A/N: u mad bro?
nope, probably not, considering NONE OF YOU GUYS ARE FROSTED WINGS READERS.
basically, i've been updating this one like crazy while my main Naruto fiction is being hopelessly neglected. ANYWAY..
enjoy this chapter! please review at the end!
xoxo, Lala
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"Neji, wake up," I yawned.
"What?"
"Kids," I pointed to where the yellow light from the hallway shone through the doorway, silhouetting Ayumu and Miharu, hands clasped together.
"Mama, Papa," Miharu yawned largely. "'Yumu had a nightmare."
"Did he?" I stood up to go get the little boy. I picked him up and took Miharu's hand. "You want to sleep with us?"
"Mhm," the girl nodded. Ayumu was shivering, a little sweat on his back. I held him a little closer. "Papa," Miharu jumped onto the bed and curled into Neji's stomach. I grinned at his surprised expression. I climbed into bed and turned over so Ayumu was next to his sister, and had no choice but to leave my finger where it was: the two-year-old was gripping it like a vice.
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"What do you want for dinner?" I asked my daughter, holding her hand and keeping her in one spot. Her eyes were flashing all over the place, to the sounds, smells, and sights of the main street farmers' market. I sighed and offered her my back, and she climbed on.
"Dipping noodles!" she finally answered my question.
"Sounds good! We'll need oranges, and we're out of soy sauce," I searched for the right booth. "Oh, and the noodles."
"Right there, Mama!" Miharu pointed at the fried noodles stand and leaned just a little too far forward. I wobbled and my hand went up to support her.
"Calm down, Haru!" I snapped a little too harshly.
"Sorry Mama…"
"It's fine, just try not to fall over, okay?" I sighed.
"Hai, Mama."
"Hello!" the man running the noodle booth greeted. "What can I do for you?"
"We need two of the udon, please," I brought out my wallet.
"Please and thank you, please and thank you," Miharu was chanting.
"Have half price, for your daughter's manners!" the man laughed jubiously.
"Thank you very much," I grinned and bowed as much as I could with a fidgeting five-year-old on my back. "Miharu, thank him, please."
"Thank you, Oji-san!" my raven-haired girl giggled. I went to a produce stand and let her pick out four oranges, and found a decent bottle of soy sauce. I paid and we made our way back home with Miharu swinging the
"Mama, I'm thirsty," Miharu whined. I inwardly groaned; I knew where this was going.
"Wait until we get home," I told her.
"But I'm thirsty now," she insisted.
"Wait, Aiji."
"Aww," she whimpered. Needless to say, I ended up carrying the oranges.
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As I let the kids go off to Ayumu's room to play, I grabbed dishes off the table. I ran the faucet with hot water in the sink and turned around while it filled.
"Neji, do you dislike the Shinigami?" I asked. I'd had the sneaking suspicion about it since he met Ichigo, but I never asked him about it.
"Aa," he admitted. "They're strong."
"It's their job to be. Besides, so are we," I shrugged.
"Yes, but they use for the wrong reasons," he sipped his cup of tea.
"Why do you like Kurosaki Ichigo more than the others, though?" I asked curiously, absently checking the sink.
"He told us that the reason he uses his powers is to protect his friends and family. That's more than the others."
"What?"
"Sora, as the ambassador on this mission, it will be your job to decide whether they deserve our trust and the lives of our shinobi. You need to think about how they use their powers, and if that reason is good enough," he stood up at a thump upstairs. He took a final sip of his tea and came over to me. Kissing my forehead, he said, "Everyone here trusts you as they should. It's them we're wary of." Then he went upstairs to check on our kids.
I started cleaning orangey paste out of little bowls, thinking about that. I was so deep in thought that I only cleaned one, slowly turning it in my fingers under the soothingly hot, soapy water.
"Yo," I was snapped back to reality to a voice coming from the window in front of me. I reeled back and, knowing that my weapons weren't on my hip, threw the bowl in my hand at the stranger.
Renji caught it and lifted an eyebrow to me. "Was that supposed to do something?"
I rolled my eyes. "What is it?" he handed back the bowl.
"We're leaving now. Yamamoto-Sōtaichō called the other two back, too."
"What? …Okay," I shrugged.
"Okay. We'll be in touch. Basically if you sense any reiatsu, don't attack them," Renji gave me a toothy smirk.
"Right. I'll see you, then!" I smiled back and gave him a careful hug, avoiding touching him with my sudsy hands. He vanished and I finished the dishes without further thought.
