[Chapter 38: Relationships and Letters]

"Orochimaru..." I couldn't help but blink at the older ninja before me. "Orochimaru's your sensei?!"

Shiori scoffed, only a small sound-emitting out as a strand of his hair fluttered. "Yes." He glanced at me with his red eyes, cradling the peaceful snake in his lap. "There is no benefit in lying."

I couldn't help but stutter in shock. What— does it even make— "No wait," I corrected myself with a thumb and index finger on my chin. "It actually makes a shit ton of sense." No wonder he has so many expectations of me: cuz he was taught by a But then my brows knitted together. "But why do you have connections with him?"

"Why not." He shot back with a series of motions from his hands. These swift motions of his hands made it seem more like a stale statement than a question. "I have connections with that toad sage, why not with my teacher?"

I was only more confused. "But Orochinchin's a traitor???"

It was now him who raised a brow. "Orochinchin?"

"Nickname."

The shinobi decided not to comment any further, stroking the long reptile with just a hand. I noted how the snake seemed to lean in with much affection— now that I think of it, it was docile at the exams. "Anyways, despite what he has done, off of the battlefield, he is not a traitor but a teacher." A sigh blew out of him. "I do not care what others think."

I hummed, tilting my head in a thoughtful way. "But that's gonna raise suspicion, ya know?" I'm not even completely sure of you myself, I left out that small comment. I mean, being a spy is unlikely now, with all this suspicion on them.

"It does not matter," Came his curt response. "I pledged my loyalty to Tsunade and Shizune, who just happened to be in Konoha."

Oh. I thought in my head, glancing away from the snake to the headband in his arm. Maybe that's why he put it there. Turning around, I lifted a foot to pace around the room. Wait... if he's in team Orochimaru... and older than Anko then... then that means... My breath hitched, glancing back at him.

I know he was from the second war but... he must have lost a lot, especially since he came with Tsunade. I only watched the adult as the white snake slithered around his body, no malice in their actions. Shiori held a blank face, but I couldn't detect any sadness in his eyes, or anything at all. If anything, all I saw in those ruby red eyes were... contempt. It's as if... he's accepted it. I concluded to myself. That he's ok.

And with that, I just decided that fuck it, let's change the topic. "You said that you had connections with Jiraiya, right?" Shiori merely nodded, only a hint of silent curiosity out of him. The gears in my head were turning. And when I mean gears— I meant my shipping heart was working it's but off. I couldn't help but giggle. "Hey, you think I can use it too?"

ꄱ

"Hinata-tan~, get some papers and pencils! It's time to get this ship sailed!"

"E—eh? Megumi-chan, you need to stop intruding the compound!"

"Don't worry, you cutie! Nothing can stop me from spreading the love—"

"You...!"

➜♡⃛

"Thanks for helping around the shop." Tenten heaved with a relieved sigh, turning the sign to say 'close' at the front. I just giggled. "Don't know why you wanted to do so, of course."

"Oh come on," I slid onto one of the chairs in the shops, leaning against. A glass table. "Can't I just want to spend time with you?"

The double bunned girl just shrugged, walking up to sit next to me. "I guess."

"Hey, Megumi-chan!" From behind the counter, Tenten's dad beckoned me with a wave. "You wanna stay in for dinner? Consider it a reward for helping us!"

I giggled, waving back with a smile. "Don't worry! There's no need— I have plans later anyways!" Watching him nod in understanding, he walked back to the back, out of our sight. I turned to Tenten, "Your dad's really nice." He even bothered to get us drinks earlier!

"I know," came her tired yet cheerful reply. "I'm really lucky to have him." I hummed, glancing at what she was doing, only to blink. Even though she was exhausted from working with customers, there she was, scrambling on a scroll of seals.

"Hm?" Inching closer, the brunette was too focused to see me move closer, peering get head in. "You are obsessed with them."

