Chapter 10: Poison Flowers and Tragic Thorns

E - "No. Let's continue with more training. For now, we need to become stronger. Maybe I could get Guy to help me with training Taijutsu while you concentrate all your efforts on helping them. We need to all be ready for this, not just me."

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(A/N: In discord, there was a vote and a part of this chapter we will see things from Sayuri's perspective and how she sees things.)

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Chapter 10: Poison Flowers and Tragic Thorns

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-Sayuri POV-

"No, let's continue with more training," Shinji muttered to Yamato.

"What do you think they're saying?" Asked Kota, seeing that they were saying something. But he was unable to hear them due to the distance.

"I don't know," I lied to him without missing a beat. Kota was unlucky to be in the same team as someone like Shinji, the latter had already outshined him so much. Surprisingly, he isn't too envious. This would ruin most teams.

Shinji smiled at our jonin -sensei. "For now, we need to become stronger. Maybe I could get Guy to help me with training Taijutsu while you concentrate all your efforts on helping them. We need to all be ready for this, not just me."

Damn it, couldn't he be a little more selfish here? Shinji, you need to get used to killing soon. No, he probably knew that by now. He was always perceptive as hell. But someone like him had his reasons.

Looking at the wet lush grass below my feet, I couldn't help but wonder how long I would have to continue and play this role. Someone like Kota, and maybe even Yamato could be fooled, the latter most likely wouldn't suspect someone as young as me. But Shinji was the problem here, he was like a hawk. Always on guard, and growing stronger each day.

Though Yamato was suspicious too. The files Konoha has on him are nonexistent before he became a jonin teacher. So he either was an Anbu, or something much… much darker.

I was supposed to fail the Genin Exam. Then I would have joined the Genin Corps and gone MIA, missing in action and been presumed dead. That should have been it, Shinji and Kota weren't supposed to be anything special. Just some deadbeat average ninja.

I could have had better grades in the academy, at least above the banshee, Sakura, but that would have put me in the same team as Naruto, the Nine-Tailed Jinchuuriki. That's a ticking time bomb I didn't want to anywhere close to. Maybe then I would have orchestrated that team to fail, though Sasuke was an Uchiha and Kakashi had the Sharingan too. So the elders might have him pass anyway, and the team put together anyway. In the end, I must be average not only to not stand out but also because I was scared as hell of the Nine-Tails, who knows just how well that seal might go and when it will go off.

Yamato helped Shinji get back up to his feet and they both walked towards us. I glanced towards the young orphan that had suddenly revealed that he was talented as hell. But my heart stopped for a second, as I saw him staring right back at me.

Has he noticed something? I swallowed hard, and smiled, trying to sink into the background. C'mon, I'm just the ambitionless girl on the team. Don't suddenly start paying attention to me when even the jonin here doesn't. If I had known this, then after Shikamaru, Shinji would have been another teammate I would never want to have. They're too damn smart for their own good.

"Eventually, we will have to take a C Rank mission. Kota, Sayuri, I will be pushing both of you as hard as I can," Yamato -sensei's words brought me out of my thoughts. Reminding me where I was and that Shinji wasn't the one I should be considering the biggest threat with the jonin standing right next to him. "Anyway, Sayuri, can you help Shinji get to the hospital? You can come back later. Just have the doctors check that everything is okay."

Jeez, he is such a worrywart for Shinji. If he was going to be worried like this, then shouldn't have left him to train like a mad man for two weeks straight. Shinji has something wrong in his head too, what people have that kind of crazy willpower at our age?

Orochimaru must be kept in the dark about that. I don't know why he wanted me to keep an eye on Sasuke Uchiha, but getting Shinji involved in something like this…

He…

This wasn't logical at all. But, I don't want to give him up to Orochimaru. I knew how the snake man is. Giving Shinji to him was the same as killing and torturing Shinji with my own hands.

"Sayuri, let's go," Shinji said with a smile on his face. Mentioning me to follow him. Like always, he was very energetic for someone about to enter Chakra Exhaustion. "By the way, do you want some sweets?"

