Ai Saikuro

Chapter Eight

A day after Sakura and I's little bonding moment we all walked towards the bridge. Yes, finally Naruto and Sasuke finished the stupid tree climbing exercise...only Naruto was left behind because he exhausted his chakra. Moron.

The walk seemed too silent; even when we were just around the corner from Tazuna's master piece we still didn't hear a peep, there should at least be menial chatter between the people remaining, no matter how little those numbers were. But there was no sound, none, just an eerie kind of quietness that had everyone jumping at their own foot steps.

It didn't surprise me when we found the bodies scattered all over the bridge.

It didn't surprise me when a survivor told us a monster was the cause.

I still remained unperturbed when Kakashi insisted it was Zaza and Tazuna and Sakura had a fit.

But...

Three figures appearing in the mist was not something I expected... There were only two that I knew of that would be attacking us today- Zaza and Haku- so who was the third figure? Oh, frick!

The mist was starting to clear a bit upon the will of Zabuza and I think Sakura finally got over her panic attack and pulled out a kunai in preparation to protect the bridge builder, Kakashi and Sasuke looked like they were ready to jump at the foe as soon as they appeared. I gather myself just in time to see the three figures emerge from the mist.

"Frick!" I said glaring at Zaza before giving the third member of his party a hard stare.

Kakashi expressed his confusion with a raised brow whilst the others looked at me expectantly. "Do you know these guys, too?"

I sighed and turned my eyes to my group. "Unfortunately, I know them both, yes. The one with the mask is Haku..." I hesitated.

"And the other?"

"Arkadia Roamanchi." I told them as I glared into space. "They had to bring that one."

Cue question marks over my squads heads.

"That man, he was hired to capture me by a certain man earlier on in my travels..." I explained, glaring at him from the corner of my eye. "He wasn't successful and I made him look life a fool; I ruined his reputation, he's had a horrible grudge against me since. He attacked me close to every day when I was still traveling, trying to capture...to molest me...to kill me- I don't think he really cared as long as it ruined my life..in other words he's a sore loser. In the last year of my travels I didn't see much of him so I thought he'd been killed or at the least, given up."

Kakashi 'hmm'ed. "Why didn't you ever kill him after each time he was defeated?"

I scowled, annoyed. "The bastard is too slippery and I never bothered to waste my time chasing after the guy. Damn coward."

"Story time's over, let's just get this over with." Zaza stared and gestured to Arkadia. They must of run into him and told them I was here, after all it would probably keep me from helping my team..

I stared at him with a raised eyebrow as he started doing hand signs. "What're you going to try now since we both know you're not after the old man or the money?"

He laughed maniacally and I just stared at him blankly. "I'm going to ruin your reputation just like you did mine six years ago!"

Yes, the very sad fact was that I beat this psychopath when I was six; I don't even think I was trying. I somehow out smarted a man that was suppose to be a top notch mercenary, one of the best in all the lands, and don't forget to keep in mind that I was a six years old and only at Genin level... I don't exactly blame the guy for hating me for that but he's basically an obsessed idiot, he wouldn't except that I was more powerful than him...Where was Kakashi with that lecture he gave Naruto about Haku a few days ago? Arkadia could sure use it, he thought that since I was younger and a girl that I should be weaker then his dumb butt. Haha, no. Never in a million years.

He fit into one of my many annoyance categories that I never told the team...It bugged me when I was underestimated because of my age or gender, it gave me the strange urge to punch people when they did. I pretty much always followed through with that urge...

I started to recognize the jutsu he was preparing and decided to step in. I sprinted over to the moron and brought my fist towards his face. He caught it. My eyes widened in disbelief as he easily threw me back to my team.

Don't go thinking I was this cocky little brat that thought they'd beat their opponent every time, no, it's just...Arkadia had never been able to block one of my blows without at least a flinch (if he could even see the hit to block it in the first place); he'd have to have gone through a giant strength increase to be able to do what he just did. I wasn't going to underestimate him again, it would give him the edge.

I ignored the battles that had started around me and focused on my foe. "You want an audience to see when you finally 'beat' me?" I was trying to act arrogant to make him think he still had the edge, it'd make him more vulnerable; I still had my guard up.

He smirked with an ugly smug expression. Ha, he bought it, idiot. I felt his fist graze my cheek as I side stepped his assault. He'd gotten faster as well...I narrowed my eyes carefully.

It seemed a bit unreal- you'd know what I'm talking about if you saw him last year. He could even touch me or see me for that matter...

He kept coming, every time I dodged or blocked he'd have another attack headed for me once again and it was pushing me to the limits of my patience.

I jumped back eventually, slowing my faster breaths as I kept one eye on my enemy and let the other observe the different battles along the bridge. It was difficult to see clearly but I think I could make out the outline of Sasuke and maybe a recently arrived Naruto in Haku's ice jutsu. I flinched remembering my past experience in there. Ouch. Kakashi was fighting Zaza and it looked like he had the upper hand, unlike his students, and Sakura guarded the weary bridge builder, nervously.

My eyes snapped back to my own battle when I saw Arkadia grin maliciously. I didn't like that look.

He grabbed many kunai and shuriken and launched them..

But not at me...