Mine's a Tale That Can't Be Told

by IAmNotANut

Where myth and superstition rule, there's much that goes bump in the night. Iruka is forced to journey far from all he's known and on the road he meets Kakashi, a wayward stray with no past or connection. As their love blooms, they will face trials beyond Iruka's imagination in a world that borders on the fantastic. When it's over, he'll have a story that no one will believe.

2. Mama Told Me Not To Come

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Mama Told Me Not to Come

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**TRIGGER WARNING for sexual assault and attempted rape**
Some nasty things do happen in this chapter. This won't be a reoccurring theme, by any means.
To be safe, I'd say skip starting at "All he had was the seed. And the hope that the Onryou lived up to its reputation." to the page break or "Iruka put a hand on the man's chest, checking his still beating heart."
Our boy is gonna be okay, but I'd be remiss if I didn't say this upfront.
Thanks for reading! See you at the end.

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Iruka's sandals sloshed in the mud. The hem and sleeves of his kimono were heavy with water from the downpour. In a strong gust he grabbed his woven hat, unwilling to lose what was keeping the last few inches of him dry. He dragged himself along with by his staff and peered into the relentless shower only to ensure he wasn't about walking himself off the path.

He was sure there was a god out there somewhere mocking his miserable display.

The rain was warm. It would be almost pleasant if not for its persistence and Iruka's lack of an umbrella. The last stop he had made was a day behind him. Too far to turn back. The innkeeper insisted he wait for the weather to clear, but Iruka's fear of pursuit by anyone from Kurama-dera pushed him on. The river to the south glistened through the trees. Blotches of sunlight passed across the fields his path would soon meet. He had followed the river thus far. He had no choice but to trust it would take him east, as the other travelers had instructed him.

Ahead he noticed a particularly scraggly tree and, more importantly, an unstable looking lean-to built on the other side of the narrow path. He splashed to it and plopped on the bench inside.

Setting the hat on his lap, he slumped into the wall. At this age he was starting to recognize a consistent aching in his body, as if his youth was finally draining from his joints. He was getting too old for these kinds of adventures.

A breeze came in and coated him in cool, soothing air. He leaned into it with a sigh. The layer of white fabric peeking from under his black kimono was damp with sweat. He was sure this balmy spring would soon become an unbearable summer. He untied the white, sopping cover on his forearm and peeled it over his hand to finally yank off his fingers. While they might be of some symbolic importance to the monks, they were purely costume to Iruka and an unnecessary hindrance when soaking wet. He freed his other hand and crammed the bundle into the pouch hanging from his obi. His disguise could wait for the gates of Enten.

His thoughts were pulled back to the temple he had left behind. He fondly recalled the good food and peaceful company that once waited for him. Where the most troubling day to day events were roof leaks and children's' vandalism. He missed their modest ease that made silences feel full. There was a tight pang in his chest and he rubbed his prayer beads in his fingers.

Despite Sentoki's last request, Iruka would return one day. He would try.

He heard a huff and lifted his head. On the right of the trunk was a small hokora shrine made of stone—now eroding. Left of the tree's base was a large clump of something gray. Curiosity brought Iruka off the bench.

He couldn't tell if it was a clump of strange moss or a growth from the tree root.

Then the wad slowly rose and fell.

Iruka rushed over to the living beast and used his hat to shield it from the rain. It was curled up with paws resting over its nose. One eye drifted open and Iruka recognized it instantly.

It was the stray from Mt. Kurama.

Up close, the dog was much less intimidating. The wildness had gone from its look.

"Hey," he said awkwardly.

The dog ignored him and resumed its napping.

Iruka knelt down more to its level and brought the hat over them both. He noticed its other eye was sealed by a wound. He wanted to take a better look at it, but Iruka imagined the stray wouldn't care too much for that.

In a patient voice, he cooed to the animal, "You shouldn't sleep out here, big dog."

Its rest irrevocably disturbed, the dog lifted its head and shot Iruka a disgruntled glare. Thunder cracked overhead, making Iruka jump a little.

Its gaze was markedly intelligent. Yet here it sat, soaked to the bone with chilling rain.

Iruka averted his eyes, suddenly feeling sorry for waking it. "I mean, it's pouring. You should lie under some cover, at least."

The stray stared at Iruka, unmoving. Then recognition dawned. Iruka could tell it remembered him.

He gave it an encouraging nod. "Hey, yeah! You know me. Come on!" He stood and beckoned it. "Let's get under something. We don't want to sit in the rain all day."

Clearly not a fan of being talked down to, the dog gave a showy yawn and crossed its paws over its nose, settling down to sleep once more.

Iruka snapped at the disrespectful gesture, "What did I save you for if you're just gonna let yourself get sick out here! I'm—" He stopped himself, then took a deep breath as he realized, "—talking to a dog…" He brushed the fallen strands of hair from his forehead and calmed himself. "I'm talking to a dog."

The absurdity of their interaction settled in and, with a deep exhale, Iruka squatted once more beside the beast.

He stuck an elbow on his knee to prop his head up. The rain carried on, soaking his back, but Iruka didn't really notice. He simply started at the intelligent creature as they rested in a stalemate.

The dog peered from its pouting pose. Observing the defeat in Iruka, its tail wagged once.

Iruka chuckled at the endearing action, then quickly reconsidered. "You're probably not even a dog. You could be some swamp monster waiting to swallow me up."

The dog's tail twitched as if to wag again, but gave an insulted huff instead.

"You really should get under some cover, regardless. I'm sure you're cold. Even if you are a demon." Iruka snickered, leaning heavily into his hand. "I'm must pretty desperate for company if I'm willing to sit here and talk to you anyway."

The dog opened its eye at that and the two watched each other as the rain roared steadily around them.

Iruka could feel the dog's steady gaze break him open. Despite his best efforts to forget, it reminded him how truly alone he was.

Unable to bear it, Iruka sifted through his pouch. He placed a strip of dried meat next to the stray and stood. He took a deep breath and spared a moment to pay his respects to the small shrine.

Then Iruka put on his hat and gave a saddened farewell to the creature. "Take care of yourself."

Iruka had lingered long enough. He pivoted in the mud and journeyed on in the unyielding rain.

He distracted himself with planning. If he kept his pace, he would make it to the next post town well before nightfall. He had eaten most of the food Bansai left him, save a few dried scraps. He had plenty of money for a room and whatever else he desired, but he had no intention of burning through it before getting to Enten.

Something padding over to him from behind and there was another huff. Iruka turned and the dog stopped in the road. It stared with one wide eye, dripping with rain and chewing zealously on the jerky.

It started to wind up, twisting its head, and Iruka realized too late what it intended to do.

"No, no, no, no!"

The dog shook madly, sending a drenching spray of water all over Iruka. When it finished, Iruka wiped the water from his face with a loud grumble. It padded closer to him with a spring in its step and a few pounds lighter.

Iruka shook his head angrily and showed the stray his empty hands. "I don't have any more food for you."

The dog glowered, unbelieving.

Iruka turned on his heel and trudged ahead, fuming. The demon dog was nothing but trouble and he didn't need to encourage it.

He walked on until his frustration dissolved.

He glanced behind to see if the dog still followed, but it had vanished.

Disappointment flooded in and Iruka's shoulders sagged.

"Well…" he said quietly to no one, "That's that."

After another hour, the muddy path was finally starting to slope downhill. One side dropped off, giving him a clear view of the rice fields. It wouldn't be long before he was free of the woods. Anything would be better than tripping over tree roots and sloshing though mud.

He followed the bend and spotted something moving in the trees. The spindly underbrush cleared just off the path to reveal a young woman struggling with her load.

The image was oddly familiar.

He sprinted through the cutting brambles to offer his help. "Excuse me. Are you alright?"

As he came to her, the young woman looked up. Her face was flawlessly pale and her black hair was sleek with water. Her plain kimono was soaked through, revealing her shape beneath it.

Iruka's chest thumped loudly. He felt himself flush. "Let me… assist you."

The woman smiled and passed him her pack. It felt like a sack of rocks as he flung it onto his shoulder.

Iruka ignored his thudding heart. "Are you going far?"

The woman said nothing. Her thin red lips were etched in a grin. She took his arm and pulled him into her side. Iruka gazed bashfully at the trees as he guided them back to the road, trying not to think of the warm softness pressing into him.

On the path again, Iruka guided her carefully.

"This rain is terrible, isn't it? There's a post town not far from here, so I'm told."

The bag seemed to grow heavier and Iruka's feet sank in the mud. He thought he saw the woman's red smile widen and just when he turned to look, he slipped close to the cliff's edge.

Iruka staggered back, "Oh, be careful! It's—"

There was something slick on his hand and he could have sworn he saw the woman's hair move up his arm.

A vicious snarl from behind made them both jumped.

Standing on the gnarled roots of an old tree above them was the stray. Its black eye pierced through them. The hackles on its body bristled as it lowered aggressively into a crouch. Iruka prepared to shield the woman when he caught a glance at her.

The color drained from the woman's hair, lifting off her shoulders as it did like spider threads. Her limbs stretched too long, aging as they did, and her face transformed into that of a terrifying, shriveled old woman.

A memory flashed in Iruka—he had seen this woman before. In the woods. Her lanky silhouette batting away the crows as they attacked her.

Her painted lips stretched into an unnatural blood red smile. They parted to bare the thin pearly needles that were her teeth.

Something else had followed Iruka from the mountain.

He shut his mouth on a scream and dropped the woman's bag. When it struck the earth, it dissolved into mud and rocks. A tendril of white snuck up on him and Iruka staggered back. It caught his wrist and started reeling him in. Iruka dug his heels into the mud and fought to tug free.

