Chapter 6: Paint (3,032 words)
Roka soon recovered from her fight with Ryu and once she'd taught the two the basics of the Body Flicker as promised, the team resumed the pattern of training in two-on-one spars.
"Think fast~!" Roka taunted, grinning as she smacked her umbrella into the side of Sasuke's knees, just as he was turning to the left. Her auditory genjutsu made it so that Sasuke registered sounds coming from a different direction than they actually were and under the cover of Naruto's homemade smoke bombs and the grey clothes he and Roka wore to blend in, Sasuke was completely disoriented. Naruto and Roka on the other hand were fine: Roka had her chakra sense and Naruto made sure to hit Sasuke with glow paint before deploying the smoke bombs, effectively making him a beacon in the mist.
"Gotcha now, Teme!" Naruto chorused from all his different shadow clones. Sasuke growled in frustration, literally spitting flames in his anger. "Great Fireball Jutsu!" He breathed fire in a random direction. The sound of clones dispersing filled the air and Naruto shouted in dismay.
"Well they say where there's smoke there's fire." Roka muttered dryly. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Roka 'watched' the goings on with her chakra sense; Naruto spamming Sasuke with clones in a dog pile style taijutsu match. She was having the most fun she'd had in ages. Roka couldn't even remember the last time she'd smiled so much. It was so nice to blind her opponent and use auditory genjutsu on someone who wasn't also a sensor like her and Ryu. Heck, it was just nice to be fighting with someone and winning. Her moment of revelry cost her as Sasuke spotted her purple umbrella through the smoke; the only thing on her person currently not grey, and flung a brace of shuriken in her direction. She opened it in time to use as a shield but missed the one Sasuke sent curving behind her. She didn't fail to notice the zing of ninja wire as it began to wrap around her though and dropped her umbrella to hang by her wrist, completing the hand signs for substitution. "Sorry Naruto clone" She quietly apologized, the sound of a squawk of surprise and poof of dispersion signaling the clone she traded places with had been caught. Her hasty jutsu use disrupted her concentration and a newly formed clone's accidental elbow caused her to cry out in pain, tears prickling in her eyes.
"I'm sorry Roka!" The clone exclaimed, "I didn't see you there! Though I guess that's kinda the point,"
"Shh!" Roka hissed at him through clenched teeth, "The auditory genjutsu would have dispelled when I hit him." She took a breath and centered herself, concentrating and let the pain drain away. She was glad she did, when a flare of chakra signaled the use of a shunshin and the next moment Sasuke's fist slammed into her jaw. The force of the blow knocked her off her feet and she instinctively grabbed his wrist to pull him down with her. She'd have to ask Kakashi-sensei how to get around the fact that pain dispelled most genjutsu later. Now she was occupied with turning her weight so that she fell on top of Sasuke and not the other way around. It was a move he wasn't familiar with and so Sasuke easily succumbed to it, landing roughly on his side with Roka soon to follow. Recovering from the fall ridiculously fast, Roka quickly rolled to straddle him and jam the tip of her umbrella under his chin. "We win." She declared.
Smiling, Roka pulled her umbrella back and began rapidly opening and closing it to dissipate the smoke. It did with the help of many Naruto clones waving their shirts and blowing obnoxiously, and Roka's umbrella flapping surprisingly worked somewhat. The haze slowly lifted and visibility increased just enough for Sasuke to realize Roka was still sitting on his lap and pumping her umbrella.
"G-get off! You look ridiculous!" He growled, shoving her away from him so she wouldn't see his blush. God, Yuri was a bad influence on him, she was turning him into a pervert! No, I'm just embarrassed that I lost. Sasuke told himself, flinching because it was also true.
Roka's triumphant smile fell at his words. Why did it always come back to what she looked like? Why didn't he comment on the fact that she had beaten him, instead of what she looked like? Was she really that disgusting that it was the only thing people could think about? Tears welled in her eyes again but this time the pain wasn't physical. "Ridiculous." She echoed hollowly.
