Chapter IX : Herr Mannelig

"Kaya-chan!"

"Yeah, I know. I'm late." I sped up my steps toward team 7 and Tazuna who were waiting by the gate of the village. The one who greeted me from the distance was Sakura, waving her hand and smiling. How could she be so cheerful when a person as grumpy as me was approaching, was beyond me.

"What took you so long, Kaya-chan?" Naruto was the one ahead, anxious to start his first mission outside the village.

"Well, you know" I said passing the duck and watching him from the corner of my eye. "I had to sing an old Swedish ballad to some orphans, feed the goats and bury four ANBU bodies in my backyard."

"…"

"Might have been three. Yeah, I'm pretty sure there were three."

"We should get going." Kakashi said while Naruto sent me weird glances. Really? I shook my head, while a smile sprung up my face. It is kind of funny. His reaction of course. I've never been a funny person, let alone a random one, but I was beginning to develop a rather unhealthy addiction to macabre jokes.

"Um, Kaya-chan, is that a bow?" Sakura asked rather shyly. No, it's a rubber duck. I nipped at the string that was not resting across my body as you see in the movies. Why would anyone do that? It would weaken the string. It was resting in the quiver at my back.

"Yeah. And these are some arrows which are put in a quiver. Like the one on my shoulder." I explained talking slow as Sakura's expression became slightly annoyed. Don't ask obvious things and I won't treat you like a retard.

"Hn."

"What was that, duckling?" I asked the Uchiha which was looking at my bow with discontent.

"Stop calling me that. Bows and arrows aren't shinobi weapons. They are useless in one-to-one fight. They're used primarily for hunting." he deadpanned.

"You'd be surprised." I stated coldly. "It is true that shinobi don't use archery when we have kunai and shuriken and other weapons that are used in hand-to-hand and close combat – quite specific for shinobi – but with a good aim and exceptional reflexes, formed after a tedious and atrocious training…" I smiled venomously at the duckling "It can be very effective."

No point in mentioning that I don't possess either of the two. I had a good aim. I had been in the archery team of the school back home and I'd trained every minute between missions – my fingers bear the proof – but one thing was to hit a target that wasn't moving and another thing was to hit a shinobi, moving with such speed, my eyes couldn't keep up with. Yeah, but I'm fast. Yeah, but I had problems with my freaking eyes which happen to be kind of essential in archery. Oh, well. It was better than stopping my training now, when I've finally made some progress. I have to work on my speed of shooting. Actually, I had to work on my speed in general. Indeed, but this is about archery. I also have to get used to adjust my aim to any target. And to do it fast. Details. Yes. Details which can make the difference between life and death. Deductions and inductions and a good eyesight. Constant vigilance! What was Mad-Eye Moody doing in my head?

We walked for quite a while before making a stop. The weather was rather torrid and I wanted to crawl on the ground or in the ground itself. I hate the Land of Fire. I've always dreamt of moving in the northern lands, countries like Finland, Sweden or Norway. Of course, that idea died the second I opened my undeveloped eyes in this world, twelve years ago. Blonde hair. That woman…

"Hokage is the village's number one ninja, right?" Tazuna asked taking another sip from his bottle. "I don't think a guy like you can become one."

He was talking with Naruto. Oh look, more useless dialogue I blocked out. I had the habit of spacing out, unfortunately – fortunately? – missing out portions of conversations. Which, of course, was a sign of pathology if not mental illness, but nothing to bother myself with on a mission. Pff.

"Shut up! I'm willing to go through any hardship to become Hokage!" was Naruto's predictable reply.

Yeah, starting from being beaten to a pulp, training with a perverted Sannin, spend his entire teenage trying to bring back his best friend who doesn't really want to come back because the village killed his clan, stop a war, defeat a demon-mother-progenitor-of-chakra-goddess-not-really woman and loose his right hand. Sadly enough, the old man was talking with a future Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

"When I become Hokage, you will have to take notice of me!"

"I won't, kid. Even if you become Hokage."

"I'm going to kill you!"

"Stop, stupid."

"Last time I've checked" I turned to Tazuna "the Land of Waves has no shinobi and relies on the help of Konohagakure. A little more respect for the Hokage title won't hurt."

"I wasn't disregarding the Hokage, just the blonde brat." the old man simply stated pointing at the transfigured Naruto, while Kakashi was holding him back.

