Naruto: Tango with Death

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Izumi was shocked by my words as she asked, "W-what?"

I rolled my eyes and said, "I'm done taking pincers with you. You didn't want to see me, didn't you?"

Izumi frowned as she clenched her teeth and said, "What are you talking about? I was tortured by Suna."

I looked at her up and down and asked, "Were you given my mission report?"

Izumi asked, confused and angry, "Excuse me?"

I repeated, "My mission report. Did you read it? Or did you hear Sensei's?"

Izumi faltered for a moment, before saying, "I was told Lord Hokage and Kushina-san came to save us…"

Once again rolling my eyes, I groaned, "Stop beating around the bush. We both know what happened, even if it's only guesses for you. I know you and Laiko were far from being injured enough to warrant the hospital from stopping me."

Izumi finally burst her top as she cried out, "Fine, I asked them not to let you in. Happy?"

Unfazed by her outburst, I replied, "Far from it. Disappointed, I would say."

Izumi's eyes turned red as the Sharingan manifested itself, and she growled, "This is a long deserved beating."

She swung her fist at my face, and for once, she put all of her strength into it.

However, I was much stronger now, and so while still leaning against the wall next to me I swiftly grabbed her wrist and twisted it strongly.

Izumi's whole body was sent into a spin as I flung her back toward her bed, and I jumped inside.

As she turned around to once again swing at me, I silently moved above her, watching her sprint toward the window, bloodthirsty. She's not making this easy, I can feel my body about to unsheathe my sword and swing at her throat. Thanks to our session with Shisui and Itachi though, I was able to restrain myself without too much effort.

As she looked outside and found no trace of me, I landed behind her and kicked her. Not enough to really hurt her, but enough to send her flying through the window.

She wasn't anybody though and easily landed on her feet as she immediately turned around to look at me. I lightly jumped down, and was immediately greeted by a kick.

I didn't dodge it, and instead blocked it with my left arm. My arm felt a little numb, but it went away immediately.

Meanwhile, Izumi didn't even seem to factor in my changes as she lost herself in her rage, swinging a fist at my face. However, compared to Itachi and Shisui, not only was she painfully slow, her techniques were lacking. Was her mind clear, she would have certainly given me a harder time, but in her rage, she fought like a wild beast.

While I blocked her blows and threw in a few myself, I spotted a few Uchiha clansmen gathering, as well as the police coming our way, but for some reason they didn't stop us. Well, lucky me, I had forgotten about them.

After a couple of minutes, Izumi started getting slower as her Sharingan heavily drew on her Chakra, and was starting to lack energy. So to make sure she wouldn't hurt herself, I put an end to the fight as I used the Body Flicker to appear behind her, and swipe at her legs, forcing her to the ground.

She didn't want to quit, but I unsheathed my sword and place it right before her face, forcing her to stop. After a grunt, her eyes returned back to normal, and I asked, "Are you done making a scene?"

She finally seemed to realize we were outside and people were watching as she blushed. I didn't let her move away though as I asked, "I heard you were quitting. Are you intent on disappointing me?"

Izumi growled through clenched teeth, "You don't…"

"I don't understand? Please, it's painfully obvious. Listen, I don't know what you were told about the mission, but I made my own choices, and saving you three was not an option. You seriously think I could have escaped by myself, and faced your mother? Tell her I fled when you were captured?"

I looked at her coldly, and while Izumi tried to match my stare at first, but she ended up looking down in shame. I sheathed my sword back and asked, "Do you think Amai-Sensei is a burden?"

Izumi's eyes widened as she replied, "Of course not, he's a Jonin and…"

I stopped her, "And he got captured just as easily as you. When I dragged your unconscious body out of that cell, I did the exact same for him. When I killed those hundreds of people, it wasn't for you, it wasn't for Laiko. It was for all three of you."

Izumi froze as she asked, a little disturbed, "Hundreds?"

I stopped for a moment, realizing I had said a little too much, and decided to say, "Logic tells you Amai-Sensei is far from being a burden to me because he is a Jonin, yet he wasn't any different from you. Actually, he was even more injured. Does that make him a burden?"

Izumi remained silent, so I said, "Answer's no. Yes, I saved his life this time, but if he hadn't held those two Jonins for as long as he did, I would have been captured. If you and Laiko didn't hold those Chunins, I would have been captured too. So stop blaming yourself for fuck's sake and come back to the team!"

Izumi looked at me in shock, while I panted a little, keeping her stare. After a few seconds, Izumi, who was sitting on the ground, sighed and said, "I hate you."

That made me smile as I extended my hand and said, "I know, I'm awesome."

She shook her head and took my hand as I lifted her from the ground. As she got back on her feet though she held her sides as she said, "You could have hit lighter."

I smiled awkwardly and replied, "Sorry, I have troubles holding back." She sent a questioning glance, so I said, "We'll talk about it another time."

She nodded slowly, and asked, "Why did you come?"

I tilted my head in confusion, and Izumi said, "Amai-Sensei said this mission is more than enough to let you become a Chunin. Why did you come?"

I shrugged and replied, "I talked to the Hokage. He told me that if I didn't manage to make you three morons change your mind, I would get promoted to Chunin."

Izumi looked at me in shock and asked, "Then why did you come?"

I shook my head and replied, "Isn't it obvious? I don't want you to quit. I like our team."

Izumi took a step back as she frowned and said, "No, I'm not coming back if it means I am robbing you of your promotion. You deserved it a hundred times over!"

I chuckled, "I appreciate the feeling, but you wouldn't be helping. You know, there's something I didn't tell you, and Laiko."

Izumi kept looking at me silently, so I added, "When I become a Chunin, I'll join Anbu."

"What?!"

Izumi suddenly jumped at me, holding my shoulders as she asked, "You're kidding, right?"

I shook my head and said, "No, so as you can guess, I'm not exactly in a hurry to get promoted. I would rather strengthen my foundations while I'm still a Genin, and only get my promotion when I'm truly ready."

Izumi tightened her grip on my shoulder as she said, "It is devious to use this to get me to cancel my resignation."

I shrugged off her hands and replied, "I'm a ninja bitch, deception is my job."

"Who did you call a bitch?"

"I have no idea of what you are talking about and am a pure soul."

"Come here you little c…"