A strong gust of wind from Naruto cleared the rest of the smoke, making Sasuke scowl at how easy he made it look. "Hey, hey Roka!" Naruto chimed, bouncing up to her. "That was awesome! Our plan totally worked out! We make a really great team, don't you think? We don't even need Sasuke-teme. I mean maybe he can join us but only if he acknowledges how amazingly awesome we are. You hear that Teme? Admit we're great and you can join us!"
Sasuke scoffed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "As if I'd want to join you losers."
Roka hung her head, but Naruto was not deterred. "Hah! You're the loser! You know why? Because you lost! You even look like a loser! You're still covered in my special Naruto brand permanent glow paint! You look ridiculous!" Naruto burst out into guffaws at the sight of Sasuke's scowl and Roka quirked a little smile.
"Yeah," She quietly added. "You look ridiculous."
Four years ago, Yamanaka Yuri sat perched in a tree, quietly spying her prey.
The six-year-old Yuri didn't exactly like boys, thinking them to be terribly simple-minded creatures, but she knew that this was her window of opportunity to make connections to possible husbands. Shinobi, notorious for their trust issues, often maintained their closest bonds with those they'd known for a long time, bonds usually formed in early childhood from a group of parent approved playmates. This was how clan alliances like the famously close-knit Ino-shika-cho team could be passed on through generations. And Shinobi, unlike civilians, tended to marry their close friends. The thinking was that someone you knew and fought along side of since childhood was most likely more trustworthy than some wildfire romance that you met in your late teens or early adulthood. That just screamed "CAUTION, BEWARE ULTERIOR MOTIVE! POSSIBLE MANIPULATIVE SPY!" to those of the shinobi mindset. Yuri didn't know if that was just a self fulfilling prophecy or not, but she'd be damned if she ruined her future self's options for marriage and escape from the clan just because right now she thought boys were icky. So, like anything she set her mind to, Yuri became a master at the fine art of, what the dumb boys at school so crudely dubbed, 'fangirling'.
Most boys were surprisingly easy to befriend; just playfight with them a few times, impress them with something 'cool' or 'gross' that you can do, and don't be a wimp. Unlike some other girls, Yuri didn't mind playing on their level and being seen as 'one of the guys'. After all, at this stage, most boys thought girls were just as icky as she thought they were, so being girly wouldn't work to get close to them. She was fine just being their friend. Romance could come later.
Naruto was depressingly easy to get close to. The hard part was convincing him that you were NOT "best-best-super-best-buddies-friends-forever!"- just because you smiled at him. Yuri had a feeling Naruto would go far, but for now his clinginess would only scare away other potential friends, so she kept their contact at a minimum. Plus, she knew that with his desperate need for friends and exceptionally friendly personality, Naruto was always someone she could pick back up if he seemed to be going somewhere.
Some boys weren't so easy as Naruto though, and those were the ones that Yuri found most interesting. They were usually from the Noble dojutsu wielding clans, as well as some Aburame. The Aburame were hard to get close to for their aloof and inscrutable personality, rather than because of the general rule that the more fangirls a boy has, the harder it is for a girl to get near. Aburame weren't very popular, so their problem wasn't fangirl trauma and chronic fear of girls. Uchiha and Hyuuga though, everyone wanted a piece of them. Whether it was their arrogance, tendency towards genius and prodigious talent, political power or attractiveness, boys from those clans were always the most popular.
Yuri was doubtful of the lauded Uchiha looks however. Hyuuga were definitely known for being pretty, but Yuri had seen some gnarly-looking police officers. The Uchiha heirs, Itachi and Sasuke, had apparently gotten their good looks from their mother Mikoto, or so Yuri's mother had said. She told her that Fugaku was one of her clients when his wife was on a mission and that he had a face that looked like a grumpy cat. Yuri had giggled at that, thinking that Sasuke must get most of his expressions from his father then.
Yuri had briefly considered the byakugan genius of their generation, Hyuuga Neji as a possible husband target, but dismissed the idea almost immediately. He was two grades above her and three years older, meaning friendship would be difficult to achieve in the academy. Besides that, from her observations, Yuri saw that his personality left something to be desired and everyone knew his clan's politics were atrocious. She wanted out of the Yamanaka but she didn't want it that badly. Plus, Yuri wanted out for her mother's sake too, and she had doubts that the Hyuuga would treat her mother any better than the Yamanaka did.
