The Tailed Beasts Tamed
A Bijuu Various Fanfic
Hey all, Tankou001 here with an all new chapter of The Tailed Beasts Tamed! Recently things have been happening in my life that have been good and bad alike. However, it's good to know that I can always flee into my own little world like this and enjoy writing and the fans that love my writing. It helps me get better in the end, I suppose.
Last chapter we saw Saisho and Yonbanme join up with their little mates in training, Gaara and Kakashi respectively. However, neither of them got near as much time for development on their first chapters as Byō, Sanbanme and Daikyū. Yattsu also has had too little development for my liking. That said, this chapter will cover the three less seen characters; Saisho, Yonbanme and Yattsu as well as their respective mates ^^
This chapter takes place one year after the end of the last chapter!
Enjoy!
{HR}
Chapter Nine: Death, Sand and Fire
Light shined down upon the land of the Demon Country. Zabuza trudged about behind Yattsu as she led the way. It had been a year since they had left Konoha "business." Zabuza had been walking after Yattsu for that whole year, still confused as to why they were traveling. Yattsu, however, was still just as happy as ever. Zabuza had always thought that this trip was based solely around killing people because that was what Yattsu honestly did best. However, there had been no killing at all in the past year. Yattsu traveled to one location or another and met strange people, mostly wild monks and hermits or courtesans from far away kingdoms. All of them already seemed to know her. She had traveled to a small village in a kingdom Zabuza couldn't pronounce just to get a few barrels of sake, which Zabuza was stuck carrying even now. The three barrels weighed heavily on his back as they walked. "Yattsu?" He asked quietly, Yattsu looking back at him. "I know this may be beyond my understanding... as it usually is... but what exactly are we doing away from Konoha?"
"Are you saying you want to return so soon?" Yattsu asked
"Not really..." Zabuza admitted. "I am just wondering why we left. What was that unfinished business you talked about?"
"Well part of it's on your back." Yattsu said plainly, giving Zabuza a blank look.
"You mean we left just so you could get some sake?" Zabuza asked, mildly offended. "Couldn't we have done that back home?"
"It's not just any sake!" Yattsu cried out, walking to Zabuza and pulling the three barrel pack from his back with a single hand. She set the barrels on the ground and put her face to one, rubbing it with her hand. "This is the Thunder Brew!" She said with glee. "I'll tell you the one thing I love more than devouring the souls of female human beings is drinking good alcohol and the Thunder Brew is by far the very best alcohol in the world, in all of eternity even. Why, one time I was defeated and captured it was by this wonderfully biting fluid that such was done!"
"So why do you still love it so much if it's the reason you were once captured?" Zabuza asked
"Why not?" Yattsu asked. "If anything I should love it more! A few cups of this stuff could incapacitate one such as me; The Serpent Of Death, The Goddess Of Snakes, The Eight Headed Horror Of All Living Things! The second most powerful bijuu of them all and, eventually, the most powerful. A whole barrel of this stuff could kill me from alcohol poisoning! Don't you think that's splendid?"
"Not really..."
"Well it is! The very thought of it sends shivers down my spine!" Yattsu said with glee, cutting the rope that held the three barrels together and letting them fall from one another. "You clearly just don't have the understanding of such a fine beverage! We're going to drink a whole barrel tonight so you can truly appreciate how wonderful this sake really is. Where's the nearest village?"
"About twenty miles west of here I think..." Zabuza said with a sigh.
"Too far!" Yattsu cried out. "Summon a demon coach for us! We need to ride in style!"
Zabuza frowned and reached back, running his thumb along the edge of his sword until it bled. "Kuchiyose No Jutsu..." He muttered, slapping his hand on the ground and summoning forth a mighty carriage with heads on the wheels. "Sorry guys..." Zabuza muttered to the wheel. "We'll be needing a ride..."
"Hey, you're the married one, not us." The wheel replied. "We're just doing our job, you're hitched!" The wheel laughed and Zabuza dealt it a hard kick to the face as he climbed in with Yattsu, the barrels of sake securing themselves to the carriage by a demonic rope that reached out and grabbed them.
An hour later the sun was just setting and Zabuza looked forward to see the village coming close. "That's it!" Yattsu said happily. "That was the village on our trip anyway. Wow, killing two birds with one fang I'd say. Summon some of your more party prone demons, alright, Zaba?"
"So any of the succubi?" Zabuza asked
"Anything that makes a party better. A sip of this stuff will knock out the average human and if we're to get a barrel gone through the night we'll need something more than just these humans and myself." Yattsu said as they rolled into the village gates, some people backing off and staring warilly at the coach, unsure of what to do. Yattsu did them the favor of climbing on top of the coach and speaking out to address them first. "People of this village!" She called merrily. "I have brought you a gift! A single barrel of this mighty sake for a party tonight with us! Please, line up with a glass and set up the feast! Tonight we drink till we pass out!"
The people, at first, were nervous about this recent entry of coach and couple but, after the barrel was set down, tapped and served they all realized just how well treated they were being. Zabuza summoned a few demons and the party really began. Zabuza honestly didn't trust the sake but he did take a sip... And he was gone. The fluid was biting to the palatte but smoother than honey down the throat. It sent warmth through every part of his body and brought forth a delerium which clouded every sense and made him happy. No wonder Yattsu loved it so much. If a single sip could do this to Zabuza a few glasses would put Yattsu on the floor laughing hysterically. On top of the effectiveness of the sake it tasted wonderful. Nothing was sweeter than this brew and the very aftertaste on the tip of one's tongue made them want more. Yattsu caught Zabuza and pulled him into a back alley as he downed the rest of his small cup. "Whatya want?" Zabuza asked in irritation.