The dog's growl blended into a howl and the creature covered its ears. Its hair slithered fearfully, curling in like spider legs and releasing Iruka. He collapsed back into the brambles. The witch hissed at the stray, momentarily sparing Iruka, and clamored up the incline after it.

The dog didn't hesitate. It leapt at the hag, ripping its white hair away. The thunder rumbled angrily above them, followed by a dangerous snap of lightning. The witch hissed and cowered into herself. She searched the clouds. The dog lunged at her, but the hag was faster. Her hair tangled around the dog's ankle and slung it down into the mud.

Iruka grasped at the branches close by to pull himself up and they snapped in his hand.

The witch turned her glass eyes on him again at the sound and opened her mouth in a high-pitched scream. Her hair slithered after Iruka and the clouds roared again. In a powerful flash, a sliver of light struck the ground between them with explosive power.

The hag wailed as she shielded herself from the light and she skittered fearfully away into the trees, leaving Iruka collapsed in the mud and mess of branches, wide-eyed and mouth agape.

The ground sizzled as the rain put out the scorched scar the lightning had made only feet from him.

He sat there panting and flinched when he saw movement from the lip of the road.

The stray's shaggy head reappeared. It trotted down to Iruka, stopping at his feet. Its one eye was half open and full of judgement for the stupid death Iruka had only narrowly avoided.

When Iruka said nothing, the dog let out a reproachful huff.

"Th-thank you." Iruka laughed nervously. Cautiously, he dug in his pouch to retrieved the last of his food and offered it.

The stray wrenched it from his hand and eagerly chewed. It examined him and, once satisfied, it went ahead on the road. Iruka's eyes trailed—stupefied.

It paused on the path, then gave a beckoning jerk of the head when Iruka didn't move. He scrambled to his feet and went along after it.

They walked on but Iruka was still completely stunned. The dog seemed rather chipper and eventually paced itself a few feet to Iruka's left. Its dark eye watched him as if to reassure him.

Terrified by his brush with death, but thrilled by their reunion, Iruka fought a smile.

In no time at all, they fled the forest for good. They broke out of the trees as the rain faded to barely a sprinkle. Just enough to keep the air cool.

The rice fields stretched out north and south of them. A light fog rolled on the farmland, but only by the patches of sunlight. The farmers tended their crops without interruption, uninterested in the mud-lagged monk and his ragged dog.

Far down their path, there were signs of the post town emerging from the mist. There would be an inn, hot food, and shops waiting for him there. The thought of new shoes almost brought Iruka to tears.

The sun peeked out, warming him. He let the hat fall back and hang from the tie around his neck. He stretched the collar of his kimono and sighed loudly.

The dog followed suit and gave another good shake, sending water and mud flying off him.

Iruka shielded himself from the onslaught and laughed helplessly.

When the dog was done, it gave a contented huff. Iruka rolled his eyes and sniggered at his bizarre companion. He looked up at the parting clouds and couldn't help but feel a wave of excitement overcome him. Was it relief? Or maybe he was in shock. The various unbelievable things he had experienced were beginning to pile up.

All the same, he couldn't hold back the jittery feeling rising within him any longer.

He took one heavy step, then another. Spurred on by the buzzing warmth spreading through him, he broke into a sprint down the road.

He ran as fast and as hard as he could. Unlike his run on the mountain, there were no obstacles to slow him down. The dog sprinted beside him. He imagined how strange it probably looked to the farmers. A grown man—a monk, no less—running and laughing with his dog after getting soaked in the rain.

Iruka didn't care. He let himself laugh and cry out. The warmth rose in his cheeks and a few happy tears squeezed out.

Bansai was right. He had been quiet for too long.

He and the dog practically sprinted the rest of the way.

When the road weaved toward the first building, Iruka finally slowed to a stop. He braced his hands on his knees and caught his breath. The dog stuck beside him, its tongue hanging out as it panted.

"—too old—!" He shouted breathlessly at the ground, "I'm too old for this!"

He stood straight and fixed his kimono. The dog waited expectantly.

Iruka ruffled the dog's head with a chuckle. "I hope you got a good laugh out of that."

Despite the indifferent look on its face, the dog's tail whipped back and forth with mirth. Then its stomach growled loudly and it broke from him to walk toward the town.

Iruka followed, shaking his head, "I got it, I got it. I'll give you anything you want."

As they came around the first building, a booming voice made the man and stray jump.

"What the hell should I pay him for!? If anything, he owes me for the merchandise I lost!"

There was a woman with a head of pale pink hair standing by an impressive pack that passed her hip. The base was a chest comprised of drawers in assorted sizes with stubby wooden legs that kept it out of the mud. Attached to the top was fabric woven on a frame, stuffed to bursting.

"I'm not paying a bodyguard that lets me get mugged!"

A representative of the post town stood between her and a pitiful rounin. He did his best to defend the young samurai. "You hired him. It's your responsibility to pay him for accepting the job—"

Her head tilted so harshly, Iruka thought her neck might snap. "Oh, because he accepted the job. I see." She grabbed the onlookers' attention with her volume, "So if I hired you to clean my house and you burned it down, I would owe you for the job you had accepted?"

From the storefronts and buildings, a small crowd had begun to gather. Neighbors and shopkeepers muttered amongst themselves.

The woman went on, "Is this the way you conduct business, officer?"

"What? No, I—"

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to swindle me." The woman revealed her short wakizashi sword at her side, tapping on it with an impatient rhythm.

The crowd echoed her complaints, pointing accusatory fingers at the officer and the rounin.

The officer was in a full panic, "No! I'm not!—" Iruka could almost see the rounin's swords wilting. "I'm so sorry for your trouble, ma'am. Of course, you won't be charged."

The woman smiled tightly, "Good. Are we done?" The woman hoisted the massive pack effortlessly onto her shoulders. The officer started to say something else, turning on the rounin now, but the woman stopped him. "Don't worry, I'm won't ask for money back. What I lost was easily worth more than what you both make in a year." She took a step and pointed at the samurai. "But you owe me, you understand?"

The rounin whimpered, bowing his head low. "I-I will protect you with my life!"

She tied her hat in place. "Learn to protect yourself first, then we'll talk."

She stormed off, leaving the dozen or so bystanders to gradually disperse.

Iruka jogged after her.

"Haruno-sensei!"

As soon as she saw his face, she brightened. "Shishou! It's been a while." She took one look at his apparel and immediately amended, "Or should I call you Obou-san?"

Iruka flushed. It was mortifying to be addressed so wrongly, "No! No, I'm not—… It's complicated."

"I'm sure." Sakura put her hands on her waist and raised a curious brow, "I don't think I've seen you off the temple grounds before. Or in monk's robes, no less." In her appraisal, she spotted his filthy shoes, "We have to do something about those."

Without an ounce of effort, she whipped off the massive pack and curled it one handed to the ground. She sorted through the fabric section for a bit, then produced a pair of geta. The wooden teeth of the shoes were terribly worn.

"They may be a little small, but they'll get you by."

Iruka kicked off his old shoes and ruined tabi socks to don the new set. "Thank you so much, these are perfect."

She lifted the pack again, eying him curiously, "What brings you here?" She seemed to remember herself and apologized, "If you don't mind my asking, that is."

Iruka laughed, "You don't have to be so formal, sensei." His thoughts drifted through the various reasons he had to leave the mountain and whether he should burden his old student with them before finally landing on the explanation he had grown accustomed to giving. "I'm traveling to Enten for a funeral."

Sakura saw through his meaning instantly.

"Ah. Of course," she said with thinly veiled anger. "Asuma-sama."

The reaction was unexpected to say the least.

Sakura saw how she'd thrown Iruka and softened, putting a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "You were close with him, weren't you? I'm so sorry." Sakura searched the storefronts. "Let's find a place to sit and catch up. There's a good bar nearby that serves pickled daikon."

He trailed her apprehensively and the dog followed.

Sakura immediately stopped and examined their strange third wheel.

"Is that your dog, Umino-san?"

They studied its oddly pensive face. To Iruka's surprise, it ambled to his side and bumped its head under his hand.

Iruka was delighted and scratched its ear, "It saved me. From a mountain witch… I think?"

She blinked in disbelief. "A what?" Then she gave an open mouthed groan. "Somehow I'm not surprised."

"What's that supposed to mean?" His brows knit together. "I had been doing very well up until that point."

"Of course you were." She pointed at the dog, "With your luck, that's probably a demon too."

The stray and man locked into the other's gaze as they had grown fond of doing.

Considering everything, Iruka held little doubt it was some kind of otherworldly creature. The tengu certainly didn't like it, which was suspicious. Iruka had also heard of dog spirits that would guide travelers on their way if you prayed to them. Perhaps it was one of those. After all, if it really wanted to eat him, why save him from the witch? Then he considered it might just be trying to keep Iruka for itself.

Unable to decide, Iruka shrugged, "I'm sure it's fine."

Sakura gave him a wide-eyed stare. "That's your problem, Shishou! You have no sense of self-preservation."

"How would you know?"

"You're just that type."

In response the stray licked its chops, leaving a small part of its tongue sticking out.

Iruka laughed, completely charmed.

She pointed critically at the dog, "See? This."

His patience tested, Iruka cut her short. "Sakura."

Her old teacher's scolding tone ended it. With noticeably less bravado, she gave one last condemning grunt.

"Don't blame me if it tries to eat you later."

He put on a polite smile, "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

When they pushed through the shabby noren curtains into the shop, the dog stayed to guard the door. Sakura kept her eye on it, but it seemed content to wait outside.

It was a spacious bar, though a little rundown. There were elevated tatami mats with a few low tables on them lining the back walls, and two tall tables with stools by the entrance, one of which was available. Sakura sat there with her back in the corner and Iruka across from her.