"Well, ok then. But you never know who the next Hokage will be." Perhaps a blonde, just not this one. Yet. "And if you're done with the break, we should go."

I looked around. Am I anxious because I know what will happen, or because my intuition is screaming that something isn't right? Kakashi shot me a look but said nothing. He knows. Well, yeah, I knew this already, but my memories were blurry. From the whole Land of Waves arc, I remembered very little. Actually, I remembered very little about the whole period before Shippudden. Except of the Chunnin Exams. Those were awesome. My hands were sweaty. I should have written down everything I remember. Preferably, chronologically. I was agitated and attentive to every sound no matter how faint, but I was trying very hard to reign my nerves.

"Kakashi – sensei." Sakura started after some time. "Are there really no shinobi in the Land of Waves?"

"No, there are no ninja in the Country of the Waves." the grey jounin answered in a perfect teacher voice. Enter lessons with Hatake Kakashi mode. "To the many countries that are on this land, the existence of ninja villages is the equivalent of the country's military powers. In other words, this is how they are able to keep up the relationship with the neighboring countries. But the villages aren't under control of that country. They are supposedly equal in position." At the last part he looked at me. "On a small island like the Land of Waves, where it's difficult to be influenced by other countries, there is no need for shinobi." I snorted and shook my head. "Among the countries that have a ninja village, since the five countries of fire, water, lightning, wind and earth, occupy a large mass of land and their power is immense, they are known as The Five Great Ninja Powers. The Land of Fire's Hidden Village is Konoha. The Land of Water's Hidden Village is Kirigakure. The Land of Lightning's Hidden Village is Kumogakure. The Land of Wind's Hidden Village is Sunagakure. And the Land of Earth's Hidden Village is Iwagakure." This is a looooooong politics lesson. "Only the leader of each hidden village is allowed to carry the name of 'Kage'. Hokage, Mizukage, Raikage, Kazekage, Tsuchikage, otherwise known as the 'Five Kages', are the ninjas that reign over the tens of thousands of ninjas that exists in the countries throughout the world."

"So, basically any country that doesn't have shinobi, is militarily crippled." I concluded. "No influence from the outside, and no real power for social order from the inside. Left to rot from the inside."

"Not necessarily." Kakashi frowned. "There are samurai – "

"Yeah, but not in the Land of Waves case or other small nations alike. There's always conflict and although the shinobi nations tend to collide with each other – let's not forget the Great Shinobi Wars – they also deal with internal political and social unrest. But we have organizations like the ANBU, or once-upon-a-time the Konoha Military Police Force before us, the Uchiha, were wiped out – and I still don't know why we haven't replaced that with something else. The Land of Waves has nothing to ensure order. I'm not even sure of who runs the country."

Kakashi seemed taken aback by my sudden interest in politics and social order, while Tazuna sent me a not-so-drunk sharp glance. I also spied Sasuke with the corner of my eye and the duckling looked like a weird combination of pissing himself a little at the mention of the Uchiha and seeing the Satan at my suggestion to replace the Millitary Police Force . Grow a pair, for fuck's sake, they're dead and they've been so for the last 4 years. But of course, he actually knew the people from the clan unlike rejects like me.

"Are they responsible of every each of them?" I asked automatically changing the subject to an adjacent idea. "The Kages. Do they take responsibility of every member of their nation?"

"Yes." Kakashi answered solemnly. "They are in charge of all ninjas from their country, protecting or condemning them, when the case occurs."

"Wow. Hokage-sama must be a great man!" Sakura exclaimed excitedly.

"But, not so good a Kage." I said dryly and that made both Sakura and Naruto turn to me. "He already failed as one. Also, I find that idea absurd. Pff, for every member. He's not Jesus."

My voice must have been a little harsher then I intended because although the others looked at me questioning they said nothing and I carefully avoided Sasuke's gaze. It's absurd he doesn't know what I mean. Yeah, but I knew. Funnily enough, they didn't protest. I have just insulted, or well, accused the head of the village of being a failure and no one actually reacted. Not even Kakashi or Naruto. That didn't mean that I couldn't feel his eyes burning holes in my back, of course, but I had to wonder, did I seem so grim about it that even the number one Hokage fan didn't disagree with my statement?

