayu swallowed hard, finding it difficult to break the stare down. "I don't intend to start something more between us without the ultimate goal. That… goal is to… make you Uchiha Mayu." A little bit behind her, Naruto sucked in a dramatic breath, but it paled in comparison to the sound of her own internal organs throbbing. He wanted… Sasuke seriously wanted…
"You wanna marry me?" Mayu blurted, shoulders tensing. "What? We're… We're still children! Much too young to even be thinking about that!" She staunchly ignored how her mind instantly conjured up the dream of Sasuke proposing to her. Still, her face practically exploded with warmth. "I mean, thinking that far ahead is…"
"It's a goal, Mayu," Sasuke reiterated. "Maybe it'll work out between us. Maybe it won't. The point is striving and working towards the goal." Mayu pressed her lips together, mouth going dry. "Seriously… You don't have any of the same feelings towards me? Other than friendship? All this time and you can't even consider the possibility with me?"
"I… I don't know!" Mayu squeezed your eyes shut. Ba-Bump. This was the first time this type of situation presented itself to her. In truth, though she was a person who loved love—reading romance manga and begging her parents to reveal their love story, rooting for her favorite one true pairing—she did not consider romantic notions for herself. Mostly because of her age. However, a part of her realized that those around her probably would not want romance with her. After all, she was just too different compared to others. She was a rarity to those in her age group. No one back home seemed interested in uniqueness. But here… it was different. This idea that she could have a love story was like a whiplash on her senses. "You suddenly kissed me-"
"You kissed already?!" Naruto shouted.
"-and tell me you like me," Mayu continued, as though Naruto had not blurted in surprise. "B-But… This is too sudden! How am I supposed to think with that onslaught of emotion?"
"I wanted… I just want to know if you think you could," Sasuke insisted. "I'm not forcing you to like me back. But I don't want to waste my time and effort if your feelings for me stop at friendship." Mayu slowly opened her eyes and locked gazes with him again. He licked his lips, shifting her focus to his mouth. Ba-Bump. "This might feel sudden to you, but I thought you might like me, too. Would you have gone so far for me otherwise?"
"The mission-"
"Not just the mission!" Sasuke cut in. "You pulled me from darkness. You insisted on me not drowning in my past. You comfort me. Tease me. Encourage me. Scold me when I need it. Treat me like a person. You make me a better version of myself. Even when I tried to push you away. You kept coming back for me…" He lowered his head a bit before snapping his eyes back up. "I wanted you to come back for me. And you did—over and over. You pulled me out when you didn't have to." Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Mayu did not have an explanation for her actions. She could not recall a reason for reaching for him. For wanting to shake up his world. But she acknowledged the goal. From the very beginning, she had wanted to crack the cold. "Can you really say that your feelings towards me didn't change at all?" Sasuke questioned.
"I…" Mayu began. She shook her head. "I don't-" For a third time, Sasuke pressed his lips to hers—harder than before. Mayu squeezed her eyes shut again. A jolt ricocheted within her body, spreading the heat. However, it wasn't warm like before. It was hot—too hot. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Glaring now, she pushed him away. "I just said that I didn't know, and you kiss me again?! Do you want me to get confused?!"
"This is a first for me, too!" Sasuke snapped back. "I don't know what I'm doing! Kissing you feels-" He fumbled the rest of his words. Mayu could not understand them. "I panicked, okay?!"
Mayu's expression softened and her shoulders relaxed. She could recognize that sentiment perfectly. Panic. That had been what she felt. Panic at something new. Panic at what it could all lead to. Panic at the abrupt change in normalcy. Of course, there was panic and confusion. She wondered how Sasuke reacted the first time he realized what was happening. She had not noticed the change in him whatsoever because it seemed unlikely. But… once the panic and confusion subsided, Sasuke apparently wanted to go the all or nothing route. It was just like him. A path stretched in front of him, and he had decided on the course. It was… admirable.
"Sasuke," she called to him. Dark eyes looked her way. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. "… I know what you do when you're embarrassed. I know what you do in your free time. I've heard you talk about things other than getting stronger. I've heard you laugh so hard that you almost threw up." Mayu's lips twitched into a smile, recalling those instances of discovery. "I know how vulnerable you sometimes look in your sleep." At this, the Uchiha furrowed his brow. "I know you… I know so much about you." Mayu narrowed her eyes. She knew the answers to the questions she had thrown Sakura's way. Had that been a subconscious reaction? "I know those things because you showed me. Did I do the same to you?"
"Well… yeah," he answered. "I'm not going to like a person who I don't know. You know me. I know you." Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Her chest—there was a dull ache there. Unlike before, it did not hurt. The ache was almost… pleasant? "Why are you saying this?" She didn't answer.
"We fight a lot," Mayu stated.
"We argue a lot," Sasuke corrected. "We also spar a lot. And talk a lot. And help each a lot."
"I guess… we do…" Mayu murmured. "Okay…" She pressed her lips together for a moment. "Okay," she repeated, more certain. "I believe I can fall for you. If you let me."
"Huh?!" This statement seemed to surprise both ninja present. Hm… She had forgotten about Naruto again. The blond nearly wiggled in place. "Uh, Mayu… I'm not really surprise at the development—I mean, I saw it coming—but this is… I mean, this situation is weird!" he told her. She blinked, turning to him.