Sakura hadn't changed much since he last saw her. She was already well-traveled and utterly fearless even as a young girl. Despite her patchy attire, she was a beautiful woman now. Iruka never knew why she had chosen the life of a migrant doctor and medicine merchant. He had little to teach her whenever she did stop in for his classes, but she had always been eager to learn something new. For many years now she had supported his temple as a physician and as one of their few links to the outside world. Unfortunately for Iruka, Sakura was fairly astute and he didn't have much confidence in his ability to lie to her. He would have to keep their visit short, lest he drag her into his troubles.

Sakura was keeping a close eye on the door, hardly paying attention as she ordered the food and saké. Iruka threw in a request for scraps from the kitchen, hoping they might appease the stray.

She asked him, "When did you hear about Asuma-sama?"

He stammered, unprepared for her to leap right onto the topic. Sakura didn't seem to notice. "A-a few weeks ago, I guess. I couldn't leave right away."

"Who's next in line is still up for debate. It was supposed to be Konohamaru-sama, but now people are questioning his parentage, even though the Daimyo already claimed him as his grandson." Sakura added darkly, "For now, we'll just have to hope the Daimyo doesn't decide to kick it any time soon."

The server approaching their table happened to hear that and hastily placed their dishes.

Sakura watched them go, as if waiting for them to pick a fight. In fact, Sakura seemed very wary of every individual in the bar.

She poured saké for Iruka and he returned the kindness. Iruka took his first swig a little too desperately. He hadn't really heard anything about Asuma's other family or the order of succession in their time together. It had never been relevant in their mountain town.

They sat in silence for a moment while Iruka pulled his thoughts together.

He rambled nervously. "Our head monk told me Asuma-san had been sick for months. Is that true?"

Sakura merely nodded, eyes on her saké.

"I had no idea," he continued. He stifled the creeping sadness in his voice, "I hope he was at peace in the end."

Sakura dwelled on that for a moment, then diverted. "He would have made a great leader. The nobility isn't the same without him. With Konohamaru-sama next in line, there's a lot of power shifting. A lot of uncertainty."

He was a little startled by her coldness. Iruka hadn't thought about what kind of trouble losing a political figure like Asuma could cause for the people of Enten.

He realized Sakura was observing him and sat up straight. Her gaze softened and he saw his young friend again. She gave his hand a gentle pat.

"It's been years since I've seen you, Umino-san. Have you been avoiding me?"

Iruka chuckled, relieved at her changed demeanor. "Hardly. What about you? Don't have time anymore to visit old friends? Or have you set up shop in Enten?"

"No way," she sneered and took a bite of radish. "I'm just stopping in for a bit."

"Really? You could make a nice living in the city, I'm sure of it."

Sakura gave a mocking laugh. "There's no profit in staying put. Not when there are new discoveries being made out here every day for me to monopolize." She took a sip from her cup. "I'll take care of my business in the city and move on, like always."

"Isn't it dangerous out here?" He dug at her gently, "I mean, didn't you just get robbed?"

She was caught off-guard, "Oh, you saw that. Right." She brushed it off quickly, "Well, you can have a bad day anywhere."

Iruka seemed to be learning that lesson the hard way.

She swirled her saké and quietly added, "Enten might not be as glamorous as they say, Umino-san."

Iruka's heart throbbed in his throat as he remembered what waited for him in the city.

"Do you mean the Onryou?"

The woman was genuinely surprised. "You heard about that, did you?" She scoffed, "I guess a place like Kurama-dera would be worried about a giant demon cloud showing up out of nowhere. As if Enten didn't have enough problems…"

Iruka's stomach dropped. "What about the land god?"

Sakura snorted, "He's proving to be pretty ineffective for a god of prosperity and peace. And the Inari Shrine hasn't had any luck removing the demon cloud or whatever it is, so people aren't too happy with them at the moment." Then she spotted the sincerity in Iruka's face. "He's fine, Umino-san. The land god is safe."

That lifted a weight off him. The thought of that boy facing the same entity that killed an entire shrine of people sent chills down his spine.

"Do they know what it is? Where it came from?"

Sakura shrugged, "Some people say it's Asuma-sama."

Iruka's cup clicked loudly as he put it down.

"I said some people," she amended defensively.

Without hesitation, Iruka admonished her. "There was no way a person as compassionate as Asuma would become something like that in death."

His tormented expression jarred her and she scrambled to explain herself, "I'm sorry, Shishou. That was… rude." Sakura scrunched her nose, "I'm not the biggest fan of demons and gods, so I really don't know much of that gossip. I don't think it's true, or anything."

Iruka's agitation dissolved instantly into shame. He finished his cup with a sigh. He wasn't sure if he should apologize for the outburst or address her for calling him a teacher again.

"It's fine, Sakura. I'm sorry for snapping at you. I know you didn't mean anything by it."

"I was out of line," she said, putting her hand over his.

With that, the tension dissolved.

Sakura couldn't help but comment. "It really is good to see you again. I just wish it were under better circumstances."

Iruka couldn't agree more.

She carried on, "I haven't been in very good company lately. Or really with any company at all. It's been a long time since I've met up with someone I truly trust."

The hint of weakness in her words made Iruka's heart ache, but before he could form a response, a new thought brightened Sakura and she quickly topped off his cup.

"How would you like to go on an errand with me, Umino-san? It's not far."

Her eyes twinkled with the innocent need of a former student, but her grin spelled trouble.

Iruka cringed, "I, uh— It… depends on the errand."

Sakura put on the most pitiful face she could muster. "You'd really be doing me a favor. I just need someone to go on a little trip with me."

"Does it happen to be the same trip you got mugged on?"

Sakura munched on some radish and chose to remain silent.

Iruka grumbled, accepting the bait, "What would you need from me?" Sakura took a breath to begin, but Iruka interrupted her, "—If I choose to accept."

That was all the affirmation she needed. "My supplier lives in the woods on the way to Enten. I just need a buddy with me on the road to dissuade any thugs who might try to rob me."

Before Sakura could finish, Iruka was shaking his head fervently.

"You should hire a professional. I'm no bodyguard."

"I already tried that and look what happened." Sakura kept her voice low. "I can't risk it." She tried to keep her playful glint, but real concern was seeping through. "My supplier has been experiencing some theft and I'm almost certain it's one of the mercenaries our boss hired to protect her that's responsible. Not long after he came on, some thugs found my route to her fields and have been harassing me ever since. I know he's the traitor, but my boss won't do anything until I have proof." She guzzled her cup. "She'd like to send someone new to escort me, but I don't know who to trust at this point. The rounin I hired was too spineless to do any good."

Iruka poured for her as she jammed pickled daikon into her mouth.

She chewed with a mischievous glint. "That's why, Umino-san. At times like these the only people we can rely on are our friends. I know I can trust you."

Iruka was still shaking his head. "This doesn't sound safe."

"You do dangerous things all the time!"

Iruka was stunned, "When have I ever—!"

She pat his arm reassuringly, "I'm not expecting you to fight anyone for me, Umino-san. I can handle myself." That did little to make Iruka feel better. She tried again, "They just want my supplies. If worse comes to worse, I'll hand them over."

He grimaced. "I'd like to help, but I really can't afford the delay."

Sakura was winning him over and she knew it.

"They're close by. It'll only take an extra day."

"I have to get to Enten—"

"We're still within the forty-nine days of mourning. Plenty of time before the funeral."

Iruka hid behind his cup and finished his saké. As he lowered it, Sakura was ready with the bottle. She had another plot up her sleeve.

"How about this? If you outdrink me, you're off the hook."

Iruka, incredulous, raised a brow. Iruka was confident he could lift and throw the woman sitting across from him—albeit with some serious effort.

"Really?"

Sakura nodded, wiggling the bottle in her hand.

Pride won over his better judgement.

He puffed out his chest with a smug grin. "I didn't train in the mountains all these years for nothing."

Like a snake that had its rabbit cornered, Sakura emptied the bottle into his cup and called to the bar owner, "Master! Another round!"

A few bottles in, their loud boasting caught the interest of the bored regulars—the majority of them elderly. Iruka was still a little distrustful of the older women, but they proved mostly harmless. They shoved drinks at the pair, swarming the table and buying bottle after bottle, bullying them with lamentations of their wasted youth when they tried to refuse.

The ruckus drew others in from the street and soon enough the place was packed.

Iruka could barely see straight. His thoughts swirled together and he suddenly remembered the stray outside. He thought of the food he had promised to deliver and was almost certain that the beast wouldn't have been satisfied with the meager scraps Iruka had sent its way. With new purpose in mind, Iruka toppled from the stool into the patrons, who whooped and hollered in response. The master of the bar promptly called the match in Sakura's favor.

Sakura sat casually, elbow resting on the table. Her cheeks were red, but her vision was clear. "What kind of training did you do, Obou-san?"

She toasted the cup to him and drained it.

Iruka barred his teeth at her and enunciated, "Bite me."

One laugh echoed in response from the far corner of the room above the others, like a rumbling.

Iruka's head floated on his shoulders to see.

At the furthest table, men and women alike leaned in toward a ghostly man with silver hair. He wore a light blue kimono loose enough on his shoulders to reveal a dark tattoo along his collar bone.

Those amused eyes turned on Iruka just as something glinted red under the lantern's glow.

The lights dimmed for Iruka and he swam in a drunk abyss.

The downpour brought him around. His chest throbbed weakly. Cold and rigid. His arm was tugged across Sakura's shoulders as she helped him to a hotel. Thunder droned and lightning flickered in the purple sky. They made it inside and Sakura unceremoniously dumped Iruka onto the futon. She staggered out, sliding the door shut.

