Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto~

A/N: There has been more favorites recently, and I wanted to say thanks. I also wanted to ask if everyone could leave a review comment if possible! I like hearing what you guys think. ^^

Sasuke was the first to wake up at the chirping of the birds. A faint light shone in through the cabin as dawn just broke through and the sun was still rising. The raining had stopped, which was a positive sign that traveling would go easier and quicker. However he couldn't move, or rather he didn't feel compelled to move, as he felt a pair of arms gently squeezing him, along with a head laying on his back.

He wanted to make haste, but he didn't want to interrupt the kunoichi behind him. He felt her breathing in a steady rhythm. Sasuke felt Emiko shift and remove one arm away. Carefully, he slid away, getting up and changing his clothes. He paid no attention to the kunoichi, and when he was done he turned to find her still sleeping. He grabbed a piece of fruit he had brought and peeled it, stuffing it into his mouth.

When he was done he picked up one of Emiko's garment's tossing it on her face. "Oi, Emiko." Sasuke called. The girl was startled by the call and the clothing hitting her face. She sat up quickly, yanking the garment away. "Some shinobi you are." Sasuke teased, marveling her surprised expression. "Luckily we weren't attacked or you'd be a bit behind, don't you think?"

Emiko sighed. "No way." She denied, getting up. She gathered her things together before grabbing her clothes. She then noticed that Sasuke was staring at her. "What is it?" She asked, wondering if he was being perverted and wanting to watch her change.

"It's nothing." He commented, smirking, before turning away. "Let's get going after you're done." He said, making sure to get his own items. "Alright." Emiko responded.

She changed her clothes, not thinking about the motions as she pulled her sandals on. She pondered what the Uchiha was thinking about yesterday, if he was thinking about it at all. Hurriedly she made her way outside to find Sasuke ready to take off.

"Let's go. Unless you want to wait around all day." She teased him, as she leapt into the tree to take off. He followed, catching up in no time.

"Sasuke," Emiko began after a few moments of silence. Sasuke cast his gaze towards the kunoichi, but still making sure to be careful of his step. "What were your previous team mates like from Konoha?"

Sasuke raised a curious eyebrow before responding. "They were average. Well, at least in personality aspects. The kunoichi I was with was always a pain when it came to battle. We had to look out for her straight out of the academy."

"Well, not everyone get's the luxury of being born into a prestigious clan." Emiko suggested. "Even so, some people act as if they don't know the meaning of being a shinobi, or how to act like one." Sasuke commented, sounding a bit harsh. "Let me guess, she was charmed by you so she was more focused on you than your missions." Emiko stated.

"What an assumption." Sasuke spoke, causing Emiko to chuckle. "I just think I know kunoichi of the same personality." She responded.

"What about your other team mate?" Emiko prodded. Sasuke remained silent for a bit, as if he seemed hesitant to speak. "He was hopeless, and not worth much interest, a trouble maker in the class, and couldn't even make simple clones. Or so I thought." Sasuke scoffed. "But he always carried this dream to become Hokage, and his morals reflected that. During battles he always pulled through with an inhuman power. It was irksome."

Emiko wondered if Sasuke was irked because his team mate had an inhuman power, or because it seemed like he may have been a potential rival for the Uchiha. "Do you ever...think about being with them again?" Emiko was prying a lot, and she knew it, but she was curious how Sasuke felt about the situation.

This question caused Sasuke to scoff again. "There's no time to even consider that. Although, even after the years have passed they still want me back. They don't know when to give up. Luckily for them, Orochimaru insisted on me not killing them last time we met."

Emiko's attention perked at the comment. "You met since you defected from Konoha?" She asked. Sasuke nodded. "We were in Orochimaru's last hideout, and they somehow discovered it."

Emiko took this information in. From all of the context, it seemed like Sasuke was intending on killing his old team mates during that encounter. She cringed a bit, thinking of how gruesome such a thing would be. She didn't have too much of a problem fighting against her village if she needed to, but she never felt inclined to kill them. Emiko supposed it was a difference between her and Sasuke's defection that made things more indifferent for him. Sasuke seemed like he never cared about anything related to his past, with the exception of the death of his clan.

"So, you think you will be fine letting Orochimaru-sama use you as his next vessel?" Emiko asked. "I did agree to it in the past, as long as I got the power to go with my revenge." Sasuke stated.

