Finally Rectifying the Situation (Ashie)

No sign of Ashie... smell or otherwise... She was probably intentionally avoiding him after the scene he caused on one of his birthdays... He wouldn't blame her... he said some terrible things, did some things... Looking back on it now made him regret the whole debacle, even more so when he remembered all the other times he lost it and apologized... He was afraid that when he told her this time, she'd think he was merely trying to get back into her good graces, probably just to tear down her trust once more... Ashie was a smart kid... he wouldn't put it past her... Nevertheless, he had to try anyway. Back then, he was nothing but a fool and an idiot... Salzem couldn't've woken up in the morning without thinking everything was terrible, the world was going to end, and that everyone was just going to die... His depression had consumed him thoroughly in that time. Between then and now, however... Salzem had woken up from that nightmare... He'd found that he'd became a new man, a respectable person by his own standards and one he could look at in the mirror every morning. He'd grown more patient, calmer, emotionally stable, accepting the lose of his friends and family and moving on... Of course, that only truly opened his eyes to what a complete and utter fool he had been, but that douse of cold water was sorely needed...

Now, with a cruel anticipation, Salzem wandered into the training grounds for the upteenth time, hoping to find Ashie there, training vigorously for the Jounin exams. In truth, the exams themselves was only secondary for the reason he was here, a catalyst that allowed him to tie up loose ends back here in Sunagakure... Whether or not he won or lost, got the rank or ended up dying for some reason, Salzem only wanted the respect of the people he'd wronged, namely his friends... Ashie had been the worst case of this and, with reluctant determination, the Lycanthrope made his way into the training grounds, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly for any sign of the smaller girl. There were so many people training today, mostly adults looking to steal that title of jounin for themselves, most likely. In fact, almost every dummy was occupied by 1 or more people and several others went off to spar with each-other in pockets elsewhere. In this chaos, the search for little ashie was going to be frustrating, to say the least, but he hoped worth it. Hokage's sake... he could only imagine what she thought of him now after all this time...

The training ground for being so full was not just because of the jounin exam itself, but because Ashie was making a spectacle. Flames burst from part of the crowd along with many people's 'whoa's. If Sal would go towards the scene he would found the girl, she was there since early that morning. The Ashie that he sees now, is far more confident, for more...vigorous. Her hair was pulled up into two pig-tails and she wore a black sleeveless shirt and white shorts, long black gloves to protect her hands because what she was striking was a dummy, rather hard, every time she struck the dummy would sway back and than sway back into her next strike making her chain of strikes deadly. Where had the fire come from? That question would be easily answered as Ashie kicked off the dummy landing a few meters away before weaving her hands together to make horse and tiger before a fireball shot from her mouth impacting the dummy setting it ablaze. People groaned, they've seen her blow throw many of them. Ashie sighed as she stood up straight, her eyes lighting up with the fire, sweat can be seen on her brow. She still wasn't use to Suna's heat, but her father had tested her will against fire and she would with last it. She walked slowly over to the water, grabbing a bucket and dipping it into the water. She prepared for fire. She brought the bucket of water back to the burning dummy and splashed it with the water, extinguishing the fire. Her eyes stared down at some embers that had dropped off the dummy, her expression somewhat sad.

Viper only knows what could be going through her mind now, with exams coming up, the girl must be under pressure. Specially with having to deal with her family, it was a big plate even for the daughter of Kami himself. She ducked down and gently tilted the bucket until a gentle splash put out the embers. Ashie placed the bucket back at the oasis, looking into the water she decided to take a break and let the other shinobi play with the dummy. She gently bent down and took off her sandals placing them next to her as she dipped her feet into the water. Sighing out at the coolness that graced her toes. Her visage took on a more gentle tone as she began to hum a tune, and shortly after, sing.

Ironically enough, it didn't take long for Salzem to track down the young Uchiha girl, much to his convenience and his chagrin. Despite spending most of his time looking for her, now that he had, confronting her seemed to be the last thing he wanted to do... Perhaps for more than one reason as he watched from a distance, the little girl ripping through them all with a vengeance that could only be classified as something truly uchiha. Salzem slowly made his way towards the crowd of people as the little girl set one of the dummies ablaze, searing it to mere embers before putting it out with a bucket of water from the nearby oasis. The Lycan's anticipation and self-conscious fear seemed to increase with each step, before he froze in place suddenly, the sound of her humming, her singing reaching his enhanced ears. Her voice... It was... something angelic for lack of a better word. Graceful, sweet, the words seeming to roll off her lips as if slick as the water her feet were dipped into... It almost made him feel bad he had to ruin her little moment of peace with his presence... In fact, he'd do well to just turn around and disappear before she had the (no doubt) misfortune to notice him.

