Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Shinobi: Pride of Pride ❯ Chapter Eleven ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Shinobi: The Price of Pride

By: Hanasaki Rikku

Summary: With a clan like the Hanasaki, is it any wonder why Rikku is the way she is? She lost her brother and friend at such a young age, and things with Chizuko have seemed to only gotten worse. What does Itachi want and why does a certain Snake Sannin seem so interested in her life all of the sudden?

Rating: T/M. For violence (poorly written, but still there), language, and some other stuff I can't quite recall at the moment. Just be warned. Oh, that, and my horrible writing.

Genre: Romance/Action/Adventure/Angst

“Why do people depend on each other? In the end, you're on your own.”

((CHAPTER ELEVEN))

Dressed in their ANBU uniforms, a thick cape drawn for protection from the rapidly cooling weather, they set off north. It was strange, this feeling she got whenever she left the Village, as though it was right for her, like she didn't belong in there with her friends and clan.

Rikku had been caught off guard earlier the day before when Chizuko had dropped by unannounced. She had been talking with a Suna official then, a woman, her blonde hair held up in odd blonde tuffs in four separate sections. Her sapphire eyes had almost seemed to vary from a deep forest green, to pale blue, then that crystalline sapphire.

It had been intriguing to watch.

She was around her age, maybe older by a year or two, and was apparently the older sister of the current Kazekage, Sabaku no Gaara. She faintly remembered the boy from the Chuunin exams; the only reason she had been there being because her sensei had been an examiner. She had already been promoted to Jounin by then, as had her other two teammates.

Chizuko had been of in the stands somewhere, talking with her older brother. Kazihiro had been one of the examiners for the first test, still under the watchful eyes of Morino Ibiki.

Temari.

She wasn't quite sure, but that had been her name. Temari had seemed like a nice person, if not a bit rambunctious, and reminded her terribly of Chizuko… in a skirt. Unfortunately, what her grandfather had proposed of the Sand-Nins worried her. It was well known knowledge, amongst the Hanasaki at least, that her grandfather and grandmother both equally despised the Hokage for taking the title away.

They had hated The Third as well. Something about Sarutobi-sama taking away the title from its rightful heir. She didn't care either way for such slander upon her Hokage, because despite everything, she was still loyal to that man, even if their current Hokage had turned out to be quite the bother.

It wasn't that she hated Tsunade-sama, but that the woman seemed to hate her. What she'd done to deserve such outright hostility against her, she didn't know, but it really didn't matter. The Godaime's problems where her own; she wasn't about to be dragged down in someone else's angst.

Chizuko's frustrated sigh broke her from her musings, “How much longer is it?”

They traveled by way of trees, the tall, shady leaves and branches stretching out in their path, inconveniently, but they managed. In a hurry, and despite Chizuko's protests, she'd picked up pace well into midday and made great time crossing borders and moving along into the cluster valley between Hi and Kome borders, surrounded everywhere with series of trees.

Rikku shrugged, continuing her steady pace onward from tree to tree. “I don't know.” She knew to expect a rebuke for her unexcused actions. She was never one to act without thinking, and Chizuko knew that, better than anyone.

“I thought you told the Hokage-sama you knew where you were going?” Chizuko questioned with obvious curiosity and an underlining hint of knowing suspicion.

“I lied.”

Chizuko groaned, “So, what now? Are we just going to wander about aimlessly until we run across this guy you're looking for? Do you even know where you're going?”

“Oto.”

Chizuko froze in mid-step, but caught herself just in time. Rikku continued forward as if she had not just mentioned the name of a village responsible for the damage Konoha had been inflicted two years ago, but she felt the girl's presence close in on her not long after. “Nobody knows where Oto's exact location is,” Chizuko mumbled in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

Rikku sent her a look, “I know. But we'll find it.” Chizuko said no more, simply following her. Rikku knew the other wasn't all too pleased with going to the notorious Village of Oto, even if the chances of finding him were higher when in the village. She's the one who insisted in coming.

“We need a plan.” Chizuko's voice was barely audible, as if she were speaking through walls. It brought her from her reverie, curiosity as to the girl's somber mood overcoming her thoughts. She considered the statement, but nothing came up. She hadn't exactly thought things over so far, so caught up had she been in finding out more of this Orochimaru character that she completely forgot to prepare.

