La Verità Dolce
Sonnie
-O-
Naruto stood staring at the riding crop in his hand. "How is this going to help?"
"You shouldn't start with a real weapon because you could injure yourself. And I don't know about you, but I can't exactly afford to go out and buy a pair of swords for us to practice with."
Naruto blinked. "You've got a point, not pun intended."
Tenten smiled. "Neji wields a rapier. Rapiers have sharp tips but their edges are dull, as they're meant for stabbing, not slashing. They're light and fast, and we're going to do a few simple tests to make sure you've got the potential to evade the point of a rapier. If you're too slow for me, I'm not going to bother teaching you anything, so I need you to take this seriously."
"I've never seen you so intense before, Tenten. You're very professional."
"You just met me today, Naruto," Tenten said with a slight smile. "And this is a grave matter. When you wield a weapon, you risk injury to yourself and others. You have to be ready for the responsibility."
Without warning, she lifted her riding crop and tapped it against his cheek. She didn't strike hard enough to leave a welt, but there was enough force behind it to let him know she meant business. "These riding crops are shorter than rapiers, but roughly the same weight. I picked the heaviest ones, but a rapier only weighs about three pounds."
"That light?"
"Yes. You also have to keep in mind that the blade can bend or even snap under extreme conditions."
"Can't I just use another type of sword against him and break his?"
"A larger sword is going to be heavier and slower. A skilled man only needs one strike to kill you, and if you're using a different kind of blade, he's going to get you first."
A chill ran through Naruto, but it only strengthened his resolve. "Why do you think he uses a weapon with an obvious weakness, though?"
Because a rapier is a very personal weapon…Neji is practically royalty, I can't see him having to join the army like other men his age…He's never been trained for any kind of melee fighting, just dueling. He doesn't have "real" problems like people trying to steal his money or kill him in some back, while people like us are the mercy of brigands and thieves. His only concern is defending his family's honor and a rapier is the classiest, most refined weapon available…He has an image to keep up, after all.
Tenten knew she was bitter, but her mother's death at the hands of common thieves was what drove her father to train her. She had yet to test her skills on people, and realized she was teaching something entirely different to Naruto. Her father had taught her how to fight with a rapier and then, much later, due to much crueler and dire circumstances, taught her to fight for her life. Her father, the soldier, not the sword maker, taught her how to kill, but Naruto sought honorable methods; he didn't know there was anything else.
"Instead of relying on the curving arc of a cut, Neji can close the distance faster with the straight line of the thrust. Also, a swinging sword leaves you vulnerable to attack, but a rapier's tip will always be between you and your opponent. Also, it's quite common for men to carry both rapiers and daggers, so Hyuuga might be carrying one when you fight him. If you pose any kind of threat to him he's not going to hesitate to use any means necessary. Are you sure you want to give this a try?"
As if to answer her, Naruto raised his riding crop and swung. This time the end of Tenten's riding crop stung the exposed skin of his stomach when his shirt lifted above his breeches. The simple move knocked the wind out of him.
"No swinging, Naruto, you need to thrust."
"You dodged!"
"Hyuuga is not going to stand around like a statue and let you hit him. If you swing like you've been doing, he's going to gut you like a fish on the end of his blade. When you use both hands it commits your body, leaving you unable to use your feet."
"My feet?"
"Distance is of the utmost importance and there is no room for error. To be honest, you don't have much of a chance against Neji even if I teach you everything I know. When I finish teaching you, you'll have skills but not the practical battle experience that he has. I want to show you proper technique but I can't guarantee it will save you and I can't promise he'll fight honorably. But you don't want to fight dirty, that's not who you are. This is all so risky…It's kind of a lost cause."
"Then why bother?" Naruto demanded.
"Because you asked me for help," Tenten replied honestly. "When I came to this city, I had nothing. I asked someone for help and he gave it to me; I had a place to stay, a trade to learn, and a future career. I can't help but feel I owe it to you because Master Nara showed faith in me. Had he turned me down, I don't know what would become of me. I think I can say the same thing of you."
Naruto nodded. "Run your test."
"If you can't avoid at least one of these blows—"
"—Can I parry?"
"Yes, you may, but I'd rather see you evade them altogether. A rapier is one-handed, don't forget."
Normally Naruto would have been tempted to attack but instead of giving him the opportunity, she advanced on him. She stayed out of range of his raised riding crop and though she danced closer from time to time she didn't attack immediately as he thought she would. She was scrutinizing how he held his riding crop and how he handled it in response to her proximity and actions.
He's cautious but he's not afraid, Tenten realized. He's serious about this. I guess I shouldn't humiliate him too badly…even if he can't win I'm going to try my hardest to give him a chance. So many things could go wrong…
Tenten lunged. The sudden thrust after two minutes of study caught Naruto off guard. Naruto managed to knock her riding crop aside, but stumbled a bit in an effort to get away from her.
"If he knocks you off your feet you're a dead man, Uzumaki."