Salzem plopped down besides the little uchiha girl, his legs crossed at the edge of the cool water, staring into it in silence for just the briefest of moments, but those moment seemed to be the most intensely awkward of his whole life. But he had to say something... He couldn't just let this drag on...

"Uh.... Hi." Salzem spoke, starting out as strongly as he was capable of in that moment. "Um... Ashie... I know you probably hate hearing this... especially from me now, but I am sorry..." The lycanthrope dare not look into her eyes for fear he would see nothing but malice for surely that's what those orbs would harbor... Malice, and, if he was as unlucky as ever, a touch of sorrow... All of which he wasn't denying that he deserved such a sight. Perhpas that made him a coward... Perhaps he even seemed like a freak in that moment, but he couldn't care less. This moment meant more to him than everything else going on in the background, even if he could feel the stares boreing into his back.

"I... um.... came back here to Suna because... well... I just want you to know that I've changed... I guess... I'm not like I was all that time ago... I... dealt with myself..." Gods... he sounded like someone trying to get back with their X-girlfriend or something... Hokage almighty, what did he sound like to her if this is what he sounded like to himself...? It sent shivers down his spine and yet he persisted... He was desperate to let her know that he still wanted to be her friend... that he wouldn't hurt her again... Lord... he sounded so disgusting...

"Everyone was dead... I was... stupid and angry. I acted stupid and angry... I hurt you more times than I ever should have... I'm so sorry..."

She watched his reflection in the water in front of them as he sat next to her, looking pale with nervousness. She new she looked intimidating, her anger itself could be intimidating, but no one had ever pushed her past that limit. Sal had only seen a portion of that anger, a taste of the dark that lingered beneath the sheep's clothing. She listened to him as he explained his journey since his birthday when he pushed her and mocked her advice. She had to control the urge to scoff, she wanted the apology, but at the same time she wanted to close herself off so that she wouldn't open herself up to weakness again. If it was easy for him to hurt her like that, who's to say he wouldn't abandon her on the battle field?

She allowed a few moments of silent to pass as his apology echoed through her mind, her face almost pouting as she stared into the oasis. How should she approach this? She could tell him that she never wanted to see him again. No. That's what she was thinking would happen when he left, that he would die or be executed by Konoha and she would never had known. It didn't though, his being here was proof to that. She inhaled deeply before exhaling, her eyes looking out in front of her instead of in the oasis before she spoke,

"You never told me you left, so many things ran through my mind while you were gone, where you went, if you were okay, if you were even alive?" She sighed, leaving a pause after her sentence as she got back on track to the conversation at hand. Her face turning ever so slightly to the side but not quite looking at Sal quite yet. Embarrassed that she had shown such a weakness to him and to Nobunaga, one of the Sand's most trusted shinobi's.

"I'm glad you are back safe and sound, did you travel far, and more importantly...did you finish your...quest I should say? It wasn't an official mission." She tried to sound as civil as possible, she was still a little cold, but who could blame her? She was called a child in a disrespectful manner and then pushed when she was trying to get him out of his slump. She didn't even get to wish him a happy birthday because he had gotten so red faced drunk. She returned her gaze to the oasis to let him speak, watching his reflection for any movements.

Ashie responded just as he thought she would, well... maybe a little better than that. She was understandingly worried and perhaps a little cold and spiteful but that was to be expected. He was honestly surprised she wasn't using some kind of sharigenjutsu on him or... Lighting him on fire with some massive fireball. He wouldn't blame her, of course. It'd be what he'd do in that situation. When she told him he'd never said goodbye or contacted her, gave her any indication he was even alive... And it was true. He did not. Between his own state and hers the last time they left, why would he want to bother her with the knowledge of his own existance? Comrades were comrades, sure, but when it came to some, one just had to sweep them under the rug so they didn't KILL them for being their idiotic selves. In his mind, that's what he was doing here, sweeping himself under the perverbial rug for the sake of Ashie's mental and emotional stability. Again with these people, they keep claiming they were worried, that they'd thought he was dead or something of the like and again, he seemed shocked by this. Why weren't they glad he was gone? Why weren't they mad he was here? He didn't understand.

Almost sarcastically, she asked if his quest was of any success and, at that, Salzem smiled sadly. He hoped whatever he had to say on this topic would provide some amount of solace.

