Chapter 8

A/N: I actually realized I wrote a heck of a lot. o-O More than I thought. So I'm breaking it down into more chapters for you all. I hope you guys don't mind the longer chapters though. I'm finding where to begin the new chapter in order to keep them from getting insanely long. ^^ This chap is KarinxSasukexEmiko...not as a threesome pairing, but just featuring all three of them.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Emiko yawned, and stretched out on her bed. She had only slept until evening after being awake all night. She covered her head with her sheets. She couldn't believe what happened in the past day. Orochimaru punished her and proved he doesn't care about her, and Sasuke kissed her and she asked for more. Emiko didn't understand it. She was just so distraught she wanted comfort in any form and fashion.

The days passed by quickly, Emiko listened to her orders without complaint and avoided punishment. She didn't avoid Sasuke, but she tried to ignore him, never saying anything to him when others were around. No one thought much of that however, since no one ever saw them talk much to begin with. When no one was looking Emiko gave him an unsure look, and he looked as calm as ever.

Emiko started the day off venturing out, telling Orochimaru that she was going to partake in pet training, but it wasn't quite the truth. She just wanted to use an excuse to get away. "Good moring Karin." Emiko chimed as she passed by the other kunoichi, who just looked at her dumbfounded.

Karin was acting strange, as always, yet even more strange towards Emiko only if that was possible. She was once again acting as if she had distaste for Emiko. Emiko was unsure what would have made such a change, but it didn't sit right with her. "Karin." Emiko repeated once the kunoichi was silent for a while.

"What?" Karin asked, a bit annoyed. "Why don't you come with me? It's been a while since we were together." Emiko stated.

"Since when do we do things like that? It's not like we're on a mission." Karin scoffed.

"Well, no but the more we get used to each other even outside of missions will help when we do have them." Emiko said, reasoning her way through her suggestion.

Karin sighed and grumbled something inaudible. "Fine. Let's go. Do you want to train?" She spoke up.

"That would be nice." Emiko agreed.

The two kunoichi headed into the forest, walking silently beside each other.

"You're not tired are you? You've been working a bit lately." Karin commented.

"Have I? It hasn't been affecting me really, I've barely noticed." Emiko shrugged it off with a wave of her hand.

Orochimaru although not directly punishing, seemed to hold something against Emiko. He gave her simple orders to fill, but he seemed to be avoiding talking to her almost as much as she was ignoring Sasuke. By keeping her busy with simple tasks, he also kept her out of his room except for the few times he decided to call on her. Emiko figured it was a form of indirect punishing for having made him mad days ago, and another way of saying that he was the one in control.

She felt as if it weren't going to get any worse than it already was. She was still bothered by the things that happened and wanted to distance herself from Orochimaru. He was keeping her busy lately, and unbeknownst to him it was actually a relief for the kunoichi because she didn't have to put any effort into avoiding him.

Her wishes were being granted for now, but she had no idea how she would react once Orochimaru finally made her be by his side again. If she protested it would certainly lead to trouble. So maybe she would have no choice but to give in.

"Well, you're doing good as long as you follow what Orochimaru-Sama tells you." Karin remarked. Emiko only nodded. It seemed everyone but her was aware of the extent of Orochimaru's wrath. Although Karin wasn't as informed about Emiko's situation as Sasuke, she still held some of the sensibility when it came to the sannin.

The two heard what seemed to be like the rapid chriping of birds in the coming from the east. "Birds?" Karin quizzed, and jumped as the noise ceased and was followed by a crashing noise.

Emiko recognized the sound differently than what Karin suspected and jogged in that direction, leaving Karin following aimlessly. "Where are you going?" Karin asked. Emiko didn't respond. She quietly positioned herself beside a tree and looked into the clearing.

She had been right, the chriping was actually the sound of a jutsu. Sasuke stood alone on top of a source of water. Except from the direction that Emiko and Karin had come from, the place seemed as if a lumbar jack had set up work there and destroyed many of natures works.

"Hey, what's the big deal?" Karin asked, until she stopped beside Emiko and noticed the Uchiha. She gasped, obviously not expecting Emiko to have sought him out. She looked over at Emiko and saw a small smile grace her face. Emiko felt as if she were being stared at and looked over to see Karin all but scowling at her.

"Eh, what's up?" She asked, feeling uneasy at the sudden expression. "Nothing, I just thought you were doing something productive, but never mind." Karin put her hands on her hips. "Anyways, we should go now before Sasuke sees us. This is close to spying and I'm not sure if he'll be happy with you here."

"It's too late for that."

They both jumped as they heard Sasuke's voice approaching them. "Sasuke-kun, we're sorry. She was being annoying, I don't know why she came here, but I'll take her away." Karin offered, perking up.

"I don't care if she's here or not." Sasuke spoke, indifferently.

Karin bit her lip. "But Sasuke-kun, she's only be in the way. You're on a different level than she is anyway."

"Hmph. Maybe so, but maybe I should test how well she can keep up." Sasuke spoke, locking eyes with Emiko and smirking.

Emiko smirked as well. "You're challenging me, huh? It's pretty bold, since you never have before."

Karin frowned at this. She did not like this interaction between them, and wasn't afraid to show it.
"Emiko, I'll gladly spar with you!" Karin spoke.

Both the Uchiha and Emiko gave Karin a look of disbelief. "What is that look for? I'm not weak, you know." Karin defended herself.

"I know you aren't. I just never expected you would want to." Emiko said.

"You'll only serve to embarrass yourself." Sasuke muttered.

