Hellow! Welcome back to Purple Twist ^_^ Second chapter finally up, though I don't know why I waited so long to publish it, since it was finished a while ago...
So I need to clear up a few things! Firstly, I must underline the fact that this is the rewriting of a story I published on Quizilla a few years ago! I changed the name here as well [The original name shall not be mentioned, it is too shameful O_O]
Also, sorry for the misunderstanding - This is NOT KankuroXKisame XD I know I put our beloved shark as a main character, but it's not a pairing, he just has a very very important part in the story :3 You'll see why!... when I pull myself together and start the good part of the story ^o^/
Anywho, sorry for the long A/N ~ WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO! Enjoy! :D
After reaching the middle of the clearing, followed by Aki and Hiroyuki, I let my gaze flow up a large tree, rooted in the very centre of the mass of boulders and crushed rocks we used to train. How this beautiful, legendary tree came to life in this arid place, I would never know. However it was highly respected by the village, and had therefore claimed the name of 'Tree of Wonder'. Rumours said that if you ground the leaves into a paste and blended it with a couple of secret ingredients, you would be left with an antidote to cure just about any disease or pain.
I placed a hand on the tough, dark brown bark, and let my eyelids fall over my irises, whispering a small prayer under my breath. My team mates did the same.
After this, we gathered in a circle and decided on what we should be doing today. Aki was desperate to try out her upgraded Genjutsu-Then-I-Punch-Jutsu, so we prepared for some sparring, battle royale style.
I took a deep breath, looking over my team mates' weaknesses.
Hiroyuki was intelligent, and his strategies were sublime. He mastered long-range ninjutsu and powerful body enhancements using chakra and adrenaline, giving him the upper hand, and making up for his lack of power, and to a certain extent, speed. He wasn't superb at taijutsu or close range though, especially without preparation.
Aki, on the other hand, was a brutal close combat fighter, who'd endure all of your punches and then smash your bones to bits. She was durable, with high stamina, but she was reckless and usually went for an all-out offensive - which could be used against her, as her defence was easily crumbled. She also had rather limited chakra control, which she mainly used for her occasional genjutsu.
I tightened the bandages around my arms and thighs.
"I...I won't hold back! Let's do our best!"
"Hell yeah!" The orange-haired tomboy cracked her knuckles. "Bring it on!" The blonde teen immediately took a defence position and went through a flurry of complicated hand signs.
"Boost." He closed his eyes, probing through his body with chakra, and then stimulated his adrenal glands. A great dose of the hormone rushed through his veins, which he mixed with a small portion of his chakra. More powerful pulses radiated through his body, bringing his speed and strength to a whole new level. His eyes opened again, and his usually velvet purple eyes were now ornate with smooth black and clear blue swirls. "Prepare yourselves."
"Already using your enhancement 'cause you can't face us without it, am I right?" Aki grinned, provoking him on purpose. He remained cool and turned his head to face me.
"You don't seem to be in such a hurry." He swiftly made a dash for me, alternating between zig zags and ducking to avoid hurled weapons. His fist went back for a punch directly into my jaw, which I blocked with my forearms. I could've sworn I heard the tiniest of cracking sounds...
"G-gh!" I grit my teeth and went for a jutsu of my own. After pushing Hiroyuki back, I went through my own chain of hand signs, and bit my thumb, opening a wound and spilling blood on the dry ground beneath our feet. "Doton! Iwa Yumiya! [Rock Bow and Arrow]" My most prized weapon appeared in my hands, energy coursing through the polished stone. I leaped back, aiming at Hiroyuki with one of the chakra-infused arrows. The point flew directly at him, but despite the speed, he avoided it with ease.
