Note: This story is very AU and OOC, but the characters will become more of themselves as the story goes on. The changing perspectives is to make a dimensional twist on how the character is feeling and how an observer would see the situation, so I hope that clears up an tense confusion for my beloved readers. I will however make an effort to make the story perspectives less confusing.
Terms:
Okaa-sama: A formal term for "mother"
Bakasame- Literally "stupid shark"
Chichui-Formal address of how to say father, not how you address a patriarch of the family
Miko: Shrine maidens
Guji- The title given to a priest who was in charge of a Shinto shrine
Chapter 3: Mist
Sakura~
"Come at me!"
The clang of metal could be heard.
"Is that all you've got?!" There was a lilt of friendliness in the teasing voice, though the words were mocking.
"Why don't you stay still and see! I'll come for you soon enough!" Playful laughter was exchanged between the two sparring partners, their amusement filling the secluded thicket.
Our blades met in a square duel, I pressed thinly forward, a leg placed strongly behind me so I could anchor and then direct my body anyway I wanted to. My opponent also pressed herself forward, with a natural grace that I had so often admired in her. With another clang we came apart, our sword dance momentarily put on hold as she finally gave a signal for a short rest, and I panted.
Beautiful coffee brown hair strung up in two buns, with keen chocolate eyes and a slender, but muscled frame, TenTen was the idol image of a woman and a weapons master. Though I was jealous of her height, TenTen had always treated me like I was her equal, height or not height. I had grown up with her in these mountains, where nature provided a sanctuary from humanity, where there was a kind of serenity painted in the great forests and a power in the misty peaks of the mountains. It was here in this very thicket that we met many years ago as children, and our friendship had been a secret ever since. Though TenTen's family knew of our friendship, no one at the temple, save Abbot Retsu knew of my socialization with the village blacksmith's daughter.
It was only later in even more secrecy that TenTen started to school me, as her father had early on taught her, to wield many different weapons. Miko were predisposed to know some kind of archery and some even carried a tanto hidden in out sleeves if we were harassed. It was through TenTen's teachings, and my own ingenuity during my chores that I grew in strength and practice. For two years TenTen had sparred with me, and gradually I could wield weapons in quite a satisfactory way. I prided myself on my archery and tanto fighting, but it was TenTen's katana training that really stirred my curiosity.
However, TenTen had the natural flow to her body for weapons, a kind of sense for steel and tools. She also had an inane sense of how to turn everyday objects into deadly projectiles or close combat weapons.
Not even Abbot Retsu could compare to the companionship TenTen provided me with. She was a great friend and gave wonderful advice, being my senior by two years, she has some experience of the world I didn't possesses. Only she knew of my own past with my family, though I often loved spending time with her own instead. Her father looked large and intimidating with all his muscles and glaring dark eyes, but he was a good man and a fine father. TenTen's sweet mother was dutiful and kind to me, and had often opened her home to me. I was very grateful I had this one secret thing that my own world couldn't spoil.
I rubbed the sweat from my brow, suddenly light headed and slightly lethargic. I almost stumbled back, but I caught myself before I could fall, blinking dizzily. I huffed from my muscle exertion, hoping TenTen hadn't noticed my momentary slip. She was often a bit to observants for her own good, and could usually see right through my lies or defenses. For a few days I had been trying to hide my insomnia, but it would seem simply playing by our ususal schedule of training every three days or so had been a bad idea for my body. I sighed deeply, and blinked the sweat out of my eyes.
"Your dreams are still haunting you." I looked up quickly, sword at the ready, but relaxed when I viewed TenTen's stern and concerned eyes. That had been a statement, not a question, said with a surety that only TenTen could come up with. So she had seen my near stumble, and it would seem I was about to get an ear full of scolding from my now appointed mother hen.
"I'm guessing it would be futile to deny your claim, since we both know its true." I replied to her inquiry/statement calmly, though I mentally prepared myself for the tongue-lashing to come. However, TenTen did not explode like she has last time she had learned of my sickness, but rather sighed and rubbed her temples in concentration. It was face she usually wore when she was deeply contemplating something. She silently offered me the rest of her water, which I greedily drank, but kept an eye on my friend.
