Waiting Game

Chapter 12

Well, guess who's going to conveniently run into a mirror?!

Also, this is going to be more of a short filler as the calm before the storm!

"Hey, Tsubaki."

"Yes, Sensei-san?"

"I was just wondering... you never properly introduced yourself on the roof that day."

"Neither did you."

"Touché. But seriously, if I introduce myself, would you?"

"...sure."

"Hey, Tsubaki." Sakura's voice brought me back into the land of the living, as I awoke from my restless slumber. "I know you can't hear me since you're asleep, but I just wanted to ask you this... even if you can't answer. Are you okay? Ever since you confessed that you wanted to kill the Hokage, you've just been so... distant. It scares me... I worry for you, Onee-chan."

My heart swelled in regret and sadness; I didn't want to make her afraid, I just didn't want my 'abandonment' to be so harsh.

As soon as she left my room to let me sleep in, I breathed out a soft, "This is for the better, imouto-san."

Getting out of my futon, I stood up.

"It's for the better; for this I am sorry..."

I quickly changed out of my night clothes, consisting of loose fabric, and into my ninja attire. A hand mirror, provided to me by Sakura when we were packing for this mission, laid idly on my backpack, so I inched my and over to it.

I nearly forgot what I looked like- no. I had forgotten what I looked like.

Picking it up gingerly, I saw the face of Sakura staring back at me, but with barely-noticeable bags under her ruby eyes and skin tone similar to a corpse. Her thin, tousled hair was blinding white, an "I'm over here!" signal to her enemies, tied in a bun with senbon holding it in place. Her ninja attire consisted of a full-body fish-net suit covered by a white crop top, bandages of stability around her waist, and a white skirt. Her leaf-symbol rested upon her neck as a collar reminding her of her fake loyaly.

My red leather pouches of weapons were one on each of her legs, some being supported by bandages. And she wore the standard ninja sandals.

This is me.

I reached out towards the mirror, seeing myself echo before my eyes.

"So, introduce yourself!"

"..."

"Well, what're you waiting for?"

"Name: Haruno Tsubaki. Likes: I enjoy indulging myself in logistics and statistics. Dislikes: my hatred for the Hokage cannot simply be described as mildly as a 'dislike,' but I suppose it fits best in this category. Hobbies: also indulging myself in logistics and statistics. Dreams: nightmares."

"..."

"..."

"Tsubaki, I already knew all that!"

"I know."
...
I was free...

Wait, no.

Placing my hands into a single, simple hand-sign, I teleported as far as I could while ignoring Kakashi's scream of anger; anywhere would do, just away from there.

Magen a whole new forest materialized around me, I finally let out a breath and deactivated the chakra-powered eyes.

Now; now I was free.

I sighed in relief; elation ran through my veins warmly, delicately. I was free! My lips pulled into the smallest of smiles, my shoulders were no longer tense, and a happy breeze flittered through the forest. I was free! A gentle laugh tickled my lungs, but I was able to set it off as a small grin. I could now leave the village, and no one would want me back; just dead. I was a rogue now, as proven by my tarnished collar. My broken collar! The thought made my smile less innocent. I then turned around; I had to start my story as a rogue somewhere!

But I rammed into someone. Not expecting even in the slightest, I stumbled backwards before turning my mistake into a flip backwards. Shooting my hands down onto the dirt ground, and propelling myself up off of them, I landed heavily on my feet. My injuries burned, causing me to scowl, but I otherwise made no sound.

Looking up to get a good look at the person who intruded on me, or perhaps I intruded on them(but judging by how close they stood behind me, I'd say not), what I saw first were the colors black and red.

I narrowed my eyes, shaking my exhaustion from my previous fight away, and observed further.

Red eyes, but not similar to mine at all, glared back at me. Black hair was tied loosely at the nape of this not-so-stranger's neck. And what really made this person a "not-stranger" was the black cloak with red clouds embroidered on.

Itachi Uchiha, brother to my ex-teammate Sasuke Uchiha, stood there boldly.

No words were shared; we both knew each other. I, from knowing the truth of the Uchiha massacre, and he from being loyal to the Hokage even after exile.

The Hokage kept him knowledgeable on me, perhaps for a scenario like this one.

Or, judging by the fact that his eyes softened after a moment of silence, not.

But this could be a façade too... just like Kakashi's concern always was.