"HAH! Never let your guard down! Blitz!" I made a dash to the left, avoiding Aki's destructive blow. I grabbed another arrow and shot it at her, who let the tip embed itself in her shoulder. She hissed, but yanked it out and flung it to the side. I barely had enough time to react as she threw herself at me, sending a dangerous flying kick towards me and Hiroyuki. I could heard the woosh beside my face as I sidestepped her, and the sudden slam as Hiroyuki nullified her kick with one of his jutsu.
"Futon: Kaze no Hashi [Wind's Edge]." He called out, creating a sharp wall with his summoned wind. A devilish smirk appeared on Aki's face.
"Utsuro Maboroshi [Blank Illusion]!" She cast her beloved genjutsu upon him, and before he could resist, all of his movements ceased, and he stood there, unable to think or do anything. "That's what you get for underestimating me, little genius!" She pulled her gloved fist back, then threw a harsh and rapid punch into the side of the blonde's jaw. He stumbled back in recoil, barely snapping out of the genjutsu. "ALMIGHTY GENJUTSU-THEN-I-PUNCH-JUTSU!" No matter how ridiculous the name, she roared it with such a passion and charisma that it took me a few seconds to remind myself that there was an opening in her defences at that precise moment. I clutched my bow and aimed at Aki's thigh before letting the arrow zoom towards her.
~o~
The sparring session had been deemed a success after all. We were all covered in scratches and ugly bruises, but it was all worth it. We had managed to hold out for an hour and a half with barely any breaks.
Aki was cursing about how my arrows burned her skin, and Hiroyuki was nursing his lightly swollen jaw. I had twisted my ankle, and thanks to the blonde's razor sharp wind, I got a huge gash on that same leg. I was limping lightly, and so leaned on my team mates for support.
"I feel like some shaved ice[1]!" The tomboy pointed to an ice cream stand. "Do you guys have any spare ryo?" She searched through her baggy jeans pockets.
"Something refreshing would be nice...yeah..." I dug out a 500 ryo coin, smiling. "Could you order me one with grape flavour?"
"I'll take one with soda." Hiroyuki nodded. Aki gave me a quick thanks before snatching the coin from my fingers and standing in line to buy our shaved ice.
"Say, Hiroyuki-kun" I whispered. "Do you think we stand a chance against the others at the Jounin exam?" He whipped his head around, with an almost shocked expression pasted across his face.
"Are you doubting us and yourself?"
"N-No! That's not what I mean...it's just...I'm a little nervous." I took a deep breath. "But we've managed the chuunin exam, and we've become much stronger since. We can do this if try our best. Right..?"
"Definitely. We won't let this chance go to waste." He smiled. "We still have about a month before the exam, so you shouldn't be so much on edge."
"I wish I was as confident as you, Hiroyuki-kun."
~o~
Later that night, after a good day of training and hanging out with my squad, I decided to head back home. I was exhausted, and I wanted time to relax and be in good shape tomorrow. At 6 o'clock sharp, I had to be at the karaoke club we had decided on. I was tremendously excited, since it was one of my first times going out alone at night with friends. I rarely did go out at night, and when I did, it wasn't far from home.
I wonder what Kankuro is doing right now. A melancholic sigh escaped my lips. I think I'm becoming obsessed with him.
But...
What am I to him?
With his charm, he could have any girl in the world he wanted.
And due to some twisted coincidence, when I came to his house, he suddenly grew attracted to me. We flirted. We hugged. And we kissed.
A horrible feeling crept up inside me. I fell for him, hard. But maybe he was just taking advantage of me...
Tears suddenly threatened to spill, and I wanted to hurry back to the comfort of my home, under my bed covers. I couldn't let anyone see me in such a weakened state. Crying over a man...Why am I so disappointed..?
But wait. Temari said he was into me...and he did say he had his sights on me...they wouldn't be lying, they're honest people.
...Do I...have even the slightest of chances?
I felt hope inside me grow, blooming like the most magnificent flower in the world. Hope...