She jerked back, eyes widened with hands up frantically in the air. "Re—really?!" I only giggled, a hand behind my back. The kunoichi's back slouched, her eyes darting from my form to the long papers, and then back to me. "Well," She stretched her cheek sheepishly. "I guess, it's not much though."

"I like to think otherwise!" I raised a finger. "As I said before, you have a talent on this!" I tilted my head. "I just don't know why you're working so hard— you can take a break, you know." I had to get knocked out for that idea.

Tenten sighed, averting her attention away from me. "You're right." Dropping her ink brush onto a jar, her hands fumbled on her lap. "But... I feel like I need to."

I blinked, need to? Sitting back on my chair, I propped my elbows on the cold glass table, cupping my cheeks with my hands. "Wanna tell why? The reason won't be as bad as how rubber duckies were made."

She chose to ignore that, just giving me a weird look. The ninja then sighed, her shoulders hunched up. "Aha, how do I say this?" I only smiled at her, as if to assure her to take her time. The brunette fumbled on her fingers with closed eyes. "Erm... when I was young, I really, really looked up to Princess Tsunade, you know? How she was able to help so many people," she laughed, albeit I doubt there was only humor to that. "And so I wanted to be a medic-nin— just like her!"

Just like that, her shoulders dropped, her eyes glancing down at her opened palms. "But then it turns out I just, didn't have the talent for it." With a bittersweet smile, she glanced up at me. "It stumped me for a while— it was like a wake-up call!" Tenten let out a sigh. "And so when I first got in Team Gai, I felt... out of place."

Ah, she felt like there was no purpose in her. I thought to my head, I can understand that. It was as if that— that she didn't know what to do. Like a mid-life crisis or something like that.

"But then," There was a shift in her tone, one much lighter, more hopeful in a way. "One day, during training, I accidentally saw Neji's seal." I blinked, since when did Neji have to do with this? "It took a lot of me to pester him— and I kinda feel bad about it now— but he eventually told me what it was about." I heard her exhale through her nose. Her brown eyes had narrowed, her hands in her lap curling into fists. "There was so much... anger— and hatred in his eyes that I couldn't help but feel bad for him."

She held her head up, looking at the ceiling. "But then I thought 'What if I could help him?'" My eyes widened: she wanted to what? "'What if I could take away his pain?'" The double bun girl craned her head back down, smiling at me with a hand scratching the back of my head. "And so that's how I ended up learning sealing. Dumb, right? Me, trying to play the hero—"

I stood right up, not bothering to wait for her to finish. She flinched but it didn't matter to me. The ideas flew through my mind, so much I can't believe I never thought of this before. Grabbing her hands with my own, I couldn't help but lean closer with the biggest smile on my face.

"No— that's a great idea!"

★~(◡ω⊙✿)

Kugui~,

Do you remember Tenten?

(*ﾟｰ~)^☆

"It's hard to believe!" As if this was a natural occurrence, I sent it to my heart's content with a bounce in my steps. "It's hard to believe— it is very hard to believe!" Skipping along the white hallways, my smile widened as I located a certain Hyuuga. There was also Sakura near him if I could recall her chakra signature. I wonder if they're dealing with lots of maggots! ...ew.

It was the very next morning and I was very, very excited to share the news with Hiro. So very ecstatic that I came straight to the hospital after my morning jog. I couldn't help but giggle— I wonder how he'll react? Cry tears of joy? Go on his knees and treat me like a god?! Inching near a corner— I was very close to him now— I spun the balls of my feet to turn—

Only to halt in my tracks.

There was Hiro, arms crossed; there was also Sakura, right next to him. They were both laughing, big smiles on their face. I hummed, tilting my head. They're having fun... that's nice... why are my legs moving?

Before I knew it— I was walking away. At a fast pace actually. Eh? I could only blink— why am I— am I ashamed of seeing them? My brows furrowed. They're colleges— what?

