Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Weather man ❯ Things aren't always what they appear to be ( Chapter 4 )

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

Ok, well, here I am again, typing up yet again… ANOTHER chapter! n_n go me!

Same disclaimer every time. Go look for it somewhere.

~ (Outside the information building)

Taylor could feel Kakashi watching her.

He had been doing the same thing for about half and hour, regardless of the mounting tension between them.

Taylor ignored him, busing herself by filling their water bottles, occasionally stealing a glance at the silver-haired jounin. He was still staring at her with his intent eye.

“Is there something you need?” She asked, smoothly.

Kakashi turned halfway, eye bored-looking. “No, not really.”

She shivered. “Then can you stop killing me with your stare?!” Taylor whined. “I feel like I'm being stabbed with a bunch of intsy-bitsy needles!”

“…”

“That must hurt” He replied uninterested.

Taylor frown and turned her lips into a pout, then in a more teasing sort of way she smiled, “Yeah! Now you shall feel the burning sting of my glare!”

And so the unspoken staring contest stared again.

From the day they stepped out of the village gates, Taylor was convinced this was either going to be a very boring mission with their very boring team-leader, or a very EXCITING mission with the blow by blow demonstrations of ninja skills and bravery.

So far it had been the first choice.

Taylor tapped her finger on her chin, deep in thought. (A/n: *gasp*) Or maybe… a little of both… Her thoughts turned back to the day their group had split up and Kakashi scolded her for going out on her own.

Kakashi's nose brushed against Taylor's…

She jerked her eyes over towards where the tall man was sitting. No way… there isn't ONE way…

She looked away. “Is there something you need?” Kakashi's voice came to her, half-taunting, half mocking.

The gentle brush of his hands on her knees, the deep tremor of his voice, the way she could make out the way his lips moved under the thin cloth of his mask…

She blushed and shook her head, braid flailing wildly around her head “No! No! No!”

They both stared at her.

“Er… I mean, `No No No! Nothing's wrong!'”

They continued to stare at her.

“Uhm…. N-no…!” Taylor squeaked, trying to slide away…

Now he was sitting on the same log as her, legs spread out. He moved his hands up to her shoulders and slid them up her arms to her hands, pulling them both above her head…

Her face turned beet red, promptly turning around and staring at the hole Bianca had disappeared down

`Aw… don't tell me I'm getting a school girl crush…' Taylor stared longingly down the hole Bianca had gone down 30 minutes ago `Come back soon Bi-chan…'

Kakashi was the kind of person who lets things runs its course… slowly. So Kakashi of course allowed himself ample time to inspect Taylor, unbeknownst to the tall girl. His grey eye traveled down the curve of her waist, resting on a lower area.

He blinked and sighed. Maybe it was time to lay off Icha Icha paradise for a while…

`…'

“NEVER!!!!!” He yelled, causing some birds resting on tree branches to squawk and fly off in indignation.

Taylor and Neji stared at him, unblinkingly. Kakashi didn't care though; only cursing himself for thinking about turning his back on his beloved Icha even for a second!

He sighed and returned to his thoughts, Aka: Taylor.

As much as he'd hate to admit it, the young girl in front of him was very attractive. Tall, Creamy skin, Round green eyes, a long sheet of chocolate hair pulled back and plaited into a graceful braid…

He shook his head and frowned. He didn't even want to finish this thought. (Or maybe he did, he couldn't decide…)

Instead he continued to study Taylor, every now and then diverting from his thoughts to keep a keen eye on their surroundings.

After Bianca still hadn't returned after the 45 minute mark passed, Taylor began to get anxious.

“Oy… Kakashi,” She mumbled “She's been gone a while, you think she's injured?”

He shrugged, and glanced over at Neji, who looked bored and indifferent. “I don't know.”

He sounded calm and nonchalant, in truth he wished he was as confident as he sounded. He looked at Neji, who shifted weight to his opposite leg, pearly eyes drifting towards the hole then snapping away. He seemed deep in thought.

“We'll wait five minutes” Kakashi said lowly when he noticed the two still remained slightly fidgety, “If she's not out by then, one of us will go after her.”

They nodded.

In the wake of growing apprehension of going further, Bianca bumped her head against something flat and cool. A latch.

From scraped knees to scuffed hands, there was only a feeling of joy at the thought of being freed from the cramped tunnel she had been crawling around in for the last half hour.

She pressed her raw hands flat on the latch and pressed upwards, wincing when a small creaking sound interrupted the silence she had grown accustomed to.

A narrow beam of light flickered before Bianca's green eyes; the room she found herself in was crowded with dusty volumes, some dating back to the start of time.