The sun was beaming its last golden rays, and setting into the horizon up ahead. I stopped to watch the semi circle sink into the wild, deserted landscape, turning from a rich shade of orange to a dark red. I sat myself on a bench, watching the sunset slowly drift by, almost losing the concept of time. Minutes seemed to stretch into hours, but when I peeked at the sun's position, only a couple of minutes had trickled away.
I miss him. Memories of our short romantic encounter flooded my mind again. I felt salty tears pool in the corner of my eyes. And I was on the verge of choking up, when I felt a strong hand placed on my shoulder.
"Young girls shouldn't be sitting out alone at night." The voice was all too familiar, with that dark and...seductive tone. My heart instantly skipped a beat.
"K...K-Kankuro-san..."
"The one and only." He sat down next to me, face illuminated with a grin, which immediately faded after studying my expression properly. "Why are you crying?" I hurriedly wiped my eyes, shaking my head.
"I'm not crying..! I-I'm...uhm...just a little tired is all..." I yawned, opening my mouth wide to show him the extent of my fatigue. He snorted.
"As if I'd ever believe that." He saw through my lie with such ease, I felt childish for even trying to keep a secret from him.
"I was...thinking...a little too much..." I breathed, leaning back into the bench.
"About what?" He demanded, keeping eye contact with me. I wanted to tear my gaze away from his, but that overpowering energy surging from him stopped me from doing so.
"...I...uhm...you." I played with the bandages wrapped around my thighs, blushing. "And...yesterday..."
"Is that so..." He raised an eyebrow. At that precise moment, his expression was undecipherable. "So I take it either you miss my kisses really badly..." The puppeteer started jokingly, but that didn't last long. A frown was now drawn across his lips. "...or I've hurt your feelings."
"I-I...wouldn't say that." I bit my lower lip to stop myself from crying again. "I'm just...I don't know if we're just friends, or if we're more than that...and then...I suddenly thought 'what if yesterday was just a joke?'...and that made me...really sad..." Without realising it, I had broken down into quiet sobs. "K-Kankuro-san, I'm s-sorry...I..." My face was now blotchy red, and streaked with tears.
Kankuro didn't say anything. He gently pulled me into his chest, where I cried all of the tears my body could muster.
I don't know how long we were sitting there, but the sun had already gone down, the sky was engulfed by a dark blue cloak, and even the birds had stopped chirping. He held me right until I had quieted down.
"So I guess I should clarify stuff, huh?" He smiled, giving my moist cheek a...loving caress. "Listen, Blitz. To me, you're an addiction. You're so kind hearted, beautiful, pure, innocent...the list goes on. And that's why you're off-limits to me. I'd hurt you." He mumbled. "I'm not as much of a 'nice' and 'romantic' man as they say, and you know it." Time seemed to freeze as the words flew out of his lips. "It drives me insane. Have you any idea how much I want you, despite knowing I shouldn't touch you?" My pulse was hammering in my chest, and it was so loud and so hard, I think he might have heard it too. But right now, it didn't matter.
He confessed in a way which made me want to have him all to myself, and never let him go. This man...
Made me sound like a goddess, a forbidden treasure.
"But I want you to touch me." Came the hoarse, desperate whisper. "I-I'm...not off-limits...Kankuro-san..."
"You don't know what you're saying...Blitz." He rapidly heaved me up on his lap. "I just can't help myself when I'm around you. You'll be breaking down inside because of me." His eyes seemed to pierce my very soul.
But I refused to let him get away.
Not after he told me the truth.
"I...I love you, Kankuro-san..." My hands grabbed his hood and clumsily yanked him in for a kiss. "Don't...leave me...please..." I breathed, breaking the kiss for an instant before plunging in again.
He seemed hesitant at first. It felt as if a part of him was still telling him to back off and stop this, but eventually, that part receded.
There it was. The powerful, dominant feel to his delicious lips.
This time, it was stronger, amplified by a certain...lust and desire.