"Hey, I don't know your last name so I can't pull that on you."
Tenten lowered her riding crop briefly. "I don't have a last name."
"What are you going to do when you get married? You won't have a last name to give your wife."
Tenten didn't think her gender scheme would go that far, but she certainly couldn't tell Naruto that.
"Let's focus on the matter at hand!" With that, Tenten jabbed the riding crop forward, catching Naruto's hand. He flinched but didn't drop the riding crop; if she'd been using a rapier, the blade would be sticking out of his wrist. Without thinking, he countered her attack, which she sidestepped.
He's actually not that bad for a beginner, Tenten surmised. He's spirited. Physically, he can do it. I hit him a few times but he has the capacity to learn. But is he mentally prepared for this? Emotionally prepared? He's going to rush to his death anyway but maybe I can help him die with dignity…
"Naruto, do you have family that will miss you if you die?" Tenten asked him suddenly. She dropped the riding crop and it rolled away. The sound echoed sharply in the stable, the only place large enough that provided shelter from prying eyes.
Naruto slowly lowered his riding crop. "Why do you ask?"
"Because you're taking on this task like you have nothing to lose."
"I found something I want to keep," Naruto told her plainly. "If I fail her…it'll feel about the same as dying, I think. But I'll only feel it for a second; Neji won't let me live any longer than that."
-O-
Ino sat in her kitchen, a numb sort of feeling having settled over her. Sakura had examined her and deemed her healthy; so far only Karin and two other staff members had been sick, but that wasn't what bothered her. She'd spent months planning everything for her husband's birthday party. She had three Tuscan chefs arriving later that evening and she was going to have to turn them away. The flowers had been ordered and the orchestra had been hired and everything had been going perfectly until…
"Ino?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm kind of surprised to see you sitting down," Shikamaru told her. "You've been running around like crazy the past couple weeks."
Shikamaru gave her a rare smile that she ached to return, but her disappointment was too fresh.
"It's nothing," Ino waved off his concern. It was a matter of pride, planning his surprise party. She suspected he knew but wasn't going to come out and say it.
"Master Shikamaru?"
The painter turned to see the pink haired doctor waiting patiently in the door.
"Yes, what can I do for you?"
"I'm Doctor Sakura Haruno."
"Did Ino finally call on you? I told her days ago the maids were sick."
Ino's face fell and Sakura felt a swift surge of pity for her. "I'm here in concern to the maids, yes," Sakura said carefully. Ino's face perked up, and Sakura was aghast at how such a tiny gesture was appreciated.
"Is something the matter with them?"
"I just finished examining them; was there a time this evening when I could examine you as well? If you've had contact with any of them you might be at risk."
"I'm actually just taking a brief break from contract negotiations with Lord Gaara, is it really that important? He said his brother's coming any minute and I'd like to be finished before he arrives."
"Sir, three of your maids have typhus."
"Typhus, how on earth did they get it?"
"Karin brought it back with her from Florence."
"What the hell was she doing there? Ino, you said she was visiting her newly-wedded sister."
"I—"
Sakura cleared her throat. "It's not important how she got it, only what's going to happen to her now that she has it. I'm going to have to set up quarantine in the west wing of the house."
Shikamaru sighed. "I told Ino she should have taken care of it days ago…"
"Master Shikamaru, typhus is a dangerous disease and blaming your wife won't make the situation improve. Right now I need to examine every student and every client that's walked through your door."
Shikamaru's fingers went to his temples. "Lord Hyuuga already left today, but he had no contact with any servants, only one of my apprentices and he certainly did not touch anything here. Lord Gaara is in my office but I doubt he'd consent to an examination. He and Lord Hyuuga are the only clients that have been inside the residence this past week, but Gaara's been in my studio the entire afternoon."
"I've met Lord Gaara before, there's no point in asking. But I must insist upon examining you and your apprentices."
"Only two live on the grounds, the rest live nearby."
"Is Naruto still here, then?"
"He was doing a commission for Lord Gaara."
Sakura smiled proudly. "Already?"
Shikamaru nodded. "He's probably on the grounds somewhere because his drawing supplies are still in my studio."
"I'll examine him when I'm finished with you, assuming you consent."
Shikamaru saw his wife's worried expression from the corner of his eye, and saw how intent and serious the young doctor was. He threw up his hands. "What am I going to tell Lord Gaara?"
"I've already examined your wife, she can entertain him. It's only going to take a few minutes at most."
"What is my wife going to tell him, that he should just wait while his host gets checked for one of history's most virulent diseases?"
"I may not be the genius that you are, but I'll think of something," Ino hissed, storming off.
Shikamaru turned to Sakura. "If you examined Karin, how do I know you don't have it?"
"My mentor and I had traveled to Milan to offer assistance during the outbreak three years ago. I was struck down by the illness and recovered just in time to watch my beloved Doctor Kakashi perish. He was like a father to me. I've built up some tolerance to it after the fact."