It was an incredible display of knowledge, incredible… yet sad at the same time.

The `library' if you could call it that, was prim with a beautifully manicured stain glass window. It portrayed a beautiful young woman pouring clear water into a light pool. Her reflection showed her true sad, old nature, as an old woman. Light shades of blue and purple were what decorated the stained window. The sun shining through sent the hues upon the books, leaving them a dull grey color.

Incredible…

…

Yet sad…

This really was the perfect spot

At least that's what Bianca kept telling herself. The truth was that she wanted to get out of this place ASAP!

The books were looming over her, daring her to read them. Strangely enough she recalled what her old teacher had told her. His name was Cronin. He once said to her, Knowledge was power and Power was Knowledge.

Now she knew what he was talking about. She was being crushed on all sides by this unspeakable power of literature.

All the while she had been standing there with her mouth hanging open like a fool. Bianca slapped her cheeks, now was NOT the time to get freaked out!

By paper no less.

Not that She was eager to stick around there anyway…

Bianca plucked two charred parchments from a shelf and grinned. This was it!!!

She folded the pages carefully and placed it in her weapons pouch with much more care then necessary.

Turning to leave, her eye caught the window once again; she winced when she made eye contact with the young woman. Her sad eyes seemed to be telling Bianca something, what? Well, heck if she knew!

The blue and purple window held a secret, she knew it did. It was eating her away inside. She was about to give up on it when something stood out to her. The one black thing in the entire stained window.

She frowned, inspecting closer, she saw it was the opening to the jug of water. It was large and circular.

It looked familiar.

Bianca turned around and left out the oh-so-lovable hole; pushing the sad lady to corner of her mind, followed closely by the jar, and it's secret.

Things aren't always what they appear to be.

That's something old people like to tell their kids. Too bad they never listen to this wise advice.

Himora was hanging upside down, long brown hair swaying to the side, purple eyes blinking wearily through hazel bangs.

A short man walked up to her, grinning devishly, he raised a pudgy hand a raked his hand through his greasy black hair. “Aw, look at the poor baby…” He cooed, pulling the two strips of purple hair hanging by the sides of her face roughly.

Himora sighed in irritation before whimpering softly, feeding the man her most convincing pathetic look, “P-Please s-sire… le-let me do-down! I- I'm s-s-s-scared!!!” Fat tears rolled down her cheeks across purple stripes tattooed there.

The man took his hand back, jowls quivering. He stroked his double chins, a greasy smirk growing on his ugly face, “Well…” His hands moved to untie the young girl, “I could always sell you to the whorehouse…”

Himora merely nodded a grateful smile on her face.

Once the final knot was untied however, instead of falling to the ground in a heap of mangled limbs, Himora leapt gracefully to the floor.

Before the stupid, old, pervert man could blink he was flat on his stomach, the teenager's heel grinding into his spine.

She smirked and pulled out a photo, “Alrighty, you're the lucky contestant!” She grinned, beginning to bind him with the rope he had been using.

“W-Who are you?!” The chubby man asked frantically, face red.

She smirked, “I don't really see why you should know since you're about to die, but you should know…”

She finished the last knot, then standing up she grinned at him.

“The name's Amanda Himora! Fighter for Hire! Or in stupid people terms,” She knocked on his forehead, “AKA: You, A ninja!”

She pulled out a kunai and twirled it around in her fingers, snapping it down an inch from the man's face.

He whimpered, tears streaking across his grubby face.

“How does it feel to cry?” Amanda hissed, bending down to his eye-level. She smirked, yanking the kunai out of the dry earth.

The fat man let out a dry sob, whole body shaking. It was Amanda turn to let out a dry sob, an uncharacteristic smirk planted on her face (a/n: Crying tears, laughing tears! lol, sorry…)

The kunai flashed in the evening sun, a faint crackling noise filling the air.

Himora the ninja smiled sweetly at him, “Say night night buddy!!!”

And then it went down in a splatter of purple blood. The color of the evening sky, and the color of Amanda's eyes.

Like I said, Things aren't always what they appear to be.

The problem with crawling through tunnels was that most of the time there was only room for one person at a time.

A small person at that.

Neji was NOT a small person. Although he wasn't a large person either. His shoulders bumped the sides of the tunnel, a dry sigh escaping in irritation.

What was worse in this situation was the fact that he had found Bianca.

Right in the middle of the tunnel.

Where it was the smallest.

He could feel a vein of irritation pulsing in his right temple; now that he was wedged together with the smaller girl, there was an almost zero chance of getting out.

“Fantastic…” Bianca muttered.