Our lips were on fire. Blazing. They mingled together in a frenzy of wild, unleashed emotions. We broke apart, gasping for air, locked eyes with each other, then connected mouths again. My arms clutched his neck, and his were possessively wrapped around my waist.
His lips tasted of spices. A seductive and incredibly tempting mixture, which grew even more intense as tongues came into play. Roaming each other's mouths, rubbing them together.
We couldn't get enough.
"I'm past my tolerance level here. If I get any more of you now, I'll take you on the spot." His voice was low and husky. Oh Kankuro...
"I'll...stop...I...got a little carried away." A trail of saliva ran down the corner of my mouth, and my lips were a little swollen - as well as probably lathered with purple paint.
"Same here." A comfortable silence fell upon us as we laid in each others' arms for a few seconds. "I should probably walk you home before I do anything to you..." He warned, his usual playful grin back on his face.
"O-Oh...you're right, it's late.." I whispered, realising that most of the houses had all their lights off. "I also wanted to ask you...how do you remove the paint?" I pointed to my lips after scrambling off him and standing up. We shared a quick laugh, and on the way back to my home, he explained everything I had to know about that mysterious war paint of his. I listened attentively. The way he talked about his hobby - puppets - was so fascinating and passionate, it was difficult not to get captivated by his speech.
~o~
Soon, we arrived in front of my house. It was way past my curfew, and my mother was probably worried sick. It made me feel extremely bad inside, since she was a good person, but she was emotionally sensitive, and it didn't take much for her to collapse and burst into tears.
I think I got that from her.
After knocking on the door and waiting a few minutes, my mother gently opened the door, revealing her cloudy blue eyes, lightly greasy purple hair and woolly poncho.
"Oh Blitz! ...and Kankuro-sama! What brings you here at this time of the day..?" A mixture of different expressions, varying from saddened to surprised to silently grateful flashed across her face.
"I'm just accompanying your daughter back home." He grinned. "Sorry for keeping her for so long."
"As long as she's with you, I trust she'll be alright..." A smile found its way to her chapped lips. "Thank you for taking care of her, Kankuro-sama." An embarrassed blush crept up to my cheeks.
"...mother...he's not my babysitter..." I whispered.
"It's no big deal, really." The puppeteer shrugged. "I'll be heading back now. Good night!" He gave my hair a quick ruffle, and then leaned in to whisper. "I promise tomorrow will be very interesting."
"I can't wait." I replied, taking in his fresh wood-like scent one last time before uttering a quick good night and scuttling back inside my house.
~o~
The next day crawled by so tortuously slowly, it was extremely hard to bear with it. I had woken up very early, and after gulping down a bowl of miso soup and side serving of steamed rice, I had laid down on my bed and done practically nothing until lunch time.
Wandering around the house, staring at the ceiling, and doing the laundry was not going to make the day go any faster, I thought. My mother was at the hospital, working her occasional shift as a nurse. She had been trained at medical ninjutsu, and devoted her life to saving people and healing their wounds, both physical and mental. Her other shifts were in a small psychology institution at the border of the village, which was a pain, since she had to travel exceedingly far almost every other day.
But she never lost faith. She worked hard for the both of us, as she had promised on the grave of her husband, my father.
But enough rambling about the past.
So I had spent the rest of the afternoon listening to the old radio in the kitchen, humming along to the different tunes which were played. My voice was rather rusty and not very flexible, so some basic warm ups were appreciated. I only knew around a quarter of the songs, but it was amusing nonetheless. I should do this more often... I mused, pressing the 'off' button and hurrying upstairs to prepare myself for the big night.
And so, after changing into more comfortable clothing, pulling my mass of spiky hair into a ponytail and fastening my kunai pouch around my thigh, the time had finally come. Without a second thought, I left for the karaoke bar, anticipation rushing in my very veins.