Yattsu was blushing heavily from drinking but she still seemed a bit serious. "We're here on business, Zaba." She said, pulling him further into the alley. "I need to kill someone and you gotta -hic- help me trap him." Zabuza had no idea what Yattsu was talking about but he tottered along behind her as she drank while walking. Finally they arrived behind a small shop. "Go around and knock on his door." Yattsu said. "I'm, shneakin in through the back. Gimme a boost."
Zabuza didn't bother boosting his wife. She was already clawing her way up to the window, half way in by the time Zabuza could take a step. He walked around the shop and knocked on the door. Soon enough an old man opened the door and looked Zabuza up and down. "You're one of the two who came to the village." He said blandly. "Get out of here. I'm closed for the night..."
"Is that so?" Yattsu's voice came from behind him. The man turned. "Don't you -hic- remember me, Tobunawa? I -hic- fought you and you stuck me in a little boy so many years ago."
The man turned and looked at Yattsu in fear. Yattsu was no longer herself. She was a snake woman now. Her legs were gone, now eight individual snake tails that supported her from her waist. Yattsu's body was darker, wreathed in black chakra that danced around her figure in the candlelight from inside. "You... It's impossible. You were caught in a statue."
"I got out and now I'm, here to -hic- kill you." Threads came from Yattsu's body and attached themselves at various places on the man's body. "And with your dath I not only get revenge but power. Don't tell me you don't remember my ability to gain power from devouring souls like yours. I normally love young, beautiful women but, knowing what power you held, I think I can force you down despite the bad taste."
"But... You're not real... This is a dream."
"Hold him in place, Zaba." Yattsu said. Zabuza felt himself drunkenly grab the man and the man struggled. "Even if I hate the taste of an old man's soul I must say I am sure I can muscle it down and wash out the bad taste if -hic- I just get a little more sake. Maybe I should just pour it on now." Yattsu said, lifting her glass and pouring it on the man. "Feel it seep into your flesh yet?" Yattsu asked as the man slowed in his struggling, letting out a hiccup. "The Thunder Brew is sio potent that you can get drunk just by coming in contact with it. It permeates everything. Even the barrels that it's held in are specially sealed so that it won't esscape. It takes magic to hold the Thunder Brew for any amount of time. Feel it soak into your flesh and -hic- make you drunk. It's so powerful that you'll walk right into your death... just like I did so long ago." The man kept his mouth closed but Yattsu shoved her glass against his lips. "Don't open your mouth now or you'll get far too drunk. No... Let's force it open." Yattsu shoved the ceramic glass in between the man's lips and forced the alcohol into his mouth. All struggling ceased and Zabuza let him go, the man falling to the ground. "You can leave us now -hic- Zaba."
Zabuza didn't bother to question. He just stumbled off, back to the party. Tobunawa watched him leave and then looked up at Yattsu. "So this is where it ends?"
Yattsu grabbed him and dragged him back into the shop, locking the door behind her. "I'm afraid so, Tobunawa. I gotta say, I enjoyed fighting you way back when. I'll enjoy killing you nice and slow."
"So -hic- you're gonna take your time?" Tobunawa asked as Yattsu put him on a table. "Just gonna torture me?"
"Oh yesh." Yattsu said drunkenly. The alcohol dulls your sense of pain so, in actuality, I'm just gonna take my time and analyze you really closely. I'll also have to work a little harder to make you feel the pain you deserve." Yattsu said as she brought knives and other tools from her bag that she had gotten in the past year. Zabuza hadn't know it but all of their many stops had had purpose, right down to this one tonight. They may have seemed like needless resting points but every location had purpose. "You know that -hic- The mountain country makes the best knives?" Yattsu asked as she placed everything neatly beside Tobunawa. "You can give them as much mundane punishment as possible but they'll never rust or dull. They cut clean enough to slice in half the plate you eat on if you're not careful..."
Tobunawa grunted as Yattsu brought a blade into view. "I didn't know." He said with a small smile. "If we're going to talk... I suppose I want to get this out of the -hic- way before you cut out my tongue." Yattsu looked down at him. "I'm sorry I did what I did to you... It wasn't what should have been done but I had to do it."
Yattsu scoffed at these words. "You think an apology will save you? How long has it been since you imprisoned me in an unborn child? Since you trapped me in Doubutsu Tai Tankou and then fled to -hic- The Demon Country?"
"Too long..." Tobunawa said with a grin. "But I am sorry... What I did was unfair to you... Granted I still did it... We all drew lots, the ones who were able to take you on..." Tobunawa said as Yattsu listened to him. "I drew the short straw, you know... I drank the sake of power and took the blessed knives that I used to pin your heads down... I stamped the seal they gave to me on you that would transfer your essence to Tankou-kun's body..."
"I know what you did!" Yattsu said angrilly. "You're not making your case any better, old man!" Yattsu said as she placed a long needle beside Tobunawa, still preparing for her torture."
"But..." Tobunawa continued. "If I had known such a beautiful woman was what I was fighting I wouldn't have even volunteered... If I knew what a wonderful beast I would fight I probably would have even argued about it... When I fought you I realized that a creature of such majesty wouldn't be able to be contained for too long..."
