Chapter 8

We arrived about midday and delivered the fake papers at the gate of the Rain village. One of the ninja who came to get then was one of the ones I had defeated. He didn't give me a very warm welcome to say the least. He shouted like a maniac that I was a killer and I was not to be trusted. True enough but that didn't mean I didn't give him the old your-such-a-pathetic-ninja look. He had to be held back and hauled into the village. The last word I heard from him was that I was a monster that should be put down before I destroyed everyone. That bothered me a bit but I shrugged it off as we began our slow journey headed back.

This time Sasuke and Kakashi were leading the group, Sakura and Naruto were bringing up the rear arguing and I was stuck in the middle. I supposed that Kakashi had told Naruto to keep a close watch on me because he was looking at me a lot with his annoying seriousness of being on a mission. Sakura had apparently been told to do so also but she wasn't as willing. Clearly she had hoped to do this with Sasuke and was looking downcast. It made me wonder whether Sasuke had said something to her last night or not. Naruto was, of course, ecstatic that Sakura was walking beside him and was talking, a lot. It was just getting on my nerves when Sakura turns on him and lets out a little of her fury on the blond.

She punched him hard and asked angrily while he was rubbing his sore cheek, "Can't you be quiet for two minutes Naruto?! You are so annoying!" We all stopped to watch and wait for them. Kakashi and Sasuke were acting like this happened all the time. I was having some trouble looking at Sasuke even from the corner of my eye. Just sensing him there was making me jumpy and I wished that I could just be free to jump through the trees and head far from here. I focused my attention more on the angry Sakura and pained Naruto.

Sasuke had already turned and was continuing on. Kakashi followed suit as Sakura started walking again. Naruto followed her and I started again myself.

"What's your problem Sakura?" Naruto asked still rubbing his red cheek.

She looked sad and longingly at Sasuke's back but didn't say anything. That left no doubt in my mind he had talked to her last night. I looked in their direction as well and became aware for the first time that they were several yards from the three of us. It took me a few seconds to realize they were talking to each other.

I strained and heard Kakashi say, "You have to be more careful. We don't know anything about her yet."

"What are you saying I should have left her to die?"

"No it's just that there's something she isn't telling us and you shouldn't be getting close to her."

"You're too paranoid Kakashi. I helped her big deal."

"I'm not blind Sasuke. I can see what's happening. Just don't let your guard down."

"Ya whatever."

"Hey Kakashi-sensei I'm hungry how long till we get back to the village?" Naruto asked loudly in a moody tone.

Kakashi looked over his shoulder, "We're almost there just another few hours."

Naruto grumbled moodily and Sakura told him to stop complaining and move faster. I was only half listening most of my attention was focused on Kakashi and Sasuke but they didn't speak again. What was that about? I wondered replaying the conversation in my head again.

Kakashi obviously didn't trust me that was a given. Which also meant that the village didn't trust me either but that was easy to change. What puzzled me that most was what Kakashi said about seeing what was happening. What on earth could he mean by that?


We arrived back in the village just as the sun was falling in the west and the sky turned a hundred shades of red. We reported to the Hokage and were finally allowed to go.

"Tomorrow we meet at the training grounds at nine." Kakashi informed us.

Sakura and Naruto groaned. "More like noon." muttered Naruto as we all headed down the road away from Kakashi.

"Hey Sasuke, do you want to go to dinner with me?" Sakura asked eagerly. Annoying fan girl. I thought irritably.

"No." Sasuke answered uninterested.

"Oh ok maybe some other time?" she asked halfheartedly.

"I'll go with you Sakura!" Naruto volunteered.

"Quiet you!" she said in a deathly dangerous voice and watched Sasuke walk away around the next bend.

It sounds almost rehearsed. Eager fan girl gets rejected by uninterested Uchiha and in turn rejects obsessed puppy dog. How romantic. I thought dryly.

I walked on toward my new place and was not long after being followed. They weren't being very stealthy about it.

I paused for a second and looked over my shoulder as I turned a corner, "You know if you're going to follow me you might want to put a little more effort into it." I said and heard Naruto mutter something.

I turned and crossed my arms watching him come out from behind some camouflage sheet that looked like the wood fencing behind him.

An excellent opportunity. Now I don't have to stalk after him to find out where he lives. I thought triumphantly.

"So where did Gramma Tsunade put you?" he asked still sounding a little sore from being found.

"Over here." I said pointing to my building, "Where are you?"

Naruto pointed to the second floor of a red building on our right.

"So why were you following me?" I asked not bothering to look at the blond.

"Huh? Oh it was nothing just some training I was doing." he replied too fast and too casually.

Bad liar terrible, hot headed, loud mouth, Are they sure we have the right guy? I knew we did but for the life of me I couldn't think why anyone would want to capture this pain in the neck. Still it was my mission and from my stand point it wouldn't be too hard to do.

"Well you should train harder then. I really hope that wasn't your best." I said bluntly trying to get a rise out of him.

It worked, I'd wounded his pride. "It wasn't I was just not really trying that hard." he said defensively.

