Chapter 9
“He seems to have more partners other than the frog, Leader-sama.”
“Really? Well, that’s never deterred us before.”
“He was talking about the nine-tails jinchuriki. It sounded as if he was the jinchuriki, but I was proved wrong as he talked about the jinchuriki’s condition.”
“Oh?”
“He seemed to know him. He’s apparently from Konoha but he ran away.”
“That information may be invaluable. We’ll have to ask him about the jinchuriki. Keep watch on him.”
“Understood.”
*****
Sasuke didn’t know if he should get out of his hiding spot or not. It was hard to decide because the person in the clearing was doing nothing but picking some herbs, but it was suspiciously close to Tazuna’s house flower picking. A woman presumably, though he didn’t know for sure, looks could be deceiving after all. He’d just been jogging through the woods to get some training in before his guarding shift started when he stumbled upon the figure.
The genin shifted in the brush, focusing on the woman. “You can come out,” she said. Sasuke jumped, eyes widening, how’d she know? He’d been careful to hide his presence too…
He sighed, standing up and putting his hands in his pockets. No use hiding if his cover was blown. He stepped through the brush and walked over to the woman, “What are you doing?” he asked, glaring at her because he had a job to do. What was she doing so close to Tazuna’s house anyway? Unless he had traveled too far…
“I am picking medicinal herbs.” She hummed, “For future use. So I can have them on hand.” Sasuke ‘tsk’ed and looked away, clenching his hands. “Would you like to help me?”
“No.”
She stared at him for a minute, to which he matched her expressionless stare, before simply going back to her herb picking. He watched her for a minute before plopping down on the ground with a grunt. He couldn’t just leave her unattended so close to Tazuna’s house. The brat and his mother were there, he couldn’t let them get hurt while he was here, even if he was off duty.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. “Not many people come out here.”
“Mission,” he grunted.
“Ah, a shinobi,” she nodded.
“I thought it was obvious,” he said, pointing to the hitai-ate on his forehead.
“I didn’t want to make assumptions,” she simply responded. They stayed silent for a moment before she spoke up again. “I’m curious,” she said. “If I may, may I ask a question?” He simply hn-ed, letting her make sense of it the way she wanted. Apparently it was an affirmation, because she asked, “Is it duty that binds you to your village? Or is it something else?”
Sasuke frowned, “Huh?” He looked at her. “What do you mean?”
The woman laughed slightly, “I don’t mean any offense, but why are you a shinobi?”
Sasuke paused, staring at her before looking up at the clear sky. Why was he a shinobi? Sasuke frowned, eyes unfocused as he tried to find a reason as to why he wanted to become a shinobi. It just seemed like that’s what he’d always do, even before the massacre. It was always his path, what he was meant to do. Then the massacre happened and…and he needed to become a shinobi. To find and hunt down Itachi to get revenge for his family. Then it was to be like Kakashi – as much as he loathed to say it, and he’d take that to the grave – and then it was to help the group Yamanaka dragged him into find the missing child. It always just seemed to be his path. He was groomed to become a shinobi since he was born.
“It’s what was meant to happen?” he said, though he didn’t like how it was phrased like a question. It was what was meant to happen. He had been surrounded by shinobi since he was born, never knew anything else but being a shinobi .
But that brought up another thing, what would he have done if he was anything else? When he was a jounin, would he have a side job like most do? Or would he be a standby shinobi like Kakashi?
“What was meant to happen…” the woman hummed, pausing her hand movements, “Like fate?”
Sasuke sighed, running a hand through his hair before settling it in front of him, clenching his hands together, “Well, no. It’s just what I always thought would happen. My…family were all shinobi then my sensei is a shinobi.” Sasuke looked down at his hands, “I just never considered being anything else.” The woman hummed, returning to her picking. “Why?”
“I was just wondering…do you have a reason? As to why you serve your village?” she asked, looking down at her hands.
Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck, “Uh-no? Not really…it’s just where I grew up, where my…acquaintances are. Where Kakashi is.” He looked away and frowned, cheeks flushed. She better not be Kakashi under a henge. He would die.
“So…your loyalty lies in the people rather than the place,” the woman said, glancing at him and smiling.
He paused, eyebrows furrowing before he shook his head, “Well, I’d protect Konoha to my best abilities,” he said before nodding, “but, yeah. I guess so.”
“Of course,” the woman nodded, “You would protect your village to protect your friends.” Sasuke scowled because they weren’t his friends. Just his comrades in the village. That’s all. Nothing more, nothing less. Sasuke flushed brighter, clenching his hands as the woman laughed quietly. “It is not a weakness to care for those around you,” she hummed, “I find it admirable.”
“What about you?” Sasuke asked, more bite in it than he intended. He inwardly cringed, he didn’t mean to come off so harsh.
The woman sighed, hands stilling for a moment. “I…serve the person that gave my life a purpose,” she said after she gathered her thoughts. “My family nor the people around me wanted me anywhere around them or their kids. My master gave me a purpose to live.”
Sasuke nodded. Kakashi gave him a true purpose to live, to guide his life the way he wanted instead the way Itachi wanted. He understood, if only the other way around. He was smothered with unwanted attention while it seemed the woman was neglected.
“Do…Is your purpose to live just for your…master?” Sasuke asked, looking away.
“He is my only reason,” she said, “I am his tool to use, so that nothing will stand in his way.”
