Pj: Hey, sorry for the extra long wait time! Jokette is going through the motions of graduating high school (Congratulations babe!) and i'm stressing over college! It's tragic!
*insert standard disclaimer here*
Chapter III
Inner Warrior
Three figures of men sat calmly around a fireplace, bright amber flames rose and settled as the wind from outside would escape into the chimney. Cold, gray skies threatened the city rumbling and bright flashes of light would flicker omnisciently as a light drizzle told of the coming storm.
"Boss, why can't we just go get the two brats and bring them here, aren't you able to train the little boy instead of the girl?" the smallest of the three asked as he flipped through a magazine.
"No, she must train the boy. Only she knows the way of their people." A man with long, silky ink colored hair replied; golden eyes glancing over at the man.
"Well, why can't w-"
"Hidan just shut up." The taller man spoke up causing the man beside him to frown and direct a glare toward him.
"Who the fuck are you talking to stitch-face! I just want to know what I'm getting myself into." Hidan let his voice raise as the other man just rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Hidan please don't agitate Kakuzu, I need you to save that energy for when we prepare for the final stage of the plan." The leader of the two spoke up as he stared into the fire that flickered dangerously close to the edge of the fireplace.
"Yeah, yeah- whatever! But I'll be damned if some brats ruin my payoff 'cause you want to wait for some prophecy I haven't even heard of." Hidan answered as Kakuzu shifted in his seat, silently agreeing with the silver haired man.
Xxxx
"Koji, come here"
Koji looked around the street curiously searching for the noise that seemed to whisper in his ear softly. Azure eyes squinted up at his sister that walked ahead of him just a few steps, she didn't acknowledge it.
"Over here Koji, by the cherry blossom trees…"
He looked over toward the park where the cherry blossom tree sat innocently, some of its branches reached over the lake almost lovingly. Glancing at his sister nervously, he silently questioned himself if he should leave her side.
"Just for a moment dear Koji…"
Silently slipping away he walked into the entrance of the park, the ink color of the night sky slowly engulfing the remnants of dusk. "Maybe for just a moment, I'm almost sure she won't notice…" he whispered to himself as he neared the tree.
Koji walked around the tree searching for the owner of the voice that led him there, "Hello, I'm here."
A light breeze tickled the blossoms causing some to float down to the water; light ripples disrupted the calm surface. He sighed in annoyance as nothing appeared before him; slowly sliding down against the trunk dejectedly he stared into the water. "I guess I just imagined it" Koji pouted as he picked at the blades of grass flicking them in different directions.
"I'm here, also, Koji"
Bubbles began to appear near the edge of the lake alerting the young boy, his brows furrowing as they began to grow larger. He stood and cautiously approached where the bubbles boiled over onto the bank, "A-are you an o-oni?"
"Of course, but don't worry I do not wish to cause you harm little one"
A woman with chocolate colored hair and eyes rose from the frothing edge, her eyes locked onto the small boy who sat on his knees before her. His mouth wide open, Koji just stared up at the woman before him in awe. Her hair pulled up neatly into two buns with bright red ribbons, memorizing brown orbs looked down upon him as lightly tanned hands reached down and cupped his face endearingly.
"Hello, Koji-kun, it's nice to finally meet you face to face. My name is Ten-ten, I'm your inner warrior." She spoke softly as bright blue eyes just blinked in disbelief, "Do you know of what a warrior's inner warrior is?" she asked as a smile tugged at her lips at his light blush that dusted his cheeks.
"Y-yeah, sort of, one-chan has been teaching me about them." He stuttered slightly as he averted his gaze, it was rude to stare after all.
Xxxx
Sakura had been wondering the endless landscape of her thoughts as she walked down the road, heading toward the Uchiha's compound. Her new home.
'Tch, new home, my ass. I just know all of the, holier than thou, ass-wads are just going to berate me and my little brother. I swear I'll murder every one of those waste of space, air heads if I just feel that they've mistreated my precious little one.'
"Ne, Koji-kun, are you excited about living with the Uchiha clan?" Sakura asked curiously, wondering if the boy felt differently from her.
"…."
She took the silence as a disagreement, "Well not forever, just until I can get us our own place, somewhere closer to the city would be nice, right?"
"…."
Sigh, "Koji" Sakura turned around only to be met with an empty spot.
Scanning the area and looking through the thinning crowd of people, strawberry blond tufts of hair were nowhere in sight among the few lingering, dark haired people. Heart rate speeding up with each step she retraced, Sakura could only think of the worst; thoughts of the gory scene of her parents only made it worse. Cupping her hand around her mouth she yelled his name over and over; the bystanders just watching in curiosity as she passed them.
'I knew I shouldn't have taken my eyes off of him!' she thought frantically as she turned into the park.
"Koji, where are you?!" she yelled startling some birds that rested in the trees that lined the park's trail.
Stopping suddenly Sakura's whole left side tingled with a fierce nail-like sense, as a wave of cool air wafted around her, "Koji…"
Emerald orbs glowed eerily against the dark sky of the evening as she began to scan the area for the force that assaulted her senses. Pinpointing where the boy was, Sakura took off, her body tight with anticipation. A woman appeared with a traditional samurai clothing consisting of a dark gray umanori hakama, a black kimono under it, a dark red kataginu over the kimono, a white obi with golden koi fish embroidery; her feet were covered with red tabi and classic waraji. Dark brown buns pulled tight with neatly tied bright red ribbons that hung as if bows were once in their place. She was kneeling in front of Koji and stroking his cheek as if he were her child, a soft smile on her face as the boy rattled on about something unknown to the rosette.
Sakura moved silently across the grass as she neared the two, her senses tingling, making her feel as if cold water dripped onto her from an unknown source. Brown orbs locked with glowing emerald.
"Is there something you needed Samurai-san?" Sakura spoke darkly as she pulled Koji, roughly from the woman's grasp.
"Onee-chan, wait, Ten-ten-sensei is not bad! She's my inner warrior!" Koji blurted out as he felt the threatening aura of his sister engulf the area surrounding them.
Ten-ten stared curiously at the rosette as she stood, effectively towering the smaller woman, "That's right Sakura, I'm Ten-ten, I worked alongside your father while he trained."
Sakura's glare faltered as she felt the cold water sensation intensify causing her to fidget uncomfortably, "How do I know you're not just some crossroads oni that's trying to take my brother's soul? I'm pretty sure the death of our parents spread like a windstorm in the underworld."
"You don't have to believe my words but there are ways for me to show you, if you are willing to lend your brother for just a few moments."
"Do it, onee-chan! She said she can show me how to fight like chichi!"
"Tch, if you're lying or hurt my brother I'll make hell look like heaven to you."
A small smirk itched the side of the brunette's lip, "Very well, Sakura-san" she replied as Sakura released her little brother.
Jokette: Hey people of ! :D I finally graduated! X3 Phase one of world domination is done lol But seriously sorry for the late and short update... Hopefully you'll like this and don't come after us with pitch forks and fire lmao! ;D
Ten-ten is like the most gangster-ish samurai EVAH! ^u^ And yeah the animosity toward the Uchihas from Sakura was Pj's idea... So not my fault for you die hard Uchiha fans...