"Naruto. Sasuke says he likes me, and I don't dislike him anymore-"
"Anymore?" Sasuke repeated, confused.
"-Why would I give a rejection?" Mayu questioned, choosing to ignore repeat. He did not need to know she hated his guts for a while. "I could grow to like him as much as he likes me. That's the point of being in a relationship, right? Besides, he says he's coming back." Naruto frowned, not quite understanding. She supposed he might be thinking of his own experience with his crush. Did he still have a crush on Sakura? She hoped not. Obviously, she still wholeheartedly rooted for NaruHina.
"You're not doing this just so he would come home?" Naruto blurted.
Oh. Well, the thought had crossed her mind. It would prevent Naruto from taking on such a heavy burden. Mayu had never liked the weight on her former teammate's shoulders and adding Sasuke's desertion to that weight had always grinded her gears. Still, she had meant what she said. Rejection was not needed here. As close as she and Sasuke were, it was probably only a matter of time before this happened anyway.
"I already told you, Naruto," Mayu said. "I had no intention of stopping Sasuke in the first place. Speaking of which, he said he would come back. He didn't say right now. Am I correct, Sasuke?" She turned her blue eyes to the Uchiha, who involuntarily flinched, probably because of Naruto scream of 'WHAT?!' "My intentions… Naruto's intentions… were clear from the start. So, I think you should tell us your intentions now." Despite the distraction, Mayu had not forgotten the words Sasuke spoke prior. He had planned this mission, she realized.
"I'm sorry about the trouble I've caused. The others, who came on this mission, are probably hurt right now," he said. "But to reach this point, it had to happen. I needed this whole situation to look as authentic as possible."
"What? Authentic?" Naruto scratched the back of his head.
"Yes. This whole time, my intention was to use Orochimaru not only as a power source, but as a source of information as well," Sasuke stated. The blond furrowed his brow, while the girl narrowed her eyes. "A spy, you idiots! I'm going to be one of Konoha's spies." Exasperated, the ninja nearly threw his arms up in the air. Both oooooh'd in unison. He resisted the urge to smack his forehead. "Orochimaru… That man killed the Third and nearly destroyed our village. I can't forget about that." His eyes slid to Mayu. "And besides," he continued. "He's also the man you want dead, isn't he?" Blanching, Mayu averted her eyes. "Don't deny it. The last time we met, I made the connection. Orochimaru is the stranger you want to kill because he killed someone important to you and took away someone you admired, right? Every time he came up in conversation, your expression would transform into a look of fury. I can't believe I didn't notice it sooner. Mayu, I will help you get your revenge against that man. Believe in me."
"Ah… hn." Mayu pressed her lips together, easily returning the intense stare of Uchiha Sasuke.
"It… kinda feels like I'm intruding…" Naruto thought, feeling nervous. This atmosphere seemed like it surrounded Mayu and Sasuke, leaving him out of it. He couldn't say a word as the two stared at one another. The wind suddenly picked up, causing him to shiver. However, his former teammates continued to lock gazes. Neji had been wrong. Sasuke wasn't in darkness. Not anymore. Sasuke was leaving, but he wasn't abandoning anything. Mayu had been Sakura before. Unlike him, who was too prideful to admit that he thought of Sasuke as a friend, she proudly tried to get the lonely Uchiha to open. And she had succeeded. What was it about Mayu? An image of a dark-haired Sakura appeared in his mind. She had appeared quite angry… for him.
Hey! Knock it off with the comments, old man! I'm sick of you insulting my teammate! How dare you, a stranger, trample over and mock his dream?! Say something again, and I'll kick your ass all the way to the Land of Waves! Got it?!
He had been so shocked that she had defended him against Tazuna. But he had been extremely happy, too. It had been at that moment that he considered—truly considered Sakura as a friend. But it hadn't been Sakura, had it? Ishikari Mayu had been the one to befriend him. That first month had been Mayu. And in that first month, she had helped him. Sasuke, too. His blue eyes lowered to the swaying grass. This was it. "What would it be like if Mayu had stayed? Would I have considered her as a sister like I consider Sasuke a brother?"
"Huh…? You're so quiet, Mayu. That's not like you." Sasuke smirked. "Are you impressed that I'm not the same stupid, selfish, power-hungry boy that doesn't know anything?"
"You're throwing my words back at me," Mayu noted. However, she felt no spite for it. Sasuke's smirk widened, revealing teeth. The girl shook her head. "So, you've thought this far ahead?" She slowly walked towards him. "You don't see just the past anymore? You can see a future, too?" Mayu stood right in front of him. "Yeah, I guess I am impressed." She smiled. "I understand now…" she thought. A lot of things didn't change because of her. However, she did manage to transform his outlook. Sasuke had become a person she could truly respect. Instead of thinking of only himself, he was thinking of the entire village… and her. "I wonder if I could have transformed his perception sooner if I had remained in Sakura's body…"
"Biggest trickster wins? Isn't that what you told us? Do you love me now?" Sasuke questioned. The smirk didn't leave his face. Many months had gone by since he was first introduced to the girl known as Ishikari Mayu. Whether or not he cared to admit, they had gotten closer since then. She was not the only one responsible, but it was her determined hand that had pulled him from… drowning within his past. Where would he be if she were just another girl? Where would he be if he could not see a future with her? Honestly, he did not want to think about it. She was in his future. That mattered. "If she had stayed, we'd probably be closer," he thought.