"Do you think the gods are trying to tell you something?" I gave her a side glance, my own theories coming into play. I sighed and rubbed my neck, my back aching, even after all the stretching I had done.
"Perhaps, but I doubt it. I only catch certain voices and sentences. But it's the awareness, a kind of cold feeling, like spiders climbing all over me. It's as if something's going to happen or someone is watching me all the time. It's like I can't find peace, even in my own head. It upsets me greatly, and the feeling just pushes me to not be able to feel safe enough to really deeply sleep." TenTen looked to me in sympathy, and I was touched that she looked torn as to how to help me. I gave her a tired, warm smile, thankful.
"Don't worry TenTen. I'll be going to the Abbot and try to find answers soon enough. For now just trust me in letting me do this on my own." She looked quite unsure. I guess I should have been slightly offended by her disbelief.
"I can't help but worry, you know that. It's just I feel like your so fragile right now, and I don't want you to get hurt. " I tried to look reassuring to her.
"You needn't worry Ten-chan. I'm sure I'll be able to get a good night sleep soon, plus that great herbal tea of your okaa-sama's does the trick every time!" I have her my best smile, while inside I highly doubted I would find some kind of semblance of sleep. However, her mother's tea was delicious, and I often coveted it so....It was just so good......
"TenTen! Sakura! Come take a break!" A fluent, clear voice cut through the tense atmosphere. I mentally sighed in relief at the interruption. Speak of the devil.... My face lit up, and I smirked teasingly at TenTen.
"Race you!" I cried out childishly, speeding off towards her house. TenTen started and then huffed as she raced to catch up with me.
"No fair!" She cried happily, and knew that while the subject had not been forgotten, we had set our moods on a more happier note. I laughed suddenly, as if such a function was spontaneous. TenTen's laughter joined in, like it had been when we were kids. As we neared her house, both of us neck and neck, I felt that perhaps it would actually be alright, something I had not felt in two weeks.
[Itachi]
I had woken up early that morning, much earlier then even for me, but it was not my sheer enthusiasm to reach one of our last destinations. It had to do with that damned ache in my chest, right between my ribs, nestled snugly against my lungs. It was as if a weight had settled on only that one point, and it was so damned annoying. I heard my men ready for the day, and began to dress myself. We were on the road after all, there was hardly enough time for the ususal finery of my life, such as dressing women and a nice bath. We all would replenish our supplies at as we finally cleared a quarter of the mountain range, since there was a good sized village right near the shrine.
I sighed tiredly, for I hadn't slept all that well the night before, armed myself and made way out of my tent for my servants to take down and store. I had prayed almost feverishly into the night, trying to rid myself of my odd feelings and sensations. I chocked it up to pent up sexual need, and a lack of regular outdoor exercise or activity. As I ate my plain travel fare, I listened to Kisame and Hidan ramble on.
They were an odd pairing to pick to go on the tour with me, but they both suited a purpose. Kisame, an actually blue-skinned man with shark features and a giant chakra eating sword, was my most trusted "body guard" and comrade. We had known each other for sometime, and I trusted him with my life. Hidan was another story all together, in a sort of delusional, "how the fuck did this guy even come to be?" sort of way. A foreign deity worshiper with a pension for too much human sacrificing and cussing, described Hidan. Yet he was extremely useful, had odd powers, even "immortality" and had a crude charm to him that made him rather alright to be around as a warrior and comrade. He got on rather well with Kakuzu, but Kisame had insisted in coming with me. Thus I was charged with making sure Hidan didn't kill another partner, and to not let Kisame shave Hidan slowly away before he could complete his dark god circle to gain his immortality.
What I wouldn't give for one of the upscale brothels from the capital. My men and I had been deprived of any "company" for a week and a half, after we had stopped at a small mountain village before we had started up the summit of the mountain. While I had enjoyed the company of many fine "ladies", I could feel a touch of blue balls coming on. I was slightly addicted to sex, since at home or when I usually traveled, I could choose the women who would come with me to keep me sated and my palate was always fed. Since this was a "holy pilgrimage", I could not bring my ususal "stash" with me. And while I could suffer in silence, my fellows didn't seem to have the restraint or patience.
