I know it has been a while and I should have posted again earlier but there has been to many assignments for school and homework. AHHHHHH!!! Homework!!!!
Disclaimer// I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.
Claimer!!// I do own Asami Matsuda and Tsukiko
Bold Tsukiko
(Ramble);(/Ramble) Between moments of complete and utter ramble which I should delete but I can't be bothered.
Italics thoughts or flashbacks or dreams. Flashbacks are specified. (Ramble) It is somewhat obvious the difference between dreams and thoughts. (/ramble)
"Talking marks" Talking
(A.N: example) Authors note, example will be replaced with the authors note.
The Living End4. Trust
Rin sat up, her body cold as she stood, her knees cracking as the moved. The nightmare had come again. So many times it had haunted her, ending just before she figured out who Tsukiko had killed. The dream was making her feel like she was going insane, not that she would admit it. Tsukiko already made her feel like a schizophrenic. Kenta had obviously woken a lot earlier, the floor where he should have lay empty. The blanket they had turned so they could both fit after pushing the bed to the side was in a pile over in a corner, much like the futon she slept on before she came to Konohagakure. She had the weirdest feeling she should open the door, as if someone would be there by the time she opened it. She changed into her clothing, her skin prickling as she discovered new bruises and her right knuckles almost broken. The pain shot up her arm as she tried to form a loose fist, making her grab her knuckles in her left. She always struggled in using her medic skills with just her left hand, making it a whole lot more painful. She closed her eyes, leaning on the wall for a moment, trying to recover from the dizzy spells the pain was sending her through. She opened her eyes again, everything seeming a little clearer as she went to her mini freezer, looking to see if there was any ice or anything cold in there. She grabbed an ice tray full of ice cubes and took the hand towel from the bathroom, putting the ice inside as she folded it up awkwardly with her left hand, grabbing it and holding it on her right knuckles, feeling the cold manage to break through the sheer agony her hands were screaming in. She walked up near the wall that was just near the door, taking notice of the mess surrounding the door. The next thing she noticed was the broken glass digging into her feet, though she couldn't feel the pain past that of her hand. She began cleaning up, pressing the cloth in her left hand like a sandwich between her right knuckles and her leg, picking up the pieces of broken glass and putting them in the bin. The shards sparkled in the dim light, cutting and scraping and her body, blood dripping on the floor. A knock came to the door, Rin placing the last piece of glass in the bin. She opened the door, Naruto standing outside, much to her surprise.
So many ANBU are coming to my door. Somehow, the stuff about Tsukiko is going to leak out soon, Rin thought to herself, Naruto smiling at Rin. His smile turned to worry as he noted the ice on her knuckles, lifting the ice gently to see her purple and inflamed hand.
"Rin-oneesan, what happened?" Naruto asked. Rin decided, now could be a good time to tell the truth… some of it anyway.
"I can't remember," Rin said, "hopefully I will soon." Naruto put down the ice, taking Rin's elbow and dragging her out the door.
"I want to take you to Sakura-chan, Shizune-san or Tsunade-baasan. They should check it out since they are medics,"
"I am a medic,"
"Really? Why don't you work at the hospital then?"
"Because I just got here. It's only been a few days,"
"Rin-oneesan, just come," Naruto pleaded, sounding like a 5 year old wanting to show their mother the newest action figure. Rin gave in, walking alongside Naruto down the streets and into the hospital, Rin feeling shaken by just the sheer white walls and floor, sterile…unnaturally sterile. Rin didn't mind how clean the place was, it was actually reassuring that she wasn't going to catch some decease while waiting. Rin hated being watched, hated anything about being examined. She couldn't handle staying and being watched by someone like she was a lab rat. Every time she was, she would often scream and start shaking uncontrollably, like an uncontrollable phobia, occasionally hurting someone.
"This is a bad idea. We should go now before something bad happens," Rin said, pulling away from Naruto, but he caught her shoulder.
"What could happen? This is a hospital. If you are a medic, you should know that nothing bad will happen here," Naruto tried to ensure her.
"You don't understand," Rin pleaded, "I can't be here."
"Why not?"
"Because… Something bad will happen if I stay here,"
"What could happen in a hospital?"
Where is Tsukiko when I need her? Rin thought to herself, feeling a presence creep up on her.
You called, Tsukiko said in her mind.
Get me out of this now, Rin demanded in her mind.
You need to learn how to stand up for yourself, Tsukiko mocked, Rin's eyes changing to become sharper, Tsukiko taking control of Rin's body.
