Chapter 30 With the Rain
Clouds gathered, layering one another and creating several shades of grey. They drifted to the east noticeably steady. Somewhere off in the distance thunder sounded in a deep growling voice. As if waiting for the rumbling signal, drops of rain began to make their descend and drenched trees that reached up to the grey sky like spires. With the exception of the rain, the world seemed at peace in it's silence. I watched this scene through the window, while lying on my back.
Once out of the canyon the six of us searched for the nearest inn, where we could rest comfortably and tend our wounds. We wasted away our first day away with sleep. Everyone was exhausted, mentally and physically. Sleep under a roof and in a warm, soft bed had seemed like a luxury, despite that Ekima and myself had slept so for the past few days..
Washing myself the next day (which was this morning), I realized how covered in blood I was. It painfully reminded me of Nobu and twisted my stomach to the point of retching. Maybe he had been a copy but it still felt like I had been deceived into believing I had killed my own brother once again.
Then there was Shinsuke. Despite his previous intentions, he had saved my life, had sacrificed himself to keep that flaming beam from falling upon me. Part of me claimed it was my fault that they had both died but I knew that, in both cases, it had been their choice. The blame belonged on no one's shoulders but that still didn't change the way I felt.
I sat up, folding my legs to the side. Sasuke had participated in saving my life as well. Despite his cold, apathetic demeanor he seemed to harbor the ability to care. Geez, having two people save my life? I must've been out of shape. Then again, I hadn't been on a mission for…what? A little over a year? I don't want to have to be protected. I need to train myself better. Oh! Then I could save Sasuke's ass and give him the burden of embarrassment. Oh yeah, that's be a great achievement to add to my list.
My mind wandered back to when Sasuke had tackled me out of the way while Shinsuke caught the beam on his back.
"I guess…" I mumbled.
I guess I should probably go thank him. If not for him, or Shinsuke, I wouldn't be thinking about this right now. Can't really thank Shinsuke but I could thank Sasuke.
I stood and headed for the door. Before I opened it, I looked down at myself, dressed in a white yukata and earth-red tanzen. The clothes belonged to the inn and I had no clothes of my own, except for the black nagajuban and white kimono. My old clothes were probably burned along with Shinsuke's castle. I sighed and slid the door open.
I tapped lightly on the door of Sasuke's room. No response. I knocked a bit harder. Nothing.
"I'm coming in!" I announced and slid open the door, which was surprisingly unlocked.
The room was exactly the same as my own but Sasuke's was a bit neater. The futon was folded in the corner along with Sasuke's clothes, which had been placed in a basket. Obviously missing, though, was Sasuke. The sound of running water told me the Uchiha was in the shower. Moments after I realized this, there was a soft squeaking sound and the running water ceased. I waited patiently for another five minutes until the door finally opened, releasing a billow of steam. I realized I was glancing away, feeling embarrassed about voicing my gratitude.
"Yeah?" Sasuke's voice asked.
I dropped to my knees and pressed my forehead to the ground.
"Thank you for coming to my aid and saving my life, I-I-I'm grateful!!"
There! I said it! I could already feel my face burning with some deep humiliation, like my pride had been ridiculously wounded.
I expected a sarcastic remark but when I got no response, I sat up. Sasuke stood before me in an black, white collared, jinbei. A towel was draped over his head, which he used to dry with one hand while the other rested in the fold of his shirt. He gave me a side look, his bangs obscuring his left eye. My heart skipped a beat, which sent me into a case of giggles.
"What?" Sasuke asked, turning my way a bit more.
I waited for my laugher to subside. "I just found it strange that, for a moment there, you actually struck me as attractive. I've never really thought about that before."
I began to laugh again. It's true. Never once since I met him have I ever really found Sasuke that attractive. I had seen many girls in the hideout drooling over him, but I had never looked at him that way.
Sasuke stared down at me, as if looking for something. He looked away.
"Do get snatched up so easily." He said, instead of "your welcome." Anyone who didn't know him would find this rude but I understood his way of speaking. In his own way he had accepted my gratitude.
I stood, seeing no reason to hang around. Sasuke liked to be left to his thoughts most of the time. If he sought company, he would come.
"You should learn to summon." He muttered.
I turned back. "Huh?"
"If you can summon something, you could send it out to reveal your location to anyone who might be looking for you." He turned to me. "Then it wouldn't be so painstaking to find you."
"What are you suggesting?"
Sasuke waved his hand, signaling for me to come forward.