"Don't worry." Kakashi assured Sakura patting her on the head. "We won't have any ninja fights in a C-ranked mission." Yeah, how I wished you were right. You have no idea. But then again, if that was the case, it wouldn't fit the storyline.

"Then, there's no worry about meeting a foreign ninja." Sakura said a little more at ease.

"Of course."

"None at all." I agreed with a sardonic tone.

Both I and Sasuke turned to look at the three, Kakashi, Sakura and Tazuna. Especially Tazuna. Then we both looked at each other. Well, at least I'm not paranoid. He nodded his head almost imperceptible. So, he noticed too. We're being watched. Was it an Uchiha thing?I was impressed. No, not with Sasuke. With myself, because I did not expect the way I seemed attune with my surroundings. Perhaps I wasn't going to get everybody killed miserably and fail the mission. If I remembered well, which most likely I didn't, Kakashi knew we were followed and ignored the two nins just to see who they were after. I mean, he was a jounin. If we could tell something was not right, I doubted he didn't.

However, I couldn't remember if Sasuke noticed as well and as a consequence, hadn't been surprised when they were attacked or if he just happens to always be on his guard and have a better grip of his nerves than the others. I wonder. I knew Uchiha were prone to ninjutsu and therefore had a calling for chakra manipulation and were kind of sensitive in this aspect. But feeling it on my own it was exciting. Or it was me being hyper paranoid.

We continued walking on our way through the Land of Fire enjoying the very sunny day. Such an intelligent choice of clothes. I mean, on a hot and sunny day, what else could you can wear if not black clothing. My legs were melting underneath my dark pants. And they were high-waisted and pretty thick, because as an aspiring ninja on a mission I couldn't actually wear jeans. No, I have these. Perhaps I should write a book about pants. Wait, there was a book about that right? Besides, fashion had never been my forte. I started humming just to fill the silence and relax. Of course, this resulted in a very annoyed duck, a curious blonde and tense Tazuna. Well, he was tensed either way since he knew exactly how dangerous was to walk on the road with Gato wanting his head.

"Bergatrollet ut på dörren sprang, hon rister och jämrar sig svåra" I mumbled quietly. "Hade jag fåttden fager ungersven, så hade jag mistat min plåga."

"Kaya-chan what are you humming?" Naruto asked turning.

Not quietly enough it seems.

"The Swedish ballad? Gosh, did you think I was joking this morning?" I answered happy.

"About the ballad or the ANBU?" Kakashi joked, because I would have never in a hundred years be able to take out the three ANBU always tailing me through the village at all time. I just really hoped they weren't Danzo's Root. Fingers crossed.

"What ballad?"

"One you've never heard about. Duh, it's in Swedish."

"What is 'Swedish'?"

I stopped dead in my track and look at him. Oh, yeah. Different world. Sweden doesn't exist here.

"It's a Nordic language. From a faraway land. Might be gibberish to be honest."

"What's the ballad about?" Does he ever shut up? I should have never answered the first question. Somehow, I doubted that would have changed the situation very much. I sighed. Well now, if I've started, might as well give a full explanation. It wasn't like I had anything else to do.

"About a mountain troll who tries to convince a knight to marry her so she'd be released from a curse." I explained. "It's a medieval ballad. She offers him different gifts: twelve steeds, twelve mills, a gilded sword and a shirt. As dowry. Some think that the 'troll' is actually a pagan woman, wanting to marry a Christian knight." I grimaced. "But that only if you want to see it from a religious – discriminating point of view. I don't. It wouldn't be far from the truth though." I was still mourning the destruction of the temple from Uppsala. And not only.

"Does she succeed in convincing him?" Sakura asked curious. Is she thinking of another similar situation…?

"Of course not." I looked at her with disbelief. "Can you imagine yourself loving someone who's from a different religion and culture from you? Are you crazy? Gos forbid. Christians in that age were very interesting. And by interesting, I mean fanatic, delusional and ignorant individuals, bound by the word of God. Which they broke everytime they could obtain power, money or pleasure. But it's ok, as long as we have confessions and indulgences to absolve us of our sins." I kept a close eye on the trees surrounding us and the river behind us, passing the low bridge. "But that's just my bitterness about human stupidity and collective – religious – psychosis. Back to the ballad, a shorter answer : because she's not a Christian or pious woman. And because, well, she's a troll."