"Do I love you now?" Mayu repeated. She blinked twice before rolling her eyes. "Get real, bird brain. I'm only thirteen—much too young to fall in love. As I've already mentioned."
"Age is just a number," Sasuke retorted. He leaned forward, but her hand shot up and covered his mouth. His brow furrowed in confusion.
"You might have surprised me the other three times, but I'm not going to let you get the drop on me anymore," Mayu told him. She could barely understand his muffled response. "You can't kiss me like this." Her eyes narrowed. "It would be too weird since it'll be like you're kissing Hinata. And I'm so not for SasuHina."
"I don't like the sound of that either," Naruto muttered. He was ignored. Sasuke slapped her hand away from his mouth.
"I'm about to leave, on a dangerous mission, and I'll be gone for who knows how long—and I can't even have a goodbye kiss?" he asked. His eyebrow twitched. "That's not fair."
"You go on dangerous missions all the time," Mayu told him flatly. Sasuke nearly pouted, causing the girl to hold back a smile. "Tell you what—whenever you come back and I have my body, you can kiss me." Sasuke's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Mayu shrugged. "There's a possibility you'll see the real me."
"Wait a minute!" Naruto spoke up again. This time, his voice was louder than it needed to be. Both Sasuke and Mayu turned his way. "If this was all a part of your plan, then me, too? I was supposed to be here, too?" The Uchiha nodded.
"Of course. I knew that, as my best friend, you would come for me," he stated. Naruto's lips parted as his eyes expanded. His entire body tensed as if waiting for the 'haha! Yeah right, loser!' as the follow up. But no… Sasuke remained serious. "You've become my best friend, Naruto." His confirmation almost caused tears to spill. "That's exactly what I needed."
"Sasuke… you…" Honestly, the blond ninja didn't know what to say. "Can… Can I hug you?!"
"… No, I'm going to pass on that one."
Mayu snickered. "I can't believe this." She shook her head. Both ninja turned to her. "You made up such an elaborate plan just to tell us that these confessions? You are so dramatic, Sasuke!" The Uchiha scoffed, and then slid his tongue over his front teeth. "So, I'm assuming that no one can know of this information?"
"That's right… partially," he replied. Mayu and Naruto frowned. "What I'm doing can't be known to anyone other than the three of us. Well, there is one other person." His dark eyes turned to Naruto. "That's where you come in. I know that you're closer to the Fifth more than any other ninja. If you tell her what I'm doing, then she won't label me as a missing-nin. In addition, the council will have hopes for the Sharingan returning to the village. They will definitely agree with her decision. But other than us four, no one else can know. You must make sure you get that point across to her. My position as Orochimaru's next vassal and loyal underling cannot be compromised because of loose mouths. I'm sure that he can still do what he pleases is because Konoha can't get a spy close enough." Mayu crossed her arms.
"This sounds more and more serious as you keep talking, Sasuke," she remarked. "I have a feeling that something is not right."
"You're not the only one," he stated. "I've been having the same feeling for a while now. And what was that about one of the ninja's iron rule?"
"Once a ninja feels there's something wrong, he or she must prepare for it before it's too late," Naruto remembered. "You're preparing?"
"Listen, I've been thinking a lot lately," Sasuke stated.
"Clear-ly!"
Ignoring Mayu for a moment, Sasuke continued. "Now, these are just three theories of mine, but they could be, at least, partially true. The first one deals with you, Naruto." The furrowed his brow yet said nothing. "Don't get offended about what I'm going to say, but… there is no way a dead-last loser could make it this far."
"What'd you say?!" Naruto nearly hissed in fury.
Mayu grabbed Naruto's shoulder before he could tackle Sasuke to the ground. "He said don't get offended. Cool it, Naruto," she told him. "Continue." She gestured for the Uchiha to keep going. Frankly, Mayu was more than a little curious about the theories Sasuke had come up with just based on his untarnished thought process and whatever research. She was quite intrigued by his unclouded—unselfish way of thinking already. The girl found herself smiling. "I guess it really isn't a surprise that I could like you, Sasuke…" she thought. Noticing the sudden smile, the young Uchiha cleared his throat and looked away for a moment.
"As I was saying, someone with your background couldn't possibly make it this far," he went on. "You're an orphan without a prestigious family name. The way the Academy works is the teachers focus on the children hailing from clans, especially clans that have been in the ninja career for generations. These kids come first when it comes to what they learn. They had taught more as there are more expectations put upon them. Examples would include the Hyuga clan, Inuzuka clan, Nara clan, Yamanaka clan—actually pretty much everyone that made the cut for genin. Then they are the normal kids—their focus would be on academics. These kids aren't really pushed as much. Sakura would be a good example of this. As she is not from a ninja family—though I'm pretty sure I heard her mention her parents had been ninja at some point—all she had to fall back on was studying. Her smarts was the only thing she had going for her when she was fresh out of the Academy."
"They probably noted her excellent chakra control as well," Mayu mentioned. "They would not put her on a team that had no chance of passing."
