Chapter One: Because If You Could See Who I Am, You Wouldn't Be Thanking Me
Bare bruised feet smacked down loudly on the ground, creating small splashes as they connected with the large muddy puddles. Between the loud din of the steadily descending rain, quick rasping breaths rang loud through the air. Stumbling through the thick underbrush, the small framed figure hurriedly made her way, feeling for each tree with careful shaking hands. Her pursuers followed silently, watching the futile struggle in mild amusement. The game went on.
As the small figure came to a sudden stop the dangerous pursuers halted. Her small shaking voice was almost mute in the loud natural chaos, fear and biting cold etched into every word and stutter.
"I-I know your there."
The people hanging only feet above her smiled underneath their white porcelain masks. Each facial movement filled with its own sadistic pleasure.
"We know," the group leader pronounced leaping down from his zenith perch. Three figures followed, each landing silently on the wet dirt behind the first. The frame of the small figure quivered with terror as the sleek figures began to move in.
"Yo, brother," a gravely high-pitched voice resounded from within the green-painted, lizard-like stone mask. The low, oily tone of his voice made the woman shiver. "Why kill 'er when we could have some fun with 'er?"
The empty pale blue eyes staring out blankly through the rain widened in pure horror.
"Ugh, Shi-Jin," a velvety tenor voice spoke softly from behind the feline purple-painted mask, "you're disgusting."
"Disgusting, huh?" the high pitched voice replied, shifting ever so closer to his target, "There's nothin' wrong with havin' a little fun. Jus' look how cute she looks, standin' in the rain."
"Huh! I don't fuck blind girls; way too easy. Have fun by yourself, Shi-Jin." the feline crudely replied.
"Please," a new voice spoke from behind a blue-painted bird mask. It was a matured woman's voice, deep and smooth, "don't tell me you're actually considering this, Rai-Jin? It's so. . . unofficial."
"Nah," a deep voice, the leader's, replied from underneath the red-painted dragon mask, "we're just gonna kill her nice and slow."
The small woman stumbled backwards, water splashing up her legs with each step, desperately reaching for any form of an arm hold.
"Ooh, I love it when they run." the bird hissed under her breath.
The ninjas slowly began to move in forming a half circle around her. She turned, suddenly, and dashed blindly for the tree line, her hands trained in front of her for any sign of the familiar feel of bark. When instead they met with cloth, dread quickly sank into every once of her being, and a small feel of acceptance began to take root. Surely she had been caught.
"Who are you?" the voice from the dragon mask projected, awakening a realization that she had indeed bumped into a bypass instead of an ANBU. The petite form of the young woman went rigid. Who exactly was she touching? Now that she thought about it, the cloth didn't feel anything like the material used for the ANBU. In fact it felt more like a hoari, cool, clean, and silky. Suddenly the clothing rumbled.
"What are you doing on my property?" a silky majestic male voice purred. Each word vibrated under her touch, even blind she could tell this man was exceedingly handsome.
"We asked you the question first!" the high-pitched voice of the lizard ANBU shot back.
"I thought I had already answered that," the male replied calmly, yet danger dripped from every word, "do not blame your inability to perceive my answer on me. I am the owner of this property, what are you doing on it?"
Hope slowly began to dawn in the sightless blind eyes of the young woman as she clung helpless and wet onto the man's clothes.
"We're simply trying to retrieve our paycheck. That won't be much of a problem now, will it?" the dragon questioned. The woman began to viciously shake her head as she buried herself deeper into the safe fabrics.
"Hn," the voice rumbled softly, enveloping the small woman in waves of comfort, "it seems you are lying. Blood will not be spilled on my property by anyone but myself. You, unfortunately, will have to learn this."
Two sturdy hands gripped onto the small form of the woman and removed her from the fabric.
"Oh. . . my god. W-wait you're-"
The woman wasn't able to decipher the name the red dragon spoke as a hand collided with the back of her neck, sending her into unconsciousness.
The absence of liquid and mud pervaded clothing roused the young women from her forced slumber. Pale blue eyes opened in confusion as to where they were as the woman shifted her body slightly in what seemed to be a bed. A very large bed. Her now clean body moved smoothly through the rich silk sheets with ease. Reaching out her hands timidly, the woman felt for the edges of the bed in slight privation. As graceful pale fingers found the abrupt edge, small careful finger tips wrapped themselves gently onto the cut-off. Bringing around her second arm to grasp the edge, the small female hoisted herself up into a sitting position. Her legs dangled limply over the side of the mattress as the woman began to grasp the situation she was in.
