Alrighty, I just thought that I'd let you know: This chapter diverts relatively much from the original storyline. It's nothing serious, just that this was supposed to happen (a bit differently though) later, like before the chuunin exams. I just wanted to let you know to avoid confusion; I know it's supposed to happen later! Don't question me. Thx and sorry ^-^

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The whole team is currently pulling out weeds. Yes, weeds.

Yes, me, the last Uchiha, is pulling out weeds.

These D-rank missions are ridiculous.

I look to the others, only to see Sakura only half-way done and Naruto just pulling out all plant life in his path. Kakashi is just reading in the back while Ceiren seems done with her work as she stands next to Kakashi looking up at the sky.

I look down at my hands, concentrating on my task. We've done absolutely nothing since we became genin. I mean we're supposed to be ninja now, but all we're doing is basically chores.

I mean, so far we've just pulled out weeds, babysitted, walked dogs, found lost cats and what not.

Ridiculous.

These things are just a complete waste of time.

They give us these ridiculous missions, how do they plan on making us improve?

We're just gonna be stuck doing this until Kakashi-sensei decides we're ready. But we all know that that is going to take a while. No way he would willingly jeopardize his own peaceful reading-time.

No way.

I freeze for a moment as a loud shout echoes through my ears tearing the eardrums to pieces.

"YOU'RE PULLING OUT THE PLANTS YOU IDIOT!!!! YOU WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO PULL THE WEEDS! I SHOULDN'T HAVE EXPECTED A DEMON TO DO ANYTHING BUT DESTROY"

Then I looked up only to see Naruto pushed to the ground. He then starts screaming in return, denying being a demon and blaming the lady for being unclear and whatever else Naruto would usually say.

While listening, my face is completely impassive, but on the inside I'm annoyed.

Can't that dobe do anything right?

But I was annoyed at the lady too.

You can't just go around pushing kids to the ground and swearing at them. Have some awareness as an adult, you hag.

The lady screamed some other profanity that I didn't pay attention to and Naruto got up to pounce at her.

But a hand unexpectedly stopped him. I turned slightly, expecting to see Kakashi. But it wasn't him. Cei's pale, snowy white arm was stretched out in front of Naruto, blocking his way. Seeing the hand, he stopped immediately.

I was surprised. Normally, with his personality, he would not let anything stand in his way. It's kind of his thing, to never give up.

But now, he has stopped dead in his tracks, his head bowed down as he stood there silently.

My eyes widened slightly, the only tell of my surprise on my otherwise expressionless face. I looked at the rest of the team, only to see them having stopped what they're doing to watch the spectacle.

Sakura was just staring, a slight smirk on her face.

She's happy Naruto got scolded.

She didn't notice anything strange. What 'brightest kunoichi'? Her screaming must have damaged Iruka's ears and reached all the way to the brain clouding his judgement.

Yah, that's probably it.

Kakashi was almost by Naruto, his hand reaching out, as if he had planned to do what Cei just did but started just a second later. Standing in that weird position, he was just watching, his visible eye narrowed.

When the woman noticed that the threat had been stopped, probably thinking that we will protect her from the 'demon', she started throwing curses on Naruto's head again. She even raised her hand, preparing to slap the boy.

As her hand came down, I was prepared to go stop her, but suddenly Ceiren turned around to face the woman. The surrounding temperature instantly seemed to drop almost to a freezing point, and the the woman's hand stopped in mid air, confusion mixed with a healthy amount of fear visible on her face.

Ceiren slowly, elegantly moved her outstretched hand to gently grab the woman's hand still frozen in the air. As Ceiren took it, she gently lowered it.

Then a voice like an angel's sounded in the air.

"Please don't. Doing this will change nothing. What's done is done. So please, please be so kind as to let us off this time."

I watched wryly as Ceiren did her magic. The woman's expression was already turning enchanted, with slight hints of embarrassment.

A snort escaped me.

Seriously, no one can say no to that face and voice, huh?

Not even me.

The woman remained frozen, looking out into space, the shameful expression still stuck on her face. I felt a suffocating need to murder her when I saw the traces of lust and obsession in her expression. But Ceiren just turned towards us, a gentle smile tugging at her lips.

"Let's go, we can just ask for another mission."

Naruto gave a silent agreement, Sakura snorted and Kakashi just turned back to his book, all three preparing to walk away.

But even though Ceiren was smiling, I could swear her enchanting purple eyes were blazing with intent to slaughter.