"Yeah, I had the same thought," Sasuke agreed. "Basically, the system divides the class into two groups based on names alone. And then there's you, Naruto." Sasuke took this time to build suspense. Mayu almost rolled her eyes. The guy really was a real drama queen… "You didn't fit into either category. Back then, I did find myself wondering why you were treated differently. There were plenty of other orphans, but you were the only one who received… special treatment."
"Special treatment…?" A bitter smiled appeared on Naruto's face. "I think you got me confused with someone else."
"There's no mistake," Sasuke said. "First day of classes, I remember you raising your hand a lot. No matter how many times you raised your hand to ask a question, none of the teachers besides Iruka called on you. Second day of classes, nothing… You stopped raising your hand. After that, you became the class clown. All but Iruka ignored you unless they were reprimanding you for something. You were quickly labeled as the fool of our year. Then, the title of Dead Last was given to you." His eyebrows knitted together. "That's the part that doesn't make sense."
"What do you mean?" Mayu asked.
"Remember when we were on our way to the Land of Waves? After we were attacked the first time?" Sasuke questioned. "Naruto said that he trained alone for hours. Practicing for that long, he would have, at least, gradually improved. Even if it was the wrong way. He would have eventually found something that worked for him. He should not have been dead last, especially since our grades weren't based on purely academics. Naruto wasn't lying or exaggerating. He has the stamina to back up that 'training for hours' statement."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Mayu scratched her cheek, glancing back at the blond. She was the only one to notice him clutching the fabric that covered his stomach. Her blue Hyuga eyes shifted back to Sasuke. He was staring at the ground. "But so what? What does this have to do with your theory—whatever it may be?"
"I'm getting to that," Sasuke muttered. He looked back up. "While he was in the Academy his progress was static. However, once he was assigned a team, it was uphill from there. His progress nearly skyrocketed. Why the sudden change? How could someone with the lowest grades defeat several strong people mere months after graduation? The only conclusion I can come up with is that the teachers were purposefully holding Naruto back, harshly grading him, and humiliating him, probably to make him give up. His form was so bad because no one had ever taught him anything." Mayu nodded in agreement. She had made that observation before when Naruto had tried to fight Kakashi alone. "But that just brought up more questions. Why Naruto? Why would they set a random orphan up to fail? What was it about him that made our teachers hate him? So, I went back, trying to figure out what he could have possibly done to receive such contempt."
"When did you look into that?" Mayu asked, curious. "Why would you feel the need to?"
"After the chuunin exam. Once people could take a breather from the failed invasion," Sasuke said. "I heard people talking about Naruto's match against Neji. Since that guy was known as the strongest of his graduating class, I was intrigued. And confused to be honest. How did Naruto beat him? I wish I would have seen it."
"It was pretty impressive," Mayu remarked, beaming. Naruto blushed, appearing bashful. "Confused because he shouldn't have been able to?"
"Initially, yeah, that's what I thought," Sasuke admitted. "But then I reconsidered after thinking about our fight with Haku. Naruto was impressive there, too." Naruto chuckled, still appearing bashful. "It just brought on doubts and thoughts of our time at the Academy. So, I wanted to know why our teachers treated him so different. I didn't find anything."
"What?" This seemed to surprise Naruto as well.
"You have no records before you entered the Academy, Naruto," Sasuke said. "It's like you didn't exist before then. You don't have a birth certificate, yet your birthday is October 10th. That's the same day the Kyuubi attacked our village thirteen years ago."
"He figured it out?!" Mayu thought. Sure, Sasuke was smart, but to actually deduce such information from mere inquiries—it was amazing. Naruto, losing his grin at the mention of his jailed beast, seemed paralyzed by fear. He swallowed hard, waiting for his teammate to continue. "Kyuubi…?" Mayu repeated, feigning confusion. Sasuke looked her way.
"You wouldn't know about it since you've only been in our village for a little under a year in total," he stated. "But a giant demon came to our village thirteen years ago. Many were killed, including the Fourth Hokage. The stories say that he sacrificed himself, killing the demon fox. For most of my life, I didn't doubt that. But after fighting Gaara, after he spoke of the demon inside him, I began to doubt that demons could even die, and if they could it certainly wouldn't be by a human's hands."
"Wh-What are you sa-saying?" Naruto stammered.
"I'm saying that the Kyuubi wasn't killed that night. I'm saying that like Gaara, who has a demon inside of him, a thirteen-year-old of our village has a tailed beast within him as well. The demon fox was sealed in a baby thirteen years ago," Sasuke answered. "And that baby… was you, Naruto."
"Dun, dun, DUN!" Mayu exclaimed. The two shinobi looked her away. "What? That was the best dramatic build up I've seen in a long time." They didn't seem to think the way she did. In fact, they almost seemed pissed. "Sorry, tense moment happening—got it. I apologize. Please… continue…" With a roll of his eyes, Sasuke turned back to Naruto.
"It's true, isn't it?" he asked. "You're its jailer. That's why our teachers treated you like something vile. It probably wasn't just the teachers, though. Most adults probably hated and feared you."
"You…" Naruto let out a humorless chuckle. "I thought Shikamaru was the smartest person I knew…" His hands clenched at his sides. "So that was your theory, huh? That I was the demon fox this whole time?"
"No," Sasuke said. "My theory was it was sealed inside. It doesn't make you the demon. It makes you a container. If I really think about it, you're just as responsible for saving the village as the Fourth."
