Poker Face

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

I leave the store and make my way to records; trying to resist the sudden and unusual urge to run back to Akane and apologize.

Once I get there I flash my pass to the guards at the door and enter the great library.

I immediately get to work.

I pull out every file on the Akastuki I can find. I also search through the records for the names Nikkou and Kagem.

I find nothing. It's like they don't exist.

I give up on my search on Kikkou and Kagem and continue searching for Intel on the Akastuki.

I go through every file available and even ask the File master if there are others that aren't in there. Her answer is no.

Every file that Konaha owns is kept in the records hall. The more important ones are kept inside a locked cabinet but with my pass I got to look at those as well.

I slam my fist down on the table in frustration. I throw my access card across the room and storm out the door past the startled file master.

My anger boils red hot inside of me as I jump across the rooftops.

I fight the urge to scream in frustration on my way back to Akane's house.

I rip open the front door and storm through the house, passing by a confused Akane.

I slam my bedroom door shut and plop down on my bed in a huff. In my anger I slam my fist down on the bed, causing it to break.

The broken bed only fuels my anger.

I stand up from the broken shards of the metal bed and bite my thumb.

I start pacing furiously while forming rapid hand signs.

In a puff of smoke my summoning falcon, Chi, appears.

The golden falcon bows her head and lands silently on my shoulder.

"What seems to be the trouble milady?" She questions through our unique telepathic connection.

My eyes burn with anger as I turn my head to speak face to face with Chi.

Seeing my blazing eyes Chi flies safely away from my shoulder, used to my outbursts of anger.

"Useless!" I scream at my bird.

Chi doesn't batter an eyelid.

"What is useless milady?" She says calmly.

"It was all useless!" I scream again, this time punching the wall; letting out my pent up anger.

In my anger I forget to control my chakra and the result is the wall crumbling to dust.

I curse loudly and turn to face Chi once again.

"Milady, if I am correct then this is not your house. You should control your anger. Let us go train; you can burn off some anger there." Chi soothes.

"Control my anger?" I yell.

"How can I when all my hard work was for nothing?" My voice rises to its top volume.

"Useless! All that information I already possessed! I stayed here in this ridicules village and pretended to be nice to the idiots that inhabit this stupid town and even agreed to stay in one of the brat's houses! It was all for nothing! I could be hunting down Shizuka and obtaining my goal instead of loitering here but no! I had to stay to obtain precious information on the Akastuki only to find out I already know it all from our files back home! In fact I know more than those damn files do!" I scream at the top of my lungs at the patient bird who still hasn't ruffled a feather.

"Do...do you really mean that?" a small quite voice speaks up, interrupting my destructive rampage.

I turn to find Red standing in the rubble of the former wall with tears gathering in her eyes.

"I am a brat who lives in this stupid village full of idiots?" Her trembling voice becomes stronger.

"Well then fine! This idiot brat is kicking you out of her stupid house!" She yells at me, the tears flowing freely now.

"Akane..." I say, my mood now back to normal.

"No! Don't! Just leave!" She cuts me off.

She turns on her heals and runs out of the house sobbing.

I stand there in shock then decide that it's time to pack.

"What are you doing?" Chi questions.

"The mission has been compromised, Chi. It's time to move on." I start throwing my few belongings into a suitcase.

"Are you sure? I think that if you apologize to that girl the right way then she will forget about it and not tell anyone." I stop packing and consider her words.

Part of me wants Akane to forgive me because I dislike having her hate me. Part of me says to get back on her good side only to continue staying in Konaha without having my cover blown.

I close my eyes and let the memories of the past few months in Konaha flood my mind. During my stay here I have become close to the shinobi despite my head telling me otherwise.

I wince softly at the thought of losing everyone's friendship.Their happy smiling faces flash through my memory, causing me to feel something I have never felt before. For a split second my heart aches when Hayate's face flashes across my mind. The strange new emotion scares me like nothing else has.

I shake the alien feeling off and try to regain my common sense.

"Your right. If I play my cards right then she will never give it a second thought. The question now is how to do it..." I muse aloud to Chi, unwilling to let known that I have actual feelings of friendship toward the Leaf Village shinobi.

I toss my belongings back from where they came from and turn toward Chi.

"Thank you Chi." Surprise fills her eyes at my words. Never in all the years she has been my summoning falcon have I thanked her even once.

"Thank you, Milady." She says aloud with her feathered head bowed.

In a puff of smoke she disappears.

My lips quirk in a smile for a moment before I turn to stare at the gaping hole in the wall.

"That's going to be tough to explain."

***Authors Note***

um....yeah....COmment and Vote!

Dedicated to kyle0131 for all the awesome votes!