VIII

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Arc VIII Chapter 4

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Asami gazed at the girl in her arms. Her tender heart pitied her. It pained her to see the girl suffer in the cold. The girl was such a poor, weak creature. She wouldn't abandon her. Not a girl with such lovely fluffy cheeks.

 

Her fingers pinched her cheeks, the victim of her affection unable to resist her nefarious attacks.

 

The girl's silken hair. Her chubby face. Her adorable cheeks. The resemblance was uncanny. Her appearance screamed doll, reminding her of much simpler, much happier times.

 

“...” Asami mustered a weak smile. Equally alone, equally helpless, equally vulnerable, but she was here to protect her. She wouldn't surrender her to the dark, icy cold. Her kind heart didn't permit such injustice. 

 

Her hug tightened. Hugging was beneath her dignity, a little bit of cuddling was allowed. The girl was hers, hers alone.

 

“A girl.” Tobi tilted his head. “What a curious find ...”

 

“Senpai~, why are you staring at me like this?” Tobi gulped, her malicious smile sent a shiver down his spine.

 

Asami beamed. “The girl needs help. So would you please lend me your coat, Tobi?”

 

“My coat?” Tobi blinked.

 

“...” Asami nodded.

 

Tobi hesitated before relenting. “Well, but I hope that senpai~ will not leave poor Tobi freezing in the cold ...”

 

Asami snatched his coat out of his hands, wrapping it around the girl, turning her into a living, fluffy cocoon. The girl needed every layer she could get.

 

Tobi's teeth shivered in the cold. “Asami ⁓ senpai, I am freezing ...”

 

Asami remained unmoved by his plight. “Stop this farce. You didn't freeze before. You won't freeze now. Take it like a man.”

 

“But ... But ... But ...”

 

“Furthermore, I doubt it would be a tragic loss, anyway.”

 

...

...

...

 

“You are mean, senpai. Your words hurt Tobi. Tobi has a heart too.” Tobi started sobbing, crying. “Nobody liking Tobi.”

 

This cheap trick wouldn't work.

 

“Tobi unloved and forever alone.”

 

It didn't work.

 

“Life has no meaning. Tobi jumping from the nearest bridge.”

 

It worked. Somewhat.

 

Asami sighed in defeat. “Don't make things complicated for both of us, Tobi. Please don't jump. I would miss you.” 

 

Tobi regained his hope. “Really?”

 

“Yes ...” Asami nodded. Tobi annoyed her most of the time, but his presence was nevertheless ... appreciated in these dark times.

 

“That is the nicest thing Tobi ever heard. Asami ⁓senpai, you are the best.” Tobi raised his arms in joy and assaulted her with a hug, but Asami merely sidestepped.

 

“It's still too early for a hug, Tobi.”

 

“Mmmm. Mmmm. Mmmm”, Tobi mumbled with his head stuck deep into the snow. “Hmemlmpm mem, smenpmami. I am dying!” 

 

His nonsensical rambling continued, but Asami ignored him. Tobi would survive. He was a stubborn fool.

 

Asami scanned their surroundings, the Land of Iron, a barren land of eternal snow and little hospitality. Day turned night, and a snowstorm approached. They needed a place for the night, a warm place. The girl was cold, her limbs frozen, her pulse weak ...

 

...

...

...

 

Tobi escaped from his snowy grave. His lungs inhaled the fresh air. “Finally free. Tobi nearly suffocating ...”

 

“Tobi ... Silence ...” Asami admonished him, her eyes narrowed. “We have got visitors.” Ninja arrived. Judging by the appearance, they hailed from Konoha. What were they doing here in the middle of nowhere?

 

The ninja noticed their presence, surprise was written all over their faces. Suspicion and distrust met them.

 

Their leader didn't waste any time. His harsh voice lacked any sense of friendliness. “Who are you?”

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“I ask again, who are you? Answer me! Immediately!” Their leader studied them, her, the girl, and a freezing Tobi. Judging by their forehead protectors, they were Konoha-nin. What a coincidence.

 

Asami glared at the newcomers with a hint of annoyance. “My friends, what's the rush? No need to be so aggressive.”

 

The ninja readied his kunai. “I don't like to repeat myself, girl. Who are you? Identify yourself!”

 

Asami despaired. “Oh my, such dreadful times. The youth these days. So bold and quick with their kunai. No manners. Threatening a defenceless and innocent maiden in open sight. Has Konoha foregone any sense of honour?”

 

Tobi blinked. “Defenceless? Innocent?”

 

The enemy ninja clicked his tongue. “Stop your nonsensical rambling. Stop wasting my time, lass. We are way older than you!”

 

Asami tilted her head. “Do you think so? Appearances can be deceptive, my friend. What if I am an ancient spirit that feeds on the tasty souls of foolish humans? Delicious humans who trespass their boundaries in their infinite hubris.”

 

His eyebrow twitched in anger. She was slowly, but surely getting on his nerves. “Listen, girl, my patience is limited. So answer my questions!”

 

Asami pouted, disregarded his silly question. “You are boring. You guys have no sense of humour. What do you even want from me?”

 

“...” The ninja gritted his teeth. “We are searching for a certain girl. Said girl is apparently in your possession. We ask you to hand her over. We need her.”

 

“Which girl?”

 

“The girl in your arms.”

 

“You mean my cute little sister?”

 

The man nodded. “Indeed, your cute little sister ... What? I think that you have got something wrong here.”

 

Asami tightened her protective hug. “No, I don't think so. You want to steal my cute little sister, but nee-san will protect her.”

 

“She ... is ... not ... your ... sister!” The ninja protested.

 

Asami ignored him. “Doesn't matter. I found her first, so I will keep her. She is mine, my cute little sister.”

 

The man fumed. “What kind of logic is that? Don't be absurd ...”

 

“Absurd?” Asami narrowed her eyes. “You are being absurd here, you worthless peasants! You come here, threaten me, and demand from me to hand over my sister to a bunch of arsehole ninja I neither know, nor trust. How absurd does that sound?”

 

 

The enemy ninja clenched his fist. “Girl, don't make things more complicated than necessary. Hand over the girl and we will leave you in peace.”

 

Asami refused. “No.”

 

The man restated his demand, “Hand ... over ... the girl!” 

 

“Only over my dead body!”

 

“That can be arranged.” The man attacked, but Asami struck first with a sudden pulse of purple light, taking them by surprise. The man dodged, and so did his squad, her blast passing over their head, hitting a mountain range.

 

The man grinned. “Nice try, bitch. Try to aim next time.”

 

Asami clicked her tongue. Her miss displeased her. A cruel joke of fate. “Annoying, but ultimately irrelevant.”

 

Her enemy raised his eyebrow. “How so?”

 

Asami giggled. “My friend, are you familiar with the proverb, the unaimed arrow never misses?” The earth trembled, and the man sensed the danger. 

 

He turned and froze. Endless masses of snow rolled down the valley to bury them all. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!!! Avalanche!”

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