"Sasuke…" The blond lowered his eyes to the ground again.
Noticing his teammate's strange reaction, Sasuke hurriedly continued. "I already said that you are my best friend. Being a jailor doesn't change anything." The Uchiha frowned. "Although, I was pretty pissed and a little jealous about the chakra you possess because of it. Do you know how much I stressed over the fact that you seemed to be stronger than me? But now that I know, I can stop trying to be jealous and see you as a proper rival-"
Mayu grinned, watching Naruto propel himself forward. Apparently, the blond had decided that he wanted a hug, and he was going to take it. The two shinobi were currently wrestling on the ground. Well, Sasuke was wrestling, trying to pry Naruto from his body, while Naruto held on like Sasuke was a lifeline. The girl's eyes followed the movements of them rolling around on the ground. "This is probably the closest thing to SasuNaru ever… Megumi-chan would be so jealous," Mayu thought, blinking.
"Get the hell off me!"
"Naruto, please get off the guy," Mayu walked forward. She pulled the blond off the dark-haired shinobi by his collar. "You're interrupting his theory speech."
"But I'm so happy!" Naruto was near tears. Sasuke glowered as he stood up. He dusted himself off and told Naruto to be so happy somewhere not around him. Mayu pressed her lips together. Well, at least his perception changed. He didn't need to completely change… right? Shaking the thought from her mind, she released the blond. He sniffled and wiped under his nose. "So anyway… what were the other ones?" Sasuke coughed into his closed fist.
"Okay, the next one deals with me, and my own clan," he said. "Both of you know what happened, right?" Naruto and Mayu slowly nodded their hands. "Uchiha Itachi killed his entire clan, leaving only me as a survivor." His teeth clenched. "Ever since that night I thought… why? Why would he betray his family? Why did he keep only me alive? Why did he choose that night, six years ago, to carry out the massacre? Why did he do it in the first place?" Sasuke bit his lip. "I was so filled with hatred towards him that even though I questioned his actions, I never really tried to answer any of those questions. He told me that he was testing his abilities." He shook his head and narrowed his eyes. "That had to be lie. If that was a lie, what else covered the truth?"
"A lie…?" Naruto muttered. "Why would it be a lie?"
"Because," Mayu frowned, responding to Naruto's question. "It doesn't make sense for a young ninja like Itachi to suddenly want to know what he's capable of. Generally, a ninja's peak doesn't happen until they're older—much older because they continue to gain experience. As far as prodigies go, it's even older than that—like Jiraiya-sama older—because they tend to live longer." She had never really cared much for Uchiha Itachi. He was a villain, and she had not cared for villains very much, least of all their motivations. But now that Sasuke had mentioned it, the whole thing did seem strange.
"A guy like Itachi had to have known this. He would know and understand that he could still gain more power and strength," Sasuke continued. "If he wanted to truly test his capabilities, he would look to seek out more strong people, not kill an entire clan—most of which weren't ninja in the first place. That fact, alone, made me realize that Itachi was lying about his reason. He wouldn't need to test his abilities on defenseless civilians."
"Alright, so the guy's a liar, too," Mayu remarked. "Could you possibly be rethinking killing him?"
"Hell no. Whatever his reasons, he still did it. The bastard's going to pay," Sasuke retorted. The girl rolled her eyes. "Still, everyone in the Uchiha is a variable. There were too many variables for one person to handle. The civilians would have run. The ninja would have fought. At least a group of people would have escaped the massacre while Itachi killed the ninja of the Uchiha clan. However, there were no other survivors other than me, and I returned home late that night. That leads me to believe that-"
"He wasn't the only one," Naruto almost gasped. "There was someone else there, too?!"
"That's what I'm thinking. Even with clones, he would have had trouble with the ninja of our clan. Still, it's only a theory," Sasuke said, nodding his head. "If that's the case, there is, at least, one other person there that night, helping Itachi. I want to know who that person is."
"You got some guesses already?" Mayu asked.
"Yeah, and that leads me to my final theory, and it's about you," he answered. The girl looked a bit baffled. "I think that the other person helping Itachi might have been a member of the Ishikari clan."
"That's a rather bold statement, especially they're all dead," Mayu said. "Well, except two of them."
"Three, actually," Sasuke said. "I think you are the daughter of one of the survivors, or, at least, you come from a branch of that clan."
"A branch…?"
"Yeah, like the Hyuga clan. They divide themselves of for some weird reason," Sasuke said. "Maybe other clans—a secret clan—did the same. One branch resided in Konoha while the other branch resides somewhere else. Maybe somewhere in the Land of Lightning."
"I… suppose that's possible," Mayu conceded.
"When we visited that home, we learned that there are two other members left alive. However, no one knows where they are," Sasuke continued. "You came to Konoha and said you were from some place known as Tok-yo, right? This must be a very small village because it doesn't show up on any map I've looked at." Mayu tried very hard to keep herself from arousing suspicion by trying to look as solemn and serious as Sasuke.
"It's a possibility, but my parents—and grandparents, for that matter—do not have dominant traits of the Ishikari clan," she said. "And anyway, what's this got to do with why you think one of the clan members helped Itachi that night?"
"Because Itachi actually knew about the clan."