Once the five minute mark passed, Kakashi gave the `Ok' for Neji to go in after Bianca.

They decided on him, only because he was the smallest out of the tree. Taylor was too tall, Kakashi was too tall and broad, Neji wasn't just right, but he would have to do.

So now it was just the two of them, sitting outside and waiting, both getting crushed by the blanket of tension I like to call stress.

Kakashi's ears pricked up.

Shifting rocks…

He didn't react, only looking back down at the pages of his beloved orange book, gathering chakra to the soles of his feet and hands.

He flipped a page. Lone eye drifting across the words.

Fredrico reached out, calloused hands drifting over towards Jenna's plump rear. A sly smirk grazed his lips, the bristles of his five o'clock shadowcrinkled… Now would be the time he could finally-

Kakashi sprang up, chakra sending him forward. He crashed into Taylor, sending them both rolling in a tangle of limbs and other odds + ends.

“Hu- wha?!”

The silver-haired man had the younger girl pinned underneath him, their legs entangled with each other. Taylor shifted, green eyes wide with shock. “Wh-what are you doing?!”

His cheek was pressed against hers, one arm around her waist, the other draped on her hand.

He was tense against her, with muscles taunt he pressed Taylor against him and rolled to the side with such speed Taylor felt her head rock at the motion. He turned his heel, pivoting upwards allowing himself and Taylor (who was now behind him) to stand up straight. There was a faint crackling sound in the air.

“Eh…?” Taylor frowned, looking back at the place she had just been in. Well…

There *wasn't* a spot there anymore…

“Oh…Crap...”

Kakashi nodded, letting his eye examine the small crater silently. It was lined with explosive notes. His body took a step back instinctively, His mind just registering that the notes were fakes.

“Taylor! It's a tra-!”

Too late.

Before he could get the warning out, Taylor had slide one foot over a well hidden silver string.

A net came up behind them, each string yellow with a protective blue outlining around it. It swept them both up and bound them tightly to a tree.

Kakashi pressed one hand against the net, wincing when a stroke of electricity shot through his fingertips up his arm. Crackling through his nerves setting them on fire.

It wasn't a nice feeling.

He barely blinked or showed the pain it caused him, only looking towards the person who was emerging from the woods.

“Hey guy's what's up?” The person chirped, purple eyes glinting happily. “Besides' you I mean!”

She laughed, brushing her hair back behind her ear.

Taylor glowered, “Who are you?!” She was just a little irritated… considering that she was pressed against Kakashi's firm chest and was beet red in the face… It didn't help her position all that much.

The girl chuckled and saluted the hanging pair, “The name's Amanda Himora! I was sent to kill you guys off!”

“You're awfully cheerful for an assassin...” Kakashi said calmly, training his penetrating look on their capturer, “Doing this for money?” He eyed her forehead protector, It read Cloud, “Or are you doing this for your village?”

Amanda's grin twitched, pulling a kunai from her holster, she spun it around by the handle, “For money of course!”

She looked up and grinned at the overcast sky, “I love this time of day” She said softly, and turned around, kunai just a blur.

Electricity began to crackle around it rapidly, moving so fast it looked just like a disk of light.

She turned around sharply, aiming the disk towards them. “It's the perfect time for you to die!”

Amanda pulled her arm back, beginning to hurl the deadly bolt at her victims when her hand stopped in mid-air.

Purple eyes widened fractionally in the shock, turning around just in time to see onyx eyes blur and a hand swiftly rap the back of her neck; sending her to see the sandman.

Sasuke Uchiha finished tying up the small girl, slapping a chakra sealing parchment on her back.

He looked up at Kakashi, regarding his old sensei with one raised eyebrow, “Having fun hanging around?”

Ha… Ha… was that a joke?!

Kakashi's visible eye twitched “Crappy pun Sasuke, get us down.”

The dark-haired boy nodded, walking up the side of the tree until he was hanging upside down, mid-night blue bangs hanging framing the sides of his face. He took out a kunai, fed chakra into it and swung, smoothly cutting the rope in two.

Kakashi and Taylor tumbled down, Kakashi landing in a crouch and Taylor in his arms, tucked by the elbows.

Sasuke flipped down, and smirked, “I thought his was a cell of four, where's your other two members? Dead?”

A small scuffling sound broke them from their conversation, Neji emerged from the tunnel, dirty, sweaty and past the point of loosing his sanity. Curled up behind him was Bianca, very red in the face and well past the point of passing out. (which she had…)

Sasuke ignored them and walked over towards the girl he had knocked out earlier. He got close to her face, examining the stripes that marked her face. He reached a hand up and brushed the strands that got in her face, tucking them behind her ear.