My feet finally stopped, just outside of the hospital. Why did I just do that? They've hung out before and I didn't act like this so why...? Glancing back, I couldn't help but feel a trace of bitterness in my chest. But then again...

I don't think Hiro's ever really like that around me.

Actually, all I ever do annoy and push him around. He probably only bothers to be with me to save the world and whatever...

Now that I think about it, I don't know much about Hiro— his past life, I mean. Like: I only know his name and ethnicity.

That's kinda... depressing.

I sighed. Pursuing my lips together, why am I getting so moody over this? I only shook my head. No— let's not think about that for now.

Extra:

"Oi! Naruto!"

The said blond looked up from his stack of scrolls. "Yeah?" He hollered back. No reply. "Yeah?!" Once again, no reply. "Argh...! Fine!" With a groan, he pushed himself up, dusting himself off with a frown tugging his lips.

The being in his voice taunted, only making the protagonist huff.

"Oh shut it." Naruto huffed out to himself, though there wasn't any true malice in his words. After listening to Megumi, Naruto gave the Kyuubi, or fluffy bum bum, as a certain Uchiha likes to say, the benefit of the doubt. Like he could be a cool guy.

And little by little, those words were becoming to come true.

"Oi! Pervy-Sage!" He called out to Jiraiya, who sat under the shade of a tree. "What'd you call me up for?"

The older man glanced up, before shuffling through his stuff. "You got letters." Chucking scrolls onto him, the student caught them all on reflex, juggling them in his arms. "Go read them, or whatever." The toad sage ushered him away with a wave, making the blond frown.

Walking away, he sat back at his previous destination, plopping his body down. "I wonder who this is from..." With quick fingers, he tenderly opened the scrolls, only to find delicate and light handwriting on it.

Dear Naruto-kun,

I hope you have been doing well. Megumi-chan told me that we could send letters, so I wrote as fast as I could. I hope it satisfies you.

How has your training been? It must be hard but please don't give up! I believe in you.

Ah, I've been improving as well. When you get back, I hope that I'll be strong enough to be at your side. Look forward to it and wish me luck!

I'll be waiting for a response, though take your time!

—Hinata Hyuuga

Naruto blinked, before smiling at the piece of paper. Hinata... He laughed, she's always like that: so polite and believing in me. "But," He said to himself. "That's not bad, dattebayo."

Inside the seal, Kurama huffed.

However, in a faraway place, a hidden hideout, a certain raven-head was getting this own scroll tossed to him. "What is this." His voice was so dry that it didn't sound like a question, his hand curling around it loosely. He glared at his temporary teacher.

"A gift," Orochimaru answers simply, a smile ever so present on his pale face. "I think you'd like it."

Sasuke huffed, turning away from the bastard without a single grateful goodbye. It was only after he was alone in his room, sitting down on his cold and cheap bed, that he even bothered to look at the scroll, having nothing else to do.

So it was a surprise to see familiar handwriting.

My dearest foolish little brother,

Thought you saw the last of me,

Haha! It is I, your totally awesome older sister, Megumi! I have done it! I've found a way to annoy you! I bet you're groaning right now, contemplating your life choices but it's too late: you can never escape me.

Anyways~ I bet Orochinchin's making your life worse, right? His crusty face is ugly but the drag Queen makes it work. Haha... I did not think this letter through.

Uh, I'm sure you've been improving and I just wanna say— good luck! I mean, I know you're gonna kill him in the end but take it with a grain of salt while you can.

Also, I swear to , if you look like a stripper the next time I see you

Speaking of you, you left Mr. D at home. I get it, you wanna look edgy but there's nothing wrong with having a plushie!

—MeguMeguMegumi

Sasuke felt himself doing a deadpan at what he just read. Nee-chan... why do you always think I'd look like a stripper?

Despite what he thought of the letter, he didn't toss it away, nor did he trash it.

No, because for once, he felt lighter.