"If I don't get out of here now, I swear," Tsukiko threatened, trying to sound anxious and stressed but Tsukiko wasn't like that at all. Naruto, surprised by her sudden outburst, let go of Rin's wrist, Tsukiko backing away. Tsukiko went outside, walking calmly, trying not to attract any more attention then what she already had gained. She walked out to the front of the gates, leaning against the post with 'Konoha Hospital' written on the front, engraved in the stone. She slid down, breathing in heavily, ignoring Naruto's calls for her. There. You owe me again now, Tsukiko thought as she returned the control of Rin's body to Rin. Rin was almost glad that Tsukiko had left it at that, as last time she asked Tsukiko for a favor, Tsukiko had taken a stroll with the body, abusing it completely. The hospital door sent a high pitched screech as it opened, Rin holding the cloth that held the cold ice on her knuckles, the melted ice seeping through the ragged fabric. A hand sat on her shoulder, almost as if it were surprising that someone would actually support her for sitting outside a hospital. Was it that obvious that it was someone she knew, though she had no idea whom it was. Her first guess was Sakura, the familiar slight tensions from nervousness in touching something that could be unstable but still warm and comforting.
"Rin-san, why won't you go inside the hospital? It's about to start raining," Shizune's voice said in a kind hushed tone. Rin looked up at the sky, noticing the dark clouds covering the hospital grounds. Rin sighed. Nothing was going her way at all. "Rin-san?" Shizune asked, assisting Rin stand up, Rin's body stiff from exhaustion and lack of chakra.
How did I use up so much chakra? Rin thought to herself, trying to bend her hand into a fist as she felt her knuckles become numb, Tsukiko, what happened to make me use so much chakra?
Wha-at? What did you say, Tsukiko yawned in Rin's mind.
Tsukiko, what did you do? Rin thought, swearing that within a few seconds it could become a case of thinking aloud, very loudly, most likely shouting.
Did you check the cupboard and the storage room, it shouldn't have been hard to see, Tsukiko said.
What is it? I can't go back there for a little bit and I am not going to wait, Rin said, checking her hand again, water seeping down her arm making her feel cold. Rin heard Tsukiko laugh, her cocky smile filling her mind, her smokers cough to follow.
We punched that area of our house down. There is no storage room or cupboard. It was a good punch too, Tsukiko said, Rin able to picture Tsukiko's careless shrug in her mind. Rin sighed.
Why?
"Rin-san, could I ask you, what happened?" Shizune asked.
Kenta annoyed me. He's lucky he just dodged it, Tsukiko said.
"I got frustrated with an old friend," Rin shrugged. Shizune was Tsunade's apprentice and almost could be considered as a secretary. If she found out anything, it would be with Tsunade within a few seconds, the worst thing that could happen, she'd be locked up for life in a mental institution.
"Are they ok?" Shizune asked. She was awfully curious today.
"Yeah. They are fine," Rin said, shrugging it off like nothing happened.
Right. Like Kenta is innocent. God damn fucking idiot. How dare he…
I get it, Rin said, you don't need to explain it any further.
"What made you break your knuckles. That's what's wrong, isn't it?" Shizune asked. Shizune was curious. She rarely spoke, a lot like Kakashi, but somehow, being around Rin made you talkative.
Tsunade sighed. She was lucky that Naruto hadn't been in already to continue his ranting about Asami. She had come to a temporary conclusion, making it a lot easier to deal with Naruto. She couldn't be bothered summoning him, guessing that he would be here soon. Just then, the door crashed open, Naruto standing at the door. Tsunade looked at the old clock that was barely hanging above the door frame.
"You're later then usual. Have you given up on Asami?" Tsunade asked curiously, trying to fish an answer from Naruto's face, mixed emotions spreading from his eyes to the very tips on his lips.
"Tsunade-baasan! Let Asami free," Naruto said, his voice strong and demanding unlike his usually pleading voice.
"you're lucky that I came up to a temporary verdict until the final one is made by the council. Asami is allowed out BUT there needs to be at least one ANBU with her at all times," Tsunade said, "You did want her out of that jail cell didn't you?" Naruto's face returned to normal, the goofy grin and bright yellow hair. He jumped at her, tackling her backwards with a thank you hug.
"Thank you Tsunade-baasan!" Naruto said, higher than a kite.
"Oh and Naruto," Tsunade said, Naruto heading toward the door at tremendous speed, "Tonight, you are invited to come out to one of the restaurants. It is formal so don't turn up in your ragged clothing again like last time." Naruto tried to remember back that far, but failed miserably. If it wasn't the fact that he ate with Sakura last night at the exact same place he ate every night, he would have already forgotten that he had eaten.