In the end, Yuri decided on Uchiha Sasuke for a few reasons. One, she liked a challenge. Sasuke's frequent harassment by fans left him wary of all girls in general and his status as second heir taught him to be wary of what others might want to get out of him.
Two, his family's connection to the police force could prove useful in the future. It would have to be carefully planned so that her mother wouldn't get in trouble, but someday Yuri hoped to use her connections to the Uchiha clan to bust her Mother's abusive pimp and give him what he deserved.
Lastly, the Uchiha were notorious jutsu whores. Their dojutsu was built for copying for goodness sake! The Yamanaka (like some other clans) had joined the village only on the condition that the Uchiha would not steal their secret techniques. It wasn't considered stealing though if the Uchiha were simply being taught by a loving spouse. Simply put, it was in the Uchiha's best interest to marry outside of the clan, and that was an advantage however slight. Yuri liked the thought of any advantage she could hold over her future husband.
All this work did not mean that Yuri neglected building up her female friend bank. No, girls were so much harder but so much more satisfying! Yuri knew not to make herself threatening to the queen bee, but also not let herself become a lackey. She had to remain friends with individuals instead of cementing a place in the group so that she did not get misplaced during a regime change. It helped that having joined the academy early Yuri was a year younger than her classmates. She was just separate enough that everyone thought they were her special friend: the only one who the young girl could talk to.
Girls were fickle, insecure and ruthless, and oh so much more fun! Yuri loved playing the game, making herself indispensible, the trusted confidante, the crutch. It was so satisfying to hold the weight of others while knowing that at any moment you had the power to let them fall.
From her vantage point in her tree, Yuri spotted one of her friends from class approach down below. Both she and her target reflexively stiffened at the excited call of, "Sasuke-sempai!" And Yuri had to hold herself back from jumping down and interfering. This was, after all, her dedicated 'observation period' to deem possible threat levels to her chosen catch and interrupting this encounter wouldn't yield her any new information.
Down below, an eight-year-old Sasuke stood unaware of the silent observer from above. He was more concerned about the threat looming up behind him, and whether he should turn and face it or run like hell. No, Uchiha's don't run from girls. He chastised himself. What would Aniki do? Steeling himself for whatever he was about to face, Sasuke turned around, only to be greeted by the pudgy smiling face of- "Ume-san." –the purple-haired lunatic from the grade below. Sasuke began to feel a cold sweat trickle down his neck. Oh, no. Don't tell me she's a fangirl too now!?
Shisui had once told Sasuke that, "They say never to stick it in crazy Sasu-chan," And though Sasuke had no idea what that meant and Shisui's advice had been followed by the disclaimer- "but all kunoichi- and shinobi, are totally nuts anyway, so if you ever want to get laid you're gonna have to ignore that," –Sasuke was sure they were wise words to live by since Shisui had said it and Shisui was Aniki's best friend. (He was also dead as of last night, but Sasuke wouldn't find that out until later.)
Unaware and entirely oblivious to the older boy's growing panic, Ume beamed at him. "You know my name!" She happily exclaimed. Then, looking around, Ume stared fascinated at the hoards of rabbits that only she could see, swarming Sasuke like a plague of locusts. They were black and shiny like an oil-slick, with glowing, blank, white eyes like holes into oblivion. She thought they were adorable. "You have a looot of bunnies, Sasuke-sempai!" Ume proclaimed. "Can I hold one?"
The second Uchiha heir blinked in surprise and then again, slower in relief. Of course, how could he forget? Usamoto Ume had no interest in boys whatsoever, much to the confusion of many of her female peers, and instead only cared for the invisible creatures only she could see. Then Sasuke realized she had asked a question and hastily replied, "Um, sure?" He immediately chastised himself for sounding like a sissy. "Yeah, whatever." He corrected his tone to sound more dignified, read: arrogant. But Ume didn't seem to mind as she eagerly bent down to scoop up her imaginary friend.
"They're so pretty and black!" She cooed. "I've only ever seen two of these type before my parents died."