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I stared down at the mark curling around my arm, actually it was more like a tattoo that fully snaked up my forearm. Near the top of my wrist, the twisting line switched to two crescent like shapes, another crescent attached to the upper half, with a forked tongue looking shape between them. I knew the symbol a snake summoning tattoo. I sighed.
"I'm becoming like you, huh?"
Sasuke looked up from the scroll he was rolling up. "What do you mean?"
"Were both Uchiha, we both have curse seal and now we have the same tattoo. I even learn from your fighting style. I feel like I'm losing my originality."
"I don't know any other animal summons. Besides, just because you learn from me and harbor similar traits, doesn't make you unoriginal. A lot of times an artist or writer will practice and learn the style of someone they consider a master. Shinobi are no different, you'll just practice until you discover you own style."
I stared at him. Never once had Sasuke ever said anything like that before, something that encouraging. He said it the way a parent might urge on their child to do their best when first learning to ride their bike. I guess part of that made me happy but I would never admit it, so instead…
"Who says I consider you a master?!" I teased, tugging on his cheek gently, which earned me a glare and slap on the back of the hand.
I laughed until I saw him staring at my neck.
"What?"
"Those aren't gone yet?"
I new what he was referring to. I had seen that marks in the mirror when we first got here. This morning I had checked and seen that they were still there but now barley visible. I had never realized that others could see them and I felt my face burn with embarrassment.
"Y-you saw?"
I got no reply. Instead Sasuke stood. I looked up at him after a while.
"Let's go." He said, walking towards the door.
"What? Go where?" I asked, standing quickly.
"You've been wound up to tight lately." He said sliding the door open. "We're going to have a match."
"But it's raining."
Sasuke turned back to me. "Are you saying your afraid to fight in the rain?"
"No!"
"Good. Then go put some pants on or something."
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Sasuke led me through crowded trees and healthy brush. We were still around the border between Taki-no-kuni and Kusa-no-kuni, meaning we were still surrounded by lush greenery. The trees here grew tall with trunks so large that you couldn't even warp your arms around half of them. Shrubs and scattered plant life grew here and there but most of the forest floor soft soil and small rocks. It was still raining but the tree's branched grew out so close to one another that the water barley had enough room to squeeze through. It was like one of those places you saw in movies where you looked over to meet gazes with a fox before it scampered off. Occasionally, a gentle breeze traveled through the leaves, rustling them silently and sending a mist of rain water down on us.
After following Sasuke through the majestic trees for nearly twenty minutes, we came upon an open field, submerged in knee deep grass. I paused to take in the scene while Sasuke continued. The field wasn't very large and the surrounding trees hid it well. Towards it center were what looked like the ruins of some sort of building. I ran forward to get a better look.
The walls were made of pale grey stones that had been plastered together. Most of the back and right wall still remained but the left wall was practically gone and only the stones around where two large wooden doors still stood in the front. There would've been six standing pillars but four of them had broken down while the other two had fallen, crashing through the walls. Most of the floor had been broken, causing plant life to squeeze through, drawing relived breaths. Two aisle of pews lined the sides of a walkway that ran down the middle. On the back wall was a stain glass window of a figure with half a broken face and rain dripping down from the still eye. I made my way towards the back. This had once been a church, something very rare. As I walked forward I could practically hear ghostly whispers of someone preaching up where the pulpit should've been but was now replaced with and open area filled with ankle deep grass and large white flowers.
"How did you find this place?" I asked, turning back to Sasuke, who was leaning against the entrance.
"While you were all sleeping yesterday, I got up early and explored the area."
"But this is a church, it shouldn't even be here. During the persecution of Christians all churches were burned down and destroyed. This one looks like it's been abandoned."
Sasuke shrugged. "Maybe it was never found. It's pretty well hidden. Aren't you religious?" He pointed at the cross around my neck. "You wear that all the time."
I clenched the golden pendent between my hands. "I don't really know. This was my mother's and she gave it to me before she died. My mother was one of the few Christians but she didn't talk about it much except with me and my brothers."
"But mother," I asked timidly. "how can you be sure of something we can't even see?"
"Yeah, mom." Shinku agreed. He was five years older than me with short, dark brown hair. He had a slightly rounded face with one eye gold and the other dark grey, like mother's. "I can see the trees and grass so I know they exist but how can I believe in something I can't see?"
Izumi was the only one who remained silent.
My mother laughed. "Shinku-chan, Karasu-chan, do you love me?"
We both nodded.
"Very much so!" I said.
"Can you see your love for me?"
Shinku and I were silent and shook our heads.
"Then how can you be sure it exists?"
"Your mother?" Sasuke asked.