"Can Asami-oneesan come?" Naruto asked.
"Most of our ANBU will be there so I suppose that will be a good idea," Tsunade shrugged. Naruto almost skipped out of the door, his normal hyperactive mood filling the air. Sakura walked in the door, watching Naruto and giggling. She handed a file to Tsunade, bowing and standing beside Tsunade's desk, eying the sake that shouldn't have been on her desk at all, unconsciously smelling the putrid scent that came from her master.
Rin curled her hand into a light fist, admiring how well that Shizune was able to almost completely heal it, with ease. She had been notified by Shizune that some of the jonin and ANBU were gathering together to celebrate Asuma's death. If it wasn't that she had other plans she would have gone earlier, but she had already told them that she needed to do something beforehand. After all, it wasn't really a celebration, just recognizing that he had been gone for 4 or so years now. With the help of Tsunade and some of the others, she was able to find most of the items that she had before she left, making it feel slightly more like home. The only thing missing was a group of alcoholic, smoking missing nin that destroy towns and peoples' lives along with putting their own lives at risk, but she could live without them for a while. The silence was eerie but nice instead of Hiromi and Goro's bickering. If it wasn't for the fact that Hiromi and Rin were basically best friends, Rin would assume that they were a married couple on the verge of divorce. Rin looked at herself in the mirror, taking check that she was dressed to the occasion, after what she needed to do first. There was a list of things she wanted to do, all in a sequential order in her mind. She was sitting on her knees, her complexion was as smooth as the finest porcelain doll, with the perfect pallor of a courtly woman, unblemished by the exposure of the sunlight or hardship, without the telltale signs of inappropriate deeds, thoughts or feelings. Her eyes were shyly or knowingly or beguilingly, as she couldn't decide herself, seeming to be looking off into an imaginary distance, with an expression of imminent pleased surprise, an expression accentuated by her high, plucked eyebrows. Her hair was not arranged into a coiffure of the modern type, with its complexity of folds, stacks, waves and accessory devices, but simply middle-parted with a midnight blue ribbon like a headband, her hair flowing down to her shoulders in an elegance of lustrous blonde. Her gown in polished and crepe silks of contrasting textures, were loosely fitted and layered in complementary shades of blue, ranging from the deep ocean blue to the near black of the evening sky. She was almost a picture of a princess of a previous era centuries ago. Rin lowered her head, her chin sitting against her chest, her eyes closing over and clamped shut, slowly lightening, revealing the very light shade of blue eye shadow that was almost invisible, the tiniest glimmer of the shining change in shade, gradually becoming darker but still light enough it was barely recognizable. When she raised her head again, Tsukiko looked back at her in the mirror, shaking her head.
"You take this much care to how you look. It's like a 5th funeral for the guy," Tsukiko echoed, the mirror image pulling at the dress, that was folded around her legs like it was a folded sheet. The silk was making her feel slightly cold in the autumn night, although all of the windows and doors were closed and the heater was on at quite a hot temperature.
"This is Asuma we are talking about. Anyway, when you do the next 'job' try not to get any blood on the dress, I don't want any unwanted attention. It would be nice to be off the suspect list for once," Rin said, her cold stare seeming soft compared to Tsukiko's which matched her stone cold heart. Tsukiko shrugged.
"I want someone to walk in on us. They would think we were schizophrenic. That would be a laugh," Tsukiko laughed, Rin ready to break the long mirror in front of her, not that she wanted to make her knuckle any worse.
"You need to fix what you broke tomorrow so don't make any more plans," Rin said, slowly rising to her feet.
"Just give me control and it will be all good. I'll try my hardest to not wreck your dress, your highness," Tsukiko teased, bowing to make fun of their appearance. Rin nodded, ignoring the insults that Tsukiko had said to her. Rin's eyes sharpened, the mirror images softening. They could feel themselves swapping places in their parallel universes. Tsukiko took haste, wanting to just get the job over, resisted the urge to try and better the previous punch in her second last visit to the real world. Tsukiko took straight to the hospital, walking ever so silently and seemingly motionlessly, like an elegant ghost of a princess. She decided not to take the front door, making it too obvious that she would be the one creating trouble in the area. She counted the windows until she found one that was open, a young teenage boy hanging out and admiring the moonlight on his face and the cold breeze of the autumn night. Tsukiko only took a moment, recognizing him as the boy from the village that they had previously destroyed. She stopped just beside the boy, her last footstep crunching a little on the dirt, only enough to make the boy look. He first took note of the clothing, admiring the handy work and the elegance, seeming beautiful even before the face calculated in his mind. He stumbled backwards as Tsukiko gave him a light tap on the shoulder. The electricity in the building died out as she put one hand on the wall, stepping into the vision of the room, looking at the white and sterile room that was cloaked by darkness. Today, she felt like deceiving someone and this was the perfect time. She jumped inside, one hand on the frame and the other above her body. She landed lightly on the floor, her feet silent as they hit the ground.