"Wait, time out!" Naruto had been quiet up until the point because he could not follow the conversation. "You keep talking about Ishikari like no one knows about them. You called them a secret clan?"
"That's right, Naruto," Sasuke replied. "The Ishikari clan was a secret hidden in our village. But Itachi knew and seemed to have known the clan personally."
"He's the one that said the distinct characteristics of clan members were dark skin and blue eyes," Mayu stated. Her eyes narrowed. "Uchiha Itachi discovered a clan that no one knew about, and you think he convinced one of them to help him slay another clan?"
"It's just a theory, which is why I want you to find out for me," Sasuke stated.
"Eh?"
"You're going to be my spy."
"… He's joking, right?" Mayu pointed a finger at Sasuke while staring at Naruto. The blond merely shrugged his shoulders.
"To tell you the truth, you guys lost me at Ishikari clan."
"I'm not joking," Sasuke said with a firm shake of his head. "I won't be home for quite some time, and I'm not leaving espionage up to Naruto." The blond looked highly offended by the implication. "I know you can do it, Mayu. You took a secret file from the Hokage building without anyone realizing it was gone. I don't think it was just luck."
"Can't argue with the facts," Mayu chirped with a grin. "So, you want me to be your eyes?"
"Yeah, I want you to find out everything you possible can about the Ishikari clan and the Uchiha clan's relation to each other. I think the connection is deeper than just Itachi. You can have full access to the Uchiha district," Sasuke ordered. "If it gets too dangerous, you pull out, understood?"
"Yeah, I got it," she replied. "And after we meet up again, we're to exchange information—for real, this time? I'm assuming that you're going to tell us everything you know once you return, right?" Sasuke nodded his head. Then he turned to the blond ninja.
"Actually, when Naruto catches me sometime in the future," he confirmed. "So, we're all clear on what we're doing?"
"Crystal," Mayu replied.
"Yup!"
"Let me again say that any information any of us gather will not be told to anyone besides the three of us," Sasuke stressed. "No matter what, only the three of us can know what we're really up to. Trust no one with any information you have concerning us."
"Why are you looking at me?!" Mayu glared. The young Uchiha glared right back.
"Because you're the one with the problem," he commented. "I'd bet you crumble like a paper bag if put under interrogation."
"I would no-" A thoughtful appeared. "Actually, you might be right about that." Both Sasuke and Naruto shook their heads. "So… I guess this is it."
"Y-Yeah…" Naruto murmured. "It is… Can I have one last hug?"
"No," Sasuke replied flatly. He even shuddered.
"Aww…!" The blonde's shoulders drooped as Sasuke hesitantly slid his eyes over to Mayu. He pressed his lips in a thin line.
"I still want a goodbye kiss," he stated.
"No," Mayu replied in the same tone he had. Sasuke scowled. "But before you go, I do want you to do something."
"And that would be…?"
"I want you to fight me."
"What?"
"I think she said she wants you to fight he-"
"Shut up, Naruto." Sasuke turned back to the girl. "Why? I thought you had enough."
"You're the one who said you wanted to make this look as real as possible," Mayu reminded. She shrugged. "No one's going to believe that me and Naruto just walked away without any scratches. So, fight me. Besides, now I'm sure that you let me hit you all those times. My pride won't let you get away with that."
"Wouldn't it make more sense if I-" Naruto was rudely interrupted.
"No, you had your chance at the hospital. I wanna turn now," Mayu said.
"What am I—a doorknob?" Sasuke thought. "You know you won't win," he said aloud. His eyes glanced at his shoulder. "This thing is powerful… and after taking some type of drug to enhance it… I feel… untouchable."
"That's not the point," Mayu stated. "It's not a real fight, after all. I said I wanted to fight you when, and only when, there is no outside help. That curse mark of yours… outside help. Me calling upon another's abilities—that equals outside help, too. Let's call this… a teaser."
"Teaser…?"
"Yeah, the hit motion picture won't happen until later," she explained.
"Fine, come at me," Sasuke beckoned her.
"Okay, but I must warn you not to underestimate what I can do."
"I'm pretty sure the last time I did that, I got beat up, so… probably not going to do that this time around." He smirked, and then dropped into a stance. "Naruto, I suggest you give us some space." The blond frowned, rolled his eyes, but complied with the suggestion regardless. Sasuke turned his focus back to Mayu. He lifted his hand, palm up. His four fingers moved back and forth. "Come!" Mayu returned the smirk before she, too, lowered herself into a fighting stance. Her shoulders tensed. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, watching her back leg. It shifted slightly, and then the girl shot forward. Predictable. The Uchiha bent his torso back to avoid the swinging right kick. He straightened himself just in time to catch his opponent's left fist. "You're going to have to do better than that, Mayu," he told her.
"Oh, I plan to!" She promptly kneed his stomach. Sasuke slid back, coughing out. Having no time to recover, Mayu rammed her fist into his cheek, sending him flying. The young ninja rolled to a stop. On his knees, he wiped his chin with the back of his hand. "You don't have to hold back too much, bird brain. I know what I'm doing!"