'I'm not outside,' was the first thought,
'Somebody washed me and clothed me,' a small blush began to form on the top of her high cheekbones,
'And finally,' her mind processed the most crucial fact, 'someone has just saved me.' Another brighter, bigger blush flooded the cheeks of the female as she recalled the feel of her savior's obviously toned chest under her wet trembling hands.
'Well,' she thought dismissively, 'thinking about . . .um . . . that . . .won't get you anywhere now will it?'
She finalized her thought by stretching her small feet down gracefully, touching the carpeted floor of the room with absolute silence. She instantly went to work on finding a wall. She was in a room so there had to be a door somewhere.
Hesitantly reaching out for the familiar feel of the cold stone, the young female stumbled around the cramped space senselessly.
After a minute of searching she finally came in contact with the cold hard wall. She then began to trace it to the door only five feet away. Feeling the wood under her palms, the woman felt around for the knob.
It finally granted her its metal plated location after escaping her at least three times. She rotated the handle and pushed outwards. Just in time to hear the collapse of an over-sized object.
The thump of wood against head was the first indication that it was a person, but the immediate pained groan confirmed it.
"What the- oh, you're awake!" the matured kind voice of the middle aged woman exclaimed excitedly.
The sensation of large hands turning and pushing her back into the recently escaped room made the young woman jump in surprise.
"Ah," she began as she was sat back down on the bed, "w-who are you?" she asked timidly. The large hands placed gently on her shoulder instantly removed themselves. Pale blue eyes stared out blankly with a mix of curiosity and expectancy.
"Huh? Oh, my name is Tsuyoko. Raise your arms." she replied. The young woman quietly did so as Tsuyoko peeled the pajama shirt off of her petite body.
"Um . . . well, Mrs. Tsuyoko-"
"Please, just Tsuyoko." she cut in.
"O-oh. . .Well," she continued hesitantly, "Tsuyoko-San, I was wondering if you knew who brought me here?"
Tsuyoko finished pulling the clean turtle-neck down over the young woman's head before removing her hands, a small sigh of satisfaction escaped her lips.
"Well, my employer of course." she replied happily.
"E-employer?"
"Yes," she responded, "he doesn't talk to me very much, but last night he showed up at my house all covered in blood, soaked to the bone, with you in his arms. It was strange, but then again he is a strange man. By the way, what's your name?"
Tsuyoko silently handed her a dry pair of pants before grabbing a brush and pushing it through the wavy brown hair of the young female.
"O-oh, m-mine?" she perked up shyly. "My name is Kotoko. Kotoko Shidou."
Kotoko introduced herself as she pulled on the slightly loose pants.
"Well, Kotoko," Tsuyoko said lowly, preoccupied fully with brushing said girl's hair, "you have, by far, the most beautiful hair I've ever seen."
A crimson blush instantly flooded her cheeks, Tsuyoko let out a hearty laugh.
"You're so shy. It's hilarious."
If the young girls blush could possibly get any darker it did then.
"Um. . . Tsuyoko-San, who exactly saved me?" Kotoko asked slowly.
"Hm? Oh, well his name is-"
"Tsuyoko."
The deep voice that cut off the women couldn't have been any other than the same person who rescued her. The same fluid manner of speaking easily caught Kotoko's attention. The room remained quiet and tense as the soft footsteps of the man retreated.
"I wish to speak with you."
Tsuyoko 'huffed' before following him out the door and closing it behind her. Although surprised, Kotoko sat patiently on the bed, awaiting the return of Tsuyoko. Five minutes passed until the door opened again. When it did re-open, Kotoko turned her face in that direction.
"Tsuyoko?" she called quietly.
". . .No."
The deep voice that had replied made the young girl's body stiffen. Both of the figures remained utterly silent.
"Th-thank you." Kotoko sputtered out, breaking the silence. A small blush formed on the tops of her cheeks.
"For what?" the man responded, monotone.
"F-for saving me, and bringing me here."
"Hn. . .You're blind?" the comment sounded more like a statement than a question.
"A-ah, well, yes," she said sadly, "why do you ask?" She wasn't able to hear him cross the floor and bend down next to her ear. He breathed.
"Because if you could see who I am, you wouldn't be thanking me."
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-Love,
ChimamareNoTsuki