"W-Who are you?" the boy asked, sitting on his bed, on the verge of trembling. Tsukiko smiled, tilting her head to the side.
"You don't remember me? That's too bad. But I do have something for you," Tsukiko said, stepping closer, the boy trying desperately to edge away.
"What could you have for me?" the boy asked, his voice shaking and his body starting to do the same. His eyes locked with hers, managing to recognize whom she was.
"T-Tsukiko?" he asked, guessing that that was her name, and surprisingly to him, it was.
"You do remember me," Tsukiko smiled, one hand on his, her head sitting just above his shoulder, her breath on his neck. She raised her head up the side of his neck, breathing gently into his ear seductively, the feeling making the boy feel strange inside and nervous, unsure of what she would do next. At this moment, she seemed about 3 or so years older than him, not that it mattered at this moment. He had three things on his mind, 'she killed Okaasan and almost killed me', 'I should get revenge' and 'damn, this girl is hot'. Tsukiko brushed her lips against the boys, one of her hands behind his back, holding herself a slight off him. She kissed him again, this time wrapping one arm around him, the other one slowly digging into his back with her nails. The boy gaped in pain, Tsukiko slipping her hand up her dress, pulling a kunai from the cream pouch that Rin conveniently left. Tsukiko spun the kunai around her finger, the blade pointing the other direction as she stopped it, taking her hand back behind the boy's back, tracing it lightly across the back of his neck and up and down his spine, slightly scarring.
Seduction. What greater power of evil is there?
Tsukiko pulled back, hearing the nurses clattering down the hall, barging into each room, checking if each patient was alright. Not that this one would be for much longer. Tsukiko pulled the kunai back to his neck, pressing the point on his pressure point, blood dribbling as he slowly lost consciousness. Tsukiko took another kunai, her dress slipping down her leg, slashing the front of the boy's neck and killing him almost instantly. She took his body and threw it out the window, jumping out herself, putting the blood splattered kunai back in her kunai pouch, checking for blood stains before running into the midnight blue distance.
Tsukiko stumbled as she crashed into the memorial, where Rin had earlier told her to stop. Tsukiko closed her eyes, Rin quite happily taken back the control. She checked her dress, not a drop of blood on it, thankfully. Rin sighed looking at the memorial. She read down the names, first noting the Yondaime Hokage's name, then to Obito Uchiha, tears almost freely flowing from her eyes. It was her fault that Obito was dead, being caught by those enemy ninja. She should have been in Konoha 19 years ago instead of off with the Zetsumei who had brought her in and gave her shelter and food along with training. She didn't know when she joined the group they were a group of missing ninja, she should have checked that earlier. Rin stood up, brushing off her knees and walking into the main area of Konoha, noticing Kakashi still wondering around, which wasn't a surprise. He was never anywhere on time. Rin ran up beside him silently and came unnoticed, grabbing his tall broad shoulders with her hands. Kakashi turned, looking around at Rin, the first thing he noticed was her childish grin, much like Naruto's but with its own uniqueness, something she had had for years. Rin took Kakashi's hand, much like a small child would, and dragged him across the town, stopping outside training area 1 which team 9 had been getting ready all day with some sort of lights and tables and seats and who ever knows what else. She looked at the festivities, holding one side of her kimono up. Sakura was in one that was an assortment of pinks and reds, from the deep red of blood to the soft pink of a baby's cheeks. Rin smiled at how she missed how happy the people of Konoha were, celebrating like tomorrow will be their last day on earth even when it was about a death, seeing it as a good thing, the person who died is someone of high honour and died for their village. Rin couldn't help but pull Kakashi along like a child would, knowing that he would suddenly disappear to go somewhere else if nobody saw him soon. In fact, they were only about an hour late, and really, that was a record for Kakashi.
"You are very happy today Rin," Kakashi remarked as Rin turned to face him, a smile widening on her face, "What makes you so happy all of a sudden?" Rin shrugged.
"I finally got to the memorial. I've only been there once since I left," Rin said, her happy mood letting things slip.
"You've been here since then?" Kakashi asked.
