kuro-shinzui-ookami

Chapter 7; Grudges Drowned In Rain

“Sasuke!” Shizu ran over to him. “A-are you ok! W-what happened to Kotori-Chan? Why-”

“…Why…” Sasuke was still gazing up at the cloudy night sky. Shizu stood over him, looking extremely worried. “…The way she looked at me…I’ve never seen that in her before…” He closed his eyes. “I-it’s almost like-”

“Almost like she’s blaming everything on you?”

“Hmm…?” Sasuke’s black eyes fixated on the girl set over him, he hadn’t noticed her before, but continued. “…It’s like……like I’m the one who murdered her entire clan…her parents… Like I took away the life she was supposed to have.” Shizu now had a troubled look in her eyes as well. “……Did I just lose…my closest friend…?”

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Kotori flew through the trees, silver droplets flowing behind her shone in the moonlight. Knowing it was too dangerous to travel at night, she recalled her summon and curled up under a tree.

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Sasuke and Shizu were also relaxing. Sasuke sat in the nook of a huge maple while Shizu soundly slept under it. The Uchiha couldn’t sleep though. He was way too worried about Kotori. Finally deciding to try and find her, alone.

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Hours later, Kotori was also having a horrible time trying to sleep. She watched the sky and the full moon glisten. "M-mabey I over- reacted a little." She muttered to herself, but shook her head. "Nah...The damn Uchiha deserved it." She continued gazing at the sky for several minutes.

"What the-" there was a distant rustling in the woods around her. Startled, she looked around her. A distant flash of white and the disturbance was gone. "Hn? Was that...a wolf?" She narrowed her eyes, trying to catch another glimpse of the creature. "Whatever..." She sighed, slumped down and stared at the rocky ground.

“….Kotori…” Startled, she looked up, finding Sasuke leaning on the trunk of a tree on one of the lower branches.

“What do you want?!” She scowled at him and abruptly stood up.

“I just want to talk to- WHOA!” narrowly dodging several kunai, Sasuke lost his balance, and fell out of the tree. He slowly sat up, holding his head and looked up at her. “Ow…Kotori…W-what was that for?!”

“Stay away from me!” She yelled. “I don’t want anything to do with you anymore!” Sasuke stood up, looking confused.

“N-nani? Kotori-Chan, what are you saying?”

“Don’t call me that!”

“Wha?” With one eyebrow raised, he stared at her nervously. “Kotori…I’m not leaving without you.” He crossed his arms stubbornly.

“I told you to stay away from me!” She reached in her pouch, pulled out another kunai, and charged him. He too, pulled out a kunai and raced towards the Kunoichi. There was a loud clang when the two weapons collided and locked together with their opposing strength. Shaking, the girl lifted her kunai and twisted around, swinging at Sasuke’s head. But ducking, he used his knife to block her assault and jumped backwards as she flipped into a nearby tree.

Frantically searching for her, it became unnervingly silent as Kotori cunningly snuck up behind him and stabbed the weapon deep in his back. “AGH!” he flinched in terrible pain, falling on his knees. Breathing hard, he yanked it out and swerved around towards her. Kotori was quite a few feet away from him now and upon further inspection, he saw a large, pure black dagger in her hand. Struggling, he took a few steps back, staring at it intently.

“Wait…that’s one of my-” At that instant she dart straight at him once again, swinging the dagger at his stomach.

CHING

Sasuke was on the ground again, shaking. He had his sword locked with his own dagger. Kotori instantaneously pulled the second of the two knives out and stabbed it at his chest, but the Uchiha quickly blocked it with his free arm. Cringing from the pain he looked back up at his comrade with one eye open.

“So…you’re serious…” he said. Kotori narrowed her eyes at him skeptically as he continued. “You’re really trying to kill me…”

“…I’ll never forgive you…” She glared at him and stepped back a few feet, charging at him again. “You murdered my family!” Sasuke dodged Kotori’s assault and flipped over her, sliding on the ground behind the Kunoichi. The girl stopped herself before she collided with a tree and jerked around. Taking a few steps toward the Uchiha, The two began cautiously circling each other. When she was close enough, Kotori punched Sasuke in the gut as hard as she could, knocking the wind out of him. He fell to the ground, clutching his stomach, and bleeding from the mouth.

“Kotori, I… just want… to tell you something…” he choked. Ignoring him, she reached into her pack and pulled out several shuriken, holding them between her fingers. The boy tensed up as she threw them promptly. But they all bounced off the shield that was Sasuke’s fan. Kotori narrowed her eyes.

