Mysterious (Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter 41: Genshi's Return

I was at the ramen shop, just talking with Teuchi and his daughter, Ayame. It's been two days since I came back to the village and I was totally hung up on the idea of looking for the Akatsuki. The only problem is, I don't know where to find them.

"So, I heard you decided to skip out on the trip with Master Jiraiya and Naruto." Teuchi said. "Yeah, Sasuke got hurt, so Guy-sensei and I had to bring him back here. I didn't mind though. Friends come first." I said.

"Aww, that was really sweet of you to volunteer to take him back to the village." Ayame commented. "I guess." I said with a shrug. "What's the matter, Nue? You're not in your usual happy mood. Are you feeling okay?" She asked.

"Not really. I have some things going on right now." I said. "What sort of things?" Teuchi asked. I lazily lied my head on the table. "Do you ever have those times when bits and pieces of your past is unsolved?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. Too tired to think."

Great, now I feel all depressed. "Here, have some of this. It'll make you feel better." Teuchi said. I lifted my head and saw him set a bowl of ramen down in front of me. I looked at him at the food, then at him with a confused look on my face.

"Go ahead. It's on the house." He said with a kind smile. "Really? Thank you so much." I said, then began to eat the ramen. "See? You're smiling again." Ayame said. I gave her a closed eye smile.

When I was finished with my ramen, I began to leave the ramen shop. "Bye, Ayame, Teuchi! Thanks for the ramen!" I said, waving to them. I was feeling a lot better thanks to the ramen. I went home to check on my sister and Maria.

"I'm home!" I called as I entered the house. "Welcome home, my imouto!" Iri called back, happily. "Ohayo, Nue-sama!" Maria called. "I'm sssstarving." Kiyoshi hissed. "I'll make you something." I told him as we entered the kitchen.

I saw Maria putting a worm in a pot of soup. "Uh, what are you doing?" I asked. "I'm trying out a new experiment." She answered. "And I'm helping." Iri chimed in as she gave me a closed eye smile. "What are you guys making?" I asked.

"We have no idea." Iri said before dropping a very dark blue berry into the pot. The moment she did, the pot exploded. Smoke quickly filled the air as we began to cough.

"What kind of berry was that?" I asked as I waved off the smoke. "I don't know. I found it in a bush near the Hokage Mountain." Iri said. I picked a berry from the bowl and examined its color. "Iri, these are nightshade berries." I informed.

"Nightshade berries?" She repeated, and I nodded my head. "Yeah. In other words, they're not meant to be used as an ingredient. These things are meant for animals, not for humans." I explained. "Whoops. My bad." Iri apologized, scratching the back of her head.

"How did you know that, Nue-sama?" Maria asked me. I blinked my red eyes. "I have no idea. I just knew somehow," I placed the berry back in the bowl. "Um, I think I'm going to go for a walk. I need to think." I said as I unwrapped Kiyoshi from my arm.

"You don't want me to come along?" Kiyoshi asked. "Sorry, buddy. Not this time. Iri, try not to blow up the house." I said before leaving the house.

As I was walking through the village, I got some nasty looks from the villagers as I walked past them. I tried to ignore them while I pulled my hood over my head.

"Look at her. Now, I know why she wears that cloak. What a freak."

"I hope she dies or at least gets kidnapped my some rogue ninjas."

"She doesn't belong here."

"She's a freak. A monster."

"Freak."