Sakura looked at me disappointed with the ending of the ballad and maybe a little lost because of my rant. Damn was I opinionated for a woman, right? Well, it's a ballad. Not all ballads are happy. Actually, I don't think I know a happy-ending ballad. Nope. Not even in Tolkienverse. Definitely not in the Tolkien universe. And especially not if love and women were involved, because we know we are the root of all evils. I'm pretty sure my menstruation stopped two days ago, why am I going crazy about religion, feminism and discrimination per general?

"But Kaya-chan, where did you hear it from?"

Oups. That caught me off guard. I turned to Sakura and blinked a couple of times. Where did I hear it? From youtube, which is a video-sharing website on the internet. Which is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to link several billion devices worldwide, in a universe far away which might or might not exist. Holy shit, my flat mate's voice was in my head. Let's try phrasing that in a shorter and more comprehensive way.

"I can't really remember." I lied blatantly. "I've heard it when I was very young from a drunk in a dark alley. Nothing happened." I grinned at Kakshi's concerned look. "I've also found the lyrics in a book from the library. But yeah, I do speak broken Swedish. It's the first language I've picked up when I was a baby. Can't remember half of it though." My father would kick my ass for that. Ten years spent on me to forget the language. Shame.

"You're a strange ninja, aren't you kid?" Tazuna asked glancing at me. "You don't seem preoccupied with ninja things. Even your clothes aren't something that ninjas would wear in this weather… Or anyone for the matter."

"I'm forcing the hand of Fall." I replied stepping right in a puddle. "Argh! See? I hate getting water in my shoes. Now, if I had brought my boots, as they were matching with my outfit, puddles like these wouldn't be a problem." I continued mumbling trying to get the water out of what I guessed was standard shinobi foot-wear since the four of us had the same shoes. We need some diversity. And another pair of eyes.

I looked at the trees with one of my shoes in my hand. How long, I wonder. I knew we were going to be attacked but the wait was agonizing. Ha. If now I'm like this, how will I react in the future? In much more critical situations when I also know what will happen. I shook my head. I needed to focus. I don't think we distanced ourselves more than a couple of meters when the chains wrapped around Kakashi. And my heart pounds in my ears.

"What…?" Naruto exclaimed unable to react to the sudden attack and mortified when the chains seemingly turned the grey jounin to shards. "KAKASHI – SENSEI!"

To say that my mind went blank was an understatement. I've never been much of a fighter even in my world. I was that pacifist, laid back and talking my way out of problematic situations. Basically, a shit talker, I've been a shit talker. But this was not a shit talking situation. I should have thought about the situation at hand. I should have remembered this from the anime. I should have.

In the anime… what the fuck happens in the anime?!

Thankfully, one of us actually reacted and that was, of course, the duck. The first thing he did was to pin the chains to a tree. I remember. I pulled an arrow out of the quiver and shot through Sasuke's shuriken. Now that should hold.

"Sakura, the client!" I shouted at the baffled pinkie.

The two shinobi let go of the chain and parted. Come on, I missed the glorious sight of Sasuke stepping on their arms. … really? My arrow was shaking in the bowstring. Which one? One was going after Naruto who was frozen in his place and the other was coming after Sakura and Tazuna. Yeah, but there's Sasuke too. I released my arrow, which surprisingly thrust the shoulder of the one behind Naruto, with a satisfying sound of pierced flesh. That didn't stop him though, but it did make him turn sideways, surprised, redirecting him. I aimed at the second ninja coming straight at Sasuke who was protecting Sakura and Tazuna with his own body. How touching. I felt the wood of the bow leaving marks in my palm. To my surprise, I couldn't shoot. Why? Out of sheer fear? What the fuck…? I could see the mass of black and metal coming closer to the others and I couldn't release the arrow because I wasn't sure I wouldn't hit Sasuke. Or Sakura. Not with my hands shaking as if I fucking had Parkinson. I hesitated. I was just as frozen as Naruto. Where is Kakashi anyway?

It seems the odds are in my favor. As if I just summoned him, Kakashi appeared with both ninjas immobilized and unconscious. When did he…? Never mind. I sighed relieved lowering the bow. I didn't even see him. But that was the point I guessed

"Yo."

"What the fu – do you mean 'Yo'?!" I exclaimed. For one second…

For one second, I thought that something would go really badly and off the fucking original plot. But that isn't the case... yet.