~o~
The karaoke bar...it was incredible. Millions of different coloured neon lights hung on the walls, along with a bunch of pictures, representing different singers. The hall was spacious, but isolated, and music was already roaring on the stage. The crowds at the tables were cheering for the current singer, who was doing a pretty good job, despite minor lapses and skipping notes. I twisted my lips, searching for the Sand Siblings in the massive group of ninjas, businessmen and other civilians. They usually stood out a lot, so it was easy to find them, but on this particular night, they were probably wearing something a little more...adapted to karaoke.
It took me a good 5 minutes before finding them in front of the bar, sipping on their drinks.
"Blitz!" Temari smiled, waving me over. "Good to see you." Her body was dressed with a strapless, turquoise blue dress. She was like a shining jewel among her brothers, who were looking manly, more than anything.
"You too, Temari-san!" I fiddled with the hem of my shirt, admiring the cheerful faces of the legendary squad. Kankuro gave my hair a quick ruffle before winking and taking a swig of his glass.
"Looking good." My cheeks were flushed. That's what he said, but hell, he should have taken a look at himself. Face paint removed, and body suit replaced by a dark grey shirt and lose fitting jeans. That man is a sex god, I swear...and...you can see the outline of all his muscles...oh Kami...
"Konban wa [2]." Gaara politely greeted. Even he was wearing a suit! ...and the crowd of squealing fangirls behind him confirmed that fact that he truly was handsome tonight, Matsuri being the number one.
"Good evening, Kazekage-sama!" I gave him a curt bow.
"So, you gonna order anything to drink?" The puppeteer motioned the enormous collection of drinks behind the bar. I scanned the shelves, searching for something to my taste.
"B-but...these are all...strong alcohol...I'm...uhm...under age..." I stuttered, staring at the labels of the bottles.
"Oh yeah, shit." He squinted, leaning on the counter. "Hey bartender guy! You got any non-alcoholic drinks or what?" The called man, who was polishing a cup, whipped his head around hastily, facing Kankuro.
"Indeed I do. We have soft drinks, fruit juice, and water - either mineral or sparkling." He slammed the glass he finished polishing on the table. "What'll it be, sir?" The expert puppet master nodded to me.
"I'll...well...how about...sparkling water, please." I fidgeted through my pockets, searching for spare coins.
"Just put it on our tab!" Temari called from behind Gaara. "I think it's our turn soon!" She had to shout to make her voice audible. It was so noisy inside, I could barely hear myself think. The barman obediently poured some of the clear, bubbly liquid inside a fresh new cup and handed it to me. "Ma'am." I said a quick thanks and turned to face the rest of the Sand Siblings.
"What'll we be singing..?" I inquired.
"You get to chose from the selection offered here." The blonde explained. "Then, you grab a microphone, the music plays, and you sing like your life depends on it."
"A lot of people will be watching too..." The kazekage reminded us. I sighed gloomily.
"I'm not sure if this will go so well..."
"Don't worry about that! The point of this is to have fun anyways!" Kankuro gulped down the last of his sake and set his glass aside, focusing on the main stage as well. "Yeah, this is gonna be entertaining." He smirked. The previous singer had finished his song, and was now stepping off stage. The DJ adjusted his microphone, addressing the crowd.
"And now, we have the honour of welcoming our beloved Kazekage-sama, Kankuro-sama and Temari-sama, as well as their friend Blitz-chan!" He cried out in excitement, sending loose a fresh, louder wave of cheering throughout the massive group of people. The fan-wielding kunoichi grabbed my wrist and forcefully dragged me to the stage.
"Come on! Now's the time to chose our songs..." Someone shoved a relatively large list of songs in my hands. I skimmed through the papers, searching for one which would match my voice and taste.
...easier said than done. Temari eagerly accepted going first, but they all insisted on me going second. So there I was, searching through the simplest pop or techno songs I could find, until Kankuro placed a hand on my shoulder.
"How about a duet then?" He grinned, pointing to his choice.