" By the gods, I'm going to go insane if I don't release some of this tension." Hidan huffed at Kisame's dismayed tone. I sighed.
"Would you shut up, bakasame! I don't need to hear about your fucking-dumbass blue balls problem! Sex with any fucking whore is deemed sacrilege, dumbass. I can mouth-fuck any girl I want, but I ain't eaten any infected pussy of any cunt." Hidan actually looked proud that all he could receive was oral sex. I smirked dryly, he didn't know what he was missing.
" Some god you got there, you silver-haired bastard. Not even letting you enjoy yourself."
"I'd take Jashin-sama's grace then for some big tits and ripe ass any day. But I can't wait to get to the at shrine. Maybe I can sacrifice a few virgins to Jashin-sama." Kisame laughed in mock amusement.
"Some habit you got there." Hidan glared his bejeweled purple eyes at my head bodyguard.
" At least I'm human looking, not some fish demon trying to appear in human skin asswipe." Kismae growled.
" Shut your fucking mouth you gay, lily-ass fucker. Like you could score with any self-respecting woman! They all runaway in terror cause of your own freakish looks and damned psychopathic, overzealous religious manic attitude of yours!" They both grabbed their weapons on their backs, ready to brawl in the middle of the damned forest path just coming up into sight ahead of us. I rubbed my temples, and looked back at them with an irritated eye, my pupils already swirling in my Sharingan. They glared daggers at each other before they spontaneously burst into laughter, and I rubbed my forehead in exasperation. It was times like these I felt like a surrogate mother or something. One minute they were at each other's throats, and the next they were the best of comrades. And people said I had emotional issues.
At least I wasn't the one(s) who seemed to have an extreme case of bipolar.
"Man, shark, this is the good times you know. But I can't wait to stop straddling this horse and finally relax fora few days."
"To bad you can't enjoy the "favors" were going to receive at the temple." Hidan smirked hungrily.
"But just image all those pretty, little naive virgin priestesses? It gets me fucking hard just thinking about it even if I can't screw 'em." Kisame and Hidan laughed, exchanging idiotic ideas as to how they would deface the supposed "pretty virgins" and disgrace the girls's virtue. I snorted in a mix of contempt and an odd nostalgia.
While their language was as crude as ever, the idea of taking as many virgins to my bed at once would have once put me in a state of extreme arousal, but now I favored the more practiced woman. That weeping pile of flesh of a virgin from a few weeks ago had been dissatisfying, and to rid myself of her unsavory "flavor" I had tasted my favored courtesans's favors.
Though my physical need was still unsatisfied, the harem of thirty woman had kept me fed enough to go on throughout the day without becoming too frustrated. But perhaps as my men had suggested I would perhaps find a slight reprieve in the form of a nice virgin miko from the Weeping Willow Princess shrine. I smirked dryly, almost bitterly amused as the sex talk behind me continued, of my fate.
Sex had become an addiction, a need, and now after I had taken so many woman, one single one could never satisfy me. I was a man descended and picked from heaven itself, and yet I could never be sated of my need. A great man slowly toppling himself over because of his mere instinctual urges. The most deserving, left cold with want. I gave a cold chuckle.
Never to be satisfied, never to be with company, alone.
Sakura~
TenTen and I were chatting over the last of our tea and small sweet cakes when we first the roll of drums and the noise of many horse hooves on the main road through the forest towards the shrine. We looked at each other in confusion before we melted into two stimulus grins.
"The Divine General! The Shogun!"
TenTen voiced what we both had thought, and with that exclamation we both took off to see the great caravan of the most powerful man in all the world. With a sense of bubbling excitement we hid behind the trees thirty feet to see the road as the group started to ascend to the temple, great armored men marching in single, handsome lines , the front bearing the flags of the Uchiha dynasty. Two odd warriors on fine stallions rode proudly in front of the litter, which was decked in the finest cobalt silk, shining gold and blue, like sunlight off a butterfly's wing. I had eyes only for that litter, and with the oddest sense of urgency, went quietly towards the road, even as TenTen protested behind me, even making to grab me by my robes. I felt it very unsettling that I made it to the edge of the road without any guards noticing my close proximity, but pushed it to the back of my mind.
