Chapter 17: How Do You Know Me?

Sasuke's POV

We continued to walk on the empty path in silence. I looked over at Naruto as he carried Nue on his back. I narrowed my eyes at her cloak. Why does she keep it on? Does she ever take it off? Nue's peaceful sleeping face soon became a face of anger. 

"You bastard..." She muttered, angrily in her sleep. Nue's hands clenched Naruto's shoulder. A little bit too tightly because Naruto winced. "Ow! Nue-chan, that hurt." He said as he looked back at her. "I'll kill you. You'll pay." Nue said, angrily.

I raised a brow at her. Is she having a nightmare? "I'll kill you... I'll kill you." Nue said in her sleep. It didn't sound like she was having a nightmare. Actually, more like a disturbing dream. Naruto looked back at Nue with worry. "Nue-chan, are you all right?" Naruto asked.

"I trusted you... You lied to me. You bastard... You killed them. You killed them." Nue continued to say. "I'll kill you!" She screamed out of anger. Nue took out her kunai knife and stabbed Naruto's shoulder. "Ow!" Naruto dropped her, making her land on the ground with a soft thud.

"What happened?" Kakashi said as he looked back at us to see what was going on. "Naruto dropped Nue." I stated. "She stabbed me!" Naruto objected. I looked back at Nue as she stayed asleep. Her kunai knife was still gripped in her hand as laid there on the ground.

Naruto and I just stared at her, waiting for her to do something. I decided to make a move and kneeled down in front of her. "Nue?" I said. She didn't budge. I was afraid to touch her because I didn't want her stabbing me with that knife of hers.

"Nue," I tried again. Nue's eyes slowly opened and blinked twice before yawning. "What happened?" Nue asked. When she realized she was on the ground, she shot Naruto a deadpanned look. "Naruto, why am I on the ground? Did you drop me?" Nue asked him.

"I had to drop you! You stabbed me!" Naruto objected. Nue gasped before quickly going over to him, abandoning the kunai in her hand. "Oh no, you're bleeding!" Nue said out of worry. "Yeah, I know. You stabbed me in your sleep." Naruto repeated.

"I'm so sorry, Naruto! Please forgive me! I didn't know I could do something like that in my sleep!" She apologized. I stared at her as she reached into her bag and took out some medical equipment. "Here, let me help you." Nue offered.

She took off Naruto's jacket and shirt and began to clean his wound. Once she was done with that, she wrapped his shoulder with bandages. "There. That should help prevent infection." Nue explained. Naruto moved his shoulder around, testing it.

"Wow. Thanks, Nue-chan. You're awesome." Naruto said with a smile. Nue bowed her head apologetically. "I'm very sorry, Naruto. I honestly don't know what came over me. I guess I was having a dream about fighting someone." She excused.

"Don't worry about it, Nue-chan. It was an accident." Naruto said, forgiving her. Nue kept her head down, deeply sorry for what she's done. "Just what exactly were you dreaming about?" I asked her. "Um... fighting, maybe?" Nue guessed, sounding a bit unsure about her answer.

"You're shaking," I stated. Nue quickly hugged herself, trying to stop herself from shaking. "I'm fine. Really. I'm just a bit... tired. Yeah, that's all. I'm not exactly a morning person." Nue admitted with a fake smile.

"Then, why are you still shaking?" I asked as I gently touched her shoulder. "I said, I'm fine!" She snapped before quickly shoving me away. Nue quickly began walking in front of the group again. I wonder what she was dreaming about?

Whatever it was, it really seemed to give her the impression that Naruto was a bad guy or something. She even stabbed him. Why was she saying those things like, "I'll kill you." and "You'll pay."? What was she talking about? Actually, who was she talking about?

Nue's POV

I shook my head hard as I tried to get that dream out of my head. It was very disturbing and I couldn't think straight. "Nue," I heard Kakashi-sensei say behind me. I turned my head just a little so I could see him. "Yes? Is there something wrong?" I asked him, fully facing him.

"Are you okay?" He asked me. "Yeah, I'm fine! Perfectly fine!" I said, a bit cheerfully. "You're sweating." He stated. I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand, then looked at it. Yep, I was definitely sweating. Probably because of the dream I had.

"Well, will you look at that? I am sweating. Well, I guess it can't be dealt with. Let's go!" I said smiling as I began to walk again. Well, I started to walk again until Kakashi-sensei grabbed my shoulder, stopping me. "Nue, I know something's wrong with you. Just tell me." He said.

"Nothing's wrong with me. I'm perfectly fine. I'm okay," I said confidently. Though, I think I should be asking if he was okay. I knew there was something Kakashi wasn't telling me, and it had something to do with me. "Like I said, I'm fine." I said.

"You're lying." Kakashi stated. "You're not gonna let this go, are you?" I said with a deadpan expression.

