Enemy of Mine [Naruto Uzumaki]

Chapter 5

"That was amazing, really!" Naruto exclaimed. He was moving around Emi as the teen prepared the ingredients for their dinner throwing out discarded shavings and pulling free pots and pans. "I had no idea a Sound Ninja could do that before."

"Not everyone can," she stated. "Our fighting styles are different when using sound attacks, much like Leaf Ninja are never the same with theirs."

"But you have basic jutsus, right? Things you start out with?"

"Kind of..."

His head picked up from playing with the dials on the stove. "What do you mean by that?"

"Being a Sound Ninja is more difficult when training. We don't have a solid chakra nature like the Kage Villages. Everyone is forced to try and discover their own. The closest thing we have is Wind since it's directly connected to traveling sound. Still, that tactic doesn't always work in training."

"Huh... I guess that makes sense."

Lost in though, he moved out of the way as Emi shifted towards the stove and pushed the contents into the sizzling pan. "What was that jutsu you used before?" Snapping out of it, he glanced down at the singer. "The one where you duplicated yourself."

"Shadow Clone?"

"Sure, I guess that's what it was." With the fluid motion of his hands an exact copy appeared beside the young man. "Yup, that's it."

"You've never heard of the cloning technique before?"

"I've seen it, but wasn't allowed to learn the jutsu." Turning down the burner so the food could simmer, Emi faced the clone and began poking around the shoulders and face. "So technically, it's you... but it's not you."

Naruto chuckled. "Something like that. Only if this one of me dies it only goes up in a puff of smoke." Without warning it did just that, causing Emi to stumble backwards in surprise.

"How many can one person make?"

"As many as they want depending on their chakra. As a Genin in the Academy you're only expected to produce one for exams. Once being assigned to a team and a Sensei your chakra increases, which allows your number of clones to double."

"That's pretty impressive."

"How come you weren't allowed to learn?"

"Brutus forbade it... but I never got a clear answer as to why."

Naruto shook his head as the older teen removed the food and served it between two plates. "Did you ever think that if you could clone yourself they could mimic your abilities as well?" She paused, thinking this over. "Because that's what a clone is for. To strengthen your power against an opponent and have your back."

"He didn't want me to overpower them..." Her eyes grew dark. "Damn him."

Sitting down, Naruto's mouth watered at the amazing smell coming from his plate. Quickly stuffing some food into his mouth a smirk came to Emi's lips, though she quickly hid it before the young man looked up. "Why would your father want to prevent you from becoming stronger? If he's holding you back then what's the point of sending you in to infiltrate us if you're not up to your full potential?"

Swallowing, the teen sighed and began to pick at the food with her chopsticks. "Brutus and I have never seen eye to eye since I was a kid. Though he is a very powerful and influential Sound Ninja I did not inherit my ninja skills from him and that made Brutus nervous because he knew what to expect as I began growing up."

"Your mother was a ninja?"

"From what I remember..." She quickly ate some more food.

"Where is she now?" It happened in seconds, a detached look coming to her eyes and refusing to look up from the plate. "Sorry, you don't have to tell me... But I understand. I never knew my parents." Emi glanced up with mild curiosity. "They died the same day I was born protecting me."

"I'm sorry..." she whispered.

It was his grin that surprised the singer. Why was he smiling? She couldn't understand it. "It's okay. Because their deaths made me stronger and helped me become the ninja I am today. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for them." And his grin widened further at the fact that Emi couldn't help the small smile coming to her lips.

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As the days passed Naruto would bring Emi everywhere with him. Whether to training with his team, or a walk around Konoha, or grocery shopping. She had to admit this was a lot nicer than the Sound where everyone glared at each other, threats were tossed around in order to show superiority, or death was a daily occurrence. If you weren't strong enough to survive then you didn't deserve to live. It was a saying the older teen always hated hearing from her father and there were times during practice with her tutor she seriously considered not defending herself just to be done with it all. But now living in Konoha, Emi realized staying alive all of those years was worth it because this, to her, was paradise.

"He really doesn't like me, does he?"

Turning away from the items he was examining at a vendor, Naruto picked up his head and looked over a shoulder catching a head duck behind a box of crates. "Feh, he has nothing better to do," the Chuunin answered. He looked away and picked up another orange. "What a joke. He should be training more. His stealth skills are terrible." Paying for the fruit, they continued walking down the street through the market. "Nice detection, by the way. You didn't even have to turn around."

"He's been following us for a while."

Naruto grinned, peeling the skin away and split the food in half. "Like I said, he should be training instead. Here." Passing over her portion of the orange the singer took the food staring at it strangely before sniffing.

"It smells... good."

"Because it is." She watched the young man peel off a piece and pop it in his mouth. "What? You've never had an orange before?"

Following his actions, the teen said, "Can't say I have." Upon biting into the piece some juice escaped her lips. Emi was quick to cover her mouth to catch it with wide eyes before it could roll down the chin. Naruto laughed as she tried to mask her embarrassment, wiping away the liquid. "Sorry. But you were right, it does taste good."

"Glad you like it." With the smell of oranges lingering on their fingers the two met Sakura and Sai in the street minutes later. "Any news?" he asked.

"The Kazekage should be here no later than tomorrow," Sakura answered. "But even that is doubtful with the threat of the Sound looming over us. They could have to travel slower and take a different route in case there are ninja watching them."

"How is it living with this idiot?" Sai asked, catching Emi's attention.

"Fine," she answered. "I'm enjoying myself."

"You don't look like you are."

"Like yourself, I have difficulty displaying emotions due to training."

"Don't worry, we're going to fix that!" Naruto declared. "I mean, look at Sai. He used to be a dick when we first met. Definitely an improvement." Even Sakura nodded to confirm it.

"Should I be worried?"

Sai smirked, "Maybe."

Rolling his eyes, the Chuunin ruffled Emi's hair, "You're going to be fine, believe it."