Sleep was setting in when he realized the window was still open, drenching the tatami floor. He stumbled to the window and light flashed in the clouds.

He heard whining.

The stray was squeezed against the wall, trying to fit under the awning. It was shivering and glaring at him.

Iruka stuck his head out of the building and tossed it left and right. The coast clear, he wrapped the dog in his clumsy arms and hauled it over the sill. It thrashed and grunted in a frenzy.

Iruka fell backwards and the two crashed on the floor. Thunder smacked.

He snuggled into the wiggling animal until eventually it gave up with a huff.

He listened to the beast's quickened heart. It reverberated through Iruka. He stroked the stray's neck absently and gradually its beating slowed. Iruka felt his own grow calm and match pace.

Finally warm and at peace, sleep took him with the window left agape.

---

The cry of the Inari's newborn resounded numbly as Iruka blinked awake and the familiar dream faded. Sakura had an herbal tea ready to ease his aching head and tumbling stomach. The dog was nowhere in sight.

"Get it together! We've got a full day ahead of us." She walked onto a wet patch in the floor. "Did you leave the window open?"

"I have to go to En—" Sakura aggressively whipped the futon out from under him. "Enten."

Sakura victoriously smiled above him, "We had a bet, Umino-san."

Iruka rolled onto his belly and moaned loudly into the bundled blanket.

Sakura attached a small stack of boxes to her hip, held together by two chords running through them. A large, spiraling snail shaped bead secured a knot at the top. Presumably they contained some of her medicinal fare for easy access.

"There won't be any breakfast for you if you don't hurry." She closed the door after her.

Iruka staggered onto his feet. He was only wearing his white kosode. He didn't remember folding his kimono, but there it sat in a neat stack. He whipped on his clothes and grabbed his pouch. He took his time to enjoy the tea. It was thick with ginger and something he couldn't identify that turned the brew bright yellow. He recalled the wet wadded arm covers he had stowed the day before. Iruka snatched them from his bag and hung them on the window sill, praying they wouldn't blow away. Lastly, he threw on the beads and pressed them to his lips once before leaving.

The rest of the inn was dead silent as he tiptoed to the front and tied on the shoes Sakura had lent him. The state of the sky outside hit him with disbelief. The sun was not up yet. Not even close. And it was raining again. Why on earth did Sakura need to see her supplier at this time and on this kind of day? His frustration went from a simmer to a boil, then instantly made him nauseated.

Sakura was waiting for him with an umbrella in one hand and a hefty wrapped bento in the other that she hopefully intended to share. The dog sat by her, wagging its tail and chewing aggressively on a piece of meat. When it saw Iruka it stopped chomping and glared, teeth slightly exposed.

Someone snuck by to greet Sakura, giving Iruka's tired heart a jump start.

The older woman approached the dog and its tail wagged with a new passion. She gave him a pat. It was clear who had provided the food this morning. "I'll save your rooms for you, sensei." She greeted Iruka with a slight bow and he immediately sobered. He returned the gesture, embarrassed of himself and the state of the room he had left for her to find. "You're going with Sakura-sensei today, Obou-sama? Please keep her out of trouble." She handed him an umbrella with a wink. He decided it would take too much energy to correct her.

They bid the old woman good-day and traveled north along the seam of rice paddies. The farmers were already getting to work, despite the weather.

The dog cantered ahead of them, breaking occasionally to shake off the rain.

Sakura snickered, "The dog is a nice touch. He looks absolutely terrifying."

Just then, the dog turned to look back at them. It's tongue flopped out the side of its open and panting mouth.

They walked until the sun was high. When they stopped for a break, Sakura handed Iruka and the dog their portions of food.

"So your supplier—"

"Shizune."

"Shizune-san. She grows your herbs for you?"

"For a substantial cut, of course. She has a gift for raising foreign plants."

"Is that… legal?"

Sakura gauged Iruka's reaction as she spoke. "No. Shizune makes… less conventional remedies. Things to induce vomiting, thin out your blood… Effects that can save a life in dire circumstances. It takes a lot of skill to make medicine strong enough to work, but not outright kill you."

Iruka's fragile stomach flopped.

Sakura finished her food and stowed the bento. "I don't want you to think Shizune has any ill intentions. Her customers often have private reasons for seeking her out, but some would consider what she makes poison. It wouldn't be that far of a jump for her."

"That's what the thieves…?"

She hissed, adjusting the pack on her shoulders as she stood. "I'd rather they just take my money."

Their path led into the woods and the shade was a pleasant change. Eventually they came to a wall of cliffs that stopped their progress. The impasse stretched seemingly without end in both directions. Iruka looked to Sakura for guidance, but it was the dog that found their path. The stray bounded up to the wall, sniffing. Then it disappeared behind a formation that jutted out from the cliffs. Sakura and Iruka followed it, discovering a narrow divide in the wall that stretched forward into darkness.

Sakura stepped inside and Iruka trailed fearfully. They descended between the rocks, and gradually the sun was shut out behind them. The weak glow filtering down from above was just enough to light their steps.

In the shadows, Sakura presented the crevice with her hands.

She whispered and it echoed slightly, "This is where they got me last time. Going around would take almost half a day. Unless you feel like climbing."

Iruka put himself on high alert.

Sakura chuckled at the sight. "Don't worry, Umino-san. I don't have any goods for them to steal yet."

They progressed without interruption until the clearing came into view. The first thing he saw was a trio of plum trees that framed a small house. A variety of shrubs, saplings, and vines littered the property. Surrounding the house itself was a mess of wildflowers.

The long grass before them glistened in the rain.

Sakura stopped at the edge of the woods. She gave a troubled sigh, then stepped into the light.

The dog launched itself into the tall grass, bobbing up and down from within it with great leaps.

Two armed guards marked their approach. The first one wore darkened glasses and had his kimono sleeves tied up with a cord. A short sword like Sakura's was sheathed at his hip.

He stretched his arms to her. "Sakura-san! We were wondering when you'd show up. Our lady hasn't slept a wink since she heard what happened to you."

Sakura's mood instantly shifted to revulsion.

"No thanks to you, Yoroi. It's no wonder there are bandits crawling all over Shizune's land."

Yoroi threw up his hands. "Listen, I'm paid to protect the lady and the plants. They can do whatever they want with the rest of it."

"So long as they don't burn down the forest we're in." The second armed guard remained by the door as he spoke. His hair was loose and he had a pattered bandana knotted at his forehead. From his lip hung a long toothpick.

Sakura knew that voice. "Genma, how's it going?"

The man perked. "Good to see you, Sakura. It's been a while." Then he gave Iruka a small, respectful bow, "Obou-san."

He tried to correct him, "No, I'm—"

Yoroi continued, "If you asked nicely, I'm sure Tsunade would get a guard for you too."

Sakura fiercely replied, "I lost a lot of merchandise because you're too lazy to do your job properly. And I don't like a sword for hire throwing out the boss's name so casually. Know your place."

"Woah! Genma, you hear that?"

The dog's fur bristled and it swayed to come between Yoroi and Sakura. Iruka stammered peaceful encouragements behind them, but was unheard.

"I'm not talking to him. I'm talking to you."

"Why all the hostility? How do you know it wasn't Genma's fault?"

"Genma doesn't have his head up his ass."

A voice came from the tall grass by Shizune's house.

"Now, now. Let the man be, missy."

The older man hiding there rose up, almost a full head above them thanks to the strikingly tall geta on his feet. He adjusted the red haori draping over his short green kimono and pants that were folded to the knee. His long white hair was tied but horribly disheveled. His cheeks were tattooed with red streaks coming from his eyes. Iruka had never seen face tattoos on a person before, but he knew such marks to be the indication of a former criminal. He tried not to noticeably gulp.

The man's voice, despite his aged appearance, was resonant and strong. "He knows he's done wrong. So will your boss, I'm sure."

Yoroi rolled his eyes. "There's nothing to tell, old man."

"Sakura." Shizune stepped from the house, grinding something with a mortar and pestle. The action was nervous. "You're two days late."

Sakura came straight over, taking a small pouch from the boxes on her hip.

"I brought you more tobacco. Where's your book, Shizune? Let's take our time and chat."

Before she could protest, Sakura led her into the house.

The pair vanished, leaving the men to their business.

They could hear Sakura inside saying, "What do you have for me today?"

The white haired man returned to his place in the grass. The stray sniffed the air around him. The man smiled and put out a hand. The stray took tentative steps at first, then it moseyed over and sat together with him.

Genma chuckled, "And we're back to doing nothing."

Yoroi crossed his arms and suggested offhandedly, "If Shizu-chan let us help once in a while, maybe she could relax a little."

Sakura reappeared to answer him, then made a beeline for Iruka. "I don't trust you to know honey from your own piss, Yoroi."

Genma whistled while Yoroi smiled tightly. "You win, princess." Then he stormed off.

Genma called to him, "Where are you going?"

"To look for bandits!"

Genma snickered when Yoroi was out of earshot.

She shoved a well-used book and a basket into Iruka's hands. "Get me the goji berries, reishi mushrooms, honeysuckle, hawthorn, and red clover." She stabbed the book with her finger on each word. "Berries, mushrooms, honeysuckle, hawthorn, clover. Got it?"

He scrambled to lock her commands in his head, but she had disappeared before he could ask any questions. He repeated the list to himself, but couldn't help his growing frustration. Sakura clearly thought Yoroi was guilty. What was she playing at?

Genma took a few of the baskets propped on the house. "I'll help you, Obou-san. Just show me what I'm looking for."

It was too late to tell him otherwise, so 'Obou-san' he was. "What about your… colleague?"

Genma smiled. "He'll come back or he won't."