"Nope. It was all completely for nothing. The... what... two years I was searching for this guy? Wasted. He's dead, died before I even got the chance to find him, the people I swore to protect by taking on this mission? Dead too. I visited their graves and I'm still finding people I recognize in there. Friends, teachers, students, most of them died while I was gone. And those I know back home I didn't find a grave for are missing. I can't find them anywhere." Never once did his voice spill over with pity or shame, or even sadness. Sure, it was grim, but so was any progress-report of this nature. He spoke as if informing a superior on the situation, as if he were filing a war-record for safe keeping. What, was he supposed to break down again? Cry? Scream at the top of his lungs until they burst from exertion? Should he stoke a flame in his heart that would burn him to cinders? Should he let a tundra consume it, turning him into a REAL monster? It had taken him the death of everyone he ever loved (just about) to realize that he wasn't at the liberty to be that weak anymore because nothing revolved around him. The world still rotated, stronger people passed him on and here he was, left to wallow in a pit of his own design..... Not anymore. He had to grow numb to it... Losing friends and family...

"You could say I got my just-desserts. Doing what I did, allowed myself to fall into a depression and be consumed by the vengeance inside. A price that I'm still paying and will probably never stop, not until people stop dying all together. The best I can do now is apologize and I might as well say it now before I disappear again." Slowly, he undid the yin/yang pendant from around his neck, cradling it in a palm.

"You gave this to me because we were friends once. For whatever reason, you actually liked me. I..." He sighed, the words exceptionally hard to spit out. "I don't want to lose you too but... if that's already happened and I'm just slow, I'll give your pendant back."

Listening to him her heart clenched hearing that his journey didn't yield the result he had yearned for. It she was hoping to continue the conversation and hopefully steer it in a more positive direction, but she then listened to Sal berating himself, telling himself that he deserved what he got and that he was just numb to any kind of friendship bestowed to him. Her soul trembled as she saw his hands slowly reach up and detach her necklace that she had given him to mark her friendship. He cupped it carefully in his hands like a fragile flower, and Ashie's eyes had widened her scowl turning into a face of fear. Her hands that were folded in her lap were now squeezing as she tried to stop them from shaking. He had admitted that they were friends and he didn't understand how Ashie grew to like him, his words of fear of losing her hit her ears and the second she heard his pause she turned quickly and before he could even think about finishing his sentence her hands jolted forward and instead of striking him her left hand held his cupped hands while the other slowly closed them so that way he would hold onto the necklace,

"What in good God's name are you talking about? Lose me? I told you, the only way that would happen is if I perished...and I'm not letting that happen anytime soon." She kept her head lowered, because she didn't want him to see the tear that was making its way down her cheek and onto his closed hands her hands trembling before she lunged forward and hugged her arms around his neck if Sal didn't pull away from his sitting position. Her sniffles soon could be heard as she tilted her head up and she had a few tears but no waterfalls yet,

"I'm sorry, I felt so guilty, I just wanted to help you but you were just so angry and upset the only thing I could do was make you see how rediculous you sounded." She sniffed and then wiped her tears away with her hand. Her face red from embarrasment and released him from his hold. She pouted before she raised her voice a little in a cute little but yet older sister tone,

"Now don't you do that ever again! You gotta let your friends know where you go, otherwise I won't be able to find you!" She puffed her cheeks out in a playful manner. She didn't want Sal to be sad anymore or feel as if she hated him, Ashie was fearful that yet again her princess like manner had gotten in the way of yet another friendship, she was willing to set her pride aside for now.

Ashie's hand just as easily could've been used to strike him, probably even break something of his with her fist, but instead, with all that speed and all that strength, she merely took his hand with one of hers and with the other, closed his fingers around the pendant she had given him. He looked at her, surprised that she would still want him being there after that stupid, stupid scene he had made on his last birthday... WHAT an idiot he was... Ashie reminded him of her saying: That he would never lose her unless she died and that was something that wouldn't happen any time soon. It looked as if he was just about going to make a little girl cry right there.... Oh no... He didn't want to hurt her... At the very least, he wanted to bring her peace but... like most things he's ever done, he just ended up screwing it u-

Suddenly, Ashie lunged towards the lycanthrope, wrapping her little arms around his neck as she pressed herself against him in a hug. To keep himself from falling over in this surprise show of affection, the sanguine-eyed ninja used one of his hands to support himself in the sand behind him while the other instinctively wrapped around little-Ashie's upper back, holding her too him as well. As much as he didn't want to, he could hear her sniffles, her expressions of worry from beside his head where hers rested, one single tear flowing down from the lycan's sanguine eyes... Ashie explained that she felt guilty, that she wanted help but he was just so angry... The most she could do was hit him hard enough for him to see sense...