"I passed through here one night quite a few years ago. I mean, I didn't have much time to stay," Rin shrugged, letting go of her kimono, the side dropping down and sitting perfectly around her body.
"Shizune told me that you broke your knuckles," Kakashi said, noticing Rin flexing her hand.
"Yeah. That was a little stupid of me," Rin admitted, Well, Tsukiko did.
"What did you do,"
"Punched a wall,"
"What? Why did you do that?"
"I had an old friend over and got a little annoyed,"
"So how is this friend?"
"They got away unharmed,"
"How is the wall?"
"The cupboard and the storage room don't exist,"
"What?!" Kakashi said, dumbfounded, Between Sakura, Rin and Tsunade, I am a dead man. Rin giggled, lifting her sleeve to cover her mouth.
This is more of a festival than a funeral, Tsukiko remarked.
Konoha is filled with happy people. Not depressed ones, Rin said back smartly, waiting for Tsukiko's latest comeback. Rin smiled as she looked around at all of the people, everyone either in the traditional or modern wear, ranging from old kimonos to the latest tailored suits. Kakashi, of course, was in a black suit though he still had his black shirt of his normal wear beneath, not bothering with a tie at all, not that anyone did but Gai and Rock Lee. Sakura came over to Rin and Kakashi, smiling as she bowed to greet them.
"Rin-san, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said, standing up straight and smiling. Everyone was smiling in their own unique way, happy to be able to remember such a great man together.
"Un-cle Kakashi!" Yuu's voice shouted running up to Kakashi, his smile so big that he could have lit up the whole of Konoha if it wasn't already lit with numerous lights coming from training ground 1.
"Yo," Kakashi said, turning to Yuu as Yuu jumped up to Kakashi's side. Rin giggled again, raising her sleeve to hide her smile.
"Rin-oneesan!!" Naruto's voice shouted, running over to greet Rin, "Kakashi-sensei is earlier than usual."
"Yeah. I had to drag him here," Rin smiled, laughing, it's just like when we were in team Yondaime. I mean, so much fun and I would smile and laugh. Rin stopped. Usually, Tsukiko would be going on about how unnaturally happy we were, kind of. Tsukiko? Rin thought. There was no reply. Tsukiko?
Asami sighed. She was trying to make conversation with Hinata but after almost killing someone, it was rather hard. Asami shuffled. She didn't like any type of dress or skirt but really, she didn't want to go back to that cell. Especially if that Kenta guy was there. He snored like Konoha was being attacked.
"Hinata-san, how is life in Konoha?" Asami asked, trying to make somewhat conversation. She looked at Sasuke as he walked passed, a scowl on her face. He had betrayed two villages and one had accepted him back. How foolish had Orochimaru been? Hinata smiled, also trying to make conversation. She didn't really have anything against Asami… apart from the fact she almost killed Kiba, Sakura and herself, and really, Naruto claimed that he had killed her. How could everything be fine?
"Good Asami-san. How was it in Otogakure?" Hinata said. Small talk. The savior of short conversations. Kiba, happening to notice that his girlfriend was about to talk to his family's rival, as cats and dogs rarely got along, walked over to Hinata's side, on hand on her side, standing just behind her. Hinata smiled as she leaned her head back, Kiba's lips meeting hers for a brief moment before she lowered her head again and looked back at Asami, who was now missing. If it had been in episode of a show, Hinata could imagine the lines that would appear around where someone was just before. Hinata stood suddenly, looking for any signs of Asami. She knew that the Matsudas and the Inuzukas didn't get along… at all, but still, she couldn't have disappeared that fast, could she?
Asami leaned over, her bottom against the wall behind her. She couldn't handle Inuzukas along with trying to get along with people she almost killed… and those who had almost killed her. Asami could feel her heart pounding at her chest. She could smell the sake that was filling her own breath, but still sober enough to know exactly what was right, wrong and stupid. Asami breathed in heavily, shuffling slightly. She could feel a mixture of anger and depression as she was missing Kabuto and really, really hated Sasuke. She had done many stupid things. Fought Sasuke for every day for 4 years and a bit, tried to take on the Kyuubi Jinchuriki, killed her siblings and "fought" Kabuto when she was 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 23 and on Saturdays. She sighed. Now was almost the perfect time to go on with what she really came for but really, she couldn't believe that they let her out so easily. She performed several hand signs, disappearing in thin air, glad just for some sort of freedom.
Yep. I know its been a while but that's it. I hope you enjoyed it. Now, if you would please, review!!!! I need them!! They fuel me to write more!!
Asami Matsuda