Samurai Showdown With Kakashi

Have you ever had a dream that no one believes you can achieve? Something you would give everything to get to, no matter how much others mock you and tell you to give up? Well, as a boy in the Land of Iron who doesn't know the least bit of fighting, who failed Samurai school, I know how that feels.

My name is Roderick Samunashi and I'm really good at running. From the young age of 12 I...

No!

Not again! Why do I keep reliving this? Always the same dream, without a single change. Why can't I have one night of rest? The Uchiha's words keep reverberating in my mind.

"- I gave them a proud death, one in which they ended with valor. So kid, don't let that go to waste."

I always thought to myself what he meant with this. Why would he tell me to honor my parents after killing them? Did he want to die? Why would he kill them and not me? So many questions... and the only one with the answers was him. I had to find him. I had, TO KILL HIM.

My eyes opened as the dream ended. My body still felt like it was in death's doors. I could probably move, but running, and any form of attack were impossible at the moment. I probably couldn't even stand up without help. So I had to rest, and it wasn't too bad in such a peaceful forest. I could relax with the sound of the chirping birds in the forest, the smell of roses and violets that were beside me on the ground, the sight of a sword pointing at my head... wait...

- Aahhh! - I shouted terrified as I saw a ninja on his knees over me pointing his blade at my head.

He got fl.u.s.tered, probably didn't expect me to wake up, and almost dropped his sword, but he quickly got a hold of himself. I, however, regretted ever shouting. After slashing my own cheek in an attempt to slash Kakashi with a blade I bit, it was incredibly painful to say a single word until the wound got treated, but I had a bigger concern in front of me. After a closer look, I realised that this wasn't just any ninja, it was the scroll robber that Kakashi had incapacitated. He must have woken up while I was still unconscious and saw the perfect opportunity to take revenge against the one who caught him. Thankfully for me, he wasn't too fast in slashing me. Maybe he wasn't accostumed to killing? At least I got lucky with something.

Using the last of my strenght, I pushed his knee with my arm, making the blade fall just aside my face, and making him fall on top of me. Having the ninja crushing me under his weight was an odd sensation. His c.h.e.s.t on my face felt oddly soft, even comfortable... humm...

- Are... ahh - Talking is way too painful. Short phrases. Just say short phrases. - Girl?

The ninja on top of me quickly moved to the side away from me, leaving the sword on the other side. I couldn't notice she was a girl, since she was previously hiding her mouth, nose and hair with cloth. She actually looked like a proper ninja. Her gender became much more obvious when she took the cloth off, and revealed her short black hair, her crisped lips... you know what? I'm even more confused now. However, without the c.h.e.s.t on my face, and an ample room to breathe, I attempted to beg:

- Don't k...kill me. - I pleaded for my life. Didn't really have an option, since she clearly had the upper hand. She looked at me, with a disappointed expression. What did I do to disappoint her?

- I couldn't even bring myself to kill a downed opponent. I'm still too weak. - Ah, she was disappointed with herself.

I really didn't want to comfort her after she attempted to kill me, but she was moving away, and I clearly needed help. So I shouted:

- Help! - She seemed like a relatively nice person, I mean, as nice as a scroll robber could be. She would help, right? She continued to move away uninterested which led me to one option.

When I left the Land I made sure to bring some essentials with me. Some food to eat along the way, which I did during my run in the forest, but more importantly, money, in case it became of need. I took the bag out of.my pocket with some difficulty, and waved it around. The sound of coins clanking against one another caught the ninja's attention, as she looked back:

- You promise not to attack me or anything? - She was quick to understand. I nodded my head, with tears almost coming out. - Fine. I guess I've got some time to waste. - There really is kindness in this cruel world. That's when the tears came rushing down my face.

Out of her ninja pouch, she took out some string and a needle. She saw the bandages beside me that Kakashi had thrown, and decided to keep them. For now she had to focus on stitching my face. My cheek wasn't just bruised, it was practically cut from one side to the other. It would need a good stable hand to fix it, as well as a capable technique to be able to do so painlessly. That's why it felt like Hell rained over me then. I wanted to scream to her to be more gentle, however all that came out were some incoherent growls. After what felt like hours, she finished stitching up my cheek and proceeded to grab the bandages. I sat up with some difficulty and said:

- You could have been a bit more gentle.

- You should be grateful that I even decided to do this after you hit me into the ground! With this, you now owe me twice, and don't think money is enough.

- So that's your end goal? Either way, thanks. I don't know what I would've done without you here.

- You're welcome. But you better have something worthwhile to give. I don't wanna end up doing all this for nothing.

- I think I can come up with something. By the way, I'm Roderick Samunashi, what's your name?

- I'm Linja.

- Linja? You mean, Linja the scroll robbing ninja? - I responded with a giggle.

- Don't laugh at my name! - She said blushing. - And I'm not a ninja. I couldn't be one even if I tried. - She finished with a gloomy expression while rolling the bandages around a cut on my arm.

- What do you mean?

- Why do you think I steal scrolls with jutsus in them? Because I can't make them myself. All those hand signs are so complicated, and... I haven't even been able to feel my own chakra. - She revealed with a gloomy expression.

- I guess I can relate to that. Nonetheless, you got good moves. I saw how you leapt through the trees. You might not be a ninja, but you're definitely stronger than the regular person.

- Thanks, I suppose. - She said repressing a smile. - But enough about me. You said you're called Samunashi, right? That sounds like a clan name, what...

- I rather not talk about that. - A person with a second name would in almost every occasion, belong to a clan. I was no exception. But, it wasn't something I was willing to share to just anybody.

- Fine. After all, I'm just the girl handling your wounds with no promised recompensation, I mean, what have I done to deserve anything? - She remarked sarcastically.

- Look, I will reward you. I know of something that might interest you.

- Oh yeah, and what is that?

- In the Land of Iron there is a tale that there is a valuable artifact that will grant its user power that no one as used in years. Most just see it as a vague tale, but my father knew of the specifics. There is an Iron Style Scroll hidden there, and I'm going to help you steal it!