Like always, his voice played at my heartstrings. This was so unfair. Why did it have to be this guy? It's a stupid reason why I don't report him. All started with a lunch box during the graduation day. Saying that he had made lunch for all his teammates when the box barely had food for him, yet he shared it.

I am protecting someone just because they gave me some badly cooked food. Now that I think about it, doing that makes me like some kind of dog. Loyal to someone just because of some bad food. I have had leftovers that tasted better, but…No, it wasn't about the food. It was much more than that.

Such thoughts went through my head in a split second and I smiled. "Yes~ I will buy you some udon."

Making sure to hold my breath a little to make my cheeks flush red, and act embarrassed. I played the perfect act of a girl who had a crush on a boy. Whether he saw this or not, I don't know. Is this even an act anymore? I don't know that either.

"Right, you should buy me some since I have wasted a lot of money buying explosive tags," he said. Yeah, he wasn't that romantic. What kind of guy makes the girls buy them lunch?

"Yes," I answered before even thinking it through that well. "But we have to make sure that you're well physically."

Acting all worried and nice to him. Was it an act? I don't know anymore. Ever since I could remember I have been acting and lying. It's become a little confusing to even tell lately.

We walked amongst the streets of Konoha, Shinji acting casual, but I could instinctively tell that he had his guard up. It was always like this. The people ignored us, only kids sometimes taking notice of our headbands and smiling. They probably had dreams of becoming a ninja.

…

When we arrived at the hospital, Shinji had a plastic bag full of snacks. Most of which were bought with my money. I could smell the medicine as soon as we entered. A lot of shady stuff happened in this place due to a certain someone. Did the Hokage know about that? Probably not, but Danzo probably did. That guy was as sketchy as they can be. He's even worse than Orochimaru on that part because the old war-hawk can influence Konoha internally.

Many talented kids in the orphanage disappear, of course, the matron says that they moved away. For the Will of Fire things he spews and how he considers everyone in Konoha as family, Hiruzen is like an absentee father. Not knowing when his 'children' even go missing, But no one pays attention to orphans, that's why it was easy to join them.

We arrive towards the office of the doctor Shinji usually does his check-up with, he is an old man, one of the best doctors in Konoha. As always, Yamato -sensei had gone far and beyond for Shinji. He is a good jonin teacher, I know for sure otters wouldn't have done even a quarter of this.

Shinji kept looking at the door, but stopped before entering and suddenly turned around to look at me.

I blushed, playing the part of the embarrassed girl, and asked. "A -Aren't you going in?"

He shrugged and smiled at me, the gentle look on his face didn't shift and he gave me a thumbs up and handed me the snacks bag. "I don't know what's worrying you. But here, you can have these as a gift."

After that, he entered the doctor's office and I was left stumped. Okay, so he was even more perceptive than I thought.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, the blush on my face turned back to normal. Looking down at the snack bag, I couldn't help but sigh. "What do you mean by gift?" I muttered under my breath. "I was the one who bought most of these."

I should go back to Yamato now, as he had only told me to escort Shinji here. But I will have to pull the act of a pathetic girl in love because I must make sure his medical file doesn't fall in the wrong hands.

Suddenly, I sensed a hand on my shoulders and instinctively almost pulled out a kunai and stabbed the hand. But I remembered that we were in a hospital.

"Sayuri? What are you doing here?"

Immediately, a cold chill ran down my spine. I felt my knees buckle like noodles as fear gripped my heart. Trying to keep composure was useless as I felt his fingers harshly clenched into my shoulder. "Calm down, don't look so suspicious."

His nonchalant voice didn't help at all. Turning my head around, I saw Kabuto, with a harmless smile on his face. "Why're you here at the hospital? The time for your report hasn't come yet."

"Sh -Shinji is having an examination," I told him the bare minimum, trying to defuse the situation. That was when I noticed that there were no other people in the hallway. Shinji! Are they planning to do something to him? Looking towards the door, I wondered if I could break Kabuto's grip and go-

"Whatever you're planning, I wouldn't do it," he remarked in a joking voice.

What should I do now? Think! I need to think of something!

My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. No, I needed to calm down. Would they dare do something like kill or kidnap Shinji in bright daylight? That would be too dangerous.