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The next week went by without trouble. Neji went on a small ANBU mission, leaving me with the kids for a few days. I managed to get through it, but each night regretted leaving my husband with them by himself for two weeks.
There was an exhibition night at the academy the day after Neji got back, and Miharu demanded that we attend so she could show us her flower arrangement, which was delicate; it was little bundles of lilac in a circle around white lilies and baby's breath in a little terracotta pot. I was elated to take it home and obliged when the girl passive-agressively demanded that I made it the centerpiece on the kitchen table. We also saw her impressive accuracy with throwing knives, and her grades were the best in her class. I had smirked and nudged Neji, telling him that she was like him. Ayumu and I made strawberry daifuku for her that night, and even though it was messy, Miharu ate every bite of her favorite sweet food.
At some point on Saturday night, when the kids were asleep, I felt four people with reiatsu enter Konoha near my house. I remembered Renji's warning, not to attack, and easily dismissed it. I assumed I would ear about it eventually.
And I did. Late that night, my usual messenger arrived at my house. I rubbed my eyes and trudged to the door.
"What?"
"The Shinigami requested your presence with Hokage-sama."
"Be there soon," I sighed and trudged back. "Shinigami again," I groaned and started dressing in my typical non-ANBU fighting attire: a blue tank top with a flared collar, long-sleeved black fishnet, black shorts with fishnet shorts underneath, and my grey skirt. I put on arch supports for my boots as Neji eyed me from the bed. "What?"
"Just be careful. I know we weren't supposed to attack them, but I didn't recognize their signature," he warned.
"I know," I nodded. "I'll be careful. I agree with you that they've been rather suspicious. I'll talk to them," I kissed him and left the room, in too much of a hurry to talk to the kids. I slid my boots on while I left, teleporting as close to the tower as I could.
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"So why are you here?" I asked Naruto, who actually seemed awake and was shuffling with papers on his vast desk.
"I've been up," he answered. "But I also have to be here to officiate the meeting."
"Oh," I sat myself against the wall. "So where are they?"
"Coming," was all he said, apparently finding what he was looking for and signing it.
"Naruto, do you think it's weird that I've taken them around Konoha, but we really don't know much about them at all?" I finally asked him. He wasn't exactly a sage—at least, not in the wise old man sense—but I knew I could ask him for advice. "Is it just me, or have I given them too much information for what they've given me?"
"You gave them what I told you to give them," Naruto began searching for another paper. "But you're right, they've been withdrawn. That's another reason I'm here for this meeting. Neji said that he was worried about you," he glanced at me from the corner of his eye. "He pointed out that if they brainwashed you or something, no one would ever know."
"It's a valid point," I shuddered. A silence ensued. "So what do you think they want?"
"I don't know," even though the words were passive, there was a hint of tense danger in them, like he would kill the Shinigami if they did indeed brainwash me. "But if they try to take you, our theories won't mean anything."
"Agreed," I sighed. We waited another few minutes, but no one came. I was drifting off again when rustling came from down the hall. I could feel Ukitake's and Kyōraku's reiatsu, followed by another one that was unknown. I scrunched my eyebrows, looking at Naruto. His face was pulled into a scowl, and he was focused on the door and only half-sitting. They knocked and came in.
"So she was here," Ukitake, wearing his taicho's haori and looking perfectly healthy, noted my presence.
"Is she?" Kyōraku poked his head in and saw me.
"Who else is here?" Naruto's voice held an underlying tone of anger.
"Name's Hirako Shinji," the new guy entered. He didn't wear a Shihakushō like I'd thought, considering his reiatsu, and instead wore a pair of white denim pants and an orange shirt with a collar. His yellow-blonde hair, just a little fainter than Naruto's, was cropped short around his chin, and he casually carried a sword, possibly a zanpakuto, over his shoulder. He looked completely bored, and horribly out of place.
"We haven't met," I stood cautiously. I figured that Ukitake and Kyōraku noticed Naruto's new vigilance as well as mine, but they didn't comment. I lifted a hand to Hirako. "Sukai Sora."
"I know."
"Good," I replied bluntly, not trying to be rude. "What's up?" I asked the two captains.
"Sōtaichō wanted to talk to you," Ukitake told me. "We're just here to escort you there," his smile betrayed nothing. It amazed me how much that I had ignored that now seemed so doubtful. Naruto no doubt felt the same.
"If you don't mind, I'll send an escort with Sora from Konoha," he left no room for discussion. I felt a little weight lift off my shoulders.