"Nope."

Man, I hate how people are so persistent.

I sighed. "Will you tell me what's wrong with you?" He asked. I shook my head. "I really don't wanna talk about it. It's kind of disturbing." I said. "How disturbing?" Kakashi questioned.

"Very disturbing."

I frowned slightly, then gasped. "Get down!" I quickly shouted. Before I could protect Kakashi, he tackled me to the ground, then shielded my head. "Ow," I grumbled. "I'm gonna go on the record and say that you knew something was gonna happen." Kakashi said.

I gave a small nod. "That hurt, Kakashi-sensei. You tackled me too hard." I complained as I opened my eyes. He pointed to a nearby tree. I followed his pointed finger and saw a huge ass sword stuck to a tree! I stared at the sword in awe.

I stood to my feet. Suddenly, a man appeared on top of the sword. He had bandages over his mouth and wore pants that looked like patterns of a cow. "Who the hell is that?" I muttered. "It's nice to see you, Kakashi of the Sharingan." The man said.

Sharingan? I thought only an Uchiha could possess that kind of power? Is Kakashi an Uchiha? Or part Uchiha? I thought about that while I helped Kakashi to his feet. "Kakashi-sensei, who is that?" I asked him.

"His name is Zabuza Momochi. Demon of the Hidden Mist." He answered. Zabuza? That sounds familiar.

(Flashback)

"Oi, Nue, are you listening?" Iri said. I spun around in my chair a few more times before stopping to face my older sister. "Are we done yet, Iri? I wanna go outside." I whined. She sighed at my behavior. "Let's just review this one last time, then we'll go outside, okay?" She said.

"Ugh, fine." I said, spinning in my chair one more time. "OK. Now, who is this?" She said as she showed a picture of an ANBU. "You, when you wake up in the morning." I joked. "Wrong." Iri hit the top of my head with the yard stick she was holding.

"Ow!" I whined as I held my head. "Come on, Nue. Be serious. Now, who is this?" She repeated. "ANBU." I answered, correctly.

"Good, and this one?" She held up a different picture.

"Jonin."

"This one?"

"Chunin."

"This one?"

"Genin."

"Good. All right, last one."

Iri held up a picture I've never seen before. I leaned forward a bit to get a better look at it. "Iri, we haven't studied... whatever that is, yet." I stated. "His name is Zabuza Momochi. He classed as a missing-nin." She said.

"Zabuza Momochi? Is he dangerous?" I asked. "Damn right, he is. He's an assassin." Iri explained. "Cool." I said with a smile. "No, not cool. What part of 'assassin' did you miss? He can kill you, Nue." She said. "Okay, so what do you suppose I do if I ever run into this guy?" I asked.

"Don't fight him. Just run away before he can kill you." Iri advised. "Doesn't sound like what a ninja would do. If I were to meet this guy in person, I would fight him. I'm not gonna back down from a battle." I said, confidently.

"You're not gonna change your mind no matter how many times I'll try to convince you, are you?" Iri stated as she sweat dropped. "Nope. My decision is absolute." I said with a cocky smile. Iri sighed. "All right, all right. Go nuts, but don't go dying when you fight him." She said.

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna die. I promise." I said, saluting her. "Good. Now... last one to the big tree is a rotten egg!" Iri exclaimed as she ran out the door. "Hey, no fair! You didn't say go!" I yelled as I ran after her.

(End of Flashback)

"So, this is Zabuza Momochi? He's a lot taller than I expected." I said as I stared at the man. "Who are you, runt?" he asked, looking at me. Runt? Who is he calling runt? I frowned at him. "My name is Nue Houjuu Satori." I answered, seriously. His eyes widened a bit.

"Did you say... Houjuu?" He asked me. I nodded my head. This is just like when those black ninjas came out of the puddle. Is he saying he knows me? Well, I don't know him. Not at all. "It can't be... I thought you were dead," I heard him whisper before trailing off.

Wait, what did he say? Dead? What the hell is he talking about? "You're... Nue Houjuu?" He said. He said my name like he knows me. He was quickly in front of me. I gasped at his speed. I didn't even see him move! "Don't you remember who I am?" Zabuza whispered in my ear.

Remember? Is he saying we've met before? "I'm sorry, but I don't know you." I whispered back so the others didn't hear me. "I see... We'll talk later. Wait for me, okay?" He asked. I nodded slowly. Wait, what did he mean, 'wait for me'?

He kicked me hard in the stomach and I slid back across the ground. "Nue!" I heard Kakashi call. I coughed a little, then painfully sat up. Ow, that hurt like a bitch.

"Nue-chan, are you all right?" Naruto asked me. "Y-Yeah. I think so." I said as I shakily got up. But I fell back down on my knees. The kick was so powerful, I couldn't stand properly. Dammit, is Zabuza's leg made of metal or something?