"Flattery will get you nowhere..." Yattsu said, her form becoming more relaxed. Flattery was indeed getting Tobunawa somewhere.
"I know... However... At least before you torture and kill me... Can I run my hand along your face... while you seem human?"
Yattsu was slightly taken aback. "Why would I let you do that?"
"Why did you attack Kirigakure No Sato when you should have stayed where we originally found you?" Tobunawa asked. "You sought something out in our village... I think, after all this time, I know what it was..."
Yattsu grabbed a knife and put it to Tobunawa's throat. "No you don't!" She said. "Stop talking or I really will cut your tongue out!"
"You were looking for the owner of Susano's Sword, the original captor that defeated you under the Thunder Brew's effects..."
"Stop talking!"
"You were in love with the one who held it and used it... because you didn't know back then that you were as feminine as you thought..."
"You... Be quiet!"
"You were in love with me after you saw me the first time in the Demon Country... About ten miles out of here... that's where it all began..."
"Stop it..." Yattsu said weakly, drawing away the blade of her knife. "It's not true..."
"Snakes don't fall in love... do they, Yamato No Orochi... But you did." Tobunawa muttered "Why bother lying about it to a man you are about to kill..."
"I loved you..." Yattsu said, "I loved you until you turned on me... When you fought me I lost all love for you... Do you know how painful it is to be attacked and defeated by the one you love? I traveled all the way to Kirigakure from here in the Demon Country just so I could take you away and keep you as my own... Then you cut me with that horrible sword and captured me inside Tankou's body..."
"And I apologize for that... Back then I was a foolish young man... The reason I came here so many years ago was because I knew that you were more feminine that anything else... Tankou-kun told me at one point when you slept within him."
"That hatchling is no more..." Yattsu said. "Though I did get to meet his sister a year ago..." Yattsu sat on the table beside Tobunawa, sighing sadly.
"How is Tanget nowadays?" Tobunawa asked
"Not a day different than when you left..." Yattsu said, letting her hand extend to hold Tobunawa's. "But you have changed so much from then... I'm surprised you actually lives this long..."
"In truth..." The old man started, "I think it's because I knew you would come... I did so much wrong to you when I lived in my prime... I wanted to let you get your revenge."
Yattsu sighed and stood. "Now you've gone and done it... I just don't feel like taking my time anymore... Where is that sword of yours?" Tobunawa smirked and pointed above his hearth, a greatsword sitting above the mantle, covered in dust. "Ah yes, I remember it now all too well... I wanted to devour that blade so badly and I wanted to keep the man who wielded it for a pet... or maybe for a mate... I am married now, however... To a man who wields a similar sword..." Yattsu took the old sword from above the mantle and gasped in surprise as she felt the power course through her. This was the sword that had beaten her many more times than once. "I'll do this quickly..." She said, reaching out and touching Tobunawa on the forehead. "It will be a very peaceful sort of dying. Just breath in and when you breath out I will take it as your last breath."
Tobunawa smiled and nodded slowly. "I am so... sorry for what I did to you... before you take me... What is your name now?"
As Tobunawa breathed in his last breath a single tear trickled down Yattsu's cheek. "It's Shippo Yattsu now... Goodbye Tobunawa..." As Tobunawa breathed out his breath fogged and Yattsu breathed in, the fog flowing into her mouth and not coming back out. She smiled and looked at the sword in her hand. "Don't worry... It'll seem like you died in your sleep. It was well past your time anyway... I'll be taking this sword from you and, after this night, nobody will question what happened..." Yattsu took a step back, snapped her fingers and all went back how it was before Zabuza had knocked on the door. "Stupid nostalgic human mentality..." Yattsu muttered to herself as she stepped out the front door with the sword in hand. "At least I can now freely devour the thing that has defeated me so many times... Down the hatch I guess." With that Yattsu grabbed the blade of the sword, opened her mouth wide and sank the point into her throat, devouring the sword in one move. It tasted of sake and frwsh dew on a moonlit night. It dulled the sour taste of Tobunawa's soul and mingled with it, making the taste of the old man's soul delicious on her tongue. She let out a smile and touched her stomach. "You can both stay there for all time now... Now we are all one and the same... finally."
Meanwhile in Sunagakure there was no nostalgia. A year had gone by since Sabaku No Gaara had agreed to court Shippo Saisho. Of course, true courtship wasn't really needed. Saisho was already head over heels for Gaara. The kazekage had simple wanted to make things more formal and official before really taking the plunge. Eventually, however, it had to happen. Gaara walked through the halls of his home in the Kazekage tower, a small box in his hand. He seemed, as always, very stern and humorless. He walked straight backed and with a perfectly indifferent look about his face. Over the past year he had shared so much time with Saisho. She had been so caring right off, trying to make good on the pain she had dealt him when she was housed within him. Behind Gaara walked Temari, Kankuro and many other higher ranked officials. They all thought of this as a meeting of sorts when it was certainly not that.
"Gaara," Temari starte, "Why didn't we go into the meeting room like usual. This is unlike you."
Gaara said nothing as he continued walking to where Saisho would be. "What's going on here, Gaara?" Kankuro asked as well.
Gaara didn't answer this either. He turned when he reached the door he was looking for and opened it with a few strands of sand. Saisho was inside, decorating the room to her specifications. Though Gaara didn't quite like her fashion sense he did admit it added flavor. Though it was of the normal Suna style colors it was a bit... eccentric. She was more wild and crazy than Gaara would have expected, funky was a word that had been used before but a more popular term for her was most certainly "unique," used only in the best of ways while still meaning that she was strange. She turned to Gaara and gave a smile. "Gaara, what do you need?"