"Naruto, sorry for not helping out right away. You got hurt. I didn't think you would freeze like that. Anyway, Sasuke, good job. Sakura, you too."

I approached slowly, gathering my first arrow from the tree along the shuriken the duck used. Hm, he keeps his toys really sharp. I inspected the arrow, which had a deep cut in the wood. Yeah, useless now. I joined the others with Kakashi still holding the two nins. I took my time walking just to calm my nerves and stop the shivering still present in my hands. I arrived to be witness to one of the most delicious moments of Team 7.

"Are you hurt…scaredy-cat?"

Oh. I looked between the smug Uchiha smirking and the spiked haired Uzumaki ready to explode with fury.

"SASUKEEEE!"

"Naruto. There's poison on these guys' claws. We need to take out the poison right away." Kakashi said stopping the pointless rivalry.

"W-what?!"

"We have to open your wound and leech out the poisoned blood. Don't move too much, or the poison will spread through your body. By the way Tazuna-san… I have to talk to you."

"Ok. So, you need rope." I said happily taking out of my bag the object in question. "To tie them up. And I need my arrow back."

"Oh, Kaya." Kakashi said as if he just noticed me being there. "Good aim. And speed too. But a shot in the shoulder isn't effective enough in such a situation."

"Yeah. I noticed." I wasn't aiming for his shoulder. Which was the sad part.

I handed the rope to Kakashi because I still didn't trust my hands. I felt his eyes linger on my hands before taking the rope. I clenched them in fists. Damn. Why am I reacting like this? I knew nothing bad would happen. I knew everything that was going to happen. I knew Kakashi was going to interfere. I knew. Yet, there had been the possibility – or was it all in my head? – that things weren't going to turn up the way they did in the anime. No. That wasn't why I hesitated. That wasn't what froze me in my place and made me feel as if my blood turned for a split second in iced water. No. I was afraid of death. Mine and Sasuke's, Sakura's, Naruto's even Tazuna's. It was absurd really. Being reincarnated… shouldn't death be familiar to me? I never acknowledged death. That was true. I couldn't remember how I died. I couldn't remember anything concrete from the day of my death. Or from the days before that. No, I remembered my life, my mother, my best friend, cat, school, retarded mates and teachers alike, my hobbies, my books, me. But all that was cast aside by this world, by this existence, by this Me. They couldn't coexist. I would lose my mind. I could remember my life as clear as I could remember my childhood with Nekobaa, the Academy days, the afternoons with the cats, the Massacre and the therapy that followed. All that I could take with me from my world was knowledge about this world. And even that is questionable. Because I couldn't remember certain things. What am I going to do after this mission? I couldn't remember anything about what happens next. I knew the Chūnin Exams followed. I should stick to this mission first.

"… I needed to know who they were targeting."

Kakashi's words brought me back to reality. Tazuna looked at him visibly not comfortable with the turn of the conversation. The two shinobi – Kakashi said they were chūnin, I think – were tied to a tree, now conscious and glaring at us. Ha. I was so preoccupied with my own thoughts that I didn't register any of the movement around me. I should WAKE UP.

"What do you mean?" Tazuna asked uneasy.

"In other words, were you being targeted or someone from our group?" Kakashi continued on his even voice. "We haven't heard anything about you being targeted. Your request was to be protected on your road from armed groups like gags or robbers. This is a mission that is above B-rank. Our job was to support and guard you until you completed the bridge. If shinobi are our enemies, this mission would have been an expensive B-rank. It looks like you have your own reasons, but it only troubles us if you lie in your requests details. This… wasn't part of the mission."

"This mission is out of our league." Sakura stated fed up with ninja adventure time for one day. "Let's quit. We need anesthesia to take out the poisoned blood out of Naruto's hand as well."

"And Xanax." I nodded absent mindedly, because my anxiety disorder was not compatible with my shinobi career. How did these people function without medicamentation?!

"We need to return to the village and see a doctor." Kakashi agreed.

"Anesthesia? Doctor? What's wrong with the traditional way?" I said mimicking in the air stabbing my hand which would make Vlad the Impaler extremely proud.

"That's not hygienic, Kaya-chan. And it's dangerous!"

"This sure is a lot of trouble. Let's go back to the village and cure Naruto." Kakashi said nonchalant.

