Chapter 54: Swimming with Kisame

"Swimming?" I repeated. "Konan thinks you might feel better if you went swimming with me." Kisame explained as he stood in my room. I laid down on my bed, on my stomach, as I swung my legs in the air. "Not interested." I said.

"Oh, come on, Nue. It's already been a week and you've been cooped up in your room, hardly trying to get to know any of us." Kisame said. "And why would I wanna get to know you people?" I asked as I rolled on my back so I was looking at him upside down.

"Because since you're going to be living here, you should try and make an effort of getting to know us. Think about it. With a little swimming, you might feel better." Kisame said. I sighed and rolled back on my stomach.

"If it'll get you to shut your trap, then I'll go swimming with you." I said before getting off the bed. "Your personality intrigues me." Kisame commented as he led us out of the base. "Why? Because I'm bipolar?" I asked in a bored tone. "Yes." He answered.

He sure was straightforward with his answer. "So, where exactly is this swimming pool?" I asked. "We're going to a lake. I guess I should've told you to bring a swimming suit, huh?" Kisame said. "No need. I can make one of my own." I waved my hand over my body and my attire was replaced with a swimming suit.

"You can make anything you want by just waving your hands?" Kisame asked. "It's not as simple as it seems. I use my Dark Style technique to create what I want. But I'm uncertain how much chakra it takes up." I explained, creating a black towel as well.

I looked ahead and spotted the lake Kisame was talking about. "Do you come here often?" I asked. "Just once in a blue moon." He replied as he took off his cloak and shirt. "Hmm..." I hummed to myself. "Is something wrong?" Kisame asked.

"I expected the lake to look dirty. But instead, it looks rather clean."

"Care to go first?"

"No."

"Suit yourself."

I gasped when Kisame pushed me from behind, making me splash into the water. I swam to the surface and coughed once I was out from underneath the water. "What the hell, Kisame?! I just said, I didn't want to go in!" I yelled at him.

Kisame chuckled. "Sorry, I guess I didn't hear you. You should've spoke louder." He said. "Bullshit, you fucking shark!" I snapped. Using my Dark Style jutsu, I created a black lasso and swung it towards Kisame. Once it was wrapped around his waist, I gave a hard pull, yanking Kisame into the lake with me.

"Now, we're even." I said, making the lasso disappear. "You're pretty strong." Kisame mentioned. "I know that." I said. I looked off to the side with a small frown. "What's wrong? You look upset?" Kisame asked with concern.

"I'm not upset." I said, quickly. "Well, something's obviously bothering you. Come on, what's the matter?" He asked. "Since when did you give a damn about me?" I asked, looking at him with a frown. He sighed.

"Look, Nue. I know it must feel weird to be around people you don't know. Especially when you think you're the only one who's different. But it's not that bad here, and you're not the one who's different. Just look at me, for example. Do you think a human would look like this?" Kisame said.

I held my arm as I gazed down at the water, noticing my reflection. "Well... You're half right on one hand." I mentioned, a bit quietly. "Huh?" He asked. I looked at him. "I... I just don't feel like I fit in this place; I feel out of place. I mean, I'm the only one who..." I trailed off as I gazed down at the water.

"The only one who looks like a freak." Kisame said, finishing my sentence. I continued to gaze at my reflection as it stared back at me. "Nobody thinks you're a freak, Nue." Kisame mentioned. "Then, what would you call someone who looks like... this?" I asked, looking at him.

"Gifted." He answered.

"Gifted?"

"Yep."

"When you look at me, you see-"

"I see a strong, bipolar, gifted kunoichi."

I gave a slight smile. "Thanks, Kisame." I smiled. He smiled back. Then, without warning, he splashed water on me. "Hey! What was that for?!" I snapped at him. "It's called having fun." Kisame said with a laugh.

"Fun?" I repeated. "Oh, come on. You're still young. I know you still know how to have fun, don't you?" He said. "I..." I trailed off as the thought of Naruto and everyone else in the Leaf Village came into my mind.

I shook my head hard. I need to forget about them. They're no longer my friends. I need to focus on my goal, and that's getting my revenge on Orochimaru. "Oi," I looked at Kisame when he spoke and got water splashed on my face.

"If you space out like that, things like this are gonna happen." He advised before splashing more water on me. I shielded myself a little that time. "Heyyy!" I whined, and he chuckled. I giggled a bit before splashing water on him.

"Payback's a bitch, Kisame." I mentioned, then splashed more water on him. Kisame and I got into a splashing war for a while.

3rd Person's POV

After two hours of splashing each other, Nue and Kisame sat on the grass to dry off. "Here," Nue created a second towel and handed it to him. "Thanks." Kisame said, accepting the towel. The two of them dried themselves off.

"Looks like we stayed out longer than I intended. Sorry about that." Kisame apologized to the young kunoichi. "I don't mind. I had fun." Nue replied with a small smile. She switched out of her swimsuit and back into her regular attire. "You sure do like the water, huh?" Kisame asked.

"A little. It's refreshing, I'll admit. I think we should come here more often." Nue said to him. "It's still noon. You wanna get some lunch?" He asked. He didn't hear her answer after a short while. "Nue?" Kisame looked over and noticed the young girl asleep by his side, curled up in a ball.

Kisame chuckled before picking up the sleeping Nue, taking her back to the base. He looked at the towels Nue has made for them, wondering how he was going to carry the towels and Nue. But, as if his mind was being read, the two towels disappeared in a black puff of smoke.

"Weird. It's as if you heard me, Nue." He said to the sleeping girl. She slept soundly in Kisame arms before snuggling her head into his warm chest. "You're such a kid." Kisame said with a chuckle, then carried her back to the base.

As they were walking back, Nue began to mumble in her sleep, singing a soft tune that her mother, Hotaru Houjuu, once sang to her. Kisame grinned as he listened to Nue sing in her sleep. When they got back to the base, Konan was waiting for them.

"You guys were gone a long time. How'd it go?" She asked. "She was a little reluctant at first, but I was able to get her to open up a bit." Kisame explained. Konan smiled a calm smile, then looked at Nue as she slept in Kisame's arms.

"She's cute while she's sleeping." She commented, tucking some hair behind the young girl's ear. "Yeah, she is." Kisame agreed. "I'll put her in her room. Pein just assigned you a mission with Itachi. You need to prepare for it." Konan said.

"Right." Kisame placed Konan in her arms, then left to go prepare for the mission. Konan walked down the hall with Nue in her arms, taking her to the young kunoichi's room. Once there, Konan placed Nue in her bed.

She gazed at her as Nue turned on her side, her wings and tails wrapping around her body.

"So strong... yet scared for what we have to offer her." Konan said. Pein stepped out of the darkness of the corner of Nue's room, revealing himself as he glanced at the young girl on the bed. "You think she's scared?" Pein asked Konan.

"I know she's scared. Nue's so used to humans rejecting her, she's afraid to accept help from humans like us. That's why she hates humanity. She hates us because she's afraid of us." Konan explained.

The two of them stared at Nue as she turned on her left side, her face scrunched up as if she was trying to sleep peacefully; It was like she could hear them talking.

"Perhaps one day, she won't be afraid of humans. Instead, she'll come to adore them rather than hate them. It will happen. And when that day comes, she'll be more cooperative with Akatsuki." Pein said.

He and Konan looked at Nue one last time before leaving the young girl to sleep.