Waiting Game

Chapter 24

I wanted to move. 

I wanted to move so badly. 

Orochimaru’s head slightly tilted, just enough that shadows were cast over his-her eyes and light to fall on his-her smile. 

“So you know who I am, little Tsubaki~” Skin began peeling off his body, falling and crumpling around him to reveal his true self. His head was cocked to the side in a curious manner. “Or should I say... Tsubi-chan~”

”Gah!” I reeled back at the nickname, muscles twitching in my face. It sent me down a dark memory...

”You’ve been a bad little girl, Tsubaki~” Kabuto grinned, glasses flashing as he walked towards me. His footsteps were silent against the concrete floor, and his hand was alight in a blue chakra scalpel. 

I reeled back, trying to get as far away from him as I could, but his other hand latched onto my wrist, bringing me close to him. Close enough to feel his breath fan across my face. 

He brought the chakra scalpel closer and closer...

”Don’t worry, little Tsubi-chan... it's just a lesson to teach you not to talk back to Danzo-sama,” he cooed. That grin danced across his eyes as he began slowly dragging the scalpel across my skin. 

“D...don’t call me that...” I shook, anger ablaze in my eyes. Orochimaru laughed lightly.  

“Of course, of course, Tsubaki-chan~” he smiled. “Now, scream!” His tongue fell out of his mouth, reaching all the way down to his chest, and he lunged forwards in an obvious attempt to scare me. I jumped back, flipping upside down in a hand spring while my other hand was swung in an arc, releasing senbon upon senbon at him before landing lightly on my feet. With the dynamic move, my hair was jolted out of its tidy bun. He grinned, straightening up, and flickered away as soon as the senbon would have reached him. My scowl turned feral, eyes sweeping across the clearing, noting that he was gone. 

I rushed over to Sakura, who was on the verge of passing out. Her breaths came out in small puffs, and I was sure that she was in a panic attack. Knowing I wouldn’t be able to take her out of it, I spun a senbon in my hand and my eyes darkened. “I’m sorry...” I jabbed it in the base of her neck, and she slumped over into my arms. 

Sasuke was breathing heavily.

”Who... who was that?!” He demanded, eyes wide. Haku jumped down from a tree, landing lightly on his feet. 

“I don’t know, but you need to get out of here. That... that thing will come back soon!” He commanded. Sasuke looked over to him. 

“D-Don’t tell me what to do!” He yelled. 

“Get out of here, Sasuke,” I scowled, pulling out a handful of senbon. “He’s after me, and probably the Sharingan. If you can get out of here and alert the Jonin and Hokage, then he’ll only be able to get one of us.”

As if the word ‘Sharingan’ set off a switch in his head, Sasuke took off. 

“...he’s after you?” Haku asked. I nodded, and put Sakura in his arms. 

“I trust you to bring her away. Take her to the Hokage; she’ll be safest there.”

”You hate the Hokage,” Haku’s eyebrows probably furrowed underneath his mask, but he took off. I watched sadly as I was finally left alone, and never have I felt so vulnerable.