THE WILL OF FIRE: 2. The Phoenix (A Naruto Fanfic)

The Phoenix, Chapter 3

Chapter Three

I had a bunch of thing sprawled on my bed and was trying to figure out what I could actually fit in two small pouches. I need at least one scroll for summoning, I though and separated one from the others. I didn’t need kunai, though, but a few would be nice if I ever needed that metallic, insanely thin string. So I set that aside. And that was pretty much one pouch full. The second one should be as light as possible since I might need some food, so I threw a rock in to have some weight. I kept pondering Shishou’s words about training with the Phoenix but I didn’t have much time and what I figured out would have to do.

“The rock is completely useless, I thought I taught you that much.”

I turned towards the window and didn’t know what to say at first. Scream, cry, smile, anything. The fact was I was so startled I couldn’t react at all. But once I managed, all I said was, “You shouldn’t be here. They’ll catch you.”

“They won’t since I’m not actually here.”

“A clone.”

I don’t know what was going on in his head, but Shishou was standing right in the middle of my bedroom for some insane reason. Then again, I never could figure out how his mind worked.

“Why…now?” I still wasn’t sure what to feel or how to react so I kept my face neutral but my voice was starting to quiver.

“I came to wish you good luck. A responsible Sensei would go and fight with their student right until the end, but since I can’t do that-”

“I want to go home.”

I didn’t mean to say it-it just slipped out. I did consider Konoha my home but I felt more like I belong there than here.

“I’m sorry, but-”

“It’s too dangerous for some reason I know. I just wish you could tell me what it was and maybe I’d be able to fight it.”

“You’re much safer here and we discussed this already. This is your real home and here is where you belong. And it’s safer…for your demon, I mean. It’s a lot safer.”

“I’m going up against Uncle Orochimaru who plans to destroy this place. I also need to save him from becoming Uncle’s pet. I don’t think that’s hell of a lot safer.”

“It is because there are so many people here that can protect you which I can’t do alone.”

“But-”

He rested two fingers on my forehead, the only thing that used to calm me down, calm Kurama down. I took a deep breath and erased any emotion from my face.

“Don’t do that,” he said, “There is a reason us humans have feelings and we shouldn’t be afraid to show them.”

“I have to be emotionless,” I said and twirled Uncle’s blue ring around my finger, “It’s the only way I won’t get my personal feelings mixed into this. Just like last time.”

I still remembered all the screaming and just had to shut it off completely-shut myself off completely. He gave me a sad look and backed away.

“There’s not much more I can do here, but I’ll try and keep an eye on you.”

“No,” I said with a cold voice, “I can handle it. I didn’t need your help so far and I don’t need it now, just like you didn’t need mine.”

“That’s not what happened.”

“Just go,” I said, knowing I’ll regret it later. I haven’t seen him so long and I was angry at him. He forced me to run here without me even knowing why and it just made me feel like I wasn’t wanted anymore. And without any more words, his clone disappeared in a puff of smoke.