Misaki hasn't been sleeping well ever since she had met Hima. Ever since their encounter, it felt like an invisible line had been crossed. The summon had left a deep impression in her mind. Like the wound that had healed on her finger.
Ever since, she was dreaming of snakes. Constantly. They wouldn't leave her mind.
Coiled snakes. Hissing snakes. Toxic blood gushing from stumps where their heads should be...
Just like the toxic blood in her veins.
Had she poisoned herself? Contaminated herself? Hidden power might flow at her veins, but at what cost?
Misaki moved the book on summonings closer to her face. It did no good to read any more as the words swam in front of her.; the letters wiggled around as tiny snakes would.
She honestly felt that she had not done herself a service. In fact, she was left more confused than before. Her flowers could not help her now. Flowers would not give her power.
At the very least, now she had proper lessons for someone her age. She didn't know if she would be attending the Ninja Academy in the future. That was out of the question now.
Suddenly, in the late morning, there was a knock at the door. Anko threw her a covert glance and opened the door.
Misaki was on alert. Something was going to happen, and she had only eaten breakfast.
Anko opened the door. "Hi! Always good to see you. Come in."
Misaki then watched Ibiki walk though the door.
Damn. He had seen her already. Furtively, she set the book down; she didn't want him to glimpse what she had been reading.
"Look, Misaki! It's your uncle." Anko grinned.
Anko hadn't even told her to hide. Obviously, her aim was to reunite them. Right now.
Ibiki scowled. His lip actually curled at the sight of her. Already, she was reviled. The last time they had seen each other was when her mind had been scanned.
Misaki felt helpless as if she were in jail again. Sheepishly, she found her feet and stood up. She knew that Ibiki appreciated respect.
"We've received word that Orochimaru is dead." Ibiki was stiff when he delivered his news.
She could feel Ibiki's eyes on her face as if to watch her reaction. Misaki felt transparent enough as it was. Her eyes were windows of broken green glass now.
In truth, Misaki didn't know how to feel. She hadn't been close to him, but he had been her savior. Her face betrayed nothing because she was just so unsure.
Anko suddenly grew serious; she obviously hadn't expected this. A flicker of emotion flared over her features before it sputtered and died.
"We must be on the alert for the Akatsuki. After all, Itachi's goal is to kill his Sasuke."
The Akatsuki. There was that group again. Not to mention...
"I know Sasuke," Misaki blurted. "From the Otogakure."
Anko didn't look as shocked as she expected.
"You should have told us that before then."
No one had asked Misaki before. Ibiki seemed intrigued yet unimpressed.
"You saw a lot at the Otogakure obviously," Ibiki muttered under his breath.
Misaki heard Ibiki, but she still forced herself to speak.
"He was very pale with straight black hair. He also had red eyes..."
"We know what Sasuke looks like," Anko smoothly interrupted. "Also, he he is older now. He left the village three years ago. What you saw was the Sharingan."
Misaki had heard that word, but no one had explained it to her back at the Otogakure.
"The Sharingan?
"Yeah. It's the Uchiha Clan's kekkei genaki. It means "copy wheel." The Uchiha can effortlessly copy any technique they see. It is the Uchiha clan's special technique. Also, they have access to many types of Genjutsu. You can be thrust into a world of illusion simply by looking into their eyes."
It suddenly occurred to her that she had seen those eyes before during the night she had been arrested. In the Ninja Academy, Kabuto had red eyes. Kabuto couldn't have the Sharingan, so who had it been?
An Uchiha?
Had she been placed in a Genjutsu? She remembered how time had halted. Who knew how long she had stood there until the ANBU Black Ops began flooding the office.
So, who had gotten away? Who had teased her, kissed her, and abandoned her? The question haunted her. If not Kabuto...
Who had gotten so close to her?
"I saw the Sharingan," Misaki confessed. "That night I was arrested. I saw red eyes."
Anko's eyes widened.
"How?" Her voice was sharp.
"Kabuto had red eyes. But, I...don't think that it was Kabuto."
Anko looked to Ibiki. "It couldn't be Sasuke. He's been with Orochimaru all this time. As for Itachi-"
"What about Itachi?" Misaki interrupted. "Oh. Sorry."
Misaki rarely interrupted people.
"Itachi is Sasuke's older brother, and he is in the Akatsuki. Do you see the need for concern? Especially, since Itachi went kooky and killed every member of his clan except for Sasuke. That was around seven years ago. The hatred between Sasuke and Itachi is pretty mutual. They plan to kill each other."
Sasuke had never told her this. Then again, they had barely spoken to each other in spite of the fact that both had been tethered to the pale man for radically different reasons.
Misaki continued to investigate. "So, could it have been Itachi?"
Anko folded her arms across her chest. "I can't imagine why Itachi would feel the need to take Kabuto's form just to incriminate you. How would Itachi even know so much about you?"
"My thoughts exactly." Ibiki's response was rough.