Temari gave a confused sound. "What does Saisho-chan have to do with this, Gaara?"
"Everything..." Gaara said as he stepped toward Saisho and got on one knee. "Saisho," He started. "I have been thinking about this day for a year now. When I saw you I have to say I was completely frightened for my life... and for good reason... However, I want to make it clear that, in the past year, I have fallen more in love with you than I thought I would for anyone in my life."
Saisho blushed a bit, a look of surprise across her sand colored face. "Well this is certainly unexpected. Are you feeling well, Gaara?"
"Better than ever." Gaara said as Kankuro seemed to be the first one to understand just what was going on and let out a gasp. "Saisho, what I mean to ask is... Will you be my bride?"
Saisho gave a look of shock for a moment but, soon enough, she softened and nodded, her eyes welling up. "Of course I would you silly man. It's been the plan all along, after all. Get back on your feet." Saisho pulled Gaara to his feet and embraced him tightly. "Geez you're silly. We've been sleeping in the same room for six months and only now you decide to be all lovey dovey with me. You should have done it all so much sooner."
Temari was the first to speak about this. "Gaara, are you being serious?"
"Of course I am, Temari." Gaara said as he parted from Saisho.
"Well..." Temari paused briefly
"Congratulations!" Kankuro called out, stepping up and patting Gaara on the back. "About time you found a girl for yourself, brother." Kankuro seemed to be taking it a lot more positively than Temari, though it was most likely because, unlike Temari, Kankuro still didn't know who Saisho really was. Temari had found out, more or less, two months after Saisho came to Suna. She had overheard a conversation between Gaara and Saisho when going to ask Gaara a question about the village. Ever since then Temari had been rather stiff around Saisho, knowing that she was really the one tailed bijuu. However, to Kankuro, Saisho was just the next one tails jinchuuriki. In other words, just another woman with ninja skills and just another person with sand powers.
"Thank you." Gaara said calmly. In truth he was very nervous still. He hadn't expected Saisho to take everything so tamely. He had expected her to go somewhat crazy from the happiness or get irritable because it was already so apparent where their relationship was going. Then again, it was as Matsuri had told him before. 'A woman in love can only melt when proposed to.' Gaara was glad he decided to make it more public, though. Otherwise people would have tried to stop it after the fact and that would have led to Saisho's definite wrath, which nobody wanted to incur, even if it was unconsciously so. "It's been long enough that I think it's time."
"Are you sure about this, Gaara?" Temari asked, still a little stunned. "Are you sure this is the right choice?"
Another Suna council member laughed at this. "I don't see what the big fuss is, Temari-san. I think it's a wonderful thing. Congratulations, Kazekage-sama. Everyone, how about we leave the Kazekage and his family alone. We're just happy witnesses." With that all but Temari and Kankuro shuffled away, speaking happily as they disappeared down the hall.
Temari again spoke up. "Gaara, do you think it's wise?"
Gaara looked at his sister and frowned a bit. He didn't know what Temari had seen and thus he genuinely thought that Temari still thought of Saisho as the Host, not the bijuu. "Why do you ask this?"
Temari hesitated and Kankuro gave a confused look. "What's wrong, Temari?" Kankuro asked, "I don't see why this couple is any less than have so much in common, after all. Saisho-chan's a bit eccentric but what's wrong with a bit of flavor?"
"It's just..." Temari hesitated again, looking at Saisho with something in between fear and anger. "I don't give my blessing for this!" Temari cried out. "I don't want this marriage!"
Kankuro gasped and stepped back. "Temari..." He said in somewhat disbelief.
Saisho frowned and stepped up. "I think I understand." She said aloud. "We haven't gotten a lot of time to bond over the past year, have we?" Saisho asked as she neared Temari, the fan wielding konoichi taking a step back as Saisho neared. "How about we go spend some time together?" Saisho asked. "You may not give your blessing now but, I think after a few days of spending some quality time together, everything will be sorted out. I gotta know my new sister-in-law, after all."
Temari hesitated and looked at Gaara, who seemed most unhappy. "I'm fine with it..." He muttered before wandering out, Kankuro following him with words of reassurance. Gaara didn't know that Temari was aware of Saisho's identity. He probably only saw this as an attempt to keep him from happiness.
Temari looked at Saisho and the doors behind her closed with a slam as San forced them shut. "Why?" Saisho asked. Temari gave a look of confusion. "What is wrong with me that you don't like, Sabaku No Temari?"
Temari paused. What would she say? Saisho could kill her if she said anything wrong. Gaara would believe Saisho over Temari no doubt. "You... You..." Temari didn't know what to say. What if she wasn't supposed to know? Clearly the information was classified.
"Is it because I'm a jinchuuriki that you don't want me with Gaara?" Saisho asked. "Is it because Shukaku, at one time, ruined Gaara's life simply by being inside him?" Temari didn't answer, looking at her feet. "It's because of that, isn't it?" Temari looked at the door and the windows. Sand was starting to blanket over the windows, no doubt as escape proofing. The room got dark for a bit but Saisho's sand flicked on the light switch. "Just tell me why you don't approve of our union already. It's because of Shukaku isn't it? The Ichibi, you don't want Gaara to have anything to do with him, do you?"