"Nue, sit this one out." Kakashi told me. "N-No. I have to fight." I told him. I started to get back up again, but failed. I grunted and fell back on my knees as I held my stomach in pain. "Nue, you're hurt. Listen to Kakashi-sensei and stay out of this." Sasuke said.

I glared at him, but it soon faded as I sighed in defeat. "All right, you win." I mumbled. Naruto put my arm over his shoulder and held my waist as he walked me over to a tree to lay against. "Don't worry, Nue-chan. We'll take care of this guy. Believe it." He said with a closed eye smile.

"Just let me fight him. I know I can beat this guy." I said, determined. "No way, Nue-chan. Kakashi-sensei said to stay here. You're hurt." Naruto stated. He's not wrong. I could feel a bruise starting to form on my stomach.

I gave up trying to fight with Naruto and sighed. I smiled before petting his head. "Go get 'em, knucklehead." I said. He grinned at me and ran off to fight. I was a little jealous that they got to fight and I didn't.

Which sucks because I really wanted to fight that Zabuza guy. Oh, well. There's always next time, right? If there is a next time. Yeah, I'll sure they'll be a next time. No doubt.

My eyelids started to get heavy. I'm not sure if it was the kick that was getting me tired or the fact I was just really tired. I closed my eyes and just fell asleep.

(Some time later)

I woke up to someone lightly shaking my shoulders. I opened my eyes and saw a guy wearing a Mist ANBU mask. Even though he was wearing a mask, I could tell he was a guy. Freaked out, I opened my mouth to scream, but he quickly covered my mouth with his hand.

"Don't scream. Are you Nue Houjuu?" He asked me. I nodded my head, yes, answering his question. I looked around at my surroundings. It was very foggy. I could hardly see a thing. Why was it so foggy? It was bright and sunny before I fell asleep.

He took off his mask, revealing his face. I blushed when I saw how cute he was. "My name is Haku. Come with me." He said as he helped me up. He picked me up, bridal style, and carried me to who knows where. Where was he taking me?

Why don't I just run? Because no doubt, he would just stop me and/or kill me. We came across what looked like a hideout. I gulped as Haku lead me into a room. "Zabuza?!" I practically screamed. He was lying down in a bed and it looked like he couldn't move.

"Hey, there, kid. Sorry for kicking you back there." He said. "Yeah, that hurt, you know. Is your leg made out of iron or something?" I asked as Haku set me down on my feet. "No, I'm just that strong." He stated. Yeah, but how strong? That shit hurt.

"Did you say your name was Nue Houjuu?" Zabuza asked. I nodded my head. I still don't know how he knows my name. "I thought you looked familiar. You have your father's face and your mother's smile." He said. "My mother? You know Luna Satori?" I asked, confused.

He laughed. "No, I wasn't talking about her. I meant Hotaru Houjuu. She was a beauty." Zabuza said.

"Who's Hotaru?"

"Your mother."

"You must be mistaken. My mother's name is Luna Satori."

"I'm not mistaken."

"I think you are."

"Then, take off your cloak."

Say what? My cloak? No way! I'm not doing that! "Why do you want me to take off my cloak?" I asked. "If you really are Nue Houjuu, then you must have those red wings and blue tails on your back, right?" Zabuza stated. I gasped.

"How do you know about that? No one knows about that except Okaa-san, Iri, and Lord Hokage." I said. "Because I know you. Why don't you remember? Why don't you remember your mother? Your father?" Zabuza asked, well, more like demanded.

"Because... I don't know. When I was four, I remember walking around, but I didn't know where I was going. A year later, I was found by a woman named Luna Satori. She adopted me and became my mother. My real mother, Hotaru... I'm sorry, but I don't know who she is." I said.

"You really don't?" Zabuza asked, looking puzzled. I shook my head. "I really don't. To be honest, I don't even know my own clan." I said, sadly. "Zabuza, she could have forgotten about it. It was a long time ago." Haku said.

"Impossible. The Nue Houjuu I knew remembers everything." Zabuza told him. "Wait a second. Just who are you, and how do you know me?" I said. I needed answers now. Zabzua looked at me, trying to read me. Finally, he spoke.

"You're-" He was cut off when the door burst open, revealing a man with two bodyguards. One of them looked like a fighter and was shirtless while the other one looked a bit young with short hair. "You failed me, Zabuza!" The smaller man barked.

I jumped at the tone of his voice. The man moved his gaze from Zabuza to me. "Who's this runt?" He asked, irritated. I frowned; I hate being called runt. "I invited her." Zabuza answered. "She's pretty cute. Where'd you find someone like her?" The guy with the short hair asked. I raised a brow at him.

