Relentless (Book 2)

Too Happy - Sasuke

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto :(

The next morning from the basement where Sasuke lay in the dark, he heard the girl's voice as she spoke with her sensei.

"I'm going to go into town," was all she said, footsteps moving toward the door.

"Would you like company?" the Copycat ninja asked and Sasuke rolled his eyes. He then smirked, however, at Katsu's response.

"I feel the need to be alone right now," she said politely.

"Of course," Kakashi said. "Just be careful, alright?"

"I will," she said before the front door opened and closed, signifying her leave. There were more footsteps before Sasuke heard the door to Kakashi's room open and close.

Rising to his feet, Sasuke approached his dresser and selected a piece of clothing with a long dark hood. Donning it so that the top half of his face was shrouded in darkness, Sasuke quietly opened the basement's trapdoor and headed for the front door. He wasn't quite sure what he was doing or why he was doing it but one thing was for sure- he wanted to see what Katsu was up to. He was also very bored. And if that Sensei of hers wasn't going to follow her, someone had to make sure she didn't get herself killed, didn't they? He didn't care if something happened to the girl, but only she could lift the curse she had cast on him. Who knew what could happen if she died before he was freed of it?

She hadn't gotten too far, her deep violet hair helping him to spot her in the crowd of people shopping in the town. Sasuke watched her from afar, leaning against the window of a shop to discreetly view her inside. She had entered a small bookshop and, as he watched, she read through many passages of different books before selecting one to purchase. When Katsu exited the shop, she walked right past him before entering a small antique's shop.

He narrowed his eyes. The girl really did have odd interests. She walked up and down the aisles looking at all the old objects before purchasing something Sasuke couldn't see. And so it went like that, the girl entering different shops here and there, buying something every now and then.

As Sasuke cautiously followed her down the crowded street, her back grew rigid. She had the feeling she was being watched, he realized. Sasuke gracefully ducked under the entryway of a shop just as Katsu turned around to look behind her. Shrugging, she returned to her original path.

She next entered a candle shop, a clothing store, a bakery, and a farmer's market before turning backward in the direction of their new home.

Sasuke, needing to get there before she did, entered and ally, centered chakra in his feet to climb the wall of a building, and jumped neighboring structures until he reached the edge of the town where he jogged across the plain to their seemingly invisible home. Quietly, he entered the house and returned to the basement, removing his hood and running a hand through his hair. He sat on his bed with a long sigh.

Several minutes later, the front door opened again and Sasuke casually opened the trapdoor at the same time Kakashi's bedroom door opened.

The white-haired ninja Sasuke loathed smiled and offered to help the girl with with the bags she was carrying.

Slowly, Sasuke rolled his eyes again.

"I've brought dinner," Katsu said, tossing each of them two riceballs. "And maybe, so that none of us dies of boredom while waiting for new information, I bought this as well." Carefully, Katsu unveiled an old-looking chess-set with delicate marble pieces.

"What makes you think anyone would be interested in a game like that?" Sasuke asked, realizing it was what she had purchased in the antique's shop.

"Just because you're not mature or intelligent enough to handle a game like this, it doesn't mean the rest of us aren't," Kakashi said with a shrug.

"Can you stop being a suck-up for like three seconds," Sasuke growled, rising from the trap-door.

"I'm only stating facts," Kakashi said, narrowing his eyes. "How about you stop being such a hothead?"

"Stop fighting!" Katsu said, shooting glares at both of them. "We don't have to like each other but we can't fight all the time. If you feel like fighting, then just play each other in chess to 'prove yourself' or whatever it is you men feel the need to do."

"That is a stupid way to prove anything," Sasuke snapped. "And I will play no game with him."

Kakashi smirked, crossing his arms. "I don't think you know how  to play," he said, his single, grey eye sparkling.

Sasuke glared at him menacingly. "Knowledge of a game so absurd is not the measure of a real man."

Kakashi chuckled.

Katsu sighed. "Well the good news is, to occupy your time, I got you a book as well."

"Me?" Sasuke asked suspiciously.

"Yes," Katsu replied, tossing him the book she had bought.

Sasuke caught it easily, turning it over as to read the cover. "The Ultimate Guide to being a Gentleman,"  Sasuke read aloud before blandly looking at Katsu.

The room filled with the sound of Kakashi's hysterical laughter, the man doubling over, his hands on his knees. "The Ultimate Guide to being a-"  his sentence was cut off by more of his own laughter, for he was clearly unable to control himself.

Katsu shrugged, the smallest smile clearly tugging at her lips. "Happy reading," was all she said before returning to removing the other things she had purchased. She set several candles around the house and lit them, her intent to make the place smell fresher. The pleasant smell made Sasuke want to throw up.

"There's a festival coming up soon," she said, reading the flyer he had seen her pick up earlier. "It looks like a lot of fun! Can we go Kakashi?" she asked eagerly.

Kakashi hesitated. "A festival? It could be a possibility that Orochimaru has spies in the area."

"But we'll be really careful," Katsu promised persistently.

Kakashi exhaled deeply. "Only for a short, short while," he said as she jumped up and down.

Sasuke snickered, a sneer on his lips. The man would do whatever the girl asked of him. "A festival?" he asked. "You want to go to a festival? How old are you?"  His gaze then shifted to Kakashi. "Have fun with that."

"You're coming too!" Katsu exclaimed.

"What?"

"Look at the flyer," she continued. "Everybody's going to be wearing masks. No one will recognize you."

"I hate festivals," Sasuke continued hurriedly. "They're too happy. I'm not going."

Katsu huffed in frustration. "Fine. Your loss!"

Sasuke relaxed, relieved he would not be forced to go.

"When is it?" Kakashi asked.

"Several days from now," she replied.

"Then we have time to play some chess, don't we?" he asked slyly.

Katsu shrugged, eyes on the game instead of her sensei. "Perhaps," she answered, almost shyly. "But what would we be playing for?"

"An interesting question," Kakashi replied. "We could play for cash...or make it even more interesting."

Katsu tilted her head in question. "I'm listening," she said, showing her competitive edge.

"Hmmm. Loser has to...," he considered several invisible options. "Jump in the lake tonight."

"You're on!" Katsu exclaimed.

Sasuke shook his head and returned to the darkness of the basement. He wasn't sure why, but hearing the two of them talk with each other like that pissed him off so much it surprised him. He wanted to break something.

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