I nodded. I turned away to look up at the stain glass window and pushing my mother from my mind yet again. Thinking about her was like remembering what it was like when you first broke your arm. There was a splashing sound from behind me.
I turned around just in time to feel knuckles dig into my stomach. It wasn't a extremely powerful strike but it was enough to send me stumbling back.
"The hell what that?!" I yelled as I rubbed my sore stomach.
Sasuke relaxed his body and took on a normal stance.
"That's your problem." He said.
"What?!"
"Why you're not improving. Your dwelling on the past and letting it cloud your thoughts, letting it throw you off guard. A shinobi should be prepared at all times."
I clenched my fists. Stupid bastard!
I ran at him, throwing a fist at his face. He caught my fist and tossed me to the ground. I groaned as he came to stand over me.
"Then stuff like back at the castle wouldn't happen." He said.
I raised my self up with my arms and kicked out but Sasuke jumped back. I let my body fall into a back-flip until I was standing upright, with my back to Sasuke. I spun around quickly and ran towards him. I struck out, kicking and punching but he dodged easily. He sometimes struck out as well but his attacks had no motivation behind them, they probably would barley leave a bruise. Why was he going easy on me? And what was this frustration that pushed me? I cried out in anger as I threw another fist. Sasuke caught it and held it. I didn't attack anymore. I glared at him as I panted but eventually dropped my gaze, clenching my teeth. We were both completely soaked now, Sasuke's hair drooping from the weight of the water.
"What did he do to you?" Sasuke asked in a low voice.
I felt my face drop to surprise and I looked up at Sasuke. He stared at me with the usually blank expression.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I mumbled, dropping my gaze to the left.
"That Shinsuke guy, what did he do to you?"
"What does it matter?!" I said, wrenching my fist back to attack him once again.
Sasuke once again dodged each of my attacks, but he kept his eyes on my face the whole time.
"What does it matter to you?!" I repeated. " I mean, 'sacrifice the happiness of one for your own?' Give me a break! You're not one to talk you hypocritical bastard! Don't you think you ruined the happiness of your friends back in Konoha?! Do you think you could just walk out and no one would care?!"
Sasuke's face shifted to surprise and his guard dropped long enough for me to give him a good punch in the face. He stumbled back a bit but quickly recovered himself to block my next attack. He grabbed my shoulders, pivoted and pushed me against the back wall. I drew in my breath sharply.
"That is none of your concern!" He said harshly, bring his face down to mine.
"Then why does it matter what happened between Shinsuke-san and me!?" I screamed back at him, my face almost and inch from him.
Sasuke and I were both silent, staring at one another as we tried to catch our breath. Thunder rumbled in the distance but it was much closer than when I had first heard it. I wasn't that dark out here but it was still noticeable when lightning flashed.
"Why does it matter?" I said again but quieter.
There was a pause. Sasuke clicked his tongue sharply and I felt my whole body pulled forward. Lips pressed themselves against mine. Were they Sasuke's? No, that's not possible. He wasn't…A hand tangled itself in my hair while another pulled me closer until I was pressed against him, bringing me up to my tiptoes.
What was going on? What's happening? I can't think clearly. who's kissing me? Why? This can't be happening.
My thoughts were swimming, and I couldn't catch them. I couldn't seem to understand what was going on. Why couldn't I comprehend who was holding me?
Thunder exploded above, shaking the very earth and lightning cracked sharply like a whip.
The sound brought me back and I pushed myself away from Sasuke. Before he could even get out a word out, I reared back my hand and slapped him across the face as hard as I could. Lightning lit up above us and thunder followed. Sasuke's kept his face turned to the side. My hand stung but his cheek probably stung worse, cold skin always intensifies pain. He down looked at me without turning his head.
I gathered myself together and strode past him.
"Karasu…" Sasuke said, grabbing my arm to hold me back.
I wrenched it free and Sasuke made no other attempt to stop me. My shoulder throbbed. I flinched and brought my hand up to rub it.
Nothing drifted into my mind, it was completely silent, blank.
Author's notes: Well, I did it. I have such a hard time with romance scenes. I don't read a lot of romance novels, they're always so corny and all the same but, as I said before, I get all embarrassed when I write them myself. That's one of the main reasons I started Inazuma Ho, to get better at writing romance crap but I don't plan to put a lot of them in here. The thing is I want to make them as un-cliché and corny as possible because stuff like that is so annoying to read. Please tell me your opinion about this scene. Man, I'm so embarrassed. ///
(I feel that something is off, so that's why I need your criticism, to help me improve. Please be nice about it but direct)