"No!" Temari said, finally. "I don't want him to have anything to do with you because that's who you are!" Saisho gasped in surprise. Temari had found out her secret? When? "I've known for months that you are Shukaku!" Temari cried out. Who cared about dying? "You tortured my brother for sixteen years and, when he finally had gotten rid of you you wormed your way back into his life like a disease! Now, instead of losing sleep over you because he can't sleep he chooses to lose sleep over you because you've worked your disgusting wiles on him!" Temari was trying to be strong but she could feel herself stepping back toward the door in desperation. "You're a plague on poor Gaara! Don't play with him like he's saome sort of toy! You've given him so much pain and now you're back and he can't stop loving you because of your tricks! Ahh!"
Temari was lifted into the air by sand, her limbs spread out so she couldn't struggle. Saisho spoke up and she steppe close to Temari. "Is that what you think? " Saisho asked. "How could you say that? I just want him... to love me." Saisho's eyes teared as she looked up at Temari. "Nobody else will, Temari-chan... I just want to be happy and I just want Gaara to love me and, finally when it happens, you can't see that I'm happy with him... I'm not trying to hurt him nor anyone else! At the same time... I can't hurt you for hating me... I understand why..." Temari fell to the ground as Saisho let her go. Saisho fell to her knees. "But why do you have to be so insistent about it? I've felt it for the past year... how much you hated me... Is it really so much to ask for his love? I know I love him and I want him so bad and yet... If you don't give a blessing I can't be with him. I can't go against family."
"Y-You're not going to kill me?" Temari asked hesitantly, a little confused as to why she was still breathing.
"Of course not!" Saisho snapped, looked up with tear filled eyes. "Why would I do that? I can't do that to you! I love Gaara and I love you and Kankuro-kun! In the past year I've seen you as family! I can't hurt you... Not even if you attacked me first. I just don't see why you have to hate me so much... I did hurt Gaara and I am trying to make it up to him... Why can't you love me too?"
Temari didn't know what to say as Saisho wept on the floor in front of her. A mighty tailed beast reduced to tears because of what she had said. Temari would have been lying if she had said the prospect wasn't gratifying. The power that she had made bow to her will was impressive, but she knew it wasn't that sort of confrontation. Saisho was the one tails bijuu but even Temari couldn't bring herself to be spiteful about this. "I... I'm sorry..." Temari muttered.
"Then why can you not bless our marriage?" Saisho snapped out at Temari. "I tried to be a good sister to you and Kankuro-kun! I tried to be a good wife for Gaara and I tried to bve a model Sunagakure No Sato citizen! How many missions have I done for you humans so that I cold win your trust?" Saisho asked, "How many times have I personally saved your life and Kankuro-kun's? How many people have I killed and how many people have I saved just so that you, Gaara's family, would accept me? Everything I've done for this village has been done for you and Kankuro-kun and Gaara because I knew that someday he would finally want to ask to marry me and I wanted to make sure that everyone that mattered would love and accept me."
"But what about your life spans?" Temari finally found as an argument. "Bijuu never age or die of natural causes! It'll be a hundred years from now and Gaara will be a decrepit old man and you'll not have changed a day!"
"Does that matter?" Saisho demanded to know. "I love him and that's all that I see matters! So long as I love Gaara and the children that we have how is it wrong? Gaara is my everything and I'll love him as long as time allows and further! I have worked hard so you'll love me as well but what can I do that will allow me to marry Gaara, in your mind?"
Temari paused. She had no ways. Saisho was a bijuu, and the one that had tortured Gaara for sixteen years before she had been pulled out. She had caused Gaara so much suffering. How could Temari accept her now? "I don't know..." Temari muttered
"Then find out some way!" Saisho ordered. "I love Gaara and I want you to accept that!" Saisho said, sitting on the floor crying. "Please just find out some way for us to be together with your blessing."
What was a way? "Imprison yourself again..." Temari said, ot exactly knowing what she was saying. "Lock yourself up and live in a human body like you did with Gaara."
"But..." Saisho started, "Then it wouldn't be me... It would be someone else..."
"And that's the only way I would accept you being any kind of close to Gaara." Temari said, a serious expression about her face. "I'd like to leave. Let me out of this room." Saisho just stared at Temari in disbelief and let down the sand covering the door. Was that how it had to be?
Two days later Saisho had arranged for it all. She had sopmehow managed to keep it a secret from Gaara thus far, so she thought. In actuality Gaara was worrying his head off. He knew what had gone on between Temari and Saisho all too well and now he knew that Saisho was secretly setting things up to be sealed inside of a ten year coma patient. When that happened the body would be restored and woken up... but it wouldn't be Saisho. Gaara sat at his desk, his hands running idly through his hair in stress. He had to stop this but, like Saisho, he couldn't marry without Temari's blessing. She was his sister and the last of his family aside from Kankuro. Temaeri herself walked in right at that moment. She seemed rather pleased this day and Gaara wondred why as she set some paperwork in front of him. Gaara started looking it over as Temari spoke. "Just some paperwork for some public bills and motions, nothing much. Some redevelopment plans for the east side of the village and a few labor contracts to sign so that we can get some more buildings built."
Gaara looked things over quicker than Temari doubtless expected. Despite the fact that he found the paperwork tedious he had learned how to very quickly read through mountains of paperwork while only appearing to skim things. "What's this about transfering funds from the Jinchuuriki Research Branch to Medical Branches?" Gaara asked. The Jinchuuriki Research Branch had been set up specifically for the secrecy of Saisho's identity and where Saisho worked on occasion with about three other select workers who knew of Saisho's true identity. They worked to keep her secret just that, a secret. Gaara knew exactly what it meant, however. "Miss Uindo Mellia has been in a coma for ten years and now we want to redirect fnds to waking her up?" Gaara asked innocently.
