Heroes [Naruto]

26 ; PAWN

The red haired girl was panting, her hands were shaking from overworking herself, and her legs quivered, before failing her. 

She wasn't happy with the way she was.

She was far too consumed in her thoughts, not noticing the two that left their hiding place in the trees.

"Kid," the older man called, and she turned, hazel eyes wide as she watched carefully. Her eyes roamed over his body.

The face was familiar, but only after she caught the line across the Mist village headband and the sword, did she realize who he was.

"Yes?" she wondered politely. The man and the boy were obviously surprised when she spoke that politely while her eyes were so weary.

"We're looking for something, care to help us?"

"I apologize, but I've been taught not to help criminals and rogue ninjas," she replied politely after a moment of silence, and the man smirked behind the bandages covering his face.

"How do you know that?"

"You're Zabuza Momochi," she said calmly, smiling softly. "One of the most known A- ranked criminal, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Your name walks before you, sir."

"Yet you refuse to help me?"

"I deeply apologize, sir," she sighed, standing up. "But my loyalty to the village lays intact."

"I see," Zabuza smirked again. "Then I suppose I'll have to get answers the hard way."

Suddenly, before she could even realize what happened, Zabuza was less than a centimeter away from her, sword at her neck.

Ushio tried to flinch away, but the boy was already behind her. She looked at him with wide, frightened eyes. 

"Now, where is the compound of the Uchiha clan?"

"Uchiha clan?" Ushio wondered, looking for an ounce of confidence. "What's to you and to them?"

"Kid, your leaders called me here, so just co-operate and shut up."

Ushio frowned, "so... should I co-operate or shut up?"

"SHUT UP!" he howled, "damn, you're annoying! Just tell us!" Ushio couldn't help but sweatdrop. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, was he?

She couldn't say anything else though, because a moment later, he slashed her upper thigh, and she tried to grip it in pain, but he grabbed her from her throat, pinning her against a tree.

"So? Are you gonna talk, or am I just gonna kill you?"

"ZABUZA!" Haku called, realizing the girl was making hand signs. She slammed her hands together, and Zabuza flew back a bit from a gust of wind. She fell on her butt, flinching in pain and grabbing her thigh. She barely scrambled to her feet, starting to run away as quick as she could. 

In front of her appeared a boy, and the moment she caught sight of his headband, she hid behind him.

"So you're the one summoned by the elders to make sure I carry out the job?" the raven haired boy spoke.

"Apparently, are you Itachi Uchiha?"

"Yes."

"How old are you anyway?"

"What does it matter to you?"

"It doesn't."

"Why did you cause harm to the girl?"

"She wouldn't cooperate."

"Well, to be honest, you told me to shut up-- I cooperated with that."

"Imma kill you, brat."

Itachi glared at Zabuza, activating his Sharingan. "You can tell the Elders again. I'll take care of it myself. I'll carry out the mission and kill them all on my own. No need for any hired assassin."

"I don't care, I'm getting paid either way," Zabuza said, leaning on his sword. "Oi, Haku, go fix the mess I've made."

Ushio peeked from behind the boy, and watched as Haku walked closer, cleaning the cut and putting on a bandage.

"You realize that the girl now knows of you?" Haku wondered.

Itachi looked at the red haired girl. "Could you just scramble off and forget any of that happened?"

She shook her head silently.

"Well, at least she's honest." The elders spoke, and Itachi turned to them, watching as Danzo walked after them, smirking.

"What's your name?" the woman asked.

"Ushio Adachi."

"Isn't she familiar to you?" the man asked her.

"She is..."

"I'm studying at the Academy. My case probably was discussed with you, since I skipped two years ahead."

"Oh, the young one who's on top of the class, wasn't it?" Ushio nodded.

"That's a shame to kill her..."

"She could have a great potential."

Itachi swore under his breath, hiding the girl behind him.

"Danzo, you're in charge of her fate."

"My pleasure."

►

"You're part of the master plan now." He explained. "Everything you do from now on, it's just a stage before joining the ANBU. You're a tool, like Itachi Uchiha is, like Zabuza is. You're a piece at our disposal, and you must take care of the village before anything else. Not the Hokage, and not the ninjas. The Village is what matters, are we clear?"

"Yes sir."

"If we tell you to, you kill everyone around you, you kill your family and your friends. You leave the village, you get everyone to think you're a traitor. You're nothing that Itachi isn't-- a pawn."

"Of course sir."

"so who are you?"

"Ushio Adachi, a pawn."