He ran his thumb over the purple stripes, from the tip all the way down her cheek where they ended. He didn't stop there, he trailed it down her neck and to her shoulder, drifting his fingertips down her collar bone.

He pushed the collar of her shirt aside, gazing at her soft skin. It was turning a light shade of purple from where he had struck her. He inwardly winced, He didn't mean to have hit her that hard, if his blow had been a couple of centimeters higher, he would have snapped her neck.

“The Hokage sent me as backup incase something of this nature happened.” Sasuke answered the unspoken question, all the while letting his fingertips trace the bruise lightly.

Kakashi smiled under his mask, walking over towards his stoic pupil he had spent about 3 years with and crouching down beside him, “Find something interesting Sasuke?”

Sasuke remained impassive for a moment, only letting his onyx eyes drift over towards his old teacher. “What makes you think that?”

His unmasked eye looked pointedly at Amanda, then at Sasuke's hand that seemed to be caressing the wound.

“Oh, just wondering.”

With their new addition to the team, and their new `prisoner', the group head out again. Amanda was slung over Sasuke's shoulder. Bianca was using Neji as a walking stick. While Taylor and Kakashi were walking side by side.

“We'll stop here for the day” Kakashi finally ordered, once finding an acceptable cluster of boulders that formed a decent amount of coverage. He turned to Sasuke, “Wake her up” He jerked his head towards their attacker. “We'll interrogate her.”

Amanda cracked her eyes open. The ground shifted under her feet, telling her someone was in front of her. Her eyes widened, trying to stand up, quickly falling back down from the pain in her neck.

She blinked, allowing her eyes to focus on the scene in front of her. There were five people, three men, two females. She was tied up to a large rock; that much she COULD tell.

“Where am I…?”

A tall boy walked in front of Amanda, bending down to her eye level. “You're our prisoner.”

The thought clicked, and she smiled, “Oh! Well, damn it!” She inspected the teenager, almost breaking into a perverted grin when she made eye contact. Hey, he's not too bad-looking; I don't mind being hisprisoner!

The moonlight shone through his midnight locks, giving his flawless skin a soft glow. (A/n: the moon and the sun! XD sorry…) His dark eyes were giving her a heated look, “I caught your name earlier, Amanda Himora was it?”

She nodded, mouth hanging open a little and looking at the moon,

Sasuke cupped her chin in his hands, directing her gaze into his. He has nice hands… She thought idly, a slight smile on her face, snuggling her cheek to it.

Sasuke ignored the gesture, only continuing the interrogation, “Why did you attack us?”

Amanda frowned, “I'm not going to tell you!” Sasuke growled, his grip tightening on her jaw a bit.

“Oh yeah! That's how you'll growl in bed baby!”

Sasuke was taken aback, “W-What?!”

“You heard me honey!”

“…”

“What?! Can't say anything anymore?! Awww….. how cute!”

“…”

Sasuke stood up and turned around, taking several deep breathes to calm himself. This would be a mistake.

“Oh yeah! That's a fine booty there! Shake that ass!”

The normally stoic Uchiha spun around very quickly and crouched back down, going back to her eyelevel. “You will stop that RIGHT now.” He managed to grind out, however, not sounding very intimidating while blushing profusely.

“Awwwwwwwww” Amanda cooed, grinning widely, “You're blushing! Are you embarrassed?! How cute!!!!!!”

Sasuke ignored her but asked his question again, “Why. Did. You. Attack. Us?” Sounding out each word and speaking to Amanda like she was an idiot.

“Like I said before baby, I'm not answering it!” Then she seemed to think on it for a second before grinning wickedly, “I'll answer it… But you have to give me a kiss!”

Sasuke stared at her for a second, a frown creasing his smooth face; he took a tentative step backward. He weighed his options in his head, did extreme geometric problems, tested every scenario in his head. It all resulted in one answer. She's going to make me kiss her!

When he looked back at her Amanda was already grinning in triumph. She knew. He knew. They BOTH knew.

Great.

Sasuke once again tilted the younger teen's chin up, his thumb brushing against the stripes on her cheeks. He heart was pounding against his ribcage; he had no idea why he was so nervous! It was just a kiss! Right! Right?

He pressed his lips softly against Amanda's, eyes sliding shut. With the opposite hand he wasn't cupping her face with; he let it trail on her waist, allowing it to run along her curves there.

Amanda was in bliss, I mean, she had been kissed before, but never like this!