"Well we have recently found some methods that may prove to assist in her inevitable recovery." Temari said, somewhat defensively. "A sealing jutsu that would likely heal her damaged psyche."
"A sealing jutsu, huh?" Gaara muttered, more to himself than Temari. "Saisho is the leader of the JRB, have you run his by her?"
"Of course, Gaara." Temari said with a smug smile. "She agrees with it wholeheartedly."
"So long as she agrees with it then I suppose it's alright then..." Gaara said slowly as he signed on the dotted line something that was a signature, though most certainly not his own before handing it to Temari. "I do hope she's alright with spending the rest of my life unable to touch me directly, though."
Temari was caught aback by this comment. "What do you mean, Gaara?"
"You know what I mean..." Gaara said as he stood up from his chair and threw Temari against the wall with a wave of sand. Temari quickly recovered but the message was clear that Gaara was very not happy with her. It had been yerars since Gaara had acted violently or even intimidatingly toward either of his siblings. This showed, if anything, that Temari had stepped over a very clear line with hurtful intent and that Gaara was very willing to remedy such a problem if he needed to directly. "The point behind marriage is to forever hold the person you love in your arms... to be linked with them by the red string of fate and spend the rest of your life with them personally... not a host they are forced to take because a member of the family is too concieted to let bygones be bygones."
"What are you talking about, Gaara?" Temari asked as she got up. "Saisho-chan was the one who suggested this!"
"No," Gaara snapped at his older sister, "Saisho suggested that you find a way for her to make it up to you so that she could marry me, not how she could escape your hatred and pull strings indirectly."
"But she's a bijuu!" Temari stated loudly, "She caused you so much pain, Gaara!"
Gaara reached out and struck Temari hard on the face with the back of his hand. "And now she's causing me happiness where even you couldn't fill the void. Why can't you accept that she is trying to make amends by doing what she is doing? Why can't you understand that it's because of her that I am as happy as I am?"
"But you signed the paper!"
"Actually, I didn't..." Gaara stated, making Temari looked back at the form. "Sabaku No Temari signed the paper... I just read it... How about you read the signature next time, Temari? I just can't believe that you were willing to actually go through with it, to pull Saisho completely out of my life and possibly doom someone else to unhappiness just so you could keep me from being happy."
"But I-" Temari tried to throw in.
"All this time, this whole year that you doubtless knew, what were you thinking when you kept wishing Saisho harm in her missions and when you refused to give blessing to our union, going so far as to try to erase her from the whole equation with that form?" Gaara asked
"I thought..." Temari started, "I thought you had me... Isn't that good enough, Gaara?"
"No..." Gaara stated. "It isn't good enough... I would have thought you would want me to be happy, Temari. It's sad that my opwn sister is so determined for me to live alone. You are dismissed." Gaara finished as the forms in Temari's hand turned to sand and floatd away from her grip.
"But Gaara!"
"I told you that you were dismissed, Sabaku No Temari!" Gaara said, his voice reaching higher than normal for the first time in the conversation. "You will leave my office now."
Temari paused and then bowed. "Of course, Kazekage-sama." She said before walking out.
Meanwhile, in the hospital, Saisho looked at her soon to be vessel. It was funny how the two women looked so alike. Mellia had been a wind based genin ninja. She had deep sand colored skin and a tattoo of a raccoon on her shoulder. Her eyes were obviously not like Saihso's but they were deep and green, just like Saisho would have liked for a new host. Pretty eyes for a pretty girl. Apparently Mellia, however, had been a very shy girl. Hopefully something of Saisho would rub off on her. As she turned to return to her room for the day Temari walked into the room. "Good afternoon, Temari-chan." Saisho said, forcing a sweet smile to hide her sadness.
"Saisho-chan," Temari started, holding up a small slip of paper with symbols on it. "Do you know what this is?" Saisho shook her head, not knowing at all. "It's the sealing tag I would have personally put on Mellia-san before I transfered you into her." Temari held up a larger piece of symboled paper. "Do you know what this is?" Saisho shook her head again, keeping that same sweet smile about her face, as though this didn't truly hurt her. "This is the sheet that I would have slapped on your chest that connects to the smaller tag. It would have linked you to Mellia-san and pulled you two together."
"Well I am sure it will work very well, Temari-chan." Saisho said, her eyes tearing up. She blinked back the tears, however.
"I'm sure it will once I find a suitable person to bind to Mellia-san." Temari said, looking down at the floor. "But that person isn't you... at least not this time around. I'll give my bnlessinhg for you and Gaara... But is I ever see you make him anything less than deleriously happy you'll have to deal with me for it."
It took Saisho a bit to realize what had just happened. Her smile went into a look of shock and the tears just started flowing. She stepped to Temari and threw herself into Temari, embracing the fan wielding ninja and crying. "Thank you so much!" Saisho said. Temari had to admit, she had been foolish. This was the right thing to do.