"If you'd like," Kyōraku's eyes scanned us, obviously wondering what was up with us, but I figured he knew we were suspicious of them in the back of his mind. I nodded to Naruto.
"I'll go home and prepare to go. I'll come back here before we go," I brought my fingers up in front of me and disappeared in a poof of smoke. Teleporting near Sunai's, I left a note in her mailbox telling her what was happening. I figured a ton of consecutive missions would seem a little weird to a critical thinker like her.
I rushed home, and started packing normal things like weapons and scrolls just in case. I put the few things I was bringing into a small sack and slung it over my shoulder. I left a note on my bedroom door as well, hoping that would be enough. But I had to hurry back to the Hokage office to find out who my partners would be.
"There she is," Naruto sounded relieved. Two men stood in front of me when I entered, recognizable even from the back.
Kiba wore his signature leather jacket, and Inuzuka fangs that once marked his face were jointed over his nose. Akamaru wasn't there; understandable since the poor dog was so old. Kiba looked a little tired; also understandable considering the hour.
But then I looked to Kiba's right and saw Shino, covered almost head to toe in blue, black, and green cloth and tinted goggle-like glasses. His face, even if it was covered, was probably stoic and disinterested. I smiled at the realization that these two would be my escort.
"Hey guys!" I shifted my weight to my right.
"Hey Sora. Naruto was just filling us in," Kiba jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "Ready?"
"Yeah. Anything else, Naruto?" I asked the Hokage.
"Be careful," he told us. "See you when you get back."
"Bye!" I waved as we left. I was surprised to find that the Shinigami were waiting for us outside. Shino and Kiba flanked me, obviously wary of them.
"This is Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino," I introduced. "Close friends of mine. Guys, this is Ukitake Juushiro, Kyōraku Shunsui, and Hirako Shinji."
"Nice to meet you," Ukitake nodded with a convincing smile.
"And you," Kiba was still scowling at the three like he was sizing them up, but he clearly didn't like the odds.
"Can we go now?" Hirako sighed. I felt a smile tug at my lips at his impatience.
"Kurotsuchi-taicho make a Senkaimon," Kyōraku told him. "It's not as hard as you think it'll be."
"Senkaimon?" I asked.
"A gate between worlds," Ukitake offered. "We have one between Soul Society and Ichigo-kun's world, and Kurotsuchi-taicho analyzed your chakra at one point or another and made a gate with it," he looked sincerely apologetic. I nodded like I didn't care.
Ukitake stuck his zanpakuto into what seemed to be an invisible wall. I watched in awe while he turned the sword and two gates—one a square, one a circle—opened mid-air and six black butterflies flew out. The Shinigami (and Hirako, though I had a hunch he was a Shinigami too) easily walked in. I gave a sideways glance to my friends, who shrugged, and we followed them into Soul Society.
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"Hirako-san, I don't mean to be rude," I started, but I wasn't sure how to finish. Who are you really? Why aren't you wearing a Shihakushō? Why do you dress funny, but have reiatsu? Is that a zanpakuto? None of the questions fit.
"Go for it," he smirked, "I'm rude all the time."
"Well, I was wondering why I haven't met you yet," I figured that was close enough.
"I'm not a Shinigami, if that's what you want to ask," he told me like I hadn't asked him anything at all. "It's a long story, but I'm not part of Soul Society anymore."
A spark of plotting hope. He could tell me things that the Shinigami wouldn't. "Is that right?" I kept a straight face. "Well then why are you here?"
"Kurosaki is a friend of mine," he shrugged. "Nothing new."
"True," I chuckled. "I know the type," I smirked at Kiba and Shino, who seemed to be keeping up. "By the way, what are we doing?" Seriously; we'd been here for almost two hours. What were we waiting for?
"Waiting on the taichos to finish giving reports," he sighed and leaned back in his chair. "For some reason they don't want you guys there." I shared a look with my escorts. "It shouldn't take long."
"Okay," I nodded. He was right. Just minutes later, I was invited into the meeting room, friends included. As we came in, the doors closed behind us and Kiba and Shino stayed behind me, leaning against the wall. I faced all the captains I'd met so far, plus a large man looking like a fox or a dog and minus Ichigo and Soifon.
"Sukai Sora," the old man said my name like I was his pet. I kept back a scowl.