"Anyway," Kabuto released my shoulder. "Since you're here anyway, how about you give the report now?" that wasn't a request, and we both knew that. "Since you're stuck with that team anyway, is someone in it that would interest Orochimaru -sama?"

"No," I answered immediately, having regained my composure. "Kota isn't anything special and Shinji is barely above average," I lied to him with a straight face. "At best they can become some Chunin."

"Hmmm~" Kabuto hummed, seeming to think about something. "You wouldn't lie to Orochimaru -sama, would you?"

"Of course not, I value my life and wouldn't want to die a painful death," I answered without missing a beat. "It would be a stupid thing, to die for someone who has only been my teammate for not even a full month."

Kabuto nodded. "Keep in mind, that no matter how they act. If they know what you are, then those same 'comrades' will not hesitate to kill you. As long as you spy for Orochimaru -sama, you'll at least have his protection. But if you lie, no one will be there to help you."

Yeah, I knew that too. Shinji would probably slit my throat if he knew who I was working with. It's only a matter of time before he figures it out, and it's the same with Orochimaru, he will figure it out too when he figures it out that I have been lying for Shinji.

I guess my lifeline is until the Chunin Exams. After that, I'll probably die.

After saying what he had to, Kabuto walked away, leaving me contemplating my despairing life. So this was it? I have until the Chunin Exams, where Shinji will undoubtedly stand out. Suddenly the doctor's door opened, and the person I have done this all for came out.

Would he cry when I die? Will he hesitate when he slits my throat?

The best I can hope for is that he doesn't notice what I am until the time of my death comes. At least that way, he would regard me with fond memories in his mind. I was going to die anyway, so better do so without regrets and help pave the road for someone like Shinji.

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Shinji glanced at Sayuri and noticed that she seemed even more worried now than before he went into the doctor's office. He didn't know what was bothering her. He could think of one thing that might, and it was how much faster he was progressing than her. "You shouldn't worry, I am sure after you find something you're very good at, you'll grow stronger. I was the same in the academy before I had access to a jonin teacher and better jutsu."

Sayuri came out of her stupor and glanced at Shinji, smiling, like always when she looked at him, she had a small blush on her cheeks. "That's not what I am worried about."

"Hm?" Shinji was perplexed and instead looked at the snacks in her hand. "You didn't eat any of them?" he wondered if maybe she didn't like sweets. "Anyway, don't be so down. After I get some money, I will buy you something that you like."

Suddenly, a small smile came to her face and she chuckled. "Shinji, if something were to happen to me, would you be sad?"

"Obviously yes," Shinji answered. He had delayed taking the C Rank mission because he was worried his teammates weren't ready yet. Also, he wanted the team to get used to working with each other and as a real team. "I would be really sad if something were to happen to you."

Sayuri looked down, her hair casting a shadow in her expression. Hiding her face from Shinji's sight, but he could still see a strange smile on his face, and when she looked back up, she had a bright look. "Then I guess, I should work harder too. I don't want to get hurt on a mission, because you would be sad."

"That shouldn't be the main reason why you would be worried about being hurt," he whispered under his breath. But decided to not get to say anything, because as an orphan himself, he knew that not a lot of people cared about them, or if they were hurt.

..

As they walked through the hospital hallways, they had some small talk and Shinji noticed that Sayuri seemed happier than usual, but he couldn't figure out why.

"Anyway, I gotta go training, see you later," as soon as they were out of the hospital, she ran off.

Shinji waved at her, and looked around, seeing the streets of Konoha. For the first time in a while, he had a free day. He had nothing planned for the rest of the day, and he didn't have enough Chakra to train ninjutsu.

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[Pick one, and put your choice in a comment down below]

A - Stroll around Konoha, and look around. Enjoy yourself and try some foods that you might like. Maybe you could meet some fellow ninja or interesting people.

B - Try and find Guy. See if you can get him to teach you Taijutsu. The faster you start this, the better.

C - Go to the Hokage Mountains and appreciate the view from up there.

D - Look through some ninja weapon shops and try to find a weapon that you would like.

E - All of the above, at the end of having fun, you try to find Guy.