Sasuke paused. He didn’t know what to say. But he knew that couldn’t be healthy. “You should find another reason to live,” he decided. “That…that can’t be healthy. To just rely on another person as your reason of living.”
She didn’t say anything for a while. Neither did he. He didn't know what to say after that. He didn’t even know if what he said was right. Had he just insulted her master? He should probably apologize if he did. But he was right, right? It couldn’t be healthy to just rely on one person as a reason to live. There was a lot more to rely on, more people too. Sights to see, things to do…
“I suppose you’re right, shinobi-san,” she said. “Dreams of my master’s are mine as well.”
Sasuke sighed. That wasn’t what he tried to express. “What about your dreams?” he asked, trying to get his point across. He didn’t know why it was so important, but it just seemed like it was.
She hummed, “My dream…I don’t know.” She smiled at him, standing up, “I guess that’s something to ponder. Thank you for the advice, shinobi-san.” Sasuke looked away, scowling even as he felt his face heat up again. “Have a good week.” And she was gone. Sasuke frowned after her. What did that mean? Who was she? Sasuke shook his head, standing up and stuffing his hands in his pockets, stalking towards the meeting point. Whatever, it was just an odd meeting. Nothing more, nothing less.
*****
Naruto didn’t know where his patience came from. He never had it before, but one day, he just had the sort of patience that let him wait for the events he knew would happen. He’d always been a headstrong, jump in first with no plan guy, not the wait and see then go in with a plan guy he was now. Though, having to meditate for long periods of time probably helped. Same with having to deal with Jiraiya when he was on a writing spree. Maybe being exposed to Shika helped him too. Or maybe it was just the grief from his past life that gifted him with the patience.
Sitting beneath the halfway finished bridge, leaning against a pillar of the bridge and waited. Either for Zabuza to attack or for Gato to show up. Whichever came first. While meditating yesterday, he’d felt Sasuke meet Haku and Zabuza and Gato’s team start preparations. Today, though, Kakashi, Sai, and Sasuke were at the bridge while Sakura stayed at the house. Sakura would trade with Sai at lunch time then Kakashi, Sai, and Sakura would take their first watch tomorrow. Naruto briefly wondered how Sai was still alive with the way Sakura was about his comments, though quickly dismissed it because Sakura was still Sasuke-crazy, though less than she was in his last life, and not the mature adult she was before she died.
Well, Sakura had still been Sasuke-crazy, since that’s what got her killed.
He shook his head, clearing his thoughts of what had happened and instead focused on the shuffling chakra signatures above him. Kakashi was on one side of the bridge while Sai and Sasuke patrolled next to Tazuna, occasionally stepping apart to check the waters. When they went out, Naruto threw a rock out, just to mess with them. It was funny to watch them flinch and investigate further till they almost fell in.
Maybe he was being a little sadistic, but in his defense, he may be patient, but he still got bored. Especially since he'd felt Zetsu lurking around the wave earlier. He was restless. He knew he’d be tested, he’d be offered something — or threatened. He had to be prepared for anything, prepared to defend Haku and Zabuza in case they get dragged in because of him. Had to be prepared to get into contact with whoever the Hokage will be and give them information about the Akatsuki.
Maybe, he didn’t know yet.
Naruto sighed, scowling in the direction of Zabuza. Why wasn’t he moving? Or doing anything? Sakura was getting ready to leave the house and Gato’s men were closing in on Tazuna’s house. Now would be the perfect time to attack! But no, Zabuza was being lazy and would wait for some reason. Was it because Haku wasn’t there but at Tazuna’s house?
“Uh-Kiki?” Tetsuya asked. “You okay? You look constipated.”
Naruto scrunched his nose, slouching against the pillar and crossing his arms over his chest. “I do not look constipated,” he grumbled.
“You do,” Tetsuya said somberly. “Very constipated.”
“I’m bored,” Naruto whined, pitifully kicking his leg up in the air. If it were with anyone else, he’d deny it to the end of his days that he whined. “Zabuza and Haku are being lazy and waiting and right now would be perfect!”
“I spy-”
“I’m not playing I spy with you,” Naruto said, huffing. “You choose the most ridiculous things.”
“All I hear is that you're a sore loser,” Tetsuya teased.
“Whatever,” Naruto scoffed. He leaned back against the pillar, glaring at the bridge. Narrowing his eyes at the smoke starting to engulf the bridge, he started standing up. He stiffened as the sound of bodies hitting the concrete reached his ears, pausing mid-motion. Bodies littering the ground, hearing the sound of corpses falling from the trees. He shoved away the surfacing memories and jumped up, a smile spreading across his lips despite himself. He put his mask on at the same time Haku’s icy signature entered the premises. An explosion went off, followed by the sound of swords clashing. Tazuna let out a yelp before Naruto presumed him unconscious as one of Sai’s creatures stood tall over the lump of small chakra, aka Tazuna.
“Guess the show started,” he hummed, looking up at the shadows. “Took Zabu-Zabu long enough.”
Tetsuya snorted, hopping onto his shoulder, “I’m telling Zabuza you called him that.”
Naruto chuffed a laugh, starting to climb the pillar on the opposite side of the fight. “I guess we should join them,” Naruto said, jumping onto the wall of the bridge, a wry smile spreading across his lips underneath the mask. “Let the show begin.”