"Yamamoto-Sōtaichō," I greeted. The others also noticed my more closed-off attitude, but again said nothing. This was beginning to get obnoxious. It was like they thought I was oblivious. I grit and un-grit my teeth. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"
"First there is the question of your escorts," the old man nodded a tiny bit to Shino and Kiba in the background. I sighed and waved the two of them up next to me.
"Inuzuka Kiba," the dog boy's hands were in his jacket pockets, trying to look cool and nonchalant, but his arms were tense and his face looked alert.
"Aburame Shino," Shino was similarly standing, but there was no way I could read his face. The captains all seemed to be having the same problem.
"They're friends of mine, and Naruto wanted to make sure I was safe," I lied. They were doing it; so why not? "What's the second thing?"
"We wanted to tell you about this rebel faction that Kuchiki-taicho ahs been tracking," Yamamoto informed. "They seem to be harmless and not to know of Konohagakure no Sato."
"That's a relief," I smiled. "But as it's an alliance, is thee anything we can do to help?"
"If we require assistance, we will notify you."
"Thank you, sir," I bowed. I kept standing there, expecting more. After all, they were staring at us. It took me a moment to realize that they were staring at the door behind us, and I curiously turned around to see what was coming.
To everyone's shock, a four-man squad of ANBU came in, surrounding the leader—he was marked with a green flag on his right ear—who just happened to hold Soifon-taicho as a hostage. In an instant, three of the taichos were blowing toward the group with zanpakutos brandished, and I moved cohesively with Kiba and Shino to stop them. I landed firmly in front of Hitsugaya, blocking the flat of his katana with the point of my kunai. I looked up at him darkly.
"You weren't planning on hurting my comrades, were you?" I growled. He looked a bit surprised and jumped back. I twirled my knife and looked behind me to the leader of the team. "What's going on?"
"We've been betrayed by these people," he replied in a voice that seemed familiar.
"Explain yourselves," Soifon commanded, looking particularly at me, having bit the ANBU leader's hand away from her mouth.
"Don't ask us," Kiba retorted.
"A Konoha child was taken a few hours ago from her bed," one of the subordinates barked at her. My eyes softened; her poor parents.
"A Konoha child is none of our concern," Kurotsuchi said boredly. "You're all making such a fuss."
"This child was taken by a damn Shinigami," the man insisted. I got the feeling it was his daughter that was taken. "It's definitely your concern."
"Your proof of this?" Komamura, currently snarling at Kiba, asked.
"Reiatsu, not chakra, being left behind," the man rumbled back.
"We have no way of helping you," a man I hadn't noticed, yet wore a haori, stepped out of the lines. He had longish, shaggy silver hair the color of Kakashi's, and his shirt hung open enough to show a tattoo of the number '69' to show. I eyed him, my patience with the Shinigami wearing thin.
"Is that right?" the ANBU argued.
"Even if we could, where would we start?" the captain shrugged. I ground my teeth.
"We're already trying to pursue, but the trail's gone cold. Since you people seem to have technologies, we came to you," the ANBU was clearly having trouble containing his anger.
"You shouldn't have," the man sighed dismissively. I finally snapped. I shoved past a surprised Hitsugaya and put my hands on my hips, eyebrows raised and eyes glaring dangerously.
"Okay look," I began. "This man's daughter was taken away by one of your people. You guys are the ones responsible, so you are going to go look for her. I don't care anymore that you're noble, or that you treated me nicely. You guys are being old-fashioned and selfish," I slashed my hands through the air to emphasize my point. My face red with pure rage, I walked right up to the Sōtaichō. "You Shinigami look down on every human soul, living or dead. That is why you fail to understand us. And that is the reason that we have lived so long in peace and survived. You guys just act high and mighty, and the world bows down. Try earning the respect you demand," I snapped. I turned on my heel, walked through stunned captains, and signaled the release of Soifon.
Just before I exited the room, I turned back around. "If you cowards want to do something, go ahead. We're going out to search Soul Society." I took three steps back and pulled the doors shut.
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"Nice speech," the leader complimented. I blew a few stray hairs from my face and scoffed.
"They're ridiculous. I was an idiot to trust them."
"There is something you should know, though," the ANBU from before said behind me. I got a closer look at his mask, and something was oddly recognizable about it. He reached up and unhooked it, and I took a step back in recoil.
"Neji? Then… no way…" everything started to click.
"It's Miharu, Sora," he nodded. "She's gone."
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A/N: OH NO! MIHARU'S BEEN KIDNAPPED!
anyway. review if you please, and read Frosted Wings if you get a chance!