A world away the sun shined merrilly on the southern islands, far south of the Ninja continent. Fresh salt air filled the area and the sound of a spear hitting water sounded off as Hatake Kakashi caught a fish in his attack. A year had he been on these islands. It had been a year since that fateful day when Shippo Yonbanme killed his whole entire team, including him, and then brought him back just afterward. She had liked his spark, the determination that he showed even after all of his teammates had been so easily killed. For bringing him back from the brink of death, raising him from the ashes of his funeral pyre, Yonbanme asked only one thing Of Kakashi; That he swear himself to love her for as long as she was to allow it, no questions asked. Kakashi had, thinking that it was just the last dream before hell, agreed to it. That was the start of his life with Yonbanme.
Over the past year the two of them had grown close. They still hadn't gone all the way. As far as things went Kakashi and Yonbanme had only really kissed twice, once when he was raised from the dead and once six months ago. Any other kissing had been on the cheek. Yonbanme was going very slow with the relationship and Kakashi was more than satisfied with all of that. He liked the fact hat Yonbanme was moving along slowly. It gave him time to adapt to the fact that she was, in fact, the four tailed bijuu. Right now she was off flying, trying to find something more than just fish to eat. The island they lived on was large enough to support a village unto itself but, due to powers beyond anyone's control, it had no residents at all save for Kakashi and Yonbanme. The island was called Guardian Island, in fact. It was named thusly because it was guarded by a gigantic beast, rhino-like in nature that was intangible when it wanted to be and very solid when it attacked. It killed any humans who came ashore, though Yonbanme had made sure, when they first arrived, that the guardian didn't bother them. Apparently guardians were neither living nor dead, they simply were. They didn't technically exist. They were spiritual extensions of nature designed to guard a specific location and chase out any humans within it. Now the Guardian brought them gifts of food daily to satisfy their needs, though it wasn't much, just small peace offerings.
Kakashi hauled his spear out of the water and walked to shore, shaking off the water from his clothes. He still wore his mask but aside from that largely nothing was left of Hatake Kakashi's old wardrobe. Now he wore no shirt, showing off a highly well skulpted torso of toned muscle. He wore a simple hide wrap around his waist, like a sort of skirt that wrapped around the body instead of just being pulled up. It had been embarrassing at first but Kakashi had soon learned how much easier it was to move around without proper pants. Not to mention it was cool and flowed well on the hot southern days. There was no restriction and certainly no chafing. In the past year Kakashi's skin had gone from fair to a deep tan, his flesh now the color of wet sand from the southern sun. His hair was still quite fair, pre white, though it was grown out significantly. The white hair he possessed was down to his neck, though it still had that old Kakashi spikiness that everyone knew him for. It was still wild, just longer now.
As Kakashi began to gut the fish he had caught he looked up to see Yonbanme coming back from her trip inland. Her great orange and red wings were clearly spotted in the midday sky, her four beautiful tails trailing behind her as she carried a sling no doubt full of fruits and vegetation from the jungle. Yonbanme still remained the same woman as she had been a year ago, still orange-red hair and four tail markings that stopped just below her breasts. She swept down and landed about ten feet away from Kakashi, her wings shrinking back into her scapulae and her tails flattening out against the front of her torso, becoming nothing but tattoos again. She wore a loincloth under her kilt and had a hide top that only managed to cover her breasts, like a bikini top made only of a strip of leather. Yonbanme set the sling of fruits down in their home, a lean-to that they had rebuilt several times, before walking to Kakashi. "You should hurry that up, Darling." She said as she looked to the ocean. Despite the fact that Yonbanme was moving a lot slower in their relationship than Kakashi had seen with the other bijuu, she still talked to him as though they were married. "There's a storm brewing and this one's gonna be a big one."
Kakashi had had a hard time believing that Yonbanme was a bijuu at first. He had simply been sure that she was a jinchuuriki at first. However, in time, he had added it all up and understood that Yonbanme, Yattsu, Byō, Sanbanme, every "Jinchuuriki" that had blessed his life on the past year or so, was actually a bijuu. He had been talking with them every day and training with them and everything. It was quite a hard concept to master but he eventually had come to terms with it. "Alright." Kakashi said as he finished cleaning the last of the fish. "It is typhoon season, after all."
"Let's get the food done now, before it starts raining." Yonbanme muttered, walking back to the lean-to.
Sooner, rather than later, the two prepared the meals that they would need. Yonbanme prepared the meat and Kakashi cut up and dried the fruits. Out in this environment it was important that anything not eaten was made so that it could be eaten later. The humidity made things rot and spoil so much faster. All the uneaten food had to be dried and stored. Kakashi and Yonbanme dried and stored the fruit on general purpose, as it was. Kakashi went and tended to their crops, covering them with special reed mats so that they might survive the storm. Their crops were, of course, simple things; some lesser grains and at some times of the year they could grow rice inland. Turnips and root vegetables grew alright in the soil as well. For other, more advanced crops they had to go inland but this wasn't the time of year for it. Just as Kakashi was coming out to grab one of the nets from their fishing area the rain started. Kakashi looked up at the storm clouds as they blackened above. He heaved a sigh and hauled the net ashore, a few fish floundering about in it but not a very good catch. The net hadn't been out for very long. Kakashi opted to let the fish go this time around.
As he walked back to their home Kakashi heard Yonbanme speak to him, looking out over the ocean. "We're going to go out and fish this time during the storm." She said. "This one isn't as bad and it'll make deeper ocean netting better. Get the skiff." Kakashi nodded and moved around the beach. It wasn't usual that Yonbanme wanted to go out into the ocean in a big storm but it kicked up the fish and made it easier to net them. The deeper fish also went into a feeding frenzy so they lined the traps with fish innards and let the lower ocean fish get trapped. The "skiff" was a mid sized boat with a single mast that could be raised or lowered. It was big enough that it could hold four decent sized traps for crustaceons and a really big net. Someone could live on it if they wanted to. In fact, that was what Kakashi and Yonbanme had done for a while when they traveled from the southern continent proper to Guardian Island.