The two of them found the small group of goji trees hugging the floodplain. The book described the berry's ideal ripeness, and they quickly cleared the tree of those ready to be picked. The mushrooms were also simple to find, growing on the trunks of the plum trees.

To Iruka's relief, Genma drifted into small talk.

"How do you know Sakura?"

Iruka answered warmly. "She's provided her services to my temple for a long time now. She usually stays with us while she does business in the area."

"Which temple?"

"Kurama-dera."

The toothpick twitched, "Oh! I hear your fire festivals are very exciting."

Iruka went red. "We tend to get a little rowdy."

Rowdy was an understatement. For one night every autumn hordes of nearly naked men ran wild. Carrying torches, wearing masks, and drinking up the saké the villagers had spent the past year brewing from dusk 'til dawn. After spending the whole day boozing and building a giant shrine from freshly cut trees, villagers and travelers alike would break into a ceremonious brawl where they competed to either light the shrine, or defend it. Bansai used to say if you remembered the event, you didn't try hard enough.

He almost dove into the story of Asuma and Kurenai's meeting, but held back. For a moment there, he had forgotten himself. He jerked himself painfully back into reality.

"I'll have to visit for the next one." Genma nudged Iruka with an elbow. "You can give me the inside tour."

Iruka dabbed his forehead with his sleeve. "I'd be happy to." He clumsily changed topic, "What about you, Genma-san? Did you meet Haruno-sensei in Enten?"

He nodded.

"Do you work for the same employer?"

Genma glanced at him and smirked. "We're associates, yes."

Iruka heard laughter and saw the dog thrashing its tail fervently beside the old man. "Who's the…?"

He had a knowing glance that Iruka couldn't discern. "Jiraiya? He's an author of sorts."

"What does he write? Poetry?"

"He covers a broad range of genres, but nature has been his main inspiration lately."

Iruka He certainly knows his way around the plants."

Jiraiya and the dog strolled to the goji tree. The old man plucked a berry, rolled it in his fingers, then popped it in his mouth. He started piling berries in his hand when Shizune yelled at him from inside the house.

"That's enough, Jiraiya!"

Iruka and Genma regarded each other, then flipped through the book. Two results of eating goji berries stuck out to Iruka.

Decreased joint pain and improved sex drive in men.

He clapped the book shut.

The desired mushrooms tumbled in their baskets. The two flowers and hawthorn were last on Iruka's mental list. Genma squatted in the flowerbed by the shrubs and Iruka turned to the winding hawthorn tree. Sprouts of the tree were often used for bonzai, but he had rarely seen one grown out. The book said leaves, berries, and blooms could be used, so he filled the basket without difficulty.

When he finished, he rested at the tree's base and browsed the book.

Fever, loss of appetite, infection, muscle spasms…

The idea that medicines meant to help people could be turned into poison haunted him. Though Sakura didn't show it, he was sure it frightened her as well.

Suddenly the hairs on Iruka's neck stood and he searched the trees. He could have sworn he'd seen something move. He waited, but there was nothing.

"Umino-san?" Sakura came from the house and trudged through the weeds to him.

He stood with his basket. "How's this?"

She held out her hand for the book which he slapped into her palm.

Sakura nodded, "Perfect. Follow me."

Genma helped them move the baskets inside Shizune's house, then returned to his post.

The room was warmly lit. Plants of all kinds were strung up to dry on the ceiling. Drawers and shelves covered the walls. The most interesting thing, above all was that Iruka could spot not one written document or label in the place. Sakura busied herself with the ingredients they'd gathered—laying the blossoms and leaves out to dry, bagging the berries and mushrooms in organized sacks.

Shizune was sunken in the corner, leaning on a table cluttered with tethered bunches of stemmed plants. The ashes in her pipe glowed.

"Thank you for accompanying Sakura. I understand you're traveling to Enten together."

Iruka nodded, "I'm going to pay my last respects to Sarutobi Asuma-sama, son of the Daimyo."

Her eyes had shadows under them. Her breath suddenly shook as she said to him, "You have my deepest condolences for your loss." Shizune took a deep drag. Her tone seemed out of place to Iruka. She was listless, like the breeze could shatter her. "I'm truly sorry."

Sakura approached the woman and pet her head. "I'll be borrowing your book, Shizune."

"I'm so sorry." Shizune couldn't lift her eyes from the floor. "Please, be safe."

Sakura stowed the book on her person, and finished packing her bag with various sacks of loose ingredients as gently as she could.

The woman tailed them to the door, holding the long pipe tightly. "Bring me news from Enten. And take that old man with you. I've had enough of his sticky fingers."

"Yes, yes. I hear you." Jiraiya loaded his wooden case holding scrolls and books. He bowed slightly to Sakura. "I'll follow you to town, if you don't mind."

Sakura put her pack on as well, "Not at all. The more the merrier."

Meanwhile, Iruka found the dog lying at the base of the goji tree. He shuffled through the grass. There was a small bound book by his tail. He picked it up and noticed it had no title.

"You can keep that if you like, Obou-san," Jiraiya called from the house.

Shizune hissed, "Just hurry up and go, you perv. Leave the monk alone."

Iruka stuffed it in his kimono and placed a cautious hand on the dog's back.

"Hey. It's time to go." It didn't respond so he rubbed its fur and called softly. "Hey."

It nuzzled further into the grass.

Sakura shouted from the house, "Come on, or we'll leave you behind!"

They both startled. Iruka jerked his hand away and shot to his feet. The stray lurched up, half asleep. Iruka sprinted after Sakura and the dog groggily pursued him.

Shizune called when they reached the trees. "Say hello to Tsunade-sama for me."

Sakura winced, but waved regardless.

The forest wasn't as welcoming as it had been during the first leg of their journey. It was getting dark and the nightly chill was setting in.

Iruka suddenly felt worn out. He was confused by the supplier's behavior. By the brevity of their visit. He wanted to speak to Sakura, but she was trapped in her own thoughts.

Jiraiya struck up conversation with him.

"What brings a monk this far from his temple?"

He gave his rehearsed answer, "I'm paying my respects to a friend who passed away in Enten." He remembered the book and took it out. "This is yours, Jiraiya-san."

Jiraiya waved his hands, "No, no, you keep it. It's a gift."

The stray observed with interest.

Iruka weakly conceded and returned the book to the folds of his kimono. "If you say so. I'll read it when I have time."

That gave a little bounce to the dog's step as it guided them on the darkening path. Iruka kept track of the flicking silver tail.

The beads on Iruka's neck clattered. There was something odd about the older man. Now that they walked together, Iruka could focus on it. The air around him was swirling. It was ethereal. Like the Inari.

His chest felt strange, hollow. He put his hand there, feeling for absent his heartbeat.

They reached the rice paddies and the post town came into view. Iruka hardly noticed, however. The scenery faded into the background of his mind, along with whatever words were spoken.

"Are you alright, Obou-san?"

Iruka tried to concentrate, putting one foot in front of another. His legs were turning to wood.

Jiraiya saw Iruka teeter and grabbed him. "Missy, the monk is…"

His throat felt dry. His head dizzy.

"Umino-san?" She drenched a rag and put it to his skin. "Can you hear me? Tell me what's wrong."

Her voice dragged in his head as his knees collapsed.

He didn't remember making it to town, let alone the room. He recognized their voices, muddled as if he were sunk in water.

"What do you think, missy?"

Something hot was being smeared on his chest.

"They were watching the house for sure."

There was a strange fragrance, incense of some kind. It lulled him.

"Do you think they'll come for Shizune-chan?"

Shuffling of fabric and paper. "Not so long as I have this."

"Why not ask Tsunade for help?"

In the long silence, Iruka began to drift.

"This couldn't wait. Besides I don't want to owe her any favors."

The jovial hoot in response was the last thing Iruka remembered. When he woke again the room was pitch black.

Sakura was sound asleep at his side.

He loosened his kimono and looked at his chest. He removed the leaves and wiped clear the ointment Sakura had administered to reveal the black patch over his heart. It had grown since he last saw it.

It pulsed coldly, heat and life disappearing into it. The seed that had saved him. The last gift his parents gave before the world he knew died.

He covered Sakura with the blanket and left. The hall was dimly lit by small lanterns lining the floor. His footfalls reverberated through his legs and he was gripped with that numbing cold. His head buzzed.

He stepped out to where the lights from the establishments cast a warm glow on the dirt road and wandered into the street. He could feel that swirling again. But this wasn't warm and benign as it had been with Jiraiya. It was hateful. As if something hungry was lurking nearby.

That sensation jolted him awake. He listened to his own breathing and gripped the beads that had been entrusted to him.

He had felt this shift in his heart before.

On the mountain, on the road—when the mountain witch was near him.

It wasn't his heart—it hadn't been then and it wasn't now. It was the seed.

He took in the street with new eyes. It was late. Most of the post town residents had gone to bed. There was something strange further up the road. A group of samurai stood outside the noble's inn, all in their formal kamishimo—vests with shoulders that came to a point and long hakama pants, paired swords at their side.

Rising above them was a steady stream of thick smoke. At first Iruka thought it might be from a pipe, but there was too much of it to be natural. It trailed them as they cruised into a high class bar. Somehow, no one had noticed it.

Iruka followed them, fear sinking in his gut. He went into the bar and sat alone where he could still hear the general raucous of their group.

A haze filled their corner of the bar. His heart was pounding now. The seed was awake and watching, Iruka could feel it. His eyes locked on one of the older men just as he opened his mouth to speak. Smoke dribbled out. The others saw nothing.

Iruka watched from behind the lip of his cup. The smoke wriggled on the ground and encircled a younger man's feet across the table. Crawling on his legs. Discomfort and an unexplained dread showed on the boy. The older man's spite was growing—a mix of lust and hate clearly unobserved by the group. He was being overtaken by it.