"My mistake," Sasuke replied. He smirked again. Slowly, he returned to his feet. With her index finger she gestured for him to make his move. Without warning, Sasuke cut across the field, appearing in front of Mayu within a moment. "Let me return the favor!" He punched her stomach, causing the girl to hunch over. This was followed by an uppercut. She soared through the air, and then her back slammed against the unyielding force of the ground. Sasuke leapt up only to descend towards Mayu. His fist outstretched, aiming for her torso. He did not expect her to recover so fast, though. Her leg came up at the last possible second, nailing his midsection.
With a grunt, Mayu kicked the Uchiha away with her other foot. Both groaned in obvious pain. "Son of a bitch," she grumbled, rolling over. Shaking, she pushed herself from the ground. Despite the pain, the girl released a chuckle. This couldn't be healthy, but she did enjoy it—the thrill. Mayu stood up, only to discover that Sasuke had already gotten to his feet. Admittedly, the curse mark did have its perks. "Hm… I wonder if that guy's dead, yet…" she thought. Her tongue ran over her teeth. There was blood in her mouth. She spit out the bloody saliva, and then returned her focus to Sasuke. Well, at least there was a bruise forming on his face. "I'll wait just a little while longer before surprising him." She hadn't told him, but he had been right about her relation to Ishikari. How else would she be able to use their strange abilities? Besides, she had already come to this conclusion when she had successfully used their jutsu against Jirobo. Either that, or reincarnation really did exist.
Mayu extended her left arm towards Sasuke. Separately, she curled her four fingers. "Come!" she mocked. The Uchiha showed his teeth, and then gave into her mimicking demand. The girl rushed forward at the same time as he. The two collided, blocking and punching, trying to gain an upper hand. Back and forth they went, in pain yet grinning. Naruto closed his eyes and shook his head. They were so obvious. They moved so fast, but he could clearly see their enjoyment as they traded blows. With one last impact, their movements stopped. Their fingers clasped together, trying to push against each other. Blood dripped from their chins. Still, the grins remained. They panted heavily, staring into each other's eyes.
"You're… better than I thought. You really haven't been… sitting on your ass," Sasuke remarked.
"You…" Mayu swallowed. "You thought I… lied? Heh, you really are… just a bird brain."
"Quiet, cocoon girl!"
"Oi…! Clench your teeth!" They broke away from each other. She smirked. "I have something to show you." Mayu's appearance began to alter. She could feel the change her body was undergoing. Her black hair changed to orange. Her skin color became lighter. Her eyes took on the color of light brown. However, she retained her Hinata-like resemblance. Mayu looked towards her hand. "It happened," she murmured.
"What? Why do you-?" Sasuke made a face. Obviously, he didn't like her new color scheme. "Since when can you do that?!"
"Apparently since you've become the biggest trickster of us three," Mayu answered. She grinned. "Don't worry. I'll catch up. For now, let's see how far this body can go."
0-0
Uchiha Itachi suddenly halted all movements. Slowly, his head turned, glancing behind him. His partner, Hoshigaki Kisame stopped as well. His lip twitched, watching the younger shinobi in silence. Finally, he had to ask. "Something wrong?" Without turning to face him, Itachi answered in his usual monotone.
"No." The Uchiha remained where he stood, though.
"Then-"
"Return without me. I will catch up," Itachi interrupted. The younger ninja then began to move again. Without another word, he walked away from his partner. Kisame almost rolled his eyes, and then sighed. Just when he thought he understood Itachi, the genius does something unpredictable.
"Leader-sama is not going to like this," he thought.
0-0
Mayu shifted her foot forward. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. This was not good. He had just about figured out his opponent's capabilities, and then she pulls this. Different appearance met different abilities. Honestly, he did not know anything about the Ishikari clan. But he did believe they were capable of jutsu. Apparently, they were. And this new look Mayu sported—he had seen it somewhere before. However, at the moment, exactly where he had seen the look eluded him. Probably wasn't important… "But with her style of fighting, whatever these new abilities are could be trouble." He frowned. The only way to learn in this situation was to experience firsthand. "Bring it on, Mayu."
"You got it!"
Using her chakra as a booster, the girl launched ahead, arm reared back in preparation of throwing a punch. Sasuke slid his right leg back in order to have as much balance as possible. His eyes widened. Mayu had suddenly disappeared from his sight. He felt her presence behind him, yet it was too late to do anything. Pain registered in his brain as he soared through the air. She had kicked him in his side. And it hurt like a bitch! "Faster and stronger?!" Sasuke thought, feeling as though puke was going to show up. He breathed heavily and swallowed hard. "No… Not faster… She used chakra again at the last second." He squeezed his eyes shut. His body probably would not be able to handle too many of those blows from her. Then again, he had not used the cursed mark yet. In fact, it was still sealed. He did not want to use that on her. Sasuke swallowed again, picking himself up from the ground. He opened his eyes, locking eyes with his opponent.
"Oh…? You're using the Sharingan?" Mayu murmured. Even from this distance, he could clearly make out her lips forming the sentence. "I said fight me, not woo me, you know." Sasuke could not help the smirk. Becoming flattered because he was using his advantage against her—honestly, was she even a girl? She was not normal.
"Who's wooing who?" The young Uchiha's lip twitched. He took a step towards the fighter. "Maybe we should end it here, Mayu. At our current levels, it would be pointless to continue. Both of us look beat up as it is," Sasuke spoke his suggestion aloud. "Just how long can you keep that form?"