Sasuke parted from her, a light blush still coloring his fair cheeks. He licked his lips and flashed his trade-mark smirk, “Going to hold up with your end of the deal?”

She bit back a slight whimper when his hands left her, she suddenly felt cold, and hungry. Very Hungry.

She turned her head and pouted, “I was assigned by rock to assassinate a group of ninja's they believed to be hanging around in their territory.”

Sasuke tilted his head to the side, eyes narrowed,” Who assigned this mission to you?”

She frowned,” Dunno, they left a message on my phone and answering machine.”

His eyes still narrowed to diamonds he asked to see her phone. He reached in her weapons pouch without waiting for an answer and pulled out her cell phone.

Which was purple.

He looked at her eyes, at her stripes, and at the purple strips of hair that hung by the sides of her face.

“Do you have an obsession with this color?” He asked, holding the phone out.

“And this is coming from the guy who has dark blue hair.” She replied sardonically. “Don't feed me that!”

Sasuke shrugged, “At least we match well together.” This comment threw Amanda off, causing a light blush to spread across her cheeks.

“Hey, you done here?” Bianca walked up, her head tilted to the side, “I have questions to ask too.”

Sasuke jerked his head once and stood up swiftly, turning his back and leaving soundlessly, heading back to the tents.

The black haired girl sat down in the place Sasuke was sitting, a smile on her face, “Yo Himora” She pulled out the large flat coin she and Neji had found earlier, “You know what this could be?”

Her eyes widened considerably, she looked away hesitantly.

“You know what it is, don't you?”

“Of course I know what that is…” She muttered flatly,” That's-“

Oh what is that? A large airplane is flying overhead!!!!!!! Wow, it's really loud! Oh, well there it goes! Bye Bye Plane! Bye! See ya later!

Bianca's green eyes glinted, “Yup, I was hoping you'd say that…”

Kakashi, Taylor, Neji, and Sasuke were all sitting in a semi-circle; they were playing cards to pass the time when Bianca would get back from her investigation.

“3 kings”

“One Ace”

“2 Twos”

“9 threes”

“BULLSHIT!!!!!!!”

Taylor sheepishly picked up the pile of cards, “Aw…No fun…”

The three boys gave her an incredulous look. “Do you like getting the deck of cards in your hand?” Neji asked, quirking an eyebrow. He of course had been restricted from using his Byukagen, that didn't stop him from peeking every now and then though.

“Yup!” Taylor chirped, examining the cards, and frowning. “Kakashi! You had put down four sevens! Not Three kings!”

He shrugged,” No one called me on it though, did they?”

She flipped through them more, “Sasuke, you put down two sixes!” She growled, slapping them down.

He shrugged too.

She looked again, “Neji! You put down three Twos...!”

“Well, it was partly the truth…”

This proved it. There was NO way ANYONE could play BS with a bunch of ninjas.

Neji soon got up after he won, (probably by using the Byukagen) walking into the density of the trees probably to take a wiz.

Sasuke got up and went in the other direction, probably having the same train of thought.

Taylor twitched, realizing she was left alone with Kakashi again. She swore god hated her. He had to have. Why ELSE would she be put through this again?!?!?!

He was stretched out on his back, arms tucked under his head; his jounin vest zipped open, showing the tight elasticity undershirt he wore underneath. His lone eye was trained on the sky, a soft grey color.

Taylor smirked and lay down beside him, crossing her long legs at her ankles. She turned to him, a smile tugging at her lips, “A penny for your thoughts?”

He didn't say anything, turning his head towards Taylor and fixing her with a soft look.

Longing

Taylor blinked, a small blush on her cheeks, giving them a rosy look.

His eye curved in a smile, “I demand payment upfront first though.”

Taylor pouted, “Where's the fun in that!?” However, she complied and flicked the penny at him which he caught with deft fingers.

He turned it over several times, then putting it in his pocket with earnest satisfaction.

“Well…” He began, keeping his eyes trained on the stars, “I can't really tell you…”

Taylor blinked, confusion written on her face, She then huffed in annoyance, putting one hand out, “Then gimme my penny back!”

Kakashi sighed, and shook his head.

“Why not?!”

He sat up and looked at her, moving his body over next to hers. “You didn't let me finish” He put one arm around her, leaning on his elbow so his face was close to hers, “I can't tell you, But…” He kissed her softly, “I can show you”

That's it, chapter's done! *waves at everyone* Hey guys! Like it? Hate it?! Well, tell me how I'm doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *waves bye* READ AND FRIKKEN REVIEW!!!!!!!!! PUHLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE!!!!!!! Whoa, 14 pages! A NEW RECOOOOOORD!!!! GO MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!