Iruka's thoughts churned. He had to help the young man somehow. Could he draw the samurai out? The group had surrendered their katana at the door, but each of them still had a wakizashi. If Iruka accidentally started a fight, he would without a doubt be cut down.

He didn't understand what he was seeing, but the smoke was spreading in the bar and the atmosphere was shifting with it. The others around the man were being affected. Either adapting to the maliciousness or cowering under it. A wisp of it came close to Iruka and he reached his fingers out to touch it. He felt its warmth on his hand and watched as it coated his fingertips. He felt the flicker of violence and hate it carried, then instantly it was gone. Sucked out of the air and into nothingness.

Iruka jerked back, dropping his cup on the table with a clatter. It was enough to make the possessed man twitch at the sound and slant his head. Their gazes tangled. Iruka put down his hand and looked away.

The smoke detached from its original target and the boy showed obvious relief.

Iruka felt that same relief until the smoke spilled onto the floor and started crawling in his direction.

As it came closer, Iruka fought to keep his face calm. The stream extended out of sight under the table and he felt it creep up his leg. The smoke squirmed over him. The seeping hate and violent desire hiding within it sent a rush of panic through him. Just when he thought he would be consumed by the strong emotions, an emptiness clawed at Iruka's chest and the seed dragged in the malicious energy.

It was effortlessly pulled into nothingness and the weight vanished. Iruka breathed easily again.

He checked the possessed man and was met with an enraged and distorted face.

Whether he was ready for it or not, Iruka had gotten the spirit's attention. He quickly rose, leaving payment for his drink with shaking hands. He rushed outside and the man followed with calculated slowness.

The minute he was in the street again, Iruka had no idea what to do. He had no plan. The possessed man stalked him patiently as Iruka walked toward the samurai's inn. Hysteria was rising in his throat. This was a mistake, he thought. Iruka couldn't handle this on his own. The smoke spread on the dirt road, threatening to envelop him.

The inn was fast approaching but his mind was too scrambled to grasp a solid strategy. He turned and took a frantic step in the direction of his own inn.

His arm was caught in the man's grip. It burned feverishly on his skin.

The samurai's eyes were clouded, his words slurred. "Good evening, Obou-san."

Iruka tensed. The spite was thick, overwhelming. His actions suddenly felt extremely reckless.

"G-good evening."

He hoped there might be a witness close by, but they were the only ones in the street. Not that a normal person would notice anything odd about the two men at a glance.

The man sluggishly slid his hand off Iruka's wrist. "Would you like to keep me company?"

The urge to go running down the street pulsed through him, but Iruka stayed still. It was his last chance to escape, but he couldn't let this man return to his company. He couldn't let this man find another victim. And something in Iruka had to know what would happen. If what the monks said was true, the Onryou could consume spirits and demons. Perhaps he could help this man.

He tried to keep his voice level.

"I'd be… happy to."

The demonic spirit writhed joyously as the man swept Iruka into the inn. Letting him walk ahead. The owner scanned up for a second before seeing the samurai, then immediately lowered his head without a word. That struck Iruka as a bad sign.

The long walk gave him time to think. His hands twitched at his sides as he tried to recall all he had heard about possessions. Most stories said spirits would occupy a person to feed off the host's impulses and the resulting suffering of others. If the host became uninhabitable—either through purification or threat of its host's death—the spirit would be forced to leave. Something like that, right?

He was ushered upstairs. The further they went the more isolated Iruka felt.

Iruka was no monk, so purification was impossible, and he wasn't about to kill an innocent person. He had no confidence he could, even if he tried.

All he had was the seed. And the hope that the Onryou lived up to its reputation.

The man's hand slipped around his waist and Iruka was pulled into his grip. A wet mouth latched onto his neck and Iruka's whole body seized up. The samurai slid open the door they had stopped at. There was a single lamp lit in the corner on the floor. A lone futon was laid out in the center of the room.

Iruka was forced inside. Before he could recover, the man crushed him against the wall. His kimono was aggressively pushed out of the way. Iruka pressed himself into the wall in an effort to evade the invasive touch. The man lowered his head and bit deeply into the exposed skin on Iruka's shoulder, hard enough to draw blood.

Iruka cried out in pain and shoved the man away.

When he looked back to the samurai, Iruka's blood chilled.

Dark blue dyed the skin around the man's eyes and mouth. It was as if his veins had been stained with poison. The smoke pouring out of him was spreading, filling the room with a pungent smell.

The animosity took control and the man lurched in to punch Iruka in the stomach. Iruka doubled over, hitting the floor. The crazed man grabbed Iruka and lugged him by his clothes onto the futon, tearing loose his obi. He held Iruka down into the bed by his throat and started peeling his layers away. Iruka thrashed, scratching at the vice grip choking him as the man hurriedly unknot Iruka's undergarments with his free hand. Iruka was released when the man finished and lights popped in his vision.

While he was still catching his breath, the man grabbed Iruka's hips and lifted them onto his lap, Iruka's legs splayed apart. The man leaned down to drive a tongue between his lips. When Iruka resisted, he was punched in the ribs. Iruka let his mouth release and be invaded, disgust rolling in his stomach. Heat and smoke from the possession dumped down his throat.

Finally the black burr awoke.

No longer a gentle drain, the seed started to aggressively consume the demonic energy.

The man sucked in Iruka's tongue and bit hard. Iruka's eyes shot wide. All around them the smoke swirled and writhed, wanting to escape, but the body it possessed was oblivious.

As the man's clammy hands fondled Iruka's tanned skin, he kept his eyes open. Hot, damp fingers prodded his backside and he clenched, earning yet another violent pounding. He grunted into the man's unremitting tongue as it gagged him. He dug his fingernails into the futon.

He imagined the young man from the bar who would have been lying there in his place. He remembered the inn keeper's shameful expression and thought of the other people the malicious spirit may have sought out and brought into this same room or others like it. While the man crushed Iruka under him, he could see the miasma dissipating. Iruka knew he could end it.

The man and spirit were already weakening. The smoke no longer thrashed, but curled in the air like wispy silk. The samurai's actions slowed and Iruka easily resisted them, peeling himself away. The man sat up to look at Iruka—exhausted and confused—then horrified. His eyes unfocused and he tumbled off the futon, collapsing unconscious on the floor.

Iruka put a hand on the man's chest, checking his still beating heart.

He kept it there as the last of the blue smoke moved around them. It was changing. As it came into the air around Iruka it turned pure white, like fine sand glinting in the glow of the lantern. The seed sapped away the last of the spirit's energy and the room grew still. The samurai's breathing eased.

In the calm and empty room, all traces of evil were gone. All that remained were Iruka's panting gasps.

He fell onto his back, adrenaline draining away. Too worn out to stay awake.

He drifted to where his nightmares waited.

---

When Iruka came to, he was curled on his side.

The lantern was out and the air was stale. In the pale glow of morning, the room seemed harmless.

The samurai was long gone. Iruka wondered if the man would remember anything that had transpired while he was possessed. For the sake of his honor as a samurai, Iruka hoped he wouldn't.

His clothes were in a heap by the door.

He rolled onto his back to discover the futon was soaked with sweat, now cold. Repelled, he sat up. The bruising on his ribs twinged at the unexpected movement and he checked the damage done. His torso was already turning terrible, painful colors.

He noted one mark in particular.

The small briny patch of black was still there on his chest and he silently thanked it.

He didn't care if it was a part of the Onryou. It had saved him. And it stopped an evil spirit from hurting other people.

As Iruka traced the mark, he pondered whether the seed would have remained dormant at the temple, surrounded by spiritual purity, or if its awakening had been inevitable.

It was naïve to think the priests from the Inari Shrine had really found a way to remove the seed. If that were the case, why hadn't they come to find Iruka well before the Onryou had appeared? After what Sakura said about the Inari Shrine's difficulty dealing with the Onryou, he was starting to wonder if they had intended to use him as a scapegoat somehow. To appease the people. Considering that, Enten might not be the safest place for him to go.

Iruka shook his thoughts away. It was too late to second guess now. Enten was his only hope for discovering the truth.

He wiped the hair loose from his neck where it had dried. Despite everything, he felt incredibly light and free of the cold. The gentle tap of rain invited him to open the window and from the second floor he had a clear view of the sleeping town.

Iruka wrapped the unused comforter around him and leaned on the sill, resting his face in the crook of his arm. As the morning air washed in, he breathed heavily and listened to the pattering of raindrops.

When a jolt of discomfort ran up his side, his memories from the night before put themselves in the forefront once more. The orange light, too bright. The shadows of smoke rampant on the wall above his head where he lay.

He buried his face and groaned loudly.

Despite his clear success, it didn't feel worth it. Not in the slightest.

"Some people really get off to monks. Why is that?"

Iruka leapt out of his skin.

"Though I'm not sure you're really a monk."

Perched outside on the edge of the building's wooden awning was a young boy.

A dark mask covered his mouth and nose. Despite that, the young boy hid himself even further behind a scarf draped about his neck. He clung to it diffidently. Fluttering silver hair framed his face, but the most captivating feature by far was his left eye that glowed a bright and bloody red.

Iruka whispered frantically, "What're you doing out there!? Get inside!"

He reached to pull the boy in, but his target flinched back.

He scooted away, glowering at Iruka. "No, thank you. I'm just fine out here."

The boy seemed oddly familiar.

"How did you get up there?"

The imp shrugged.

"Don't shrug at me. It's dangerous out there. You should come under the awning, at least."

The boy only glared.

Iruka sighed, "I won't grab you."

Seeing that he had truly given up, the boy inched closer.