"Hero...by Skillet." A smile curled on my lips. "I...I'd like that!" Confidence grew in me again. The song was perfect. He did most of the singing, but I was his echo, so I had an important role as well.
"And if you do really good, I'll reward you nicely." He licked his lips suggestively.
"H-How so..?" My blush deepened, and a shiver ran down my spine.
"If I tell you, it won't be a surprise, will it?" He burrowed his hands in his pockets and motioned for me to follow him. "Temari's gonna sing now, let's see how she does!" We treaded towards the edge of the backstage, peeking through the curtains to see the blonde preparing her microphone. After a rapid test, the music started. The elder Sand Sibling's face was alive with colour and excitement, and she was lightly tapping her foot to the rhythm of the melody.
The lyrics flew from her lips in a passion, bursting outwards to the overly engaged crowd. They screamed, and cheered as if their life depended on it - and they had a good reason to.
Temari's voice was crystal clear, but so powerful, and she hit all the right notes too. She seemed to have a natural talent for it, the way she confidently strode up with her microphone in hand, reaching out for the audience, all while occasionally peeking at the lyrics. Kankuro and I clapped from behind the scene, silently cheering her on.
I was drowning in the atmosphere of flashing lights, heavy beat and constant shouts and laughs all around me. It felt too good to be true, a bit like a dream, transluscent and out of one's reach.
~o~
Even after exitting the karaoke club, and stepping out into the fresh night air, the grin on my face wouldn't fade away. I felt alive. The dull thud in my head due to the pulsating music was slowly quieting down.
The pale, creamy moon shot it's faintly glistening, silver rays down to us, observing the sandy landscape from the jet black sky up above. It greatly enhanced the puppet master's facial features - those ever so alert and sharp eyes, accompanied by his softer, more laid-back smirk were absolutely breathtaking.
Not to mention those handsomely sculpted lips...
I took a deep breath, savouring the silent air around us, then turned to face the other sand siblings, who were still discussing our singing.
"Who would've known Blitz and Kankuro could sound so perfect together?" Temari breathed. "It was like light and dark singing a duet!"
"Not hard to figure out which is which, either." Gaara's mouth quirked upwards for a brief instant before turning back to the usual mask of seriousness. "It was a beautiful constrast."
"Aww, stop the poetic flattering already." Kankuro beamed. "We were fucking awesome."
"It was so much fun..! I haven't enjoyed myself like this in so long..." I bowed formally to all of them. "Thank you very much for this evening! I'll...I'll never forget it!" My appreciative speech extracted a few chuckles out of them.
"You can be casual, Blitz, we're your friends, not your masters!" The puppet master gave my messy hair another ruffle, then leaned in to whisper very quietly. "But in bed, things could be different." That tone...
Silky smooth and heated...
I think I'm going to melt...
"A-Ah? I...I-I...see..." Crimson spread rapidly across my cheeks. "A...anyways, I'll be heading home now..."
"Nah ah, you won't be rid of us that easily..." He wagged his finger at me, chuckling darkly.
"Yeah, we ought to drag you back to our place, so that you won't disturb your sleeping mother." Temari placed her hands on her waist after adjusting her curve-emphasizing dress. "And-"
"BAD NEWS EVERYONE! NO, I MEAN TERRIBLE NEWS!" Our chit chat was interrupted by a torrent of violent and panicked screaming. We all turned our heads towards the source of the ruckus, which was a young boy. His eyes were puffed and red, meaning that he had been crying.
"Hey, keep it down, kid. What's the matter?" Kankuro gave the infant's shoulder a quick pat. Temari knelt next to him, inquiring about the possible location of his parents.
"T-The..." He stammered, closing his hands into fists. "THE AKATSUKI ARE BACK!"
To be continued!~
Quick translations/explanations:
[1] Shaved Ice: Crushed ice, flavoured with different types of syrup. A popular summer treat in Japan.
[2] Konban wa: Good evening