"Hm, well if you feel up to really trying I like a challenge. Not that I really expect that you would be but I like surprises too." I said that mostly in good humor to keep him interested in me enough so I didn't always have to look for him. Not that that would be hard, I thought, With that orange getup you can see him coming miles away.

He glared at me not sure what to make of that. I smirked, it was fun toying with this idiot.

"I guess I'll see you at the training grounds then." I said.

"Ya I'll be coming late. I've got a special mission to do." Naruto replied giving me a mischievous grin.

"Do I want to know?" I asked rasing an eyebrow at him.

He giggled a bit and lower his voice dramatically, "I'm going to follow Kakashi-sensei and see why he's always late."

I burst into laughter at that. "You actually think you can follow a jonin unnoticed? That's the best one I've heard in a long time." I said when my laughter had subsided some.

"What you don't think I can do it?"

"No but I wish you the best of luck." I said and turned the corner leaving him glaring after me.

I kept coming up with images of Naruto making a complete fool out of himself, coming to the training grounds, and Kakashi telling him that he needed work on his stealth. I was just thinking that maybe I should tail him tomorrow so I didn't miss any of the action when I noticed that I had yet another tail.

This one was being a lot better about hiding themselves though. Had I not been trained to recognize it I wouldn't have noticed someone was following me. I could tell it was a skilled ninja but beyond that I couldn't tell anything else about them. Then I realized there wasn't one but two following me. I focused on them as I walked but they were very good about keeping hidden.

Just before I entered my building I felt them drop their guard for a second. One was Kakashi and the other was older and significantly larger and more skilled. That must be Jiraiya. I had been told about him. He was one of the legendary Sanin and he was very powerful. It was dangerous for even me to fight him and being an Akatsuki member I was in a lot of danger being around him. Pretending as always that I was a clueless genin with no knowledge of either of them I walked casually to my room.


I sat on my bed looking again at my supply of weapons laid out before me. I had abandoned the idea of sleep after a few minutes of trying. Those two were watching me closely and I didn't feel like sleep anyway. I had slept last night surprisingly peacefully. I didn't need nightmares tonight anyway.

I had done very little in the time between then and now. I had taken Sasuke's bandages off to finish healing my cut, looked threw my small pile of possessions, and cleaned my weaponry. All that had taken me only a few hours and now it was only around eleven.

Kakashi and Jiraiya had been watching me the entire time which I found a little irritating. Being watched and sitting around didn't do well with me but I was patient. Sometimes I could hear their conversations. They had so far talked about, any motives I might have for being in the leaf village, who I could be working for, and why I didn't clean the bloodstained Kunai.

I picked my mother's Kunai and examined it as I had a hundred times. I could tell my blood from her blood easily. Mine was newer and still glistened somewhat, her's was stained permanently into the metal and had a slightly faded look. I ran it's sharp edge along my palm just for the satisfying feeling of my blood being spilled by the very thing that had killed her.

"In due time mother, in due time." I muttered not realizing until I said it that they heard me.

"What do you think she meant by that?" Kakashi asked Jiraiya.

"I'm not sure."

"Do you think we should tell the Hokage about this?"

"Not until we know what it means."

They really don't trust me. Not that I really expected anything more. Maybe it is time to call in the cavalry. I thought smirking to myself as I clutched my hand around the cut.

I put the weapons away in their respective pouches. I walked to the window and leaped out onto the roof and looked up at the moon hanging above me knowing Itachi was doing the same. I ran along jumping roof to roof heading for the training grounds. I could only go half my normal speed with those two following me but I wouldn't need to for long.


I leaped along the trees as fast as I could relishing the speed I had been suppressing. It would take the average shinobi days to get to Itachi but it only took me a few hours. The Kagura clan had amazing physical abilities from having to cope with our jutsu' effect and it transfers into amazing taijutsu that helps make up for our lack of genjutsu.

It was almost child's play getting out of the village. I had summoned several element clones and had a practice fighting with them and slipped out unnoticed. Kakashi and Jiraiya were undoubtedly still watching them.

I finally reached the spot Itachi had said he would meet me. He was there standing at the top of a small hill outlined by the moon light. As I knew he would be he was looking up at the moon. I paused at the bottom of the hill stunned by the way the moonlight hit him. It made him lookso amazing like he was actually soaking in the moonlight. Unbidden the image of Sasuke in the moonlight came to my mind. I shook myself and walked up to him.

I knew he knew I was there but he didn't look at me until I was a few feet away and asked, "What brings you here so soon Sorin?"

It was good to hear his vioce again, it erased all thoughts of Sasuke from my mind. I had a little trouble looking at him but didn't waver my gaze.

"As you thought they don't trust me. I didn't expect them to but Jiraiya has begun to tail me along with Kakashi."

Itachi closed his eyes, "Kisame and I will attack the south wall at noon. You know what to do."

"Yes. Noon then."

I was about to start heading back when Itachi asked, "Have you seen Sasuke yet?"

"Yes I have been placed on his team." I said looking curiously at Itachi.

He nodded and gave me a look that made me feel like I was being searched. "Go then."

I left glancing behind me when I reached the trees. Itachi was still standing there but now he had a different look like something was troubling him. If I didn't know his face so well I wouldn't know the difference. What do you think about Itachi?