He peered past the sill into Iruka's lap and the man whipped the comforter over himself in a flurry.

The boy's eyes squinted in a smirk. "Too late to be shy, Obou-san." He leaned forward, crossing his arms on the window. He watched Iruka with piercing intensity. "Are you hurt?"

Ashamed, Iruka shrunk under the comforter and rubbed the scar on his nose. "It's nothing."

A shadow drifted into the child's gaze—a quiet anger. "That doesn't look like nothing."

There it was. He knew that look. The man from the bar their first night in the post town. The resemblance was uncanny.

"I'll be fine." He was much more concerned about the brat hanging onto the outside of a second story window and how to return him to his neglectful father. He gave his best teacher smile, "Thank you for asking."

The boy perked up at that. "You're a strange monk." He rested on the window sill, full of awe and contemplation. "You deserve better."

Iruka couldn't help but laugh, "That's for sure."

The boy stood smoothly. The playfulness in his voice changed and Iruka's stomach dropped.

"Wanna have a go? I promise I'll be gentle."

Iruka froze. Perplexed. "What?"

The kid's eyes slipped to Iruka's crotch, then flicked back up.

Horror instantly flared in Iruka and he practically yelled, "What!? No!" Iruka babbled meaningless sounds before managing to say, "That's— What? What are you even doing up here!?" Careful to keep himself covered, he took the comforter in hand and crab walked to his pile of clothes. From under his shielding he fumbled to don his kimono. "Unbelievable! Unacceptable! Who taught you— What kind of parent—"

A thought struck him and his eyes narrowed. He turned back to the boy.

"Where is your father!?" He hissed as he worked to redo his fundoshi undergarments, "He and I are going to have a serious conversation about… exposure…!"

The kid lifted a brow, "Exposure?"

Red faced, Iruka roared, "—To bad influences!" Finally dressed, he stomped to the window. "Get in here. I'm taking you to your father."

The child laughed raucously, "My father? What father?" The imp slid easily along the side of the building and out from Iruka's reach. "You're wasting your time, Obou-san. Unless you feel like joining me out here."

Iruka grumbled at the sill and pointed, "Stay right there, I'm coming to get you."

He grabbed his belongings and left the snickering brat in the window.

Iruka sprinted as quietly as he could down the stairs. Despite his agitated state, the owner seated at the entrance of the hotel didn't even look up. He pushed his disturbed rage to the side as he raced away from the building to search the second floor. The child was nowhere to be seen.

He was about to storm back up to the room, when a voice stopped him.

"You're doing much better."

Jiraiya was walking up the street to him.

Sniffing at the old man's sleeve was the stray. When Iruka saw it, all the tension in him melted.

The dog tilted its head at him in confusion. It went to him and knocked his hand with its nose.

Iruka hesitated at first, then rubbed the scar over its closed eye. The dog leaned into him as Iruka scratched its ears. Suddenly Iruka felt very tired.

"Hey, you." He ran his hand through the soft fur and found himself fighting the urge to cry.

The dog watched him, mimicking his furrowed brows. The dog bumped his hand again and Iruka laughed weakly.

"You had us worried last night."

Iruka nodded, "I'm sorry about that. I'm not sure what happened."

"It was no trouble, Obou-san." Jiraiya gestured casually at Iruka's chest, "That's an odd tattoo you have."

Words stuck in his throat. He hoped his clothes were concealing the bruises.

The all-knowing air around the old man was unsettling. He seemed trustworthy, but that odd other-worldly presence was still there. Swirling. He wasn't a demon or evil spirit like what possessed the samurai, but he certainly wasn't normal.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Don't worry about it, Obou-san." He put a hand on Iruka's shoulder and gave him a wink. "You can tell me the whole story over drinks sometime. I'd be very interested to hear it."

Iruka's name was called from afar. There was Sakura, hauling her box and Iruka's belongings.

When she reached them, she was out of breath, "Where did you go this morning? Why didn't you wake me?"

Iruka scrambled for an excuse. He gestured vaguely at the sky and said, "I thought some fresh air might be nice." He quickly relieved her of his staff and hat. "Thank you for your help, sensei. I feel much better."

Sakura's suspicion was clear, but she was too groggy to pursue the subject. "Let's go. We might just reach Enten before nightfall."

Jiraiya stopped them. "I'm staying behind, missy. I have a few more stops to make. But I'll see you in the city."

She frowned and searched his expression, "Jiraiya-san."

"Why such a face? I'll be good." He ruffled her hair. "I'm just looking for an old friend."

Sakura was reluctant, but the older man wouldn't be dissuaded.

They checked their things, gathered themselves, and said a final goodbye.

As they parted, Jiraiya called to Sakura, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

With that, they made their way out of the post town.

Iruka was glad to see it go. He may have gained some knowledge about his condition, but he questioned the cost. He worried about what truths Enten held for him and what their price might be.

Rice fields surrounded them before long. The sky had cleared in time for the stark blue and yellow sunrise. Already it was turning out to be a sweltering day.

The dog wagged its tail at Sakura until she fed it some dried fish. Iruka's stomach grumbled in response. Sakura rolled her eyes and offered the day's breakfast from their inn owner. They sat on the bank of the farm and ate, Iruka and the dog indulging themselves graciously.

They were making good time. In the distance was the final forest before Enten.

Sakura finished quickly and packed up. "You'll have to find me after you visit the Daimyo. I'd like to see you again before I leave."

"O-of course. After I visit."

Iruka felt a dangerous discussion approaching.

"Do you know where you'll be staying?"

Iruka handed her his dishes, then stood saying, "Um… well—"

"Oh, that's right. You'll be at the shrine."

"No! No. I… I wouldn't want to trouble them. I'll…" He tried to sound nonchalant. "I'll find an inn or something."

That puzzled her, "Why not? I know you're not a monk, but I'm sure they'd be happy to have you. Or are you? I never really asked."

He tried to steer her away, but he could tell his vague answers were working against him.

"No, I'm not a monk or anything. Bansai-sama just thought… it would be easier for me to travel like this."

"So you're impersonating one? That's interesting."

Iruka laughed stiffly. "I suppose that's right. That is a little strange."

"I don't know how much you brought with you, but Enten can be expensive. I think you should try to stay at the shrine, monk or not."

Iruka scrambled to agree, "I-I'll go there. I just mean… I don't think I'll go there right away."

That was too fishy for Sakura. "Why not? It'd be a waste of money."

"There's no rush, like you said." Iruka attempted to sound flippant, "I've still got time."

It was too late. Sakura's intuition had been lit. It was as if their interactions from the last few days came flooding back to her. Every awkward answer, every hesitation on Iruka's part that she had been too distracted to notice was piecing together. He could feel her bright eyes drilling into him.

They walked a few steps without a word between them. Iruka wanted to give her an explanation she might swallow, but he couldn't find anything that wouldn't just make the situation worse. The silence forced Sakura's hand.

"You are a terrible liar, Umino-san."

Iruka flushed and blustered back, "I don't know what you mean."

"Okay. Well. I don't think you're lying about paying your respects to Asuma-sama, but I'm clearly missing something."

Iruka clammed up. Maybe if he stayed quiet about it, she would let it alone.

With a sigh, Sakura leveled her pace with his so she could see his face properly.

"What are you hiding from me?"

"N-nothing."

Without another word, Sakura jabbed her finger squarely at Iruka's chest and onto the mark of the seed. Her clear green eyes held no room for further lies.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Sakura. He didn't want to drag anyone into his problems. Especially when he wasn't sure how deep his troubles went. If he was not mistaken about the seriousness of his ailment, the Inari Shrine would be looking for him before too long.

Sakura relaxed her posture to his surprise.

"Umino-san, I won't force you to talk. It's not any of my business. But—" she pointed once more, softly, "—that worries me. I'm worried about you."

Iruka was losing the will to dodge her. He thought he wanted Sakura to give up, but now he only felt more guilty. She was his ally and his friend. He knew that.

He folded, saying quietly, "I don't really know where to begin."

Sakura latched onto the opening. "What is it exactly? The mark."

He smiled reluctantly at her, choosing his words carefully. "I'm not sure, to be honest. It only showed up recently. I… I started having some strange dreams a few weeks ago. And the monks sensed something inside of me… waking up. They think…"

She jostled his arm when he trailed off. She watched him intently.

He continued, "They think it has something to do with the Onryou."

Sakura reeled back, laughing sardonically—flabbergasted by the strange jump in topic. "The Onryou? Why?" She returned to Iruka for an explanation, but he was dead serious. Her mirth faded, leaving her baffled. She groped, trying to pull his scattered statements together. "What does that have to do with you?"

"It's a long story, and I don't think they care about the details. But…" He took a deep breath. "The dreams started the day Asuma-san died."

Her expression instantly darkened.

Sakura turned from him, walking tentatively down the path once more. Iruka caught up, matching her pace, watching her expression as she worked to fathom the significance of his words.

They walked in heavy silence for a while.

Finally she asked, "What does that mean?"

"I don't know." He shrugged and gave a halfhearted chuckle. "I'm hoping I can find more answers in Enten." He quickly added, "I just need to be quiet about it. The Inari priests aren't too happy about the timing of everything. I don't know what they'll do if they find me." He didn't feel like going into the specifics. Sakura didn't really need to know they wanted to cleanse whatever the seed was and inadvertently kill him.

She mulled over that for a moment before saying, "That's true. We'll have to be careful."

"We?"

"Who else is going to watch your back in Enten? It's a big place." Sakura let out a long and loud sigh. "I'll tell you now—any exorcism I conduct won't end well, but I'll help you in whatever way I can."

That got a laugh out of him.

He hadn't realized how reassuring it would be to share his load, even if only a little.

"I'll be in your debt." He inclined his head graciously.