"Is revenge so important that you'd give up your willing body to someone else?" Emiko questioned. "As of now I'm not sure if he still sees me as his primary vessel. He seems indecisive and could be considering you, as well as some others." The Uchiha revealed.

Emiko shivered. "I never really considered myself a happy vessel."

"No one expected him to go to this extent with one of his experiments. It was successful to the point of him becoming a bit obsessed. So you were completely unexpected as well. If I were to give him my body I believe it would only serve to enslave you even more. There would be no end to him." Sasuke said.

Emiko was a bit surprised, "So, does that mean you won't worry about your revenge?" she asked.

"Revenge is the only thing I'm worried about." Sasuke snapped. Emiko felt a bit of rejection. "You're not afraid of being alone? It's your brother after all." She said.

"I don't care. It's hard to just let my clan sit and go unavenged. Besides, aren't you supposed to be on my side?" He asked.

"I am on your side but, as I told you before, I don't think revenge will settle anything." Emiko reminded. "Well, in regards to this, there is just no way I can give it up. So don't bother to protest it." Sasuke spoke.

"Fine, if you wish to continue to be ignorant then go ahead." Emiko snapped, feeling testy at Sasuke's stubbornness. After all, she couldn't really force him to give up the revenge by any means. Sasuke was bent on what he thought was right, or what he thought he should do.

"No one is forcing you to stay around me if you can't deal with the idea of that." Sasuke spoke. Emiko bit her lip at Sasuke's rudeness. "Unfortunately, I have to for now considering Orochimaru-sama entrusted me to this mission." Emiko spoke, trying to sound indifferent, but her tone came off as bitter. Sasuke just scoffed in response.

The two shinobi came upon a small town after they had traversed quite a ways. They had stayed in silence ever since the irksome conversation took place. Sasuke was acting indifferent and expressionless, but Emiko could have sworn she felt a bit of annoyance radiating from the Uchiha. Emiko didn't want to display herself as overly emotional so she kept quiet.

She split ways with Sasuke upon entering the town, not bothering to announce her departure. She walked away nonchalantly until she started to feel a bit faint. The kunoichi then remembered she had not eaten anything all day, and had not eaten since their departure the night before. She had planned to take a break and eat as they were on their way, but after the battle of words she exchanged with Sasuke she decided against it.

Emiko's stomach began to growl, and she clenched it, feeling as if she hadn't ate for days. The hunger pain was so severe she leaned over against a building wanting to dry heave. "You're not always very smart are you?" She heard a voice from behind her say. She turned around, almost bumping heads with Sasuke.

"Very funny." She spoke, eying what he had in his hands. He had a bowl of instant ramen steaming in his hands. The smell of shrimp reached Emiko's nostrils and made her mouth water. Her stomach roared violently in response. Sasuke stared at her, causing Emiko to feel nervous.

He silently extended the food out to the kunoichi. Emiko looked surprised for a moment, but quickly shook her head. "There's no need for that. I will be fine with just fruit and water." She said, declining his offer.

"Just take it. You will be complaining about it later." Sasuke insisted urging the kunoichi. "It's okay. You won't be much of any help if you're too weak to fight when we get to Kirigakure." He commented.

Emiko huffed. Sasuke wasn't sounding like he was being too considerate, only considerate of himself in the long run maybe. Plus his earlier statements gave him an eerie resemblance to Orochimaru. Emiko did not like the thought of that, especially after Sasuke himself said he shouldn't be compared because he's different.

Emiko don't know if she was just angry at the thought of being disregarded by Sasuke, but the emotional swelled inside of her until the next thing she had knew, Sasuke's ramen was littered on the ground. She had slapped it out of his hand when he was insisting she take it.

"What the hell is your problem?" Sasuke asked, his temper showing at the uncalled for action. "Don't bother worrying about it. Just worry about your own problems." Emiko stated, taking a step back. "This is getting annoying." He muttered underneath his breath. They were getting stares from the townspeople. Emiko shot a glare at the Uchiha before she backed away, and took off in the opposite direction.

When she was sure she was out of Sasuke's sight she slowed down. She sighed deeply, annoyed at Sasuke, and annoyed at her own emotional reaction. 'I wonder if he's changing his mind about me...' She thought, recalling his temper. It was the last thought she had before she suddenly felt herself become unsteady, and the sky turning black.

A/N: Reviews are loved!