Heroes [Naruto]

27 ; TERMINAL

"Kawami, Ushio! We need help over here!" a voice called the two over. Ushio was sitting peacefully on the large snake's head, running a hand over it, soothing him.

He didn't like how everyone wanted his help.

"It's because you're good, Mr. Kawami," she soothed. "They like you, you should let them pat you too."

He hissed in return, and she furrowed her eyebrows. "You want to eat them?" He shook his gigantic head as he slithered to where the ninjas called him. "Oh, you want to befriend them? Well you should! The ninjas in the village are very nice, Mr. Kawami. They'll really like you."

He hissed his insecurities, and Ushio listened. 

"Then let's have a go, look, this is Raido, he's very nice! Let's go and speak to him!" Ushio hopped off of his head, flinching as she landed on her hurting left leg. "Hey, Raido!" she called, making the man turn to her. He was chatting idly with Genma, the two of them carrying a fallen tree away. "Genma! Kawami wanted to come over and help you."

"Well, we did request it a few moments ago..."

"No, he wants to be friends with you!"

"... Huh?" Raido questioned, looking up at the giant snake. "Friends? With me? Your giant snake?"

"He's not mine, he's a friend!" Ushio explained, patting the spot she stood next to. "And he wants to be friends with you too! He betrayed Orochimaru, so we're his family now."

"You two are family?"

"We all are!" Ushio sighed, irritated with Genma. He shifted the senbon in his mouth, watching her curiously. 

"You know, you're kind of an odd one."

Both Kawami and Ushio sweatdropped, looking annoyed.

"Well, they're nice, but idiotic," she explained to Kawami. Kawami lowered his head so he was eye to eye with Genma, Raido watching his friend staring at the snake from such close proximity. He bumped his snot with Genma's nose, making him raise an eyebrow. 

"Your snake's funny."

Kawami turned to Ushio, hissing a question.

"No, he didn't mock you, he thinks you're funny. That's a compliment, Mr. Kawami." Kawami nodded, looking excited, hissing something in return. "You think he's edible?" Kawami shook his head, repeating what he said. "Friendly?" Kawami shook his head, before pausing. He explained that he figured he was friendly, but that wasn't what he said.

"Oh," Ushio finally understood what he said as he repeated it one more time. "Genma, Kawami thinks you're good looking."

Genma choked on his spit, looking at the snake.

"Uh, excuse me?"

"Kawami is an art loving snake, and he appreciates everything that looks nice."

"What about me?" Raido asked, pushing Genma to the side. Kawami looked him over, before turning to Ushio.

She giggled, "that's not nice, Mr. Kawami. Raido isn't boring looking."

"Boring?!" Raido questioned, looking at the snake with big eyes. "Me? No, you're mistaken! I'm very interesting! And I've got an eight pack! Genma barely has a six pack!"

Ushio couldn't help but laugh, "See what you've done Mr. Kawami? Now Raido is sad."

Ushio suddenly paused, the familiar chakra signature making her insides freeze. No. He couldn't be here.

"Kawami, help them," she gave a slight smile. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

Kawami nodded, looking confused and concerned, but pushed no farther. She waved Raido and Genma goodbye, rushing away.

"Bolt," she greeted the hawk as he flew towards her. "It's been a while. Have you been safe? That's good... Come on Bolt," she told him as he landed on her shoulder. "We've got some business to take care of."

►

"What's that supposed to mean, Itachi-Sama?!" Ushio yelled loudly, annoyed. He looked at her with the same indifferent look, as Bolt tilted his head in curiousity.

"Who is that brat, Itachi?"

"Oi, blue fish! Why calling me brat?!"

"Blue fish?!" he yelled, "do you have any idea who I am?! I am--"

"Hoshigaki Kisame, an S-ranked rogue ninja of the Mist and one the Seven Swordsmen, carrier of Samehada." she waved him off, "doesn't change the fact you look like a blue fish," she watched him, hands on her hips.

"I don't like you, brat!"

"Itachi-sama!" she ignored the man, turning to the black haired man she adored. "Why did you say that you've got no business with me?"

"You're not my goal here, Ushio," he spoke quietly. "Carry on with your mission, I'm not here as a part of it."

Ushio's face turned red. Itachi was the one who wanted her away from the mission, and he was acting like he didn't even know her. 

"You're in the Village," she growled warningly. "I don't care about anything else, but I've got reason to believe you mean trouble-" she was careful  not to use the word harm - "so I'd prefer it if you talked willingly."

The two criminals stayed silent, and she looked them over again. The black cloak with the red clouds didn't tell her anything, neither did the rings. They were obviously a part of some organization, but she didn't know the goal of it or anything else about it for that matter.

"Ushio," Itachi spoke again, making her turn to glare at him. "Go mind someone else's business."

She got an irk mark-- that boy pissed her off-- but then caught sight of his face. His Sharingan was, surprisingly, not activated. He looked much skinnier and paler than he should've been, and she saw the look in his eyes; she saw it before, multiple times.

People who were dying of a disease had that look in their eyes. One of defeat, one that screamed tired, one that broke your heart.

"Are you dying?" she wondered quietly, voice cracking. Kisame turned to look at his partner, waiting for him to dismiss her words and tell her how stupid she was-- well, Itachi wouldn't exactly call her stupid, but that was the point.

His silence was the answer for the two, and none of them made any comment.

Not that they had a chance, as Asuma and Kurenai appeared next to Ushio.

"It's been a while, Asuma-san, Kurenai-san," Itachi spoke ever so calmly.

"If you know us," Asuma said, stepping ahead of Ushio, as though to protect her. "You must be a former ninja of the village."

Ushio sweatdropped. "Am I surrounded by idiots?"

Itachi slowly raised his eyes, showing part of his face to the two Jounins. "You're--" Itachi started opening his cloak, and Ushio swore almost silently.

"Bolt, get out of here," she told the hawk. "Go help Raido and Genma with Kawami." The hawk flew away, listening to her request.

"No doubt about it... It's Uchiha Itachi."