Sakura purred at the idea being owed a favor, "Sounds good to me."

A little lighter on their feet, Sakura and Iruka followed the dog onward.

The rice paddies were coming to an end at the edge of the woods.

Here the road diverged. The high, level path that wove carefully through the trees was intended for carts and more cautious travelers. The other thorny and rigorous path cut down through the hillside—carved out by those wishing to save daylight.

Sakura led them downhill into the brush.

"Umino-san, I have to say. The monk robes are growing on me."

Iruka burst into a laugh, "Is that so?"

"Honestly, it suits you. All you need to do is shave your head."

They had shimmied down the hillside. The route was littered with roots and stones—an endless collection of things for Iruka to trip over. They had almost come to a clearing. Eager for a break from the rough terrain, Iruka was entirely focused on not face-planting. When they were almost out, something shifted in the distant trees.

His eyes were instantly drawn.

He saw nothing at first. He thought he had imagined it.

A tingle in his chest egged him on. He slowed to a stop as he left the dense brush.

He scanned the trees, ears perked.

Then something white darted through the foliage, completely silent. Iruka was amazed he had spotted it.

A white rabbit. It stopped, as if feeling his gaze, and sharply turned to look at him.

Its red eyes watched him curiously. Then suddenly its head swiveled toward something and a simultaneous snarl erupted from the stray.

Iruka followed their attention and the world closing back in around him. He half expected another mountain witch.

He felt little relief when Yoroi pushed through the brush instead.

"Afternoon, Sakura-san." He placed his hand harmlessly on his sword.

The woods felt claustrophobic. The trees swallowed all sound. Iruka suddenly realized what a dangerous position they were in.

Sakura was miles ahead of him.

Sakura smirked, removing her crate and setting it aside. "This is a strange coincidence, Yoroi. What brings you to this isolated neck of the woods?"

"I know you have the book," he said. "Give it to me and we'll be on our way."

Iruka touched the book hiding in the folds of his kimono that Jiraiya had given him in a moment of temporary confusion. The misunderstanding was quickly forgotten when two more men emerged from the trees to join Yoroi.

Iruka's alarm bells were deafening and his pulse hammered fearfully in his ears.

Sakura knew the other men instantly. She took her wakizashi from her obi and unsheathed it. Iruka wanted to go to her, but he was afraid of making any sudden movements.

One man sporting an injured arm scowled at Sakura. She flipped the scabbard in her hand, ready to utilize it as a weapon if she had to.

"Back for more?"

The stray barked at the rear. Another two men had flanked them. They were surrounded.

"Don't be stubborn, Sakura-san." Yoroi gave an innocent shrug, "I'm trying to be nice."

The gang armed themselves, brandishing more than enough glistening blades to make Iruka's knees visibly shake. He kept the tip of his staff pointed down in front of him. A mountain witch would be a welcomed alternative, he realized. He'd almost prefer another possessed samurai. Almost.

Yoroi's passivity was paper thin. He wanted blood. "We just want the book. Things don't have to get messy. What do you say?"

She kept the scabbard extended ahead of her blade. "I say go fuck yourselves."

Yoroi took a single step and, without warning, the stray lunged at one of the men behind them.

As he screamed, Sakura dove for Yoroi. She knocked his blade down and launched him into one of his buddies with a heavy shoulder check, separating the trio. Iruka secured the division by rushing up to put his back to Sakura and took a wild swipe at his new opponent.

Yoroi's partner hacked at Sakura's head and their blades clashed loudly when she blocked him. She jabbed him in the ribs with her scabbard, earning a grunt from the man. She cast off his blade and thrust at him in return. He just managed to dodge her and a bloody line traced his neck.

With one man thoroughly occupied by the stray, the second flanking man turned his panicked attention on Iruka.

Iruka squared off against his two opponents as they rushed him together.

He gave a quick crack to the head of the one flanking. He then whirled his weapon to smack open the injured man's defenses and thrust into his chest, pushing him toward the other opponent.

He fumbled with the staff, changing his hand positions and putting as much of its length between him and them as he could—forcing them to make space. He was sure Sakura could hold her own, but a drawn-out fight wasn't going to end well for him. His staff was already threatening to shimmy free from his trembling hands.

Before he could react, the first man—clearly the more skilled than the other—slid his blade the length of Iruka's staff and parried it into the ground.

Iruka stumbled and received a sound kick on one of his bruises. He flung the staff up into position just in time as the injured man lunged. Iruka jammed it in the man's ribs and jabbed his foot awkwardly up, catching his attacker on the side of the head and knocking him to the dirt. Iruka stumbled as he landed, whirling to face his remaining opponent.

Sakura's blade dug between her enemy's ribs and stuck there. Yoroi dashed at her and she was forced to abandon it. Sakura grabbed his knife hand and they wrestled for dominance. Yoroi yelped painfully as the stray appeared out of nowhere and dug its teeth into his thigh. Sakura smirked at the dog and socked Yoroi hard in the jaw, ripping the knife from his grip in the process.

Before she could celebrate, Sakura was tackled to the floor by the fifth man, ripped bloody by the dog. She hit the ground, the breath rushing out of her, but she managed to stab the man in the back with her newly acquired weapon. He hardly winced. He took her head and slammed it hard into the ground. White spots flickered in her periphery. She curled to the side, pulled her arms into herself, then bashed his temple with her elbow. That did it. He slumped long enough for Sakura to get out from under him and onto her feet. She tore the knife out to stab the man through the neck just as he started to rise again.

Iruka's clumsier opponent came in with a hasty overhead slash. He instinctively snapped his wrist to knock the blade and keep the staff firmly in place. He jutted it forward, driving its end with all his strength under the enemy's chin with a resounding crunch. The man fell, gurgling.

Iruka felt a surge of confidence. When they got out of this, Sakura would owe him a serious explanation. And more than a few drinks. As soon as the thought passed, Sakura's blade chimed against another and she cried out, catching Iruka's worried attention.

His final enemy closed in while he was distracted and slipped behind Iruka's guard to stab at his gut. Iruka dropped the staff to catch the hilt of his attacker's weapon, but he couldn't stop it before the blade slid against his ribs—slicing through fabric and flesh alike. Iruka yanked the man into his knee, knocking the wind out of him.

Their weapons clattered against each other in the dirt. Iruka reflexively kicked them away, lest the man recover one of them.

Iruka's disarmed opponent recovered and danced with his fists up.

Iruka lifted his hands into a defensive position and all his confidence drained. He could whack them with a stick, but Iruka had absolutely no faith in his ability to fight hand to hand.

Blood soaked his side. He fought to control his breathing, and tensed when his opponent sprang close.

Meanwhile, Sakura clutched her freshly cut arm.

Yoroi donned a sword in each hand. "Come on, Sakura-san. We're not done yet."

Sakura finished ripping the sleeve off her torn kimono and wrapped the flat of her hand with it. In the other she took her scabbard. The stray crouched beside her at the ready.

Man, woman, and beast circled one another. Sakura shot forward parrying out his first stab with the scabbard. The stray's jaws were ready to lock onto the knocked hand. She blocked Yoroi's second sword with her bare arm.

Iruka jabbed with a shaky fist, only to be caught and twisted into a lock. His shoulder was wrenched from its socket and he felt the blood to his head being cut off. Iruka dug into the man and lifted him off his feet. Iruka charged blindly with the man hoisted on his back and they slammed together into a tree.

They rolled apart.

Iruka crumbled into the brush, head swimming.

His enemy fell onto his abandoned sword.

Yoroi's blade sliced along the bone of Sakura's forearm, but she stopped the weapon in her wrapped hand. She wrenched it from Yoroi's grip. Their eyes met as she held it high and stabbed it deeply into where his neck and collar bone met.

Metal grazed into the meat of Iruka's thigh. An alarmed cry escaped him.

The man knotted Iruka's hair in his fingers and towed him out of the brush. Iruka dug his nails into the hand, and he was clocked with the end of the blade's hilt.

"Enough!" The man shoved Iruka's face into the ground. "Say a prayer, Obou-san."

"Iruka!"

Yoroi's body slowly dropped to Sakura's feet.

She skidded in the dirt, seeking the traction to run toward Iruka.

The stray was already dashing. Its figure rippled.

The blade came for Iruka's throat.

Silver flashed.

The assailant's sword slid from his hand and hit the dirt beside Iruka's face.

Iruka stared up to a bloody knife protruding from the base of the man's neck. The body fell forward and revealed the fluttering blue fabric of a loose kimono. A seething red eye lingered on the fallen corpse. Loose strands of silver came to rest over a scar that carved through the man's eyebrow, down to the cheek.

The stranger winked that eye closed and breathed out his anger. Beautiful and terrifying rage.

He cast his concern on Iruka.

At the sight of Iruka, his hand tightened on a bloodied white tanto—the lightest colored metal Iruka had ever seen.

Sakura landed next to Iruka, tying a strip of ripped fabric around his thigh to stop the bleeding. She looked between Iruka's wounds and the stranger, utterly amazed.

Iruka struggled to understand what he'd seen. The man let out an amused huff at Iruka's dumbfounded expression.

Sakura checked his injured shoulder, feeling around it. "I have to put it back in."

The stranger knelt beside Iruka. "I didn't know you were one of those warrior monks, Obou-san." He put a hand on Iruka's forehead, encouraging him to rest into the ground, and brushed the hair out of his face. "You just can't stay out of trouble, can you?"

"Take a deep breath, Iruka."

He did so and as soon as he started to exhale, Sakura slid the ball back into his shoulder's socket with a pop. His racing thoughts were blown apart. Releasing into that sigh, the exhaustion he had ignored took over and his consciousness slipped.

---

...

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