All I could think about was seeing him, this man, this divine supposed being. I crawled into the brush, completely drunk on something, to beguiled to try and let my usually cool logic dictate my movements and thoughts. Because that one moment I tried to pull away from its slipping grasp, whatever it had been, I met the sharp gaze of the most amazing eyes I had ever seen through the mountain mist as it were a curtain to another plane of existence.
[Itachi]
The mist rose up as we ascended the stairs, a sudden keen feeling of fate came onto me again. The mist was like a dewy, white curtain among the forest, heavy with the taste of magic and surrealism. I gazed out from my silk litter, board, but fascinated by the rising clouds of condensation, like we were ascending to heaven itself. The evening air was thick with jasmine suddenly, but it was native flower and I ignored it.
As I gazed into the scenery, a flash of viridian came to my gaze and struck me in fascination. Through the thick mist I saw them, gazing upon me in curiosity as I looked into them. It was only for a second, but I could of sworn that in that short span of time that I had glimpsed sharp emerald eyes of great beauty peering out of the thick brush, looking right into my own red and black ones.
And then like a like an illusion they were gone, gone through the mist, the forest eerily calm and silent, rapping us in her shroud of mist, a milky cloak as we finally neared the high shrine's last staircase. There was a sound of drums, and a ceremonial path was etched for us as we entered the holy ground of the temple, marked by my own flag bearers. After all the shogun must make an entrance, he is the most important man in the world. I let myself vainly primp at the fact for a moment as I took in the shrine. It was medium sized, housing a few hundred individuals, with properly cared for gardens and neat white stone paths.
I could make out the slightly slumped, but proud form of the former Imperial officer now in modest, but superior guji robes. The famed Lady Tsukino Retsu stood calm and sleek next to him, poised and having an air of silent authority. She was a fair woman, yet her eyes were too wise to be considered innocent. So this was the woman my chichui had tried to hard to get to become his concubine once, an imperial wife even, and his own personal oracle. She had refused the Son of Heaven, and had decided to reside here, near her prosperous home village. Since then this village had been a traveling peak for nobility and commoners alike, that and the rumored beauty of the miko here.
The lines of the many maidens stared eagerly upon my caravan and myself, their petty little necks craned, eyes sickingly wide, their mouths so open they were drooling. My mouth twitched in a brief grimace of disgust before my usually icy mask came back on. I looked at the chattering birds as I descended with an imposed natural grace from my litter, and I saw the awe, saw the hunger, saw the wonder, saw the damned lust in those beady little eyes. I cast my eyes on them, almost searching, for what I could not tell, and saw nothing extraordinary, just the same simple pretty girls from the country, already in lust with my looks and reputation, my position and my finery.
Had I expected anything different? What had compelled me to think one of these stupid pleasure slaves could be special? Whatever I had wanted to find I had not found in my one search, and that was enough for me to dismiss my usually eager pursuit to find a one girl. I pushed my way to the front, my comrades in proper position and manner for once in their lives.
I inclined my head to Yamamoto, and the ache in my chest increased, like a dull gong humming in my ribcage. I watched in a detached manner as the ceremony went on, to bored and frozen to care other wise. I couldn't get over why I was feeling as if I had missed something, someone important, and that one thought made me feel so lost.
"Welcome, Great Lord Shogun Uchiha Itachi, Balance of the Devine, Descendent of Heaven, brother to the Son of Heaven. Welcome to the Shideareyanagi-Hime-Kami-Ichidou ."
The respected silence they gave at the address did nothing to compel me to answer their greetings. I huffed and bowed my head silently as custom, but that was all.
Welcome indeed.
A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed, the next chapter should be up in about another week.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Note: I own my OCs, story and plotline.
