Endurance: my ninja way

Chapter 17

I never thought getting into a puddle that filthy will be fun some day. She tries really hard to get me. I appreciate her efforts but c'mon now, I can't let her win that easy. Somehow, I've grown used to her annoying presence and now I think I kinda enjoy her being around.

My suspicions weren't wrong either, she wasn't a guy afterall. Though, the way it got cleared up, I'd rather it hadn't. What's interesting is that she never brought up that topic after that night. Mostly people don't question me because of the fear of being around me, but I'm pretty sure fear is the last thing she might ever have for me. I mean honestly, I did try very hard to induce that similar affect of my aura on her, she's one tough bone. After Obito and Gai, she's the only one who has dared challenge me. She's neither a girly girl nor a boyish boy. She's someone in between. An interesting character. Because not only she payed no heed towards my breakdown, she didn't even show any sympathy. For which I'm thoroughly thankful. I would rather die before telling her this though.

Today is no different than before. I stand guard at her practice entrance. The same old faces, or rather masks, my face itself covered in, thick filthy mud. Yeah I didn't get time to wash up, but atleast I got her back. It was really sneeky of her though. Pushing me in there like that. I never imagined she'd do that in public. But then I did really got under her skin today.

It proved something though, she needs a hell lot of taijutsu practice. She is actually a beginer at that. She has astounding speed, but her predictability gives her away. I might as well help her at it or she'd die the instant she steps infront of the Infiltrator. And I would rather she won't die. She's a comrade in battle now.

But the fact that she's grown extremely careless about her identity after her revelation infront of me is a bit alarming. She's far from ready to come out of hiding just yet and if he gets the air of her she will be fatally targeted.

Air reminds me, her acting strange since last night is a bit off the hook. There's definitely something she's not telling me. I need to get it out of her.

And with that the gates open and a really beatenup Yuuma emerges. But its lord hokage who interacts "Kakashi I need you to take lord Yuuma where ever is his desire. Consider it an order." I wonder why is he talking so serious..

"Yes hokage sama." I bowed and implied.

"Right lets go grumpy. Follow my lead." She led the way, exhausted and dirty.

I silently followed. After about half an hour of useless wandering, we passed the parket place for the fourth time. And my patience gave in.

"Will you just tell me where do you want to go, I'll take you there. I can bet my life that we're completely lost!" I finally spoke up.

"Do it cause you'd probably loose your life grumpy, we're not lost. I know where I am heading." Some really unconvincing lie. Again.

"And that mystic ritual includes circling the market place for a fourth time, if I'm not wrong." I stated the fact.

"Okay you're not wrong genius, so what, no one's wrong all the time. Huh, men." Is she for real!!

"Yes men, now tell me where do you want to go!" Just spill it out already! You're practically taking me there!!

"O-okay, where's this place?" She pointed towards the street that leads to the graveyard. What does she has to do there. Don't tell me..

"Yeah stop being so shocked grumpy, I have something to pick from here. Its kinda hard to explain." She says casually.

"Okay follow me." I led her towards the street and didn't stop to the place she pointed at in the map. I kept walking towards the graveyard. Confirming my suspicion again.

We entered and never once did she stop me. Why is she leading me there..

"Here, this way." She said, and she made a beeline towards the gate. She couldn't have...

Is she leading me towards...

"C'mon grumpy, don't lag behind." Why is she talking to me like I'm a two year old!!

"Somewhere around here." And she was standing next to her grave.

"Oh found her, hiya Rin!"

"What are you-" I was shocked beyond recognition. So she hadn't left the topic afterall..

"Listen, please, don't get angry buddy, just listen to me first okay?! The thing is I'm your tiresome mission for a really long time. You don't have to sacrifice so much for a mission like this, plus you doing your routine won't really affect your mission. I don't really mind it. Please don't take it as if I'm interfering in you personal life or anything. But you can do whatever you do whenever you do. I shouldn't be the one keeping you from it." Her explanation was hasty and terrified, but her intentions were not wrong. She actually went through all that trouble to do this for me.

"And what did you tell to lord third?" She never explained that part..

"I told him that you will take me to men's public bath again seeing as you are dirty 'cause of me and all.. so to tell you to take me whereever I want to go. I still haven't recovered from the last experience.. " fair enough.

"And I assume that you got your intel over Rin from kurenai?!" It was pretty obvious.

"Yeeesss.." she replied sheepishly.
"And that map?"

"From that shopping spree that we went on."

"Oh and, I will be back there, in the trees, feel free to be all by yourself!" Right like I would let that.

"Don't kid yourself!"

"No really, I can take care of myself that much." Is she out of her mind!

"Listen, stop joking yourself, you suck. Remember this morning?!" I have to remind her!

"You know you could use being a little humane sometimes! Stop being so arrogant all the time!" With that she went to the edge of the forest lining the cemetry and sat there facing me.

I can't imagine how childish she sounds and not realize! I mean she needs to listen to herself before calling me inhumane.

On second thought, maybe I was a little harsh there. She works her head off to get where she is. She's still pretty beat up and yet she does all this for me. I would probably need to apologize.

Only if she knew, all I do over here is apologize to Rin for my incompetence. I can't get over the fact that I broke my promise and lost my friend like that...

After a few minutes, I found Yuuma long asleep by the roots of the tree she's using as her support. I should probably take her home. She needs her rest. Also I need to talk to lord hokage over her taijutsu training.

I picked her up and headed straight towards home.