Let go [Part-49]

"... Bridgebuilder."-Veronica

Both Kakashi and Ura looked towards her as they heard her say that and she could see Ura slightly narrowing his eyes at her.

'I forgot these people have amazing hearing... I got too comfortable again. I need to fix this habit of mine.'

She decided to do a little act and see how her team would react. Ohta and Ura specifically.

The man in question, frowned a bit after seeing her write instead of speak to him but he could only be curious after seeing the question. She could also see a bit of pity arise in his eyes but she chose to ignore it.

"How'd you know, you little brat?"-Tazuna

Someone grumbled about the man being softer on Veronica but she again chose to ignore it.

'He's probably learned to trust team 7 enough to trust our team as well.'

She smiled a bit before quickly writing down her explanation.

Your sandals and feet show you generally work for long hours and, I heard in the newspaper that a bridge was being built in the land of waves.>

A simple deduction, one might think. Ura stared at her for a bit before frowning, he hadn't expected this outcome. Although he had quickly hidden his expression.

Kakashi, however, openly stared at her for a minute. It was clear from his expression that this wasn't what Veronica would usually do. She would usually not even bother to write for so long and just shrug it off after giving some sort of short explanation.

Even team 7 thought something was going on, however they didn't ponder it for long. After all, the mission was over now that they'd taken care of Gato, what else could go wrong?

Tanaka was amazed at this though. He didn't think that Veronica could even fill in as a detective. He had thought that they only existed in the stories he used to hear. Even Tanaka looked a bit amazed.

[Ohta's chakra was spiking ever since he read your deduction.]-Matatabi

Matatabi sounded quite amused.

'Even my psycho sensei lost his composure~ How fun.'

She had gotten what she wanted through this little test. She had gotten to know the two 'variables' personalities and their thinking capacities by now. She only needed information on their fighting style. Once she had her information, she'd be able to finally move on with her plan and peacefully leave this village.

All of them shared their praises over her detective work. Even if some were more alarmed of her than happy for her.

The trip back wasn't eventful. They had just met with some thugs and thieves. Veronica honestly wondered if Team 7 was a trouble magnet though.

Upon getting back it was decided that Sakura and Tanaka, the ones who weren't that exhausted, would report on both of the team's mission and training session.

Walking through the streets, she felt a chakra signature she hadn't felt in a long time now.

[The Uchiha killer boy is here.]-Matatabi

She sounded quite amused and a bit surprised by her voice. Matatabi was also weary of the Uchiha but Veronica had wisely chosen to not ever speak of it.

'He'd only been sending his crows all these years so I thought he wouldn't come to Konoha till the Chunin exams. I wonder if he's met up with Shisui yet.'

[I doubt it.]-Tobirama

'It does seem like Shisui plans to not reveal himself till at least the Chunin exams. From what I saw, he's probably just gathering information till now.'

She ignored the chakra signature however; she did notice Itachi moving towards the Uchiha cemetery. Even if she had questionable morals at times, she knew to not disturb a man who was probably mourning his clan.

She glanced back to where he was for a bit before joining Tanaka and Sakura. It was finally time.

[Don't risk it all over any foolish ideas.]-Matatabi

Matatabi still didn't understand just why exactly did they have to go through the trouble of doing all this. Things had changed so much that they all knew that even Sasuke would never be leaving the village, he would change it but won't leave it.

'I know. I'm not Naruto or Sasuke you know.'

[You still do take instinctive decisions quite often though.]-Tobirama

His point was quite valid and Veronica knew she had no way to refute it.

"Vero-chan, what do you think about this? Would our teachers allow us to take part in the Chunin exams?"-Sakura

"You think so too, huh? I was thinking they'd let us wait this year out and make us take it next year."-Tanaka

The three's discussion soon ended and they all went in to report submit their reports.

Looking around casually, Veronica noticed that the guards patrolling around her target were soon going to be done with and move to another location.

She carefully replaced herself with her clone, as she hid herself in the private office of one of the council members. Completely erasing her presence was a tedious task, especially when she had to be careful of the ANBU guards.

The day was quite eventful for her but she had at least gotten what she wanted in the end.

"*Hic* *hic*… *Sob*"-???

She thought to ignore the cries of whoever was crying but she heard a voice so sweet it almost made her sick. The other voice was trying to comfort whoever was crying but to her it sounded like that person was just enjoying the suffering.

Curious, she carefully moved closer to the two girls and pushed some chakra in her ears.

'A member of the Genin corp and a medic.'

Veronica remembered she'd seen the pair before; they were childhood friends. Honestly, she had only bothered to remembered them because the medic had killed the other's father.

*Being able to survive doesn't mean it was ever ok.*

It was sickening, considering how they were supposed to be best friends.

But she guessed this was just one of the dark parts of this world. Just one another who will and has suffered. Just another soul who had done nothing yet still got destroyed by the world.

--- --- --- --- ---

Saki had reached the place.

She saw the lollipop boy fighting with Minato. She saw Kushina screaming in pain. She saw the newborn baby who would bear with the curse his own mother bore.

She still couldn't stop the grin that lit her face.

She would finally, finally, have him suffer.

She saw Minato finally chase off the lollipop and slowly move towards Kushina.

They both had noticed her coming this way. Her face had become numb as she slowly made her way towards them.

"Saki-chan... Take care of him for us..."-Kushina

Minato was about to start his seal when Saki finally decided on her course of action. Her chakra glowed as she utilized the chains bounding Kurama and sealed his whole self in Naruto, only pushing a bit of his parents chakra in the seal to fully guard it.

It was almost like the seal Minato would've used. Except. Unlike his, the price of this seal wouldn't just be her soul.

The same terrifying grin spread across her face as she laughed in pain. Her body was already falling apart. Blood was coming down like rain from her eyes and ears. It was as though a part was crying.

Crying over her loss.

Crying over her choices.

Crying over her guilt.

Crying over her dream of freedom. Which remained only that. A dream.

"HAHAHA!!!"-Saki

If she couldn't have her freedom. Then she would make sure that whoever took it would suffer with her.