Chapter Twenty

"I hear your mission was a success."

"It was."

"Surprising."

"You doubt his skills?"

"No, his skills are adequate."

"You really don't like me, do you?" Karin asked as she stared across the table at the pale green haired woman. She was relaxed, in her element and on her own ground: her home. Hard violet eyes stared at her from beneath the Mist symbol; still in uniform despite the fact she was on leave. Her arm was wrapped in bandages and her shoulder was strapped up; evidence of Suigetsu's anger.

Karin shifted uncomfortably.

"I didn't ask him to come."

Gakuri smiled maliciously at her naivety, "You didn't have to."

"Then why do you hate me so much?"

The smile disappeared, leaving only that cold stare. Gakuri said nothing.

"I can't change the past. I know that some awful things happened to him and I know that L… that Orochimaru didn't suffer enough for what he did."

"Why would I care about that?"

Karin started in shock, looking at her with wide eyes. "You don't care?"

"I was given a task, girl. It was not one I particularly wanted but I will make sure it is completed satisfactorily. You are nothing but an obstacle that must be overcome."

Karin slumped back in her seat, "An obstacle? That's all I am?"

"And you will never be anything else." Gakuri finished.

Karin's breath caught in her throat and she blinked rapidly to prevent her tears from falling.

"I'm sorry to bother you. I'll leave… oh shit!"

Gakuri looked at Karin in confusion. Her eyes were wide but vacant; the emotional distress had seemingly evaporated due to some invisible stimuli.

"What is it?" She asked, then cursed herself for letting her curiosity take over.

"Suigetsu is panicking."

Gakuri looked around the room. She couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. She stood up and went to the door, opening it to look down the street. Still, nothing.

"What are you talking about?"

Karin was smiling, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she turned to look at the other woman.

"He's finally realized that I left."

"Where is he?" Gakuri asked, now evaluating the girl in front of her.

"In his house." Karin replied matter-of-factly, then she chuckled, "He's making such a mess."

It was only through strength of will that Gakuri's mouth didn't fall open. Suigetsu's house was on the other side of the village, and there was a lot of distance and people between them and him. Her surprise at the strength and scope of Karin's abilities was slowly being replaced by calculations.

"What genjutsu did you use?"

Karin jolted, loosing her concentration and dropping out of her surveillance. The look on Gakuri's face indicated interest, not distaste.

"There's a seal on the headboard. It provides a link so that I can feed chakra into a clone from a long distance."

"Just chakra?" Gakuri inquired, "Can you move the clone at all?"

"Yes." Karin answered simply, not really wanting to be forthcoming with a woman who only viewed her as an impediment.

"How much?"

Karin stared at her silently.

Gakuri stormed across the room towards her, anger evident in her face. Karin backed away.

"I've frozen you before, girl. Don't think these injuries will prevent me from doing it again."

"That's unnecessary." Karin stammered, putting the table between her and Gakuri, for all the good it would do.

"Answer the question."

"I-I can move it. From small twitches to full mimicry, if required."

"So that's how you did it." Gakuri smirked, "Were those Leaf idiots aware of this skill?"

She cut Karin off before she could answer, "I assume not, given that you used it to escape. I underestimated you."

Karin wilted slightly under the appraising look now focused on her. Had it not been so off-putting, she would have snapped back that Gakuri didn't even know her, so clearly her initial perception would be inaccurate.

"Where is he now?"

"He's outside." Karin replied, searching him out. "He's still looking and he's angry."

While Karin was mentally focused on him, Gakuri stepped up beside her and took her arm roughly.

"Take me to him." She ordered.

"What?" Karin gasped, as she was pulled out of the house.

"If you really are tracking him, you can take me to him with no trouble." Gakuri stated, throwing Karin out in front of her. "Start moving."

Karin stood up, having stumbled to her knees, and mentally searched for Suigetsu in the crowds of the village. With some trepidation, she started out towards him, Gakuri following along behind her.

Author's Note: So, who saw that coming?