Rikku stared ahead into the blurs of trees gone past, “Have any ideas?”

The older girl's head snapped up to meet hers, “It's not like you to not have a plan, Rikku. You never go into anything without a well thought out strategy.”

Rikku averted her gaze from the dark holes that served for eyes in that draconian mask of which she could catch a glimpse of crimson shining behind. “This is really just a reconnaissance mission, and nothing more. No plan needed but to survey our surroundings and find the village.”

She could feel the frustration and irritation radiating off the Himura in waves, and knew to expect a long, if not tedious, argument to ensue the minute the girl opened her mouth.

“What the hell are you so worked up about? Ever since we ran into those two Akatsuki members, you've been spacing a lot and have been insistent on going to that village!” There was a contemplative pause, but Rikku was not foolish enough to believe the older teen was truly finished. “And you still haven't explained to me the deal between Kakashi and Tochi!”

Rikku's body fell stiff, a cold and foreboding shiver snaked down her spine and tendrils of some unknown feeling wrapped their wiry fingers around her heart. She felt cold. Unnecessarily cold and hot at the same time. “Chizuko…” She almost cringed as her voice broke, but she tried again. “Chizuko…it is neither the time nor the place for this.”

Chizuko's frustrated growl followed shortly after, “Oh, come on! That's one of the reasons I went to your place in the first place!”

Rikku closed her eyes, expelling a sigh, soft and almost unnoticeable if not for the thin stream of misty air that seeped from beneath the mask she wore. “I really don't want to talk about it right now, Chizuko.”

“Yeah, and you didn't want to talk about it before, either. So when, then? Huh?”

Their speed had hastened some, Chizuko bounding faster to catch up to the girl, who was steadily speeding up, gaining a good distance away from the redhead. Rikku spared her a glance, amber eyes flashing a deep honey, narrow and cautioning. “Later.”

“Some friend you are. Why won't you tell me? Don't you trust me? What the hell am I going to do? Laugh? Rikku…” Chizuko stopped, shoulders sagging. “Rikku, please, just talk to me…” Rikku came to a halt only a yard away, still within hearing range. “Kakashi said—”

“We have a mission to do, Himura.” And with that, Rikku started off again, breathing coming short and it was all she could do not to burst.

Damn that Chizuko! Why couldn't she just mind her own business? Why did she have to meddle in something that had no concern with her? It was her life, dammit! She knew Chizuko meant well, and that she was just worried… but damn! After all these years, one would think she'd learn to understand that some things about her life were just not meant to be uncovered.

She already told Chizuko more than she told anyone. She trusted her with things she had never before allowed with others. She allowed herself to be more open, maybe even a tad vulnerable. And she respected Chizuko's privacy, just like she expected the girl to respect hers. Her life was hers and hers alone! No one, not even Chizuko, regardless of the fact that the older girl was the closest thing to a friend she had ever had, had the right to know anything about her life.

About her past.

She didn't want to remember. She didn't want them to know. She didn't need the fucking pity they gave her; because she saw the looks. She saw the looks some of the villagers gave her. The pity and remorse and false looks of understanding. What did they understand! They knew nothing! They didn't deserve to know anything!

She was overreacting, she knew. She shouldn't let these emotions control her, but she couldn't help but feel a wave of resentment for the Himura. Chizuko was her friend, and they hardly ever fought, but she had crossed the line.

She had warned her long ago on countless occasions that she did not appreciate being studied, and that she didn't want her to understand. All Chizuko had to do was be her friend. Ayame had done it regardless, either because she was afraid, or because she understood, she never knew.

Guilt overwhelmed her.

It wasn't right to compare them like that, but…Chizuko knew. She should have known by know.

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt, the silence that, aside from the sound of rushing wind, registered then causing her to freeze, brow furrowing as a pang of trepidation brought to her attention the missing presence of her older comrade.

She stood on the thick bough vigilantly, scanning the area within her senses for a fragment of familiar chakra. Finding none, she found herself hissing a curse, directed more towards herself than towards the wanting Himura.

How could she have been so stupid as to let the girl from her sights? That damn Chizuko would be the death of her! Why couldn't she just stay put, rather than endangering both herself and Rikku like that?

Her senses failed to alert her of the new presence, so lost in thought was she regarding Chizuko that it came as a complete surprise to her when she found herself staring into cold and listless Sharingan-red eyes.

((CHAPTER END))