When our teammates had walked a slight distance away, I heard her whisper slightly under her breath.

" Haaah, really, old hag. My teammates are not people the likes of you can touch."

I was slightly taken aback by her words, eyes widening incredulously. I was seriously doubting my hearing and almost missed the darkness that seemed to pool at her feet like tendrils of shadows that soon seeped onto the ground and vanished.

I felt like rubbing my eyes.

What was that.

I'm officially delusional. Hearing things and hallucinating? Damn.

Ceiren raised her eyes and we locked gazes. We stood there, just staring at each other. Could have been a minute, could have been an hour, I didn't know. But her pastel purple eyes seemed to have turned a few shades darker, now blazing an almost purple color.

While looking at me, the almost malicious smile on her face melts away to reveal a gentle smile, and her eyes sparkle like stars.

"Well, let's go, Sasuke."

"Hn."

Walking side by side we exit the garden, heading towards the Hokage's office. She starts humming a happy tune, her eyes closed as she tilts her face to the sky. Her long, silvery white hair flows like petals in the breeze.

While she's not looking, I glance back at the garden.

The first thing I notice is that the woman is gone.

Then I looked down and my eyes widened.

The plants.

There was no trace of the earlier greenery. Every stalk was withered, black, and twisted. A heap of black, charred, was that wood? Was lying in a spot in the garden.

That's where the woman had stood.

I shook the thought away and looked back at Ceiren.

This girl. She isn't simple.

Even as I thought that, my eyes softened as I looked at her. Cei.

As a strong gust of wind blew past us, I cast one last glance at the garden.

It's gone.

The dead plants. The garden that looked as if it had been ravaged by the worst of illnesses. It's just an empty patch of dirt.

Nothing remains.

When Sasuke and me caught up with the rest of our team, I looked at Naruto with worried eyes. I felt so, so sorry for him. Increasing my pace, I jogged up to him and put my hand on his shoulder. He stiffened for a second, before turning to me with a huge grin on his face.

"What's up, Cei-chan?"

Seeing his grin made my heart bleed. I knew he was faking it. I could see it in his eyes. The anguish, the loneliness. I grabbed his shoulders, turned him around and hugged him. He completely froze. And from the corners of my eyes, I saw the rest of my team do the same. But I just hugged him tighter, burying my face into his neck. I felt Sasuke's glare, but ignored him. Naruto needed support right now. Lifting my face to face Naruto, I gave him my most endearing smile. I felt Kurama's mood lift with my presence as well.

Naruto just looked at me with a blank face, before pulling me back into his embrace. The arms that were gripping me with much more strength than necessary, trembled. I just calmly stroked his back before speaking in a soft voice.

"... don't bother with the likes of her. People who judge you before they get to know you and decide to rely solely on their perception of you are not worth your time or thoughts. To people like that, isn't the best revenge to just live well? So, don't worry your precious mind with those pests."

Then I muttered under my breath:

"...there will be no point worrying, either way. I can just kill them all... such meaningless creatures. Just a thousand deaths or so, won't make a difference..."

When he pulled away from me, his grin was genuine. And it made me smile in return.

"Thank you Cei-chan. Don't worry, I won't let them get to me. Believe it!"

Then he skipped in front of the group, leading us to the Hokage's office. Sasuke came up to me and I countered his glare with a raised eyebrow coupled with an eye roll. He just huffed and continued walking next to me. I sneaked a peak at Sakura through hooded lids, only to see the banshee positively seething, teeth clenched and seething noises coming from her as she glanced at me and Sasuke from time to time. I just sighed.

Sorry 'bout this, Sakura. But, you could just put in some true-hearted effort instead of plotting my (never happening) murder. Seriously. Blame yourself, not me, nee~

When we finally reached the Hokage's office Kakashi went forward to give the report. But, he did leave out some parts. Mainly about the lady harassing Naruto and what happened afterwards. Not that he even knew everything that happened afterwards, the only part he knew and omitted the minor incident where the hag was ogling me. Ugh.

I don't know why he left it out, but it suits me just fine. That way no one will try to seek the lady out. And there will be no questions regarding her suspiciously timed disappearance. Just thinking about her made a sinister light flash in my eyes.

She deserved worse.

I quickly caught myself in the thought, feeling slightly puzzled.

Have I always been... this aggressive?

I was jolted out of my thoughts when Naruto shouted.

"NO WAY! I'M A NINJA NOW, I WANT REAL MISSIONS! NOT SOME CHORES!!!"