He stepped in front of me and grabbed my face rather roughly. "I say we keep her. I think we can get along just fine." He said with a smirk. I frowned at him. He's such a creep. I was about to say something until Haku slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch her." He growled as he stepped in front of me protectively. The guy glared at him before leaving with his partner and... boss, I'm guessing? "Who was that?" I asked. "My boss. His name's Gato," Zabuza said. Gato?

"Nue, our real target is Gato. Not the bridge builder." Haku explained. "If you're not targeting Tazuna, and Gato's your real target, then why don't you just kill him while you have the chance?" I asked.

"Because we don't want Gato getting suspicious. He's the best cover-up we've got." He explained. "Cover-up? What do you mean?" I asked.

"Listen to me. We're gonna put your team in a temporary death state. When we get the chance, we'll kill Gato. The reason why we're not killing him now is because he's the only one who can cover our tracks." Zabuza explained.

I still don't get it. "Zabuza, I need to go back to my team. They could be freaking out right about now." I said. Hell, I bet you they're asking questions about where I am? "Would you like me to take you there, Nue?" Haku offered.

I smiled and respectfully bowed my head to him. "That's very nice of you, but I think I can find them on my own. But I really do appreciate your offer." I said. "Very well." Haku said, softly. I smiled. "It was nice meeting you, Zabuza. You, too, Haku. I hope we get to see each other again soon." I said.

I hugged Haku, then Zabuza before heading out. I should've accepted Haku's offer because I'm lost. "Oh, man. Where the hell am I going?" I asked myself. I fell face first into the ground and sighed. I'm never going to find them.

I lifted my head when I felt something sniff my hair. In front of me, was a white rabbit. "Hi, there, little guy. What are you doing out here?" I asked. The rabbit sniffed my face before hopping away. I stood up and raised a brow as it stopped.

It looked at me before hopping off again. I'm guessing it wants me to follow it. I shrugged and followed the rabbit.

After a while of walking, I realized the rabbit had led me to a house. "Who's house is this?" I asked the rabbit. It didn't respond as it hopped over to the house. I began to follow it again. I could hear Naruto's voice when I was close to the house.

This must be Tazuna's house. Oh, now I get it. The rabbit was leading me to my destination. "Thanks, friend." I said, smiling. The rabbit hopped near my foot. I kneeled down and petted its head. It closed its eyes and purred in content before hopping away.

I smiled, then walked towards Tazuna's house. I was about to open Tazuna's door until I heard Naruto speak, making my hand stop near the doorknob. "Where do you think Nue-chan is? I'm really worried about her," I heard him say. "I hope she's okay."

"Why should we care what happens to her? I, for one, hope she doesn't come back. Her maid probably left because she's too creepy. She's always wearing that cloak." Sakura said. "She's not creepy, Sakura. She's just shy." Kakashi told her.

"If she's not creepy, then why won't she take off her cloak? What is there to hide?" Sakura demanded. 'Something that could make you jump out of your skin color' I thought, sarcastically. "You know what I think? I bet her maid abandoned Nue on purpose. If I was her maid, I'd abandon her, too. She's a freak." Sakura said.

I gasped, pressing my hand over my mouth. No, that can't be true. Maria didn't really abandon me, did she? No, she couldn't have. But what if she really did? Does she think I'm a freak? My hand went to my side while my hand clenched into a fist.

Fine, then. I walked inside the house and into the kitchen, making everyone look at me. "Nue-chan!" Naruto cheered as he hugged me. I didn't hug back. "Where have you been? We were all worried about you, believe it." Naruto said. 'Yeah, right' I thought.

"Where's my bag?" I demanded. My head was lowered so my black bangs covered my eyes. "Huh?" Naruto pulled away from me so he could look at me. "Where's my bag?" I repeated. "It's upstairs, third door on the right." Tazuna answered.

I walked past Naruto and went upstairs to the room that had my stuff. When I found my bag, I picked it up and flung it on my back. "There you are, Nue. I wasss wondering where you went." Kiyoshi hissed as he lifted his head off the pillow.

"Come on, we're leaving." I said as I held out my arm to him. "Leaving? Why? What for?" He asked as he slithered up my arm, then around my waist. "Where are we going? Back to the Leaf? To the cassstle?" He asked. "No, none of those places." I said.

"Then, where?" Kiyoshi asked. "Anywhere but here." I answered, emotionlessly. I left a note on the bed before heading to the window. There's no point in staying in a place when everyone thinks I'm a freak. I pulled my hood over my head, then jumped out the window.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You just had to open your big mouth, didn't you Sakura! Where will Nue go? Will she go back to the Leaf or back to Zabuza. Don't worry. You'll find out in the next chapter. Vote and Comment. Until next time. Sayonara!!!

Kureiji out~