"You're just saying that because you don't wanna be hit again, aren't you?"
"Par… Partially," Sasuke admitted this to himself. That kick of hers…! Imagining a well-aimed punch from her, in this altered form, did not seem the least bit appealing. His body might not make it all the way to Orochimaru. Luckily, it did not seem as though Mayu or Naruto could read lips. "For now, let's stop the 'teaser.' We'll pick back up later." The girl frowned but nodded. Gradually, her appearance shifted back. "Good…" His eyes reverted to onyx. He did not want to waste anymore chakra than he needed to.
"So, you're leaving now…?" Mayu questioned. Sasuke slowly nodded his head. She walked towards him. "Don't be gone too long then, alright?" She halted directly in front of him. Again, the Uchiha nodded his head. The girl's eyelids lowered a bit. She sighed through her nostrils. Her hand lifted to rest on his shoulder. Sasuke's eyebrows rose. "I… I'll miss you." She leaned forward, brushing her lips against his cheek. She reared back, noticing the delight in his dark eyes. Wow. She was going to enjoy this new side of Sasuke, after all. He opened his mouth, prepared to say something, but a raindrop fell to his nose. He blinked, and then looked up. Mayu did the same as more drops fell from the sky. "Rain… I didn't even realize it had gotten so cloudy." In near sync, the two returned their focus to one another. "You're leaving…" The speed of the rainfall increased, and so did its numbers. The change in weather was ignored. "But it's for all the right reasons. I'm proud of you, bird brain."
"Don't be so surprised," Sasuke said, lifting his shoulder in a shrug. "We're a team. I'm going to look out for all of you. I won't abandon or betray my comrades. I'm not like him." Mayu's smile became a grin. Sasuke smiled as he stared at her. The heat rushed to his cheeks. Then his thoughts shifted elsewhere. "I won't do as you want me to." He wanted to be happy after everything was over. His revenge could not consume him to the point of being blind. He could not allow that. He wanted to live with a future to be proud of. Doing anything and everything for revenge was not something to be proud of. "You can't control anymore… Uchiha Itachi." His brother would not dictate how his life panned out. Not anymore. He would never become like his brother. Never.
"Sasuke…!" Naruto shouted. His dark eyes turned to the blond ninja. He rushed towards the two. Sasuke held out his arm, clenching his fist. Naruto's eyes widened, and then a smile appeared. He, too, extended his arm, bumping his fist against the Uchiha's. "I was too proud before… but… I'll miss you, too… best friend." The two shinobi dropped their arms in unison.
"Take care of my headband, Naruto. I'll need it back eventually," Sasuke told him. He smiled one last time, and then lowered his eyes to ground. Without warning, he disappeared, and then reappeared behind the blond shinobi. As expected, he turned his head slightly, giving Sasuke the opening he needed. A sharp blow to his temple caused Naruto to fall unconscious. Mayu winced as he crumpled to the ground. She then frowned.
"You totally took that from me," she stated. Sasuke smirked. "You better not knock me out, too!"
"Don't be stupid," he muttered. "Anyway, I'm leaving now. Use the kunai in Naruto's weapon's pouch to cut up his jumpsuit."
"Are you saying that because it's atrocious or…"
"Both."
"Thought so." Mayu knelt beside to the unconscious ninja. "To make it look like you fought him, too, right?" she asked as she reached into the pouch. She didn't receive an answer. When she looked up again, he was gone. Mayu pressed her lips into a thin line. "It started and it ended…" she thought. "But maybe it'll be better… this time around." Quickly, she cut and tore holes and slashes into Naruto's clothing before placing the weapon back where it belonged. Kakashi should be arriving soon. Mayu closed her eyes and lied across Naruto's body.
Within a few moments, she could hear footsteps approaching because of the wet grass and muddy ground. She slowly lifted her head to see a dog and a pair of human legs. Her eyes traveled up, trying to look as crestfallen as possible. "Mayu…" His voice was grave. Hm… Should she try to force tears or become apathetic? "It is… as I feared?"
"Kakashi-sensei…" She lowered her gaze to the slashes in Naruto's attire. It was a bit easy to go with the flow seeing as how it was raining. Mayu squeezed her eyes shut, curling her fingers into fists. Really, with this sullen body language, she didn't really need to talk. Sasuke really thought this through. He even planned to render Naruto unconscious. The blond would probably make an unconvincing scene by being obnoxious about it.
"I see," Kakashi murmured. He sighed. "I'm sorry that I got here too late."
"It's fine…" Slowly, Mayu stood up. "There was nothing we could do. Sasuke chose his path." She wiped at her face. "We should leave now. My body hurts." Kakashi gave her a look that she clearly understood. He pitied her. Ah—well, at least the act was convincing, right? Still, it ticked her off a bit for some reason.
"Are you alright?"
"Do I look alright?"
"Sorry… I suppose interrogating you isn't the best right now," Kakashi apologized. He picked up Naruto, and then positioned him on his back. "Let's head back. Pakkun."
"Yeah." The two—dog and ninja—bounded off, expecting the girl to follow. However, she stood there, staring incredulously at the spot the small dog had disappeared from.
"Did that dog just talk?!"
"Mayu…!" Kakashi called back. "Let's go!"
"O-Okay!"
0-0
So close to the ending...!