As it returned to its normal feathered state, Sasuke closed it and slid it back in its holder. He slowly stood, staring at Kotori fixedly. She widened her eyes and made several hand signs, pulling out her flute, and started to played. Suddenly, a violent torrent of wind swirled around her. Controlling it with swift arm movements, she threw Sasuke into a tree at her own will. Coughing up blood, he slumped down, breathing hard as he looked back up at Kotori. Who just started back, panting.

“Why isn’t…” She watched as he struggled to stand up “…He fighting back?” Her eyes narrowed once more. “Normally, he would’ve easily dodged that. Sasuke knows all of my moves by heart from sparring…so why-” Startled, she looked up at the clouds as a loud rumble of thunder and lightning flashed and it started to rain. Shaking, Sasuke collapsed on the ground. Kotori watched, as the drops of water melted the blood off his face.

“Looks like his body couldn’t handle being beaten by Itachi and me…” Her eyes widened. “Wait! This is my chance!” She thought as she picked up one of the death black, daggers and darted at her already gravely injured comrade. Running at full speed, she slipped on the wet ground and instead landed on top of him.

Taken aback and catching her breath, she starred at her comrade on her hands and knees. Suddenly noticing Sasuke’s fan on the ground. It had fallen out of its hilt and was soaked with water and mud. The red tips were washing away in the rain, and she suddenly remembered what day it was. His birthday.

“So…we’re a few months from being the same age…” Her eyes widened as she came to a horrid reality. “If I was a baby, when my clan was murdered…that means that he was……he didn’t…” Tears swelled in her eyes as she fell over the one closest person, who was the only ‘family’ she had left. The only one, of the entirety of the Uchiha’s who had absolutely no idea, and no relation at all to the destruction of the prestigious Aeolus Clan. “…That’s why you refused to fight me back…” She gently clutched the fabric of his shirt and held him close on the cold, wet ground. “You were testing me…” She wiped her tears and looked down at him. “…Don’t die…please don’t die… Sasuke…I’m sorry…” She whispered, gradually crying herself asleep.

“I don’t want to fail…”

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“Ow! Not so hard!” Someone nearby was shouting. Upon hearing this, Kotori immediately awoke. It was late morning and the sun was beating down through the tree leaves of the woods surrounding her. With blurred vision, she drowsily turned towards the sound. Sasuke was struggling on the ground. With none other then Naruto pinning him down as Shizu was attempting to bandage him. And they weren’t being easy on the boy either.

“Geez Sasuke, stop being such a baby!” Naruto teased. The Uchiha narrowed his eyes at him and then turned to Shizu.

“No offense, Shizu-Chan-” He glared at his arm, which was turning a lovely shade of bright red. “…but you completely suck at bandaging!” he exclaimed. “Ugh…Kotori-Chan is so much better at it…I wanted to wake her up, but no…you guys had to attack me out of nowhere and tackle me to the ground!” Shizu stood up and put her hands on her hips.

“Look, do you want me to help you or not?!” she glared at him. He just sighed and lay on his back in the grass. Shizu stuffed her supplies in her bag after finishing.

“Ohayo! Kotori-Chaaaan!” Naruto called and waved. Startled, she looked at him looking very confused. Shizu smiled and offered Kotori her hand. “Hey, Kotori…do you need any bandaging done?”

“Don’t do that to her Shizu! Half my circulation had already been cut off from you!” Sasuke called. Shizu just stuck her tongue out at him and turned back to Kotori who was staring at the Uchiha.

“…Sasuke…” she uttered.

“Hey guys! Anyone want some Onigiri? Um, I know Sasuke doesn’t like sweets…but it’s the only thing I brought…” Shizu pulled out the bag of her strawberry Onigiri leftover from yesterday. Naruto tilt his head.

“I brought lots of food for you guys!” he said as he too, reached into his pack and pulled out an assortment of food. Sasuke sat up, still in the grass

“Holy crud Naruto…” He muttered. “What the hell’s with all this?” Naruto looked up at him.

“Oh, Tsunade Baa-Chan told me I should bring you guy’s lots of food ‘cuz you most likely got the crap beaten out of you.” He got up in Sasuke’s face. “By the way…you three are in big trouble…” Sasuke scowled and pushed Naruto over. “Thanks.” He said as the blonde hit his head on the ground. and walked over to Kotori.

“Ohayo…Kotori…” He said. “You should probably eat too…” He offered her an Onigiri and whispered in her ear as she picked it up.

“…What happened yesterday…It’s our little secret ‘kay?” Taken aback, she eventually just smiled and hugged him.

“Thank you…Sasuke-Kun……for everything.” He and smiled back. Just hearing her say “Kun” after his name again was good enough for him.

Piczo