Sasuke opened his mouth to say some awkward apology but Ume steamrolled on, clueless. It was probably for the best, Sasuke didn't even know what he had been planning to say. What do you say when someone just drops that so casually into a conversation?
"You only had one the other day so I guess it's really true what they say about rabbits multiplying."
Sasuke was still so thrown off by Ume's casual comment about being an orphan that he asked, "Rabbits do math?" Only to flush bright red at Ume's following laughter.
Ume suddenly thrust her arms out towards him. "Here! Do you want to hold it?"
"S-sure." Sasuke muttered, blushing at his stutter. Uchiha didn't stutter, damn it! He bet his Aniki never stuttered in his life.
Seeing the pout forming on his lips, Ume assumed he didn't know how to hold a bunny. So, readjusting the rabbit in her grasp, the seven-year-old positioned Sasuke's hands for him, gently distributing the oily black rabbit into his arms.
Meanwhile, Yuri watched the proceedings with a detached, analytical eye. Cataloging expressions and reactions the way a farmer harvested rice: efficiently, for the best viable yield. Her classmate didn't seem interested in Sasuke, only the 'bunnies' that apparently surrounded him, and Sasuke was supremely uncomfortable in her presence even though he did an adequate job of hiding it. All in all, Yuri deemed Ume to be a 2-level threat, demoted to 1-level if and when the bunnies ever left him. Yuri was confidant in her abilities. (She wasn't a bastard Yamanaka and daughter of Konoha's most popular prostitute and for nothing.)
The Uchiha massacre that happened days later threw a wrench in Yuri's carefully laid plans, but being the smart and clever girl she was, Yuri skillfully rearranged her tactics and made her move. The Uchiha clan with it's historical political power was still better than the Yamanaka, even if it now only officially consisted of one. Especially since it consisted of one. Once she married Sasuke, there'd be only one person to control to get what she wanted.
And in the present moment, all Yamanaka Yuri wanted was to take a picture forever memorializing the hilarious sight of Sasuke covered in neon glow paint. "Oh come on!" She pleaded. "Here, you can even put some on me too and we'll take a picture together!"
"No." Sasuke repeated for the hundredth time.
"Please?" Yuri begged, "You really don't look that bad."
"Then why do you want to take a damn picture?" He asked. "It's not because I look good."
"How do you know?" She snootily retorted. "Maybe I have a paint fetish that I never told you about. Kidding!" Yuri hastily added at the sight of Sasuke's horrified look. "Joke! Kidding! Funny ha, ha!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Duh, it's not like I actually thought you did."
Yuri hid her own eye-roll because she totally believed him. Not. "Anyway, we should take a picture for memory's sake." She cajoled. "Aren't you going to want to have pictures like this so your future kids don't grow up with complexes having to live up to their dad who they think is perfect?"
"I am perfect." Sasuke haughtily joked.
Yuri grinned. "Of course you are, but it's good to give off the impression that you're not so you seem more relatable and people don't feel threatened."
He gave a long-suffering sigh. "And you think taking a picture of me looking like this will do that?"
She nodded. "Mm-Hm! And I bet your future kids will even think it's really cool! Trust me, you'll thank me later."
"I highly doubt that."
Yuri smiled faux apologetically, the way she did whenever she was about to bring out the big guns to get what she wanted. "Oh well, I guess you don't really want me to find that Ryu kid's file for you. That's fine."
Sasuke sighed again, completely aware that he'd been had and she would most certainly make due on that threat. "Fine, Yuri. Take the damn picture."
Grinning ear to ear, Yuri wasted no time turning the camera around and gleefully taking a selfie with the color-covered Uchiha.
Notes: Hmm, so we're learning a bit more about Yuri and Ume. What do you think about their characters? Do you like them? Hate them? Tell me what you think in a review!
Acronyms to remember:
SAF= Special Accommodations Force
MAD= Medical Anomalies Division
PID= Physical Impairment Division, sometimes shortened to Physical Division or Physical
SID= Sensory Impairment Division, sometimes shortened to Sensory Division or Sensory
NMP= New Military Police
KonStan= Konoha Standard (referring to sign language)
Next time on, Welcome to the MAD House: Sensory Training