"I'm sorry..." He said again, holding her gently. "I'm so sorry it came to that..." The moment he spoke those words, Ashie pulled away, her cheeks puffed out in an adorably childish way, stating that he'd better NOT to that again, that he needed to tell his friends where he's gone so he can be found! The lycan only laughed at that, amused that now 2 people were telling him he needed to be more present. Well, if two people are telling him this, he should make more of an effort, huh?

"I promise... And to prove it," The lycan would gently take Ashie's hand in his, channeling his chakra into her palm, just enough to create a small black dot in the center of it. "...I've marked you. Now I'll be able to know where YOU are at all times.... generally... More or less..." He snickered softly before putting the yin-yang pendant around his neck, letting out a soft sigh. "Thank you, Ashie Uchiha... Thank you for being my friend..."

She felt them begin to fall before Sal caught himself with one hand and used the other to hug Ashie, she squeezed and continued with her short speech. When she pulled away to let Sal know that he better let her know where he went instead of making her worry he promised and then promised her something better. She watched in curiosity as Sal pulled her hand palm facing up as he put his hand on hers and she felt a short surge of chakra. When Sal removed his hand there lay a small black circle on her palm. As Sal began to explain Ashie's eyes widened her ears listening but her mind going back to when she had met her uncle. She remembered it so vividly, as if it were happening at that moment.

Her Uncle Navi introducing himself and just as Ashie turned away she felt that same short surge of chakra enter her system as her uncle marked her. She remembered after the introduction she had looked in the mirror...well mirrors, she needed her small hand mirror to see it. Navi definitely put it in a tough spot. Her opposite hand went to just behind on her right ear on the back of her neck. Small tears came to her eyes as she smiled through them nodding at Sal. The memory itself was sad, but Ashie saw it as a sign and in a way she was relieved. She hugged her friend again, face red from tearing up. She thanked her uncle in her head, he was watching her now, Ashie felt like she had made the right choice to forgive her friend rather than to scorn him.

Salzem smiled though his own teary-eyes as he continued to hold the little girl, not moving an inch as she embraced him again. He could see the tears running down her face, her cheeks flushed as they dried out her skin, her expression not one of hate or sadness, but joy, something shared between them besides their dark hair. He softly patted her back as she got it all out of her system, the lycan blinking his own tears out of his eyes before eventually pulling away himself, getting to his feet and offering a hand for the little girl to do the same. As much as he'd like to hug Ashie all day and make up for his mistakes until the moon crashed into the earth and killed them all, there were still a few things the Lycan had to do before then....... SUCH AS training with his buddy! He hadn't gotten to fight with Ashie... at all he didn't think or at the very least in recent memory. With the jounin exams coming up and with the young uchiha being as strong as he was (if not moreso), he'd want nothing more than to exchange blows with her.

"Alright... Alright..." Salzem sighed, gently brushing away Ashie's tears with his finger if she let him before ruffling her hair like she was some kind of NORMAL kid her age. Somehow... that felt awkward and he'd never do it again, however. Ashie WASN'T some normal kid her age, rather she had the mindset of a full-grown adult soldier with the strength of one and the potential of a kage. If anything, treating her like a child would be more of an insult than a comfort with all that mind in her smaller form. If he was smart, he'd treat her like an equal because in every way but age, and size, she was. "Enough crying, huh? Lets do something fun while I'm here... You know the jounin Exams right? Well... I don't know about you, but I've signed up for them. Thought it'd be fun, not to mention rewarding as I get to protect the village better if I win!" Salzem smashed his fist into his palm, smiling before growing a tad more intense. "But seriously though. How would you feel about a little spar? Nothing too serious or anything... Just a little fight to warm up and... well... to see how you've grown and all too... that's kind of important..."

Ashie stayed there for a few moments, and when Sal pulled away to wipe her tear he offered his hand out to help her up. She gladly took it and stood up straight he asked if she minded having some fun instead of crying. She was always up for that, in her young years it seemed like a job instead of being...well a kid. Ashie knew it from the beginning that becoming a shinobi meant growing up. He mentioned the Jounin exam and how he signed up for them, but Ashie knew better, she signed up also. She couldn't let him know however, they would fight eventually and Ashie didn't want anyone stepping down just because of their friendship. She smiled and tilted her head,

"Oh you signed up? I'm proud of you Sal! I don't mind helping you train, I'll be better than a training dummy." She giggled making a small joke, trying to do the best to not let on that she and her brother had signed up. She was still in the middle of her studies and maybe she'll be able to learn some new things from their fight.