Misaki began to twirl her hair; she had done that a lot behind bars when she had been nervous.
"Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi are the only survivors of the Uchiha clan, understand? No one else exists. At least from Konoha," Ibiki spat.
Misaki was still lost in thought. If it wasn't Sasuke or this Itachi, there was possibility another Uchiha. However, Anko and Ibiki were pretty adamant against that possibility.
It was clear that Ibiki obviously didn't believe her. Then again, Misaki had always been more imaginative than logical.
"I have to go," Ibiki excused himself.
Misaki watched Ibiki place his gloved hand on the doorknob.
"You're leaving already?" Anko was incredulous. "You don't want any tea? Or...something stronger?"
"My business is finished. I just wanted to deliver the news."
The door closed with a bang.
Suddenly, there was a hand on Misaki's back.
"He does care about his family even though he never shows it. Ibiki was always like that. He's difficult. I suppose that's why he chose his line of work."
Anko had seen a side of Ibiki that Misaki had never seen. Why were so people so guarded here? Was it because that emotions got people killed? It had gotten her family killed. Naive innocence had almost been her end as well.
Misaki had to talk through her jutsus. Through her strength. If it existed.
If she had it sooner, maybe she would have had Kabuto's respect. Perhaps she could even gain Ibiki's in time. Of course, Misaki couldn't keep walking both paths in her life.
But, whatever she chose, she had to get stronger.
---
Shikamaru lounged in the sunlight.
"See? What did I tell you? You can't fool a Nara."
"Come on. Didn't you like her at least a little bit?" Chouji shook the empty snack bag.
Shikamaru spoke of Misaki as if she were dead.
"She's a spy, and we're not kids any more, Chouji. Remember, I'm a Jonin now."
"Where is Misaki now? Still in prison?" Ino asked.
"She's at Anko's. I'd like to visit but..." Sakura trailed off.
Shikamaru smirked as if he had proved his point.
Sakura glared back him. "...it's the wrong time. Misaki's been through a lot."
"What I think is that we should all watch out for Sasuke. What happens if he joins the Akatsuki?" he demanded.
Sakura looked away at the mention of that name.
"Remember how hard Hidan and Kakuzu were to beat?" Shikamaru went on. "Those two were just the tip of the iceberg."
"At least Orochimaru is dead. That's good, right?" Ino gauged their reactions.
Silence descended over the group.
"Be ready. That's all I'm saying. We'll need the Ino-Shika-Cho more than ever."
Ino nodded. "Right!"
Sakura suddenly rose to her feet. "I have to go."
"Where?" Chouji asked.
"I have...things to do today." Sakura hurried away.
"See what you've done," Ino scolded him. "You know not to mention that around Sakura."
Shikamaru shook his head. "I don't understand people any more. They're criminals. Sasuke's a wanted man, and he and Misaki's two of a kind. They probably have some sort of plan together. Naruto had better be careful."
"Shikamaru..." Ino warned him.
"Team Seven is more lenient than most. Poor Kakashi-san. He must have had to go through a lot. With Naruto, and then Sasuke..."
"Stop acting so cool." Chouji noisily crumpled the potato chip bag into a shiny ball.
The Nara put a hand to his chin and concentrated as he did when he played Shogi. "It would pay to interrogate Misaki again to see what she knows about Sasuke. If she's on our side, she would agree to help the village, wouldn't she?"
"I think I should visit Misaki too." Ino got up as well.
The spot where Ino had been sitting soon became vacant.
"One of our own," Shikamaru moaned.
Unexpectedly, Choji turned his back as well and began moving down the street.
"What? You leaving too, Choji?"
Chouji was despondent. "I'm out of snacks."
Shikamaru watched him walk away back home. Or to the store.
Now, all of the seats were empty. The sun still continued to shine on his solitary figure.
"...what a drag."
---
At last he had become a superior being. Someone worthy of esteem. Of all the secrets the world had to offer...
Eagerly, Kabuto's fingers traced his wrinkled new skin. It was paper white with a dab of purple as deep as an aster flower in the contour of his right eye. Soon, Orochimaru's mark would spread to his other eye. In time, Kabuto would have a perfect pair of serpentine eyes and the rest of his body would follow. His face would be magnificent. Kabuto's chakra levels were already soaring.
These walls couldn't contain him any more. He needed to move out from the underground and venture out into the world. A hatching emerging from the egg.
He then planned to journey to Ryuchi Cave and learn from the great White Snake Sage. Whatever Orochimaru-sama could do, Kabuto could do better. Others would refer to him as Kabuto-sama. He would require it.
He knew that he would require new allies as well. Kabuto could only do so much alone.
The danger that surrounded the masked man was as pungent as dark cinnamon. He had been so masterful...
Kabuto supposed there was no harm in asking Tobi for his cooperation. To see if he was ally or foe. Who would follow who?
This was going to be exciting.
Finally, Kabuto had a future.
[Reviews - 0]Chapter or Story
Table of Contents
- Text Size +