I rolled my eyes. That's not supposed to needle the blonde at all. I turned around just to make a point for my indignation …and my eyes landed on the Uchiha. Why is he staring at me? It wasn't a glare, for once, but it wasn't a neutral look either. It was rather suspicious and curious, wrapped in a frown. I raised my brows and blinked in confusion, demanding an answer. Behind me the sound of a kunai in the air made me turn abruptly on my heels.

"Why am I so different…why am I always…? Damn it!" Naruto's voice filled the short silence holding his injured hand which was pierced from one side to the other by a kunai. Blood was dripping rapidly on the ground in big drops, his hand shaking in pain. Gross.

"Naruto, what are you doing?!" Sakura came forward mortified by her team mate's action but Naruto acted as if he didn't hear her. "Kaya was joking you idiot!"

"I should be stronger. I've accomplished lots of missions and I've practiced every day. I'm never going to do something that will need someone to help me. I'm never going to be frightened and try to back out of things. I'm not going to lose to Sasuke." his voice became determined swallowing the painful shaking from the beginning and I had to smile at his last statement. You won't. " I vow that to the pain in my left hand. I'm going to protect the old man with this kunai!" he turned to us barely keeping it together because of the pain, but managed to laugh. "The mission is still on!"

"My liver, my heart, my anxiety attack." I said letting out the air I didn't know I was holding. "Don't just go stabbing yourself after we are attacked, it sounds as if someone threw a kunai."

This idiot.

"Naruto, it's nice that you took out the poisoned blood so spiritedly, in the fashion Kaya-chan recommended it so kindly…." Kakashi spoke as I mumbled a 'That was a joke'. "But you're going to die from loss of blood if any more blood comes out."

Thisidiot.

Silence.

"It's not good if you don't stop it right away. Seriously."

"No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

"Yeah, guys, I'm going to sit on the ground now with my head between the knees. That's a lot of blood."

The blonde started fidgeting which most certainly wasn't helping his injured hand while Kakashi was on his level and Sakura approached with her hands on her hips in indignation at the idiot's lack of logic. I turned my head.

"I can't die like this!"

"Show me your hand."

"You can't let me die!"

"Naruto, you have a self-abusing disorder. " And ADHD, histrionic, anxious, self-DESTRUCTIVE personality, with influences of mild (MILD!) sociopathy. Sakura forgot those, of course.

I could vaguely see Kakashi bandaging the hand of a very concerned Naruto, while Sakura was watching attentive probably learning how to wrap a bandage. Actually, we learnt that in the Academy… right? Yeah … probably. I was wondering what Kakashi was examining at Naruto's hand. Actually, no, I wasn't wondering, because I already knew. How ironical. I wasn't a fan of the manga/anime when I was in my world, now I am forced to remember what I watched once, half attentive, usually writing an essay. I was a bigger Naruto fan now, trapped in his world, then when I was watching the anime. Ha. I was half tempted to get closer and see how Naruto's wound was healing by itself. Half tempted.

"Spit it out, duckling." I said still watching the ground while being fully aware of a staring duck in on my left. "It can't be healthy to boil it all in like that."

"You were afraid."

"No shit."

I turned my head to him abruptly. I didn't answer his challenge of speaking and elaborating the subject. Hm. Is he asking why? Or is he accusing me of not being able to release the arrow and freeze like Naruto? Or that I'm being a vegetable, trying not to empty my stomach because, holy mother of Vader, that's a lot of blood and I really did not anticipated a panic attack? Or perhaps he is trying to play with my nerves as he does with Naruto. Because, Sasuke had this rare gift of stepping on people's nerves with a thick bluntness. His dark eyes were unnerving because I couldn't read anything in them. Only that he was growing impatient with my late answer.

"Of course, I was. I still am." I said at least getting up. "So were you. I just happen to fear for my life as well. I'm not fond of the idea of taking a human life either. Or I'm not ready to...yet. And I'm not a hero either." I added dryly hinting at his choice to protect Sakura and Tazuna with his own life. Then I frowned. "Actually, I'm a coward. I was frightened. I've seen my share of dead people."

I walked away from Sasuke and Tazuna. No word came from the duckling and I knew that he was either too confused, too annoyed or too astonished – highly improbable – with my answer. I turned my head to where Kakashi was almost done with Naruto's injury.

"Haven't you?"

Just as before, no answer came from the Uchiha.

Long story short: I suck at updating an time management.