This commented seemed to set Karin off as she wanted to prove herself. She charged at Emiko, kunai in hand and stabbed her in the abdomen. There was a poof of smoke and a snake fell into the water and slithered away.

"What?" Karin looked around dumbfounded. "Did she just turn into that snake?" Karin asked, raising her voice in surprise.

"That was...a substitution." Sasuke said, letting out a sigh. "Really? Your eyes are impressive Sasuke-kun." Karin commented, forgetting that she had yet to find the real Emiko.

"Karin!" Emiko rang out, causing Karin to gasp and look where the sound had came from: right above her. Emiko landed a punch to Karin's face, sending her flying several feet away and tumble to the ground.

"Tch" Sasuke scoffed, not surprised at the inevidable. "She only does what she wants, and it's annoying that she doesn't realize her limits." Sasuke commented.

"Only does what she wants? Not quite, I remember her doing something for Sasuke, not very long ago." Emiko said, smiling. Sasuke looked at her, his memory quickly recalling what she meant. "That was more in your benefit." He announced.

"Yeah, but it did help. So thanks a lot." Emiko said in a whisper.

"I didn't really expect you to thank me after all this time." Sasuke spoke.

Emiko looked over at Karin who was still rubbing her bruised cheek while sitting on the ground.

Emiko looked at Sasuke and gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry...it's just I wasn't sure if it would have been appropriate to talk to you. After all you think I'm disgusting after what happened, and I guess I have to agree with you." She muttered.

"I never said that you were disgusting. I just said that act would be during that circumstance." The male shinobi revealed.

Emiko gave him a curious look, but then quickly remembered their surroundings. "Do you have to mention that here?" Emiko whispered harshly.

"Is there an issue?" Sasuke questioned.

Emiko wanted to think she seriously didn't hear such of question. "Of course! Karin-"

"Karin is not important in this matter." Sasuke interrupted.

"But she likes you and she'll flip out on me." Emiko urged.

"Well, the feeling isn't mutual so she'll get over it." Sasuke remarked coldly.

"Sasuke...are you serious? That stuff you said before. Are you sure you aren't confused?" Emiko questioned.

"You're seriously becoming a pain by basically asking the same thing over and over. I already gave you my answer. So I have to spell it out in clear letters for you?" Sasuke asked, groaning.

"You may as well. Because I am still having a hard time believing it."

"The first time, you were pissed at me. The second you were upset that I had spoken the truth. You have no excuse to be dense now. Apparently...I think of you in a different way than I see most people here. While Karin annoys me, I actually don't mind being around you and aside from that I respect you more than the others. It bothers me that you're so attached to Orochimaru." Sasuke spoke. He was now standing directly in front of her, facing down into her gaze.

Emiko placed her hands over her mouth. "And you call me an idiot? Orochimaru-Sama surely won't approve of that." She said, hesitantly. "Hmph. I'm not sure I really care." Sasuke said, a snide smark appearing on his face.

"What are you guys talking about? You basically forgot I'm here!" Karin whined, dusting her bottom off and heading towards the two.

"So, whoever draws first wins." Emiko stated, suddenly changing the subject back to their sparring. Sasuke smirked, as Emiko leaped back a bit, putting them at an even distance. They both stepped off at the same time, heading towards each other. Emiko had already drawn her dagger, Sasuke had yet to do the same.

Emiko adjusted her dagger, ready to aim for her spot. When they were nearly two meters from colliding, Sasuke's hand reached for his sword. Emiko smirked and with a burst of chakra, attempted to close the distance at an accelerated rate, however by the time she had managed to get her dagger under Sasuke's chin, he had his sword against her neck.

She gasped, not expecting his reaction speed to pull through. They stood there in that position, staring the other down. Karin cheered Sasuke on with affectionate words, and giving a few degrading comments to Emiko. It seemed as long Sasuke was there, it was almost no chance of Karin being any more friendly than she already was.

Emiko looked over to Karin and chuckled. "I guess you're right. I was too slow? Maybe I should have taken it more seriously." Emiko tried a friendly effort of agreeing with Karin's comments about her own flaws. Karin smirked, pleased she seemed to be getting through to the kunoichi. Emiko relaxed her weapon, and felt Sasuke do the same. Emiko's eyes flicked back towards Sasuke, only in time to get hit in the abdomen and sent flying backwards.

Emiko fell through the water and quickly resurfaced. "No fair! You caught me off guard!" Emiko complained. "Always keep your guard up against the enemy." Sasuke scolded.

"But it was just a spar." Emiko stated. "Did I say I would go easy on you just because it was a spar?" Sasuke gazed at her expressionlessly.

"No, but I figured since you-" Emiko cut herself off, once again about to loose her tongue and say whatever.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her for her to continue.

"I...thought you respected me too much for that." Emiko said, smiling at the shinobi.

Karin scoffed. "Respect? Why the hell would Sasuke respect you? He's on a different level than you are so he has no need for that."

"You're right Karin. I guess that was silly of me, huh?" Emiko rubbed the back of her head.

Although Emiko spoke puzzles to Karin, Sasuke understood her indirect question.

"Respect or not. While going head to head, you're no different from anyone else. Except, I may spare you from being killed." Sasuke said, smirking.

"Ha, well I guess that's as much of a perk someone would get." Emiko said, teasingly.

Emiko swam to shore, getting out and wringing her clothes out against her body the best she could. "This is not comfortable. I didn't plan to get wet." She groaned.

She looked over at Sasuke. "I'll get you yet Sasuke. Just wait." She said with a smirk. "Heh." Sasuke didn't object to the challenge.

A/N: Please review guys! Thanks for reading. =D