Dear Little Sister

Chapter 19

« Tears »

"Mada-kun," Miyuki sang innocently. "Could you help me?"

The masked man turned to her, confusion and panic in his eyes. "What with, Miyu-chan?"

Miyuki stared ahead, where Orochimaru was standing and looking at the man in surprise.

"Kill him."

Turning on her heel, she walked back to her team, her smile looking especially strained.

"Who are you?" Orochimaru asked, looking interested but also rather pained.

Obito wasn't wearing his Akatsuki cloak, seeing as he technically wasn't part of the organisation yet since he wasn't in possession of a ring.

Oh well. That would change in the next few minutes.

Stepping forward and smirking under his orange and black mask, Obito stared down at Orochimaru with his sharingan activated.

He was beside the snake man in a flash, the sannin quickly making a swing at him with a kunai. Orochimaru faltered ever so slightly as it simply phased through him, realising too late as he was slammed to the ground by his throat.

"Go," Miyuki hissed to her best friends. "Go, now."

"Leave, Miyuki-chan," Obito called out. "I'll be fine."

Miyuki uncomfortably nodded, glancing over her shoulder. "Thanks, Mada."

Grabbing the boys by their hands, she jumped away, looking for a place to set up camp. Once a safe distance away, Naruto exploded.

"Who the hell was that?!"

Sasuke grunted in agreement.

Miyuki blinked. "Un, Orochimaru? He's a legendary sannin. He's kinda, um, immortal and looking for a new body. That's why he came after me."

The Uchiha, who was about to cut her off, winced. "Why didn't he come after me?"

Miyuki shifted. "Because you don't have the mangekyo sharingan. Apparently he doesn't know that it shortens your life span every time you use it."

"I was talkin' about the dude with the mask!" Naruto yelled.

Miyuki's mouth parted in surprise. "Oh, him? Um, just an acquaintance of mine."

"What does ac-quant-ace mean?" Naruto asked, sounding out the word.

"Acquaintance," Miyuki corrected. "Like, um, a half friend? Someone you know but aren't exactly active friends with..?"

Sasuke had begun to set up camp and ignored Naruto's stupid questions. "He seemed quite familiar with you. And he seemed like a bit of an idiot."

Miyuki kept her fury at bay. "He's not. He's fine." With that, she ignored all other questions and helped with setting out their futons.

"Who's on lookout?" Sasuke asked tiredly. Miyuki shook her head.

"Got it—" she yawned. "Covered."

They both gave her strange looks, which she ignored. "You seem to have everything covered. Hey, wasn't having that guy in the tiger mask help us cheating?"

"Tiger mask?" Miyuki snorted. "Probably. Having a legendary ninja enter the chunin exams is cheating too. Doesn't matter. Ninja cheat all the time."

Sasuke hn'd again.

Naruto was quietly snoring in his futon, curled up in a small ball. Sasuke glanced over at him and sighed. "Might as well, then." He then flipped onto his side and closed his eyes, trying to sleep.

Once his breathing evened out, Miyuki shifted. "Zetsu," she breathed.

A white zetsu slowly emerged from the ground. "Yes, hime?"

"Did..ah, Madara kill Orochimaru?"

"I believe Orochimaru got away," came the quiet reply. Miyuki cursed, gritting her teeth angrily. Zetsu's hand protruded from the ground, a heaven scroll clasped in it.

Miyuki sighed. "Thanks."

With a grin, Zetsu disappeared again. "Anytime."

After sealing the heaven scroll away, Miyuki curled up in her futon, making sure to tell Zetsu to keep lookout while the three slept.

Slept.

Miyuki couldn't sleep.

She blinked repeatedly, determined not to cry.

Tears dripped down her face, seemingly endless.

"Nii-chan, why do we cry?"

Shisui glanced at her, smiling at the little girl. "Sometimes it's easier to cry than to change."

Miyuki silently sobbed, hand over her mouth as she muffled her sobs and cried, salty tears escaping her tired, tired eyes. Nightmares were something that she experienced often, especially after what happened mere weeks ago.

She couldn't let her emotions get the best of her. So of course she stayed cheerful, happy Miyuki, the girl without a care in the world.

She couldn't drop that facade. Never.

Not even in Obito's cursed infinite tsukuyomi.

She wanted nothing more than to scream, cry, make it known that she wasn't okay. That she wasn't carefree. That she wasn't happy.

But she wouldn't.

Not until she was alone.

Not until she could stop keeping secrets.

Not until she could go out into the streets on Shisui's back, smiling.

Not until she could walk around town hand in hand with Obito.

Not until she was free.

A/N
Damn.

my mother woke me up really early today to do schoolwork but here I am writing depressing stuff lmao

your comments give me life

~ Author-Nee