The skiff was around momentarilly. Yonbanme hauled the needed supplies on the deck, grabbed the chain and flew the skiff right out into the storm before coming aboard. Kakashi couldn't help but always think that he and Yonbanme were closer to workmates than lovers, though she did try. She wasn't serious so much as she was unsure. She knew Kakashi loved her, he had to. Even if he didn't have to he still loved her for a variety of reasons. She was just somewhat shy about their relationship. She had already stated that they had all the time they needed to get used to one another but even with such a statement Kakashi could always feel slight hesitance in Yonbanme's actions. She wasn't yet comfortable with humans as a whole, much less Kakashi himself. Kakashi had noted Yonbanme peeking on him from time to time when he bathed inland, which he thought was rather queer since, knowing him, Kakashi had guessed he would have been the one doing such things. Still, Yonbanme was all about getting to know everything about Kakashi before she ever so much as thought about bringing the relationship further. She wanted to make sure that the love that Kakashi would forever share with her would be worth it to him. She wanted to make sure that the man she forced into an ineradicable contract through eternity would never regret his choice. In a way, it kind of comforted Kakashi.
The storm raged sooner than Kakashi would have thought. The skiff was being kicked around like a soccer ball in the storm but Yonbanme seemed to be keeping her cool completely as Kakashi floundered about on the deck, trying to make sure everything was well secured. When Yonbanme gave the command Kakashi threw off a trap, then another ten minutes later and a third ten minutes after that. Yonbanme guided the skiff further out and Kakashi launched out the last one before Yonbanme guided them to a particularly violent portion of the storm to cast the net. The poor skiff was literally being tossed out of the water at times and Kakashi worried somewhat for the boat's survival and safety. Yonbanme, taking a last look into the storm, pulled Kakashi below deck and locked the doors. "That should do it." Yonbanme said calmly as she guided Kakashi into the skiff's kitchen, which was rather large for the boat's size.
"I must say, Yonbanme, I'm starting to doubvt your sense of safe weather." Kakashi admitted.
"It's because you can't talk to the skies like I do." Yonbanme stated. "I have the power to know such things. Now get something warm into your stomach and get those clothes off. You're soaked to the bone."
Kakashi blushed a bit. He was indeed soaked to the bone and the chill was starting to get to him already. He slowly disrobed, keeping his mask on. Yonbanme didn't bother getting undressed. The water that was on her literally went to steam and wafted off of her as she went to warming some water for tea. Kakashi sat down on the kitchen bench and waited, trying to retain some modesty, coverng up what he could as he waited. Yonbanme soon had tea for the two of them and sat down. "You don't suppose you could simply steam dry my clothes like yours, do you?" Kakashi asked blandly as he sipped at his tea through the mask that adorned his face.
"No," Yonbanme said simply. "I don't work that way. I would catch your clothes on fire." Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "My powers work by heating myself from within until my touch becomes a force of combustion. It only works on clothes I'm wearing, not what I am holding. Besides, I can't wear your clothes as it is so even then it's moot." Kakashi nodded and sipped at his tea. For a bit there was silence, until Yonbanme again spoke. "Darling?"
"Yes, Yonbanme?"
"You do love me, don't you?"
Kakashi was a bit taken aback by this. "Of course I love you, Yonbanme. I have to."
"But is that the only reason?" Yonbanme asked, a look of mild fear in her eyes. "Is the only reason you love me because it's in our pact?"
Kakashi thought on that. Of course not but how would he precisely explain it? "That's not the only reason. I love you because you are very sweet and caring. You are wise in the ways of the world and you have many interesting characteristics."
"So I'm not doing anything wrong?" Yonbanme asked
Of course not." Kakashi stated. "I can't say I know what is really right in love but you are definitely not doing anything unpleasant... save for driving us into a tropical storm, of course." Yonbanme gave a look of worry. "But that is one of the things I love about you!" Kakashi quickly blurted out, saving himself. "You're a chance taker. Sure, you can't be killed but you definitely like to take chances that would otherwise put you in danger. It's good to know that some people still like to get their hands dirty, after all."
Yonbanme seemed to perk up a bit at this. "Well, at least you are truthful, even if a little dumb." Kakashi raised an eyebrow at this again. "It's time we go to bed. Come on."
Kakashi sighed as he stood and followed Yonbanme to bed. That night Kakashi lay awake as Yonbanme snuggled up next to him. This was something she hadn't ever particularly done before, no spooning of any sort. Now in Kakashi's world spooning most often led, inevitably, to forking, though this wasn't such a case. He was just glad to know that, finally, Yonbanme was moving a bit closer to showing her love. With that in mind he drifted off easily to sleep, despite the violent motions of the boat and the ocean around it.
{HR}
There ya have it! Took me a while to get this all out but it is done. No, there was no lemon in this chapter. I'm not even sure if there will be a lemon in the next chapter, which will take place after a one year time skip and cover the travels of Sanbanme, Byō and Daikyū. Finally, after another one year time skip following that chapter the groups will meet back on their way to Konoha; Tsunade, Kakashi and Yonbanme included. ^^
Please Review and Please Don't Flame!
Yours,
Tankou001