Shikamaru nodded. "I hope my wife doesn't scare off Lord Gaara."
"You seem to have little faith in her abilities, Master Shikamaru, if you don't mind my saying."
"What if I do mind?"
"Then you can tell me after I've examined you. Now take off your shirt, I need to check your chest for a rash."
Shikamaru blinked before meekly unbuttoning his shirt.
-O-
"Temari, you can't just barge into the house, it doesn't matter if you already know him."
"No one's answering the damned door, Kankurou, I'm sick of waiting outside. What kind of household is this, anyway?"
"Temari!" Kankurou watched in dismay as his sister pushed her way through the half-open front gate. Sighing, he followed her inside, pausing to admire the fragrant flowers planted along the eastern wall.
The gardener has exotic taste, he thought, noting that it was somewhat odd for irises to be in bloom during fall. Roman air does some strange things to flowers. Someone went through a lot of trouble.
Kankurou reluctantly entered the residence, feeling incredibly guilty as he did so. He noted the walls were rather bare for an artist's house, and while most could make great art they were usually tacky decorators. When he caught up with his sister he found she was currently being confronted by a woman he could only assume was the lady of the house. This blonde stranger was very beautiful but she looked a little harassed. He knew his sister could have that effect on people and braced himself for an ugly altercation.
"What are you doing in my home?"
"No one answered the door, so I thought I'd invite myself in. Is Shikamaru available?"
The tiny emphasis on the word "available" grated. This is the worse day of my life, Ino thought, willing herself not to cry in frustration.
"What my sister means is that we're here to pick up our brother, Gaara."
Ino blanched. These…cretins are nobility? Well, the man's okay so far but the woman is dreadful. What does she want with Shikamaru?
"Lady Temari? Lord Kankurou?"
Ino watched Sakura enter the hall, which suddenly felt too small and too narrow.
"Doctor Sakura? It's nice to see you again."
"You know each other?" Ino was baffled.
"She saved me from a poisoning attempt last year when I was back in Venice. She's an extraordinary woman."
"Who would try to poison you?" Ino asked. Temari laughed and Ino flushed angrily. "I wasn't trying to be funny."
Kankurou waved his sister off dismissively. "Temari thought it was hilarious. It was just some rival port owners trying to kill the first born son and all…quite ridiculous, because my sister and younger brother are just as formidable as me."
He said it like an inside joke and Ino averted her eyes as the others laughed. She felt very, very uncomfortable. She'd never liked when Shikamaru spoke of matters as if they were too complicated for her to understand, it was incredibly insulting. She didn't want to take this humiliation in her own home, but she was paralyzed by her insignificance. To her relief, her husband rounded the corner. She rushed to his side but he walked right past her and went to Temari. Ino held her hands close to her chest after Shikamaru brushed them away, watching him and the tall blonde woman warily.
"Shikamaru, I've missed you." The two actually embraced right in front of her.
Ino looked stricken. She'd never felt so overlooked and useless in her entire life. She eased her way past everyone and stood motionless by the wall. She felt it was her responsibility to be with her husband as he greeted this people, even though he failed to introduce her. Despite the fact Ino hadn't been too keen on her, Sakura's heart went out to the woman who was so clearly in pain. She knew that Ino had no right to be overlooked in this situation, and her opinion of Shikamaru had vastly diminished.
"I just thought your brother was coming," Shikamaru was actually smiling, something Sakura had noticed he didn't do for his own wife. "I wasn't expecting you."
"Well, Kankurou's terrible with directions; I didn't want to have to rescue him later."
Kankurou scowled and Sakura sympathized. She'd met each member of the family and the dig that Temari had taken at her brother was incredibly mild in comparison to some of their interactions towards each other. Sakura thought siblings were actually supposed to like each other. When they were united by a common goal (usually wealth or power) they were civil enough but when it came to personal matters it was a battle of who could undermine whom. Sakura wondered how a relatively normal painter in Rome met such a well-connected yet dysfunctional family.
Shikamaru's eyes never left Temari. "I'm glad you're here, but we're having something of a medical emergency."
"You look okay," Temari said quietly, giving him an appreciative smile.
"Eh, it's all Ino's fault," Shikamaru muttered. Ino's face crumpled; she couldn't take it any more. She turned away from him, her steps silent as she fled. Kankurou glimpsed her expression and followed, his departure unnoticed by Shikamaru, who was explaining his current situation to Temari. Sakura watched the scene curiously but turned her attention back to Shikamaru, reaffirming his clean bill of health.
"So far there's only been three cases here. I need to check some students who live at the residence yet, but I doubt any of them will have typhus. Now if you'll excuse me, Lady Temari, Master Shikamaru, I need to look for Naruto."
Bowing, she left the two to converse, hoping that whatever words Kankurou offered Ino they might help fix her broken heart. Too bad words can't fix a broken marriage, Sakura thought, shaking her head sadly.
